ung girl, only just out of the schoolroom, should
dare to thwart his plans.

He burst into her sitting-room, his face red and inflamed from his
secret drinking. She recognised the symptoms at once. He had one of
his wild fits of brutal and unreasoning rage.

He attacked her at once, in unmeasured language.

"You are a disgrace to your sex," he shouted wildly, "a disgrace to
the noble house of Zouroff, to the name you bear."

The young Princess looked at him calmly and steadfastly, with her
clear gaze. He was a wild beast at the moment--she saw that; also
gathered that he had been drinking heavily. Wild beasts are sometimes
tamed by the eye. She never took her glance off him.

"Of what do you accuse me?" she asked in cold and cutting accents. "In
what way have I, of all the members of our family, disgraced the house
of Zouroff?"

The Prince spluttered forth his accusations. "You have disgraced
yourself by falling in love with a strolling player, that mountebank,
Corsini."

Of course he was still master enough of himself not to reveal all he
knew, or thought he knew.

The Princess drew herself up haughtily. It was not the first time she
had encountered her brother in this mood.

"I don't think you know what you are talking about, Boris; I can see
your condition very plainly. Signor Corsini is not a strolling
player--that description applies to the destitute members of the
theatrical profession. Corsini is a musician, an artist, and the
Director of the Imperial Opera. Think of some other expression that
will vent your rage and spite, but don't call him 'a strolling
player.'"

"But whatever he is, you love him," thundered the Prince, now fairly
consumed with rage.

The young Princess kept her temper, her tone was as cutting as before.

"You insult me with these questions," she said calmly. "Return to me
when you are sober and I may perhaps be able to talk with you, reason
with you." She was thinking of a few hints dropped by General Beilski
on his brief visit to her.

"And if I do not choose to leave at your bidding," retorted the
Prince, in a jeering tone. "Suppose I insist upon remaining and
finishing our conversation!"

"In that case I shall leave the Palace for good." And suddenly her
woman's strength gave way, opposed to that of this resolute ruffian
and bully. "If our dear mother were here, you would not dare to stay
in this room a moment longer. You take advantage of my weakness," she
cried tearfu