extraordinary mistake," said the conspirator, "and glad arewe to find you alive, when we thought you had been foully murdered."
"Murdered!" exclaimed Ivan, "what gave rise to such an idea?"
"On the morning succeeding the last night you were here, a person wasfound, not far from this spot, murdered, with several wounds in hisbreast, and his features so disfigured that it was impossible torecognise him; it was also said that there was nothing found about hisperson, by which he could be known. Rumour proclaimed you to be theunfortunate individual, and from your not again appearing among us, weconcluded that you had indeed been the victim."
"It is clear that we have been mistaken," said another conspirator,adding as he turned to Ivan, "Know you not that you have broken throughthe laws of our society, by absenting yourself without giving reason forso doing; it is for the safety of all, that the movements of everymember of our association should be known to the committee of direction.Remember, that the sword of vengeance hangs over the head of him whoshall turn traitor to our cause: secret, and sure will be thepunishment, from which the guilty cannot escape, sheltered even in thepalace of the autocrat."
"Gentlemen!" said Ivan, rising, "ready should I be to suffer a traitor'sdeath, were I so base as to betray the sacred--the noble cause in whichI am engaged. No time was allowed me to apprise you of my departure,when I was called away to attend a parent's death-bed. If such beconsidered a crime, I am ready to suffer; but rather let my actionsconvince you how true and earnest I am in the cause of liberty. You seeone before you now, ruined to all worldly prospects, and eager to assistin the work we have proposed. Let there be no further delay; we arealready strong in the numbers and resources of our friends. Let us atonce raise the standard of revolt against tyranny, and proclaim libertyto Russia, for sure I am that at the signal of deliverance, thousandswill hasten joyfully to join our ranks, and that ere long the Russians,having thrown off the yoke of slavery, may lift up their heads among thefree people of the earth." These sentiments were received with loudacclamations by the majority of his hearers.
"The youth speaks well," said one of the conspirators, rising; a violentand turbulent character, and a strong advocate for extreme measures;"but before we take the field openly, one great object must beaccomplished, without which all our future efforts will be vain. Willyou, who have so bravely spoken, undertake to perform that great, thatsacred work? It is no slight deed--it is full of peril; but if successattends your aim, it will cover your name for ever with a wreath ofglory. It is this: let me not hesitate to declare it; and let yours bethe high honour of ridding the country of its greatest oppressor; letyours be the daring hand to stab the unsuspecting tyrant to the heartwhile revelling in the fancied security of his power; for until thatfirst step be taken, naught else we can do will avail us!"
Ivan rose astounded, and indignant at the vile proposition; his feelingswere responded to by the greater number of the most influentialconspirators, at the same time that they were unwilling to damp the madenthusiasm of others, who hesitated not in proposing violent measures;such men being but necessary tools to work out their own more moderateviews.
"I came here," he said, with deep emotion, "to offer my sword to thesacred cause of liberty, and not to act the abhorred part of a midnightassassin; and cursed will be the cause which requires such means toensure its success. If such be the only resources by which liberty canbe gained for Russia, I here demand back my pledge; my oath forbids meto denounce any to the Emperor; but I will never associate with men, whocan even allow such a proposition to be made among them."
He spoke proudly and dauntlessly, and, having uttered these sentiments,was about to quit the assembly, when several of the conspiratorsgathered round him, endeavouring to calm his agitation and anger; whileothers regarded him with stern and lowering glances, ready to sacrificehim to their vengeance, should he shew the least sign of betraying them.
Though some manifested a slight opposition to his leaving the meeting,he was nevertheless allowed to depart, by his more intimate acquaintanceundertaking to answer for his fidelity.
Hot and eager discussions then arose, and many loudly stigmatised thevile proposition which had been made; though some still adhered to theiropinion, that they were justified in any deed that would forward thegreat end. The debate had increased in warmth, until the conspiratorsformed themselves into distinct parties, when a person rushed into theassembly, consternation and dismay marked on his countenance.
