"

But it seems that Corilla had only to express a wish in order to see
it suddenly fulfilled; for the door was at that moment opened, and a
servant announced Count Alexis Orloff.

Corilla smiled with delight, and let that smile remain upon her lips,
as she very well knew it was becoming to her, and that she had conquered
many hearts with it; but secretly her heart throbbed with fear, and
timidly she asked herself, "What can that Russian count want of me?"

But with a cheerful face she advanced to receive him; she seemed not to
remark that a dark cloud lay upon his brow, and that his features bore
an almost threatening expression.

"He is a barbarian," thought she, "and barbarians must be treated
differently from other men. I must flatter this lion, in order to fetter
him!"

"It is a serious matter that brings me to you, signora," said Alexis,
gloomily.

"A serious matter?" she cheerfully asked. "Ah, then I pity you, count.
It is difficult to speak with me of serious matters!"

"You rather do them!" said Alexis, carelessly throwing himself upon a
divan. "You would not play with such serious things as, for instance,
a dagger, and therefore you hurl it from you, altogether indifferent
whether you thereby quite accidentally pierce the heart of another."

"I do not understand you, count," said Corilla, without embarrassment,
but at the same time she looked at him with such a charming and enticing
expression, that Alexis involuntarily smiled.

"I will make myself intelligible to you," said he, in a milder tone.
"You must understand, that I know you, Corilla. That assassin who
followed the Princess Tartaroff at the festival of Cardinal Bernis, was
employed by you, Signora Maddalena Morelli Fernandez, called Corilla!"

"And what if it were true, Signor Alexis Orloff, called the handsome
Northern Hercules?" asked she, roguishly imitating his grave
seriousness. "If it were really true, what further?"

Alexis looked in her face with an expression of astonishment. "You are
wonderfully bold!" said he.

"None but slaves are without courage!" responded she. "Freedom is the
mother of boldness!"

"You do not, then, deny the hiring of that bravo?"

"I only deny your right to inquire," said she.

"I have a right to it," he responded with vehemence. "This Princess
Tartaroff is a subject of the Empress of Russia, my mistress, who
watches over and protects all her subjects with maternal tenderness."

"That good, tender e