Part 21 (2/2)
”I regret, Highness, that no communications whatever can be allowed.”
The Prince stepped down from the vehicle, walked diagonally across a very dimly lighted courtyard with his guide, entered that section of the rectangular building which faced the Neva, pa.s.sed along a hall with one gas jet burning, then outside again, and immediately over a gang-plank that brought him aboard a steamer. On the lower deck a pa.s.sage ran down the center of the s.h.i.+p, and along this the conductor guided his prisoner, opened the door of a stateroom in which candles were burning, and a comfortable bed turned down for occupancy.
”I think your Highness will find everything here that you need.
If anything further is required, the electric bell will summon an attendant, who will get it for you.”
”Am I not to be confronted with whoever is responsible for my arrest?”
”I know nothing of that, your Highness. My duty ends by escorting you here. I must ask if you have any other weapon upon you?”
”No, I have not.”
”Will you give me your parole that you will not attempt to escape?”
”I shall escape if I can, of course.”
”Thank you, Excellency,” replied the officer, as suavely as if Lermontoff had given his parole. Out of the darkness he called a tall, rough-looking soldier, who carried a musket with a bayonet at the end of it. The soldier took his stand beside the door of the cabin.
”Anything else?” asked the Prince.
”Nothing else, your Highness, except good-night.”
”Oh, by the way, I forgot to pay my cabman. Of course it isn't his fault that he brought me here.”
”I shall have pleasure in sending him to you, and again, good-night.”
”Good-night,” said the Prince.
He closed the door of his cabin, pulled out his note-book, and rapidly wrote two letters, one of which he addressed to Drummond and the other to the Czar. When the cabman came he took him within the cabin and closed the door.
”Here,” he said in a loud voice that the sentry could overhear if he liked, ”how much do I owe you?”
The driver told him.
”That's too much, you scoundrel,” he cried aloud, but as he did so he placed three gold pieces in the palm of the driver's hand together with the two letters, and whispered:
”Get these delivered safely, and I'll give you ten times this money if you call on Prince Lermontoff at the address on that note.”
The man saluted, thanked him, and retired; a moment later he heard the jingle of a bell, and then the steady throb of an engine. There was no window to the stateroom, and he could not tell whether the steamer was going up or down the river. Up, he surmised, and he suspected his destination was Schlusselburg, the fortress-prison on an island at the source of the Neva. He determined to go on deck and solve the question of direction, but the soldier at the door brought down his gun and barred the pa.s.sage.
”I am surely allowed to go on deck?”
”You cannot pa.s.s without an order from the captain.”
”Well, send the captain to me, then.”
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