The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-06-02
IN MY ENEMY'S HOUSE.
a sso-y or Life In RussIa. Translated from
fhe

IN MY ENEMY'S HOUSE.
A sso-y or Life la Ru,sia. Trauslated from
the Hus>sau-
Travelling once near Moscow I CHANGED
to meet n Petrovitch, an old college
chum. After some merry talk over our
scrspes and adventures of former days
he entreated me to accompany him to
the house of his friend, Baron StalOff, at
place about ten miles distant, adding,
by way of persuasion: "Staloff Is fine,
open-hearted, generous, hospitable fell
low, Just such man as you would like
to meet; he told me to bring with me as
many friends as possible. Come, We
will be there about a week. / can
promise you a very agreeable visit.
Although q stranger to the Baron, as l
then thought, yielded to my friends
request, and we took the afternoon train,
arriving at Staloff late in the day. The
Baroness received us graciously, regret
ting that the Baron was unavoidably
absent until dinner.
Punctually at seven o'clock my friend
and | entered the magnificent dining
room. There was just time for hasty
introduction to the host before we took
our seats; we were about twenty at table.
"What is the matter with you"
whispered Petrovitch, lyon look so
frightened; have you seen a ghost?"
Frightened / may well look so in
deedl l am frightened. Your fine,
generous, open-hearted Baron is my
deadly enemy, than whom L would
rather encounter n thousand ghosts. 1
viii tell you about it after dinner.
After an uncomfortable dinner / sue
ceeded in finding an opportunity to speak
10 Petrovitch In private.
"That man and 1 were once friends,
said I, "but the old story, we both
admired the same girl. That made the
first breach between us. He proposed
10 settle the matter by the sword. /
easily disarmed him. She Tilted both of
Us for it and married Pavlovski, of the
dragons. Two years later the same
thing happened. We fought again. /
swounded him severely, and he swore
fearful vengeance upon me. But she
married him, and is his present wife.
But how has he become Baron
Staloffr When / knew him he was
merely Gregorci Altoff. "
"His uncle left him this property last
year with his name. He wisely took
BOTH"
eli had only known i'll The man
hates me and sees me present myself at
his dinner-table. How soon can 1 get
away7"
"Not tonight, am sure. If you fear
any treachery, come spend the night in
my room. But, really, the common
rules of hospitality"
"Oh, 1 don't believe in hospitality
when it comes to a man of his nature.
He has heard Macbeth and may imi-
tate him-not for ambition, but to sat
isfy his cherished revenge"
"Well, i viii speak to the servant,
and have your bags removed TO my room
bsfore bedtime.
Thanks, old fellow"
The evening passed pleasantly by
means of music and cards. The Baroness
was charming, the Baron did not appear
Late in the evening my friend left on re-
ceiving a message from the Baron to join
him. Half an hour later lackey made
. sign TO me from the door. turned to
him.
81 am come, sir, to hand you this
key"
friends room"
"Yes, sir, but larger one has been
prepared for yeu two gentlemen when
ever You are ready. Sir, / am at your
service to show you the way to it"
81 am ready now; go on, will fol-
low" i followed him, as lamp in hand
he went Up q long, winding staircase
and along q narrow corridor until we
reached what seemed to be a sort of
tower. Here in q broad space, where
were several doors. he stopped. "I
suppose this part OF the house is not oc-
cupied."
"Oh, yes, sir. it is all occupied. Your
- II n. l. "a
He opened the door of large bare
apartment. On one side near large,
old-fashioned bed I saw my travelling
bag. "Your friend is here, sir, proba-
bly," and he left me-
With the key IN one hand and the
lamp in the other, l advanced to the fire.
place. There was no fire, but one single
candle stood on the mantel. This /
lighted, but the darkness and gloom
seemed impenetrable. "Petrovitch is
not here" thought /, as threw myself
into an immense armchair to wait for
him. "What can delay him ?"
sat there until midnight. Still he
did not come. Rousing myself then, /
thought heard the rattling of a chain.
The fellow is somewhere here. Who
else could make noise?'' Then / dis
tinctly heard q regular breathing. HE
must have fallen asleep somewhere. /
viii look for him." SO, lamp ia hand. 1
proceeded to explore the room. / reached
further away than L had thought. ;
heard the chain again. What
was my horror to behold, stretched at
full length, fast asleep, beside his open
cage, . splended tiger. The chain at
tached TO his collar hung losely to the
ground: he was free
/ rushed to the door. It was locked
ON the outside to the windows, they
we're enormously high from the ground
There was no escape for me. There was
the treachery feared. This must be
the trap of the generous, hospitable
Baron To call or make noise might
be useless. and would certainly arouse
the animal. i had no pistols with me.
carefully and without any noise piled
the chairs In one corner to serve as an
ambush, reserving stout little one as a
weapon Of defense. Then / sat down,
keeping my eyes upon him. He lay
cat-like, opening occasionally his drowsy
eyes, sometimes giving his enormous
head shake. By degrees his sleepiness
seemed to pass away, and with fright
ful yawn he raised himself MP and ad-
vnnoo3 toward me.