But at the time of M. de
P---'s murder (or execution) Councillor Mikulin, under the modest style
of Head of Department at the General Secretariat, exercised a wide
influence as the confidant and right-hand man of his former schoolfellow
and lifelong friend, General T---. One can imagine them talking over the
case of Mr. Razumov, with the full sense of their unbounded power
over all the lives in Russia, with cursory disdain, like two Olympians
glancing at a worm. The relationship with Prince K--- was enough to save
Razumov from some carelessly arbitrary proceeding, and it is also very
probable that after the interview at the Secretariat he would have been
left alone. Councillor Mikulin would not have forgotten him (he forgot
no one who ever fell under his observation), but would have simply
dropped him for ever. Councillor Mikulin was a good-natured man and
wished no harm to anyone. Besides (with his own reforming tendencies) he
was favourably impressed by that young student, the son of Prince K---,
and apparently no fool.
But as fate would have it, while Mr. Razumov was finding that no way of
life was possible to him, Councillor Mikulin's discreet abilities were
rewarded by a very responsible post--nothing less than the direction of
the general police supervision over Europe.
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