d 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2007 with funding from 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporajion 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/dmitritragicomedOObainrich 
 
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 c 
 
 
 DMITEI 
 
iroWal fiop<f)al tuv daifMovltov^ 
 ToWiL 5' d^XTTTWs Kpalvovffi deol, 
 Kal rb, SoKTjd^vT oiK ereXiadr], 
 Tuv d' ahoK'f}T(i)v irbpov ^vpe dedi, 
 Toidvd* dTri^T] rode Trpay/xa. 
 
 Euripides. 
 
D MI T EI 
 
 A TEAGI COMEDY 
 
 BY 
 
 F. W. BAIN, M.A. 
 
 FELLOW OF ALL SOULS COLLEGE, OXFORD 
 
 PEECIVAL AND CO. 
 KING STREET, COVENT GARDEN 
 
 ILotttiDn 
 
 1890 
 

 TO 
 
 MY UNKNOWN FRIENDS 
 
 OF 
 NOV. IV. MDCCCLXXXIX 
 
 945 
 
NOTE 
 
 Dead Words are but a sorry makeshift for action : 
 when they step out of their province and attempt 
 to express feeling, character, emotion, — poor 
 bunglers, they want an Interpreter. Like busy, 
 glibly chattering guides, they can only show us 
 round and round the outside of the cathedral, 
 gesticulating at the dull grey windows. Only 
 to Music is it given to open the door with her 
 skeleton key, that fits all locks, and let us in to 
 the glories of the stained glass. 
 
 Whoever, then, knows the twenty-second of 
 Chopin's Mazurkas, knows more than words can 
 tell him of the story of Marina ; and the Over- 
 ture to Bizet's Carmen is the ' Open, Sesame ! ' 
 to the fortunes of Dmitri. 
 
 I have only to add that the story is true. 
 
I 
 
 Vessentiel, dest la Ugende . . . 
 
 DOSTOIEFFSKY. 
 
* Nastasia ! ' 
 
 The shout rang out into the still afternoon, 
 startling a passing raven, which flapped hastily 
 away over the steppe. 
 
 ' Nastasia ! Nastasia ! ' 
 
 The door of the farmhouse suddenly burst 
 open, and an old man, obviously drunk, in a 
 dirty, slate-coloured smock, reeled out unsteadily 
 into the yard, kicking over unconsciously a trough 
 standing before the door, in which a meagre- 
 looking dog was feeding in a timid way, its tail 
 between its legs. Half a dozen fowls, who were 
 assisting the dog in his meal, fled clucking in all 
 directions. 
 
 ' Where can that devil of a girl be ? Nastasia, 
 where are you ? She's ofl" again ; plague take 
 the jade.' 
 
 B 
 
DMITRI 
 
 He staggered across the yard, and peered into 
 a dilapidated barn that did duty for a stable. 
 
 * The horse gone. I thought so ; ay, she's 
 after some young devil of a Cossack, I'll be 
 bound. Here, Osip ! Osip ! ' 
 
 A half- grown youth, picturesquely clad in 
 nothing whatever but a shirt, to which bits 
 of hay and dust were sticking, appeared 
 suddenly round the barn, rubbing his little 
 eyes with one hand, and carrying a bucket, 
 as though to mark his occupation, in the other. 
 He did not wait to be questioned, but said at 
 once, in a whining tone — 
 
 ' I heard the hoofs an hour ago ; she went 
 there' and he pointed towards Jitomir. 'She 
 always goes that way.' 
 
 ' And why didn't you tell me ? ' 
 
 * You were asleep.' 
 
 ' You were asleep, you mean, you lazy good- 
 for-nothing scamp. Look at that dog's pan 
 lying there upside down; you've been in the 
 loft sleeping, any one can see by your shirt. 
 I believe you would sleep all day if you could. 
 Don't stand there yawning; be off, and clean 
 up all that — at once, do you hear ? ' 
 
DMITRI 
 
 ' Curse that girl, the Tartars will teach her 
 to go scampering about one fine day ! Devil 
 take her, I'll make her hide smart for it.' 
 
 He turned and shufiled back into the house, 
 leaving the door open behind him. Osip 
 forthwith retired to his lair in the barn, and 
 was soon asleep again. The cur and the fowls 
 sneaked cautiously back, and resumed their 
 interrupted meal. The steppe was once more 
 quiet. 
 
 II. 
 
 The dying sun threw his yellow beams 
 over Volhynia, past the low range of hills of 
 the Ukraine, and lengthened the shadows cast 
 by the spires of Jitomir. A waving track 
 in the tall prairie grass marked the passage 
 through it of a traveller, as yet invisible below. 
 Presently he emerged on to the side of the 
 hill, and drew his rein for an instant, as he 
 turned to look at the scene. 
 
 His easy seat on horseback seemed out of 
 keeping with his dress, which was merely 
 that of the Kussian peasant — a coarse shirt, wide 
 
DMITRI 
 
 trousers, and big boots. His heavy brows, 
 square jaw — hidden by neither beard nor 
 moustache, for he was not more than two or 
 three and twenty, — and the calm of his grey 
 eye, gave an expression of great decision to his 
 face ; while his reddish hair seemed to contradict 
 the otherwise thoroughly Eussian thickness of 
 the nose and prominent cheek-bones. His 
 position disguised the fact that he was below 
 the ordinary height, though it accentuated the 
 extraordinary breadth of his shoulders. 
 
 His horse grew tired of waiting — while his 
 master looked over the country, apparently 
 more occupied with his own thoughts than 
 the beauty of the landscape — and began 
 cropping the grass. 
 
 Presently the young man came to himself 
 with a start, and began to gather up his rein. 
 
 ' Poor Natacha ; I wonder how she will take 
 it. She will manage. Anyhow, she must 
 get over it how she can. I daresay, perhaps, 
 she doesn't care so mry much about me, after 
 all. Yes, I must be off. I wish I hadn't got 
 to say good-bye to her; somehow, I wish it 
 was over. Well, it's got to be done. 
 
DMITRI 
 
 'After all, what fools we are. It seems so 
 absurd. The whole thing is simply — ridiculous, 
 impossible, mad. Yes, I believe I must be mad. 
 However, anything's better than this unen- 
 durable, idle, obscure existence. I am getting 
 like a cabbage. Yes, anything rather than this. 
 Well, Otrepieff shall decide.' 
 
 He kicked his horse, and went off at a gallop. 
 
 HI 
 
 Meanwhile, a mile away, in a little dell, 
 where, by one of Nature's happy accidents, 
 two or three trees combined with a dip in 
 the ground to form an arbour, as it were ex- 
 pressly designed for such idyllic uses, the 
 demon of impatience devoured the eager soul 
 of Nastasia. 
 
 She had been there two hours already. She 
 had come an hour before her time, but had not 
 bargained on waiting yet another hour after 
 it. Having tied her horse to a stump, first 
 she sat and waited. Then she frowned, tried 
 to sing, cried, and thought of going home 
 
DMITRI 
 
 again, but immediately reproached herself for 
 the thought ; counted the leaves on the near- 
 est trees, pulled a few flowers to pieces, and then 
 cried again. 
 
 Finally she jumped up, and had recourse 
 to a little country magic. Seating herself cross- 
 legged on the ground, she stripped off one by 
 one the young shoots of a fresh twig, crooning 
 to herself the while an old Lithuanian charm — 
 
 The young men of our town — are fair as the day, 
 But my young man — is fairer than they. 
 
 I went to Kaminietz — to the fair, 
 
 But among the dragoons — he was not there. 
 
 I went into — the meadows green, 
 
 But there my darling — was not to be seen. 
 
 Little lark, — that soarest on high, 
 Dost thou see — my beloved nigh % 
 
 Wind, wind, — that blowest so free. 
 Blow my darling — here to me. 
 
 Suddenly her horse whinnied. With a cry of 
 joy she broke ofi", and caught the sound of 
 hoofs rapidly approaching. The next minute 
 she threw herself into the arms of Dmitri. 
 
DMITRI 
 
 IV 
 
 She quite forgot to scold him for being late. 
 She clung to him in her delight as only a woman 
 very much in love can cling. 
 
 All at once she broke away : 
 
 * You don't love me now ; you don't kiss me 
 like you used to. Oh, Dmitri, and I love you 
 so much ! ' And she burst into tears. 
 
 Dmitri felt a twinge. But he said : 
 
 ' Little fool, you mustn't judge everybody by 
 yourself. I didn't know you thought so much of 
 a squeeze. But come, now you shall have one.' 
 
 He held out his arms, but she drew back. 
 
 ' No, you bad boy, you shall not touch me ; 
 you shall only look at me. And I'm worth 
 looking at to-day, Dmitri dear' — she smiled 
 coquettishly through her tears. 
 
 Dmitri, thus admonished, stood and looked at 
 her — her honest, expressive, loving eyes sparkling 
 half with joy, half with tears; her pale green 
 skirt, white shirt, and red embroidered bodice ; 
 her tiny feet in yellow boots ; and her dark hair 
 
DMITRI 
 
 surmounted by the hoJcoshnik, and braided with 
 strings of gold and silver coins — and felt that she 
 had but spoken the truth. 
 
 *Yes, Natacha, you are quite right; you 
 are far too pretty to go roaming about the 
 country by yourself. No, Natacha, there aren't 
 many girls hereabouts who could sit beside 
 you.' 
 
 ' What do you know about other girls here- 
 abouts ? You are not to talk of them. Dmitri,' 
 she suddenly said, coming back to him, 'where 
 are your nice red boots and things, and why are 
 you dressed like that ? You are not my Cossack, 
 in those horrid old rags ! ' 
 
 ' No,' said Dmitri, * I don't look very smart in 
 these clothes ; but make much of me, Natacha, 
 all the same, in spite of the horrid old rags. I'm 
 going away.' 
 
 ' Going away!' she almost screamed, clutching 
 his hand tight, and turning pale. ' What do you 
 mean ? ' And suspicions, hitherto latent, rose on 
 the instant into her heart. 
 
 * Natacha,' he began awkwardly, ' you re- 
 member, I told you before, I might perhaps — 
 that is, I should have to go away. I told you 
 
DMITRI 
 
 some one might summon me ; well, he has^ and I 
 shall have to go.' 
 
 ' To go ! ' Natacha's heart sank down, down, 
 away from her ; she leaned against him for a 
 moment, and her brain went round. 
 
 ' Where are you going ? Why must you go ? 
 Who has summoned you ? What are you going 
 to do ' 
 
 ' Stop, not so fast ; I can't tell you, Natacha, 
 what I'm going to do — I hardly know myself. 
 It sounds so strange. But I rmist go. I 
 promised OtrepiefF ' 
 
 * Ah, OtrepiefF, that horrible man ; so thais it ! 
 Well, you promised me too, and — don't go with 
 him, Dmitri. He has the evil eye ; he is a bad 
 man ; he scowled at me that day, — you will be 
 killed. Dmitri, Dmitri, you said you would 
 never leave me ! DorUt go, dori!t leave me 
 behind, — take me, take me with you. I can 
 ride and shoot ; I will dress like a Cossack too ; 
 I will be your groom. Do, do ; I will go any- 
 where ' She spoke with extraordinary 
 
 rapidity ; a ray of hope darted into her soul. 
 
 ' No, Natacha, you can't come. If you only 
 knew ; it's impossible — you would be in the way.' 
 
lO DMITRI 
 
 ' In the way ! ' Fatal word. She grew cold 
 and hard as a stone. Her suspicions became 
 certainties and throttled her. 
 
 * Ah ! you are tired of me, that's it ! In the 
 way — yes, you are right, I should be in the 
 way.' Her breast heaved. 
 
 ' Natacha, don't look like that. You won't 
 understand ' 
 
 * Yes, yes, I understand. It's all right ; I knew 
 it would come. You are tired of me. I felt it 
 before. I must go ; I must get home — it's 
 getting late.' 
 
 'Natacha!' 
 
 ' Good-bye ! ' She ran to the entrance, and 
 immediately ran back again. ' Let me look at 
 you ; here, let me look at your face. There, now, 
 you want to go ? Yes ! Don't speak, don't ! 
 
 Shall I ever see you again ? Shall I ever ' 
 
 She clutched his hand without knowing it, 
 despair in her eye ; while her energy left him 
 cold and awkward, and gave the proof to her 
 terrible suspicions. 
 
 All of a sudden she ran out, jumped on her 
 horse, and galloped away. 
 
 Dmitri followed her, irresolute and ashamed. 
 
DMITRI 1 1 
 
 and stood watching her till she disappeared in the 
 ocean of grass. Thus he remained a long while, 
 his eye vacantly fixed on her track in the prairie. 
 Finally he drew a long breath, untied his 
 horse, mounted, and rode away to KiefF. 
 
 The moonlight falls on the cold dark waters of 
 Dnieper, and one long tremulous silver streak 
 dances on the ripples. Across the stream, the 
 double hill of Kieff with its sleeping monastery, 
 a mingled mass of black and silver, juts up into 
 the sky. Between, the deep hollow is buried in 
 gloom. Here and there an isolated spark, the 
 scanty ray of some midnight lamp, peers out 
 into the night. 
 
