CHAPTER XVIII.
THE REASON OF THE INTRIGUE.
When I was alone and the strange charm of the Princess Weletsky'spresence had given way to calm reflection, my doubts began to grow. Iwas naturally a cautious man under ordinary circumstances; and now mysuspicions were the keener because my caution had been momentarilylulled to sleep.
I was all inclined to disbelieve the story which the Princess had told,or rather had suggested; and I began to look behind all she had saidfor some motive or intrigue. I thought she might wish for the help ofmy sword for some altogether different purpose than she had suggested:but I could think of nothing. Nor could Olga, with whom I spoke veryfreely on the subject.
She said she could see no more than appeared on the surface; and whatthat was it was superfluous to ask; especially when she told me thatthe Princess could, or would talk of nothing else to her but mybravery, my good looks, my courtesy, my chivalry, and so on at greatlength.
"It is agreeable to have my brother praised," said Olga once, laughing."But there are limits."
During the next four or five days Olga had ample opportunities ofhearing these praises, moreover, as the Princess would scarcely let herout of her sight. When I called on the day following the ball I foundthe two together, and the Princess in a few words we had together outof my sister's hearing would say nothing at all about the subject ofher wrongs. She enlarged on the suggestion of the previous night thatshe had been led by her impulses and her instinctive trust in me tospeak too fully.
For some days she maintained the same attitude of reserve, and thenquite suddenly when we were alone, she changed again, and in wordswhich I could not fail to understand she let me know indirectly that ifI would avenge her wrongs, her hand would be my reward.
I have never in my life had to face a more awkward crisis than that.What reply she expected I cannot tell: whether she looked for someeager passionate protestations of love, or some strong pledge ofdefence, or what. Whether she really cared for me and the confusionshe shewed was the sign of it, or whether the whole part was assumedand everything mere acting, I cannot say. But I know that I on my partfelt indescribably embarrassed and scarcely knew how to answer her.
I knew, too, the danger to Olga and myself of offending a woman sohighly placed, so influential, and powerful as the Princess. We hadenough troubles as it was: and if they were to be multiplied andaggravated in this way, we should be overwhelmed. It was certain thatI must find some way of temporising.
"Princess, I am your devoted servant to do with as you will," Ianswered. "And if my sword can be of service, tell me how." Shestarted and flushed with pleasure as I said this.
"I knew I should not count on you in vain.
"The Grand Duke Servanieff will now learn that a more stalwart arm thanhis protects me from his insults." Her eyes seemed to glitter as shewatched the effect of this name on me.
"Do you mean that that is the man you wish me to fight?" I cried in thedeepest astonishment. He was all but on the very steps of the Throne,and if I had approached him he would have brushed me away into a gaolwith no more concern or difficulty than he would have whisked a fly offhis hand.
The woman was mad.
"He persists in forcing his attentions on me, and I will not havethem," she said.
All my suspicions had been stung into activity by the mention of thename of the Grand Duke; and as I looked at the Princess she appeared tobe watching me with quite suspicious vigilance as she added:--"Hecannot refuse to meet anyone to whom I give the right to protect mefrom him."
It was an intrigue. I was sure of it; and this lovely woman was makingme her tool.
I answered guardedly.
"A lieutenant in a marching regiment who should presume to challengethat man would stand a better chance of being whipped at the cart'stail than of meeting him."
"He is a great swordsman, I know," she said, as if to pour suspicion onmy courage. But I was not a fool to be tripped by a gibe. If I hadwished to marry the woman I would have consented readily enough thereand then, and risked all; but my object was to get out of Russia and toget Olga out with me.
"I should not fear him were he twice as skilful; but this is no merematter of sword fence."
"Easy words, Lieutenant."
"I will make them good, Princess," replied I, quietly. "But I mustfirst see the course clearer for the meeting. What say your friends?Can I depend on their influence?"
"Won't you do this for me, then? Am I mistaken in you?" There was asharp accent of irritation in her tone that I noticed now.
"Princess, it does not best become a beautiful woman to doubt a man'scourage until he is proved a craven. Here is no matter of personalcourage only; but I should be loosing upon me all the waters ofbitterest political intrigue. Alone I should be absolutely powerlessto stem the torrents that would sweep me to certain ruin. Alone,therefore I cannot do what you ask. But understand me, give me thepowerful support of your family, and I will meet the man, were he fiftytimes the Highness that he is--if we can arrange the meeting."
She seemed disappointed at this; quite unreasonably so; and tried tomove me. But I stood firm, and then with evident reluctance, she toldme her brother was with her in the matter, and that if I would see himall would be simple.
"My brother, Prince Bilbassoff, is, as you know, Minister of theInterior, and is now in Moscow in connection with the visit of theEmperor." I had not known who her brother was; but when she gave methe name and told me where I could see him, a rapid conclusion leaptinto my thoughts.
