The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1867-01-17

inski still insisted that he was a Russian,
and he could not be made to understand
a word of French. But the moment he
ventured hint Of the kind a thousand
threatening voices were raised against
him, and he saw that clemency was inn
possible.
s'But," said he, "will you then risk
a quarrel with Russia, whose neutrality
we are 50 anxiously asking for?'
"No," said the officer, "but let us try
the man."
Leckinski understood all for he was
acquainted with Spanish. He was re-
moved and thrown into room worthy
to have been one of the dungeons of the
inquisition in its best days.
When the Spaniards took him prison
err he had eaten nothing since the pre-
vious evening, and when the dungeon
door was closed upon him he had tasted
for eighteen hours. No wonder then,
that with exhaustion, fatigue, anxiety,
and the agony of his dreadful situation,
the unhappy prisoner fell almost sense
less on his hard couch. Night soon
gloom the full horror his hopeless sit
uation. He was brave. of course; but to
die at eighteen-'tis sudden. But youth
and fatigue finally yielded to the APP
preaeh of sleep, and he was soon buried
in profound slumber.
He had slept perhaps two hours, when
the door of his dungeon opened slowly,
and some one entered with a cautious
step, hiding with her hand the light Of
lamp. The visitor bent over the pris-
ener's couch, the hand that shaded the
lamp touched him on the shoulder, and
sweet and silvery voice, q Woman's
voice, asked him:
"Do you want to eat?o
The young Pole, awakened suddenly
by the glare of the lamp, by the touch
and words Of the female, rose up on his
couch, and, with eyes only half open,
said in German, "What do you want?'
"Give the man something to eat at
once" said Castanos, when he heard the
result Of the first experiment, land let
him go. Heis not q Frenchman. How
could he have been SO far master Of him
self? The thing is impossible"
But though Leckinski was supplied
with food, he was detained prisoner.
The next morning he was taken to
spot where he could see the mutilated
corpse of the Frenchman who had been
cruelty mastered by the peasantry Of
Truxillo, aud he was threatened with
UIlC SetIIlV ucdtl. Due tiiC uOUlc yOuCA
had promised not to fail, and not a word,
not an accent, not a gesture or look be-
trayed him.
Leckinski, when taken back to the
prison, hailed it with sort ofjoy; for
twelve hours he had nothing but glib
bets, and death in it's most horrid forms,
before his eyes, exhibited to him by
men with the look and passions of de-
mons. He slept, however, after the
harrassing excitement of the day, and
soundly, too; when, in the midst Of his
deep and death-like slumbers, the door
opened gently, some one drew near his
couch, and the same voice whispered in
| his ear:
"Arise and come with me. We wish
to save your life. Your horse isready."
And the brave youngs man, hastily
awakened by the words, 1--WE wish to
save your life. "Come," answered still
in German, "What dc you want?"
Castanos, when he heard of this ex-
pertinent and it's result, said that the
Russian was q noble young man; he saw
the true state of the case.
The next morning early, four men
came to take him before a sort of court
martial composed Of officers ofCastanOs'
staff. During the walk they uttered
the most horrible threats against him;
but true to his determination, he pre-
tended not to understand them.
When he came before his judges he
seemed to gather what was going on from
the arrangements of the tribunal and
not from what he heard said around
him, and he asked in German where
his interpreter was. He was sent for,
and the examination commenced.
IT turned at first upon the motive of
his Journey from Madrid to Lisbon.
He answered by showing his dispatches
to admiral Siniavin and his passport.
Spite Of the presence and vehement as
sertions of the peasants. he persisted in
the same story and did not contradict
himself once.
'.Ask him." said the presiding officer
at last, eff he loves the Spaniards, as he
is not Frenehman:'
The interpreter put the question.
"Certainly,' said Leckinski. II like
the Spanish nation; esteem it for its
noble character, ! wish our two nations
were friends"
"Colenel,' said the interpreter, "the
prisoner says he hates us because we
] make our war like banditti; that he de-
spises us, aud his only regret is that he
cannot unite the whole nation as one
4 A. i 10