The Secret of the Night Part 44

"Your scheme, doubtless, is to speak to him once more regarding Natacha Feodorovna?"

"Not at all. Tell him, Excellency, that I am come to explain the mystery of the eider downs."

"Ah, ah, the eider downs! You know something?"

"I know all."

The Grand Marshal saw that the young man did not pretend. He asked him to wait a few minutes, and vanished into the park.

A quarter of an hour later, Joseph Rouletabille, of the journal "L'Epoque," was admitted into the cabinet that he knew well from the first interview he had had there with His Majesty. The simple work-room of a country-house: a few pictures on the walls, portraits of the Tsarina and the imperial children on the table; Oriental cigarettes in the tiny gold cups. Rouletabille was far from feeling any a.s.surance, for the Grand-Marshal had said to him:

"Be cautious. The Emperor is in a terrible humor about you."

A door opened and closed. The Tsar made a sign to the Marshal, who disappeared. Rouletabille bowed low, then watched the Emperor closely.

Quite apparently His Majesty was displeased. The face of the Tsar, ordinarily so calm, so pleasant, and smiling, was severe, and his eyes had an angry light. He seated himself and lighted a cigarette.

"Monsieur," he commenced, "I am not otherwise sorry to see you before your departure in order to say to you myself that I am not at all pleased with you. If you were one of my subjects I would have already started you on the road to the Ural Mountains."

"I remove myself farther, Sire."

"Monsieur, I pray you not to interrupt me and not to speak unless I ask you a question."

"Oh, pardon, Sire, pardon."

"I am not duped by the pretext you have offered Monsieur le Grand-Marechal in order to penetrate here."

"It is not a pretext, Sire."

"Again!"

"Oh, pardon, Sire, pardon."

"I say to you that, called here to aid me against my enemies, they themselves have not found a stronger or more criminal support than in you."

"Of what am I accused, Sire?"

"Koupriane-"

"Ah! Ah! ... Pardon!"

"My Chief of Police justly complains that you have traversed all his designs and that you have taken it upon yourself to ruin them. First, you removed his agents, who inconvenienced you, it seems; then, the moment that he had the proof in hand of the abominable alliance of Natacha Feodorovna with the Nihilists who attempt the a.s.sa.s.sination of her father your intervention has permitted that proof to escape him. And you have boasted of the feat, monsieur, so that we can only consider you responsible for the attempts that followed.

"Without you, Natacha would not have attempted to poison her father. Without you, they would not have sent to find physicians who could blow up the datcha des Iles. Finally, no later than yesterday, when this faithful servant of mine had set a trap they could not have escaped from, you have had the audacity, you, to warn them of it. They owe their escape to you. Monsieur, those are attempts against the security of the State which deserves the heaviest punishment. Why, you went out one day from here promising me to save General Treba.s.sof from all the plotting a.s.sa.s.sins who lurked about him. And then you play the game of the a.s.sa.s.sins! Your conduct is as miserable as that of Natacha Feodorovna is monstrous!"

The Emperor ceased, and looked at Rouletabille, who had not lowered his eyes.

"What can you say for yourself? Speak-now."

"I can only say to Your Majesty that I come to take leave of you because my task here is finished. I have promised you the life of General Treba.s.sof, and I bring it to you. He runs no danger any more! I say further to Your Majesty that there exists nowhere in the world a daughter more devoted to her father, even to the death, a daughter more sublime than Natacha Feodorovna, nor more innocent."

"Be careful, monsieur. I inform you that I have studied this affair personally and very closely. You have the proofs of these statements you advance?"

"Yes, Sire."

"And I, I have the proofs that Natacha Feodorovna is a renegade."

At this contradiction, uttered in a firm voice, the Emperor stirred, a flush of anger and of outraged majesty in his face. But, after this first movement, he succeeded in controlling himself, opened a drawer brusquely, took out some papers and threw them on the table.

"Here they are."

Rouletabille reached for the papers.

"You do not read Russian, monsieur. I will translate their purport for you. Know, then, that there has been a mysterious exchange of letters between Natacha Feodorovna and the Central Revolutionary Committee, and that these letters show the daughter of General Treba.s.sof to be in perfect accord with the a.s.sa.s.sins of her father for the execution of their abominable project."

"The death of the general?"

"I declare to Your Majesty that that is not possible."

"Obstinate man! I will read-"

"Useless, Sire. It is impossible. There may be in them the question of a project, but I am greatly surprised if these conspirators have been sufficiently imprudent to write in those letters that they count on Natacha to poison her father."

"That, as a matter of fact, is not written, and you yourself are responsible for it not being there. It does not follow any the less that Natacha Feodorovna had an understanding with the Nihilists."

"That is correct, Sire."

"Ah, you confess that?"

"I do not confess; I simply affirm that Natacha had an understanding with the Nihilists."

"Who plotted their abominable attacks against the ex-Governor of Moscow."

"Sire, since Natacha had an understanding with the Nihilists, it was not to kill her father, but to save him. And the project of which you hold here the proofs, but of whose character you are unaware, is to end the attacks of which you speak, instantly."

"You say that."

"I speak the truth, Sire."

"Where are the proofs? Show me your papers."

"I have none. I have only my word."

"That is not sufficient."

"It will be sufficient, once you have heard me."

"I listen."