CHAPTER XII.
CHRISTIAN TUESKI.
While the men were straining and fighting to get admission into theroom, I loaded my revolver, seized a heavy stick that lay in a corner,and opening the window noiselessly and with some little trouble andagility, got into the street. I let myself into the house and then Ithundered at the outer door of my own rooms as if seeking immediateadmission.
Instantly there was a great scuffling within, and I knew that the menwere making off by the back, in the probable belief that they had beendisturbed by some unexpected caller. Judging the time as best I could,so that I might perhaps catch one of them, I rushed in suddenly. Onehad fled, the second was in the act of dropping from a window, while athird was just clambering out.
I struck this one a blow on the head which laid him down senseless in aheap on the floor, and leaning out was in time to give the second awhack that must have nearly broken his arm. Then without wasting amoment I bound the man I had knocked down and closely bandaged his eyes.
Telling Paula Tueski that I had scared the rascals away, I dragged thefellow to the light, that she might recognise him. She identified himdirectly, and without a word being spoken except by me, I thrust himinto a dark closet and turned the key on him while I settled what to donext.
"You knew him, I could see," I said, when I joined my visitor again."Is he a police spy?"
"No, not in the ordinary sense. I have seen him with my husband: butexactly what he is, I don't know. I believe he is one of a small bandof really villainous men, used for especially ugly work."
"But why am I marked out for a visit from them?"
"I believe my husband has suspected you--on my account. I know hehates you cordially. You remember that affair in the Opera lobby, whenyou insulted him so grossly." I nodded: but of course I had not theremotest idea what she meant. "He never forgives. Since then he hasbeen accumulating every jot and tittle of fact against you--and youhave given him plenty, Alexis--and if he can work your overthrow, hewill."
"Yes: but why try to get me assassinated. I'll go at once and askhim," I said, readily and impulsively.
"Are you mad?" exclaimed my companion.
"On the contrary, I'll go and shew him the danger of interfering withme. Where is he to be found now?"
"At home. He will not leave for an hour yet to make his evening visitto the Bureau. But he will never consent to see you."
"At any rate I'll try; and I'm much mistaken if I don't force him. Ihave a plan," I added, after a minute's thought. "I will clear us bothat a stroke. Go at once to my sister, and tell her from me that I wishher to come back here with you and wait for me. Mind, too, shouldanyone come to fetch away that fellow I've locked up, let Olga sayenough in his presence to make it clear that she was here with us whenthe attack was first made. Be quick and careful: for much will dependon all this being well done."
I drove rapidly to the place and sending in my card asked for animmediate interview with the Chief of the Police, on urgent business.The reply came back that M. Tueski could not see me; I was to call athis office. I sent the messenger back with a peremptory reply that Imust see him, as I had discovered an assassination plot. I was stillrefused admittance; though a longer wait shewed me he had consideredthe matter carefully.
This time I wrote a brief note:--"One of your hired assassins, has beenidentified, has confessed, and lies at this moment bound and in mypower. If you do not see me now I shall communicate direct with theMinistry of the Interior."
That proved the 'Open Sesame,' and in a few moments, I was ushered intothe presence of one of the most hated men in Russia,--the man I hadbeen commissioned to kill.
He was a small man with a face that would have been common looking butfor its extraordinarily hard and cold expression. It was lined andseamed in all directions: and each line might have been drawn by Naturewith the express object of marking him out as an absolutely merciless,calculating, and emotionless man.
His eyes were very bright as they fixed on me, and his voice, harsh,high pitched and tuneless.
"Men don't belie your new character when they call you daring," was hisgreeting.
He was standing by the side of a long table with his black clothedfigure outlined against the colours of luxuriant tapestries with whichthe walls were hung. He motioned me to a chair, near enough to bewithin the demands of courtesy to an officer bearing the Emperor'scommission, and far enough removed from him to be safe should thevisitor turn out to be dangerous. I noticed, too, that an electricbell button was well within reach. "What do you wish with me,Lieutenant? This visit is unusual."
"I am not accustomed to bother about what is usual where my life isconcerned," I answered, firmly. "I want an answer to a plain question.Why do you send your bravoes to assassinate me?"
