OLGA'S ABDUCTION.
I went home in a very unenviable frame of mind, and my temper was not
improved by my meeting my old opponent, Devinsky, near my rooms.
For the moment I was powerless to think of any possible means of
relief. My helplessness was so complete as to be almost ludicrous: and
if it had not been for Olga, I would have just let myself be dragged
along by the singular chain of events which had coiled themselves round
me.
I must rouse myself to some sort of effort for her sake. I saw that,
of course. But the result of a couple of hours' thinking was only to
increase my utter perplexity; and I went off to bed to try if sleep
would clear my wits.
I resolved to see Olga the next day as soon as possible after my
regimental duties were over. There was but one thing possible. She
must go at once and we must try to hit on some plan by which she could
escape at any hazard. But my regimental work was heavier than usual,
and when it was over a meeting of the officers was called in reference
to the impending visit of the Czar to Moscow. It was thus late in the
afternoon before I could get to Olga.
At the house, astounding news awaited me.
The Countess Palitzin met me with the question where Olga was. I
looked at her in astonishment; and then she told me a message had come
from me early in the forenoon, asking Olga to go round at once to my
rooms. She had gone, promising to return soon or send word. She had
done neither; and a six hours' absence had made the old lady anxious.
"She should have been back before this," I said, quietly, not wishing
to add to her alarm. "Who do you say came for her?"
"Your servant, Borlas, Olga told me."
I tried to reassure her that all was right, though I did not at all
like the look of things, and I hurried back to my rooms to question
Borlas. He had not been there on my return from barracks, and he was
not there now; and there was nothing to shew that he had not been
absent for some hours.
Did this mean treachery? Or had Olga been arrested? Could she be in
the hands of the Nihilists? Or what? A thousand wild thoughts flashed
through my mind as I stood for a minute thinking what I ought to do
first, and where to look for her.
Then I recalled my meeting with Devinsky near my rooms.
I dashed out and ran to Essaieff's rooms to find out all he knew about
Borlas, as he had recommended the man to me; and to learn whether he
would be likely to be bribed to do such an act of treachery as now
seemed possible. But my friend was out. Leaving word for him to come
at once to me I went on to Madame Tueski and questioned her. She
equivocated, suggesting that I was feeling her power; and with the
utmost difficulty I drew from her that despite all her hints she knew
nothing.
I ran then to the Prince Bilbassoff; but he was away. I hurried next
to the Princess; she knew nothing, but was full of sympathy and offers
of help.
I wanted news, however, not offers of help; and I rushed back to my
rooms, on my way to the police, on the off-chance that Borlas had
returned.
He had not: but in his place there was something much more important.
A rough, wild looking country-man was standing at my door, holding the
bridle of a shaggy pony that bore signs of heavy travelling; and the
man had been trying vainly to get into my house. He addressed me,
asking where he could find Lieutenant Petrovitch; and then gave me a
slip of paper from Olga.
"_Am suspicious and sending this back. If anything wrong, follow me.
O._"
I then questioned the man closely and he said that his wife was called
to the window of a carriage to a young lady who was ill. When she had
recovered, she gave his wife a handkerchief. In it was the message and
a sum of money and a request that it--the paper--should be brought to
me at once. This had occurred at Praxoff, about ten miles out on the
north road.
In less than a quarter of an hour I was armed and mounted; and a few
minutes saw me free of the city and flying at full gallop in pursuit.
I knew the road well enough, owing to my long residence as a boy in
Moscow; and I now put my horse to its utmost speed and made straight
for the house where Olga had seen the peasant woman.
I found it without the least difficulty and got a description of the
carriage, horses, and postilion; and I questioned the woman as to
every word Olga had said to her and who was in the carriage.
From what she said, I judged it was Borlas, and that the two were alone.
I stayed no longer than was necessary to hear all the woman had to say,
and then I rode on still at full speed, asking right and left as I went
for tidings of the carriage. The trail was broad enough for anyone to
follow for some miles and then I came upon information that gave me a
complete clue to the whole matter.
Reining up at a wayside inn, I put the usual questions; adding that the
lady was my sister and that I was an officer in the Moscow Infantry
Regiment. The landlord came to me instantly.
"You are Lieutenant Petrovitch?" he asked.
"Yes," and I told him my errand.
"Have you been engaged in a duel this morning?"
I stared at the man and asked him what he meant. His answer shewed
what story had been concocted to trick Olga.
"A gentleman engaged two rooms here this morning, saying they would be
wanted in connection with a duel in the neighbourhood. One of the
combatants was Lieutenant Petrovitch; and the latter's sister was
coming to be near at hand in case of her brother being hurt. She was
coming out with the brother's servant and when she arrived was to be
shewn at once to the room engaged for her. As a fact the duel had
already been fought in the early hours: Lieutenant Petrovitch had been
badly wounded and lay at a private house a few miles further on, too
ill to be moved. The sister was to be told this; the news being broken
gradually; and she was not to be allowed to leave the inn, unless she
insisted very much, in which case the servant would know where to take
her; and fresh horses were to be supplied. I told her gently,"
continued the landlord; "and she insisted on going on at once without
even stopping for food. Fresh horses were put in accordingly, and the
carriage proceeded with less than half an hour's halt here, all told."
