Part 8 (1/2)
Tom Coyle, a huge rough bearded Irishman who in outward appearance might have pa.s.sed anywhere for a Russian, was not less efficient or less loved and trusted by me than O'Malley. As a proprietor of a cab stand every driver was a minion of his and served him precisely as O'Malley's waiters did their chief; and it may readily be determined that the power thus exerted for making reports, for knowing the distinction and the engagements of certain individuals was far reaching indeed. Coyle also had served me in the execution of many delicate missions of the past and I could depend upon him almost as absolutely as I could upon myself.
The two St. Cyrs, husband and wife, were equally important factors in my work; indeed they provided the most far reaching a.s.sistance I had, for if you will stop to consider a moment and will realize how absolutely at the mercy of house servants the ordinary citizen is compelled to be, you will understand how an employment agency operated for the purposes of espionage can discover and reveal secrets which otherwise might never find their way outside the family circle. There is no written doc.u.ment, no locked bureau drawer, no hidden pocket, no secret hiding place into which the prying eyes and fingers of maid or valet, house maid and general servitor cannot penetrate. These people did their work for the St. Cyrs and reported to them, knowing nothing whatever of why they made those reports or to whom they ultimately found their way.
Canfield was also invaluable. As managing director of the Messenger Service with many of his employees working as spies, it was a comparatively easy matter to intercept letters and messages and to obtain a knowledge of the contents of doc.u.ments through their skilled efforts.
I have given this resume of conditions as I established them to avoid going into detail respecting the sources of the information I made use of, but it will be understood now how thorough was my knowledge whenever I chose to exert it.
During the time that pa.s.sed as I have described, I became a factor in St. Petersburg society. Supposed to possess unlimited wealth (acc.u.mulated, by the way, in Mexican mines, for it sounded well), with the crest of a n.o.ble family then extinct and half forgotten ornamenting my cards and stationery, and introduced by Prince Michael, who was known to be high in favor with the czar, palace doors were thrown wide open to receive me. I was young then, and women said that I was handsome, while men found me genial, companionable, and their master at most games and with every sort of weapon; things which men respect even if they do resent them.
The regular police systems, even to the mysterious Third Section which has no equivalent or parallel in the world, were entirely ignorant of the existence of my espionage, and many times during the months that followed I fell under suspicion. My power was so much greater than theirs that I possessed one abundant advantage, that of knowing their spies; and many of these, from time to time, I purposely allowed to become inmates of my house, from which they inevitably carried away the precise information that I wished them to obtain.
By the time the organization of the fraternity was completed, I had information in my possession which if it had gone to the emperor, would have created a social upheaval such as has never been witnessed in history. But many of the most anarchistic and irrepressible leaders of the nihilists were quietly arrested and sent where they would be rendered harmless, and others who were less violent, I left undisturbed and in seeming security, knowing that they would ultimately lead me to the point I wished to attain, the very root of the evil which I had determined to eradicate; but it was six months after my arrival in St.
Petersburg when I met with the adventure which I regarded as the most remarkable of my experience, and which is really the reason for this story.
”Well, Derrington,” the prince said to me one night shortly after our return from a function of more than ordinary prominence. He had stopped at my rooms for a smoke and a chat before retiring. ”Have you received an invitation from the princess?”
”What princess?” I asked.
”Zara de Echeveria, the most beautiful woman in Europe.” He was smiling now, and seemed to take it for granted that I should know to whom he referred.
”The name is Spanish,” I said; and I vaguely recalled having heard it somewhere before that day. But evidently it had made only slight impression upon my memory.
”Yes; her father was a Spaniard, but she is a Russian of the Russians.
Her t.i.tle is given her by courtesy, from her mother's family. Is it possible that you do not know about her?”
”Quite.”
”It is not remarkable, after all, for she left the city shortly after your arrival and has only just returned. I paid my respects to her yesterday, and took the liberty of suggesting that she add your name to her list. Look among your cards, and see if she has not sent you one.”
It was among the first that my hand lighted upon and naturally we fell to discussing her. The rhapsodies concerning her in which the prince indulged led me to interpose a remark, for which I was instantly sorry.
”One would think that you were in love with her,” I said.
His face fell instantly, and for a moment he was visibly confused, but at last, with a conscious smile, he said, boldly:
”Well, why not? I do not know that it is necessary to deny it since she is aware of it herself; and so, I think, is the whole city. I am a bachelor, and not turned fifty. Twenty-five years is not an impa.s.sable gulf, is it?”
”Certainly not, my dear prince. My remark was an ill timed pleasantry which you must pardon. Is she, then, so young?”
”Twenty-five.”
”Let me see; her ball is for to-morrow--or rather, to-night, since it is now morning.”
”Yes. Will you go with me? I will then have the pleasure of presenting you.”
”Thank you; yes.”
I did not see the prince again until he called for me on his way to the house of the princess where we found the parlors thronged, so that it was with difficulty that we presently made our way among the ma.s.sed guests to the point where Zara de Echeveria was receiving her friends.
On our way to greet her, Prince Michael encountered many acquaintances who claimed a word with him, so at last he drew me aside and we waited until there was a lull in the efforts of the crush around her; then he led me forward.
”So glad to know you, Mr. Dubravnik,” she said, in my own language.