'No!'

'We believe so. His apartment was burnt out. A body was found. There is another name I wish to ask you about. Prince Dolgoruky. Do you know him? He operates on the fringes of the literary world, as some kind of go-between. He certainly worked in that capacity for Kozodavlev. Perhaps you have had dealings with him? Perhaps he even attended one of the gatherings you went to?'

'You are determined to turn me into an informer!'

'Not at all. We know that Prince Dolgoruky arranged to have something of a personal nature printed up. There is a chance he gave the commission to Pseldonimov.'

'He wasn't the only printer in Petersburg.'

Porfiry smiled. 'Ah, so the workshop is in St Petersburg. And did Prince Dolgoruky ever visit it, I wonder?'

'Why don't you ask this Prince Dolgoruky of yours?'

'I am sure we will, when we next have an opportunity to speak to him. However, in the meantime, I am asking you. Did Pseldonimov ever mention Prince Dolgoruky?'

Rakitin opened his mouth as if to answer. But instead of words, the action seemed to produce a volley of urgent hammering. Porfiry bowed in apology to Rakitin, although it was clear he was relieved at the intrusion.

The cell door opened. The clerk Zamyotov peered in. His demeanour was unusually diffident. 'Porfiry Petrovich. There is someone who insists on seeing you, right now. I am to say that he is your old friend, Major Verkhotsev.'

'Verkhotsev? Here? Now?'

'Yes.'

Porfiry looked down pityingly at Rakitin. 'Please forgive me. I must talk to this person. I will be back to continue our conversation. Pavel Pavlovich, a word please.' He drew Virginsky over to one corner of the cell. 'Stay with him,' he hissed into Virginsky's ear. 'Get him to tell you about the workshop.' Porfiry gave a confirmatory nod and then looked once more, almost regretfully, at Rakitin, before stepping out.

Major Verkhotsev was waiting for him outside the cell, dressed in his sky-blue gendarme's uniform and accompanied by two of his junior officers, similarly attired.

So, this was an official visit.

'My dear, dear friend!' Verkhotsev held open both arms. Porfiry allowed himself to be embraced, and kissed several times on each cheek.

When he was at last released, he wagged a finger at Verkhotsev. 'This is not a friendly visit. One does not visit old friends with one's henchmen in tow.'

'Henchmen? What an awful word! But you're right. This is not entirely a social call.' Verkhotsev produced a sealed warrant and handed it to Porfiry. 'I have come for the witness.'

'The witness?'

'My witness, whom you have kidnapped.'

'I have kidnapped no one.'

'Now now, Porfiry Petrovich, don't play games with me. I think we know one another too well for games. And that reminds me, I hear you have been broadcasting my name, putting it about that I am some kind of contact of yours at the Third Section. That was very naughty of you.'

'We needed to look at the apartment.'

'No need at all. I'm sure you have enough cases of your own without poking your nose into other people's.'

'But I was working on my own case. That was what led me there.'

'You were investigating the death of Pseldonimov.' It was a statement, not a question.

'You know the ident.i.ty of the body we found? But that has only just come to light.'

'We have known its ident.i.ty for some time.'

'And you did not think to share your information with us?'

'We do not operate like that, my friend. It is not the way of the Third Section to share information. Although we do insist that others share their information with us.' Verkhotsev broke off to twirl one of his long waxed moustaches as he smiled at Porfiry. 'I sometimes think it must be very tiresome for the departments who are forced to co-operate with us.'

'You cannot force someone to co-operate, my friend. Co-operation is by definition given willingly. When force is involved, it is coercion.'

'Let us not split hairs. We will take Rakitin off your hands now. We had been watching him for some time and were about to bring him in when your Lieutenant Salytov pre-empted us. Ah, good old Lieutenant Salytov! I remember him well. Of course, how could one forget Lieutenant Salytov? Is he still trading in dead bodies?'

Porfiry ignored the question. 'I have not yet finished interviewing Rakitin.'

'No matter.'

'No matter?'

'It doesn't matter,' expanded Verkhotsev with a wink. 'To me.'

'Please don't start winking at me.'

'You cannot criticise me for winking!'

'What are you suggesting?'

'Come now, Porfiry Petrovich, let us not argue about such nonsense. The time has come to hand over Rakitin. You will see that the necessary doc.u.mentation is all in order, signed and countersigned by the appropriate authorities.'

'Of course the paperwork will be in order. The Third Section is always scrupulous about its paperwork.'

Verkhotsev beamed delightedly. 'Ah! A savage attack disguised as a compliment! We are scrupulous in paperwork, but not in other matters. The barb was not lost on me, Porfiry Petrovich.'

'Tell me, how is your daughter, Maria Petrovna?'

'She is very well. Busy with her school, as always. And shows no sign of marrying. I shall tell her that you asked after her.'

