Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-05-06


ged along in that abominable sprngless con
veyance.
''They say the mobiles are tyrants in Rus
sia," l unused "but it seems 10 me to he th
other way about, for here's this poor Mr.
Dimido1, who evidently thinks his ex-serf
will rise and murder him IL he raises th,
price of grain in the district by exporting
some out Of it. Fancy being obliged TO have
recourse 10 all this mystery Why, it Il
worse than an Irish landlord. 1t is mon
strous Well, ho doesn't seem to live in
very aristocratic quarter either " / soliloquizec
as gazed out at the narrow crooked street,
and the unkempt dirty Muscovites whom We
passed. l wish Gregory or some one wal
with me, for it's a cut-throat looking shop
By Jove, he's pulling up; we must b
there !"
We were there to all appearance for the
droschky stopped, and my drivers shaggy
head appeared through the aperture.
1t is here, most honored master" he said,
as he helped me TO alight.
"Is Mr.. Dimi-" commenced but he in.
terrupted me again.
Anything but Names" he whispered ;
anything but that. You are too used to q land
that is free. Caution, o sacred one I" and he
ushered me down stone-hagged passage,
and up stair at the end Of it. "Sit down a
few minutes in this room" he said, opening
a door, land rePast will beserved for you :"
and with that he left me to my own rehec-
| tions.
"Well," thought /, "whatever Mr.. Dimi-
doff's house may be like, his servants are un-
| doubtedly well trained. 30 sacred one I" and
"revered master!' l wonder what he'd call
old Dickson himself, il he's 30 polite to the
clerki / suppose it wouldn't be the thing to
smoke in this little crib but could do q
| pipe nicely. By the way, how confoundedy
like a cell il looks I"
1t certainly did look like cell. The door
was an iron one and enormously strong,
while the single window was closely barred.
The floor was Of wood, and sounded hollow
and insecure as strobe across it, Both floor
and walls we're thickly splAshed with coffee
or some other dark liquid. On the whole it
was far from being place where one would
be likely to become unreAsonably festive. /
had hardly concluded my survey when
heard steps approaching down the corridor,
and the door was opened by my old friend
of the droschky. He announced that my
dinner was ready, and with many bows and
apologies for leaving me in what he called
the dismissal ROOM" he led me down the
passage, and into large and beautifully fur
nished apartment. table was spread for
two in the centre of It, and by the fire was
standing man a very little older than my
self. He turned as came in, and stepped
forward to meet me with every symptom Of
profound respect.
80 young and yet so honored!" he ex-
claimed, and then seeming TO recollect him
self, he continued PRAY sit at the head of
the table. You must be fatigued by your
long and arduous journey. We dine tete.a-
tete but the others assemble afterward."
'Mr. Dimidof, presume ?" said 1.
mo, sir" said he. turning his keen gray
L. ~.
you mistake me, perhaps, for one of the 9th
ers. But now, not a word Of business until
the council meets. Try our eh.t's soup you
will find it excellent, think"
Who Mr.. Petrokine or the others might be
l could not conceive. Land stewards Of
Dimidofs, perhaps; though the name did
not seem familiar to my companion. How
ever, as he appeared to shun any business
questions at present, gave in TO his humor,
and We conyersed on social life in England
a subject in which he displayed considerable
knowledge and acuteness. His remarks, too,
on Nautilus and the laws of population were
wonderfully good, though sayoring somewhat
Of RAdicalism.
''By the way" he remarked, as we smoked
a cigar over our wine, i've should never have
known you but for the English labels on your
luggage it was the luckiest thing in the
world that Alexander noticed them. We had
had no personal description of you indeed,
we were prepared to expect q somewhat old
er man. You arc yohng indeed, sir, to be
intrusted with such a mission"
'My employer trusts me-" l replied ''and
we have learned in our trade that youth and
shrewdness are not incompatible"
"Your remark is true sir" returned my
newly made friend; "but / am surprised to
hear you call our glorious association trade
Such term is gross indeed to apply to a
body Of men banded together 10 supply the
world with that for which it is longing for
but which, without our exertions, it can new
er hope to attain. A spiritual brotherhood
would be q more fitting term"
'By Jovew thought /, ''how pleased the
boss would be TO hear himl He must have
been in the business himself, whoever he is"
''Now, sir, F" said Mr.. Petrokine, 'the clock
points to 8, and the council must be already
sitting. Let us go up together, and 1 will
introduce you. / need hardly say that the
greatest secrecy is observed, and that your
appearance is anxiously awaited"
l turned over in my mind as / followed
him how l might best fulfil my mission and
secure the most advantageous terms. They
seemed as anxious as / was in the matter and
there appeared to be no opposition, so per-
haps the best thing would be to wait and see
what they would propose.
had hardly come to this conclusion when
my guide swung open large door at the end
of the passage, and found myself in a room
larger and even more gorgeously fitted up
than the one in which had dined A long
table covered with green baize and strewn
with papers ran down the middle, and round
il were sitting fourteen OF fifteen men con-
versing earnestly. The whole scene remind
ed me forcibly of gambling hell had visit
ed some time before.
TInOn ouF antranaa the aomOanv VISA and
bowed. 1 could not but remark that my
companion attracted no attention, while ev-
cry eye was turned upon me with strange |
mixture of surprise aud almost servile respect. |
A man at the head Of the table, who was re-
markable for the extreme pallor of his face |
as contrasted with his blue black hair and |
mustache, waved his hand to seat beside |
him, and sat down.
''I need hardly say" said Mr.. Petrokine, |
'that Gustave Berger, the English agent, is |
now honoring us with his presence. He is |
young indeed, Alexis" he continued to my |
pale-faced neighbor, 'and yet he is Of Euro |
pean reputation"
Come, draw it midi" thought 1, adding
aloud "If you refer TO me, sir, though / am |
indeed acting as English agent, my name is
not Berger, but Robinson-Mr Tom Robin
son at your service"
A laugh ran round the table.
90 DC III 30 DO IL balu tho man tney /
called Alexis 81 commend your discretion,
most honored sir. One cannot be too care.
full. Preserve your English sObyiQuet by all
means. regret that any painful duty should
be performed upon this auspicious evening;
but the rules of our association must be pre-
served at any cost to our feelings, and dis.
missal is inevitable tonight"
"What the deuce is the fellow driving at ?"
thought l. "What is 1t TO me If he does give
his servant the sackY This Dimidoff, wher-
ever he is seems to keep q private lunatic
asylum"
''Take out the gagl" The words fairly
shot through me, and started in my chair.
at the other end of the table, had his arms
tied behind his chair and a handkerchief
round his mouth. horrible suspicion be-
oan N oraar into NV haark Vhara xyaa I .