heard, by chance, that it was suspectedthe Count Flatoff was the person murdered, and on making particularinquiries at Ivan's hotel, he was informed that on the night of themurder, he suddenly departed for the country. This, it will beremembered, was the very time when he was summoned to attend thedeath-bed of his mother, owing to which he escaped the fate intended forhim.
He therefore stationed Groff to watch for his return, to bring himinstant information, determining this time to glut his vengeance withhis own hands. Groff had not long to wait before Ivan returned, when hehastened with the intelligence to his master.
The Count ordered him to arm himself with a sword, and to return towatch Ivan's movements, in case he should visit the place of meeting;then taking Kruntz with him, also well armed, he himself repaired to theneighbourhood. He then informed the chief officer of police, that hesuspected some plot was on foot, desiring that some of the subordinatesmight accompany him, in case his suspicions proved correct. His planwas, to attack Ivan under the pretext of arresting him, and to kill himwhen he attempted to defend himself, as he had no doubt he would do.This purpose, he communicated to his two worthy followers, but it wasfortunately overheard by the young Gipsy spy, who had concealed himselfin the apartment, and as soon as the lad was able to make his escape, hecommunicated the information to Azila, who was waiting for him.
The Count's arrangements occupied some time, so that Ivan had left theplace of meeting before the police had arrived, and the Count was butjust in time to encounter him. His fury and disappointment were doublyincreased at finding himself again foiled in his purpose; his onlysatisfaction being in the death of Groff, who was in possession of somerather dangerous secrets. How much greater was his rage, when onreturning with the police, he found that his prey had escaped himaltogether. He eagerly joined in the search, urging on the police totheir work, but to no purpose, until baffled and enraged, he returned tohis palace, resolving not to rest until he had discovered his rival, andobtained possession of Azila. In order to accomplish the first of theseobjects, he instituted inquiries in every direction, sending out spieswith promises of rewards, if they should discover the traitor, hehimself again joining in the search. On inquiring for the Gipsy boys,in order to ascertain where Azila was to be found, he learned that theyhad both escaped, no one could tell how or when. Of Azila, he could nothear anything, as she had not again appeared in the city.
At all points, he seemed doomed to be disappointed in his vile purposes,when early one day, he heard that a telga had been seen on the previousevening, coming from the direction of the place where the conspiratorshad held their meetings; and taking the hint, he repaired thither withsome of the police. They went directly to the vault of the old man, whohad been previously suspected. The wretched inmate was dragged from hisabode, and on refusing to answer the questions put to him, which mightbetray his late guest, he was sentenced to receive the punishment of theknout. The sentence was carried into execution. The old man sunk underit; he died unknown, and unmourned.
The police, however, traced the telga to the place where Javis hadpassed the night, and finding that a caravan had set out that morning,some of their mounted comrades were sent in pursuit. As we have beforestated, they arrived after Javis had driven away, and were again atfault, not knowing what course to pursue; for they were now persuadedthat they had been led on a wrong scent.
Count Erintoff at length almost despaired of wreaking his vengeance onIvan, until, in his inquiries for Azila, he learned that she had beenimplicated in the conspiracy, and it then occurred to him, that shemight have been the companion of his flight. He learned also, that thevery tribe of gipsies, to which he knew Azila belonged, had lately beenin the neighbourhood of Moscow, though the police were not aware of thefact, and that they had moved towards the south soon after theconspiracy had been discovered. Connecting all these circumstancestogether, his hopes of gaining possession of Azila, and of punishing hisenemy, were again raised. On his giving, therefore, the information hehad gained to the police, a party of that force was ordered to attendhim. He now felt certain that they could no longer escape; indulginghis mind with the thoughts of vengeance, and the success of his passion.He easily traced the route the Gipsies had taken, following up each oftheir day's journeys, which he was enabled to accomplish in a muchshorter time than they had done. With savage delight at his expectedtriumph, he caught sight of the tents of the Gipsy encampment; whenordering some of the police to watch well that none escaped, he with therest, confiding in the power and terror of the legal authority theypossessed, rushed into the centre of the encampment. The gipsiesappeared to be completely taken by surprise, the women crowding togetherin alarm, and the men starting on their feet, and advancing to meet theintruders.