 But all round the Kussian Jerusalem the red 
 fires of the pilgrims assembled together from all 
 quarters of Holy Eussia cast a lurid glow on 
 their moving figures, or throw them into strong 
 relief as they stand or sit in dark groups over the 
 plain. The low hum of innumerable voices — the 
 faint, mysterious, indescribable noises of a great 
 
12 DMITRI 
 
 multitude — falls on the ear. Above, the dark 
 blue vault of heaven, the silent, watchful, eternal, 
 unpitying stars. 
 
 In one of these groups, on the very bank of 
 the river, the flickering firelight falls on a tall 
 man in the habit of a monk, his dark face 
 wasted by privation or excess, his eye flashing 
 with the glitter of enthusiasm, as he holds his 
 circle of listeners spellbound with one of the old 
 legends of Eussia. 
 
 * And as I wandered at sunrise on the shore, 
 lo, I heard a sound coming from the sea. And I 
 looked seawards, and saw a bark, and at the 
 prow and the stern sat rowers, but their faces 
 were hidden in mist. And in the middle, all 
 shining in purple robes, stood the two sons of St. 
 Vladimir, the holy martyrs, Boris and Gleb. 
 And thus spoke Boris : " Brother Gleb, bid the 
 rowers make haste, for we must bring help to 
 our kinsman Alexander, the son of Yaroslaf.'^ 
 
 ' Then over me,' said the Finn Pelgousy, •' there 
 fell great fear and trembling. And as I looked, 
 behold, the ship vanished from before my eyes. 
 
 'Then when Alexander heard his story he 
 rejoiced, for he knew that the Lord and the 
 
DMITRI 13 
 
 Blessed Brethren were on his side. And he fell 
 on the pagans, and smote them with the edge of 
 the sword, and drove them back into the Neva, 
 and there was not one pagan left in the land. 
 And hence he is called Nevski, the hero of Neva, 
 to this day.' 
 
 The orator paused, his lips quivering, his 
 whole frame trembling with emotion. His 
 audience drew their breath, but remained silent. 
 
 ' There are no heroes now,' observed at length 
 a Bashkir from Tobolsk, whose face, like a ripe 
 walnut, brown and dirty, looked out from a nest 
 of furs — 'no heroes, now that Yermak is dead. 
 He was the last, but he is dead ; there are no 
 more.' 
 
 ' No heroes now ! ' cried the monk, and his 
 voice rose to a scream ; he threw up his arms, 
 and made a step nearer the fire. ' No heroes now, 
 and why ? Why ? Because the Russians have 
 forgotten their God, and lost their line of Kurik; 
 because they have a pagan and a Tartar for a Tsar, 
 who calls his Tartars into holy Russia and poisons 
 our Tsars; who sets fire to our houses, and brings 
 plagues and famines on the people. Why have 
 we famines ? Because God is angry with us, and 
 
14 DMITRI 
 
 SO He sends His famine to starve us to repentance. 
 Ay, it is Boris Godunoff the Tartar ; he is the 
 curse of Kussia. But the Lord will send a 
 deliverer. Ay, I tell you, the day shall come, 
 shall come soon, when a deliverer shall arise. 
 I have had a dream, and the Lord spoke to me : 
 " Behold, I will send my people a deliverer, even 
 as I delivered them of old by the hand of Dmitri 
 Donski, of the line of Eurik ; for ye think that he 
 is dead, but he shall come, and smite Boris, and 
 drive him out, and take possession." Yes, the 
 Lord spoke in a vision, and I tell you no lie. 
 Prince Dmitri is not dead, but shall come again, — 
 soon, Lord, soon ; let it be soon.' 
 
 He fell back exhausted, but his lips muttered. 
 The spectators moved uneasily. ' A shaman, a 
 great shaman,' murmured a converted Kalmuck, 
 who stood near. 
 
 ' He speaks truth ! ' exclaimed a pilgrim ex- 
 citedly ; ' 'tis the plagues and famines and the 
 evil Tsar, who has made the Eussians serfs, and 
 not free, and loves not the Eussian people.' 
 
 ' How should he love the Eussian people, Boris 
 Godunoff? ' sneered another ; * he is not of their 
 blood, nor their father; how should he love 
 
DMITRI 15 
 
 them ? But what means he, that Prince Dmitri 
 is alive ? ' 
 
 ' You must live a long way off,' rejoined the 
 first, ' not to have heard the rumour. They say 
 Prince Dmitri Ivanovitch is alive, and will soon 
 come to save the Eussians from the evil Tsar/ 
 
 * Why, he was killed at Uglitch — Boris poisoned 
 him.' 
 
 ' No, he did not,' put in the Bashkir eagerly. 
 ' My wife's father is a man of Pelim, and he was 
 at Uglitch when the Tsar Boris sent all the 
 people of Uglitch to Pelim, and he says no one 
 knows what the truth was, but that some say 
 Prince Dmitri escaped from Uglitch in a boat, 
 but did not die at all. And the evil Tsar tried 
 hard to find him to kill him, but could not, for he 
 had disappeared.' 
 
 The monk raised his head. 'No, he could 
 not. I, who stand here, I know. I am of 
 Yaroslav, and I was at Uglitch that same night, 
 and I came in a boat to Nijni-Novgorod. And 
 another boat passed us, rowed very quickly, and 
 they said it was the boyar, Ivan Mtislavski, 
 with his godson, Prince Dmitri, escaping from 
 the Tsar.' 
 
l6 DMITRI 
 
 * Yes/ said the Bashkir, with an approving 
 nod, * I heard that too. My wife's father ' 
 
 ' To-morrow,' observed the Kalmuck, ' we will 
 all pray to the blessed St. Antony of the holy 
 Catacombs to send us his help.' 
 
 *Much help you will get from dead men's 
 bones,' sneered a dirty-looking old Jew, who, 
 true to the custom of his race, was there for the 
 purpose of trading on a religious enthusiasm he 
 despised, and whose feelings for once got the 
 better of his caution. ' You had far better rise 
 against your evil Tsar yourselves.' 
 
 ' Dog of a Jew ! ' yelled the Kalmuck, ' do you 
 scoff at the holy saints ? Here, let us throw him 
 in the river.' 
 
 * Yes, yes, to the river ! ' shouted half a dozen 
 voices, and as many strong arms seized the 
 imprudent Jew and hurried him along. 
 
 * Holy Moses ! ' ejaculated the terrified son 
 of Israel. * Mercy, mercy! I meant no ill. 
 Mercy ! ' 
 
 There was a short scuffle ; but a moment more, 
 and he was lost. Suddenly a young man, who 
 had remained silent in the shadow behind the 
 monk, nudged him, saying, ' Otrepieff, help me ; 
 
DMITRI 17 
 
 this fellow may be useful to us/ and stepping 
 forward, seized the Jew on his side. 
 
 ' Enough, enough ; let the poor devil go. He's 
 nearly dead already with fright.' 
 
 Bigotry glared at him from the eyes of 
 the orthodox enthusiasts. ' Let go the dog, 
 or you shall go with him ! ' shouted the 
 zealous Kalmuck. 
 
 But the monk sprang forward. ' St. Antony, 
 St. Nicolas, and Our Lady of Kieff, what are 
 you about? Accursed Kalmuck, would you 
 poison the holy river with the body of an 
 infidel Jew ? Let him go, or I will blast you 
 with the black plague.' 
 
 The Kalmuck, proof against physical fears, 
 shrank back affrighted from the * shaman' and 
 his spells, muttering to himself; and the crowd 
 followed his example. The monk turned at 
 once, and left the fire at a rapid pace ; the young 
 man accompanied him, and the Jew, hastily 
 seizing a large bag that lay near, hurried after 
 his protectors. 
 
 kf' 
 
1 8 DMITRI 
 
 VI 
 
 ' Then you think the time's come, Grishka ? ' 
 ' Yes, yes ; the pear's ripe at last, now the 
 shaking the tree begins. This famine and plague 
 have done the business for the Tsar. I was at 
 Moscow three weeks ago ; people have been 
 dying there like rotten sheep. Since then I've 
 been up and down the country, spreading 
 rumours and seeing how the people feel, and I 
 tell you, they're ravenous, they simply gobble the 
 very idea of you. That fat Bashkir, now, last 
 night, — did you notice how he abused the Tsar for 
 bringing the plague, — well, all over Eussia it's just 
 the same. Yes, the moment's here ; we want 
 nothing now but a flag, a name, to rally round. 
 Why, the very name of Dmitri will flare up like 
 fire in the dry steppe ! ' 
 
 ' Last night, at any rate, the spell worked,' 
 said the young man; *why, Grishka, you sur- 
 passed yourself! Not a man there but would 
 have cut his throat for you. What an orator 
 you are ! ' 
 
DMITRI 19 
 
 ' Orator ! ' said Otrepieff, with a bitter laugh ; 
 ' ay, something like it. You'd be an orator if 
 you'd gone through all I have. Aha ! Boris 
 GodunofF, you've had your chance, but it's my 
 turn now. 'Twas a sly trick, fox that you are, 
 to get me to kill the Prince, and then put me out 
 of the way as well. Dead men tell no tales.' 
 
 ' 'Twas you killed me, then, really, Grishka ? ' 
 said Dmitri, with a laugh. 
 
 ' Ay, no one but Boris himself and I knew it. 
 He thought that would be the safe thing ; but 
 that's just what will be awkward for him. Who 
 saw him die? Why, no one. I daresay he 
 rubbed his hands, the old scoundrel, when he 
 thought how he'd do for me, and enjoy his secret 
 all to himself. They say he laughed when he 
 heard that Dmitri was dead. But 'twas 
 my turn to laugh when I dropped down the 
 river to Nijni-Novgorod, with Dmitri's seal and 
 diamond cross in my pocket. He thought he'd 
 easily get rid of the poor monk after the job was 
 done — did he ? It's twelve years ago, and I've 
 not wasted my time.' 
 
 He got up, and walked feverishly up and down 
 the room. ' Ah ! Boris Godunoff — Boris God- 
 
20 DMITRI 
 
 unofF, you shall pay for all you've done these 
 twelve years. No, I've not wasted my time. 
 Scoundrel ! you would give twenty years of 
 your life — dear life — to get back the last 
 twelve. Was there a fire in Moscow? ,did 
 the Tartars pour into Kussia ? did Fedor die ? 
 did any one die ? was there a plague, a 
 famine ? — there was the monk hurrying about 
 the country, laying it all to the door of the 
 Tsar — the evil Tsar, who kept the people hungry, 
 and poisoned the Russian Tsars. Ah ! dog 
 of a Tsar ! ah ! cur, you shall pay for it ! 
 Yes, give me a year, and Boris Godunofi" and 
 Gregory Otrepieff shall cry quits.' 
 
 His eye blazed with half-insane enthusiasm 
 as he walked to and fro. Dmitri watched him 
 quietly, but made no remark. 
 
 * Dmitri,' suddenly said Otrepieff, turning to 
 him, * you're my very life. You're the breath of 
 my nostrils. Why, your very look will be 
 enough ! For the last ten years I've told every 
 man in Eussia exactly what Prince Dmitri 
 Ivanovitch was like : not a man in Eussia but 
 will recognise you at the first glance. Every 
 soul in Eussia knows him by heart ; every soul 
 
DMITRI 21 
 
 in Kussia will swear to him/ — he laid his hand 
 on the young man's shoulder, — 'will swear to the 
 man who's got one arm longer than the other, 
 and two warts on his face, — one just under his 
 right eye, and the other on his left cheek. Pro- 
 vidence has been working for you all the time, 
 without your ever thinking of it.' 
 
 ' You are Providence, then, I suppose ; well, 
 it sounds good. But now, what's the first thing to 
 be done, Grrishka ? Pm ready. God ! I thought 
 I should have died in that cursed seminary at 
 Kieff before I learned to read and write, and 
 gabble a Latin word or two ! But it's all over 
 now — I can write like a priest; and, thanks to 
 you,' he added with a laugh, ' I know all about 
 my fine relations. But what's to be done first ? ' 
 
 * You'll do,' said Otrepiefi*. ' Yes, I was right. 
 Ever since I pulled you out of the burning house 
 at Bratslav, I knew you were the man for me. 
 But we're in luck. That dirty old Jew you 
 saved last night — he'll do for us to start with. 
 These Jews, they are mixed up in everything 
 in Poland. I've been talking to him ; I asked 
 him if he could get you a place as groom, or 
 something like that, to any grandee in Poland ; 
 
22 DMITRI 
 
 and it seems that Prince Adam Wisnowiski 
 owes him or his brother money. He said he 
 could get you into the Prince's suite. And 
 look you ! the poor devil is devoutly glad you 
 saved his life, and he's not so poor as he looks. 
 These Jews, they do everything in Lithuania. 
 They lend the nobles money, which they never 
 get paid back ; but no matter, they've plenty 
 more, and it's useful now and again to have 
 a friend at court. But whenever there's a 
 war the Jews gain, they don't mind seeing 
 the Christians cut each other's throats — not a 
 bit. It's death to the Christian, but it's the 
 Jew's living ; he makes shekels out of it all. 
 This Jew may do you a good turn, once we're 
 started ; in the meantime, here's his letter to 
 Prince Adam. Once you've got in with Prince 
 Adam, we can begin our plan. But we mustn't 
 lose time — not a moment; a month from to- 
 day you can begin. As for me, I'm off to rouse 
 the Cossacks. Send me word as soon as you 
 are established among these Poles — you can't 
 fail ; I know them ; the very idea of war makes 
 them wild with delight. Have you got the 
 jewels V 
 
DMITRI 23 
 
 ' Yes ; they're here.' And Dmitri laid his 
 hand on his breast. 
 
