This chapter will be short, as my kids need much attention

"You know, Wilhelmina", he said at last," I always thought it was a pity you weren't born in 2nd or 3d century Roman Empire in some Eastern nobleman's family. You would surely become one of those beautiful martyrs for Christ, who felt joy while being tortured with hot iron. Yes, you would sacrifice yourself freely and of your own will; and in 4th or 5th century you'd go to the deserts of Egypt to dwell there for another 30 years, feeding on vegetables and visions."

"You are flattering me, Count", she blushed.

"No indeed", he added with a touch of admiration in his voice, "The desire of martyrdom is so great in you, that, if there is no possibility available, you'd perhaps jump out of this window".

" Well, I'd rather not", Mina chuckled

As she moved towards the mentioned window, a sheet of paper fell from her Gospel.

"What's this? A letter to your sweetheart?"

"No, just a feeble attempt to translate an abstract from a Russian writer"

Now the Count was really surprised.

"What do you have to do with Russia and its culture? Surely you wasn't taught it at your London school."

Mina was slow to respond, as if she had her doubts about revealing her interest in the subject.

"No, we didn't learn it at lessons. It all began one day when we girls were surprised by the news that Her Majesty's granddaughter Elizabeth, Princess of Darmshtadt that had married Russian Tsar's uncle, Great Duke Sergius, adopted Orthodox faith. She was converted by her own will, not by law, as the Great Duke isn't a heir to the throne, and never will be."

"And did it shock you much?" Again he spoke as if he was really interested"

Mina was hesitating.

"Yes, at first it did shock me that Her Majesty's favourite granddaughter should abandon the Church she had been brought up in, but then… I realized that faith doesn't have much to do with citizenship or nationality…

"Go on"

"… I just wanted to find the truth. That's why I began my own research…"

"And it led you…." He was already curiosity itself

"Yes", she blushed. "It led me to Russian literature, as theology was too complicated for me at first. So I found THE KARAMAZOFF BROTHERS