It was a vital matter, and they were anxious moments; for upon his answers Gatrina’s life might depend.
He found them anxious, too. I could see that by his pallor, the nervous twitchings of hands and features, the sweat that stood on his swarthy forehead, and the wild look on his fear-filled eyes.
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE NIGHT OF TERROR.
The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him. It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his. I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me. I saw that I could make valuable use of the Russian reputation for doing ugly things.
He was more likely to fear the Russians than any other party concerned; and if I could make him believe he had now fallen into their hands, he would be far more likely to answer my questions than if I played the more difficult part of an army officer, believing him false to the army.
“Stand over there,” I cried, sternly and suddenly in Russian, pointing to the wall; and the start he gave at hearing the unwelcome language, proved to me that I was right. He moved to where I pointed, his eyes on me all the time. “Attempt to move and the dog will be on you,” I added, as brutally and coarsely as I could.
Then I rang the bell, and when Buller came I said in Russian; “Tell General Minzkoff I have the prisoner and am questioning him.” But Buller didn’t understand Russian and stood staring at me in hesitation what to do; so to give the thing colour, I jumped up, swore vigorously, and, as if in a paroxysm of rage, thrust him violently out of the room, pretending to kick him, as I shouted: “Do as I say at once.”
I flung myself back in my seat only to jump up again and, as though I had forgotten something rushed out of the room after Buller. I explained matters, and told him to find a servant who could speak Russian and send him to me to say that “I was to see General Minzkoff with my report as soon as possible.”
This particular Russian officer had just the reputation for violence that was certain to impress the spy; and the more bullying and brutal I could make my manner, the more characteristic would it be of the general’s agents.
“You speak my language?” I jerked out in Russian.