New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-08
WITHIN THE CIRCLE.
A TRAGEDY OF LOVE AND NIIilISM

hue h went to i've At tie Russian capital. where ed
fell wc IN may Svc c T' gs 6z SaS she the
G l;aiH cd Of famous Russian General and az
deed she nGed as much i9r ner as for her
and eac and rToce of ch"rcter When
therefore shc and the young Englshinan nore like
ssha If pair of American young people tn n " ~ th.
chapcronc guarded and convention-ieucrcd pe0P''
Tier freedom and independence at first siI to con-
almost shocked her lover. who was accnsp rccarded
she did as right he obcysd ,r nsr
demr when one n syen hin Accompany as
crety from her fathers palace to an yn through
Of the city For ha S an c n0nT n 'n' tell for the
rare curtains were closely drawn. Ine e rnsonie:
rasc stopped For moment she sat- a. she gave him
a sG%"S 70 n ooh 'O he led him hand gu" rS S6
the carriage across court nd ,S IH in his ears and tho
lmstrc Of many lights smotc his closed esc'''' '
her sne t n in large vaultcd hail. among hn0h bp
men and women most Of them yo ,nnS the walls. and
and symbols were sse room three gnnIng
Skulls were laid The scene was slraEE r be mrned
ho recognized it at saG rcom i he saw the light Of
| triumph and exultaiion Ill her csc' """
| learned the truth;
These were all Nihilsts. This was teu r n"rInr
n ,n d hoW wal Of everything at he held acrca
and hhor. to lie initiated mo ',h Gould hnye snit-
led nm tpr or Gcath and in the next he loved her
more than over. Why this was ohlh an i t~ranny
Of the impe,ial regime, against which the EnEs,nn
had himself in secret ragged. In her sublime Ell
1" Is for holy l'fT tic nv" hero%S And
ccaGsc She loved him so ercaty and tGn o n hm o
implicitly. 'ho had brougi nam ''''er u HIM
''lr ~ "I hn he initiated and enrolled ~ Once
,n WI nn rr~cI forward TO take the ouS with head
long zeal Upon the three skulls ne swo's r nmIr
p5n one he representative 81 tne nrsm Ipon
| Hattie Df
Ic sccond hc the ,clon Of an ancient and n nnnn
house sworo the annilion OF -3cstI r M,u vpg
he ,nnrlbiai,on Of all gHs And when he Jaw the
eh in her eyes that aa w Iit IN, he ? had dc
cou, thoughts cane on the mofrIW r w@ the
cncrmy Of the oath, that he had ,worn lie knew anew
a he had allied himself wiz, tlll Whl, ne nn 0,
| and hi, very HE. II was horrible. go NH, ,,
'p Ah but he would get oni of i all; In "S,a vG a
soDi Illus, rm:;,,nd and Mi tbs would he a dream
| Of the past Il wa, her love OF freedom ana h"ni'S
thn had made her an NihiIist. II was her love- OF
him thrt had inspired her to lead him into The same
dark rircIr. What a noble woman Ana ~ Ensaho,
It, ncm pa hapP ps'G they S' w SSi be!
| \ few DAYS later startling event occurred. Inc
circle wa. Informed that great blow was TO be ,r"on
| , t,,,n, was 10 Ice removed. The COMMITTEE ol
\ciion reported that IL" time wa op"rtnh' ana le
victim within cay reach H. maine ~ usual Eno,, WI
| mill ihN cvcut-ony 70 the committee ma 10 'hc
mcmbcg chosen To- eNcen,% ,ne o anpa Tnorhton
E",,,.i f,r moment: Llt when lie saw the fanatic
| ir, that bind in olgas eyes he too joined IN inc
/ cry.