 ' Well, then, good - bye ; and good luck to 
 you!' 
 
 ' A moment, Grishka ; don't begin to rouse 
 the Cossacks till I'm in with the Polish nobles.' 
 
 ' In a month's time — a month will do.' 
 
 * Yes, perhaps. Very well ; in a month.' 
 
 'A month from to-day, then. Farewell, Prince 
 Dmitri Ivanovitch The Saints protect you ; 
 especially the holy brothers, Boris and Gleb,' he 
 added with a sneer. ' Good luck to you ! ' 
 
 He left the room. Dmitri remained, plunged 
 in thought. 
 
 'A Jew's letter, a signet, and a diamond 
 cross ; it's not much. What did the old black- 
 coat at Kieff say ? — " The game to the bold 
 player." It seems absurd. I must be mad, I 
 believe ! Otrepieff certainly is. No, I'm not 
 mad. Kind Saints I help your descendant, now 
 or never. Yes, the world would say I was mad. 
 But will they say so then — that is to say, if . . . 
 
 if.. ■ 
 
 And he went out. 
 
24 DMITRI 
 
 VII 
 
 The good people of Brahin rushed out of their 
 houses as Prince Adam Wisnowiski and his 
 brilliant train clattered through the main street, 
 amidst the tooting of horns and shouting of 
 huntsmen, on its way back to the castle. Pro- 
 ceeding at a smart trot, the cavalcade turned 
 suddenly to the right just outside the village, 
 and in two minutes passed under the arch- 
 way into the courtyard of an old Lithuanian 
 clfidteau. 
 
 The Prince leapt off his horse and threw the 
 reins to a page. ' Bem ! ' he shouted to the 
 chief huntsman, ' look to Matthias, poor beast. 
 That second bear nearly tore him to pieces. 
 I wouldn't lose him for all Courland!' And 
 he ran up the steps, his face wearing the satisfied 
 expression of the fortunate sportsman. 
 
 As he hastily crossed the hall, a valet, bowing 
 obsequiously, stopped him. * My lord, the 
 Eeverend Father Sismondi has been waiting 
 these two hours till your lordship returned. 
 
DMITRI 25 
 
 He says his business is of the greatest im- 
 portance/ 
 
 Bring him up, man/ said the Prince, *at 
 once. I shall be in the Jagello Gallery.' 
 
 Five minutes later a domestic ushered the 
 confessor into a long gallery adorned with 
 portraits of the dynasty of Jagello, whence it 
 took its name. 
 
 ' Well, Father!' exclaimed Wisnowiski, ' what 
 is the matter ? You seem disturbed.' 
 
 ' My lord,' said the confessor, taking the seat 
 to which the Prince motioned him, * the news I 
 bring is so extraordinary that I hardly know 
 how to begin. You have lately, I believe, 
 engaged a new groom ? ' 
 
 * Ay, Jablonsky ; what of him ? He didn't 
 come out to-day. I understood he was ill.' 
 
 ' Sire, as I said, the matter is so strange that 
 I can scarce find words. Did you observe the 
 young man ? ' 
 
 ' I did not see anything particular in him,' 
 said the Prince. * I left him to Bem, who 
 examined him; and as he reported him well 
 suited for his post, I engaged him without 
 further inquiry.' 
 
26 DMITRI 
 
 ' Prince Adam,' said the Jesuit, ' the young 
 man — I am afraid you will think I am raving, 
 but there it is, — the young man has revealed a 
 secret of such importance that, though I am not 
 new to the confessional, I must confess nothing 
 like it has ever come to my ears before. And 
 though, by the rules of my Order, I am bound to 
 bury everything in my breast, I prevailed on the 
 young man to let me tell your lordship all about 
 it at once.' 
 
 * Out with it, man ; why all this preamble ! ' 
 
 ' Well, sir, this young fellow claims to be 
 the rightful Tsar of Muscovy.' 
 
 ' Why, he must be out of his mind ! ' 
 
 ' That's what I thought, but he seems sane 
 enough. Still, that was my first thought — my 
 first, I say, because I own I'm half inclined to 
 think there's something in what he says.' 
 
 ' What, man ! How in the name of all the 
 Saints can he be the Tsar of Eussia ? ' 
 
 ' Rightful Tsar,' said Sismondi. ' Your lordship 
 knows, of course, that some ten or twelve years 
 ago Prince Dmitri, the third son of the Terrible, 
 was done to death at Uglitch.' 
 
 ' Ay, so they said ; the story was, that Boris 
 
DMITRI 27 
 
 Godunoff made away with a life that stood be- 
 tween him and the throne.' 
 
 ' The very point. Well, the young man your 
 groom asseverates, very positively, that he is him- 
 self that same Prince Dmitri, who was said to 
 have been murdered, but was, on the contrary, 
 by the grace of Heaven, miraculously preserved.' 
 
 ' A likely story, on my word ; why, Sismondi, 
 you, an Italian, do you mean to say you are his 
 dupe ? ' 
 
 'My lord, I think I'm as little wont to be 
 gulled as most men, but Heaven's ways are 
 strange ways, and this is a strange affair alto- 
 gether. Believe me, there's no trick in one way : 
 certain it is, this young fellow is no groom. His 
 manner and bearing would do credit to any court 
 in Christendom. Then he can read and write ; 
 speak Latin as well as Kussian and Polish ; is well 
 informed on Eussian history and affairs ; and has, 
 he says, certain papers and jewels which will 
 leave no doubt of his identity.' 
 
 Violently excited^ the Prince bounded from 
 his seat, and ran to the door. 
 
 * Here, one of you ! ' he shouted to the servants 
 waiting outside, 'go and fetch the new groom. 
 
28 DMITRI 
 
 Jablonsky, at once. We'll sift this to the 
 
 bottom, on the instant, Father. By , if 
 
 there was anything in it, it would be no laugh- 
 ing matter for Boris Godunoff. They say the 
 Muscovites hate him worse than the Tartars.' 
 
 ' So they do,' said Sismondi ; ' the Muscovites 
 are waiting for a deliverer like the Jews for their 
 Messiah, and news like this would put the whole 
 country in a blaze. The young Prince — if it 
 were indeed the Prince — would be a tremendous 
 weapon in the hands of King Sigismund, and, if 
 properly handled, the thing might be of great 
 service to Holy Church, which sorely needs the 
 help of Providence at this moment.' 
 
 ' By the white eagle of Poland — why. Father, 
 we should hold the Muscovites in the hollow of 
 our hand ! Will the man never come ? Why ' 
 
 The door opened, and Dmitri entered the 
 room. 
 
 YIII 
 
 In his eagerness, the Prince made a step 
 towards him ; but before he could speak, Dmitri 
 began : 
 
DMITRI 29 
 
 ' Prince Adam Wisnowiski, I know why you 
 have sent for me, and I know too that you are 
 prepared to think me out of my senses. I see 
 that Father Sismondi has told you all; but I 
 hope I shall be able to make good all my 
 claims by substantial proofs, and convince you 
 that I am no impostor. Ask me what ques- 
 tions you choose — I will satisfy you. I desire 
 nothing better than that you should put me to 
 the test.' 
 
 His appearance, and the calm assurance with 
 which he spoke, though he was very pale, pro- 
 duced a far stronger effect on the Prince than 
 his words ; so true is it that beauty is the best of 
 all recommendations. So powerful an argument, 
 indeed, was his bearing, that Wisnowiski — hardly 
 knowing how to address a man who was at once 
 his groom and the claimant to a throne — remained 
 silent and half in doubt. The Jesuit came to his 
 rescue. 
 
 ' Young man,' he said, * I have communicated 
 to Prince Adam the revelation you made me. 
 He is naturally anxious to have the truth of the 
 matter. You spoke to me of proofs in your 
 possession — jewels and papers — which would 
 
30 DMITRI 
 
 establish your identity ; it is incumbent on you 
 to lay them at once before the Prince/ 
 
 'Twas well for Dmitri at this moment that he 
 had triple brass around his heart. It swelled 
 within him almost to bursting when he saw, by 
 the attitude they adopted towards him, that his 
 story was half credited. A false step — a hesita- 
 tion — an expression of delight — a bad actor — 
 would have ruined all. He was equal to the 
 emergency. 
 
 ' Prince,' he went on, ' I chose you for the 
 first repository of my secret, because report spoke 
 of you as one of whose honour and generosity 
 there was not a doubt. Who but myself can 
 know the shrinking and the qualms that seize on 
 me at this moment ? Even as I speak I feel half 
 an impostor, so long is it since I have done any- 
 thing but think of my secret in my inmost self. 
 But I now see I was right. In your hands I am 
 safe. I did well to come to you. The proofs I 
 have are many, but I will even now give you 
 more than words.' 
 
 He opened his coat at the neck, cut with a 
 knife a cord, apparently long worn, and handed 
 to the Prince two jewels. 
 
DMITRI 31 
 
 * When my preserver, a monk of whom I will 
 tell you more, carried me secretly down the 
 Volga from Uglitch on the fatal night, he did 
 not forget to bring with him something that 
 should help me to assert my rights in better 
 days. This diamond cross was the gift of my 
 godfather. Prince Ivan Mtislavski. And this was 
 my signet, in the days when Dmitri was not as 
 yet a fugitive from the palace of his fore- 
 fathers.' 
 
 The Prince mechanically took the jewels, but 
 did not look at them. He stood for a moment 
 meditating, and then raised his head : 
 
 * Where did you steal these jewels, you 
 scoundrel, and what do you mean, coming here 
 with these miserable stories ? Are you mad ? or 
 do you take me for a fool, that you try to palm 
 yourself oflf upon me as the Tsar of Muscovy in 
 this rough and ready fashion ? But we'll see if a 
 good flogging won't cure you of all these fine 
 pretensions.' 
 
 Dmitri drew himself up scornfully. 
 
 ' I half expected this,' he said, as if to himself 
 ' Yes, I should have known. . . . Give me back 
 my tokens. Prince Adam . . . and consider 
 
32 DMITRI 
 
 me once more as your groom. Yes, I am mad 
 — stark mad, ever to have supposed I should 
 get a hearing for my story. But forget it, 
 forget it ... I am nothing but your groom, — 
 and as to the flogging ' — he laughed in derision 
 — 'do what you please. Flogging! God in 
 Heaven ! what is a flogging to the agony of 
 torture I suffer at being spurned as a cheat and 
 a lying blackguard ? Pish 1 man ; you speak as a 
 fool, — but I forgot, I am your groom. Very well, 
 let it be the flogging.' 
 
 He turned to go, his breast heaving, and his 
 eye flashing with indignation and contempt ; but 
 he was interrupted by Wisnowiski, who swore an 
 oath which made his confessor jump. 
 
 ' Beg pardon. Father,' he said ; ' I will do 
 penance for that oath another time. Prince 
 Dmitri, accept my sympathy, and with it all the 
 assistance that Adam Wisnowiski, an unworthy 
 descendant of Jagello, can give you. Forgive 
 me, when I say I was prepared to consider you 
 an impostor ; but after what you have said, and 
 I have seen, I can do so no longer. No, the 
 very devil himself couldn't act like that. How 
 angry you were, Prince ; what an insult it was 
 
DMITRI 33 
 
 to doubt your word, — so you thought I spoke as 
 a fool ? Ha ! ha ! not quite such a fool as you 
 thought, ha ! ha ! To-morrow my brother is 
 coming here, and in a few days I will carry 
 you to Sandomir, and afterwards introduce you 
 to King Sigismund. I think I may say that I 
 will ensure you a favourable hearing. I've heard 
 people say a good deal about you, but I hardly 
 thought you would be reaZ, till to-day. But 
 well talk about it again. Father Sismondi, be 
 so good as to inform the Princess I will shortly 
 present to her a royal fugitive. Will you honour 
 me, Prince, by making use of me in the mean- 
 time — my purse is at your service. I am not 
 without influence among my countrymen. I 
 shall always consider it a great honour that you 
 thought me most worthy of your first con- 
 fidence ; you did well ; yes, I think you will 
 find your choice was wise.' 
 
 Dmitri bowed. At that moment, had his life 
 depended on it, he could not have uttered a 
 single word. 
 
34 DMITRI 
 
 IX 
 
 In a luxurious room in one of the many mag- 
 nificent palaces which adorned the Polish capital, 
 Cracow, there sat, late one evening, or rather, 
 early one morning, in 1603, some dozen young 
 nobles, talking, laughing, and betting eagerly on 
 a game at piquet which was going on between 
 two of them. The door opened, and a young 
 man entered abruptly, dressed in the very height 
 of the fashion — the fashion of France under 
 Henry IV, — to wit, in light blue silk trunk 
 hose and doublet, slashed with black, a dark 
 green velvet shoulder-cloak, and a black hat 
 blazing with jewels, and adorned with a white 
 eagle feather. 
 
