The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-04-04

hAOhtos HIS udJ6Sly COuIluu6u-
The only return | can make to you
for fidelity of which assure myself
beforehand, is to explain to you my
reasons for what must seem to you
an extraordinary state of things. The
fate of my father, Alexander II, slain
by bomb in the streets of st Peters
burg, is, of course, familiar to you But
it is not easy for you to realize TIE eff
feet produced by that fearful event on
my mind.
The perils of battlefield may be
faced by brave man, in the enthusi
asm which battle calls forth. But the
perpetual secret peril which dogs one
day after day and year after year, and
never slackens for a single moment
that is a very different thing.
/ am not ashamed to confess to
you, baron, that from the moment ]
assembled the bloody throne of Russia,
my life was one long haunting agony
Never once did have one hour of per
feet freedom from care. And l could
do nothing. l was helpless, martyr
bound to the stake of my autocracy
They prated to me of reforms. You
are man who knows Russia as few
men know it, and you can tell me
whether the first step in the direction
of reform would not have drawn down
on my head the vengeance of men be-
side whom the Nihilists are bungling
apprentices?'
Il could only bow my acquiescence
in this sorrowful truth
For years. proceeded Alexander,
1 had secretly set my heart on abdi-
eating. l only waited till my son
Nicholas was of an age to face the
dangers and difficulties of his task.
But by the time that the hour of re.
lease drew near, / had learned that alb
dication would earn me no respite
from the hatred with which l was pur.
sued
had acquired the knowledge that
there were those who had sworn that,
on the throne or off 1t, | should not be
allowed to die natural death. To
| give up my imperial state would sim
| ply be surrendering my safeguards,
without for moment disarming the
enmity of those who sought my life.
1t was these considerations which ulti,
mately forced me to entertain the idea
of a deception which | lament, but to
which | owe the first peaceful days |
have spent for twelve years.
81 resolved, as you have gathered
by this time, to go solemnly through
the forms of death and burial, and
thus acquire the right to retire tc
some unsupported retreat, where
might pass the remainder of my days
shielded from the vengeance of my re
lentless pursuers. In order to carry
out this design it was necessary that !
should take five persons into my conf.
dence, my wife, my son, two physi.
clans of whose personal loyalty and
friendship had had many proofs, and
an old trusted body-servant on whom
was cast the duty of arranging for my
future privacy, and attending on me in
it He is at this moment away pro-
curing supplies of food"
These words of his majesty remind,
ed me that Boris was impatiently
awaiting my temperance. | glanced
at my watch Twelve minutes had al.
ready passed
" 1 must leave you now, sire,' ex-
claimed, rising hastily, or my com
rade will be seeking me. Rest assured
that shall not prove unworthy of the
trust you nave deigned to repose in
me. But ! venture to advise your
majesty to discontinue your visits to
your sons apartments for the present
Should you desire to lay your com
mands upon me at any time, shall be
found at the French embassy
with these words | took a respect
ful but hurried leave of the ex-tsar,
who babe me cordial farewell.
Il rejoined Boris just as he was
about to set off and give the alarm
and was successful in putting a stop to
any questions on his part by a few
judicious words.
go am forbidden to tell you what
have discovered, said, with slightly
iocular air, but may tell you in con.
fidence that | think you must have
mistaken the son for the father Next
tina you intercept his majesty on a
midnight excursion, you will perhaps
be able to assign reasons of less
mysterious character for his visits to
the very charming bachelor apartment
which have just explored
THE young prince accepted this ex
PLANTATION readily enough, and it's effect
was confirmed the next day by the is
sue of an order disseminating the
guard in the gallery altogether. AS
have told you, all trace of the incident
quickly disappeared from the society
of st Petersburg. And at the end of
few weeks the unlucky page received
the honor of lieutenant's commission
IN regiment which happened to form
part of the garrison of Vladivostock
on the coast of the Pacific"
His excellency stopped, glanced at
the board, and made the move which
had been dreading for some time:
"Checkmate!'
But surely, l demonstrated as the
ambassador rose from his chair and
stretched himself, you heard some
thing more of this strange business?"
His face instantly became grave.
There is nothing more which | feel
at liberty to mention, even to you. Had
his majesty been still residing at the
winter palace, l should not have told
you the story He honored me so far
as to avail himself of my services in
providing himself with an asylum in