第64章

The chase commenced in the rosy dawn of the isles.Already blood-like tints were on the horizon.Some of the police cried that they had the trail.They ran under the trees, because it was almost certain she had taken the narrow path leading to the bridge that joins Krestowsky to Kameny-Ostrow.Some indications discovered by the police who swarmed to right and left of the path confirmed this hypothesis.And no carriage in sight! They all ran on, Koupriane among the first.Rouletabille kept at his heels, but he did not pass him.Suddenly there were cries and calls among the police.One pointed out something below gliding upon the sloping descent.It was little Kathanna.She flew like the wind, but in a distracted course.She had reached Kameny-Ostrow on the west bank."Oh, for a carriage, a horse!" clamored Koupriane, who had left his turn-out at Eliaguine."The proof is there.It is the final proof of everything that is escaping us!"Dawn was enough advanced now to show the ground clearly.Katharina was easily discernible as she reached the Eliaguine bridge.There she was in Eliaguine-Ostrow.What was she doing there? Was she going to the Trebassof villa? What would she have to say to them?

No, she swerved to the right.The police raced behind her.She was still far ahead, and seemed untiring.Then she disappeared among the trees, in the thicket, keeping still to the right.

Koupriane gave a cry of joy.Going that way she must be taken.He gave some breathless orders for the island to be barred.She could not escape now! She could not escape! But where was she going?

Koupriane knew that island better than anybody.He took a short cut to reach the other side, toward which Katharina seemed to be heading, and all at once he nearly fell over the girl, who gave a squawk of surprise and rushed away, seeming all arms and legs.

"Stop, or I fire!" cried Koupriane, and he drew his revolver.But a hand grabbed it from him.

"Not that!" said Rouletabille, as be threw the revolver far from them.Koupriane swore at him and resumed the chase.His fury multiplied his strength, his agility; he almost reached Katharina, who was almost out of breath, but Rouletabille threw himself into the Chief's arms and they rolled together upon the grass.When Koupriane rose, it was to see Katharina mounting in mad haste the stairs that led to the Barque, the floating restaurant of the Strielka.Cursing Rouletabille, but believing his prey easily captured now, the Chief in his turn hurried to the Barque, into which Katharina had disappeared.He reached the bottom of the stairs.On the top step, about to descend from the festive place, the form of Prince Galltch appeared.Koupriane received the sight like a blow stopping him short in his ascent.Galitch had an exultant air which Koupriane did not mistake.Evidently he had arrived too late.He felt the certainty of it in profound discouragement.And this appearance of the prince on the Barque explained convincingly enough the reason for Katharina's flight here.

If the Bohemian had filched the papers or the portfolio from the dead, it was the prince now who had them in his pocket.

Koupriane, as he saw the prince about to pass him, trembled.The prince saluted him and ironically amused himself by inquiring:

"Well, well, how do you do, my dear Monsieur Koupriane.Your Excellency has risen in good time this morning, it seems to me.