At that moment the man Buller had sent with the message in Russian came in and delivered it.
“Very good,” I said to him; and added; “Tell black Ivan and Loris to come the instant I ring. I find I shall need them. They know what to bring with them.”
The bluff worked. I saw that the instant the servant left the room.
“I’ll give you one minute; no more,” I declared.
“I’ll tell your Excellency all I know,” he stammered at once. “I was paid to let the soldiers into the house at two o’clock in the morning.”
“For what purpose?”
“I don’t know that.”
“For what purpose?” I repeated sternly.
“They wouldn’t tell me.”
At that I appeared to fly into a passion. I seized the revolver and going up to him clapped it to his head.