The Washington times., 1894-08-12

/ killed. Is there justice in Heaven?" she ex-
claimed. Not only has he not been killed,
but he has slain Borodin-a better. braver
man than himself; man who sincerely cared
for me and whom perhaps treated harshly.
But what else vas TO be done when l was
given up. heart and soul. TO my adorsd
Ailiutin? And why did they fight? / see it
all: Borodin understood the wretch. He saw
through him and hated him for his perfidy
towards Miliutin. and for the injury. the
cruel injury he was doing to me. But Boro-
din" she said to herself, rs she looked once
more at the enewspaper-'the Borodin knew.
the Borodin that villain Gorski knew. was a
tutor. and this one was a soldier. Why could
he have enlisted? Had he not conceived, the
last time l saw him, some ambitious project?
1t was, perhaps, for my sake that he joined
the army
Happily. perhaps. for her peace of mind,
Natalia did not know, and was not destined
ever TO learn that 1t was through Borodin' 5
jealousy of her husband that in his blind rage
he first informed against him; the subsequent
deuunciation being really due. not to his own
initiative, but TO the pressure brought to bear
upon him by the terrible Third Section.
Gradually as she reflected on the matter.
Borodin assumed in her eyes the character of
Il hero, and Gorski appeared to her doubly a
villain; first and foremost for having betrayed
her husband, and, secondly. for having killed
provoked to indignation by Gorski's perfldy.
Col. Miliutin was about to start on his
dreary journey in about week, during which
time Natalia was permitted to see him every
day. The sympathy felt for the young officer
by st. Petersburg society-including even
the retrograde portion of twas general;
and endeavorS were made in various quarters,
since there could be no question of n full par
don, to obtain for Natalia Miliutin permission
to accompany her husband to Siberia. But
all in vain. The answer given to everyone
was the sufficiently plausible one that enough
mercy had already been shown.
Some weeks, some months passed. Miliutin
was now half way on his road to Irkutsk, the
grave of Borodin was already covered with
grass and Gorski. after undergoing COM
paratively brief term of Imprisonment, had
been set ut liberty. During the whole period
of his imprisonment Gorski had never ceased
to think of the beautiful, enchanting Natalia.
To what crimes his passion for this woman
had led him! And now, after he had got her
husband exiled and had killed one of her
most devoted admirers, his suit was no more
advanced than when. in the drawing-room OF
her father. Gen. Gontcharof. he had gazed
upon her for the first time. II Natalia knew
the truth, if she was really aware that he had,
o. treachery and malice aforethought. so de-
Tended her husband that he was sure to be
convicted, if, moreover she had in any way
discovered that his mortal quarrel with Boro-
din had its origin in Borodin's knowledge Of
the shameful betrayal he had practised, then
his case would, of course, be hopeless, and
Col. Miliutin's wife would at once despise
and loathe him.
But he would assure her, he would swear
to her by everything she held sacred. that he
had defended her husband in all sincerity,
and that il he had allowed himself to be car
ried away into an imprudent burst of passion,
the origin of this purely tactical error was
the profound sympathy with which her hus-
bands case had inspired him. II he had
afterwards quarrelled with Borodin, the cause
OF their falling out was one which Natalia, OF
all persons in the world, could not ignore. It
was Borodin who had first informed against
Col. Miliutin; and Miliutin's wife could
scarcely blame him II, in his just rage, no had