The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-03-19
AvTAITH one hand he pointed to a
nv large glass on the table beside
w htr, efflI half full of sapOrific


w large glass on the table beside
~ him, still half full Of soporific
mixture, with which he moistened his
lips each time he woke: with the other
hand he wiped the persptration from
his face Matrena Petrovna stayed
trembling near him, suddenly overpow-
cred by the idea that he might discover
there was someone there behind the
door, who had seen and heard the sleep
of General Trebassof, All, IL he learned
that everything was over. She might
say prayers; she should die.
But Rouletabille was careful to give
no sign. He barely breathed. What
a nightmare! He understood now the
emotion OF the generals friends when
Natacha had sung in her low. sweet
voice, Good nil ght May your eyes have
rest from tears and calm re-enter
your heart oppressed" The friends
had certainly been made aware by Ma
trenas anxious talking. OF the gen.
erals insomonia. and they could not
repress their tears as they listened
to the poetic wish OF charming Ma
tacha "All the same" thought Roule-
tabille, mo one could imagine what |
have just seen They are not dead
for everyone iH the world, the youths
of Moscow, and every night ! know
now a chamber where in the glow OF
the night lamp they rise-they rise
they rise" and the young man frank
ly. naively regretted to have intruded
where he was: to have penetrated,
however unintentionally. into an af-
fair, which, after all. concerned only
the many dead and the one living
Why had he come to put himself be-
tween the dead and the living? 1t
might be said to him: The living has
done his whole heroic duty" but the
dead. what else was it that they had
done?
All, RouletabiIle cursed his curios-
ity. for-he saw II now--it was the
desire to approach the mystery re-
vealcd by Koupriane and to penetrate
once more, through all the besetting
dangers, an astounding and perhaps
monstrous enigma, that had brought
him to the threshold Of the datcha des
Isles, which had placed him in the
trembling hands of Matrena Petrovna
In promising her his help. He had
shown pity, certainly, pity for the de-
Hrious distress Of that heroic woman.
But there had been more curiosity
than pity In his motives And now
he must pay. because IL was too late
now to withdraw. to say casually, u
wash my hands Of it He had sent
away the police and he alone remained
between the general and the vengeance
Of the dead! He might desert. perhaps
That one idea brought him to himself.
reused his spirit. Circumstances had
brought him into n camp that he must
defend at any cost, unless he was
afraid!
The general slept now, or, at least,
with eyelids closed simulated sleep,
doubtless in order to reassure poor
Matrena, who, on her knees beside his
pillow, had retained the hand of her
terrible husband in her own. Shortly
she rose and rejoined Rouletabilie in
her chamber. She took him then to
a little guest chamber, where she
urged him to get some sleep He re-
piled that it was she who needed rest.
But, agitated still by what had just
happened. she babbled:
mo, no. after such scene I would
have Nightmares myself as we'll All.
1t Is dreadful! Appalling! Appalling
Dear little monsieur. 1t is the secret OF
the night. The poor man! Poor un-
happy man! He cannot tear his
thoughts away from il. 1t is his worst
and unmerited punishment, this trans
lation that Nataeha has made OF
Boris abominable verses. He knows
them by heart, they are in his brain and
OH his tongue all night long, in spite
OF narcotics, and he says over and over
again all the time, 1T is my daughter
who has written that!--my daughter!
--nly daughterv 1t is enough to wiring
all the tears from ones body--that
an aide de camp of a general, who him
self has killed the youth of Moscow
is allowed to write such verses and
that Natacha should take 1t upon her
self to translate them into lovely