"You heard what he said?"
"Yes."
"Then speak!" It appeared that the "Rajah" had not forgotten a single word that Engelhardt had said to Dr. März. Michael Petroff, on the contrary, remembered almost nothing, and so fell into the "Rajah's" disfavor.
"Pardon me!" he apologized. "So many things pass through my head."
"But what will happen if he cannot get another soul?" asked the "Rajah."
"Oh, the Doctor will take care of that."
"Even Fakirs are only human. What will happen if his strength gives way? Will the world collapse?"
"Surely it will collapse!" replied Michael Petroff, laughing.
"What are you laughing at?" asked the "Rajah" quietly, while his dark eyes gleamed. "What will you do if it collapses?"
"I?" Michael Petroff smiled and pointed to the cottage, which showed dimly through the shrubbery. "If that house tumbles down," he went on, "I will run away as fast as I can, and go back to my own country. Russia is my native land. Do you know about Russia? You could hold Germany on the palm of your hand, but you couldn't carry Russia even on your back. My country is so big."