The Count now thought it necessary to justify the unfortunate situation in
which he found himself, in the judgment of the spectators.
"Gentlemen," he began, very earnestly and with a dignified gesture, "I
feel it necessary to explain the truth of this--" But he was interrupted
by the arrival of a policeman, who pushed his way through the crowd.
CHAPTER V.
"What is this row?" inquired the policeman in his official voice, as he
marched into the room.
The man who was wrestling with Dumnoff was a German and a soldier. At the
authoritative words he relaxed his hold and made an effort to free
himself, a movement of which the Russian instantly took advantage by
throwing his adversary heavily, upsetting another table and thereby
bringing the confusion to its crisis. How far he would have gone if he had
been left to himself is uncertain, for the sudden appearance of two more
men in green coats, helmets and gold collars so emboldened the spectators
of the fight that they advanced in a body just as Dumnoff threw himself
upon the first policeman. The Russian's red face was wet with
perspiration, his small eyes were gleaming ferociously and his thick hair
hung in tangled locks over his forehead, producing with his fair beard the
appearance of a wild animal's mane. But for the timely assistance of his
colleagues, the representatives of the law, and, most likely the majority
of the spectators would have found themselves in the street in an
exceedingly short space of time.
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