" said the prince, grimly.

"I knew at eight o'clock this morning. Cartoner advised me of it by a
cipher telegram."

"Cartoner?" said the prince, interrogatively.

"Cartoner is in Petersburg. He went there presumably to attend
this--pleasing denouement."

The prince gave a short laugh.

"How well," he said, folding his newspaper, and laying it aside
reflectively--"how well that man knows his business. But why did he
telegraph to you?"

"We sometimes do each other a good turn," explained Deulin, rather
curtly. "It must have happened yesterday afternoon. One can only hope
that--it was soon over."

The prince laughed, and looked across at the Frenchman with a glitter
beneath his shaggy brows.

"My friend," he said, "you must not ask me to get up any sentiment on
this occasion. Do not let us attempt to be anything but what God made
us--plain men, with a few friends, whom one would regret; and a number
of enemies, of whose death one naturally learns with equanimity. The man
was a thief. He was a great man and in a great position, which only made
him the greater thief."

The prince moved his crippled legs with an effort and contemplated the
fire.

"He is dead," he went on, after a pause, "and there is an end to it. I
do not pray that he may go to eternal punishment. I only want him to be
dead; and he is dead. Voila! It is a matter of rejoicing."

"You are a ruffian; I always said you were a ruffian," said Deulin,
gravely.

"I am a man, my friend, who has an object in life. An object, moreover,
which cannot take into consideration a human life here or there, a human
happiness more or less. You see, I do not even ask you to agree with me
or to approve of me."

"My friend, in the course of a long life I have learned only one
effective lesson--to judge no man," put in Deulin.

"Remember," continued the prince, "I deplore the method. I understand it
was a bomb. I take no part in such proceedings. They are bad policy.
You will see--we shall both see, if we live long enough--that this is a
mistake. It will alienate all sympathies from the party. They have not
even dared to approach me with any suggestion of co-operation. They have
approached others of the Polish party and have been sent about their
business. But--well, one would be a fool not to take advantage of every
mishap to one's enemy."

Deulin help up one hand in a gesture imploring silence.

"Thin ice!" he said, warningly.

"Bah!" laughed the other. "