Читать книгу The Ostrekoff Jewels онлайн

64 страница из 92

Haven pushed back his plate and held out his tumbler which Alexis promptly refilled with wine.

"That sounds bad."

"Four years ago," Alexis related, "there was a large shooting party here. His Highness was always anxious to show courtesy to his Polish neighbours and he invited the officer commanding the garrison at Frensh to join us. That officer was Patinsky."

"Well?"

"After the shooting," Alexis continued, "there was always a great feast and cards were played. On the last night it was my turn on duty."

"What do you mean by 'on duty'?" Haven enquired.

"Wherever His Highness went," Alexis explained, "since the days of the Nihilists, in peace time or at war, in the cities or in the country, we three—Paul, Ivan and myself—took it in turn to guard the person of our master. That night I walked the terrace. It was early in November. The snows had not come, the weather was warm and our stoves were piled with logs. His Highness had directed the windows of the banquet room to be opened. It was there that they always played cards after the service of dinner. As I patrolled the terrace, I was conscious of a great disturbance. I entered the room, as was my duty. His Highness was standing with his finger upon the bell. Krotonoff, his butler and major-domo in those days, who had come down with us from Petrograd, had just entered the room in reply to the summons. There was that light in His Highness' eyes which we, who have known him all our lives, have learned to fear.