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She was presently the more self-possessed of the
two, and nothing was ever so sweet to his ears as the few
commonplace remarks she uttered. In spite of the darkness and the
chilly air, the sled seemed to fly like lightning. Before he
supposed they had made half the way, she gave a sign to the
istvostchik, and they drew up before a plain house of squared logs.
The two lower windows were lighted, and the dark figure of an old
man, with a skull-cap upon his head, was framed in one of them. It
vanished as the sled stopped; the door was thrown open and the man
came forth hurriedly, followed by a Russian nurse with a lantern.
"Helena, my child, art thou come at last? What has befallen thee?"
He would evidently have said more, but the sight of Prince Boris
caused him to pause, while a quick shade of suspicion and alarm
passed over his face. The Prince stepped forward, instantly
relieved of his unaccustomed timidity, and rapidly described the
accident. The old nurse Katinka, had meanwhile assisted the lovely
Helena into the house.


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