The Czar's Spy: The Mystery of a Silent LoveLe Queux, William
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The Czar's Spy: The Mystery of a Silent Love
Le Queux, William
Spy stories
"Your Ambassador does not interest me in the least. He is not Ambassador
here in Finland. There is no Czar here."
"Oh! Who is ruler in this country, pray?"
"His Excellency the Governor-General, an official who has love for
neither England nor the pigs of English. So recollect that."
"Yes," I said meaningly, "I shall recollect it." And I turned and went
out of the little wooden office, replacing my passport in my
pocket-book.
I had already been directed to the hotel, and walked there, but as I
did so I saw that I was already under the surveillance of the police,
for two men in plain clothes who were lounging outside the
passport-office strolled on after me, evidently to watch my movements.
Truly Finland was under the iron-heel of autocracy.
After taking my rooms, I strolled about the flat, uninteresting town,
wondering how best to commence my search. If I had but a photograph to
show people it would give me a great advantage, but I had nothing. I had
never, indeed, set eyes upon the unfortunate girl.
Six o'clock came. I heard the steam siren of the departing boat bound
for Sweden, but I was determined to remain there at whatever cost,
therefore I returned to the hotel, and at seven dined comfortably in
company with a German who had been my fellow-passenger across from
Stockholm.
At eight o'clock, however, just as we were idling over dessert, two
gray-coated police officers entered and arrested me on the serious
charge of landing without a passport.
I accompanied them to the police-office, where I was ushered into the
presence of the big, bristly Russian who held the town of Abo in terror,
the Chief of Police. The officials which Russia sends into Finland are
selected for their harsh discipline and hide-bound bureaucracy, and this
human machine in uniform was no exception. Had he been the Minister of
the Interior himself, he could not have been more self-opinionated.
"Well?" he snapped, looking up at me as I was placed before him. "Your
name is Gordon Gregg, English, from Stockholm. No passport, and decline
to leave even though warned--eh?"
"I have a passport," I said firmly, producing it.
He looked at it, and pointing with his finger, said: "It has no date,
and is therefore worthless."
"The fault is not mine, but that of a Russian official. If you wish it
to be dated, you may send it to your Consulate-General in London."
"I shall not," he cried, glaring at me angrily. "And for your insult to
the law, I shall commit you to prison for one month. Perhaps you will
then learn Russian manners."
"Oh! so you will commit an Englishman to prison for a month, without
trial--eh? That's very interesting! Perhaps if you attempt such a thing
as that they may have something to say about it in Petersburg."
"You defy me!"
"Not in the least. I have presented my passport and demand common
courtesy."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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