been already looking at Razumov, because that last saw the pale blue eyes fastened on him coldly.
The Prince from a chair waved an impressive hand.
'This is a most honourable young man whom Providence itself... Mr. Razumov.'
The General acknowledged the introduction by frowning at Razumov, who did not make the slightest movement.
Sitting down before his desk the General listened with compressed lips. It was impossible to detect any sign of emotion on his face.
Razumov watched the immobility of the fleshy profile. But it lasted only a moment, till the Prince had finished; and when the General turned to the providential young man, his florid complexion, the blue, unbelieving eyes and the bright white flash of an automatic smile had an air of jovial, careless cruelty. He expressed no wonder at the extraordinary story—no pleasure or excitement—no incredulity either. He betrayed no sentiment whatever. Only with a politeness almost deferential suggested that 'the bird might have flown while Mr.—Mr. Razumov was running about the streets.'
Razumov advanced to the middle of the room and said, 'The door is locked and I have the key in my pocket.'
His loathing for the man was intense. It had come upon him so unawares that he felt he had not kept it out of his voice. The General looked up at him thoughtfully, and Razumov grinned.
All this went over the head of Prince K—- seated in a deep armchair, very tired and impatient.
'A student called Haldin,' said the General thoughtfully.
Razumov ceased to grin.
'That is his name,' he said unnecessarily loud. 'Victor Victorovitch Haldin—a student.'
The General shifted his position a little.
'How is he dressed? Would you have the goodness to tell me?'
Razumov angrily described Haldin's clothing in a few jerky words. The General stared all the time, then addressing the Prince—
'We were not without some indications,' he said in French. 'A good woman who was in the street described to us somebody wearing a dress of the sort as the thrower of the second bomb. We have detained her at the Secretariat, and every one in a Tcherkess coat we could lay our hands on has been brought to her to look at. She kept on crossing herself and shaking her head at them. It was exasperating....' He turned to Razumov, and in Russian, with friendly reproach—
'Take a chair, Mr. Razumov—do. Why are you standing?'
Razumov sat down carelessly and looked at the General.
'This goggle-eyed imbecile understands nothing,' he thought.
The Prince began to speak loftily.
'Mr. Razumov is a young man of conspicuous abilities. I have it at heart that his future should not....'
'Certainly,' interrupted the General, with a movement of the hand. 'Has he any weapons on him, do you think, Mr. Razumov?'
The General employed a gentle musical voice. Razumov answered with suppressed irritation—
'No. But my razors are lying about—you understand.'
The General lowered his head approvingly.
'Precisely.'
Then to the Prince, explaining courteously—
'We want that bird alive. It will be the devil if we can't make him sing a little before we are done with him.'
The grave-like silence of the room with its mute clock fell upon the polite modulations of this terrible phrase. The Prince, hidden in the chair, made no sound.
The General unexpectedly developed a thought.
'Fidelity to menaced institutions on which depend the safety of a throne and of a people is no child's play. We know that,
His eyes which he turned upon Razumov seemed to be starting out of his head. This grotesqueness of aspect no longer shocked Razumov. He said with gloomy conviction—
'Haldin will never speak.'
'That remains to be seen,' muttered the General.
'I am certain,' insisted Razumov. 'A man like this never speaks.... Do you imagine that I am here from fear?' he added violently. He felt ready to stand by his opinion of Haldin to the last extremity.
'Certainly not,' protested the General, with great simplicity of tone. 'And I don't mind telling you, Mr. Razumov, that if he had not come with his tale to such a staunch and loyal Russian as you, he would have disappeared like a stone in the water... which would have had a detestable effect,' he added, with a bright, cruel smile under his stony stare. 'So you see, there can be no suspicion of any fear here.'
The Prince intervened, looking at Razumov round the back of the armchair.
'Nobody doubts the moral soundness of your action. Be at ease in that respect, pray.'
