His first impression had been that banishment
was intended, and he had expected to be landed at some Swedish or
German port, but a chance remark made by the Captain at breakfast
inclined him to believe that there were other prisoners on board not
quite so favorably treated as himself. But why should he be sent out
of Russia proper, or even removed from St. Petersburg, which, he was
well aware, suffered from no lack of gaols. The continued voyage of
the steamer through an open sea again aroused the hope that Stockholm
was the objective point. If they landed him there it merely meant a
little temporary inconvenience, and, once ashore, he hoped to concoct
a telegram so apparently innocent that it would win through to his
friend, and give Drummond at least the knowledge of his abiding-place.
The thought of Drummond aroused all his old fear that the Englishman
was to be the real victim, and this enforced voyage was merely a
convenient method of getting himself out of the way.
After lunch a dismal drizzle set in that presently increased to a
steady downpour, which drove Lermontoff to his cabin, and that room
being unprovided with either window or electric light, the Prince
struck a match to one of the candles newly placed on the washstand. He
pushed the electric button summoning the steward, and, giving him some
money, asked if there was such a thing as a piece of stone on board,
carried as ballast, or for any other reason.
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