Simon did as he was bid. They rang the bell, and Señor Rosas rejoined them.
De Richleau thanked him courteously. “There is only one thing more,” he added, “if we may trespass upon your good nature?”
“Excellency, please to command, I beg!”
“I should be grateful if you would be good enough to send this full box of cigars, in a plain parcel, addressed to me at the Hotel Metropole. The other — it contained some papers which I wished to receive undisturbed — I should be glad if you would burn that”
“It shall be done!” The Spaniard’s quick smile flashed out again. “A thousand pleasures to be of assistance to you, Excellency.”
When they were once more out in the square De Richleau tapped his pocket with a grim little smile. “We are short of a hundred cigars,” he said, “but we may be infinitely more thankful to have these before we are out of Russia.”
V — The “Tavern of the Howling Wolf”
After walking for some half an hour they came at last to the Park of Culture and Leisure.
“Now,” said De Richleau, with a sigh of relief, “we can talk freely.”
“Well, I’ll tell you,” Simon laughed into the palm of his heavily gloved hand, “I’m glad about that!”