Page:Harris Dickson--She that hesitates.djvu/325

Rh Gulda clung to her mistress, Louisa cowered in her chair. Charlotte grew faint and dizzy; the earth whirled round in a yellow sea of debauchery where jewels glittered amongst the lips and eyes of evil women. She looked on fascinated as by some revelry in hell. And then her burning lids came down and shut out the horror. She had almost ceased to think or feel when she heard a louder crash, and felt the table shake. A giant priest had mounted the table in his long robes, and was stamping up and down amongst the dishes making an infinite glee.

"Dolska, Dolska!" they yelled and clapped their hands. Alexis hurled a mug at the fellow's head, missed and struck a soldier by the door. Instantly a dozen arms took up the fire; the air was full of missiles; a woman grappled his robe; some one struck him with a spattering tankard, he lost his balance, collapsed into the woman's arms, and the two sprawled together on the floor.

Larion ran round behind Charlotte's chair. He touched her shoulder; she started, and screamed; but her scream was drowned in the whirlwind of applause that greeted Dolska's fall.

Larion bent down close beside her; he felt the caresses of her hair and trembled as he whispered:

"It is time for you to retire."

The three women rose simultaneously as a covey of whirring birds. Charlotte rushed headlong through the door and stumbled over a prostrate body; she sprang back upon the others and gave a cry.

Larion kicked the fellow over on his back.

"The beast is only drunk. Now, quick—to the