by Sax Rohmer
CHAPTER II
CONCERNING THE GRAND DUKE
Although I had met with an unforeseen check, I had nevertheless learnedthree things. I had learned that Miguel the quadroon was possibly inleague with the Hindu; that the Hindu was called Chunda Lal; and thatChunda Lal received messages, probably instructions, from a thirdparty who announced his presence by the word "_Scorpion_."
One of my fellows, of course, had been in the cafe all the evening,and from him I obtained confirmation of the fact that it had been theHindu who had been summoned to the telephone and whom I had heardspeaking. Instant upon the man at the cafe replacing the telephoneand disconnecting, I called up the exchange. They had been warned andwere in readiness.
"From what subscriber did that call come?" I demanded.
Alas! another check awaited me. It had originated in a public calloffice, and "Scorpion" was untraceable by this means!
Despair is not permitted by the traditions of the Service de Surete.Therefore I returned to my flat and recorded the facts of the matterthus far established. I perceived that I had to deal, not with adesigning woman, but with some shadowy being of whom she was aninstrument. The anomaly of her life was in a measure explained. Shesojourned in Paris for a purpose--a mysterious purpose which wasconcerned (I could not doubt it) with the Grand Duke Ivan. This wasnot an amorous but a political intrigue.
I communicated, at a late hour, with the senior of the three menwatching the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke that evening had sent ahandsome piece of jewellery purchased in Rue de la Paix to the dancer.It had been returned.
In the morning I met with the good Casimir at his favorite cafe. Hehad just discovered that Zara el-Khala drove daily to the Bois deBoulogne, alone, and that afternoon the Grand Duke had determined toaccost her during her solitary walk. I prepared myself for this event.Arrayed in a workman's blouse and having a modest luncheon and a smallbottle of wine in a basket, I concealed myself in that part of theBois which was the favourite recreation ground of the dancer, andawaited her appearance.
The Grand Duke appeared first upon the scene, accompanied by Casimir.The latter pointed out to him a path through the trees along whichZara el-Khala habitually strolled and showed him the point at whichshe usually rejoined the Hindu who followed along the road with thecar. They retired. I seated myself beneath a tree from whence I couldwatch the path and the road and began to partake of the repast whichI had brought with me.
At about three o'clock the dancer's car appeared, and the girl,veiled as usual, stepped out, and having exchanged a few words withthe Indian, began to walk slowly towards me, sometimes pausing towatch a bird in the boughs above her and sometimes to examine somewild plant growing beside the way. I ate cheese from the point of aclasp-knife and drank wine out of the bottle.
Suddenly she saw me.
She had cast her veil aside in order to enjoy the cool and fragrantair, and as she stopped and regarded me doubtfully where I sat, I sawher beautiful face, undefiled, now, by make-up and unspoiled by thepresence of garish Eastern ornaments. _Nom d'un nom!_ but she was trulya lovely woman! My heart went out in sympathy to the poor Grand Duke.Had I received such a mark of favour from her as he had received, andhad I then been scorned as now she scorned him, I should have beendesperate indeed.
Coming around a bend in the path, then, she stood only a few pacesaway, looking at me. I touched the peak of my cap.
"Good-day, mademoiselle," I said. "The weather is very beautiful."
"Good-day," she replied.
I continued to eat cheese, and reassured she walked on past me. Twentyyards beyond, the Grand Duke was waiting. As I laid down my knife uponthe paper which had been wrapped around the bread and cheese, andraised the bottle to my lips, the enamoured nobleman stepped out fromthe trees and bowed low before Zara el-Khala.
She started back from him--a movement of inimitable grace, like thatof a startled gazelle. And even before I had time to get upon my feetshe had raised a little silver whistle to her lips and blown a shortshrill note.
The Grand Duke, endeavouring to seize her hand, was pouring outvoluble expressions of adoration in execrable French, and Zarael-Khala was retreating step by step. She had quickly thrown the veilabout her again. I heard the pad of swiftly running feet. If I was tointervene before the arrival of the Hindu, I must act rapidly. I racedalong the path and thrust myself between the Grand Duke and the girl.
"Mademoiselle," I said, "is this gentleman annoying you?"
"How dare you, low pig!" cried the Grand Duke, and with a sweep of hispowerful arm he hurled me aside.
"Thank you," replied Zara el-Khala with great composure. "But myservant is here."
As I turned, Chunda Lal hurled himself upon the Grand Duke from behind.I had never seen an expression in a man's eyes like that in the eyesof the Hindu at this moment. They blazed like the eyes of a tiger, andhis teeth were bared in a savage grin which I cannot hope to describe.His lean body seemed to shoot through the air, and he descended uponhis burly adversary as a jungle beast falls upon its prey. Those longbrown fingers clasping his neck, the Grand Duke fell forward upon hisface.
"Chunda Lal!" said the dancer.
