‘Right, Ziukin, the women and the wagons are in a safe place. And we are b-back on the warpath. Doctor Lind is strolling around at liberty, and that means our mission has not been completed.’
‘The most important thing is to save His Highness,’ I reminded him. ‘I hope that the desire for vengeance will not lead you to disregard Mikhail Georgievich’s fate.’
He was embarrassed, it was quite obvious. That meant my reminder had been timely.
‘Yes, yes, of course. But in any case we first need to reach our irrepressible doctor. How are we going to do it?’
‘Through Freyby?’ I said with a shrug. ‘The butler must have some way to contact Lind.’
‘I keep thinking about Mr Freyby,’ said Erast Petrovich, climbing the steps and opening the door. ‘Something there doesn’t add up. If he really is Lind’s man, then why would he warn us about a spy? And why would he tell you to keep a sharp eye on his master? There’s something wrong here. Can you recall the exact words that he spoke?’
‘I remember them very well. “Vy . . . smotret’ . . . luchshe . . . sevodnya.” He fished every word out of his dictionary.’
‘Hmm. And what was it in English? “You . . . watch out today”?’
‘No, that wasn’t it.’ I wrinkled up my forehead and tried to delve into my memory. ‘It was something that began with “b”.’
‘With “b”? Better?’
‘Yes, that was it!’
‘Well then, let us try to reconstitute the English phrase.Vy is “you”,smotret’ is “see” or “look”, then comes “better”, and sevodnya is “today”. “You see better today” makes no sense. So it must be “You look better today.”’
‘Yes, that’s right! The very words!’ I exclaimed in delight.
Erast Petrovich shrugged.
‘Then I’m afraid that I must disappoint you, Ziukin. That is by no means a recommendation to keep a closer eye on Lind, but an expression that means, “You are looking better today.”’
‘Is that all?’ I asked, disappointed.
‘I’m afraid so. You and Mr Freyby have fallen victim to literal translation.’
Fandorin seemed proud of his little victory. Naturally. The previous day’s embarrassment over Banville had left his glorious reputation as an analytical genius badly tarnished.
‘You should never place too much confidence in dictionaries. But he gave you very good advice about the spy. I should have thought about that from the very beginning. There was definitely someone in the Hermitage spying for Lind. The doctor knew everything: the times of arrivals, the daily routine, even where you went for a walk and who was in the company. Banville, Carr and Freyby arrived too late. They simply could not have found out all those things in time.’
‘Then who is the spy?’
‘Let us think.’ Erast Petrovich sat down on a couch in the drawing room and crossed one leg over the other. ‘Wait . . . Why, of course!’ He slapped himself on the knee. ‘Did you hear the Postman call out “Ziukin” yesterday at the Khodynka?’
‘Of course I did.’
‘But how did he know that you were Ziukin? Were you acquainted with him?’
‘No, but he saw me at the post office, and naturally he remembered me.’
‘Who did he see at the post office’ asked Erast Petrovich, jumping to his feet. ‘An official of the Ministry of Agriculture and State Lands. The Postman was supposed to think you were Fandorin in disguise, but somehow or other he realised who you were, although he had never seen you before. Just what is the source of such incredible astuteness?’
‘Well, obviously Lind explained it to him later,’ I suggested.
‘Very well, that is also possible. But how did the doctor know that you were involved in the operation? The letter in which I arranged the meeting was written in my name, without any mention of you. Did you tell anyone that you were now assisting me in this risky business?’
I hesitated for a moment, and then decided there was no point in being secretive in such important matters.
‘When we were in the Hermitage I told two people about our plans. But when I explain how it happened, you will understand I had no other—’
‘Who?’ Erast Petrovich asked quickly. ‘The names!’
‘Her Highness—’
‘You saw Xenia?’ he interrupted excitedly. ‘What did she say?’
I replied coolly: ‘Nothing. She hid me, and that was enough.’
‘And who was the other person?’ Fandorin asked with a sigh.
‘My Moscow assistant, Somov. He proved to be an honourable man. Not only did he not give me away, he even promised to help . . .’
I related the content of my conversation with Somov, trying to recall everything in precise detail.
‘Well then, Somov is our spy,’ Erast Petrovich said with a shrug. ‘That is as clear as day. He was based at the Hermitage before you arrived from St Petersburg. He had a thorough knowledge of the house and the disposition of the rooms. He must have made a careful study of the park and identified the spot for the ambush. It was easy to guess that after an exhausting journey the child would be taken out for a walk. And apart from Somov no one could have informed Lind that you were working for me.’
I said nothing. There were no objections I could raise against what Fandorin had said, but I had already formed an opinion of Somov that I was reluctant to abandon.
‘I see you are doubtful. Very well, let us make certain. You told me that Somov had moved into your room? That means he has a telephone there. Telephone him. Say we are in a desperate situation and need his help.’
‘And then what?’
‘And then g-give the phone to me.’
I told the lady operator the number, Erast Petrovich pressed the second earpiece to his ear and we waited. For a very long time there was nothing but the ringing tone, and I had already decided that Kornei Selifanovich must be busy dealing with household matters in some distant corner of the palace, but after about three minutes there was a click and Somov’s breathless voice.
‘Hermitage. What can I do for you?’
‘Listen and do not say a word,’ I said. ‘Do you recognise me?’
‘Yes,’ he replied after a pause.
‘Are you still prepared to help us?’
‘Yes.’ This time there was not the slightest delay.
‘We have to meet.’
‘I . . . I can’t just now. You can’t imagine what’s going on here. Mr Carr has been found dead! Just now! I walked in and he was lying in his room with a knife stuck in his chest. A kitchen knife, for filleting white fish. The police have turned the entire house upside down and they’re scouring the garden!’
‘Ask how long ago he was killed,’ Erast Petrovich whispered.
‘How long ago was he killed?’ I asked.
‘What? How should I know? Wait, I do know! I heard the gentlemen from the court police say that the body was still very warm.’
‘That Lind is no man, he’s a devil!’ I whispered with my hand over the receiver. ‘He carries on settling scores, no matter what!’
‘Ask if Emilie has got back.’
‘Tell me, Kornei Selifanovich, has Mademoiselle Declique shown up yet?’
‘Mademoiselle? Why, has she been found?’ Somov’s voice trembled. ‘Do you know something about her?’
There had to be some reason why he was so agitated, there had to be. I immediately recalled how he had pestered Emilie with his French lessons. Perhaps Fandorin was not so far wrong in suspecting him!
‘Surely Banville would not have dared to go back into the Hermitage?’ I asked Erast Petrovich. ‘That’s simply incredible!’
‘Of course it’s incredible,’ he remarked coolly. ‘Carr was stabbed by Somov. He certainly knows all about kitchen knives.’