“My dear fellow, it’s got to be done; and done at once, before the Prince gets up enough strength to interfere. The Emperor will see me, I know; and your people must arrange it. It’s absolutely essential. I’m done, if I don’t get to him.”
“But you see——”
“There’s a most plausible reason for the audience, Mr. Marvyn,” interposed Helga quickly. “His Majesty will be most anxious to know at first hand the facts about Prince Kalkov’s illness; and we alone can tell him.”
“Splendid, Helga, splendid,” I said; and Marvyn agreed. “Get my name to him somehow; any old way’ll do; and I’ll answer for the rest.”
“I’ll go and see about it at once,” he declared. “Meanwhile, what’s to happen to you?”
“Short of cutting our heads off, I don’t care,” I replied, as we rose. “Don’t worry about that;” and I hurried him away.
“Now, M. Drougoff, we are at your disposal,” I said to the police agent as soon as Marvyn had gone. “What are you going to do with us? I may tell you the American Embassy people are working energetically in the affair, and I am sure to receive very soon a summons to wait upon his Majesty.”
“My people tell me that a very serious charge is hanging over you both—I mean apart altogether from this.”
“They tell you wrong, then. My wife was charged in some Nihilist practices and imprisoned by order of Prince Kalkov; but the Prince himself ordered her release from the prison last night, and was present when she came away with me.”
“But yourself?”