I saw the ruse in a moment. It was to get fresh horses without Olga
being suspicious; and to draw in the landlord so as to appear to give
the story corroboration.
"What was the man like who came to you?" I asked impatiently, ordering
a horse to be saddled instantly. In reply the landlord described
Devinsky accurately.
I saw it all now; and when the man had given me a valuable clue to the
road which the carriage had taken--it had been met by some returning
postboys--I set off again in pursuit in the now gathering dusk, as fast
as I could make the new horse move.
I rode on till the dark fell: and still on till the moon rose and
flooded the land with her thin light; and it was not until ten at night
that I reached the end of my journey. Some peasants gave me the final
clue. They had met the carriage and a question had been asked of them
as to the whereabouts of a certain house. They told me now where this
was, and a few minutes later I reached the place.
It was an old ramshackle house, once the seat of a family of good
position but now fallen upon evil days. It made three sides of a
square and the courtyard in the middle was all weed-grown, moss-covered
and uneven, with one large yew tree standing dark and gloomy in the
centre. The main entrance was in the middle portion; and there were
two small gothic arched doors in the wings. But these seemed very
stout as I examined them; and all the windows were latticed with stout
ironwork.
Just the spot for such a venture as this, I thought, as I stole about
the place to reconnoitre, treading softly, and keeping as much as
possible in the dark shadows which the walls made.
There was not a sound to be heard, nor a light to be seen; while the
look of the place made it certain that I should have a hard task to
force my way inside. The same unpromising look of things met me when I
left the front and crept round to the back and when I had seen all
round the house I could not make up my mind what was the best thing to
do.
There are times, however, when any kind of action is better than doing
nothing. There was everything to be gained and nothing to be lost by
Devinsky learning that I had followed him and knew his hiding-place. I
resolved on a pretty bold course, therefore, and drawing my revolver I
stepped out into the full moonlight and walked quickly to the main
entrance.
I had reached to within ten yards of the door when a voice called to
me:--
"Who goes there? What do you want? Stop, or I fire."
Looking up I saw the gleam of a rifle barrel levelled dead at me. I
did not stop to answer but leaping aside, I darted forward into the
doorway, where the man could not cover me with his weapon, because of a
shallow porch which intervened to protect me.
[Illustration: I darted forward into the doorway.]
The incident shewed me the sort of welcome I was to expect.
There was an old and heavy knocker on the door, and a huge bell-pull.
I seized both these and set up first a knocking that might have roused
the dead and then a clanging of the bell equally furious and dinning.
Presently the bell ceased to sound and I gathered either that someone
within had cut the wires or that I had broken them in my energy. The
great knocker suited me equally well, however--perhaps better, as the
noise rang out on the still night air, making a fearful din--and if
there did chance to be anyone within half a mile of the place they
would hear it and might hasten to learn the cause.
Those inside took the same view of the matter, apparently; for suddenly
and without my knowing the cause, I found the big heavy door give way
before one of my lusty attacks with the knocker; and as I pushed, it
swung slowly open.
Everything within was as dark as pitch; and the contrast between the
row I had been making and the dead silence that followed was so
profound as to make me stand a minute that my ears should get
accustomed to the change.
Then drawing my sword and holding my revolver in my left hand, I
stepped in and tried to peer about me.
The light of the moon gave a faint reflection within, but not enough
for me to be able to make out anything distinctly; nor, when I strained
my ears could I detect the slightest sound anywhere.
My first thought was that as I stood in the doorway, I should be an
excellent mark for anyone caring to shoot, and I slipped aside
therefore, into the heavy shadow of the big door. It was full five
minutes before my eyes, keen as they are, could distinguish anything;
and then I seemed to make out two doorways, one on each side of a large
hall into which the big door opened, and beyond them in the middle a
broad stairway.
I groped my way warily a few steps, feeling along the wall, when I
stopped and began to reflect that I was making a fool of myself in
attempting single-handed and in pitch darkness to find my way about the
place. I must wait for a light of some sort. I had no idea how many
men there might be in the house. I did not know a square foot of the
plans. While I was blundering about in the dark I should be an easy
prey for men whom I could as easily fight in the daylight. Moreover I
argued that the knowledge that I had tracked him would keep Devinsky
from attempting any devilment as yet.
I was in the house; and I resolved therefore to wait patiently where I
was in the hall until I had light enough to guide me in my search for
Olga.
But I could not keep to the resolution.
Scarcely had I formed the plan when the stillness was broken by a
woman's scream, shrill and piercing, and a cry for help that made my
heart leap into my throat with wrath as I thought I could recognise
Olga's voice.