 ' Iwanicki ! ' shouted half a dozen voices at 
 once. ' Hurrah 1 where have you dropped 
 from ? ' 
 
 ' Just back to-night from Sandomir, gentle- 
 men,' said Iwanicki quietly, as he gave his hand 
 to one after another. 'I've been staying with 
 Konstantin Wisnowiski at Jalojicz. Put up 
 
DMITRI 35 
 
 your cards, you two, and come all of you and 
 listen. I've news that will stop all cards for all 
 of us for a long time to come, and for some of us 
 for ever/ 
 
 ' Fire away with it then/ 
 
 ' Guess,' said Iwanicki, as he settled himself 
 in a chair and took a pull at a cup presented 
 by the host. 
 
 ' Oh, Sigismund's turned Protestant ? ' 
 
 ^No.' 
 
 ' Snake worshipper, then ? ' 
 
 ' Something far more wonderful than that.' 
 
 ' Pooh ! man. What could be, unless the dead 
 were to come to life again ? ' 
 
 * But that's just what has happened.' 
 
 ' What do you mean ? ' 
 
 Iwanicki lay back and enjoyed his triumph. 
 
 ' Did you ever, any of you, hear of that 
 business at Uglitch about Prince Dmitri ? ' 
 
 ' What ! the fellow that Boris Godunoff mur- 
 dered ? ' exclaimed a young noble called Pac. 
 
 'The son of the old devil incarnate, Ivan 
 Vassilovitch ? ' added Niemkiwicz. 
 
 ' The same. Well, he's come to life again.' 
 
 'He hasn't.' 
 
36 DMITRI 
 
 'Fact, gentlemen. Adam Wisnowiski found 
 him at Brahin.' 
 
 The young men looked at one another. 
 
 'Look here, Iwanicki, you're joking; this is 
 one of your old tricks/ said the host, one SoltikofF. 
 
 ' No, mine host, not this time ; it's as true as 
 my name's Boleslas.' 
 
 'But how do you know it's really Prince 
 Dmitri ? ' asked Pac. 
 
 'Why, it's a long story, but it's certain enough. 
 He told it all to Adam's chaplain, who told it all 
 to Adam. You must ask Adam for particulars. 
 Then he's got a lot of jewels, signets, and things 
 of that sort ; and he gives a very good account 
 of himself; knows all about Eussia; knows 
 everything he ought to know — in fact, Adam's 
 mad about him.' 
 
 ' Has he got a long beard ? ' ' Is he anything 
 like those awful ambassadors that turn up here 
 every now and then, like bundles of old bear- 
 skins ? ' ' Have you seen him ? ' 
 
 ' Seen him ! Why, IVe been living with him 
 for the last fortnight. Adam brought him to 
 Jalojicz, and the moment he arrived, one of the 
 servants — an old Kussian fugitive — without 
 
DMITRI 37 
 
 being in the secret, recognised him at once by 
 the marks, and called him Prince Dmitri.' 
 
 ' What are the marks ? ' 
 
 * Oh ! he's got a couple of big warts on his 
 face, and one arm a good deal longer than the 
 other. Then we went on to George Mniszek's 
 place at Sandomir, where he was recognised again 
 by an old soldier who was taken prisoner at 
 Pskof, and saw him ten years ago at Uglitch/ 
 
 ' I suppose he's rather a barbarian — queer fish, 
 isn't he ? ' 
 
 ' Barbarian ! — queer fish ! — gentlemen , ' said 
 Iwanicki. ' He's a cut above all of us here, let 
 me tell you. He's got the finest manner I ever 
 saw, wears the clothes Adam finds for him as if 
 he'd never been out of purple and fine linen all 
 his life.' 
 
 ' He must be the real chap,' said Soltikoff 
 decidedly. *None of this canaille can wear 
 clothes. Can he ride ? ' 
 
 ' Eide ! I believe you. Kides like a Cossack ; 
 shoots, hunts — does everything. He saved my 
 life the other day.' 
 
 ' Saved your life 1 ' 
 
 ' Why, we went bear -hunting : I caught in 
 
38 DMITRI 
 
 some bushes, and the bear got me : the Prince 
 dashed in with his spear, and did for Master 
 Bruin all by himself.' 
 
 'Come now, what carit he do?' queried 
 facetiously a rather heavy-looking young man. 
 
 'Well, I doubt if he could see your jokes, 
 Chlopicki.' 
 
 ' One for you, Chlopicki,' said Pac, amidst the 
 general laughter at the disconcerted Chlopicki. 
 
 ' And I tell you what,' added Iwanicki, ' the 
 women are all mad about him. I didn't get a 
 chance with Marina Mniszek. She wouldn't look 
 at me; her eyes are all for the Kussian fellow. 
 A little bird sang in my ear we should hear more 
 about that business, though.' 
 
 'Get out, Iwanicki, you're laying it on too 
 thick. He must be an Apollo if he can cut you 
 out, with your great black eyes.' 
 
 'Laugh away, you disbelieving Jews; only 
 wait till you see him, but don't laugh at him, for 
 he's a handy man with his weapons, let me warn 
 you. He's coming here next week, and he's 
 going to put up with me. And I tell you what 
 — there'll be a war with Kussia. He's going to 
 make it hot for Boris Godunoff.' 
 
DMITRI 39 
 
 There was a cheer from every throat in the 
 room. 
 
 ' Hurrah 1 ' ' How splendid ! ' 'A war ! ' 
 
 ' Gentlemen ! ' yelled the host, leaping on the 
 table, ' bumpers ! bumpers all round to Prince 
 Dmitri and the war with Russia ! ' 
 
 ' The new Tsar ! ' ' Prince Dmitri Ivano- 
 vitch ! ' * Dmitri for ever ! ' ' The war ! — the 
 war ! ' 
 
 X 
 
 The gardens of Prince George Mniszek, 
 Palatine of Sandomir, stretched down along 
 the banks of the Vistula. Leaning against the 
 trunk of a large weeping willow that hung over 
 the river, Dmitri — the same, yet how different, 
 in his magnificent suit of dark crimson velvet, 
 from the Dmitri of but a month ago, — Dmitri 
 gazed at the new horned moon, and pondered on 
 his situation. 
 
 ' How well you knew the hot-headed Poles, 
 wise Otrepieff ! How well you foresaw their eager 
 enthusiasm ! The month is out ; by this time 
 he will be flying about, playing with his cunning 
 
40 DMITRI 
 
 tongue on the excitable Cossacks. Yes, I think 
 I can count upon a few thousand Cossacks. 
 Can he have got my letter ? Yes ; he must, 
 anyhow, have heard of me by now — they have 
 made noise enough about me! I wonder why 
 I get no answer from that wily old villain, 
 Kangoni! I can't do anything without his 
 help. They say he does what he likes with 
 King Sigismund. What does he mean to do, I 
 wonder ? Yes, I must get the Jesuits on my side ! ' 
 
 ' What's that ? ' 
 
 He drew back into the shadow as light steps 
 and the rustle of dresses sounded on the walk. 
 A pair of young ladies presently appeared on 
 the bank, the shorter carrying a lute, and seated 
 themselves on a stone seat which looked out over 
 the water, close by Dmitri's lurking-place. 
 
 ' What is Orlando doing, Marie ? ' said the 
 taller girl to her companion with the lute. 
 
 ' Oh, he's talking politics with papa in the 
 library ! We are safe for hours. Look, Lise, at 
 that great black thing in the water, bobbing 
 about. Isn't it like a man's head ? ' 
 
 * Oh, never mind that ! let's talk about 
 Orlando.' 
 
DMITRI 41 
 
 ' Whom do you mean ? ' 
 
 * Why, the prince, of course ! There's a man 
 for you ! Isn't he handsome, Marie ? ' 
 
 ' No/ said Marie ; ' he's not ! ' 
 
 ' Hoighty-toighty ! how critical we are — all 
 of a sudden. I say, Marie, how would you like 
 to be Tsarina of all Muscovy ? ' 
 
 The kind night hid Marina's blushes. ' How 
 silly you are, Lise ! What do you mean ? ' 
 
 * Oh yes ! ' said the malicious Lise. ' What do 
 you mean f A city that is set on a hill cannot 
 be hid, you know.' 
 
 ^Lise!' 
 
 * Do you know, Marie, how the Tsar chooses 
 his wife ? He has all the girls in Muscovy 
 collected, and then they are penned up like 
 sheep in folds, and gradually sorted and thinned 
 out by expert critics — just like a Turkish beauty 
 market, — and the most beautiful of all becomes 
 the Tsarina.' 
 
 ' Don't be so absurd, Lise ! ' 
 
 ' It's not absurd ; it's true ! ' said Lise. 
 * Count Iwanicki told me all about it the other 
 day ; and the Kussian ambassador told him 
 last year. But you needn't be afraid, Marie ; 
 
42 DMITRI 
 
 you would get the prize anywhere — the future 
 Tsar would give you the apple 1 ' 
 
 ' Dont, Lise ! ' 
 
 ' Look, Marie, sing something ! I feel very 
 sentimental to-night.' 
 
 ' I can't, Lise ; not to-night.' 
 
 * Why did you bring your lute, then ? Oh, coy 
 little bird ! Sing — sing something ! I daresay 
 the Muscovite prince will be lurking somewhere 
 near ! — you'd better sing ! ' 
 
 * Lise ! ' exclaimed Marie again. 
 
 There was a pause, and presently Dmitri 
 heard her low, but very sweet voice, accompanied 
 by an occasional chord — 
 
 I found in a dream, in the land of dreams, 
 
 A silver shore : 
 A blue, blue sea, with ivory ships 
 
 All studded o'er. 
 And there, on the beach, my hand might reach 
 
 On a green tree 
 (Be bold ! be bold !) pippins of gold, 
 
 Fair to see. 
 
 I stretched out my lily-white hand, 
 
 That fruit to grasp : 
 I saw not under the treacherous leaves 
 
 The lurking asp. 
 
DMITRI 43 
 
 The golden cheat as I did eat, 
 
 Into my heart 
 (Ah, fool !) pierced the cruel, 
 
 Poisoned dart. 
 
 Vainly I seek that land of joy, 
 
 The fairy sea ; 
 Nothing now but the aching heart 
 
 Eemains to me. 
 Far from home, exiled I roam^ 
 
 In vain ! in vain ! 
 Never more to stand on the shore — 
 
 Never again ! 
 
 As she sang the last words her voice quivered, 
 the lute dropped from her hands, and she burst 
 into tears. 
 
 ' Why, Marie ! Marie ! Dear heart ! what is 
 the matter ? ' 
 
 ' I don't know, Lise. I feel — I've a presenti- 
 ment — something is going to happen ! ' 
 
 ' Foolish child ! ' said Lise kindly. ' You 
 shouldn't sing these mournful ditties, you sus- 
 ceptible little thing ! — they get on your nerves. 
 Wait here a moment ; I'll go and bring my 
 smelling-bottle. Don't move. I won't be a 
 minute.' 
 
 She rose and tripped away. 
 
44 DMITRI 
 
 XI 
 
 As her footsteps died away on the path, 
 Marie rose and took a step nearer the river. 
 
 * Oh, Dmitri, Dmitri ! why did you come here ? 
 What have you done to me ? Why shouldn't I 
 jump in and end it all ? He doesn't care one 
 bit for me. And then to think of his going 
 away to Kussia, and fighting, and never coming 
 back again. It's too awful, I wish it had been 
 me, and not Count Iwanicki, the bear had seized ! 
 But then Dmitri might have saved me.' She 
 smiled through her tears at the inconsistency. 
 ' Oh, why wasn't I a man ? ' 
 
 Could this be the proud and light-hearted 
 Marina Mniszek — the Barbara Allen of Polish 
 society — for whom the young Polish nobles 
 sighed in vain ? 
 
 Dmitri watched her a moment from his 
 ambush; he marked her lithe figure in its 
 full brocaded skirt and thin waist, her white 
 throat surrounded by a huge ruff, against 
 which her pretty head and golden hair stood 
 
DMITRI 45 
 
 out irresistibly, and then emerged from the 
 shadow. 
 
 ' One person, at least, is glad you are not a 
 man,' he said, simply. 
 
 Marina gave a little cry. ' Prince — Dmitri ! ' 
 
 ' Forgive me for interrupting your reverie' 
 said Dmitri. ' I caught sight of you from the 
 terrace, and came down. Aren't the stars bright 
 to-night ? ' 
 
 Marina gradually mastered her confusion. 
 
 ' I met a queer fellow last year,' went on 
 Dmitri, with a smile. * He was something in 
 my line — an exiled prince. Gustav, I think, was 
 his name. He ought to be King of Sweden, if he 
 had his rights. He told me a lot about the 
 stars.' 
 
 ' Oh yes ! Prince Gustav Ericson,' said 
 Marina. ' I know about him. I've seen him 
 at Wilna. He came to Court once.' 
 
 'Well, he was a great astrologer. He cast 
 my horoscope. It was an odd one.' 
 
 As he spoke, a shooting star ran over the 
 sky with a trail of light and disappeared. 
 
 ' There ! ' said Dmitri. * Did you see it % 
 That says it all ; that's just what he said.' 
 
