The Yale expositor., 1894-10-26

self wondering II his own face was as
deathly pale as each OF theirs. '"rC
be shot on the glacis of the fortress
at sunrise tomorrow morning." he kept
repeating 10 himself, though assuring
himself that the words could have nc
reference TO him, for the car must
keep troth even with traitors, or none
would be found TO serve him In future
Dostoieffsky and the others calmly
accepted their fate, after a hurried
farewell to their more fortunate Eel
lows, were conducted to their cells fol
the last time.
Some Of the prisoners slept soundly
as though entirely unconcerned in the
grim tragedy to be enacted on the NOR
row. Not SO Radovitch. From side 10
side Of his narrow cell. like some Gag
ed animal. he paced; listening the while
intenty for the footstep of the mes
scnger that was TO recall him to free
dom and to the Joys Of life. The long
night passed, all too quickly for him,
for whom the messenger sc unaccount-
ably delayed. He had seen General
Garashinin in court from day TO day,
and once a glance Of intelligence, be
persuaded himself had passed between
them. Vainly the two wnrders, whose
duty it was to watch him, sought TO
induce him to take rest.
HE may come at any moment" he
kept saying to himself" and had bet
ter keep awake in case of any misun-
Outstanding"
His throat was parched and his ton
que Glove to the roof of his mouth; but
he refused every offer of water or
wine, overcome as he was with the
terrible anxiety, of impending doom,
an anxiety rendered, all the greater by
the conviction that such doom was not
intended for him.
At last q faint grayness began to
manifest itself through the close bars
of his cell. 1t was the light, the herald
of a new day. the last for the condemn
ed men. And now Radovitch began 10
explain, in husky tones, that his con-
viction was all q blunder. The two
men looked intelligently at each other,
and pityingly upon the wretched pris-
oner. but said not word.
In few minutes all the ten were as
sembled in the courtyard Of the prison,
nine of them calm and collected for
the bitterness Of death was already
aickening terror, and evidcncing 1t
all too plainly in his trembling limbs
and livid countenance. In the hur-
rled good-byes they exchanged with
each other. Radovitch came in for more
than his share of attention.
Come, Dimtri," said one, "we all
owe Nature q death; as well pay 1t
now as later"
Cheer up, comrads," whispered an
other; 1T makes these hirelings re-
joice TO see you afraid"
ITS all 4 mistake" mumbled the
wretched man. where is General
GarashininT'
HE is never present Mt executions"
replied the soldier he addressed. He
issued his final ordrs last night"
And then a melancholy procession be
gan to move towards the glacis of the
fortress prison. A priest led the way,
holding aloft large cross before the
eyes of the doomed men, who followed
in single file, their ordinary dress COW
cred with long robe OF white linen
at once q covering for the living and 4
shroud for the dead. The morning sun
had not yet risen as the procession
wendell its way slowly TO the place of
execution-their life's span narrowed
to n few minutes, and narrowing with
fearful rapidity at every step they
took.
At last they reached the place ap-
pointed. Five stakes had been driven
into the ground near the summit of the
long. even slope of the rampant. To
these they were bound in couples, fac
ing the east, now kin,lling with the
warm flush Of the rising sun, whose
coming was to be the signal for their
DEATH. Ranged in front Of them, at a
distance Of fifteen yards. was company
OF soldiers with loaded rifles, whose
captain standing a little way apart
held in his hand white handkerchief,
at whose fall sixty tongues OF fire
would leap forth and sixty bullets seek
the hearts of the unhappy men.
There was still time for the last scene
but one In the tragedy before the sun
should rise. The cross was held be-
fore the lips OF each man for a final
kiss in turn. Then a dagger was brok-
en- over the heads by soldier detailed
from the thousands drawn up to wit
ness the vengeance of the Gear At
that moment the sun seemed TO bound
into space, and every heart almost
stopped
But the officer has not let the signal
handkerchief fall. Instead. the retreat
is sounded on score Of bugles, and the
troops march off the ground. The
kneeling men were Informed that the
emperor had been graciously pleased to
grant them their lives. They were un
bound, and. as If in a dream. trying to
realize all that had happened, and to
congratulate one another, ere yet the
last couple had been been reached.
One of these had fallen forward on his
face as far as his bonds permitted.
1t was Radovitch.
'TIe has tainted" said soldier;
"bring me some water sharp"
mo need to trouble" said the doctor,
who had rapidly examined him, che
is dead. The fright has killed him."
It was too true. The chief Of the Sc
cret police had carried out his promise
only too literally. The spy had no
longer any reason to fear his betrayed
comrades revenge.
Their One object.