mysterious disappearance at
seven o'clock, or even earlier."

"I know, Colia told me that he had said he was off to--I forget the
name, some friend of his, to finish the night."

"H'm! then Colia has spoken to you already?"

"Not about the theft."

"He does not know of it; I have kept it a secret. Very well, Ferdishenko
went off to Wilkin's. That is not so curious in itself, but here the
evidence opens out further. He left his address, you see, when he went.
Now prince, consider, why did he leave his address? Why do you suppose
he went out of his way to tell Colia that he had gone to Wilkin's? Who
cared to know that he was going to Wilkin's? No, no! prince, this is
finesse, thieves' finesse! This is as good as saying, 'There, how can I
be a thief when I leave my address? I'm not concealing my movements as a
thief would.' Do you understand, prince?"

"Oh yes, but that is not enough."

"Second proof. The scent turns out to be false, and the address given
is a sham. An hour after--that is at about eight, I went to Wilkin's
myself, and there was no trace of Ferdishenko. The maid did tell me,
certainly, that an hour or so since someone had been hammering at the
door, and had smashed the bell; she said she would not open the door
because she didn't want to wake her master; probably she was too lazy to
get up herself. Such phenomena are met with occasionally!"

"But is that all your evidence? It is not enough!"

"Well, prince, whom are we to suspect, then? Consider!" said Lebedeff
with almost servile amiability, smiling at the prince. There was a look
of cunning in his eyes, however.

"You should search your room and all the cupboards again," said the
prince, after a moment or two of silent reflection.

"But I have done so, my dear prince!" said Lebedeff, more sweetly than
ever.

"H'm! why must you needs go up and change your coat like that?" asked
the prince, banging the table with his fist, in annoyance.

"Oh, don't be so worried on my account, prince! I assure you I am not
worth it! At least, not I alone. But I see you are suffering on behalf
of the criminal too, for wretched Ferdishenko, in fact!"

"Of course you have given me a disagreeable enough thing to think
about," said the prince, irritably, "but what are you going to do, since
you are so sure it was Ferdishenko?"

"But who else COULD it be, my very dear prince?" repeated Lebedeff, as
sweet as sugar again. "If you don't wish me to suspect Mr. Burdo