“I am sorry for what has occurred, but you will understand the difficulty in which I found myself.”
“If you do not mention it, monsieur, I shall not; but if you do I shall make the worst of it. In your private ear I may tell you I have been away on urgent business of the Prince’s, and he wishes neither my departure nor my return to attract notice. I need say no more to so zealous a servant of His Highness;” and I gave him a look which I hoped would secure his silence.
I was passing out when a thought occurred to me.
“It will perhaps complete your satisfaction if you accompany me to my suite of rooms.”
He was more than pleased; and so was I, for by this means I secured myself from all further interruption at the hands of the numerous members of the household whom we met on the way.
I had some difficulty in finding my rooms, but succeeded at length, and taking my companion in with me, was soon able to convince him thoroughly of his mistake. He overwhelmed me with profuse apologies, returned my revolver, begged me to overlook his action, and what was much more important, assured me I could depend upon his silence as to my return.
It is always an intense satisfaction to turn a check into an advantage, and I was disposed to plume myself upon my adroitness and to regard the incident as of good omen for the start of things.
I dressed myself in my own clothes once more, and then had to consider how best to reach the Emperor. I was, moreover, desperately hungry, and how to get a breakfast puzzled me.
It is so often the little fiddling trivialities which cause so much embarrassment. The servant who had waited upon me before had been Kalkov’s confidential man, Pierre, and I was naturally unwilling that he should know of my return, as he would instantly inform his master.
Some breakfast I must have, however, and to get it I must of course ring the bell and take my chance. The luck was with me this time. The man who came was a stranger.