Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-04-19
CHAPTER XVII


trcphe came.
CHAPTER XVII.
The past day had been unusually
gloomy for the season. The sun had
set in fiery clouds beyond the spires of
St. Petersburg. The night was without
a moon and a strong east wind rolled the
waters of the Ladoga in pillows of inky
hue against the massive walls of the fort
ress in foam and fury on one side; while
on the other the waters of the Neya,
swollen by recent rains, gurgled and chat
81 round the moldy and moss grown piers
of the drawbridge.
Since morning roll-call, Jagouski, the
knouted, beaten and ill-used Cossack, had
been missing; he had quilted the fortress
on some trivial pretense and had not
since returned; patrols had seen nothing
of him. Then Colonel Bernikoff was
more than ever on the alert; but Balgo-
ME, who now deemed anything better
than the torture of suspense, had gone
weary and feverishly to bed, to court for
9 time the happiness of oblivion, after
having spent nearly the entire day upon
the lake with an armed boats crew. pa
trolling by water.
From sleep, however, a sudden sound
aroused him. he looked at his watch, and
saw that the hands indicated II o'clock,
midnight. In another moment the sound
came again-the drums were beating to
arms! He heard the clamor OF hoarse
Muscovite voices in court and corridor;
the changing of the castle bell; and he
saw the CLEAN of torches reddening the
old black walls and towers, and haring
on the grated windows as they were
borne TO and fro.
His heart was beating with wild anx-
iety as he threw on his statf uniform,
belted his saber about him, placed his pis-
tolls in his girdIe, and hurried forth to
meet-it might be cross blades-with the
only friends he had in Russia,
As he crossed the castle yard by torch
light, he could perceive that the Cossacks
were falling into their ranks with mus
ketoon and saber; and that the gunners
were standing by their cannon with port
fires lighted; the latter casting a pale,
CHASTITY, and unearthly glare upon the
yawning embrasures, the walls of the
fortress and on their own stolid visages
which were pale and cadaverous, as those
of people usually who are hastily sum
moned from sleep in the night.
could see its row Of lower bars, like
line of black fangs in an open jaw, be
tween him and the outline of the lighted
archway.
What is the matter, Colonel Berni-
koff?'' he asked; what IS the cause of
all this alarmf'
Matter enough! We have had an
alarm-the place seems TO be invested
by troops-infantry OF the ine-the head
of n coumn-look for yourself, BalSo-
nier' exclaimed Bernikoff.
To omit the Christian name of per
son addressed. and that of his father,
also, is direct insult in Russia; but
Balgonie needed it not then. He hurried
to the curtain wall which faced the lame
side. the outer gate, and drawbridge, and
then, by the light of torch, he could
see that which certainly seemed to be the
head of a column front rank of near
liz fifty men, clad in the hideous uniform
then worn By the Russian army. Their
coats were green, lined and faced with
red. very tight in the body, with prepos-
terously long skirts, tight brooches and
boots to the knees, with cooked hats, hav-
ing long flannel flaps TO cover the ears in
winter.
Ry the light of the same torch Bal
gonie could see the bayonets fixed; and
that two officers, with their sabers
drawn. and a drummer, were in front of
,lieir little line. Having possession OF the
parole and countersign, which, no doubt.
was betrayed 10 them by the absent ia
gouski, the whole party has. contrived TO
delude the sub-heutenant in charge of
the outer guard, and were now past the
first barrier. and had actually taken pos
session OF the drawbridge. which they
had lowered across the Nevs The gate
and guns of the second barrier were yet
TO be forced or passed.; and thus these
midnight visitors were in a species OF
trap.
Too well could BalgOnie recognize in
the two officers Basil Mierowitz. wearing
the familiar uniform of the Regiment OF
Smolensko: and Usakoh. in the gay trap
pinrs OF the Grenadiers of Nalikolutz.
and now. for the second time, their drum
mer beat a summons for a parley, but
as vet there was no response.
Baleonie FASTENED after Bernikof and
the other officers. They had now ascend
ed 20 the chamber of the unfortunate
Ivan. from whose presence they had
somewhat roughly expelled the chaplain.
r AtNer AhFNSo>EO1n. Ntn tHNtI1AAs AS
found that the royal recluSe had sprung
e-om bed-inspired by natural alarm. on
sndiug his chamber suddenly entered ~
midnight. and full OF armed men; but
Ivan manifested no indignation-he was
too gentle, too Suhdued. and completely
broken in spirit for that
His singulsFly beautiful face was very
pale; there was a strange calmneSs in !
his manner; and whatever he thought or I
anticipated. there was more OF calm in /
curry than of fear in his tone and in the
expression Of his fine. soft eyes. Over I
his night dress he had thrown robe de 4
clambre os ane scarlet cloth edged with 4
white ermine: and in his attire. with his /
long hair aud delicate features. So chast- /
ened in expression by long solitude and /
complete secluSion from the outer world. 4
he seemed more like tail handsome
woman than young man Of three-and- /
twenty wears
What is this you tell me. Colonel Ber-
ufkoF.r he was asking. as Balgonie en-
tered: my unhappy life threatened, say
youT
Even So said Bernikoff hosrSely. /
while avertirg his stealthy eyes from the
Young mans open and earnest face.
'.even so. Ivan Antonovitch: bSt Jour
death will not be Of our seeking
Whose. them
49,, &~san5e