"My friends," he cried, "I have just made a discovery which places usall in imminent danger; for instead of Ivan Galetzoff, who was supposedto have been murdered, I find that it was the young Count Flatoff, whofell a victim to the dagger of an assassin, having in his possession theimportant dispatches for St. Petersburg, which he had undertaken toconvey thither. Nothing was found about his person, when his corpse wasdiscovered, so that there is every probability that the murderer haspossessed himself of the documents. Some of the Count's friends herehave been making inquiries for him, on finding that he had not set off,and it was thus I first suspected that he was the person found murdered.We are, therefore, completely in the power of whoever possesses thosepapers, for even the assassin himself would obtain pardon for the deedfrom the government, in return for the valuable information he cangive."
This announcement caused deep alarm among the conspirators, whoimmediately broke off their debate, to prepare for departure andseparation. But what was their dismay, when on emerging from thegarden, they found every avenue occupied by officers of police, and oneby one as the foremost appeared, were made prisoners. The rest, seeingthe fate of their friends, formed into a body, and made a desperateeffort to cut their way through the guards; some succeeding; but by farthe greater number fell into the hands of their enemies. Those who gotoff fled in all directions, pursued by the police, but very few escaped.
Volume 1, Chapter XIV.
The young Pole, Thaddeus Stanisloff, had been appointed to a regiment,destined to proceed with many others to join the army in the Caucasus,now quartered in Moscow on its way to the south. On the same day, thatIvan had been driven from the chateau of the Baron Galetzoff, he lefthis home to join his regiment; taking a farewell, which he felt mighttoo probably be the last, of his broken-hearted father, now rapidlydrawing towards his end, worn out by grief and sickness. He receivedalso the warm and cordial adieus of his generous and high-minded host.
Thaddeus, naturally light-hearted and gay, by the time he reachedMoscow, had forgotten the sorrow of parting, and was looking forward tothe pleasure of again meeting his friend Ivan, as, soon after dusk, herode through the streets towards the hotel where he expected to findhim; but was disappointed on hearing that he had already gone out. Heimmediately set forth on foot by himself, in hopes of finding him atsome of their usual places of resort, when, soon after leaving thehotel, the light of a torch falling strongly on his features, a smalland feminine figure, who was about to pass on, stopped to lookattentively at his face, and then addressed him in a timid and agitatedmanner. As she looked up to speak, the veil which had before concealedher face dropt on one side, and discovered the features of the Gipsygirl Azila.
"I meet you most fortunately," she said, "for you may be able to giveassistance, where it will be much required. Are you ready to meet agreat danger to assist a friend?"
"I should be unworthy to be called a friend, by any whom I shouldhesitate to aid, whatever the risk to myself," answered Thaddeus. "Butof whom do you speak?"
"Of your friend, Ivan Galetzoff! I have this moment been to his hotel,in the hope of warning him of an impending danger, with which I have butjust become acquainted. I could not trust any other with such acommunication to him; he has already gone out, and although I am toolate to prevent him from encountering danger, I may yet be able torescue him with your assistance."
"That, I will gladly give at every risk," answered Thaddeus. "But howam I to find him? Where is he, that I may hasten to his aid?"
"That, I may
not tell you," answered Azila; "but trust wholly in me, andI will place you where you may be ready to lend your assistance, ifrequired."
"I will trust entirely to your guidance," said Thaddeus.
"I knew that you were too noble to hesitate," rejoined Azila, in a deeptone of gratitude. "Let us then waste no more time here."
"Lead the way, fair lady, and I will follow," said Thaddeus.
"Have you your weapons?" she asked, "for they may be needed."
"Yes, I carry my sword under my cloak."
"That is well," said Azila; "and now, Sir, follow me closely, andpromptly, or we may be too late."
Azila, looking back for an instant, to see that Thaddeus followed, thenadvanced at so rapid a pace,