"It isn't an oration that I want," said Zabern brusquely, "but the person of Russakoff. You will assemble your council this morning and make two announcements: first, that henceforth Russograd shall cease to do its own policing; that shall be my care. And, secondly, that unless the spy is surrendered before six this evening Russograd shall pay a fine of fifty thousand roubles."
Nariskin protested by Saint Vladimir that there was not so much money in all Russograd, but the marshal turned contemptuously away.
"It's useless," he said to Paul, "to search longer for a fugitive whom a whole people are bent on concealing."
In gloomy mood he gave orders for the withdrawal of the soldiery from Russograd. The military cordon, however, was still maintained, and fresh injunctions were issued to exercise strict supervision over every person passing outwards.
Paul accompanied Zabern at his request to the Vistula Palace, and entered the apartments lately tenanted by Trevisa.
Beneath a catafalque of black velvet, surrounded by lighted tapers set in tall silver candlesticks, reposed the body of Trevisa, his hands folded across his breast, and holding within them lilies placed there by Katina.
"A sad fatality!" murmured Zabern, his somewhat grim and hard nature touched by Trevisa's early and mournful ending. "A sad fatality! And partly of my own causing, too!"
"How so?"
"The cipher-despatch which I entrusted to his care has occasioned his death."
"You mean that he was assassinated in order to prevent him from deciphering it?"