‘“I am engaged on some important business, Catarina,” he replied, a little brusquely. “You had better retire for a time.”
‘Without another word she withdrew. She was a young woman, about four or five-and-twenty, and one of the few I have seen whose beauty might be said to be without blemish. Complexion, features, eyes, teeth, lips, hair—the whole figure was perfect. She was ravishing—a woman for whom a man would have perilled his soul.
‘From the boudoir we entered a spacious and magnificently arranged and furnished sleeping apartment. In one corner was a large cupboard. The Prince drew a peculiarly constructed key from his pocket, opened the door, and flung it back, remarking as he did so:
‘“That door is of steel. In that niche in the cupboard all my keys are deposited every night. The door is then secured, and the key of the door, together with many other keys, are given into the charge of the confidential clerk, Vladimir Nicolayeff. He is an institution here, and has been in the Government service upwards of forty years.”
‘“Does he reside on the premises?” I asked the Prince.
‘“He does,” was the answer; “and you will now see how difficult it is, with all these precautions, for anyone to abstract the keys.”
‘In answer to this, I could not refrain from remarking:
‘“And yet, Prince, there is the hard fact that your safe and despatch-box have been opened, and a State document stolen.”
‘He looked very thoughtful and grave as he replied somewhat sternly:
‘“That is so. And what you have got to do is to endeavour to find out how they have been opened, who opened them, and where the papers have gone to. Please commence your work at once, as every hour’s delay is in favour of the thief.”