events that you must strive; for the generality of men do not govern
events, but are carried away by them. Appear to my father as though you
were fighting against your love, and he will think that you have mastered
yourself. As I am supposed to be ignorant of your proposal, I shall not
be suspected. I will demand two years' more freedom, and I shall obtain
them. Who knows what may happen in the course of two years? The emperor
may die, my betrothed may die, my father--may God protect him!--my father
himself may die--!"

"But if they force you to marry?"

"Force me!" interrupted Vaninka, and a deep flush rose to her cheek and
immediately disappeared again. "And who will force me to do anything?
Father? He loves me too well. The emperor? He has enough worries in
his own family, without introducing them into another's. Besides, there
is always a last resource when every other expedient fails: the Neva only
flows a few paces from here, and its waters are deep."

Foedor uttered a cry, for in the young girl's knit brows and tightly
compressed lips there was so much resolution that he understood that they
might break this child but that they would not bend her. But Foedor's
heart was too much in harmony with the plan Vaninka had proposed; his
objections once removed, he did not seek fresh ones. Besides, had he had
the courage to do so; Vaninka's promise to make up in secret to him for
the dissimulation she was obliged to practise in public would have
conquered his last scruples.

Vaninka, whose determined character had been accentuated by her
education, had an unbounded influence over all who came in contact with
her; even the general, without knowing why, obeyed her. Foedor submitted