46 DMITRI 
 
 ' Oh, Prince ! ' 
 
 Dmitri looked at her upturned face, white in 
 the moonlight, and read in it the expression, 
 never to be mistaken — the look, half timidity, 
 half fascination, which a girl, head over ears in 
 love, but who is not sure of her love being 
 returned, always wears when she looks at her 
 idol. With the subtle intuition of genius he 
 grasped the whole situation, divined her character, 
 and pitched on the right thing to be done. 
 
 ' Marina ! ' he suddenly said; ' I'm a wandering 
 fugitive. It may be that I never get back to the 
 throne of my ancestors. Pish ! throne of my 
 ancestors ! — what rubbish I Look ! I will trust 
 you with my secret. I am not Prince Dmitri at 
 all — I am only an adventurer, but I was born 
 under a lucky star, and I feel I shall win my 
 game. I love you, Marie. Will you cast in your 
 lot with me ? ' 
 
 She gazed at him for a moment, speechless 
 with astonishment. The blow, metaphorically 
 speaking, felled her to the ground. Then she 
 threw herself into his strong arms with a sound 
 that might have been a laugh or a sob, and wept 
 like a child on his breast. 
 
DMITRI 47 
 
 Five minutes later, Lise, returning with the 
 smelling-bottle, came to the conclusion it was 
 not wanted, and went softly back again. 
 
 XII 
 
 Over an oaken table, at the end of a long 
 panelled room, sat Sigismund, King of Poland 
 and Sweden. Eound the walls rose long tiers of 
 huge theological quartos and folios, not, as now, 
 left undisturbed in their decorative repose, but 
 frequently consulted by their royal owner on 
 controversial points. A taper burned in one 
 corner of the room before a huge image of the 
 Virgin — the only ornament of the library, save a 
 great full-length portrait of Catherine Jagel- 
 lonica, who seemed to look down on her well- 
 beloved son with perpetual sympathy and 
 approval. 
 
 The King was poring over a memorial recently 
 received from His Holiness Pope Clement YIII, 
 dealing with the difficult question as to how to 
 recover the lost influence of the Catholic Church 
 in Sweden. The clock struck eleven, and as he 
 
48 DMITRI 
 
 raised his head he was aware of a gentleman 
 usher who had appeared through a curtain at 
 the other end of the room, and was waiting till 
 the King's eyes should fall on him. 
 
 ' Well, Chardon, what is it ?' 
 
 *Your Majesty, the Papal legate wishes to 
 know when your Majesty could see him on a 
 matter of great importance.' 
 
 ' Show him in at once/ 
 
 Of all the foreign ambassadors the Papal 
 legate alone had the power of interviewing the 
 king in private ; and this, like most events more 
 or less passed over in histories, had a decisive 
 and fatal influence on the fortunes of Poland. 
 
 A minute afterwards, a dark, smooth-shaven 
 man of middle height, with a keen, quiet glance, 
 entered the room with the stealthy step noticed 
 as peculiar to the Jesuit of that age — the palmy 
 day of their Order. 
 
 ' Good day, Rangoni,' said the King. ' I can 
 guess what brings you : this strange afiair of the 
 Russian Prince.' 
 
 The legate bowed. 
 
 ' I don't know quite what to think of it,' said 
 Sigismund. 'I have been waiting eagerly for 
 
DMITRI 49 
 
 your arrival. But already the pretender has 
 turned the heads of half Poland with his story 
 — whether true or false, I own I find it impossible 
 to say.' 
 
 'Your Majesty does well to suspend your 
 judgment in the matter. It becomes us to 
 consider the point with other heads than those 
 of inconsiderate and hot-headed boys. Your 
 Majesty remembers the saying, that the Poles do 
 nothing but fight and hunt. A story like this 
 carries them away.' 
 
 ' Well, Rangoni, but it's not only the young 
 men, but even old and experienced counsellors 
 have declared their belief in him. Zamoisky, 
 certainly, laughs at the whole affair ; but then, 
 as you know, he is apt to run counter to the 
 accepted view on other matters as well.' 
 
 ' Sire,' said the Jesuit, looking down at his 
 feet, ' I will not deny that the pretender — shall 
 I call him — has the face of things on his side. 
 1 have had many letters from him. My agents 
 at Sandomir and elsewhere have watched him 
 closely at odd moments when he little suspected 
 it, and they all report his bearing to be erect and 
 honourable, and fully equal to his assumed 
 
50 DMITRI 
 
 character, save that he manifests a greater 
 readiness to be his own valet than is common 
 with Polish nobles, which may be excused ' — the 
 Jesuit added with a smile — ' in virtue of his 
 acquired habits during his long exile. But, to 
 be quite plain, we are statesmen, and it is not 
 enough to examine the ab&tract justice of his 
 claim. I would not advise your Majesty to 
 further his schemes, even if he were in truth 
 what he says, merely on that account alone ; nor 
 again would I recommend your Majesty to cast 
 him off absolutely, even though he were a 
 palpable impostor. The question for us is — How 
 does policy point ? And I will frankly tell your 
 Majesty that, all things considered, the young 
 man's appearance at the present critical moment 
 seems little less in my eyes than a direct favour 
 of Providence.' 
 
 ' Go on, Eangoni,' said the King, as the Jesuit 
 paused; 'tell me what you think about it' 
 
 * Your Majesty is aware that recent events have 
 tended in no small degree to discredit the cause 
 of the Church in many ways. It is not only 
 that in France the sacred name of Catholic is 
 played with by artful politicians as a stalking- 
 
DMITRI 5 1 
 
 horse for their own worldly advantage, and the 
 principle of toleration with heretics, which is 
 nothing else than a compromise with error, 
 openly proclaimed ; nor do I merely refer to 
 the unfortunate course of events in Sweden' 
 (Sigismund winced), 'though recent despatches 
 inform me that the rebellious heretics propose 
 shortly to raise Duke Charles of Sudermania to 
 the throne. These are certainly grave matters ; 
 yet far worse than these is the spirit of internal 
 discord which has appeared in Spain, especially 
 within our own Order of Jesus. I need not 
 remind your Majesty of what is so well known 
 and deeply lamented already. But further, in 
 spite of all the efforts we have made and 
 are still making to further religious unity and 
 concord in those very Polish provinces of the 
 Holy See, your Majesty cannot but be too well 
 aware that hitherto — we speak in private — the 
 Union of the Catholic and Greek Communions in 
 Lithuania and elsewhere has been little more 
 than a phrase — nay, has even promoted new 
 discords/ 
 
 ' It is too true ! ' sio^hed the Kinor. 
 
 'Further, your Majesty knows well,' con- 
 
52 DMITRI 
 
 tinned Rangoni, ' that the attempts of His 
 Holiness, when legate in Poland, and even 
 those of Possevin and Comuleo, to further the 
 cause among the Muscovites, were notable only 
 for their failure. Now, this is the conclusion 
 of the whole matter. Could we prevail on 
 this young man to give us assurance that he 
 will consider himself an instrument in the hands 
 of Holy Church, it will be well worth our while 
 to further his claims by all the means in our 
 power.' 
 
 ' I am quite of your mind, Eangoni,' said 
 the King. ^Yes, you are right. You speak 
 my own thoughts.' 
 
 The Jesuit bowed. ' Your Maj esty will observe 
 it is of no moment to us whether or no he be or 
 be not what he claims to be. Heaven sends us 
 an instrument which we must not reject, but 
 rather use for promoting the honour and glory 
 of God. It might even, I venture to think, be 
 to the ultimate advantage of both Poland and 
 the Church that the youth should be entirely 
 dependent on Polish aid for his success. Then, 
 as it is probable this will get him disliked by 
 his subjects, I see no reason why Poland might 
 
DMITRI 53 
 
 not, with luck and skill, acquire more than a 
 voice in Muscovite affairs ; for the race of their 
 Tsars is extinct, and the puppet we have erected 
 we might easily pull down again.' 
 
 ' True, Eangoni,' said the King thoughtfully. 
 
 'But we must be very cautious,' pursued 
 the legate, ' and avoid, above all things, giving 
 offence at first to the prejudices of the Muscovites. 
 The young man shall make private abjuration 
 of his Greek errors in my house ; for to proceed 
 too openly at first would set the Muscovites 
 against him, and spoil our game. We will take 
 surety from him for his future conduct in 
 writing.' 
 
 ' The Palatine of Sandomir,' said the King, 
 ' has actually asked my leave to marry his 
 daughter to the future Tsar.' 
 
 The legate pondered a moment. ' There 
 is no particular harm in that. Perhaps, even, 
 if we managed it well, it might be yet another 
 hold on him. Your Majesty knows the Italian 
 proverb — die a compagno a padrone f We 
 must further stipulate that he shall allow his 
 wife and her train free exercise of their religion 
 in Muscovy. Yes ; it seems to me that this 
 
54 DMITRI 
 
 would be a further gain — with little risk save 
 to Mniszek and his daughter's private reputation.' 
 
 There was a pause. 
 
 ' Then you think/ said the King, ' that, pro- 
 vided the young man give good security for his 
 conduct, we should do well to further his 
 designs ? But we are in treaty with Boris 
 Godunoff.' 
 
 * That can be managed/ said Eangoni. ' His 
 Holiness, I do not doubt, would give absolution 
 for the non-fulfilment of a treaty with a heretic, 
 where the interests of the Church are so nearly 
 concerned. But it will be better for your 
 Majesty to permit volunteers to offer themselves 
 for the youth's service, without publicly sanction- 
 ing his enterprise. And it will do no harm to 
 get some hot blood out of the way ; for your 
 Majesty is aware that these nobles are getting 
 very turbulent, and may, unless an outlet is 
 found for their factious fuU-bloodedness, cause 
 much trouble at home.' 
 
 ' Very good, Eangoni,' said Sigismund. * Let 
 me know anything further that occurs to you on 
 the subject. In the meanwhile I will think 
 over the matter, and should I hear nothing from 
 
DMITRI 55 
 
 you to make us change our plans, I will, in a 
 few days, take steps to put what you advise 
 into execution.' 
 
 The legate bowed and withdrew. 
 
 XIII 
 
 ' Look out, sir ! Oh, it's Oginski ! ' 
 
 ' Sapieha ! ' 
 
 ' The very man ! Where are you off too ? ' 
 
 ' Oh, nowhere in particular ! And you ? ' 
 
 ^ To Soltikoff 's. Come along with me. Have 
 you seen Prince Dmitri ? ' 
 
 ' No ; not yet.' 
 
 ' Then are you going to Iwanicki's to-night ? ' 
 
 ' Yes ; of course he'll be there ? ' 
 
 ' Oh yes ! and every one else too.' 
 
 * I say, some people think all this is a fraud.' 
 
 ' Who do ? ' 
 
 ' Oh ! Zamoisky and all his lot.' 
 
 ' Zamoisky's a old fool ! He's fear- 
 fully spiteful because he didn't find Dmitri 
 himself! He's at daggers drawn with the 
 Wisnowiskis, and thinks everything's bound to 
 
S6 DMITRI 
 
 go wrong if he hadn't a finger in the pie. Why, 
 man, the whole world believes in the Kussian 
 fellow except the old fool Zamoisky, — even the 
 Jews and the Jesuits ! ' 
 
 ' Jews and Jesuits ! ' said Oginski. ' Then 
 he's bound to be all right. He must be a 
 crafty man, too ! ' 
 
 ' I tell you, he's all right. Besides, what the 
 devil does it matter who he is, so long as we're 
 sure of a smack at the Muscovites % All the 
 same, what do you think I was told'? ' 
 
 ' What ? ' 
 
 ' That he is a son of our old Stephen Battori 
 — har sinister, you know.' 
 
 ' By the Lord ! ^ said Oginski, * that's best of 
 all. Why, ril put money on him, if he's got 
 that old bear-driver's blood in him ! ' 
 
 ' Put it all on ; he's good enough. Look at 
 Iwanicki ! how thick he is with him. You don't 
 catch Iwanicki tripping ! But here we are. 
 You won't come in ! Well, bye-bye — see you 
 to-night.' 
 
 * Alt revoir ! ' 
 
DMITRI 57 
 
 XIV 
 
 Count Boleslas Iwanicki's great hall blazed 
 with lights of all colours. Dinner was just over, 
 and two hundred gentlemen of the best blood 
 in Poland were each contributing his mite to 
 the Babel of voices which precedes the speeches 
 after a banquet. Servants and waiters in 
 gorgeous liveries bustled about, handing wines 
 of every known description. Flags waved above 
 their heads, and the ancestral Iwanickis looked 
 down from the walls at festivities such as they 
 had themselves long ceased to assist at, save as 
 impartial spectators. 
 
 At the top of the hall, in a huge carved 
 chair on the dais, sat the gay and popular 
 young host ; on his right hand the guest in 
 whose honour the flower of the Polish nobility 
 were assembled. 
 
 Suddenly, a clattering of drinking cups ab- 
 ruptly stopped the conversation, and on one 
 side of the chief table Prince Konstantin Wisno- 
 wiski rose to propose the health of the host. 
 
58 DMITRI 
 
 Loud and prolonged applause inaugurated his 
 speech. 
 
