The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-03-24

VIC CdIlle 10 IL clOSeu uOOr, my Siluc
raped in certain way. The door was
instantly opened. When we entered it,
| saw man close it and follow us it
was he who opened it so suddenly, and
he was evidently waiting for us. The
passage where we were was apparently
a subterranean vault, some seven or
eight feet wide the humidity of the
ground sweated through the bricks
which lined it inside. About five hun
dred PAGES further on there was an iron
grated gate, which my guide unlocked
and fastened after he had let us in. On
we went. | then began to remember
that ] had heard there was subterra-
mean passage between the Red Palace
and the barracks of Paulowskis grenal
diers. / supposed that we were on our
way to the palace. We reached another
door, and he raped as he had done be-
fore it opened as the other had done,
and when we went through saw man
sitting behind it. Now we walked up a
staircase. 1t opened into the rooms on
the ground floor, but the atmosphere
showed that we were in house careful
ly and comfortably warmed. This house
soon assumed the proportions of a pal
ace. Then all my doubts fed. | was
being led to the Emperor; the Emperor
had sent for me-for me, an ensign in
his guard. | remembered that young
ems gn he had met in the street and
made get up behind his carriage, and
raised successfully, in less than fifteen
minutes, to Lieutenant, Captain, Major,
Colonel, and General. But dared not
l. l, - i, ,al
intention. We now reached another
door still; a sentinel paced before it.
Ny guide laid his hand on my shoulder,
saying:
{" Take care; you will be in the En-
peror's presence in minute
He whispered to the sentinel; the
latter stood on one side. My, guide |
will not say unlocked the door, but
opened it by touching a secret spring,
or something of that sort-so at least it
seemed to me. The noise we made in
entering the room, made a small man,
dressed in the Prussian style, with boots
which came half way up his thighs, a
coat which hung down to his spurs,
wearing a gigantic three-cornered hat
although he was in his bed-chamber,
and in full dress, although it was twelve
o'clock at night,1I say the noise we
made caused the man to turn round. |
recognized the Emperor. 1t was not
difficult, for ! saw him every day of my
life. ! remembered that at our review
that morning, he had looked at me, and
had called my Captain to him, and had,
keeping his eye fixed on me the while,
asked him good many questions in
whisper, and then had given some order
to one of his staff; all these recollec-
tons in creased my uneasiness.
:" Sire said my guide, here is the
young ensign to whom you desired to
speak
The Emperor came up to me, and,
as he was very low of stature, he stood
on tip-toe, to look at me. He doubtless
saw that | was the same person he had
selected that morning, for he nodded
his head approvingly, and turning on
his heel, said abruptly to my guide,
You may CO. My guide bowed and
went out, and left me alone with the
Emperor do declare to you | had
rather been left with lion in his cage
than with that man in his cham Der.
:" The Emperor did not seem to pay
the least attention to me at first. He
walked rapidly up and down the room,
stopping occasionally before window
with a movable pane in it, which he
would open to breathe the cold night
air. When he had inhaled it, he would
return to table where his snuff box
was lying and take pinch. This was
the window of his bed-chamber, where
l., "a. J., LII I al |
it mas never been opened since his
death. | had time to examine every
thing in the room, each piece of furni-
ture, each chair. Near one of the win
dows was writing desk, and on it pa
per which was open. At last the En-
peror seemed to perceive ! was in the
room; he came up to me. His face
seemed to be furious nevertheless it
was merely agitated by the contractions
of his nerves. He stood just in front,
and said:
"Dust, dust, do you know you are
nothing but dust, dust of the earth, and
that | am lord over all and master over
everything?
He never spoke to anybody, not
even to ladies, except in this way; he
called everybody and treated everybody
as if they were indeed nothing but dust
and ashes. do not know how | man
aged to reply.
"Aye, sire, you are the elect of
heaven-the great arbiter of mans
destiny
go All, har said he, as he turned his
back on me, and walked up and down
the room again, and opened the move
able pane of glass, and took another
pinch of snuff, and came up to me
second time.
go You know said he, that when |
command | must be obeyed without re-
fusal, observation, commentary ?"
"'A As we obey Cod know that, sire,
| answered.
He stared me full in the face. There
was such strange expression in his
eyes ! could not return his glance.
looked another way. He seemed salts
fed with the influence he had exerted
on me. He attributed to respect that
which was nothing but disgust. He