46 BY ORDER OF THE CZAR.
about her pale handsome face, her eyes were Bed with weeping.
"I have just now ventured to say to His Excellency the Governor all I know that is good of all of you," said the count, " and hope you may be successful ; but I fear, my poor girl, I fear and there is no lady at the old house so recently adorned by Her Excellency the Lady Poltava to soften the discipline of the place. Are you not afraid to trust yourself alone there ? "
" I am alone in the world ; I have no one belonging to me now ; two days ago I was the happiest of God's crea- tures."
" And they called you Queen of the Ghetto. Heaven help you ! Would that I could ! You are not afraid to go alone, you say ? I have the Governor's permission to speak with your father ; that is why I am now riding into Czarovna. But I will return and go to the Governor with you if you think "
" No, no, go to my father, dear sir, thank your highness ; my loneliness may be the best appeal to the Governor than even your kind aid ; and my father needs comfort. Tell him I am well ; that I am free ; and oh, conjure him to buy his own and the rabbi's liberty if money will buy it ; and if not " lifting her head high for the first time " tell him we will die together ! "
" I will say so," the count replied, not without emotion, " and if I can be of any service to you I fear my influ- ence is not great command me."
And they went on their several ways, Anna running to make up for this short delay, the count turning upon his horse to look back after her.
" What a lovely creature !" he said to himself, "brave as she is lovely and good as she is brave ! Is it wise to permit her to see Petronovitch unattended ? "
" God be with you ! " said the old man who had spoken
