"No, marshal, no. It is difficult, I am aware, for the knouted person to see his executioner, but nevertheless I contrived to see the face of mine, and what is more I have seen it again to-day--this afternoon--in the room where we now are. I could not mistake those furtive reddish eyes, that horse-shoe mark on the cheek--"
"Heavens! Katina, what are you saying?" interrupted Zabern, with more excitement than he usually displayed. "That a man with a horse-shoe mark on his cheek has been here this afternoon? Had the fellow a blue caftan, a red beard, a trick of gnawing his finger-nails--?"
"You describe the very man, marshal."
"Russakoff, as I live! Your old executioner and my spy one and the same person! Can it be?--And he was here this afternoon? At what hour did he call?"
"About four o"clock."
"That would be five hours ago," observed Zabern, referring to his watch. "He must have made his way here directly after escaping from the Citadel, bent on crossing the frontier, doubtless. Let me have your story, Katina. Would that you had told it me earlier!"
"This afternoon," Katina began, "I was returning from a walk, and on entering the inn met my sister, Juliska, carrying a tray with two gla.s.ses. "Katina," she said, "we have two very suspicious-looking visitors. They have asked for a private apartment and some vodka.
Carry this in, and tell me what you think of them." I took the tray from her hand and walked into this room.
"Two men were sitting here. One had his back to me; facing him was the other whom I recognized in a moment as the man who had knouted me at Orenburg. Why I did not drop the tray in surprise, how I contrived to check my cry, I do not know; I somehow succeeded in repressing my emotion."
"Did not the villain himself recognize you?"
"He did not look at me when I entered; his attention seemed wholly absorbed by the words of his companion. While placing the vodka on the table I kept my head averted from my old enemy, and took a glance at the other man, but I failed to see his face clearly, for his hat was pulled low over his brows, and the collar of his cloak was drawn up almost to his mouth. It was this peculiarity that had excited Juliska"s suspicions. The brief glance I had of him disposes me to the belief that he was a man far higher in the social scale than the other."
""Happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us,""
murmured Zabern. "Why did you not call upon your father and brothers to seize the knouter, and give him a taste of what he had made you suffer?"
"That idea, marshal, was running through my head. After placing the vodka upon the table I withdrew silently and quickly; and while in the act of closing the door I caught a remark uttered by the man who had knouted me."
"Call him Russakoff; "t will be simpler," suggested Zabern.
"Russakoff, then--to please you. "You will not persuade me to return to Slavowitz," he was saying. "I have no wish to fall into Zabern"s hands again." My excitement increased, marshal, at this mention of your name. I resolved to try to learn something of their business before giving orders for their seizure; and, accordingly, since they were seated by the open window, beneath which is an immense leafy laurel, I stole outside and put myself in concealment there in the hope of overhearing their words.
"They conversed in low tones, but now and again, when their voices were raised in evident anger, I caught a few remarks.
""I wonder that Orloff should employ a fool like you," said Russakoff"s companion; "one unable to keep from the vodka, who takes part in a tavern brawl, and gets himself arrested while carrying an important political doc.u.ment! If that letter should be deciphered by the princess"s secretary, it will lead to the frustration of a scheme by which the Czar hopes to gain possession of Czernova, legally and quietly, without the employment of military force.""
"What?" cried Zabern. "Let me hear that again, Katina."
Katina repeated her words.
"Russia to obtain Czernova legally, without employing force! In the devil"s name--how?"
Beneath their overhanging brows Zabern"s gray eyes gleamed like polished cannon deep-set within embrasures.
Paul was equally startled by Katina"s words. Was it possible that the Russian bureaucrats had discovered that the regnant princess was not the real Natalie Lilieska? If they could prove that she had no t.i.tle to rule, the throne would devolve upon the Duke of Bora, who might of his own free will resign his rights to the Czar Nicholas as the next in succession.
Was this what Russakoff"s companion meant when he spoke of a quiet and legal way of obtaining possession of Czernova?
Fear seized Paul as he began to realize that the same result could be attained by a.s.sa.s.sination. Over the body of Barbara, slain by the dagger of some Muscovite fanatic, the Czar might step to the throne of Czernova! Did the cipher-despatch relate to some such terrible plot?
