.

"Seeing that the porter is evidently right," said the Count, covering with
his hat the point from which the button had been torn, and holding the
other hand rather nervously to his throat, as though trying to keep
himself from falling to pieces, "I have nothing more to say. I will not be
accused of inculpating any one in this disastrous affair. I will only say
that the doll has stood since early in the year in the show window of
Christian Fischelowitz, the tobacconist, who certainly had no knowledge of
the way in which it was obtained by the person who brought it to him."

"He is an extremely respectable person," observed the officer. "If you can
prove what you say, I will not detain you further. Have you any witness
here?"

"There is Herr Dumnoff," said the Count. The officer smiled and
perpetrated an official jest.

"Herr Dumnoff has given evidence of great strength, but owing to his
peculiar situation at the present time, I cannot trust to the strength of
his evidence."

The policemen laughed respectfully.

"Have you no one else?" asked the officer.

"Herr Fischelowitz will willingly vouch for what I say."

"At this hour, Herr Fischelowitz is doubtless asleep, and would certainly
be justified in refusing to come here out of mere complaisance. I am
afraid, Count Skariatine, that I must have the honour of being your host
until morning."

"It is impossible to describe our relative positions with greater
courtesy," answered the Count, gravely, and not taking the least notice of
the officer's ironical tone. The latter looked at the speaker curiously
and then suddenly changed his manner. He was convinced that he was
speaking with a gentleman.

"I regret that I am obliged to put you to such inconvenience," he said,
politely. "Treat the gentleman with every consideration," he added,
addressing the policemen in a tone of authority, "and let me have no
complaints of unnecessary rudeness either."

"I thank you, Herr Hauptmann," said the Count, simply.

Thus was the Count deprived of his liberty on the very eve of his return
to all the brilliant advantages of wealth and social station. It was
certainly a most unfortunate train of circumstances which had led him by
such quick stages from his parting with Vjera to the wooden bench and the
board pillow of the police-station. It looked as though the Gigerl were
possessed of an evil spirit determined to work out the Count's
destruction, as though the wretched advent