The Red Symbol. Ironside John
Чтение книги онлайн.
Читать онлайн книгу The Red Symbol - Ironside John страница 17
Название: The Red Symbol
Автор: Ironside John
Издательство: Public Domain
Жанр: Приключения: прочее
isbn:
isbn:
I wonder now that I did not at once guess his identity, though he gave me no clue to it.
When he ascertained that I was an American, who had travelled considerably and was now bound for Russia, he plied me with shrewd questions, which showed that he had a pretty wide knowledge of social and political matters in most European countries, though he had never been in the States.
“This is your first visit to Russia?” he inquired, presently. “No?”
I explained that I had spent a winter in Petersburg some years back, and had preserved very pleasant memories of it.
“I trust your present visit may prove as pleasant,” he said courteously. “Though you will probably perceive a great difference. Not that we are in the constant state of excitement described by some of the foreign papers,” he added with a slight smile. “But Petersburg is no longer the gay city it was, ‘Paris by the Neva’ as we used to say. We – ”
He checked himself and rose as the train pulled up for the few minutes’ halt at Konigsberg; and with a slight salute turned and passed through the guarded doorway.
“Can you tell me that officer’s name?” I asked the conductor, as I retreated to the rear car.
“You know him as well as I do,” he answered ambiguously, pocketing the tip I produced.
“I don’t know his name.”
“Then neither do I,” retorted the man surlily.
I saw no more of my new acquaintance till we reached the frontier, when, as with the other passengers I was hustled into the apartment where luggage and passports are examined, I caught a glimpse of him striding towards the great grille, that, with its armed guard, is the actual line of demarcation between the two countries. Beside him trotted a fat little man in the uniform of a staff officer, with whom he seemed to be conversing familiarly.
Evidently he was of a rank that entitled him to be spared the ordeal that awaited us lesser mortals.
The tedious business was over at last; and, once through the barrier, I joined the throng in the restaurant, and looked around to see if he was among them. He was not, and I guessed he had already gone on, – by a special train probably.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.