Let's go in. Don't be so sure of this
place."
We entered the dining room, and he took the letter and opened the
envelope. After reading--there were no more than two pages--he said:
"No answer. Do you know the contents?"
"I don't. But I can guess."
"Oh! Is that so?"
All of this commenced to irritate me. I shrugged my shoulders.
"Very well, very well," the doctor said, "we must not be offended. You
know what times we live in. Won't you sit down, please?"
The doctor was very nervous: rubbed his hands, looked around and
showed other signs of impatience. Finally he expressed what was in his
mind.
"Can't the Princess understand how risky these writings are for us?"
"Just as risky as for the authors and bearers," I replied feeling
sorry for the lady who meant well. "If there is no answer I don't
think I'll return to Tumen. I have nothing to do there. I see all
these affairs are managed in the same way, as we managed them in our
country. I am through. I thought we had changed. I'll attend to other
things."
"Please," he said looking at me with amazement, "don't misunderstand
me. You see,"--he tried to invent something, or say something,--"all
is very dangerous...."
We were interrupted by a movement on the street. A crowd of soldiers
(for I cannot call it a company, or a detachment,--just a crowd of
man-haters clad in uniform) passed, and made a demonstration against
the Mansion.
Pages:
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207