Forthwith all members o The circle. two by two, re
ncwcd their oaih,. and added another. TO OBEY uhnsi
tansy the command, o., tlc ,1nh!,rc um ~ nrI
whatever they might BE- TWO by I'VE 'y s"3 o. Nv
hands cla-pd above tn, grnung skulls wnc the Pr
dent Of the circle ca pCd their TWO hands ~ MS III ms
~ George thornton AID olga Ozot roll tool tie oaiis
together. And the pre- dcnt Of The cire St,ra ne
| hands with unw"ni'h icrV.i; ana a,,r"'." ~
added emphasis each word o their dreadful Vow, lie
had bccr sutton Of hr-, I'M, loris stran'S h hG
| succeeded where he mad failed Yet surely such
| p,.-on, forgotten now, and ne ana thornton
| dcmp,lon. Ccfiainy more bad more co.drny vel
coined the yluac E1cli ,hman 10 the t,r!r ana rp'
| TOOK , more ffat"rnal interest In him thau Lor'
Ncxt the committee cast into an urn the name
NJ all tho member, OF the circle who were lifted To
| execute the tyrant', death 'cnienre, ana pl"u u'
befo the pden al he c msh ,r grT mp T! o as
,,ar-, hru,t IN h- hand and then held up the folded
swear We all Of Us lie cried hoar'cy, " to ab'd"
Ne swear ~ was tn, response Of all: the vcic''
| Il the lover, blending with vibrant energy IN the
Then Siran,rv slowly nnf1ldcd IN, ballot ard glanced
nj III" name n bore. Ills c)unt"nanc' wa A. hAcd n
| marble and hi. voice unchanged. he looked upon
| the circle ard announced the choice:
| "Gc0r,o Ih1rnon'
Aud then "A m riy cheer and hey all thronecd
round the EnsI. ,mnn to congratulate MN on ~, XIX.
u The crrlc -houd thu, BE- chosen for such an cNar
duty ma cygs ,ge canr , c,SG to ,, wih g"'e
~ NV an / proudcr Of thee and love thee more
III Then the president Of the circle spoke asaIn.
| We greet thee cur brother" "a" sni. and W"
T ,n ihr r r tT o,'g nat " thou art beloved by her
who + standing a. ny >idc II !, nuns thnt .." -
Nrd the, al cried II +, wcli!'
Then IN obodoncc 10 - sm from >tTnn,hy. SIN"
| rlnccd In her lover, hand pistol dagger ana /"
she ,aa nor one Of Il, n'% ,; a, cha, Giaas" may
| and hen inv ~ Of
This ,hc added. viii nnwaycrinG voice: this
f 4, S td Committee lei him apart 10 rauaiu,
| him secretly with the name OF his victim The name
>trnnslv', hands He thrust IT Into hi, bosom for n
moment. then drcw forth and without W2sn Mi
| eyes were blndci by a thousand lightning bolts.
| Us he read the name.
| There was no member OF all that circle 80 serene
and selfpos'c,scd on the surnc as George Thorn,on
with u smile. took hi, usual part I'm the business that
followed and c,cortcd II. ancc home in the "yc,, Of
himself up FOR twelve hours; alone. And when he
| in close communion with death and hell
one thing only was 10 % BE- r dSn" r., must marry
| had given him week In which to do his work. 10
fore that wcok Wa ended he and Olga must leave
looked on him with amazcmcn then with Joy.
ayes. yes she exclaimed. Il win be best so;
| YES. ycur-your work. he whispered. looking
| around fearluy To 80" that none could hear. lou
| remember hc-thc circle. Within week you must
| d., IT, And then viii go! Nh, | shall be your
| rcward!T
Olga! My God! But cannot! Don't You
| under stand | CannOt-'
Then he stopped. He had caught her eye. MI the
majesty Of her heroic nature. all ihc fire Of her
| tanned heart. shOnc In II. Sh, seemed to tower to
colossal proportions, and her voice like that oi
| the Accusing Angel.
| Are you afraid l. this how You keep Your
| ollh7 l. safety draNr to you tlan honor! Then
hear me, sir | love you-Goi only knows how
| much! lut | swear II. upon my mothers memory.
thnt If YOU fail 10 ulnl your oath 10 humanity. aud
to me- / will never 30 much rs look upon you again.
80 choose! No. not word. lon have 20 right
even To speak Of your duty here. II Is violation
| ~ your oath Go, do II! In that very hour | shall
become your bride but until then, nevcr!'
She passed from the room with the air OF queen.
and hc saw her more. Ten times within the wec.