CHAPTER XX
IN DEFIANCE OF THE CZAR
In all the interviews I had had with the czar during the many months ofmy association with him he had maintained the condition that he hadhimself made at the beginning, which was that we should meet on thebasis of friends and equals. Whenever we were alone together hecommanded me to forget that we were other than two friends who wereenjoying an opportunity for a chat with each other, and as at suchtimes we invariably conversed in French, he always insisted that Ishould address him by the simple term "monsieur." When the prince waswith us, as was nearly always the case, the degree of familiarity wasslightly, though hardly perceptibly modified, and I must say that I hadlearned to enjoy such occasions exceedingly.
For Alexander I had begun to feel a sincere affection. I doubt if therewas any other man in Russia who understood him so thoroughly as I did.During these familiar hours we had passed together he had told me manythings concerning himself, his ideas, and his hopes; and theseconfidences had revealed the real man--that is, the man behind theczar--to me, and I knew that of the thousands of crimes attributed tohim only a few had ever come to his knowledge until it was too late forhim to interfere, or too impolitic for him to do so. Intellectually, hewas not preponderant; indeed he was rather deficient in this respect;but he was naturally a kindly disposed man, and at the beginning of hisreign, and indeed through more than half of it, he proved that fact tothe people. It was just before the time of my arrival in St. Petersburgthat he allowed himself to fall more and more into the power of thenobles who in reality ruled the empire, and who do so still. Easilyinfluenced by those in whom he trusted, thousands of crimes werecommitted in his name of which he had no knowledge and of which he hadnever known. At all events, I liked him, and moreover, I had thoroughfaith in my own influence over him.
In like proportion to my familiarity at court and to the emperor'sfondness for my society, I was cordially hated by the nobility; but asthey feared me quite as much as they hated me, and as my real standingamong them remained a mystery, I was constantly fawned upon to a degreethat was nauseating. Even the story I had so lately heard from the lipsof the princess had not materially lessened the liking I felt forAlexander, for I could understand much better than she could, all theinfluence that had been brought to bear upon the emperor not to pardonthe woman in whose possession had been found cyanide of potassiumintended for his wine. I did not believe he had intended that sheshould go to the island of Saghalien; I did not believe that he couldbe held accountable for the evils that befell poor Yvonne in theisolated garrisons of Siberia. He had been convinced that she intendedto poison him, and he banished her; there his part of the evil ceased.The awful things that happened in the garrison he did not know about,could not hear about, for I believe that among all his friends, I wasthe only one who dared to tell him the truth. Even the prince lied tohim, for I had often heard him do so.
As to the killing of Stanislaus, who could blame the czar for that? Theman had endeavored to kill him; had twice snapped a pistol in his faceand still held it in his hand when the emperor tore it from his graspand struck him on the head with it. Who would not do the same? I repeatall this as my excuse for still feeling that affection for him whichour intercourse had taught me. The real criminal in the case of thestory of Yvonne was Durnief. Him I hated, and his name was on one ofthe lists that had been read off to me before going to the palace thatnight. There were special orders concerning him, too--but that will bedealt with later.
Now, as I entered the cabinet with the prince, I confess that I hadsome doubts concerning my reception for I had no idea what the princehad said to his majesty, and I knew only too well the inclination ofthe czar to listen to anything that had a suspicious side to it,particularly if that suspicion concerned one of his closest and mostintimate associates. I could at any time, within five minutes, havepoisoned the mind of the czar against the prince; and I did not doubtthat he could accomplish the same delicate attention for me. The princepreceded me; the czar rose as we entered.
His majesty was alone, and I advanced at once with extended hand, as hehad often requested me to do when I discovered him thus; but he bowedcoldly, feigning not to see it. I halted, drew myself up, and returnedhis bow in the same manner that he had given it. Then I waited for himto speak.
"You are late, sir," he said. "You have kept me waiting."
"I was not aware that your majesty expected me," I replied. "OtherwiseI should have been here sooner."
"The prince expected you and led me to do the same."
"Had the prince done me the honor to tell me he intended to receive mein your cabinet, I should have understood. The prince--perhapsunintentionally--deceived me."
Prince Michael flushed hotly, but said nothing. The czar smiled grimly.
"What detained you?" he demanded.
"The same business which detains me in Russia, your majesty."
"Ah; you were concerned in the work of our fraternity?"
