"My dear friends, I appreciate to the full your anxiety about me, and I shall want your wholehearted a.s.sistance, which, I know, will be given ungrudgingly to me. With regard to this little matter of a.s.sa.s.sination, some ideas have come to me. Let me work them out my own way, if you please."

Both men bowed in a.s.sent. There was no more to be said. When an autocrat has delivered his fiat, argument on the part of even his most trusted servants is useless.

"May your Majesty never live to regret your decision," murmured the faithful Golitzine, in a low whisper.

The Emperor again gave him a rea.s.suring pressure on the shoulder.

"My excellent Golitzine, and you, my good Salmoros, you can safely leave this part of it to me. I have in my mind a little tragedy that shall later turn into comedy. To-night, at the Winter Palace, you will appreciate an Emperor's stratagem. You shall also witness, later on, an Emperor's vengeance."

He paused, then extended a hand to each and spoke in the same whispering tones. "You, Golitzine and Salmoros, will confer with the two Generals. They have not the brains of either of you, but they are good machines. You will take measures to have the soldiery and police well posted in order to combat the revolution engineered by that villain, Zouroff, and his friends. Corsini, I daresay, has still a few more details to impart which will be useful. For the present, _au revoir_."

Golitzine, after his Imperial Master's departure, spoke to Salmoros.

"What do you think of it all, Baron? Is he sure of himself? Has he got an idea, of which he is so proud that he will not communicate it even to us?"

Salmoros shook his white wise head slowly to and fro while he spoke with his gentle, slightly ironical smile.

"My dear Golitzine, who can prophesy? Wisdom, we know, sometimes proceeds out of the mouths of babes and sucklings. Perhaps it may, in occasional moments, emanate from the brains of Kings and Emperors. In the meantime, you will take all necessary precautions. It would not be wise to trust too much to the Emperor's inspiration, whatever it may be."

CHAPTER XXVI

Corsini quitted the cabinet shortly after the departure of the Emperor. Alexander, full of his great idea, and it was proved later on that it was a very excellent and ingenious one, felt that he could leave all further details to the astute Golitzine, Salmoros, and the two Generals.

After the Czar had left, Golitzine had questioned the Italian closely as to certain items of the information which he had gathered at the villa the night before. Being satisfied as to these, he had intimated, of course in the most polite and diplomatic manner, that Corsini's presence was no longer required. He was now going into certain practical matters with the two Generals, with regard to the disposition of the soldiery and police, of a strictly technical nature which would have no interest to a civilian.

Corsini took the hint at once. He had already learned that high politics meant strict business. These two great men would put up with your company, just so long as you were useful to them. As soon as you had fulfilled your part, you were dismissed, in order that they might turn to somebody else of equal importance.

But Golitzine, in spite of his lean and rather saturnine aspect, was a kind-hearted old fellow. He shook the young man warmly by the hand and whispered in his ear:

"Please do not accuse me of scant courtesy, if I seem to hurry you away, but the time is all too short for what I have to plan and arrange. Be a.s.sured that, so far as the Emperor is concerned, your fortune is made. I cannot take upon myself to predict the precise nature of your reward, but it will be a very substantial one. And of course your friend Ivan and his a.s.sociate will be remembered, too."

Corsini bowed gratefully. He already knew enough of Courts to a.s.sume that Golitzine himself would determine the nature and extent of those rewards. The Emperor would only speak with the voice of his Secretary, although as a matter of etiquette, he must always be regarded as the fountain of honour.

Golitzine went on in a still lower tone. "You have more time on your hands than we hard-working servants of the State have. We shall not meet again till to-night at the _bal-masque_. You might use a few of your leisure moments in strolling round to my house and cheering up the Princess Nada. I prepared my wife for a possible visit. I am certain you will not be denied admittance."

Corsini was very young, too young to have got over the youthful habit of blushing. A deep red settled on his countenance as he realised the nature and intention of the kindly Count's suggestion.

Golitzine peered at him amiably through his spectacles. He liked that ingenuous blush: it betokened sincerity. Here was no callous young adventurer, simply a youth of integrity and good principles, quick-witted enough to take advantage of his opportunities.

"You are a favourite of fortune, my dear fellow, but you have had the good sense to see when she smiled on you. Strike while the iron is hot. Every right-thinking young woman is grateful to her preserver, especially when he is so good to look at as you are. You don't want me to give you any further hint."

Corsini, more embarra.s.sed than ever, murmured a reply that was almost inarticulate, but one expressing grat.i.tude for his Excellency's suggestions. He made his _adieux_ hastily, anxious to be out of the chamber where these experienced men seemed to read his very soul.

