And the Cossack sentinel, likewise noting all this, felt ill at ease. The sound of his bugle would instantly have summoned a party from the Russian guard-house, but as this might have led to the exposure of his own participation in the affair, he refrained from the act, and looked on in silence.
"Marshal, conduct your prisoner to the Citadel."
There was an emphasis on the last word which was intended to remind the princess that it behoved her to consider who he was. It was clear to her that relying on his kinship to the Czar, he set little store by the law of Czernova. His pitying smile cut the constitutionalist princess to the quick.
"You talk bravely, fair cousin, forgetful in whose territory you now stand. I put myself under the protection of this sentry, the representative of the Czar."
The duke was not mending matters in appealing to the Czar for protection against the law of Czernova.
"O silly duke!" murmured Zabern. "How nicely you are playing into my hands! You have lost the princess by that speech."
The Cossack sentinel, now heartily regretting that he had become compromised by an affair in which the great ones of Czernova were involved, nevertheless at the duke's abjuration rode off to the princess.
"What is this?" he cried, with an air of authority. "Prisoner? No arrest can take place here. Little mother, you are standing on Russian ground; therefore--your passport, signed by the Russian consul at Slavowitz."
"Princesses do not carry passports," replied Barbara disdainfully.
"Then the little mother must retire to her own side of the frontier."
Barbara seemed disposed at first to maintain her ground, but wiser thoughts prevailed.
And with this she retired, and took her station by the side of Zabern.
"Princess, I commend your celerity," smiled the marshal. "I was five years in getting out of Russia,--you have accomplished it in as many seconds."
Then lowering his voice to a whisper, he continued,--
"We cannot arrest the duke while he is on Russian ground. Were we to do so, this Cossack would report the matter. In their present mood Russian ministers would gladly seize upon the violation of their territory as a _casus belli_, and we don't want war at present."
"John Lilieski," said the princess, addressing the duke from her own side of the frontier, "you will either return under guard to Slavowitz, or you will not return at all. Take your choice betwixt imprisonment during my pleasure, or perpetual banishment from Czernova."
