“Thank you; but I am not quite such a crochetty, ill-tempered individual, even after a sleepless night of doubt in a railway carriage.”
“Sleepless?”
“I was planning that little coup all the time, of course. She suspects nothing, or she would have frozen to death before she had left the carriage. She is new to her work, so I could take a risk.”
“You are a wonderful actress.”
“I have had a long training, and life and liberty are bigger incentives than any salary,” she answered thoughtfully. “Now we can sleep safely for two hours, and then we stop for breakfast.”
When we reached the station she said she would not leave the carriage, so I fetched her some, and after I had had mine, I strolled up and down, smoking.
Presently she called me.
“Something has happened, and whatever it is, the officials are uneasy and excited. Go and hear what those two are talking about;” and she pointed to a couple of men, one of whom held a despatch in his hand, which both were discussing eagerly.
I strolled over to them and caught my breath quickly as I heard one of them say something about Nihilists and supposed flight.
I went up to them and put a casual question about our train being late, intending to follow it up with others, when some one exclaimed in English: