Then a thought suddenly occurred to me, and, after a moment’s hesitation, I turned down the Avenue de Messine to the corner house on the boulevard.
Ascending the stairs unnoticed by the sleepy concierge, I knocked at the door of the General’s apartments. Replying to my inquiry in Russian, the man-servant, a thin, cadaverous-looking fellow, informed me that his Excellency was out, and his return was uncertain.
“But I have to see him upon official business,” I said, at the same time slipping a ten-franc piece into his ready palm. “Show me to his room, and I will wait.”
Conducting me along the hall, he showed me into a large well-furnished room, the two windows of which looked out upon the boulevard. The heavy curtains were drawn, a large brass lamp burned brightly under a shade of crimson silk, and the spacious saddle-bag armchairs gave the apartment an air of cosiness. It was half library, half sitting-room, and the littered writing-table that stood in a recess near the fireplace showed that the ex-Governor had considerable correspondence.
It was to ascertain the nature of his communications that I had ventured into the spy’s sanctum. When the servant had withdrawn and closed the door, I immediately commenced my investigations. Rapidly glancing at the open letters and memoranda, I saw they related to various persons suspected of Nihilism, resident in Paris.
Presently I took up a large folded blue paper and opened it. The document revealed how closely Russian suspects were being watched. It was the report of a Secret Police agent who had been told off to keep observation upon Israel Lebedeff, the father of Natalya. In order that my readers may fully understand the manner in which the “Security Section” carries out its system of espionage, I give the following copy of the printed questions:—
IMPERIAL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS TO BE FILLED IN WEEKLY:—