Prince Bilbassoff was the real power behind the Police, and I wasprobably going to find now why Christian Tueski had had to hold hishand against me.
I went at once to see him.
I found him the very opposite of the popular ideal of a bureaucrat--ashort, grey, close-haired, spare man, with the air of a man of theworld, and a pleasant cheery manner that suggested nothing formidableor even powerful. Yet without doubt the man was in many respects themost powerful and the most feared in all Russia.
He appeared to be expecting me; for the instant I was announced, he gotup and welcomed me with a hearty shake of the hand and said:---
"I thought my sister would have to make us acquainted, LieutenantPetrovitch. She said she wouldn't; but I expected you. Women thinkbeauty will do everything; and somehow are always calculating withoutthe effects of self-interest. Don't you think so?" He spoke with asort of easy club mannerism, and just let his eyes rest a moment on myface.
"Of course you know the drift of what has passed then?"
"Of course I do. As well as I know that your coming to me means thatmy sister's method has failed. I from the first disagreed with it. Iknow a great deal about you, Lieutenant Petrovitch; and I think I couldhave saved time. But my sister was attracted to you--women always likeyou handsome young fire-eaters, especially women like my sister--and asshe is to take a rather large hand in the matter, she wanted to play ither own way. She appealed to your feelings, Lieutenant. I should havegone straight to your interest: and really it will be to your interestto do this."
"Will you tell me plainly what is wanted?"
"Certainly. The death of the man whose name has no doubt beenmentioned to you."
"Why?"
"Not because he has insulted my sister: though that is fortunately aplausible pretext: but because he is a menace to the Empire."
His bluntness astounded me.
"Do you take me for an assassin?"
"No. I take you for a very resolute young man, with a great skill offence, a large desire to push your fortunes high, and not too muchscruple to act like a sword scabbard between your legs and trip you up.If you weren't that, you'd be no use to me. As you are, I open beforeyou a career such as lies before no other man in the Emperor's widedominions at the present moment. Do this, and you win a woman as richand beautiful and, as women go, as good as any in Russia for a wife;and you can ask and have almost what place you like, either in or outof
the army."
"And if I refuse?"
He laughed and shrugged his shoulders.
"You won't refuse," he said, shaking his head. "If you do, you will bea young fool--too foolish to be trusted at large."
I knew what he meant; and when I looked at him next, I understood whymen feared him. That laugh of his would usher a man to the knout orthe gallows.
I thought rapidly.
"I like the project," I replied. "But can you arrange the meeting?"
He was as quick as the devil, and detected the false note in my voice.
"Lieutenant, there are two courses open to you," he said in a tone sosharp, stern and ringing that the change surprised me. "You can acceptor refuse the offer--but don't try to fool me."
"Well, then, I'm not a murderer," I rapped out, angered by his words.
"That's better," he said, with a return to his light clubbish manner."But this is no murder. The man is a traitor: and no juster act couldbe compassed than his death."
"Then why not do it openly?"
He smiled and threw up his hands.
"Is justice always done openly? Of course we might do that: but hewould laugh at our efforts. We might get him assassinated; but he istoo powerful and the noise of the act would defeat the very object wehave. He is a swordsman worthy of your skill. He has insulted, andwill again insult my sister, your betrothed--for what is not an insultwhen you wish to make it one?--and he would delight to meet you. Hewill think he can kill you. Perhaps he can: may be, probably; for heis a very devil with the weapon. That is your risk. Will you take it?It's no light one. But you are a young fellow with all to gain inwinning and nothing to lose but your life. You will do it, I know.I'm only surprised you hesitate."
I sat thinking: but not in the groove he guessed.
"We'll make your sister's fortune as well," he said, raising the terms."She shall make a marriage into one of the best families in Russia, andfound a family of the highest distinction. Think, Lieutenant."
I was thinking about as hard as I could: but no opening offered itself.
"I must have time to determine," I said. "It seems to me that I runthe chance of playing the cat's paw with all the flame for my share.What guarantee have I that if I do this and am successful I shall notthen be deemed--too foolish to be trusted at large, as you say?"
"First, my honour; secondly, your betrothal to my sister; and thirdly,her feeling for yourself."
"And if I refuse, Siberia, I suppose?"
"No, not so far as that," he replied, lightly.
"But what if I feign to consent and carry the story to the man youthreaten?"
"There is that chance of course. But in the first place he would notbelieve you, Lieutenant; and in the second, if he did, neither you norhe could do any harm; and in the third, you would have me for an enemy.And I am pleasanter and safer as a friend. I have discounted thatrisk, and it is nothing."
"How long will you give me to decide?"
"A week. We can then announce the betrothal just before the Emperor'svisit here, and gain the Imperial blessing on so righteous a marriagebetween a brave man and a beautiful woman, each motived by the highestpatriotic feelings for Russia."
With this half sneer ringing in my ears, he sent me away.