Part 18 (1/2)

The banker started up as though electrified.

”My wife!” he gasped. ”Is it her doing?”

”Most certainly,” was the prince's cool reply. ”Feodor knows it. He had it from the Chief of Police of this city himself.”

I confirmed my companion's statement, while the banker, terror and despair written upon his pale features, stood staring like one who saw death before him.

”My wife left me a fortnight ago!” he stammered. ”That is why. She expected me to be arrested. What can I do? How can you help me? Who is this enemy in a high position who is determined upon my arrest?”

”The holy Father alone knows; I do not,” declared the prince very seriously. ”It is somebody at Court--somebody who is a friend of his and who let the fact drop in the course of conversation. I regret it, but I may as well tell you that your arrest is imminent.”

”But what can I do to avoid the scandal?” cried the murderer in despair.

”Well--the only way is to propitiate your unknown enemy,” replied the prince insinuatingly.

”I gave the Father a hundred thousand roubles,” he remarked.

”True; and the Father used his influence so that the inquiries were dropped. He had no knowledge of the fact that you had such a bitter and relentless enemy in the higher Court circle.”

”Nor had I. I wonder who it can be--except, perhaps, Boyadko, with whom I once had some financial dealings over which we quarrelled.”

As a matter of fact, the unknown enemy only existed in Rasputin's fertile imagination.

”Well, as I have said, the Father may find means of propitiating him--if the payment is a liberal one,” said Gorianoff. ”I suggest that you return with us to Petrograd at once, and I will endeavour to accomplish something.”

Eagerly he acted upon the adventurer's advice. During the journey the banker was nervous lest at any moment the police might lay hands upon him. At each station the sight of a grey uniform caused him to hold his breath. Thus to work upon his nerves was part of the prince's game, for he well knew that the more terrified Ganskau became, the greater amount of money he would be prepared to pay.

Back in Petrograd he begged of Rasputin to receive him, and the monk, after two refusals on the plea that he was too busy, at last consented ungraciously.

The result of that interview was that Nicholas Ganskau disgorged a further hundred thousand roubles for the bribing of an enemy who did not exist!

After the banker had left, Rasputin, full of satisfaction as he held the draft for the amount in his dirty paw, dictated to me another letter addressed to the Minister of the Interior, which read:

”His Majesty the Emperor, having full knowledge of the charge of murder made against Nicholas Ganskau of Tver, orders that the inquiries concerning the case be abandoned and that the person suspected be not further molested.”

This was duly signed by the monk and delivered by me at the Ministry an hour later.

Such orders Rasputin frequently gave in the name of His Majesty, who, even if he knew of them, never questioned them.

This, however, did not end the affair, for twelve months afterwards Ganskau, who, scot-free, had taken up his residence in the Avenue Villiers, in Paris, where he was leading a very gay life, received an unexpected visit from Prince Gorianoff, who, making pretence that he had severed his friends.h.i.+p with Rasputin, hinted that as the monk held in his possession the written confession of his crime, it might be worth while to obtain and destroy it.

This suggestion Ganskau at once welcomed, thanking the prince for his kindly intervention.

Then the latter made a remark which in itself showed how expert a blackmailer he was.

”You see, as the girl Elise was a French subject, if the French police ever get hold of the truth it would go very badly with you,” he declared.

The banker's face went pale as death.

”I never thought of that!” he gasped. ”Yes, I must get that confession at all hazards,” he cried.