Bombay; there is thence no other direct line of steamers than that
plying up the Persian Gulf. You must accordingly go by one of the
English steamers of the P. and O. line, which start twice a week. The
French Messageries Maritimes, which usually sail between Karachi
and Marseilles, will, of course, have long since discontinued their
services. You could, therefore, just as well go by railway to Bombay.
Via Calcutta or Madras would be a roundabout journey."

"And I should be entirely dependent upon the English steamship lines?"

"I consider it quite out of the question that the ships of the North
German Lloyd or the Austrian Lloyd are still running."

"Then I shall have to give up the idea of this route altogether. For if
I am not to make use of a forged passport, which, moreover, will be very
hard to obtain, no English steamer will take me as a passenger."

"That is certainly very probable," the Prince rejoined, after some
thought. "And then--how are you to get to Bombay? The English are, of
course, destroying all the railways on their line of retreat."

"Well, so far as that is concerned, I could go on horseback."

"What! right through the English army? and at the risk of being arrested
for a spy? Are you not aware that the conquered are, as a rule, smarter
at shooting those whom they regard as spies than are the victors?"

Heideck could not suppress a smile.

"In this respect the promptness of the Russian procedure could
scarcely be excelled. But I allow, that your fears are quite justified.
Accordingly, only the road to the north remains open."

"Yes, you must go to the Khyber Pass on an empty train or with
a transport of English prisoners, and then on horseback through
Afghanistan to the frontier, and thence again by railway to
Kransnovodsk. Your journey would then be across the Caspian to Baku or
by railway by way of Tiflis to Poti on the Black Sea and thence by ship
to Constantinople. But, my dear comrade, that's a very long and arduous
journey."

"I shall have to attempt it all the same. Honour commands; and you
yourself say that there is no other route than that you have described."

"Right!--I will take care you are provided with a passport, and will
request the General to furnish you with an authority which will
enable you to have at any time an escort of Cossacks upon our lines of
communication through Afghanistan--But--"

A gleam of pleasure in his face showed that in his view he had hit upon
a