He was proud and happy; the Princess Helena
would be the reigning beauty of the court, when he should present
her, but he desired the sanction of his parents to the marriage,
before taking his place in society. He would write immediately to
his father, and hoped, that, if the news brought a storm, Mishka
might be on hand to divert its force, as on a former occasion.
Under the weight of this imminent secret, the Princess Martha could
neither eat nor sleep. Her body wasted to a shadow; at every noise
in the castle, she started and listened in terror, fearing that the
news had arrived.
Prince Boris, no doubt, found his courage fail him when he set
about writing the promised letter; for a fortnight elapsed before
it made its appearance. Prince Alexis received it on his return
from the chase. He read it hastily through, uttered a prolonged
roar like that of a wounded bull, and rushed into the castle. The
sound of breaking furniture, of crashing porcelain and shivered
glass, came from the state apartments: the domestics fell on their
knees and prayed; the Princess, who heard the noise and knew what
it portended, became almost insensible from fright.
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