w could a man in his position be of
any serious use, a man who had to skulk in obscure corners, lest he
drew upon himself the too vigilant attention of the police?

"Stepan and I were boys together and great comrades. The poor fellow
is heavily handicapped in the fact that he is very deaf. At times he
can hear a little, but his hearing is never to be depended on. He was
rather a favourite of Zouroff's, who, I suppose, found him useful in
certain ways, perhaps because of his infirmity: what he could not hear
he could not communicate to others."

"I quite understand," interposed the young Italian.

"Some considerable time ago, Zouroff brought him up from the country
and installed him in the service of Madame Quero. Of course he had a
motive in this, which you will presently comprehend. I must explain to
you that owing to his deafness being so acute, all those who want to
speak to him have to use signs. All the same, he is a very intelligent
fellow, and can see through a brick wall as clearly as anybody. His
speech is affected, too."

"For what purpose did his master hand him over to Madame Quero?"
queried Corsini.

"I will explain, Signor. The singer has constantly at her house
parties of men; no other woman but herself appears at them; and these
parties consist of Zouroff and his friends. I have made it my business
to find out all their names. You can have that list when you want it;
it will be useful to certain persons in high quarters."

Decidedly, Ivan was growing very interesting. The young Italian
listened with the closest attention.

"In the side wall of Madame Quero's villa there is a secret door, my
friend Stepan is janitor. On the night when these parties assemble he
is on duty. A small bell is pulled, which he cannot hear, but he sees
the wire of it vibrating. Stepan ushers them into an inner chamber
across which, screening it from the small vestibule, hang heavy black
velvet curtains. These men, Signor, are conspirators, one and all.
Stepan is too deaf to overhear what they are conspiring about, but he
has his suspicions."

"One moment, Ivan," interrupted Corsini. "You said that Prince
Zouroff has showed this man favours. Is he not loyal to his master?"

"No more loyal than I am, Signor, although, like him, I was born on
the villain's estates. Shall I tell you why? When Stepan was a
youngster, before this terrible deafness came upon him, he was in love
with my sister. You can now understand that he