 * Gentlemen of Poland ' \loud cheers], ' it is 
 my pleasing task to propose the health of our 
 generous host — Count Boleslas Iwanicki/ [Great 
 cheering.] ' I will begin by saying he is an 
 honour to his descendants — his ancestors, I 
 mean.' [_Great laughter and cheers.] * I'm sure 
 we all feel very much obliged to him for his 
 hospitality, and all envy him the honour which 
 is his to-night, of feasting the future Tsar of 
 Russia.' [Furious applause.] ' Gentlemen, I 
 will not enlarge upon a subject which will be 
 handled presently by speakers far more able 
 than myself.' [_No ! no!] *But, as one who 
 was immediately concerned in introducing Prince 
 Dmitri to Poland, I will make but a single 
 observation. After all we have heard and seen, 
 I'm sure no one will require any further proof 
 that Prince Dmitri is really and actually him- 
 self.' [_No !] ' But there's a thing just happened 
 which is worth knowing, gentlemen, as being a 
 strong confirmation of all we have already heard.' 
 [Deep silence.] ' The usurper, Boris Godunoff ' 
 [groans'] — ' the usurper, Boris, has just ofi'ered 
 
DMITRI 59 
 
 my brother and myself large bribes — large sums 
 of money and estates — to deliver up the person 
 of the man styling himself Prince Dmitri 
 Ivanovitch to his custody. Gentlemen, it 
 seems to me, Boris is getting uneasy, when he 
 takes that method of ridding himself of an 
 awkward apparition like the Prince.' \_Roars of 
 applause, during which Wisnowishi resumed his 
 seat.'] 
 
 A pause, and then a second clattering inter- 
 rupted the renewed buzz of conversation. Just 
 as Iwanicki was about to rise, a servant touched 
 his arm. ' A courier from the frontier, my lord, 
 for Prince Dmitri.' 
 
 ' Bring him in, just as he is ! ' exclaimed 
 Iwanicki. 
 
 A whisper went round the room. ' What is 
 it ? ' ' What's the matter ? ' In the silence the 
 courier entered, and walking up along the whole 
 length of the hall, handed some despatches to 
 Dmitri. He opened them, glanced at them, 
 and handed them to Iwanicki with a whisper. 
 Almost immediately Iwanicki rose. 
 
 ' Gentlemen : I am too much flattered by the 
 complimentary terms applied to me by Prince 
 
6o DMITRI 
 
 Konstantin. I thank you with all my heart — 
 both for myself, my ancestors, and my de- 
 scendants, when I have any, — for your kindness 
 in honouring my poor board. But you kill two 
 birds with one stone, gentlemen ! I feel quite 
 sure that every man here to-night is prepared to 
 do his utmost in the cause of justice and Prince 
 Dmitri.' \FrantiG cheers.^ ' By your leave, I 
 will read you an extract from the despatches just 
 handed to me by the Prince.' \_Silence.l^ ' Gentle- 
 men, thus says Boris the Tsar : " The Tsar has 
 been informed that in Lithuania a certain rascal 
 has been styling himself Prince Dmitri, son of 
 Ivan, of Uglitch. The said rascal is none other 
 than a certain runaway monk named Gregory 
 Otrepieff, son of Bogdar, captain of Strelitz" 
 Boris goes on, gentlemen, to describe the 
 imaginary wanderings of this runaway monk, 
 speaks of his diabolical craft, and so on. But I 
 will not inflict upon you all the flowers of the 
 pseudo- Imperial rhetoric. Then he winds up : 
 '' The renegade, quitting his frock, came to 
 Sandomir, and gave himself out to be the 
 Tsarevitch, and there are numbers of people 
 ivho have been taken in by the imposture'' 
 
DMITRI 6 1 
 
 Ay, numbers of people ! Too many, I fancy, 
 gentlemen, for the peace of mind of Boris 
 GodunofF.' [Thunders of applause.'] 'But, if 
 numbers have been taken in, there is one whose 
 life has been saved by the apostate/ [Roars of 
 applause.] ' Now, gentlemen, did any of you 
 ever come across a monk, or a Jesuit, who would 
 kill a bear single-handed, and save your life 
 at the risk of his own ? ' [Frenzied cheers.] 
 ' Gentlemen, the health of the renegade monk, 
 and success to his cause I ' [Deafening applause, 
 and down sat Iivanicki in triumph.] 
 
 Every voice was hushed, and every eye bent 
 on Dmitri, as he rose to reply. He let his 
 glance travel slowly over his eager audience for 
 a moment, and then spoke in a firm voice. 
 
 ' Nobles and gentlemen of Poland, I shall not 
 even try to describe to you the multitude of 
 emotions which well-nigh prevent me from 
 speaking at all. I shall only say that, to all 
 of you and to each of you, Dmitri is bound 
 by a personal obligation which he can never 
 hope to repay as it ought to be repaid. 
 
 ' Gentlemen, if there is any one of you here 
 who still retains a doubt or scruple ' [none ! 
 
62 DMITRI 
 
 none /] ' as to my identity, or that wishes any 
 point cleared, I shall be only too happy to 
 furnish him with all the information I can give 
 him, if he will come to me and ask for it. I 
 am always to be found at the house of one 
 whom I am proud to call my friend — Count 
 Boleslas Iwanicki. But I will just say one 
 word here now. You all heard how^ eager Boris 
 Godunoff is to gain possession of the monk 
 Otrepieff. Gentlemen, I am indebted to the 
 monk Otrepieff for my life. 'Twas he that 
 brought me down the Volga from Uglitch 
 on the fatal night when all thought I was 
 murdered, and 'tis he that has preserved me 
 up to this moment. Whatever I am and shall 
 be, I owe to him. He has not, for ability or 
 fidelity, his equal in the world. During the 
 last ten years he has been a thorn in the side 
 of the usurper Boris, who has made every 
 effort, but unsuccessfully, to get him into his 
 power. Even at this moment he is flying from 
 house to house, and from province to province, 
 arousing the enthusiasm of my faithful subjects 
 for their lawful prince. 
 
 ' Gentlemen, I am tiring you.' \Go on I go 
 
DMITRI 63 
 
 on /] ' Well, I will give you but one trait in 
 the character of this Boris GodunofF. "When 
 I was at Uglitch I had a buffoon, of whom I 
 was very fond. This became known to Boris, 
 whose spies were always around me. He accord- 
 ingly commissioned his agent, one Bitiagovski, 
 to get rid of my buffoon. They burst in upon 
 me one evening, and hacked the poor buffoon 
 to mince-meat as he clung to me for protec- 
 tion. One of the ruffians cut me with his 
 sword on the forehead. Gentlemen,' said Dmitri, 
 as he raised the hair on his temple, while a 
 very peculiar smile showed itself on his face, 
 ' here is the scar still. But deeper, and more 
 indelible than the scar is the memory of that 
 scene. 
 
 ' Gentlemen, I have done. I am at this 
 moment a helpless fugitive. It is in your power 
 to hand me over to the usurper. I can but 
 throw myself on your protection. But should 
 Fortune smile on me — and how should she not, 
 aided by the arms of the gallant Poles ? — I hope 
 one day to be able to show, otherwise than by 
 words, to the friends of Dmitri that they were 
 also the friends of the Tsar of Kussia.' 
 
64 DMITRI 
 
 The effect was terrific. The nobles leaped 
 on their chairs and yelled like madmen for 
 Dmitri, till the old hall might verily have 
 shaken on its foundations. Again and again 
 the cheers were renewed with fresh outbursts, 
 and nearly a quarter of an hour elapsed before 
 the commotion subsided. 
 
 But among all that tumultuous assembly 
 only one man kept his head. Only one man 
 knew and felt, as he gazed coolly, but with a 
 beating heart, at the wild enthusiasm he had 
 raised, the distance that lies between the w^arm 
 creative thought and the cold and tardy execu- 
 tion. That man was Dmitri himself. 
 
 XV 
 
 ' Well, Prince, how do you feel this morning?' 
 said Iwanicki gaily, as he entered Dmitri's room 
 on the following day. 
 
 ' Oh, I'm all right ! ' said Dmitri with a smile ; 
 * and you ? ' 
 
 'Excellent, though we certainly kept it up 
 after you left. Sorry you couldn't sta}^ last 
 
DMITRI 65 
 
 night, though I daresay you were wise, too. 
 Doesn't look well for the great man to exceed. 
 Besides, you left just at the right time. Prince, 
 you are an orator. Never heard anything like 
 that speech. You've made every man in Poland 
 your slave.' 
 
 ' I hope not, Count.' 
 
 * Look here. Prince. May I give you a bit of 
 advice ? ' 
 
 ' Why, of course ! ' 
 
 ' Well, then, strike while the iron is hot. We 
 Poles, you know, are fiery devils, but it soon 
 passes off. Be warned by me, and get away 
 to the frontier as soon as you can. If you wait 
 a month, something will turn up, and we shall 
 be cold again.' 
 
 ' That's exactly my own view. Count. I'm 
 longing to begin. But there are one or two 
 things I must do first.' 
 
 ^What?' 
 
 'Well, I must sign the marriage contract 
 with Mniszek. Look, here's the rough draft. 
 It's odd, isn't it; here am I, without an acre, 
 giving away whole provinces by the handful. 
 Marina's to have Novgorod and Pskof That 
 
66 DMITRI 
 
 won't matter, as she comes to me as soon as 
 I'm there myself. But here's more — Smolensk 
 and Severia for King Sigismund and the Palatine 
 of Sandomir — between them.' 
 
 Iwanicki drummed on the window with his 
 fingers. ' H'm, Prince, you don't mind my 
 speaking plainly ? ' 
 
 'Not a bit.' 
 
 'Well, then, George Mniszek's a grasping 
 old bankrupt. He's only using you to recoup 
 his own desperate affairs.' 
 
 *Let him, by all means. It does me no 
 harm at present.' 
 
 ' Well, what else is there ? ' 
 
 'Well, then, I must abjure and become a 
 Catholic' 
 
 ' You had better do that quietly.' 
 
 ' Eight ; but they will have it. Sigismund 
 makes a point of it. It will be very secret, 
 just to satisfy the legate.' 
 
 * These Jesuits, devil take them ! ' exclaimed 
 Iwanicki ; ' they are sapping Poland. Sigismund 
 will find out that before long.' 
 
 ' Well, then. King Sigismund gives me 
 public audience next week. And after that 
 
DMITRI 67 
 
 I say good-bye to Marina and to you, and off 
 I go.' 
 
 * Not to me — I'm coming.' 
 
 * You don't mean it ? ' 
 
 ^ Mean it ! What do you take me for ? Do 
 you think I'm going to stay cooped up here 
 at home ? No ; I'm going to be one of your 
 subs. General/ 
 
 * Iwanicki, there will be danger. Boris is 
 strong yet.' 
 
 ' Don't insult me, General.' 
 
 Dmitri grasped his hand. ' Come, Count, 
 that's like a friend. I didn't like to ask you, 
 but I'm as glad as if you were a whole army. 
 You shall live to see Fm not ungrateful, if I 
 ever,' he added, turning away, *get back to 
 my father's throne.' 
 
 Iwanicki looked at him with a comical 
 expression, which would have startled Dmitri 
 not a little if he had noticed it. 
 
68 DMITRI 
 
 XVI 
 
 Now over tlie wide flat plains of Russia, 
 from Dnieper to Volga, from Novgorod to Kazan, 
 flies Rumour with her hundred tongues, crying 
 aloud, Dmitri is found! Woe to the evil Tsar! 
 Prince Dmitri is coming to free his people from 
 the hated Tartar! Everywhere in town and 
 village excited knots collect and discuss the 
 wondrous news. Expectation is on tiptoe ; the 
 liberator is at hand. Where is he? Who has 
 seen him ? 
 
 Who shall venture to describe the creation 
 of a popular legend ? 
 
 From the hill at Nijni-Novgorod, from which 
 the old city, with its fortified Kremlin, looks down 
 on the two rivers and the marshy plain beneath, 
 a motley crowd of every nationality and dress 
 might be seen thronging the booths, whose long 
 straight rows cover the triangular space between 
 the rivers, the Volga and the Oka. There, 
 jostling one another, were Finn and Russian, 
 Pole and Tartar; there Armenian and Persian 
 
DMITRI 69 
 
 elbow Kalmuck and Ostiak. There appears the 
 local white tunic with the scarlet border, the 
 close-fitting brown frieze or flowing many- 
 coloured caftan, the striped trouser and bright 
 petticoat, the fur cap and the turban, green, 
 black, or white, jumbled together in kaleido- 
 scopic permutations. Life in all its bustling 
 brilliant variety outside, and all its dirty uni- 
 formity inside, tosses up and down, to and fro, 
 like the sea, under the sweltering sun of July. 
 
 An eager group encircles the booth of the 
 butcher Minin, and hot argument debates the 
 question of the hour. 
 
 * I saw him — I saw him with my own eyes ! ' 
 exclaimed a dirty, excited Cossack. ' I saw him 
 at Kiefi-.' 
 
 ' What was he like ? ' asked the butcher. 
 
 ^ He was a short man, with a dark face, and 
 his right arm was longer than the other.' 
 
 ' That's him !' exclaimed one or two bystanders. 
 * Yes, it is the Prince.' 
 
 ' How can it be the Prince, when he died at 
 Uglitch ? ' observed an Armenian, who listened 
 attentively to the conversation. 
 