Kneeling, his right knee thrust between the shoulder blades of theprostrate man, the Hindu looked up--and I read murder in those glaringeyes. That he was an accomplished wrestler--or perhaps a strangler--Idivined from the helplessness of the Grand Duke, who lay inert, robbedof every power except that of his tongue. He was swearing savagely.
"Chunda Lal!" said Zara el-Khala again.The Hindu shifted his grip from the neck to the arms of the GrandDuke. He pinioned him as is done in _jiu-jitsu_ and forced him tostand upright. It was a curious spectacle--the impotency of this burlynobleman in the hands of his slight adversary. As they swayed to theirfeet, I thought I saw the glint of metal in the right hand of theIndian, but I could not be sure, for my attention was diverted. Atthis moment Casimir appeared upon the scene, looking very frightened.
Suddenly releasing his hold altogether, the Hindu glaring into theempurpled face of the Grand Duke, shot out one arm and pointed with aquivering finger along the path.
"Go!" he said.
The Grand Duke clenched his fists, looked from face to face as ifcalculating his chances, then shrugged his shoulders, verydeliberately wiped his neck and wrists, where the Indian had held him,with a large silk handkerchief and threw the handkerchief on theground. I saw a speck of blood upon the silk. Without another glancehe walked away, Casimir following sheepishly. It is needless, perhaps,to add that Casimir had not recognized me.
I turned to the dancer, touching the peak of my cap.
"Can I be of any assistance to mademoiselle?" I asked.
"Thank you--no," she replied.
She placed five francs in my hand and set off rapidly through thetrees in the direction of the road, her bloodthirsty but faithfulattendant at her heels!
I stood scratching my head and looking after her.
That afternoon I posted a man acquainted with Hindustani to tap anymessage which might be sent to or from the cafe used by Chunda Lal.I learned that the Grand Duke had taken a stage box at the Montmartretheatre at which the dancer was appearing, and I decided that I wouldbe present also.
A great surprise was in store for me.
Zara el-Khala had at this time established a reputation whichextended beyond those circles from which the regular patrons of thisestablishment were exclusively drawn and which had begun to penetrateto all parts of Paris. You will remember that it was the extraordinarycircumstance of her remaining at this obscure place of entertainmentso long which had first interested me in the lady. I had learned thatshe had rejected a number of professional offers, and, as I havealready stated, I had assured myself of this unusual attitude bypresenting the card of a well-known Paris agency--and being refusedadmittance.
Now, as I leaned upon the rail at the back of the auditorium and thetime for the dancer's appearance grew near, I could not fail toobserve that there was a sprinkling of ev
ening-dress in the stallsand that the two boxes already occupied boasted the presence of partiesof well-known men of fashion. Then the Grand Duke entered as a troupeof acrobats finished their performance. Zara el-Khala was next uponthe programme. I glanced at the Grand Duke and thought that he lookedpale and unwell.
The tableau curtain fell and the manager appeared behind the footlights.He, also, seemed to be much perturbed.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "I greatly regret to announce thatMlle. Zara el-Kahla is indisposed and unable to appear. We havesucceeded in obtaining the services----"
Of whom he had succeeded in obtaining the services I never heard, forthe rougher section of the audience rose at him like a menacing wave!They had come to see the Egyptian dancer and they would have theirmoney back! It was a swindle; they would smash the theatre!
If one had doubted the great and growing popularity of Zara el-Kahla,this demonstration must have proved convincing. Over the heads of theexcited audience, I saw the Grand Duke rise as if to retire. The otherbox parties were also standing up and talking angrily.
"Why was it not announced outside the theatre?" someone shouted."We did not know until twenty minutes ago!" cried the manager inaccents of despair.
I hurried from the theatre and took a taxicab to the hotel of thedancer. Running into the hall, I thrust a card in the hand of aconcierge who stood there.
"Announce to Mlle. Zara el-Khala that I must see her at once," I said.
The man smiled and returned the card to me.
"Mlle. Zara el-Khala left Paris at seven o'clock, monsieur!"
"What! I cried--left Paris!"
"But certainly. Her baskets were taken to the Gare du Nord an hourearlier by her servant and she went off by the seven-fifty rapid forCalais. The theatre people were here asking for her an hour ago."
I hurried to my office to obtain the latest reports of my men, I hadlost touch with them, you understand, during the latter part of theafternoon and evening. I found there the utmost confusion. They hadbeen seeking me all over Paris to inform me that Zara el-Khala hadleft. Two men had followed her and had telephoned from Calais forinstructions. She had crossed by the night mail for Dover. It wasalready too late to instruct the English police.
For a few hours I had relaxed my usual vigilance--and this was theresult. What could I do? Zara el-Khala had committed no crime, buther sudden flight--for it looked like flight you will agree--washighly suspicious. And as I sat there in my office filled with allsorts of misgivings, in ran one of the men engaged in watching theGrand Duke.
The Grand Duke had been seized with illness as he left his box in theMontmartre theatre and had died before his car could reach the hotel!