Salmoros detained him a second. "Not quite so quick, my young friend.

You will dine with me to-morrow night at my hotel; here is the address." He added with a humorous smile, "That is to say, if this devil of a Zouroff leaves any of us alive."

Corsini left the Winter Palace. He saw the figures of his faithful bodyguard hovering in the distance, pledged to watch after his safety, to protect him from the evil designs of his relentless enemy, that traitor Prince whom he had outwitted.

He bent his steps in the direction of Golitzine's house. He was anxious to see the Princess again, but perhaps, had he not been spurred by the Count's hints, he might not have dared to intrude upon her so soon.

The kiss of last night, when their lips had met for the first time!

She had kissed him warmly then, in the exaltation of grateful feelings for her rescue from her ruffianly brother.

That was last night. Would the morning bring reflection, prudence?

Would she remember the difference between their stations--recollect that she was a Princess of the highest lineage, he an artist, a genius, but a man of no birth or connections?

As he walked slowly along, his thoughts travelled back to the time when he had been in such despair that he had come one night to the conclusion life was no longer worth living. He remembered he had put that question to his devoted little sister, Anita, and she had answered bravely that she would leave the decision to him.

And by one turn, as it seemed, of fortune's wheel, all this was changed. He had in his pocket a letter received from Anita that morning, written from the house of the kind ladies in whose charge the Baron Salmoros had placed her when he despatched her brother on his mission to Russia.

A young Englishman had fallen in love with Anita; she had fallen in love with him. He had excellent prospects. One of the two benevolent ladies had enclosed a brief note, speaking in the highest terms of the young lover, who was also a protege of the benevolent Salmoros. Anita had promised to become his wife, subject to her brother's consent.

How far away it all seemed, that snowy night in Dean Street, when he had played in the gutter to earn a few coppers for food and lodging.

Dear old Papa Peron, with his big heart, the genial Degraux, the powerful and astute Salmoros, who picked out intelligent instruments for his deeply laid schemes! All these figures were present to him as he strolled along.

So Anita was in love and would shortly be a happy wife. Well, if she made half as good a wife as a sister, her husband would be a fortunate man. He would ask a few details of Salmoros when he dined with him to-morrow night about this young suitor, but he had no doubt he would write Anita a warm letter of congratulation.

And for himself! Last night, the beautiful Nada, whom he had regarded as a star set high up in the firmament above him, had returned his kiss. Already he occupied an important post in the musical world. This morning, Golitzine had hinted at substantial rewards for his secret and important services. The Count had spoken of him as one of fortune's favourites. The description did not seem to be misplaced.

His heart beat more confidently as he approached the Count's house.

After all, he was not so unworthy as he had once imagined himself to be. Nada was one of a long line. He was going to be the first of his--virile, ambitious, with the restless impulses of new blood. Was the difference between them so great after all?

He met the Countess in the hall. Full of the prejudices of her caste, she did not perhaps wholly approve of the visit; but she was a very obedient wife, and Golitzine, as it has been explained, had given her a hint that if Corsini called he was to be admitted at once to the presence of the young Princess.

Nada was reclining in an easy-chair, looking a little wan. To her enraptured lover, her slight pallor only added spirituality to her beauty.

He felt he must proceed very cautiously. She might wish to ignore that episode of the previous night, for which the strange circ.u.mstances could furnish a reasonable excuse.

He bowed low over her hand and raised it respectfully to his lips. "I am so pleased, Princess," he began in rather hesitating tones, "to see that you are very little the worse for last night's adventure."

A faint colour suffused her cheeks; she withdrew her hand with a little pettish gesture. It was evident that she did not wish to ignore the incident of last night.

"Why are you so formal? I am not a Princess to you, but simply Nada, an unhappy girl whom you rescued and brought here at night, and whom you said you loved. Have you forgotten all this?"

"No, I have not forgotten," was the fervent answer, "but I was not sure you might wish to remember. Last night, the circ.u.mstances were very unusual. Feelings of grat.i.tude might have led you farther--"

He paused, for the very good reason that Nada had placed her hand upon his lips.

"Do you know, you are talking very foolishly, Nello. But no, it is not altogether foolish. I can guess all that there is in your mind. You are such a perfect gentleman, so chivalrous where a woman is concerned. But you need doubt no longer. When I allowed you to kiss me last night and kissed you back, I gave you my heart once and for all time."

He bent over her and kissed this time, not her hand, but her lips.

"And you will marry me, you will be my wife?" he asked in a voice that still expressed hesitation.