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material； male and female； are at your disposal； for what you can
make out of them。
〃'It is good；' he went on gayly； 'that you should happen to have
this happy disposition； for I fear that； no later than to…morrow； I
may have to absent myself from home。 I have heard that there are
news of wolvesthey threaten to be a greater pest than usual this
winter； but I am going to drive them on quite a new plan； and it
will go hard with me if I don't come even with them。 Well for you；
by the way； Marshfield； that you did not pass within their scent
today。' Then； musingly： 'I should not give much for the life of a
traveler who happened to wander in these parts just now。' Here he
interrupted himself hastily and went over to his wife； who had sunk
back on her chair； livid； seemingly on the point of swooning。
〃His gaze was devouring； so might a man look at the woman he
adored； in his anxiety。
〃'What！ faint； Violet； alarmed！' His voice was subdued； yet there
was an unmistakable thrill of emotion in it。
〃'Pshaw！' thought I to myself； 'the man is a model husband。'
〃She clinched her hands； and by sheer force of will seemed to pull
herself together。 These nervous women have often an unexpected
fund of strength。
〃'Come； that is well；' said the baron with a flickering smile； 'Mr。
Marshfield will think you but badly acclimatized to Poland if a
little wolf scare can upset you。 My dear wife is so soft…hearted；'
he went on to me； 'that she is capable of making herself quite ill
over the sad fate that might have； but has not； overcome you。 Or；
perhaps；' he added； in a still gentler voice； 'her fear is that I
may expose myself to danger for the public weal。'
〃She turned her head away； but I saw her set her teeth as if to
choke a sob。 The baron chuckled in his throat and seemed to
luxuriate in the pleasant thought。
〃At this moment folding doors were thrown open； and supper was
announced。 I offered my arm； she rose and took it in silence。
This silence she maintained during the first part of the meal；
despite her husband's brilliant conversation and almost uproarious
spirits。 But by and by a bright color mounted to her cheeks and
luster to her eyes。 I suppose you will think me horribly
unpoetical if I add that she drank several glasses of champagne one
after the other； a fact which perhaps may account for the change。
〃At any rate she spoke and laughed and looked lovely； and I did not
wonder that the baron could hardly keep his eyes off her。 But
whether it was her wifely anxiety or notit was evident her mind
was not at ease through it all； and I fancied that her brightness
was feverish； her merriment slightly hysterical。
〃After supperan exquisite one it waswe adjourned together； in
foreign fashion； to the drawing…room； the baron threw himself into
a chair and； somewhat with the air of a pasha； demanded music。 He
was flushed； the veins of his forehead were swollen and stood out
like cords； the wine drunk at table was potent： even through my
phlegmatic frame it ran hotly。
〃She hesitated a moment or two； then docilely sat down to the
piano。 That she could sing I have already made clear： how she
could sing； with what pathos； passion； as well as perfect art； I
had never realized before。
〃When the song was ended she remained for a while； with eyes lost
in distance； very still； save for her quick breathing。 It was
clear she was moved by the music； indeed she must have thrown her
whole soul into it。
〃At first we； the audience； paid her the rare compliment of
silence。 Then the baron broke forth into loud applause。 'Brava；
brava！ that was really said con amore。 A delicious love song；
deliciousbut French！ You must sing one of our Slav melodies for
Marshfield before you allow us to go and smoke。'
〃She started from her reverie with a flush； and after a pause
struck slowly a few simple chords； then began one of those
strangely sweet； yet intensely pathetic Russian airs； which give
one a curious revelation of the profound； endless melancholy
lurking in the national mind。
〃'What do you think of it？' asked the baron of me when it ceased。
〃'What I have always thought of such musicit is that of a
hopeless people； poetical； crushed； and resigned。'
〃He gave a loud laugh。 'Hear the analyst； the psychologuewhy；
man； it is a love song！ Is it possible that we； uncivilized； are
truer realists than our hypercultured Western neighbors？ Have we
gone to the root of the matter； in our simple way？'
〃The baroness got up abruptly。 She looked white and spent； there
were bister circles round her eyes。
〃'I am tired；' she said； with dry lips。 'You will excuse me； Mr。
Marshfield； I must really go to bed。'
〃'Go to bed； go to bed；' cried her husband gayly。 Then； quoting in
Russian from the song she had just sung： 'Sleep； my little soft
white dove： my little innocent tender lamb！' She hurried from the
room。 The baron laughed again； and； taking me familiarly by the
arm； led me to his own set of apartments for the promised smoke。
He ensconced me in an armchair； placed cigars of every description
and a Turkish pipe ready to my hand； and a little table on which
stood cut…glass flasks and beakers in tempting array。
〃After I had selected my cigar with some precautions； I glanced at
him over a careless remark； and was startled to see a sudden
alteration in his whole look and attitude。
〃'You will forgive me； Marshfield；' he said； as he caught my eye；
speaking with spasmodic politeness。 'It is more than probable that
I shall have to set out upon this chase I spoke of to…night； and I
must now go and change my clothes； that I may be ready to start at
any moment。 This is the hour when it is most likely these hell
beasts are to be got at。 You have all you want； I hope；'
interrupting an outbreak of ferocity by an effort after his former
courtesy。
〃It was curious to watch the man of the world struggling with the
primitive man。
〃'But； baron；' said I； 'I do not at all see the fun of sticking at
home like this。 You know my passion for witnessing everything new；
strange； and outlandish。 You will surely not refuse me such an
opportunity for observation as a midnight wolf raid。 I will do my
best not to be in the way if you will take me with you。'
〃At first it seemed as if he had some difficulty in realizing the
drift of my words； he was so engrossed by some inner thought。 But
as I repeated them； he gave vent to a loud cachinnation。
〃'By heaven！ I like your spirit；' he exclaimed； clapping me
strongly on the shoulder。 'Of course you shall come。 You shall；'
he repeated； 'and I promise you a sight； a hunt such as you never
heard or dreamed ofyou will be able to tell them in England the
sort of thing we can do here in that linesuch wolves are rare
quarry；' he added； looking slyly at me； 'and I have a new plan for
getting at them。'
〃There was a lo