The chief came out of his tent, as if just aroused from sleep.
"On what account," he demanded, "is the quiet and order of my camp thussuddenly broken into by the police? Who is it you seek here?"
"The traitor Ivan Galetzoff, and a Gipsy female called Azila," said theCount; "and if they are not delivered into our hands, you shall suffer."
"Ah!" exclaimed the chief, starting and eyeing the Count narrowly, "Ihave no one here among my people, of that name."
"You refuse then to deliver up those we are in search of," said theCount. "Examine the tents," he exclaimed to his followers; whoimmediately commenced pulling them down, strewing the contents in alldirections on the ground. The Gipsies looked on at the work ofdestruction with sullen indifference; neither interfering, or offeringany resistance to prevent the injury committed; for the police wantonlycut the ropes of the tents, broke open the chests, turned the animalsadrift, as they examined the vehicles; so that in a few minutes from thetime they entered the encampment, where the quiet circle of tents thenstood, there was now a scene of confusion and disorder. Yet it was ofno effect, for their intended prisoners could no where be found.
"You have set at defiance the Emperor's authority," said the Count,addressing the Zingani chief, "and must take the consequences. I arrestyou in the name of the Czar."
"What, has the noble Count Erintoff turned police officer, as well asassassin?" exclaimed the chief. "I fear you not, Count. Either let mego free, or take the consequences. The murderer of the Count Flatoff isknown," he added, stepping closer up to him. "I well know your motives,Count; but will not interfere, while you attempt not to injure me ormine. I am your prisoner if you wish."
The Count turned pale with rage and fear. He felt that he was entirelyin the power of the bold Gipsy, should he not succeed in destroying himat once, and that he could not hope to do in the midst of his people,when no resistance was offered. The only alternative was to make himhis friend, for he saw that terror was not likely to influence him. TheCount, therefore, pretended to be satisfied that the people he soughtwere not among the Gipsies; hoping, by throwing them off their guard, topounce upon them when unprepared, and intending to take the firstopportunity of crushing: one who had a secret of such importance to himin his possession. He feared too, that the accusation would lead tofurther inquiries as to the means by which he became possessed of thepapers, and how he gained his information of the conspiracy, for he knewthere were already some causes of suspicion existing against him.Secretly vowing vengeance therefore, he ordered the police to remount,and accompany him in a further search he meditated making, beingconvinced that the fugitives were at no great distance.
The Gipsies saw their enemies depart, with bitter feelings of vengeancetowards them, as they set about repairing the wanton damage they hadsustained, while the latter rode on their way; the Count being resolvedto accuse the Gipsy of having, like his daughter, given his assistanceto the late conspiracy, hoping thus to crush him, without danger tohimself, knowing that the first accusation has always the greatestweight. How he succeeded will be seen hereafter.
The Count did not gain the reward he expected for the discovery of theconspiracy; it being strongly suspected, that he would have kept itconcealed co
mpletely, had he not been instigated by some motiveadvantageous to himself. Instead therefore of receiving some lucrativeoffice, or of being raised to a higher dignity in rank, the Emperorfully appreciated his motives, and giving him the credit of believingthat if it had been to his interest, he would have joined the conspiracywithout scruple, appointed him to the command of a regiment in the armyof the Caucasus, hoping thus to get rid of a troublesome and suspectedsubject. As the Count had a short time before reached the rank ofColonel; this order could not appear singular; and although he wellunderstood the reasons of his appointment, he had no alternative but toobey.
The regiment which the Count Erintoff commanded, was one of thoseforming a brigade under the orders of the Baron Galetzoff, destined forthe army of the Caucasus, now marching towards the south, to embark forthe opposite coast. Levies had been