"I was."
"I understood that you were much more pleasurably employed."
"Whoever gave you so to understand that either did not know, or lied."I turned so that I half faced the prince, and I saw that he made amotion as if to spring upon and strike me; but he did not dare tocommit such an act in the czar's presence, and long training got thebetter of his temper.
"Why, sir, did you take Princess Zara d'Echeveria to the house ofPrince Michael?" continued the czar.
"Because I believed him to be an honorable man who would stand ready toprotect her good name, and who would conceal from all the world, evenfrom your majesty, the fact that she was there. Because he had told methat he loved her, and I was innocent enough to believe that his lovewas unselfish; and further, because I regarded him as my friend. Thereare three reasons, your majesty, any one of which seems to me to besufficient."
"But why was it necessary to take her anywhere?"
"That, your majesty, is a question which I must answer to you alone."
"Do you mean that you will not tell the prince?"
"I mean that it was my intention to tell the prince as soon as Iarrived at the palace, but that now I deem it unnecessary. He hastaught me a lesson in hospitality that is as new as it is unique."
"Perhaps she will explain the strange affair herself."
"I have no doubt that she will, your majesty."
"I have sent for her. She will remain here in the palace as long asdanger threatens her. She should be here by now."
"May I inquire of your majesty whom you sent?"
"The captain of the palace guard."
"Captain Durnief?"
"Yes."
I looked at my watch, replaced it in my pocket, and then said calmly:
"Captain Durnief will not return with the princess, your majesty."
Then I saw the heavy frown of rising anger. I knew my man, for kingsand emperors are less than men of the world when it comes to studyingthem. Their own opportunities for observing others are so much morelimited. The czar angry, was a much easier man to influence than theczar satirical.
"What do you mean?" he demanded. "Why will Durnief fail to carry out mypersonal orders? Dare the princess refuse to accompany him?"
"She most certainly would not have the bad taste to refuse, and if shedid so, the captain would doubtless bring her by force; but CaptainDurnief has the misfortune to be, by now, a prisoner."
"Durnief a prisoner! The captain of my personal staff arrested! By yourorder, sir?"
"By my order, your majesty."
"You have dared to do this?"
"I would dare to arrest the prince, or your own son, if I found eitherof them inimical to your majesty's interests, and I beg you, sir, tounderstand that I gave the order before I knew that your majesty hadsent him on the errand so treacherously suggested by Prince Michael." Iwas angry at the prince for involving my affairs so meanly. I could notwithhold the thrust.
"It is a lie!"
It was the prince who spoke; but before I coul
d reply to theaccusation, the czar waved his hand and commanded silence.
"Was it the princess who informed you that Durnief was a nihilist?" heasked calmly, the smile returning to his face.
"No," I replied, understanding the motive behind the question. For Icould read the czar like a book, and I already knew much concerning thevillainy of Durnief; "but it was he who informed your majesty that SHEwas one."
"By heaven, Derrington, you know too much! I begin to think that thedays of your usefulness are past, in St. Petersburg. There seems to beno limit to the authority you assume, and now you have begun to dictateto me. I will not have it. I command that you tell me why you thoughtit necessary to take the princess from her own house to-night."
I knew that the crucial moment had come. I knew that if I weakened now,I was lost. The only possible escape for me, was to see the czar alone,and that I determined to do. The manner of the prince, upon my arrivalat the palace, his conduct in the cabinet, the greeting accorded to meby the czar and his bearing towards me since then, led me to a shrewdguess which I determined to hazard. I decided to play my last card bymaking one bold statement.
"Your majesty," I said, deliberately, "has never until now, had lessthan perfect confidence in me. The prince, being jealous, and tooimpatient to await an explanation at my hands, has prevailed upon youto order me under arrest, for a time, in order that I may not return tohis house where I have left the princess. If I do not mistake, he nowhas such an order, signed by you in person, in one of his pockets.Permit me to inform your majesty, and him, that there is another reasonwhy he procured that order; he has guessed that my men, at this moment,have instructions to place him under arrest. He only sought toanticipate me, that is all. Order Prince Michael to his apartments, anddirect him to remain in them, your majesty; for unless I am free to actas I see fit, this night, I would not give that"--and I snapped myfingers--"for the life of a single member of the royal family."
Then I folded my arms, and waited.
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