"Proceed, Katina. Heard you aught else?"
"After some more whispering Russakoff raised his voice. "No; it"s a risky business. Besides, what are four hundred roubles?"--"We will double the sum if the work be done within twelve hours," replied the other.
"It was quite clear to me that some mischief was afoot, and, though desirous of learning more, I feared that if I waited longer they might rise and depart before I should be able to have them seized. I stole off, summoned my two brothers, but, on entering the room--"
"Fire and brimstone! the birds had flown."
"You are not more vexed than I was, marshal."
"Were their gla.s.ses empty?"
"No; full."
"Ah! they had caught sight of you in hiding. A pity you delayed the seizure! You gave chase, I presume?"
"Marshal, we--my father, brothers, Juliska, the servants, myself--ran here and there; we looked in all directions, but failed to discover a trace of them. My father deeming the matter of great importance, immediately sent Juliska to Slavowitz to apprise you of it; but evidently you have not seen her."
"I must have left Slavowitz before she arrived. Katina, you have once more proved yourself a valuable auxiliary to the princess"s government. So this spy is employed by one Orloff; and since he was certainly at one time in the service of Count Feodor Orloff, and inasmuch as he comes from Warsaw, and is evidently the agent of one high in authority there, we doubtless do the new governor-general no wrong in crediting him with a plot to overturn the independence of Czernova. If so, there will be a double pleasure in defeating him--eh, Katina? It will please him to learn that it was Ludovski"s daughter that foiled his schemes, for I will take care that he shall learn it.
My suspicions have become certainties. The duke and Orloff are leagued together for the hurt of the princess, and Russakoff is their intermediary. What is the "risky business" that Russakoff deems ill-paid by a sum of four hundred roubles, sum to be doubled if the work be done within twelve hours? You are certain those were the words, Katina?"
"Quite certain, marshal."
"And the other man--who is he, I wonder?--was trying to persuade Russakoff to return to the city? Has he returned? If so, my spies shall find him ere the night be past. Trevisa," he continued, turning to the ex-secretary, "you see now the importance of that secret despatch, the necessity for its immediate decipherment. No more delay then. To Slavowitz," cried Zabern, rising abruptly.
Katina instantly flew off to summon the driver of the troika in which Paul and Trevisa had made their journey from Slavowitz. The three men proceeded to the entrance of the inn where they found the trooper Nikita, still holding the two horses, and seeming as if he had not moved an inch from his previous position. Night had fallen, and the stars were twinkling in a dark sky. The bright light from the inn-door streamed pleasantly across the road to the trees on the opposite side.
"Pardon my haste, gentlemen," observed Zabern, "but I should do wrong to tarry longer, when there may be rioting in the capital. The princess"s conversion to Romanism and the arrest of the Duke of Bora are matters sufficient to set the Muscovite mind ablaze. I"ll ride on ahead; do you follow with all speed."
Katina reappeared at this moment, and the marshal gallantly kissed her hand at parting. The glad light that came into her eyes told Paul a secret.
"As I live," he murmured to himself, "our pretty Katina loves Zabern."
The marshal swung himself into the saddle, and the next moment with his steel scabbard swinging beneath his cloak, he was galloping towards Slavowitz, accompanied by his faithful orderly Nikita.
A minute afterwards the three-horsed car appeared at the inn-door in charge of its istvostchik or driver.
"The troika is ready, my little fathers," he cried.
The two friends took their places in the vehicle, and scarcely had they done so, when there pa.s.sed into the glow of light, and out again immediately, a man whose tall cylindrical hat and black ca.s.sock proclaimed him to be a papa or priest of the Oriental Church.
On perceiving this ecclesiastic the istvostchik made the sign of the cross in Greek fashion, at the same time quitting the troika and saying as he did so: "Pardon me, little fathers, but I dare not drive you to-night."
"What does he mean?" Paul in wonderment asked of Katina.
"The poor fellow is a Muscovite," she explained with a pitying smile, "and Muscovites deem it a bad omen to meet a priest of their own faith when setting out upon a journey."
Katina had spoken truly. All the inducements and bribes on the part of the two friends failed to shake the resolution of the old istvostchik.
"The Muscovites have a curious way of honoring their priesthood,"
smiled Paul.