but comfortable fashion.

"We will invade the prince's own sanctum," she murmured. "Before I
dance, I drink nothing but water. Now I want some champagne. Will you
fetch me some, and bring it to me yourself?"

She sank back upon a divan as she spoke. John turned to leave the room,
but she called him back.

"Come here," she invited, "close to my side! I can wait for the
champagne. Tell me, why you are so silent? And my dancing--that pleased
you?"

He felt the words stick in his throat. The sight of her cold, alluring
beauty, shining out of her eyes, proclaiming itself and her wishes from
her parted lips, filled him with a sudden resentment. He hated himself
for the tumult which raged within him, and her for having aroused it.

"Your dancing was indeed wonderful," he stammered.

"It was for you!" she whispered, her voice growing softer and lower. "It
was for you I danced. Did you not feel it?"

Her arms stole toward him. The unnatural calm with which she had
finished her dance seemed suddenly to pass. Her bosom was rising and
falling more quickly. There was a faint spot of color in her cheek.

"It was wonderful," he told her. "I will get you the champagne."

Her lips were parted. She smiled up at him.

"Go quickly," she whispered, "and come back quickly! I wait for you."

He left the room and passed out again into the picture-gallery before he
had the least idea where he was. The band was playing a waltz, and one
or two couples were dancing. The people seemed suddenly to have become
like puppets in some strange, unreal dream. He felt an almost feverish
longing for the open air, for a long draft of the fresh sweetness of the
night, far away from this overheated atmosphere charged with unnamable
things.

As he passed through the farther doorway he came face to face with the
prince.

"Where are you going?" the latter asked.

"Mme. Calavera has asked me to get her some champagne," he answered.

The prince smiled.

"I will see that it is sent to her at once," he promised. "You are in my
sanctum, are you not? You can pursue your _tete-a-tete_ there without
interruption. You are a very much envied man!"

"Mme. Calavera is there," John replied. "As for me, I am afraid I shall
have to go now."

The smile faded from the prince's lips. His eyebrows came slowly
together.

"You are leaving?" he repeated.

"I must!" John insisted. "I can't help it. Forgive my behaving like a
boor, but I must go. Good night!"