Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-05-21
could makeit. That is to say, it was excel

hsh, Wnispcreu WlBTam TO one OF Ills
friends.
The roast was, in its turn, all that a roast
should be.
=" am almost sorry that am engaged to
dine with the general" said Wigram. ''This
is really too good to taste only couple Of
hours before dinner"
"The kashal" cried the lieutenant, who
seemed well up in the menu.
A species of porridge made from the flour
of buckwheat, and which may be eaten
with great advantage and pleasure, mixed
either with milk, with oil, or with any kind
of good gravy, was produced. The travel
lers did not like 1t, but they admitted that it
seemed very good.
"The vegetables" !" and a plate of spinach
garnished with eggs, was brought.
:" hope there will be no dessert" whis-
pered Wigram, "or shall burst out laugh
ing"
But there was no dessert. and the lieuten-
ant had enough tact not to pretend that the
Polish prisoners were supplied with wine
In the meanwhile, Fcrrari, delighted as he
was to have seen Wigram, and to have been
able to send message by him to Nathalie,
could not get over the impertincnce of Dob
kievitch in exhibiting him, and boasting of
the immense generosity of the Russian gov
ernment in not forbidding him to smoke !;
the TACT being that smoking was, naturally
enough, forbidden by the prison rules, and
that Ferrari had only been able to indulge in
that, to prisoner, inapprecable luxury,
through the connivance of Lamanski.
He was foolish enough, then, to be an
noyed when Lamanski came to him with an
offer of regaias, and wished Lamanski, his
regalias, and Lieutenant Dobkievitch, all
burned together.
81 am sorry to find that you are not quite
yourself to-day, sir" said Lamanski. 81
bring you good news, sir. Such good news
that scarcely know how to communicate
it,"
At the idea of being liberated-for what
else could the announcement of ''good news"
suggest ?-Ferraris first thought was that if
he once left the prison of WillSovo he should
see Nathalie no more. .You cannot bring
me any news that will be very good, he
answered. ''However, let me try your re-
galia-I felt annoyed when you came in
and tell me what this wonderful news really
is.'
Lamanski told the prisoner of the plan
that had been formed for his liberation.
Fcrrari was in an ecstacy of delight. The
plan was sure to succeed. Nothing could be
more ingenious it seemed to him. Besides,
he would at least have something to do, and
the notion of action, after all the inaction to
with joyous expectation.
On reflection it seemed to him quite pos
sible that the scheme communicated to him
by Lamanski might be a design for entcng
him into an attempt at escape, which, if he
were seen in the act, would justify the SEN
tinels in shooting him. However, 1t seemed
better to run the risk of being killed at once
in this manner, than to remain ina cell from
which, in the ordinary course of things,
there were only two issues, one leading to
Siberia the other to the scaifold. To obligc
Wigram, General Gontchalin might perhaps
consent to have him shot instead OF hanged;
but exile or death was certainly the alterna-
tive that awaited him If he remained much
longer in prison.
"Why wait till Thursday?" he asked.
Lamanski told him that Thursday had
been fixed by his friends outside
"My friends are very kind, said Laman-
ski. 81 dare say they have their reasons. ="
CHAPTER XXXII.
pENoUEMENT.
Ferrar watched hour after hour that eve
ming for the light in Nathalie's window.
"That coniounded Wigram is talking to
her" he said 10 himself. ''However," he
added, !" / ought not to abuse him; perhaps
he is talking about me, which was really
the case.
AT about eleven o'clock-people go to bed
early at Wilkovo, especially in insurrection
time-the longed-for light appeared. Ferrar
held up his lamp as a sign that he had some
thing very important to communicate. Ma
thalic acknowledged the sign by initiating it.
Then Ferrari began for the first time to
work his nocturnal telegraph. He held up
his lamp six times to the window, which
meant the letter F.; then, after pause,
eighteen times, which signified the letter r. |;
then, in succession, nine times for |, five
times for Il, fourteen times for N, four times
for d, and nineteen times for s. 1t took
him several minutes TO spell the word
Friends" Nathalie held up her candle to
show that she understood him.
He then, little by little, completed the sem
tence, -" have arranged my escape"
Nathalie thought at first of replying,
"What joy!" But, on reflection, she pre-
ferred to send this answer "Thursday at
SEVEN"
"Thcn you know ?" said Ferrar
Everything !" answered Nathalie.
"See you no more. Cannot live with
out!' telegraphed Ferrari.
"Mad" was Nathalie's rapid answer.
81 a-d-o-r"-Ferrari began but he had
got so far, when he saw that Nathales can
die had disappeared.
II have frightened her away. What /.
fool am !" said Ferrari to himself.
Gas if it was necessary to telegraph that
to mel" reflected Nathalie, on her side. 81
was trembling the whole time lest some one
should see the movement of tho light"
Ferari scarcely slept that night. The
next morning as soon as it was light, which
was not until between seven and eight
o'clock, he took his place at the window,
and watched Nathalie's window until, at
little after nine, she made her appearance.
GLOW charming she looks. She is pret-
tier than ever, this morning." he thought.
But this was his opinion, or rather feeling,
whenever he saw her.
Nathalie was rather grave, and shook her
head at Ferrari.
"uow nicely her head is placed on her
shoulders, and how gracefully she moves it,
was the sole idea that occurred to him on
witnessing this gesture.
! Slo b.co,, -, .,,otnr I, -