Without another moment's hesitation, and uttering a loud shout in
reply, I dashed forward to where I could see the outline of the
stairway, and rushed up in the direction of the cries for help.
Idiot that I was! Of course I rushed straight into the trap that had
been laid for me. As I reached the top and turned to dart along a
corridor, my feet were tripped and I fell sprawling headlong with a
clatter and a dozen oaths to the ground, my sword flying one way and my
revolver another; and before I could help myself three or four fellows
were upon me, and though I fought and struggled with them and nearly
choked one on to whose throat I fastened my grip, I was overpowered and
bound securely hand and foot. Then I was blindfolded and gagged, and
in this absolutely helpless state, carried down the stairs again,
getting on the way two or three hearty kicks from the men I had
pummelled. They threw me down on the floor of an empty room and left
me.
I cursed my folly bitterly when I heard the fellows' footsteps as they
left the room and locked the door behind them. I had spoilt all for
the lack of a little caution. I was an idiot, a fool, a numskull, a
jackass, to have been caught by a trick which a child might have
anticipated; and I rolled about the floor, cursing myself and tearing
and pulling at my bonds in my passion, till I had torn the flesh in a
dozen places. But I could not loosen a single strand of all the cords
that bound me; and I gnashed my teeth and could almost have shed tears
in my baffled rage and fury.
I lay thus some hours till the light must have come, for even through
the heavy bandages on my eyes, the darkness seemed tinged with grey.
As I thought of the use I might have made of the light, my
self-reproaches welled up again till I felt almost like a madman.
Later on I heard the door unlocked and two or three men entered. They
came and turned me over and holding me firmly, cut the ropes that bound
my arms, and then tied my hands behind me in iron handcuffs, drawing
them so tightly that I could not move them without pain. When I was so
far secured they cut the ropes from my legs and bade me stand up. I
tried; but the rush of the released blood brought with it too much
pain, and I was just as helpless as a baby for some minutes. When at
length I managed to scramble to my feet, they unfastened the bandage
from my eyes and as soon as my dazed sight could focus itself, I saw
that brute Devinsky looking at me with a sneering laugh.
"So it's you, is it?" he cried, as if in surprise. "Turned robber, eh,
breaking into men's houses in the dead of night? And what the devil
are you doing here? My men told me there was a thief here, but I
didn't expect you."
"Don't lie to me," I cried sternly. "You know well enough why I'm
here. Where's my sister. If you're not too damned a coward, get me my
sword and let's settle this thing together and at once."
He winced at the taunt, but he didn't mean to fight that way.
"Thank you. I don't fight with burglars. I hand them over to the
police--when it suits me. I always thought there was something secret
about you; now I know what it is. You've been living by this sort of
work I suppose. Officer by day, and footpad by night. I'm glad my men
have caught you at last." Then he sent them away; and as soon as we
were alone he asked me:--"Do you value you life?"
"Yes, for one reason. To take yours."
"Well, you can have it--if you like to be reasonable."
"I make no terms with a villain like you."
"More fool you," he laughed. "You may as well face the position. You
are in my power. This house is big enough and strong enough to hide a
regiment, let alone one man. You can't stop me now from carrying out
my intention in regard to your sister, by fair means or otherwise; and
you may as well make the best of a bad business, and own that I've got
the whip hand of you, partly by my luck and partly by your own damned
stupidity. I'd rather have you on my side in this matter than against
me; but with me or against me you can't stop me. What do you say?"
"This. That the first use I'll make of my hands when they're free
shall be to try and choke the life out of you. And by God, I'll try
and do it now." In my rage I rushed upon him, but like the cowardly
cur he was, he struck me, bound and defenceless as I was, with all his
force in the face, and then with a cry brought in the other men. These
threw themselves upon me and bore me to the ground, and bound my legs
again, so that I was once more absolutely helpless.
"You saw that attack the villain made on me," said Devinsky to the men.
"I was offering to release him. You'll bear witness to that. As for
you," turning to me, "you can stay here for a few hours more to cool
your murderous fever; and I will send back orders for your release,
when I am at a safe distance. And, remember, there are strong cellars
below; and if there are any more attempts at violence, I'll have you
put there."
He went out then with the men and in a moment later returned alone and
said in a voice full of rage and hate:--"I'm going through with this,
Petrovitch, at any cost--if I have to shut you up here till the flesh
rots off your bones. Your sister and I are going further on shortly:
and I'll see you once more before I start, and give you one more chance
of listening to reason." And with this he left me.
My plight was worse than ever. So far, Olga was safe. That was the
only glimpse of comfort in all the miserable situation. It was clear,
too, that she was in the house; and though she was still in the man's
power, I might yet find some means of helping her.
But how? That was the question. And when I thought of his words that
he was going to carry her still further away, I turned sick with rage
and loathing.