"I have sent no bravoes to assassinate you, Lieutenant. I don'tunderstand you. We don't hire assassins." As though the whole thingwere ridiculous.
"Yet your wife recognised this man instantly."
"My wife!" he exclaimed, with a sufficient change to shew how this hadtouched him.
"Yes. Your wife. She was in my rooms when these men came."
He drew in a deep breath while he looked at me with eyes of hate. Ihad got right between the joints of his armour of impassivity. It wasa cruel thrust; but I had an ugly game to play, and was forced to hithard.
He seemed to struggle to repress his private feelings and to remain theimpassive official. But human nature and his jealousy beat him, andhis next question came with a jerk that shewed the effort behind it.
"What was she doing there?" His tone was the essence of harshbitterness.
"What was she doing there?" I echoed, as if in the greatestastonishment. "Why, what should she be doing but calling with mysister? They are there now, keeping guard over your--assistant."
He turned away for a moment to prevent my seeing in his face the reliefwhich I could hear in his voice as he answered:--
"You are an even bolder man than I thought."
"I don't understand you, of course; but I have need to be bold," Iretorted, "with you against me ready to plan my private execution.They're heavy odds. But now, perhaps, you'll answer my question--Whydo you do this?"
"There might be many reasons--if it were true," he answered in the samecurt tone he had first used.
"One's enough for me, if it's true," I replied, copying his sharpmanner.
He stood a minute looking at me in silence, and then sat down.
"I think I've been doing you an injustice, Lieutenant," he said,presently. "I thought when you forced your way into me you might becoming to assassinate me. But I see now you're not such a fool as totry and do anything of that kind when you have left a broad trailbehind you that would lead to your certain detection. You are young;with all the weaknesses of youth strongly developed--rash, hotheaded,sometimes tipsy, a fool with women, and when, necessary, a knave too,loose in money matters and unscrupulous, a gambler, a dicer, and abankrupt in morals, religion, and honour. But you are shrewd--foryou've deceived everyone about your sword-skill and your courage--andunder the garb of a worthless fellow you have a cool, calculating, andyet dare-devil head that should make your fortune. Others are moreright about you than I."
"Others?" I asked, interested and amused by this quiet enumeration ofthe results of the analysis of two very different, but unitedcharacters. "Who are the others?"
A faint ghost of what in another man would have been a smile relaxedthe grim, hard, straight lips for an instant, in mockery of my attemptto draw him.
"You are not unknown, Lieutenant, as you may find soon; but you are afool to mix yourself up with the Nihilists."
It was my turn now to be on the defensive.
"That is a charge which a child can make and the wisest man cansometimes fail to rebut," I answered, sharply. "I am not a Nihilist."
He waved his hand as if my repudiation were not worth a serious thought.
"I can make you a
career, if you will. If you will act under me...."
"Thank you," I returned, coldly. "I know what you can do. You can putme first on the list for some task which will insure my being served asyou meant me to be served to-day. One commission is enough for me, andI prefer the Emperor's."
"You don't know what you say, nor what you refuse."
"All the more reason for not regretting my refusal," I retorted,lightly. "But this does not answer my question--Why do you seek tohave me assassinated?"
"Siberia is getting overpopulated," he returned, manifestly angry at myrefusal.
"You mean it's cheaper to kill than to exile."
"One must have some regard for its morals, too," he sneered, with acontempt at which my rage took fire.
I looked at him with a light in my eyes which he could read plainlyenough.
"You are a coward, M. Tueski," said I, sternly: "because you presumeupon the office you hold to say things which without the protectionthat guards you, you would not dare to let between your teeth."
"It is useless to talk in that strain to me," he said, shortly. "Iknow you."
"No--by Heaven, you don't--yet. But I'll let you know something of menow. Men say you know no fear; that your loves, desires, emotions, areall dead--all, save ambition. I'll test that. This plot you have laidagainst my life is your own private revenge for some fancied wrong.You have sought to carry it out even at the very moment when you hadhad a hint to guard me. It was cunningly laid, and nearly succeeded;and then you would have set the blame down at Devinsky's door."
