CHAPTER XIX.
OLGA'S ABDUCTION.
I went home in a very unenviable frame of mind, and my temper was notimproved by my meeting my old opponent, Devinsky, near my rooms.
For the moment I was powerless to think of any possible means ofrelief. My helplessness was so complete as to be almost ludicrous: andif it had not been for Olga, I would have just let myself be draggedalong by the singular chain of events which had coiled themselves roundme.
I must rouse myself to some sort of effort for her sake. I saw that,of course. But the result of a couple of hours' thinking was only toincrease my utter perplexity; and I went off to bed to try if sleepwould clear my wits.
I resolved to see Olga the next day as soon as possible after myregimental duties were over. There was but one thing possible. Shemust go at once and we must try to hit on some plan by which she couldescape at any hazard. But my regimental work was heavier than usual,and when it was over a meeting of the officers was called in referenceto the impending visit of the Czar to Moscow. It was thus late in theafternoon before I could get to Olga.
At the house, astounding news awaited me.
The Countess Palitzin met me with the question where Olga was. Ilooked at her in astonishment; and then she told me a message had comefrom me early in the forenoon, asking Olga to go round at once to myrooms. She had gone, promising to return soon or send word. She haddone neither; and a six hours' absence had made the old lady anxious.
"She should have been back before this," I said, quietly, not wishingto add to her alarm. "Who do you say came for her?"
"Your servant, Borlas, Olga told me."
I tried to reassure her that all was right, though I did not at alllike the look of things, and I hurried back to my rooms to questionBorlas. He had not been there on my return from barracks, and he wasnot there now; and there was nothing to shew that he had not beenabsent for some hours.
Did this mean treachery? Or had Olga been arrested? Could she be inthe hands of the Nihilists? Or what? A thousand wild thoughts flashedthrough my mind as I stood for a minute thinking what I ought to dofirst, and where to look for her.
Then I recalled my meeting with Devinsky near my rooms.
I dashed out and ran to Essaieff's rooms to find out all he knew aboutBorlas, as he had recommended the man to me; and to learn whether hewould be likely to be bribed to do such an act of treachery as nowseemed possible. But my friend was out. Leaving word for him to comeat once to me I went on to Madame Tueski and questioned her. Sheequivocated, suggesting that I was feeling her power; and with theutmost difficulty I drew from her that despite all her hints she knewnothing.
I ran then to the Prince Bilbassoff; but he was away. I hurried nextto the Princess; she knew nothing, but was full of sympathy and offersof help.
I wanted news, however, not offers of help; and I rushed back to myrooms, on my way to the police, on the off-chance that Borlas hadreturned.
He had not: but in his place there was something much more important.A rough, wild looking country-man was standing at my door, holding thebridle of a shaggy pony that bore signs of heavy travelling; and theman had been trying vainly to get into my house. He addressed me,asking where he could find Lieutenant Petrovitch; and then gave me aslip of paper from Olga.
"_Am suspicious and sending this back. If anything wrong, follow me.O._"
I then questioned the man closely and he said that his wife was calledto the window of a carriage to a young lady who was ill. When she hadrecovered, she gave his wife a handkerchief. In it was the message anda sum of money and a request that it--the paper--should be brought tome at once. This had occurred at Praxoff, about ten miles out on thenorth road.
In less than a quarter of an hour I was armed and mounted; and a fewminutes saw me free of the city and flying at full gallop in pursuit.I knew the road well enough, owing to my long residence as a boy inMoscow; and I now put my horse to its utmost speed and made straightfor the house where Olga had seen the peasant woman.
I found it without the least difficulty and got a description of thecarriage, horses, and postilion; and I questioned the woman as toevery word Olga had said to her and who was in the carriage.
From what she said, I judged it was Borlas, and that the two were alone.
I stayed no longer than was necessary to hear all the woman had to say,and then I rode on still at full speed, asking right and left as I wentfor tidings of the carriage. The trail was broad enough for anyone tofollow for some miles and then I came upon information that gave me acomplete clue to the whole matter.
Reining up at a wayside inn, I put the usual questions; adding that thelady was my sister and that I was an officer in the Moscow InfantryRegiment. The landlord came to me instantly.
"You are Lieutenant Petrovitch?" he asked.
"Yes," and I told him my errand.
"Have you been engaged in a duel this morning?"
I stared at the man and asked him what he meant. His answer shewedwhat story had been concocted to trick Olga.
"A gentleman engaged two rooms here this morning, saying they would bewanted in connection with a duel in the neighbourhood. One of thecombatants was Lieutenant Petrovitch; and the latter's sister wascoming to be near at hand in case of her brother being hurt. She wascoming out with the brother's servant and when she arrived was to beshewn at once to the room engaged for her. As a fact the duel hadalready been fought in the early hours: Lieutenant Petrovitch had beenbadly wounded and lay at a private house a few miles further on, tooill to be moved. The sister was to be told this; the news being brokengradually; and she was not to be allowed to leave the inn, unless sheinsisted very much, in which case the servant would know where to takeher; and fresh horses were to be supplied. I told her gently,"continued the landlord; "and she insisted on going on at once withouteven stopping for food. Fresh horses were put in accordingly, and thecarriage proceeded with less than half an hour's halt here, all told."
