powerful effort, what she had lost. She therefore took her
accustomed place at the table, and resumed her inspection of
household matters. Prince Alexis, as if determined to cast off the
yoke which her beauty and gentleness had laid upon him, avoided
looking at her face or speaking to her, as much as possible: when
he did so, his manner was cold and unfriendly. During her few days
of sad retirement he had brought back the bear Razboi and the idiot
to his table, and vodki was habitually poured out to him and his
favorite serfs in such a measure that the nights became hideous
with drunken tumult.

The Princess Helena felt that her beauty no longer possessed the
potency of its first surprise. It must now be a contest of nature
with nature, spiritual with animal power. The struggle would be
perilous, she foresaw, but she did not shrink; she rather sought
the earliest occasion to provoke it.

That occasion came. Some slight disappointment brought on one of
the old paroxysms of rage, and the ox-like bellow of Prince Alexis
rang through the castle. Boris was absent, but Helena delayed not
a moment to venture into his father's presence. She found him in
a hall over-looking the court-yard, with his terrible whip in
his hand, giving orders for the brutal punishment of some scores of
serfs. The sight of her, coming thus unexpectedly upon him, did
not seem to produce the least effect.

"Father!" she cried, in an earnest, piteous tone, "what is it you
do?"

"Away, witch!" he yelled. "I am the master in Kinesma, not thou!