 ' He never died ! ' cried a tall peasant. ' I am 
 
70 DMITRI 
 
 of Uglitch. I know all about it. The holy Saints 
 protected him/ 
 
 ' How should you know ? ' said the Armenian 
 scornfully. 
 
 * They could not find him ; the Tsar lied. I 
 was in the crowd. I saw the body ; it was not 
 the Prince.' 
 
 * And what has he been doing all these years, 
 then ? ' 
 
 * He became a monk/ said a little Eussian 
 from Kylsk. ' He wandered in the steppe. He 
 stayed at the monastery at Novgorod-Severski ; 
 but they did not know him.' 
 
 * But he left a letter — a letter in his cell,' put 
 in another. 
 
 ' He was never a monk,' sneered the Cossack. 
 *He was a Zaporogue. I saw him myself. I 
 fought by his side — our hetman knows — Gheras 
 Evangel knows, — by his side, I tell you.' 
 
 *A Cossack! he, the Prince!' ejaculated the 
 little Eussian. ' Why, my brother saw him in 
 Volhynia ! He was not a Cossack' 
 
 ' Well, anyhow, he is in Poland now,' said the 
 Cossack. ' I shall go to Kieff, and fight for him. 
 We'll soon do for the Tartar Boris.' 
 
DMITRI 71 
 
 ' Why did he go to the Lyakhs ? ' said Minin ; 
 ' the pagans. ' Why didn't he come to his own 
 people ? ' 
 
 * He will. He couldn't at first. Boris would 
 have caught him and poisoned him.' 
 
 * I don't like the pagans in Kussia,' went on 
 Minin, shaking his head ; ' they will bring no 
 good. Better the Tartars than these accursed 
 Lyakhs.' 
 
 ' Pooh! ' said the Cossack. * Let Prince Dmitri 
 Ivanovitch only come, — then we can drive out 
 the pagans and the Tartar Boris, and then we 
 shall be able to drink brandy cheap again.' 
 
 'And be able to change our masters again,' 
 added a moujik, ' when the scoundrel of a Tartar 
 is dead and gone.' 
 
 xvn 
 
 On the banks of Dnieper, a score of miles 
 above its outlet into the bad Black Sea, the lone 
 and level steppe stretches out its dreary, marshy 
 waste. A land of pool and morass, of swamp 
 and snipe, wild duck and heron ! Here the 
 
72 DMITRI 
 
 bravest of the Cossacks, the Zaporogues — the 
 * dwellers below the Falls/ — had their fortified 
 camp, or Sizca. Hither came every bold spirit, the 
 man of all nations, or of no nation, to cast in his 
 lot with the sons of adventure, and take his 
 chance in a wild uncertain gamble, carelessly- 
 staking life daily against death or booty. Here 
 the crafty Armenian and ubiquitous Jew plied 
 their trades and drove their bargains, equally 
 flourishing whether Fortune blessed or cursed 
 their free-handed and freebooting customers. 
 
 Here, in the great square, surrounded with 
 log huts and gaudy booths, pushes and struggles 
 a living sea of bandits, who pour from all quarters 
 into this open-air assembly-room of the free and 
 lawless Zaporogues. For the drums have beaten 
 to summon the general council of war ; the booths 
 are deserted ; the turbulent warriors pick them- 
 selves up, drunk or sober, from the streets where 
 they loll or sprawl, awake or asleep, at full inde- 
 pendence all day long when nothing is doing ; 
 and singing, yelling, quarrelling, press densely 
 round the tribunal from which their chief or 
 hetman is to harangue them. 
 
 Thus for a while they struggle and roar. 
 
DMITRI 73 
 
 Suddenly a grizzled, weather-beaten old Cossack 
 springs on the platform, and his appearance is 
 greeted with a wild outburst of 'Korela! Korela!' 
 which at first drowns all attempts on his part to 
 make himself heard. Kepeated waving of his 
 horse's tail, the emblem of his office, at length 
 produces a lull. 
 
 * Zaporogues, great news ! great news ! Are we 
 to sit idle here till our knees are stiff and our hair 
 is gray? Who longs for booty, glory, or the death 
 of a hero ? Let him listen to the valiant Otrepieff ! ' 
 
 Amidst furious shouts of ' Korela ! ' he 
 descends, and a tall man in the habit of a 
 monk takes his place. 
 
 ' Korela ! Korela ! ' 
 
 Through the uproar the monk vainly en- 
 deavours to gain a hearing. A Cossack leaps 
 up and tries to hurl him from his position. 
 The monk, seizing his antagonist fairly by the 
 middle, tosses him with a prodigious heave 
 on to the heads of the nearest shouters, and 
 raising his voice to a scream, addresses them — 
 
 * Noble Zaporogues, a word ! How long will 
 you sit like women, babbling and squabbling 
 with Jews, while your life runs on, and the 
 
74 DMITRI 
 
 rust chokes the barrels of your guns, and locks 
 the sword to the scabbard ? No women in your 
 camp % Why, you are all women ! Your voices 
 are loud, but your arms are soft.' 
 
 The crowd surged to and fro, but the din 
 grew less ; for his recent feat and his powerful 
 figure commanded their attention. 
 
 The monk tore from his bosom a young 
 raven, and tossed it into the air ; it flew 
 rapidly away to the north. 
 
 ' Zaporogues, mark the bird. See how it 
 hastens to the north ! Why ? — it smells blood. 
 Zaporogues, which of you remembers Dmitri 
 Ivanovitch ? Which of you fought under Gheras 
 Evangel ? ' 
 
 'IV 'And I!' 'And I!' roared fifty voices. 
 
 ' Zaporogues, a Cossack — one of yourselves 
 — wants help. He is marching against the evil 
 Tsar — the Tartar Tsar — who despises the 
 Cossacks and steals their brandy. Does any one 
 want brandy ? Does any one want gold ? What ! 
 Will any one stay behind when a Zaporogue 
 wants assistance against a vile Tartar ? Will you 
 let a brother -in -arms fall, for want of a few 
 brave comrades to fight at his side ? 
 
DMITRI 75 
 
 ' Zaporogues, do you know who you will fight 
 for ? Some say he is Prince Dmitri Ivanovitch, 
 the son of old Ivan the Terrible, who has come to 
 claim his rights, and drive away the Tartar Boris. 
 And some say he is a son of Stephen Battori, who 
 gave the Zaporogues their hetman and their 
 privileges. And he asks your help against the 
 Tsar. Will you let him fight alone, without a 
 comrade ? Will you sit at home when the 
 eagles are collecting for a feast ? ' 
 
 Here he began to sing, in a kind of chant, an 
 old Cossack war-song. 
 
 * Over the mountain, lo ! a cloud, a cloud 
 rises ! It rises, it thunders ! The lightning 
 flames over the Ukraine. 'Tis the Cossacks, the 
 valiant Zaporogues. Hark ! the drums beat, 
 the horses neigh, the guns roar like the wind on 
 the ocean. 
 
 ' I see a crowd ! I see the flash of the 
 steel. The blood flows like a river into the 
 Dnieper ! Ah ! the raven will croak ! — the 
 raven will croak ! — flying over the steppe — 
 flying over the steppe ! The cuckoo will mourn 
 in the grove ; the grey hawk and the swift eagle. 
 Hark ! they shriek for their brethren — the 
 
76 DMITRI 
 
 Cossacks — that fear not the charge of the enemy ! 
 Where are they ? Has the whirlwind buried 
 them ? Has hell swallowed them ? They are 
 gone on the steppe ! They are no more seen 
 on the plain ! Hark ! how the raven croaks ! 
 See where the white bones cover the earth, and 
 the long hair clotted with gore lies stripped from 
 the bare skull ; there sits the black magpie — 
 dark bird of ill omen ! Have they gone, these 
 warriors ? Ay ! but what have they gained ? 
 Glory, glory is theirs ! Glory and eternal 
 renown in the songs of the Cossacks — the songs 
 of the warriors that fear not the enemy.' 
 
 ' Hurrah ! hurrah ! ' screamed the excited Cos- 
 sacks. ' Hurrah for the ravens and the glory!' 
 And a thousand voices took up the chant. 
 
 ^ Zaporogues ! ' shouted Korela, bounding up 
 on to the platform again, ' to-morrow we will 
 start. Away with fine clothes and brandy 
 pitchers — no more drinking and carousing. A 
 curse on the man who deserts his comrades 
 in the hour of danger, and fails at the roll- 
 call ! ' 
 
DMITRI 77 
 
 XVIII 
 
 At length the momentous day arrived on 
 which. King Sigismund had graciously declared 
 his intention of according to the fugitive Eussian 
 Prince a public audience, and making known 
 to him what attitude he would adopt to his 
 claims. 
 
 The ante-chamber of the royal reception hall 
 was thronged with Polish nobles, who pressed 
 around Dmitri in the greatest excitement ; for, 
 though it was pretty generally known that 
 the King was favourably disposed to him, yet 
 it would make a vast deal of difference whether 
 he should merely recognise his position, or 
 actively further his schemes with money and 
 troops. Dmitri himself preserved his calm, 
 and maintained a uniformly dignified and 
 reserved demeanour, but his more ardent sup- 
 porters eagerly canvassed the chances, and 
 speculated on the probable results of the timid 
 character of the King. 
 
 ' Money and troops, my dear sir ! ' Iwanicki 
 
78 DMITRI 
 
 was saying ; ' how little you know our excellent 
 monarch, Soltikoff. No, no ; in a case like 
 this, trust me for it, fine words and prayers 
 will be his little game. Eecourse must be 
 had to the spiritual arms of faith, which 
 moves mountains, and perpetual fervent prayer. 
 Why ' 
 
 The buzz of conversation suddenly broke 
 off, as the door opened, and a master of 
 ceremonies summoned Prince Dmitri, and 
 ushered him into the presence of the King. 
 
 As the door closed behind them, the hum 
 of voices again arose. 'What will he say?' 
 
 * Who's in there \ ' ' No one but the old fox 
 Rangoni and the King.' * I wonder what Sigis- 
 mund will say ? ' 
 
 * Pooh ! what does it matter what he says ? ' 
 went on Iwanicki, rather too loud, to the asker. 
 
 * I should think the Poles don't want Sigis- 
 mund's leave to fight when and for whom they 
 choose.' 
 
 'Your tongue runs fast. Count,' replied the 
 Chancellor, who caught his words. * You should 
 know better than to speak slightingly of your 
 King. Who honours the King honours himself.' 
 
DMITRI 79 
 
 Before Iwanicki could reply, the door opened 
 again, and Dmitri reappeared. 
 
 'Well, what said His Majesty?' exclaimed 
 Iwanicki, with a marked emphasis on the words 
 and a glance at the Chancellor. *How went 
 your petition ? ' 
 
 'His Majesty,' answered Dmitri, 'gave me 
 a very gracious reception. I explained my 
 position to him as shortly as I could, and paused 
 for a reply, when I caught the eye of a major- 
 domo or something of the kind, who signed 
 to me to withdraw, so I withdrew. His Majesty 
 is speaking with the legate on the subject, I 
 imagine.' 
 
 ' Taking advice from Holy Church, no doubt,' 
 said Iwanicki with a sneer. 
 
 At this moment the great doors were flung 
 open, and the nobles poured into the hall. 
 Eangoni came forward and led the Prince up to 
 the throne through a double line of courtiers. 
 
 Dmitri, whose martial figure looked very 
 striking in a suit of black velvet, his only orna- 
 ment being the diamond cross which sparkled 
 on his broad breast, advanced, his arms crossed 
 on his chest in the Muscovite fashion for sup- 
 
8o DMITRI 
 
 pliants, to within a few paces of the King. 
 There he stopped. 
 
 The King considered him for a moment, then 
 he made a step towards him and said — 
 
 *God preserve thee, Demetrius Ivanovitch, 
 Prince of Muscovy. Thy birth is known to us, 
 and approved by trustworthy testimony. We 
 do here assign thee a yearly revenue of 40,000 
 florins, and do grant thee permission, as our 
 friend and guest, to accept the counsel and 
 services of these our subjects.* 
 
 There was a low murmur of applause. 
 Dmitri bent very low, and then, suddenly 
 recovering himself, traversed the apartment 
 with hasty steps, and went out. 
 
 A second murmur, of astonishment, followed 
 his abrupt departure. ^A fine Prince of Mus- 
 covy ! ' exclaimed Zamoisky aloud. ' He seems 
 to have left his manners behind him at Uglitch.' 
 
 'No doubt,' instantly answered Iwanicki in 
 a low voice, which, notwithstanding, was dis- 
 tinctly heard all over the room, ' some of us 
 here, if we were Prince of Muscovy, would have 
 acted very differently on hearing we were sud- 
 denly about to recover our rightful heritage.' 
 
DMITRI 
 
 The Chancellor shot a glance of anger at him, 
 and even Sigismund was about to rebuke him 
 for his breach of etiquette. But the Papal 
 legate broke in — 
 
 'Let not your Majesty take offence if at 
 this trying moment the feelings of nature have 
 proved too strong for courtesy. This sudden 
 manifestation of Heaven's blessing and your 
 Majesty's generosity might well overpower all 
 minor considerations and work upon an exile's 
 heart. Your Majesty will excuse the young 
 Prince and his breach of ceremony. I am well 
 assured it was no mark of ingratitude, but the 
 very reverse.' 
 