I saw the ruse in a moment. It was to get fresh horses without Olgabeing suspicious; and to draw in the landlord so as to appear to givethe story corroboration.
"What was the man like who came to you?" I asked impatiently, orderinga horse to be saddled instantly. In reply the landlord describedDevinsky accurately.
I saw it all now; and when the man had given me a valuable clue to theroad which the carriage had taken--it had been met by some returningpostboys--I set off again in pursuit in the now gathering dusk, as fastas I could make the new horse move.
I rode on till the dark fell: and still on till the moon rose andflooded the land with her thin light; and it was not until ten at nightthat I reached the end of my journey. Some peasants gave me the finalclue. They had met the carriage and a question had been asked of themas to the whereabouts of a certain house. They told me now where thiswas, and a few minutes later I reached the place.
It was an old ramshackle house, once the seat of a family of goodposition but now fallen upon evil days. It made three sides of asquare and the courtyard in the middle was all weed-grown, moss-coveredand uneven, with one large yew tree standing dark and gloomy in thecentre. The main entrance was in the middle portion; and there weretwo small gothic arched doors in the wings. But these seemed verystout as I examined them; and all the windows were latticed with stoutironwork.
Just the spot for such a venture as this, I thought, as I stole aboutthe place to reconnoitre, treading softly, and keeping as much aspossible in the dark shadows which the walls made.
There was not a sound to be heard, nor a light to be seen; while thelook of the place made it certain that I should have a hard task toforce my way inside. The same unpromising look of things met me when Ileft the front and crept round to the back and when I had seen allround the house I could not make up my mind what was the best thing todo.
There are times, however, when any kind of action is better than doingnothing. There was everything to be gained and nothing to be lost byDevinsk
y learning that I had followed him and knew his hiding-place. Iresolved on a pretty bold course, therefore, and drawing my revolver Istepped out into the full moonlight and walked quickly to the mainentrance.
I had reached to within ten yards of the door when a voice called tome:--
"Who goes there? What do you want? Stop, or I fire."
Looking up I saw the gleam of a rifle barrel levelled dead at me. Idid not stop to answer but leaping aside, I darted forward into thedoorway, where the man could not cover me with his weapon, because of ashallow porch which intervened to protect me.
I darted forward into the doorway.]
The incident shewed me the sort of welcome I was to expect.
There was an old and heavy knocker on the door, and a huge bell-pull.I seized both these and set up first a knocking that might have rousedthe dead and then a clanging of the bell equally furious and dinning.Presently the bell ceased to sound and I gathered either that someonewithin had cut the wires or that I had broken them in my energy. Thegreat knocker suited me equally well, however--perhaps better, as thenoise rang out on the still night air, making a fearful din--and ifthere did chance to be anyone within half a mile of the place theywould hear it and might hasten to learn the cause.
Those inside took the same view of the matter, apparently; for suddenlyand without my knowing the cause, I found the big heavy door give waybefore one of my lusty attacks with the knocker; and as I pushed, itswung slowly open.
Everything within was as dark as pitch; and the contrast between therow I had been making and the dead silence that followed was soprofound as to make me stand a minute that my ears should getaccustomed to the change.
Then drawing my sword and holding my revolver in my left hand, Istepped in and tried to peer about me.
The light of the moon gave a faint reflection within, but not enoughfor me to be able to make out anything distinctly; nor, when I strainedmy ears could I detect the slightest sound anywhere.
My first thought was that as I stood in the doorway, I should be anexcellent mark for anyone caring to shoot, and I slipped asidetherefore, into the heavy shadow of the big door. It was full fiveminutes before my eyes, keen as they are, could distinguish anything;and then I seemed to make out two doorways, one on each side of a largehall into which the big door opened, and beyond them in the middle abroad stairway.
I groped my way warily a few steps, feeling along the wall, when Istopped and began to reflect that I was making a fool of myself inattempting single-handed and in pitch darkness to find my way about theplace. I must wait for a light of some sort. I had no idea how manymen there might be in the house. I did not know a square foot of theplans. While I was blundering about in the dark I should be an easyprey for men whom I could as easily fight in the daylight. Moreover Iargued that the knowledge that I had tracked him would keep Devinskyfrom attempting any devilment as yet.
I was in the house; and I resolved therefore to wait patiently where Iwas in the hall until I had light enough to guide me in my search forOlga.
But I could not keep to the resolution.
Scarcely had I formed the plan when the stillness was broken by awoman's scream, shrill and piercing, and a cry for help that made myheart leap into my throat with wrath as I thought I could recogniseOlga's voice.
