Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-10-03
A RUSSIAN TRAGEDY

L WIS 10 yours Olu ana was already
for two years an ensign in the regi
ment of PaulovSky. The regiment
was quartered in the great building
that still exists on the other side OF
the Champ dc Mars, fronting the
Summer garden. Tho emperor Paul
was then rcigning and had been
for three years. He resided in the
Red palace which had just at that
time been completed.
Ono night, after don't remember
what escapade, the leave of absence
which had asked for in order to
join q few comrades was refused,
and remained in the barracks al
most alono. / was aroused from my
sleep by voice that whispered in
my car, "Dimitri Aloxandrovitch
wake up and follow mo-" opened
my eyes A man was before me,
who repeated to me tho invitation
which he gave mo while was half
asleep.
Follow you?" said l. "Where?"
II cannot tell you. But take no.
tice that the order comes from the
emperor.
1 trembled. From the emperor!
What in the world could he want
with me, u poor ensign, of a good
family no doubt, but far too distant
from the throne to allow the name
to reach tho imperial ears. 1recalled
the somber Russian proverb that
came into existence in the days of
Ivan the Terrible, CLOSE to the
car, close to death.
But there was 40 help for it. 1
Jumped out of bed and dressed my
self. Then l looked with some at
tention at the man who had come to
arouse mo. All wrapped up rs he
was in his overcoat, l thought rec
ognized i'll him an old Turkish slave,
at first the barber and finally the ia
yorite of tho emperor. This exami-
nation, moreover, was brief. It
might, perhaps, have been danger
GUS to prolong it.
Il am ready" said at the end of
five minutes, and l buckled on my
sword carelcSSly. My nervousness
increased when 1 found that my
guide, instead of taking the usual
door of the barrack, descended
through a little winding staircase
into the lower portion of the i'm
mense building. He lighted the way
with sort of dark lantern. After
several turns and detours 1 found
myself fronting little door, the OK
istence of which ! had not known
before. During all the route we met
nobody. One would imagine that
the building was deserted. Certain
ly l fancied that l saw one or two
shadows pass, but they disappeared,
or, rather, vanished, in the obscurity.
The door in front of which we
stood was closed. My guide knocked
In certain fashion, and it opened,
evidently put in motion by man
who was waiting on the other side.
AS matter of fact, when we passed
through l saw distinctly, notwith-
standing tho darkness, a man. who
closed the door again and followed
US.
The passage in which we entered
was a sort of subterrane, about eight
feet wide, running through the soil,
whose humidity oozed through the
brick walls.
AT the end of about 500 PAGES this
passage was closed by an iron gate.
My guido took key from his peck
ct, opened the gate and closed it be.
hind us. We continued our route.
just then l commenced to recall the
tradition according to which a sub
terraneous gallery existed between
the Red palace and the barracks of
the grenadicrs of Paulovsky. knew
that we were in this gallery, and
that inasmuch as we had left the
barracks, we were on our way to the
palace. We arrived in front of An
other door similar to the one through
which we had passed in the first in.
stance. My guido knocked at this
door In the same manner that he had
knocked at the other one, and il
opened like the other, set in motion
by man on the inside. Here we
found ourselves at the foot of a stair.
case, which we mounted.
1t led to the lower apartment of 6
building, but from the atmospher,
1t was easy to discover that we wer,
entering a well warmed establish
ment. This building soon revealed
the proportions of palace. Tbe1
all my doubts ceased. They wer,
bringing mo into the presence of tn,
emperor, the emperor who sent foI
me, an obscure ensign, almost hid
den in the lower ranks of the guard
remembered the story of the youn,
ensign whom he had noticed in tn,
street and placed behind him in hi
carriage, appointing him successive
ly in less than quarter of an houl
lieutenant captain, major, colone
and general, but I had no hope tina
he sent for me with the same inten
ton. However, we arrived at las
before another door, in front o.
which sentinel was pacing up ant
down. My guide put his hand upor
my shoulder and said to me: "KeeI
up your courage. You are going init
tho presence of the emperor. " Their
he whispered something in the ca,
of the sentinel, and the latter moved
TO ono side. My guide opened the
door nok nv uniting the kew In kh,