As for me, I went boldly here and there as before, and there was no suspicion that I knew anything about Vera and her disappearance. Whether Mazeppa suspected or not I could not with certainty discover, for if so he did not show it. Indeed, Mazeppa would be the very last person to go to for any indication of Mazeppa’s own feelings on this or any matter, supposing that he desired to preserve his sentiments to himself.
But two days after Vera’s admission into sanctuary I, guessing that she would be anxious to know how matters went with regard to her disappearance, determined to visit the Diévitchy monastery, in order to assure her that all was so far well.
Now I was not easy in my mind with regard to Mazeppa and his suspicion of me. Knowing him as I did, it was impossible to think that he would not be suspicious: it was an equal wager that his spies were on the watch in order to acquaint him with my doings, where I went and whom I saw, and so forth.
Therefore I resolved to go most circumspectly, to walk half round the city before bending my steps towards the monastery, and to keep my eyes wide open the while on all four sides of me.
And thus I became aware, before I had gone far, that there followed in my steps a man unknown to me. Wheresoever I went, there was he. As I turned out of a street and glanced behind me, there he was entering it at the further end; or if I stopped in the midst of a pereoolok (lane) and looked back, perhaps he was tying his shoe-lace, or he had turned almost as quickly as I, as though he desired me to think that he walked in the opposite direction.
‘Oho, my man,’ thought I, ‘it is well, and very well. We will go into a quiet place I know of, you and I, and there we shall enjoy a little private conversation!’
Having now made sure that my man was certainly dogging me, I looked round no more lest I should alarm him; but taking a short way to an outskirt of the city I brought him in safety to a lonely spot, where I turned a corner and waited until he should come round and fall into my arms.
This he did very quickly, and no sooner did his face appear than I sprang upon him and had him pinned in an instant by the throat against the wall.
‘Now, my friend,’ said I, fiercely enough, ‘before I choke your life out at the mouth, who set you to dog me?’
‘Let go of me and I will tell you,’ he said, ‘if you will spare my life afterwards.’