'Do more than that. Convey to her my deepest affection. Please let her know that I wish her every happiness. And I hope to hear news of a betrothal before too long.'

'With pleasure. Now, is there anything else you wish to say to me before we take away the witness?'

'What do you mean?'

'I know what you're doing. You're seeking to delay me while your man what's his name? Virginsky, isn't it? continues to question the witness in there. You know, I could have just burst in and s.n.a.t.c.hed him away.'

'That is effectively what you are doing.'

'Enough, Porfiry Petrovich. Deliver up Rakitin.'

'And what is to become of my case? Pseldonimov.'

'Consider yourself relieved of it. I have already supplied your clerk with instructions concerning the files, which will be delivered to Fontanka, 16 forthwith.'

'Very well. I wasn't getting anywhere with it anyhow. I will be glad to be rid of it.'

'That's a blatant lie, Porfiry Petrovich. If I know you, you were very close to solving it. It is not as difficult a case as some you have successfully concluded.'

'Ah, but as I have had occasion to say to you before, Pyotr Afanasevich, the moment the Third Section becomes interested in a case is the moment it ceases to interest me.'

'Then you will not object to me taking your witness?'

'Finally, you admit that he is my witness! But only when you sense that there is no danger of my contesting your appropriation of him. No matter, you may have him.' Porfiry gestured to the open cell door.

Verkhotsev gave one last contemplative twirl of his waxed moustache as he bowed to Porfiry. 'Might I suggest that you go in first and explain to him what is happening? We don't want to alarm him, do we?'

Porfiry blinked in ironic astonishment at Verkhotsev's apparent solicitude.

The rings around Rakitin's eyes were darker than ever: it looked as though he had rubbed them with inky knuckles.

Porfiry sighed despondently. 'I'm afraid matters have been taken out of my hands. You are to be handed over to another department.'

'What other department?'

'You have heard of the Third Section of His Imperial Majesty's Chancellery?'

Rakitin shifted back on the bench. He reminded Porfiry of a nervous animal scuttling for safety. 'No! Please! Don't let them take me!'

'There is nothing I can do to prevent it.'

'You said I could go, once I'd told you what I know. I'll tell you everything.'

'You mean there is something you have held back?'

'Call off the Third Section and I will tell you everything.'

'I'm afraid that's impossible. Besides which, I don't have any use for your information. I myself am no longer investigating Pseldonimov's murder.'

'But what about the dead? You speak for the dead, that's what you said. You ask questions on their behalf. And don't stop until you have the answers that will satisfy them. That's what you said,' insisted Rakitin.

'Yes, but I have been removed from the case. There are some men outside. They have come to take you with them.'

'Don't let them take me. I'll stay here with you. I'll tell you everything!'

'I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do.'

'Do you know what they will do to me?'

Porfiry held a clenched fist over his mouth, as if to prevent an answer inadvertently escaping.

The cell door creaked. The two officers Verkhotsev had brought with him came in.

'You must go with them,' said Porfiry quietly.

'No! No-o! I would rather die! Kill me! Kill me now!' Rakitin leapt to his feet but did not try to escape. Instead, he began fumbling with the belt of his trousers.

It took Porfiry a moment to realise what he was doing. In that moment, Rakitin had drawn his belt through the air, looped its tongue through the buckle and thrown this improvised halter around his own neck. He now pulled the belt tight. The two gendarmes rushed forwards and wrestled his hands away from the belt. Rakitin sagged forwards. The gendarmes caught him under the armpits and dragged him towards the door. For the most part, Rakitin was pa.s.sive in their hands, defeated.

Just as they got him to the door, his torso shook violently and he managed to turn himself enough to face Porfiry. His eyes seemed, briefly, brilliantly white.

23.

The secret agent.

Zamyotov intercepted Porfiry just outside his chambers. The clerk's expression was unusually contrite. 'I really didn't know what to do for the best, Porfiry Petrovich.'

'That's quite alright, Alexander Grigorevich. You did what you had to do. You have sent off the file, I trust?'

'Yes.'

'Good.'

'You're not angry?'

Porfiry shrugged and shook his head. He laid a hand rea.s.suringly on Zamyotov's arm.

'Porfiry Petrovich, they threatened me, those men.'

'What's this?'

'They took me into your chambers and threatened me. They said they knew all about me. About my . . . inclinations.'

'Alexander Grigorevich, I !'

'I have tried to fight them, Porfiry Petrovich, but sometimes it is too much. I have to give in. I know I am vile and worthless. But the Third Section they must have been spying on me. Or they have spoken to . . . my friends. They said they would expose me and prosecute me unless I co-operated.'

'This is an outrage!'

'So I had to tell them, Porfiry Petrovich.'

'My dear Alexander Grigorevich, what did you have to tell them?'

'The name of the victim. Pseldonimov. That's right, isn't it? I overheard Lieutenant Salytov tell you. I was not eavesdropping but you were standing right in front of me at the time.'