“And I should be entirely dependent upon the English steamship lines?”

“I consider it quite out of the question that the ships of the North German Lloyd or the Austrian Lloyd are still running.”

“Then I shall have to give up the idea of this route altogether.  For if I am not to make use of a forged passport, which, moreover, will be very hard to obtain, no English steamer will take me as a passenger.”

“That is certainly very probable,” the Prince rejoined, after some thought.  “And then—­how are you to get to Bombay?  The English are, of course, destroying all the railways on their line of retreat.”

“Well, so far as that is concerned, I could go on horseback.”

“What! right through the English army? and at the risk of being arrested for a spy?  Are you not aware that the conquered are, as a rule, smarter at shooting those whom they regard as spies than are the victors?”

Heideck could not suppress a smile.

“In this respect the promptness of the Russian procedure could scarcely be excelled.  But I allow, that your fears are quite justified.  Accordingly, only the road to the north remains open.”

“Yes, you must go to the Khyber Pass on an empty train or with a transport of English prisoners, and then on horseback through Afghanistan to the frontier, and thence again by railway to Kransnovodsk.  Your journey would then be across the Caspian to Baku or by railway by way of Tiflis to Poti on the Black Sea and thence by ship to Constantinople.  But, my dear comrade, that’s a very long and arduous journey.”

“I shall have to attempt it all the same.  Honour commands; and you yourself say that there is no other route than that you have described.”

“Right!—­I will take care you are provided with a passport, and will request the General to furnish you with an authority which will enable you to have at any time an escort of Cossacks upon our lines of communication through Afghanistan—­But—­”

A gleam of pleasure in his face showed that in his view he had hit upon a very happy thought—­“Might there not, perhaps, after all be found some solution which would save you all this exertion?  The Germans and the Russians are allies.  In the ranks of our army you would also be able to serve your fatherland.  And an officer who knows India as well as you, would be invaluable to us at the present time.  I will, if you like, speak at once with the General; and I am certain that he will not hesitate a moment to attach you to his staff with the rank that you hold in the German army.”

Heideck shook his friend’s hand with emotion.

“You make it difficult for me to thank you as you deserve.  Without your intervention, my existence would have come to an inglorious close, and the proposal you now make to me is a new proof of your amiable sympathy.  But you will not be vexed if I decline your offer—­will you?  It would certainly be a great honour to serve in your splendid army, but you see I cannot dispose of myself as I would, but must, as a soldier, return to my post irrespective of the difficulties I may have to encounter.  I beg you—­Lord! what’s that? in this land of miracles even the dead come to life again.”