He listened without making a sign: quite impassively. But the merefact that he did listen shewed me I was striking the right note, andfurther that he wished to see what I meant to do.
"Go on," he said, contemptuously, when I paused.
"I can prove this: aye, and I will prove it, even if I go to theEmperor himself: and prove it--by your own wife." He could not whollyconceal the effect of this. He knew the strength of the threat.
"More than that," I cried then, quickening my speech and shewing muchmore passion. "You know what the world says about me and your wife.You shewed me you knew it, when I told you just now that she was in myrooms when your men came to try and take my life. You have dared tosmirch my honour in regard to women: and you have lied. So far as yourwife is concerned, there has never been a thought of mine toward hertainted with dishonour. So far as I am concerned she is virgin pure.But, by God! beware how you taunt me. It lies with you to say whetherI shall change; and if you drive me to it, I'll...."
I left the terrible sentence unfinished; and the change in the man'smanner shewed me how he was inwardly shrinking and wincing at mydesperate words.
"Go on. What do you want?" He spoke after a great effort and stroveto keep his voice at the dead level of official lifelessness. But theman was an inward fire of rage and jealousy.
"This duel is not my seeking, but yours, M. Tueski," I continued. "Andfor my part I would as soon have a truce. But if we are to fight on, Iwill use every weapon I can lay my hand on,--and use them desperately.You can prove the truth of what I say. Send round someone to my roomsand fetch away the scoundrel who is there. My sister will let him go.Your wife, her friend, is staying with her to help in case of need.And whatever else I may be, at least I should not give my mistress tomy sister for a friend."
"You are the devil!" The words forced themselves through his teeth atthis word. I used it deliberately: and it was the shrewdest thing Icould have done. He left the room without another word, going througha door behind him; and, calling to someone, he whispered someinstructions.
"You have sent? You are right," I said, when he returned. "And now,call off these bloodhounds of yours; and so long as you play fair withme, my sister and your wife can be friends. And no longer. One othercondition. Give me two police permits to cross the frontier on specialbusiness--one for me and one for my sister. You may not be sorry if Idecide to take a holiday."
"I cannot give them, and you cannot leave," he answered.
"Write me the permits. I'll see about using them."
"No; I cannot write them. If I did, they would be cancelled to-morrowby the Ministry of the Interior."
"Why?"
"The fact is what I say. You cannot leave Russia."
"I care nothing for that. Write them--or we resume this duel, M.Tueski."
He was a changed man. He was so accustomed to exact implicit obedienceto his will, and to ride roughshod over everyone about him, that nowbeing beaten, his collapse was utter and complete. He was absolutelyovercome by the pressure I could threaten and he thought I wasblackguard enough to apply.
For once at least my old black character did me a good turn. He actedlike a weak child now, entirely subjected by my will. He wrote thepermits as I directed.
As he was writing it occurred to me there must be some influence behindthe scenes which told with him. Else, why did he not forthwith writeout the order for my imprisonment? He had done it hundreds of timesbefore in the case of men infinitely more influential than myself. Hissignature would open the door of any prison in Russia. It suggesteditself that it was this reason which was at the bottom of the attemptto get me killed. He dared not follow out his own desire.
"One thing puzzles me," I said, coolly, as I took the permits. "Whyhaven't you, instead of writing these, written an order packing me offto gaol? What is this power behind you?"
"I may live in hope, perhaps," he returned. "Your sword and yourshrewdness may carry you far: and some day as far as the gaol you speakof. I shan't fail to write it when the time comes."
I left him with that.
As I left the house a man pressed close to me, and I turned to see whathe wanted. There was no one else about.
"Is it done?" he whispered.
I looked at him keenly; but I had never seen him before, I thought.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"The night in the riverside wharf," he whispered back.
He was a Nihilist; here right in the very eye of the police web.
"The way is laid," I answered, equivocally, as I hurried away.
I had actually forgotten in my eagerness all about my charge to killthe man with whom I had been closeted in conference.
But I saw instantly that the Nihilist would probably hold it for an actof treachery that I had been in Tueski's house and yet had let him live.