cheerful though their hosts were, the midshipmen could see that a cloud of anxiety hung over them. to be "suspected" in russia is equivalent to being condemned. secret police spies in the very bosom of the household may be sending denunciations. the man who meets you and shakes hands with you in the street may have reported on your conduct. the letters you write are opened, those you should receive stopped in the post. at any moment the agent of the authorities may appear and conduct you to a prison which you may leave only for the long journey to siberia.
count preskoff did not think that matters had yet reached this point. he was in disgrace at court, and had enemies who would injure him to the utmost with the emperor, but he believed that no steps would be taken until count smerskoff had received his final refusal of katinka's hand. he had already once proposed for it, but would not consider the answer which her father then gave him as final.
"i cannot accept your refusal, count," he had said. "the marriage would be for the advantage of all parties concerned. my family is, as you are aware, not without influence at court, and they would, were i the husband of your daughter, do all in their power to incline the emperor favorably towards you; while, were i rejected, they would probably view your refusal to accept my offers as a slight to the family, and resent it accordingly. i cannot but think that when you have given the matter calm consideration, you will see the advantages which such an alliance would offer. i shall therefore do myself the honor to renew my proposals at some future date."
this conversation took place in the beginning of december; count preskoff had shortly afterwards left for his estates in the north, and he felt sure that upon his return the subject would be renewed, and that upon his announcement of his continued determination to refuse his daughter's hand to this pressing suitor, the latter would use every means in his power to ruin him, and that the cloud which had so long threatened would burst over his head.
from olga, who, being about his own age, a little under sixteen, was his special chum in the family, jack gathered a general idea of the situation. olga was an adept at pantomimic action, and a natural mimic; hence, although he could only understand a word here and there, he obtained an accurate idea of the conversation between her father and the governor, and of her father's calm manner, and the gestures and intonations of apparent friendship but veiled menace. by putting her ears to a keyhole and hiding behind a curtain, she expressed the possibility of there being a spy in the very household, who would listen to the unguarded talk of her father and report it to the governor. jack determined that he would watch every movement of the domestics, and especially observe if he could detect any sign of an understanding between one of them and the governor.
it was some four or five days after the count had returned that count smerskoff rode up to the door. orders had already been given that if he arrived he should be shown to the count's private study. the midshipmen saw him riding up, and, according to the plan they had agreed upon, one stood near the entrance to observe whether any sign of recognition passed between him and any of the servants gathered upon the steps to receive him, the other took his place in the hall. the interview was not a long one.
"i am come, count preskoff," the governor said, "to renew my request for the hand of your daughter. i trust that upon consideration you will have thought it better to overlook the objections you preferred to my suit."
"upon the contrary," the count said calmly, "i have thought the matter over in every light, and am more convinced even than before that such a marriage would not conduce to the happiness of my daughter. she herself is wholly repugnant to it, and even were it otherwise, i should myself most strongly object."
"on what grounds, count?" the officer said angrily. "noble as your family is, my own is fully equal to it."
"that i am perfectly willing to allow, sir, and will frankly own that my objection is a purely personal one. the incidents of your past career are notorious. you have killed two men in duels, which, in both cases, you forced upon them. you have been involved in gambling transactions of such a description that it needed all the influence of your family to save you from public disgrace. to such a man it is impossible that i could intrust my daughter."
count smerskoff rose to his feet, bursting with passion.
"since you know my reputation, count, it would have been wiser to abstain from insulting me. you shall hear from me before night."
"it is useless your sending your second to me," the count said calmly, "for i absolutely refuse to meet you. i shall publish my refusal, and state that the grounds upon which i base it are that you are a notorious ruffian; but that if you can find any man of honor to take up your quarrel, i shall be prepared to meet him."
"i will force you to it," the soldier said, burning with passion. "i will publicly insult you. i will strike you," and he drew a step nearer.
"you will do so at your peril," the count said, drawing a pistol from his pocket. "i know your method, sir, and am prepared for it. if you lay a finger upon me, if you insult me in public, i will shoot you dead where you stand, and take the consequences."
