The Dickinson press., 1892-11-19
CHAPTER XVII.
ON THE GREAT SIBERIAN ROAD.


The difficulties which surrounded her,
and the trying circumstances under which
She was endeavourin to carry out her selt-
mission did not daunt or crush Rachel.
On the contrary the innate qualities of
n7bleness and sclf-reliancc of her nature
were called into play. and she rose equal
to the occasion. She had already learned
top much Of the hard, cruel otficialism of
Russia to cxnect or hope for moment
that she would meet with sympathy or as
siatance from the strangers amongst whom
she found herself.
Moreover. she was only too painfully
aware that her faith caused the hand Of
AGAINST her while Christian women regard
90 her with contempt and dislike. and
stselei their heart against and appeal for
help or consolation she might have felt dis
passed to make. But she asked not for help.
Bic was proud, and neither suffering nor
persecution could break her pride. Never
theless she suffered anguish and great dis.
from Ivan Alexieif upon whom she had
relied to carry out her purpose.
She did not love him; she could never
love him; but she believed that he truly
loved her and the wrongs she had suffered
had prompted her to use him. Her love
she had not the faintest shadow of hope
that lie and she would ever come together
again, she had resolved to be true to him.
1t may seem somewhat singular that in
conceiviny her project OF jonrneying to
Siberia, it was no thoug of Moshka that
dead, and she had resigned herself to her
fate. But she viewed the position of her
father from different standpoint
Filial duty is ever very strong in q
Jewess and Rachel Arama was one Of
the most attached. most devouted,
most aftectionato Of daughters. And
been broken and ruined, and treated worse
than tho deepest stained criminal, her very
blood curdlcd with Indignation. 10 have
snt sill with folded arms. and have held
her peace as she thought Of the malic-
iuus persecution her father and she had
suffered at the hands OfPeter Alexietf and
howwith fierce and unrelentng cruelty
Peter had pursued her father to his ruin,
was an mpossibiity. All hergentle wom-
snhGoa WAS transformed e. sha dwclt unoo
~. her sweetness was turn: to gall. and
she had changed to hard, stern woman,
ttirstng for the downfall of her persecu-
tor.
TO the chief Of the police at Perm she
made all eloquent appeal on tho behalf OF
Asr travelling companion. But this man,
like all his class throughout Russia with q
few exceptions. was brutal and unsympa.
thetic. The constant and almost daily suE
| VElUH duO IulSoIy uo WlLuOSScu ds Tue Cx1le
parties passed through the city on theiI
way to their destination had hardened him.
and he was utterly without any pity toi
the wretched convic.s.
Indeed, 1t may be said that the clankinR
chains, the groans OF suffering men. thu
signs Of anxuish-wrung women, and thu
affrighted cries of young children were
music to his ears. AT any rate they die
not affect him. and in common with hi
kind he had q most exalted and exaRgerat
/ ed notion OIL his own importance. He wa
An official, chief of tho police, and h
wore the Cars uniform. therefore he con
sidered that everyone who was not Of eoua
rank with him should show him homag
and pay him Difference; while as tor tn
sonvicts with whom he came in contact
they should do no thing less than bov
down and worship him. Let it not be sup
, posed he was singu ar in this respect. On
: of the many thousands of officials scatteret
, through Siberia. or for the matter of tha
! throughout the Russian empire, there ar
!. but very few who are not possessed of tn
D. me spirit of sci importance.
Rachels appeal was, as might have beel
expected not only u.eless. but was met b,
coarse insult, and cruel and heurtless rel
erence to her being tho daughter of Je,
'cQpysct. SO she nassed from the presenc