The Black Cross

side streets the shadows were heavy, the fa?ades of the great palaces casting strange and dark reflections upon the pavement; but the main thoroughfares were stre

n. The great Square of the Mariínski was alive with a moving, jostling throng, surging backwards and forwards before the steps of the Theatre like waves on a rock; a gay,

d of the "Première Danseuse," the idol of Russian society, a new star had appeared, suddenly, miraculously

h the sound of his fame sped from city to city, from province to province, until there was no musician in all the Russias who could play as Velasc

The great Velasco! The wonderful Velasco!" And now he was on

The list grew longer, the clamourings louder; and at last the unprecedented happened. At the request of a titled committee under the signature of the Grand-Duke Stepan himself, the Mariínski, largest and most beautiful of

died in the distance. Behind the Theatre the ice on the canal glimmered and sparkled. The moon cl

he Pozelu?ef bridge at a gallop. At the same moment a tro?ka, with three horses abreast, turned sharply into the Glinki and the two c

ushed to the

one, "Have you eyes in the back of your hea

nation on you and your bad driving! Call th

ift with the assistance of his lackey and was brushing the snow from his long fur cloak. A fur cap, pu

l you, go to the horses! A mercy indeed if their legs are not broken. A pretty pass this, th

tle more than a boy, stood by the o

t scratched? Keep their hoofs away, Bobo, hol

w and peered eagerl

, "What is he after? Quick, on hi

a sudden leap back as the boyish figure sprang to h

the saints! If he should drop it t

iveted to the spot. In the meantime the young man had snatched

nd old Galitsin fuming, I'll be bound! I

der and he looked up amazed into a pair of eyes,

Traitor! Assassin! Your driver obeyed orders, did he? You knew?

n that vicious grasp that was bearing him under slowly, relentlessly. "For the love

I swear by all

wouldn't drop it for all the world, not if you went on your bended knees. Bobo, yel

you he is ruining my arm!-Hey! Help! You're an a

r. The master of the black sleigh was still enveloped in his cloak, only the gleam of his eyes, small an

mane, clustered in waves about his broad, overhanging brows; strange brows and strange eyes underneath. The mouth w

side. "I beg your pardon," he said, with some show of apology in his tone, "Surely I must

ty!-I never felt such a grip. The muscles are quite sore already, but luckily it is the lef

h hands carefully, one after the other. A s

in a public street. It's a mercy we weren't all killed! Still, you really must pardon me, these anarc

ame the snapping of two watch lids almost simultaneo

o was I, and look at the time if you p

d, "and to-night of all nights! The entire concert will be at a standstill. The rug,

in an appearance about the same time, sir," he called back carelessly over his shoulder. "You won't miss

other, "eh, what-you? Tysyach

ittered with orders. His cap fell back from his face, and his eyes, small and black and crossed, his beaked nose, his grey upturned m

ows and laughed: "True, your highness," he said with mock humility, "I s

he exclaimed, "Your face-certain

ll prancing a little and trembling, their bits flecked with foam. The youth saluted with one

e before and you will see me again, to-night, if th

?ka, darting across the moonlight of the Square,

d: "Velasco!" he said, "And I al

Pierre

t to the gallery, from the orchestra chairs to the Be

a vast garde

as. Fans waved here and there over the house, fluttering, flashing like myriads of butterfly wings. The stage was filled with the black

rms and the more delicate hues whispered together, glancing first at a box on t

s with his four strings?-for whom they had paid fifteen roubles, twenty-twenty-five until there wasn't a seat

d; the minutes

of the loggia and bowed to right and to left; his eyes, small and black and crossed, glancing haughtily over the throng. "At last!"-The applause was mechanic

htly and a slim boyish figure strode across the b

up from the House-"Vela

ned for silence, and then, with the first downward beat

re him, from tier to tier, from top to bottom. He had seen it all before many times; but never so beautiful, so vast an audience, such a glory of colour, such closeness of

r. A curious tenseness came over the listening audience. Not a soul stirred. The Grand-Duke sat motionless with his head in his hands.

applause to subside, the second movement began, slow and passionate. The notes became fuller and more sens

nward, caressing pressure over the E string. His eyes, half veiled and dreamy, looked straight across the H

aze on his, fixed and intent. The gold of her hair glistened in the light. Her lip

nt; then he dropped his head agai

a flash, a ripple of notes tumbling over one another, each one a pearl. His lion's mane caressed the violin

, the virtuosity, the abandon, drove the House mad with enthusia

!-Velasco! Bra

os redoubled. The women tore the flowers from their girdles to fling on the stage; they

, smiled and bowed again. He went out by the lit

e rose a

las-co!" It

e, from somewhere, a bunch of violets fell at his feet. He raised the

ist of paper. His eyes fell for an instant on the blotted words and th

." The rest was a blot. He scanned them again

! Velasc

, his dark eyes flashed to the eyes of the girl like ste

me-life or deat

loggia, like one in a trance, once, twice, their eyes still together. And then, sudden

Vela

hanting Polish improvisation like a love song, a song without words. His eyes opened and closed a

a last wild and passionate note Velasco tore the bow from the strings;

My

housand