Prince Michael's Anger

They were there when I arrived--Coyle, Canfield, Malet, St. Cyr, and
with them several of their lieutenants. There was another one there
also, whose hands were tied behind him, and whose feet were fastened
together, while, by way of additional security, he was tied to the
chair in which my friends had seated him. That man was Ivan, the
brother of Princess Zara. I did not glance at him as I entered, but
notwithstanding his presence, proceeded at once to business,
instructing my men in exactly what they were to do that night. And he
listened intently, first with anger and even rage, then with scorn and
contempt, but finally with wonder and genuine fear. I had arranged the
affair for the purpose of teaching Ivan de Echeveria a moral lesson. I
had determined to save him, even against himself--for Zara's sake.

In order to convey some idea of the moral effect that the meeting had
upon him, I must outline a part of it. One by one my men read off lists
of the nihilists under their jurisdiction, accurately describing them,
as well as the several disguises that they were in the habit of
wearing, the meeting places of the different branches of the society,
and where the members of those branches were to be found at certain
hours. Included in the lists were names of many prominent people in the
city, officers in the army, policemen on duty, spies in private
families, in hotels and cafés, in the palace, at the barracks, in the
prisons, and, in fact, everywhere. As name after name was read off,
until the number amounted to many hundreds the face of Ivan de
Echeveria became as pale as death, and when, at last, his own sister's
name was read, and I remarked grimly that she was already a prisoner,
and would be on her way to Siberia within the week, he broke out in
curses and threats, to which, of course, not one of us paid the
slightest attention. When he found that we did not notice him in any
way, but proceeded quietly with our business, he relapsed into a moody
silence, and I knew that my moral lesson was working. I knew that I
could save Zara's brother, for that is what I meant to do. When the
lists were completed, and I had given my orders regarding who was to be
arrested that night, and who was to be spared, having directed that
certain of them be told that they could obtain passports out of the
country under certain conditions, I dismissed my leaders, and at last
stood alone in the presence of Ivan.