286 BY ORDER OF THE CZAR.
trottoir of the little canal, and found the doorway of the Fazio Palace open the doorway leading to the passage which opened upon the countess' private apartments.
These Venetian palaces, one would imagine, were built as much for purposes of love and intrigue, as for artistic luxury and architectural beauty. General Petronovitch easily succeeded in making his way to the balcony room, where the countess had given her instructions to Ferrari, without exciting attention or remark. He found her lady- ship reclining upon the yellow cushions of a rich silken couch, her beautiful figure enveloped in an ample tea- gown. He had closed the doors behind him as she had requested ; had met no one coming or going, heard no signs of life ; felt that he had obtained a precious privilege, and this thought was the essence of his opening salutation.
He did not know how closely and fatally those doors had closed behind him. He was in a fool's paradise ; and the fool was happy ! A sensualist, he was proud of his conquest. His small eyes gloated upon Anna's pale face as he kissed her hand, and took the seat it had indicated by her side.
" You think me very weak, I am sure, general," she said ; " but what is woman's strength but weakness ? "
" Her strength," said the general, pressing her hand, " lies in her generosity."
" And man's?" she said interrogatively.
" In his appreciation," he replied, promptly.
" Ah, you have made these affairs of the heart a study."
" What else in life," he said, " is worth serious atten- tion ? "
11 Oh, there are other matters of moment. You must have felt them in the exercise of your noble profession many a time."
" Never as keenly," he said, " as the natural interest a man feels in a beautiful woman ; especially when she