"you shall repent this," count smerskoff exclaimed. "there are lives worse than death, and you shall have cause to remember your words of to-day," and turning round he strode from the room.
jack was still lounging in the hall as he passed out. one of the servants had also remained there, and when the governor was seen striding down the staircase, the man hastened to open the door. jack saw the officer pause for a moment, "at eight to-night at the cross roads," he said, and passed out, and flinging himself upon his horse, rode off. among the russian words learned by the midshipmen were all words connected with roads. they had been specially desirous of asking questions which might enable them to find their way across country, and every word which would be likely to be included in a direction as to route had been learned. this was the more easy, as on their march there had been but few objects of interest to attract their attention. the expressions therefore "the road to the right," "the road to the left," "the turning by the wood or stream," "the cross roads," and other similar expressions had been learned by heart. jack's quick ears, consequently, gathered the purport of the brief order.
"i have found the spy," he said triumphantly, when he joined his comrade outside. "come for a stroll, dick. i don't want to be seen talking here."
when well away from the house, jack repeated the words he had overheard, and they determined that they would be present at the interview between the governor and his spy. they had a long discussion whether it would be better to invite the count himself to be present; but they agreed at last that it would be better not to do so, as he might break in upon the interview, and possibly only bring matters to a climax at once, which they agreed had better be avoided, as even if the men fought then and there, the fact of the governor being killed by the count would only precipitate the danger which already threatened. still they agreed that it was absolutely necessary that the conversation should be thoroughly understood, and the few words which they would glean here and there might be insufficient to put them in possession of the full details of the plot.
they therefore resolved to take the coachman into their confidence. they knew that he was warmly attached to the count, and that he could be relied upon in an emergency. as they had full permission to take the horses or carriage whenever they pleased, they now went to the stable and told the coachman that they should like to go for a drive in the sledge, as the weather showed signs of breaking, and the snow would probably shortly disappear.
the horses were at once put to, and, in a few minutes they were whirling over the snow. they directed the coachman to drive into the forest where they had had the encounter with the wolves, and when well in its shelter they stopped the sledge and alighted, and requested the coachman to do the same. much surprised, the unrolled the sheepskin wrappings from his legs and got down from his seat.
"alexis, you love the count, your master, do you not?"
"yes, young lord," the russian said earnestly, though much surprised at the question. "his fathers have been the masters of mine for many generations. my good lord is always kind and considerate to his serfs. i drove his father before him. i drove him when he was a boy. he has never said a harsh word to me. i would give my life for him willingly. why do the young lords ask?"
"your master has enemies, alexis. there are many who think that he is too kind to his serfs. they have poisoned the ear of the czar against him. they have told him that your master is a dangerous man. they have turned the face of the czar from him."
the russian nodded. it was no secret that the count was banished from the capital.
"the chief of his enemies," jack went on, "is the governor, count smerskoff. he wishes to marry the countess katinka, and because the count refuses he will try to injure him and to obtain his exile to siberia."
"i will kill him," the coachman said. "i will slay him in the middle of his soldiers. they may kill me, but what of that, it is for my master."
"no, alexis, not now," jack said, laying his hand upon the arm of the angry russian. "perhaps later, but we will see. but i have found out that paul, the hall servant, is acting as his spy. i heard the governor order him to meet him at the cross roads at eight o'clock to-night. i suppose he means where the road crosses that to town, about half-way along. we mean to be there, but you know we don't understand russian well enough to hear all that is said. we want you to be there with us, too, to hear what they mean to do."
"i will be there," the russian said; "and if the young lords think it well, i will kill them both."
"no, alexis," jack said; "that would never do. it might get about that the governor had been killed by order of the count, and this would do more harm than if he were alive. will you be in the stables at seven o'clock? we will join you there. there are plenty of bushes at the cross-roads, and we shall be able to hide there without difficulty."
