Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-11-12
kibitka, that all might see the broad


your captain, soldiersp"
The men lowered their rifles and re-
Taxed the terror of their aspect, and
the position, but more slowly drove
on. shall never forget that sight.
The prisoners, ragged, barefooted in
many cases. and linked together by
iron letters, lay or crouched around,
some already asleep. after tho slum-
berless night and toilsome march,
some wrapping linen rags around
their CALLED and bleeding feet, or
waiting, hungry-eyed. till their ra-
tons should be dolcd out to them.
The captain, an anxious and perhaps
crafty-faced, but not a harsh man,
was fetched to speak to me in
private. had heard something of
these commanders-seld wantonly
cruel, but often wishful to make profit
out OF the nourishment Of the exiles,
for whose safe delivery at the end of
the journey they are responsible.
"You have seen our little father
the White Czar--yourself, oh, foreign
lady," said the captain, with re.
spectful wonder; ''and here, certainly,
is Il full pardon for one of my prison.
ers, duly signed and sealed, while
these other documents, from the Min
istries of the Interior, and Justice,
and War. are to be obeyed by all good
Russians! See!'
And then he pressed to his forehead
and lips and breast, in Eastern fash
ion, the dread autograph of his all
powerful monarch. But even then l
had to give the man hundred rou-
bles before could overcome his hesi-
tation to comply with the imperial
command. and to set his captive free.
"Iam afraid. grac on English lady,"
said the captain, alphabetically, rs he
led the way to where Ivan lay, "that
tho young count, poor lad! is very ill.
So many of these political prisoners
do give in before even Tobolsk is reach
ed. let alone lrkutsk and the East,
that am often obliged to come to the
end of the route ut last with only the
murders and the thieves. ANYHOW,
here is Count Carlovitch. 1t was
partly because we thought he was too
weak to proceed that we made our
midday halt here. only nine versts
from the starting place."
And there lay Ivan-on bank,
with fetter on his limbs, but alone;
since in pity for his exhaustion, or on
account of his superior rank, he was
chained to no companion in misfortune.
He was half asleep. haggard and thin
and pale, with tangled hair and
wounded feet; but when he saw me a
CLEAN of recognition frightened in
those dear eyes of his. sadly dim and
despairing as they were.
"You, Marianne! 1 am glad-glad
that you care for me still enough to
come here-here; but this is no place
for you," he murmured in English,
'and-"
He tainted, and il was not until wa
ter had been brought and sprinkled
on his face, and a gourd of course
fiery vodki put to his lips, that he re-
opened his weary eyes. i read death
in them from the first. But l hoped
against hope--was resolute. sanguine,l
confident, and took my own one away
with me in the carriage, wrapped in
furs and wooden rugs, since he was
coughing hoarsely at intervals, and
shivered and complained of cold,
tiercely as the hot sun beat down upon
us.
There was an exchange of papers
and receipts. and signing and sealings
and the formal attestation Of witnesses,
represented by two Cossack corporal,
more bribery. before was quit of the
captain and his myrmidons, all very
civil, but as greedy for a little illicit
profit as a cormorant for its fDny
spoils. And then we slowly drove
back to the nearest posthouse--the
only so-called hostelries of the steppe
with my recovered treasure. Paul
helped me to hold up Count Ivan's
larguid head. My poor, dear Ivan.
he seemed to take sort of dreamy
pleasure in my presence and my kind
ness, and he put his thin hand repeat
eddy into that of my younger brother,
whom he had always liked.
"How good of you to come out here.
and for me, who deserve nothing" he
said twice, and with sort Of mourn
full wonder. But he was less surpris-
ed than might have been expected at
the fact that had procured him the
imperial pardon. "These things do
happen" he said, feebly. Il can
fancy that the master of us all at
times relents. 1t was brave and noble
of you, Marianne, my dear, and you
were lucky in finding our sovereign IN
his milder mood. But for me 1t comes
too late -ah, too late!'
So thought the army doctor, bust
ling back from his post in far Eastern
Asia, on the Chinese frontier, to take
his well earned furlough In Kew or
st. Petersburg, and whom. as he halt
ed for night, consulted on Ivan's
case.
III never saw" said DR.. Strovanoff,
"and ! have had a pretty wide expert
ence, such complete wreck Uf man.
The only wonder is slightly made and
delicately nurtured as he was, that
the poor fellow lasted out till now.
As it Is, hardships and fatigue there.
there, my dear young lady, don't cry
At any rate, the patient has In you O.
most devoted and a judicious nurse,
and sometimes care works miracles.
as we surgeons know"
And after all that care and nursing
could effect my darling died. In vain
was the Emperor's pardon, In vain
was my half frantic journey across the
rugged Asiatlc steppes. in vain was
all that could be done. Ivan was
grateful for what Ihad done for him,
and his love for me seemed to have
strengthened in the bitter period Of
imprisonment and exile. while he was
able to see, at the last. how erroneous
were those wild doctrines that had
lured him to his ruin.
81 fear that have been deceived"
he said, more than once; "or, rather,
we were all deluded; but you, Ma