Part 31 (1/2)
It is intended for him. Those are the instructions.”
”I shall not,” was his reply as he placed the box in his pocket. ”If one has it, so shall the other. The German advance will be made all the more easy by the removal of both of them. I----”
Footsteps sounded outside, and the sergeant appeared an instant later; hence we were compelled to separate after exchanging farewells as good brothers would.
Back to Minsk I drove rapidly, and two hours later was in an ambulance train on my way to Petrograd, full of wonder as to what was happening at Gorodok.
Peter Tchernine, spy of Germany, had no doubt mixed the contents of that tiny tube with the powdered sugar served to the general and his Imperial guest.
Standing alone at the end of a long ambulance carriage, I leaned out of the window, breathing the fresh air of the open plain. We were running beside a lake, the water of which came up close to the rails. Here was my opportunity.
I took a tin matchbox from my pocket and flung it as far as I could into the water.
Then I returned to my seat, my heart lighter, for at last I had saved the life of our dear general, and also that of His Majesty, for, truth to tell, what I had given Peter Tchernine was only a little tube of French chalk made up to resemble that brought so secretly from Berlin.
On reporting to Rasputin next day, he rubbed his hands with delight. I, of course, did not tell him of the Emperor's peril.
Next day he, however, came to me in a state of high indignation.
”The fool Tchernine has blundered, just as Sawvitch did!” he cried.
”Brusiloff still lives and is continuing the offensive. Did he not promise to use the tube?”
”He certainly did,” I a.s.sured the monk. ”He was filled with satisfaction that he would be able thus to help the Fatherland.”
”In any case he has failed!” said the ”holy” man. ”Not only that, but the plot against Korniloff has also failed. What shall I reply to Berlin?
What will they say?”
”Has the girl Nada Tsourikoff failed us, then?” I asked eagerly.
”Yes,” he replied in a hard, deep tone. ”The little fool apparently had no courage. It failed her at the last moment--or----”
”Or what?”
”Or somebody knew the truth and threatened exposure.”
”Why?”
”Because she was found dead yesterday morning at the Grand Hotel at Dvinsk, having broken the tube and taken some of its contents in her tea.
A pity, too, Feodor, for she might have been so very useful.” Then he added: ”Bah! it is always the same with women, their courage fails them at the last moment! No. It is men--men like yourself, Feodor--that we want. The failure at Minsk is, however, very strange. We must inquire into Tchernine's actions and report fully to the Koniggratzerstra.s.se.
Otherwise I shall once again be blamed. Surely I did my best--and so did you!”
CHAPTER XII
RASPUTIN AND THE KAISER
THE secret visit of Rasputin to Berlin and his second audience with the Kaiser were stoutly denied at the time, but as I accompanied the ”saint”