Without another moment's hesitation, and uttering a loud shout inreply, I dashed forward to where I could see the outline of thestairway, and rushed up in the direction of the cries for help.
Idiot that I was! Of course I rushed straight into the trap that hadbeen laid for me. As I reached the top and turned to dart along acorridor, my feet were tripped and I fell sprawling headlong with aclatter and a dozen oaths to the ground, my sword flying one way and myrevolver another; and before I could help myself three or four fellowswere upon me, and though I fought and struggled with them and nearlychoked one on to whose throat I fastened my grip, I was overpowered andbound securely hand and foot. Then I was blindfolded and gagged, andin this absolutely helpless state, carried down the stairs again,getting on the way two or three hearty kicks from the men I hadpummelled. They threw me down on the floor of an empty room and leftme.
I cursed my folly bitterly when I heard the fellows' footsteps as theyleft the room and locked the door behind them. I had spoilt all forthe lack of a little caution. I was an idiot, a fool, a numskull, ajackass, to have been caught by a trick which a child might haveanticipated; and I rolled about the floor, cursing myself and tearingand pulling at my bonds in my passion, till I had torn the flesh in adozen places. But I could not loosen a single strand of all the cordsthat bound me; and I gnashed my teeth and could almost have shed tearsin my baffled rage and fury.
I lay thus some hours till the light must have come, for even throughthe heavy bandages on my eyes, the darkness seemed tinged with grey.As I thought of the use I might have made of the light, myself-reproaches welled up again till I felt almost like a madman.
Later on I heard the door unlocked and two or three men entered. Theycame and turned me over and holding me firmly, cut the ropes that boundmy arms, and then tied my hands behind me in iron handcuffs, drawingthem so tightly that I could not move them without pain. When I was sofar secured they cut the ropes from my legs and bade me stand up. Itried; but the rush of the released blood brought with it too muchpain, and I was just as helpless as a baby for some minutes. When atlength I managed to scramble to my feet, they unfastened the bandagefrom my eyes and as soon as my dazed sight could focus itself, I sawthat brute Devinsky looking at me with a sneering laugh.
"So it's you, is it?" he cried, as if in surprise. "Turned robber, eh,breaking into men's houses in the dead of night? And what the devilare you doing here? My men told me there was a thief here, but Ididn't expect you."
"Don't lie to me," I cried sternly. "You know well enough why I'mhere. Where's my sister. If you're not too damned a coward, get me mysword and let's settle this thing together and at once."
He winced at the taunt, but he didn't mean to fight that way.
"Thank you. I don't fight with burglars. I hand them over to thepolice--when it suits me. I always thought there was something secretabout you; now I know what it is. You've been living by this sort ofwork I suppose. Officer by day, and footpad by night. I'm glad my menhave caught you at last." Then he sent them away; and as soon as wewere alone he asked me:--"Do you value you life?"
"Yes, for one reason. To take yours."
"Well, you can have it--if you like to be reasonable."
"I make no terms with a villain like you."
"More fool you," he laughed. "You may as well face the position. Youare in my power. This house is big enough and strong enough to hide aregiment, let alone one man. You can't stop me now from carrying outmy intention in regard to your sister, by fair means or otherwise; andyou may as well make the best of a bad business, and own that I've gotthe whip hand of you, partly by my luck and partly by your own damnedstupidity. I'd rather have you on my side in this matter than againstme; but with me or against me you can't stop me. What do you say?"
"This. That the first use I'll make of my hands when they're freeshall be to try and choke the life out of you. And by God, I'll tryand do it now." In my rage I rushed upon him, but like the cowardlycur he was, he struck me, bound and defenceless as I was, with all hisforce in the face, and then with a cry brought in the other men. Thesethrew themselves upon me and bore me to the ground, and bound my legsagain, so that I was once more absolutely helpless.
"You saw that attack the villain made on me," said Devinsky to the men."I was offering to release him. You'll bear witness to that. As foryou," turning to me, "you can stay here for a few hours more to coolyour murderous fever; and I will send back orders for your release,when I am at a safe distance. And, remember, there are strong cellarsbelow; and if there are any more attempts at violence, I'll have youput there."
He went out then with the men and in a moment later returned alone
andsaid in a voice full of rage and hate:--"I'm going through with this,Petrovitch, at any cost--if I have to shut you up here till the fleshrots off your bones. Your sister and I are going further on shortly:and I'll see you once more before I start, and give you one more chanceof listening to reason." And with this he left me.
My plight was worse than ever. So far, Olga was safe. That was theonly glimpse of comfort in all the miserable situation. It was clear,too, that she was in the house; and though she was still in the man'spower, I might yet find some means of helping her.
But how? That was the question. And when I thought of his words thathe was going to carry her still further away, I turned sick with rageand loathing.