the coachman assented, and taking their seats, they again drove on. it must not be supposed that the conversation was conducted as simply and easily as has been narrated, for it needed all the efforts of the boys to make the russian understand them, and they had to go over and over again many of the sentences, using their scanty vocabulary in every way, to convey their meaning to their hearer. the rest of the afternoon passed slowly. the count himself was tranquil and even cheerful, although his face wore an air of stern determination. the countess looked anxious and careworn. the eyes of the three girls were swollen with crying, and the lads afterwards learned that katinka had gone down on her knees to her father, to implore him to allow her to sacrifice herself for the common good by marrying count smerskoff. this, however, the count had absolutely refused to do, and had even insisted upon her promising him that, should he be exiled and his estates confiscated, she would not afterwards purchase his release by consenting to marry her suitor. respecting the grief and anxiety into which the family were plunged, the midshipmen kept apart from them all the afternoon, only joining them at the evening meal at six o'clock. as they withdrew, saying, in answer to the count's invitation that they should stop with them, that they were first going for a little walk, jack whispered in olga's ear, "keep up your courage. all may not be lost yet."
the coachman was waiting for them in the stable, and they started at once in an opposite direction to that at which the meeting was to take place, in case paul might by any possibility observe their departure. taking a long détour, they reached the cross-roads, and lay down under cover of the brushwood. it was nearly half an hour later before they heard footsteps approaching along the road from the chateau. on reaching the junction of the roads, the man stopped, and from their place of concealment they could dimly see his figure.
the boys had taken the precaution of abstracting a brace of pistols and two swords from the count's armory. the coachman they knew would have his knife. this they had done at jack's suggestion that it was possible that their presence might be betrayed by a cough or other accidental noise, in which case they knew they would have to fight for their lives. a few minutes later they heard the tramp of a horse's hoof. it approached quickly, and the rider halted by the standing figure.
"is that you, paul?"
"it is, my lord," the serf said, bowing.
"you are alone?"
"no one had approached the place since i came here a quarter of an hour ago."
"it is time for action," the horseman said. "to-morrow you will come boldly at twelve o'clock to my house, and demand to see me on important business. you will be shown to my room, where two officers who i wish to have as witnesses will be present. you will then state to me that you wish to make a denunciation of your master, count preskoff. i shall ask what you have to say, and tell you that you are of course aware of the serious consequences to yourself should such statements be proved untrue. you will say that you are aware of that, but that you are compelled by your love for the czar, our father, to speak. you will then say that you have heard the count using insulting words of the czar, in speaking of him to his wife, on many occasions, and that since his return, on one occasion, you put your ear to the keyhole and heard him telling her of a great plot for a general rising of the serfs, and an overthrow of the government; that he said he had prepared the serfs of his estates in the north for the rising; that those of his estates here would all follow him; that many other nobles had joined in the plot, and that on a day which had not yet been agreed upon a rising would take place in twenty places simultaneously; and that the revolt once begun he was sure that the serfs, weary of the war and its heavy impositions, would everywhere join the movement. i shall cross-question you closely, but you will stick to your story. make it as simple and straightforward as you can; say you cannot answer for the exact words, but that you will answer that this was the general sense of the conversation you overheard. now, are you sure you thoroughly understand?"
"i quite understand, my lord," the man said humbly, "and for this your excellency has promised me?"
"five hundred roubles and your freedom."
"but when am i to be paid?" the man said doubtfully.
"do you doubt my word, slave?" the horseman said angrily.
"by no means, your excellency. but things might happen, and after i had told my story and it had been taken down before witnesses, your excellency's memory might fail. i should prefer the money before i told my story."
the horseman was silent a moment.
"you are an insolent dog to doubt me," he said in an angry tone; "but you shall have the money; when you call to-morrow the sergeant of the guard will have instructions to hand you a letter which will contain notes for five hundred roubles."
"i thought," the man said, "your excellency said gold. five hundred roubles in notes are not worth two hundred in gold, and you see i shall have much to do to earn the money, for i may be sent to st. petersburg and cross-questioned. i may even be confronted with my master; and after it is over and i am freed, i must, in any case, leave this part of the country, for my life will not be safe for a day here."
