Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1913-02-12
"Wf1l your majesty deign to ride this

"WIll your majesty deign to ride this
And suddenly the czar looked up.
who art thou?' he asked in excel
lent English.
Your physician, SIR" answered.
At these words he fell to trembling
violently.
Il will not ride" he cried. cit is a
PLOT to murder me. l have no physi-
clan. He is an assassin. Help mel"
The funkies fell back and the blue
lined sedan chair began to bob up and
down dismally in their midst. 1 saw
soldiers without crane their heads
forward to peer into the apartment.
Then a little man came limping in and,
catching sight of me, cried in an affect
ed voice:
Nicolas! Nicolas. mon souveraine!
Gu est-ce gu on fait, done, avec ce
monsieur-ci?" ("What is this man do
ing here?') 1t was Philippe, the char
latan "Seize him!" he cried in Rus
sian. I understood instinctively. 81
am his doctor!" shouted in German.
But without regarding my cries the
dunkies rushed at me and seized me;
for several moments the cars cham
Der was confused medley of shouts
and scuff1ing; then I was outside,
trussed and pinioned and helpless.
From within I heard the 'czar's shrill
tones in German:
i Il will not ride. I will not ride.
dreamed thatgou had put an assassin
in the coach with me-"
Suddenly the outer door was flung
open violently, and big, blackboard
ed man few into the room as though
propelled from catapult and, with a
succession of running leaps, dashed
into the presence of the car, heaving
the attendant servitors aside like nine
pins. 1t was the Grand Duke Alexis.
Following him, all a-glitter with orders,
came a man in uniform whom I rightly
surmised to be General Kaulbars. The
general stopped to regard me as lay
PROSTATE upon the floor. But inside
heard the grand duke roaring at his
sovereign in his strong bass.
What the DEVILS this?" he cried, in
English. Wont drive, Nick? / say
you shall drive. It's good for you to
drive. You shall drive to hell if
command it. Curse you. Nick, are you
going to make me lose my temper?"
The car must have sprung at him.
for a violent fight followed. Somebody
shut the door of the apartment with a
bang. | heard table overturned and
the cars voice shouting shrilly In
Russian. The guards sprang forward
threatenfngly, but Kaulbars, standing
over me, shouted to them in volleyine
Russian. Sullenly they withdrew. AnG
all at once the door opened and the
sedan chair came out. Inside, the czal
lay, trussed and bound and gagged
only his eyes shining with futile malev
olence. 1ne grand duke followed
flushed but smiling.
IT said thou shouldst ride, Nicholas,
ne cried. take him to his carriage
Philippe" he added, as the dappe
Frenchman came mincing out. He saw
me and stopped, while the corteg
went on through the apartment
and along the corridor. Who the devi
is this?" he demanded.
Just what | wished to know" sal.
Kaulbars. Speak up, fellow" he cor
iinued in English.
Il am his majesty's physician" ar
swered boldly. why, these soldier
saw me enter in his company
apparently confirmed my statement.
Then why are you not with his ns
iesty?" the grand duke demanded.
Because his fit of madness b
refused to drive, and told his f1unkie
10 seize me-or it was Phil-that littl
Frenchman," cried angrily 81 trie
10 make him drive-as you did"
But 1 succeeded, said the gran
duke, motioning to the men to unit
me. When I had regained my feet b
continued amiably:
Herr Doctor, is it still your desir
that his majesty go driving?"
1T isl I answered.
Then, if | release you, you wi
doubtless gladly ride after his coac
and see that he does not take too niue
air?" he asked
Besides" said Kaulbars, "thoug
the equery who attends him has order
10 unbind him should the violence SUI
side, he may fear to lay hands upo
his sovereign. Will you not accept tie
thousand apologies, Herr Doctor, an
ride after your illustrious patient?"
And see that he returns before tt
night air chills him. added the graz
duke.
Would 1? Let me but set eyes upc
she cars coach and l would warral
that the autocrat shou.1 not return b
fore the following evening. Rath
would l urge on the horses into tt
depths of the forest of Finland, Fc
should he return, in his condition
mind, I knew we'll that he would
completely docile toward the graz
duke and that Germany would tri,,ro,