"FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT."
That moment was indeed a breathless one.
The Emperor's countenance was grey with anger. Yet he remained quite
calm and firm. He was about to deal with an enemy more bitter and more
dangerous than the most relentless firebrand of the whole Revolutionary
Party.
"I was not aware that Your Majesty was engaged with Her Imperial
Highness," the sinister-faced official began. "I have a confidential
report to make--a matter of great urgency."
"Well, I hope it is not another plot," remarked the Sovereign with
bitter, weary sarcasm. "But whatever report you wish to make, Markoff,
may be made here--before my niece and Mr Trewinnard."
He glanced at us suspiciously and then said:
"This afternoon the Moscow police have unearthed a most desperate plot
to wreck Your Majesty's train early to-morrow morning at Chimki. I
furnished them with information, and twenty-eight arrests have been
made."
"Indeed," remarked his Imperial Master, raising his eyebrows, quite
unmoved. "Have you the list of names?"
In answer, the General produced a yellow official paper, which he placed
upon His Majesty's table. Then, with but a casual glance, the Emperor
took up his quill and scribbled some words across the sheet and handed
it back.
Markoff glanced at the words written, then, much puzzled, looked at His
Majesty.
"Yes," the latter said. "I order their immediate release. And, let me
tell you, Serge Markoff, that this afternoon I have given audience to a
very intimate friend of yours; your _agent-provocateur_, Danilo
Danilovitch!"
The General's countenance went white as paper. Such a reception was
entirely unexpected.
"Ah!" exclaimed His Majesty, with a bitter smile, "I see what surprise
and apprehension my talk with Danilovitch causes you. Well, I will not
give utterance to the loathing I feel towards you--the man in whose
hands I have placed such supreme power, and whom I have so implicitly
trusted. Suffice it to say that he has revealed to me the ingenious
manner in which plots have been formed in order to terrorise me, and
your inhuman method of sending hundreds of innocent ones into exile,
merely in order to obtain my favour."
"I have never done such a thing!" cried the man in uniform, standing at
attention as his master spoke. "The fellow lies."
"Enough," said the Emperor, in a loud, commanding voice. "Hear me! You
are an assassin. You killed my brother the Grand Duke Peter with your
own dastardly hand in order to hide your disgraceful tactics. You sent
your own wife to her grave, and you paid your catspaw to kill the Grand
Duke Nicholas. To-day there is a plot afoot to close the lips of my
niece and my good friend Trewinnard! These are only a few of your
disgraceful crimes. No; do not attempt to deny them, brute and liar
that you are. Rather reflect upon the terrible fate of the thousands of
poor wretches who have been sent to the Arctic settlements by your
relentless, inhuman hand. The souls of all those who have been worn out
by the journey and died like dogs upon the Great Post Road, or in other
ways have fallen innocent victims of your plots, call loudly for
vengeance. And I tell you, Serge Markoff," he said, his dark, heavy
brows narrowing in fierce anger, "I tell you that I shall find means by
which adequate punishment will be awarded to you. Here is your
dismissal!" he added, taking the document from his table. "It will be
gazetted to-morrow. Go back to Petersburg at once and there remain. Do
not attempt to leave Russia, or even to leave Petersburg, or you will at
once be placed under arrest and sent to the fortress. Go home, place
your affairs in order, and await until I send for you again."
The Emperor had not yet decided what form his punishment should take.
"But--but surely Your Imperial Majesty will allow me to--" he gasped
with difficulty.
"I will allow you nothing--nothing! You are my enemy, Serge Markoff--a
crafty, cunning enemy, who now stands revealed as a brutal assassin!
Ah! I shall avenge my brother Peter's death--depend upon it! Go! Get
from my presence!" he commanded, and raising his hand, he pointed with
his finger imperiously to the door. I had never before seen such a look
upon His Majesty's strong face.
And the man whose evil actions had spread terror into every corner and
every home throughout the Russian Empire, thus receiving his sudden
_conge_, slowly crossed the room, his head bowed, his face ashen.
He was unable to speak or to protest.
For a second he stood still, then, opening the door, he passed out in
silence.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extract from the second edition of _The Times_ issued on the following
day:
"From Our Own Correspondent.
"St Petersburg, May 16th.
"A startling tragedy occurred just after seven o'clock last evening in
front of the barracks in the Zagarodny Prospect in St Petersburg, just
outside the Tzarskoie-Selo Station. According to the journal _Novosti_,
His Excellency General Serge Markoff, Chief of Secret Police, and one of
the Emperor's most trusted officials, who had been to Tzarskoie-Selo for
audience with His Majesty, had arrived at the station unexpectedly on
his return to Petersburg, and his carriage not being there, he resolved
to walk down into the city. He had turned out of the station, when he
was followed by an unknown man, who had, it seems, arrived by the same
train. In front of the barracks the pair apparently recognised each
other, and, according to a bystander, His Excellency drew a revolver and
fired point-blank at the stranger, who next instant drew his own weapon
and shot the General dead.
"All took place in the space of a few seconds, so suddenly, indeed, that
the stranger, who certainly fired in self-protection, was able to get
clear away before any of the passers-by could stop him. The General's
body was removed by the military ambulance to his residence facing the
Summer Gardens, and the strange affair created the greatest sensation
throughout the city.
"It is believed that the man so suddenly recognised by His Excellency
must have been a prominent Terrorist from whom the General feared
assassination; but it is proved by an onlooker--a butcher who was
walking only a few feet from them--that His Excellency, who appeared
seized by sudden anger, fired the first shot.
"The police are making every inquiry, and it is believed that the
assassin of the well-known official will be arrested.
"Another curious feature in connection with the strange affair is that
the same journal in another column publishes in the `Official Gazette'
the announcement that His Majesty the Emperor only two hours before the
tragic occurrence dismissed his favourite official in disgrace. No
reason is given, but it is rumoured in the diplomatic circle that
certain grave administrative scandals have been discovered, and this
dismissal is the first of several which are to follow. In fact, in
certain usually well-informed quarters it is persistently declared that
the whole Cabinet will be dismissed.
"The Emperor left with the Tzarina for Moscow last evening. The Grand
Duchess Natalia accompanied them, and Mr Colin Trewinnard, of the
British Embassy, travelled by the same train."