"very well," the count said, "you shall have a thousand roubles in paper; but beware! if you fail me or break down in cross-examination, you shall end your life in the mines of siberia."
so saying, without another word he turned and rode back, while the serf strode off towards the chateau. during this conversation, which the boys imperfectly understood, they had difficulty in restraining the count's faithful retainer, who, furious at hearing the details of the plot against his master, would have leaped up to attack the speakers, had not the boys kept their restraining hands on his shoulder, and whispered in his ear, "be quiet, for the count's sake."
waiting long enough to be sure that the two men had passed not only out of sight but of the sound of their voices, the lads suffered their companion to rise, and to indulge his feelings in an explosion of deep oaths. then, when he was a little calm, they obtained from him a repetition of the leading facts of the conversation.
the boys consulted among themselves, and agreed that it was necessary to acquaint the count with all the facts that they had discovered, and to leave him to act as seemed best according to his judgment.
they entered the house alone, telling the coachman to call in half an hour, and to say that the count had given orders that he was to see him to take instructions for the horses in the morning. then they joined the family in the drawing-room. there all proceeded as usual.
katinka, at her father's request, played on the piano, and a stranger would not have dreamed of the danger which menaced the household. when the half-hour had nearly expired, jack said to the count,—
"i have told alexis to call upon you for orders for to-morrow. would you mind receiving him in your study? i have a very particular reason for asking it."
"but i have no orders to give alexis," the count said, surprised.
"no, sir, but he has something he particularly wishes to say to you—something really important."
"very well," the court replied, smiling; "you seem to be very mysterious, but of course i will do as you wish. is he coming soon?"
"in two or three minutes, sir, i expect him."
"then," the count remarked, "i suppose i had better go at once, and learn what all this mystery is about. he isn't coming, i hope, to break to me the news that one of my favorite horses is dead." so saying, with a smile, he left the room. no sooner had he gone than the girls overwhelmed the midshipmen with questions, but they told them that they must not be inquisitive, that their father would, no doubt, tell them the secret in due time.
"if you will allow me, countess," dick said, "i will leave this door a little open, so that we may hear when alexis goes in." the door was placed ajar, and a few minutes later the footsteps of two men were heard coming along the corridor. paul opened the door. "is his excellency here?" he asked. "alexis wishes to see him."
"he is in his study," the countess answered.
the study door was heard to close, and when the sound of paul's feet returning along the corridor ceased dick said, "you will excuse us, countess, we are going to join the conference."
"it is too bad," katinka exclaimed, "to keep us in the dark in this way. mind, if the secret is not something very important and delightful, you will be in disgrace, and we shall banish you from this room altogether."
the lads made a laughing reply, and then, promising they would soon be back, they went to the study. alexis was standing silent before his master, having explained that he would rather not speak until the young english lords appeared. jack began the narrative, and said that fearing count smerskoff, whom they knew to be his enemy, might have suborned one of the servants to act as his spy they had watched him closely, and had heard him make an appointment with paul to meet him that evening at the cross-roads; that they had taken alexis into their confidence, and had with him been concealed spectators of the interview; that they themselves had been able to gather only the general drift of the conversation, but that alexis would give him a full report of it.
the count's face had at first expressed only surprise at jack's narration, but the expression changed into one of fierce anger as he proceeded. without a word he motioned to alexis to continue, and the latter detailed word for word the conversation which he had overheard. when he had concluded, he added, "your excellency must pardon me for not having killed your enemies upon the spot, but the young english lords had told me that it was necessary to lie quiet, whatever i heard, and besides, the governor might have ridden off before i could reach him."
the count stood for a minute silent when the narration ceased. "you did well, alexis," he said in a stern voice. "it is for me to judge and sentence. i had thought that i, at least, was safe from treachery among those around me. it seems i was wrong, and the traitor shall learn that the kind master can be the severe lord, who holds the life and death of his serfs in his hand." he was silent, and remained two or three minutes in deep thought. "go to the stable, alexis. you will be joined there soon by ivan and alexander. they will have their instructions. after that paul will come out; seize him and bind him when he enters the stable. now go. you have done well. tell paul, as you go out, that i wish to see the steward."
a minute or two later the steward, a white-headed old man, who had from childhood been in the service of the family, entered. "demetri," he said, "will you tell ivan and alexander to go out into the stable? they will find alexis waiting for them. order them, when paul joins them there, to aid alexis in seizing him instantly. give them your instructions quietly, and without attracting notice. above all do not let paul see you speaking to them. when you have seen them out, find paul, and order him to go to the stable and tell alexis that i wish to speak to him; when he has gone, join me here."
