“Okay,” Rex nodded. “Make it snappy, or they’ll get us yet!”
Valeria Petrovna had flung herself into Simon’s arms the moment she reached the ground. He looked at her with mingled love and amazement. She was still dressed in the riding kit she had worn for her part at the theatre. Her make-up had not been properly removed, and little furrows down her cheeks showed that she had been weeping bitterly.
“Simon — dear one — this is terrible, that I ’ave to lose you,” she sobbed, breaking into fresh tears. “An’ last night... oh, it was ’orrible. Did you know that Leshkin meant to arrest you again? But no, you could not. ’e come to my dressing-room after the secon’ act — ’e say that ’e ’as been to Moscawa. Oh, why did you not tell me of those men?”
“What men?” asked Simon, puzzled.
“The men you kill. Eight men of the Ogpu! Oh, you are a lion, my Simon, but Stalin, ’e was furious. Nevaire would ’e forgive that — an’ ’e ’as take back your pardon that ’e give me.”
“It was in self-defence!”
“No matter — you ’ave kill them, that is what Leshkin say; ’e is so ’appy that ’e do not know ’ow to contain ’imself. That is why ’e tell me. Then I leave the theatre — to warn you, just as I am — but when I arrive at the ’otel you are no longer there!” Valeria Petrovna struck her breast passionately with her clenched fists.
“Oh, my dear.” Simon slipped his arm around her shaking shoulders. “That was splendid of you.”
“I was distraught. I do not know what I do. Then, when I ’ave left the theatre, the manager ’e make announcement in the middle of the third act; ’e say that I am ill all suddenly, but Leshkin suspect at once and come rushing to the ’otel like a mad bull. ’ow I laugh at ’em when ’e find that you ’ave gone already — but ’e find that my car is gone, also, and ’e go mad with rage because ’e think that it was me that ’elp you to escape — but I, myself, do not know what to think.”
Valeria Petrovna burst into a fresh fit of sobbing, then, when she had recovered a little, she went on: “Leshkin question all the police on the telephone from the ’otel — they ’ave seen my car on the road to Birdichy, but you are not alone — there are others, also! Then ’e speak to the prison, an’ ’e find that your frien’s have escape through a tunnel in the ground... ’e is furious — livid — ’e order troops to ’old the bridge at Vinnitsa, then ’e rush off to follow you by ’plane, shaking ’is great fist in my face, and ’e swear that ’e would put his foot in the face of that damn’ Jew yet!”