 ' It is well, Eangoni,' said the King ; ' we 
 bear no grudge to the young man for his 
 apparent discourtesy. Know, gentlemen of 
 Poland,' he went on, looking round at the 
 audience, ' you have our permission to do what 
 in you lies and your friendship may dictate 
 towards the reinstating this royal fugitive in 
 his kingdom. The sacredness of treaties forbids 
 us to do more, and assist him with the forces 
 of Poland against the usurper Boris. But, 
 doubtless, the noble Palatine of Sandomir will 
 
 G 
 
82 DMITRI 
 
 spare no pains to make the attempt of his 
 future son-in-law successful.' 
 
 And with a wave of his hand he dismissed 
 the assembly. 
 
 ' Old hypocrite ! ' said Iwanicki to Mniszek, 
 as they all trooped out. 'What a crafty scheme! 
 To shift the whole peril on to his faithful 
 subjects, and grab all the profit when it comes. 
 Faugh! it smells of the Jesuits.' 
 
 ' No matter,' said the Palatine ; ' so long as we 
 get his royal countenance for the ajQfair, let the 
 aid be w^hat it may. Come along with me. Count; 
 there's lots to arrange, and I want you to help me.' 
 
 ' I'll be with you immediately. I must just 
 go and discover what our ill-mannered or too 
 sensitive general is about, and why he bolted 
 like that. I'll be with you in a moment, and 
 then, hey for Muscovy and a carouse in the 
 Kremlin ! ' 
 
 XIX 
 
 Meanwhile Dmitri had dashed home, and 
 there, burying himself in the farthest of his suite 
 of rooms in Iwanicki's house, he was seized with 
 
DMITRI 83 
 
 bout after bout of the inextinguishable laughter 
 of the Olympians. 
 
 ' I thought I should have burst or died. It 
 was too absurd. All those noble idiots and their 
 priest-driven king decked out like the steppe in 
 springtime, to restore the rightful heir to the 
 throne of his fathers, the throne of Muscovy ! 
 And that idiot Mniszek, with the gleam of greed 
 in his fatuous face. Yes, I should have died if 
 I had tried to utter a word ; or rather, I should 
 not have died, but been hung, for these fellows 
 wouldn't see the joke at all in the same light. 
 
 ' I nearly spoiled it all ; lucky I got away so 
 quick. I wonder what they thought of it : 
 rather unceremonious, leaving like that. I dare- 
 say they will excuse it — natural bashfulness — 
 overcome by emotion — and so on. Why, so I was. 
 
 ' The fact is, I must get away. I must look 
 sharp — '' strike while the iron is hot," as Iwanicki 
 says. All this will cool down soon. And then 
 Otrepieff's hard at work among the Cossacks. 
 Let me once get into the field, and then I think 
 I know how to behave. 
 
 ' These Poles are fine fellows, all the same. 
 They only want a leader. A leader ! ' — he drew 
 
84 DMITRI 
 
 himself up unconsciously. ' What a thing it 
 would be to win Eussia, and then amalgamate 
 with Poland ! Why, even the Frenchman, the 
 Bearnais, hasn't done anything like that ! ' 
 
 His heart beat a little as he flew along in his 
 thoughts, and he longed to do something worthy 
 of Henri IV. 
 
 ' I mustn't waste any more time dawdling 
 here!' he cried, suddenly jumping up. 'But 
 some one's coming. Hollo, Count, here you are ! ' 
 
 ' Here you are, you mean. Why, General, 
 what possessed you to bolt away like that ? Had 
 you made an appointment, or did anything bite 
 you suddenly — what was it ? Your feelings too 
 much for you, perhaps ? ' 
 
 ' Why, yes, there you have it ! It was very 
 stupid of me, Count, but it's over. I must make 
 my apologies to King Sigismund. Did you see 
 Mniszek before you came away ? Poor Mniszek, 
 poor father-in-law ; I suppose lie will have to pay 
 me that pension of 40,000 florins for the pre- 
 sent ! ' 
 
 ' Poor father-in-law ? Poor son-in-law, rather. 
 W^hy, Mniszek hasn't got a penny in the world, 
 except what he can raise from the Jews on your 
 
DMITRI 85 
 
 marriage with his daughter ! But come along, 
 he's waiting for us. I tell you what, General, 
 we must pack up, and be gone. You must leave 
 Marina behind till you've made her nest ready 
 for her in the Kremlin at Moscow.' 
 
 ' Of course, Iwanicki ; were you afraid 1 should 
 want to take her with me ? No, no ; remember 
 what they say among the Zaporogues : " No 
 women in camp." ' 
 
 ' Hurrah ! ' exclaimed Iwanicki joyously ; 
 ' you'll do. Prince. Yes, I was a little afraid of 
 that. Now we shall win. Do you know. General, 
 I daresay after all you didn't do yourself much 
 harm, as it turned out, bolting away like that : 
 it looked well. After all, you couldn't have 
 done anything better. People are rather pleased 
 with it on the whole. What a lucky fellow you 
 are, Prince ! Chance helps you better than any 
 amount of deep-laid schemes would.' 
 
 Dmitri looked at him, but said nothing, and 
 they went out. 
 
II 
 
 Jada est alea.' 
 
 Julius C^sar. 
 
XX 
 
 Dark was the soul of Boris GodunoiF, as he 
 sat alone in his palace within the Kremlin at 
 Moscow. 
 
 ' So it seems I am to be dogged by misfortune 
 for ever, on account of that miserable business 
 about Dmitri at Uglitch. Ten thousand curses 
 on the day that I determined to do away with 
 the brat ! Great God ! isn't it enough that I 
 have worn my very life to the bone in the 
 service of these pig-headed Muscovites, without 
 being worried to death by that one fatal mistake? 
 The boy was dead — is dead — dead as Rurik — 
 dead as mutton — but his spirit works. This 
 Lithuanian scoundrel, whoever he is, knows 
 the people and their damnable love for their 
 Tsars and their accursed line. Yes, I shall 
 have to give up the game. And yet, after 
 
90 DMITRI 
 
 slaving so hard and so skilfully, to be beaten 
 by a nameless vagabond ! — to have to knock 
 under to a mere ghost of a dead boy ! No ; 
 I'll beat him yet, backed as he is by all the 
 awful obstinacy and bigoted devotion of these 
 detestable Muscovites. Well, Semen, is that 
 you ? What news from the South ? ' 
 
 ' Sire,' said his brother, the chief police agent, 
 as he entered, 'bad news travels fast.' 
 
 'Bad news? — of course!' said the Tsar 
 bitterly. ' When did good news ever drop out 
 of your mouth ? ' 
 
 'I wish my news was more palatable,' said 
 Semen. ' It's not my fault if things go wrong. 
 I stand or fall with you. Why should I be a 
 willing croaker ? But facts are facts, pleasant 
 or otherwise. This Lithuanian impostor is 
 making way. The Poles have taken him up ; 
 and, besides them, he has a large contingent 
 of Cossacks from the Don and the Dnieper. 
 Moravsk has opened her gates to him already.' 
 
 * Faithful governors I have ! ' exclaimed 
 Boris. 
 
 ' I wish it 'were only the governors ; but it's 
 the populace — the populace that welcome him 
 
DMITRI 91 
 
 everywhere, and compel their governors to yield 
 to their fatal prejudices. The governors either 
 yield, or are handed over to the impostor in 
 chains. All Severia is hailing him as their 
 liberator. It is feared even TschernigofF 
 may fall into his hands. Stephen GodunofF 
 was taken, but contemptuously set free again 
 to bring word to Moscow that the legitimate 
 Tsar is coming to claim his own, supported 
 by a strong force of Cossacks and Polish 
 volunteers.' 
 
 ' Sigismund shall pay for it ! ' angrily ex- 
 claimed the Tsar. ' The hypocrite I Volun- 
 teers ! A fine trick to evade the treaty ! And 
 the rascally OtrepiefF, — is he captured yet ? ' 
 
 ' His uncle has just come back from Poland ; 
 and I'm sorry to say, the attempt to identify 
 the impostor with OtrepiefF has not only failed, 
 but even worked in his favour. But Smirnoi 
 is outside. Shall I call him in ? ' 
 
 The Tsar nodded, and his brother, going out, 
 presently returned with the uncle of the runaway 
 monk. 
 
 ' Well, Smirnoi, have you succeeded in laying 
 hands on your thief of a nephew ? ' 
 
92 DMITRI 
 
 ' Tsar, bid me to speak and live ! I did what 
 I could, but Gregory OtrepiefF is still at large.' 
 
 * Of course he is 1 and the more fool I, to 
 expect to catch him ! Damnable villain ! Ah, 
 if I could but lay hands on him ! But Heaven 
 itself must be against me — how else could such 
 a wandering scamp have eluded my grasp, and 
 baffled my efforts for this twelve years ? Enough, 
 enough ! What ! Boris Godunoff and the whole 
 power of the State against a rascally monk 
 and the popular hatred ? Why, the struggle is 
 unequal ' 
 
 ' Vox populi, vox Dei ! ' said a deep voice 
 behind him. ' The danger must indeed be 
 formidable when the people no longer pay 
 respect to the excommunications of their patri- 
 arch. Did I not warn you. Tsar, that the thing 
 would be troublesome ? But, whatever happens, 
 patience ! — be firm ! — struggle to the last ! ' 
 
 ' Struggle ! ' exclaimed Boris bitterly ; ' and 
 have I not struggled ? Have I ever given 
 way ? Have I not made head these ten years 
 against the most awful of all enemies — the 
 people's loathing ? And what's the result ? 
 No more — I am sick of life ! Is there a plague "? 
 
DMITRI 93 
 
 Is there a famine ? a fire ? a death ? Lay it 
 all to the door of the Tsar ! — the Tartar, the 
 poisoner, the people's enemy, who hates Holy 
 Eussia ! Why, let the impostor come when 
 he likes and take possession ! I will struggle 
 no longer against the will of Heaven.' 
 
 He flung from the room, and left his three 
 confidential advisers staring at one another in 
 amazement. 
 
 ' Can this be the wily and politic Boris ? ' 
 said the Patriarch Job, after a pause. ' Why, 
 as he says, the finger of Heaven seems indeed 
 to be evident ! He's no longer the same man. 
 This impostor seems to drive him out of his 
 mind.' 
 
 ' Let us hope he may stop there, and not 
 drive him out of his kingdom,' said Smirnoi 
 ominously. ' I don't like the look of things, 
 or the progress which this Dmitri, risen from 
 the dead, makes. The people are for him, 
 w^herever he shows his face. I wish the army 
 may be faithful — otherwise . . .' 
 
 He supplied his hiatus with a meaning look, 
 and left the room. 
 
 The Patriarch looked after him with distrust. 
 
94 DJUTSI 
 
 ^ Semen,' lie said, ' wKv does tlie Tsar put such 
 eonfideniee in this Otrepieff ? How do we know 
 that ht isn't a spy of his nephew's ? ' 
 
 ' Bad, Tery bad — imde and nephew/ answered 
 Semen; 'not to mention that, according to 
 accounts, the impostor is well informed of every- 
 thins: that ^es on in the Kremlin. But if the 
 Tsar is weak, we at least must be active. This 
 new-found Tsareviteh wouLda-'t leave my head 
 on my shoulders if he ever got the chance of 
 taking it off, and neither would his friends the 
 Jesuits have much pity for the holy and ortho- 
 dox Patriarch Job.' 
 
 The Patriarch nodded. ' Semen,' he said, ' we 
 must lay our heads together; perhaps we may 
 hateh some scheme to supplement the Tsar's 
 weakness. But it's most extraordinary. I never 
 knew liT-m taken Hke this before. I wish it was 
 not our own people we had to deal with — better 
 knaves than fools to fight against. But come, we 
 miEst do what we ean — without delay.' 
 
DMITRI 95 
 
 XXI 
 
 In a larcre cowshed on the right bank of 
 Dnieper, a few miles above Kieff, the heir-pre- 
 sumptive to the throne of the Tsars held a short 
 council of war with the principal companions of 
 his daring enterprise, amongst whom were the 
 Palatine of Sandomir, Iwanicki, two Jesuit 
 priests, one or two Polish nobles, and one or two 
 Kussians — boyars who had deserted Boris, and 
 had come to pay their court or take their chance 
 with a rising sun. 
 
 Here was Dmitri ; yet what a change had a 
 few short weeks and a new situation made in 
 him ! There, the confined and ceremonious air 
 of courts and brocades had left on his dignified 
 carriage the least possible suspicion of awkward- 
 ness and gene. Here, in close jacket and 
 military boots, sword on thigh, and the blood 
 leaping in his veins, he looked a prince well 
 worthy to gain and keep an imperial throne. 
 So powerfully, indeed, did the sentiment of 
 beincr in his element act on him that it made 
 
96 DMITRI 
 
 a marked effect on his advisers ; insensibly they 
 abandoned the somewhat patronising tone in 
 which they had hitherto addressed him, and suc- 
 cumbed to the influence of character and genius. 
 
 ^ Very good, gentlemen ! ' he exclaimed, rising 
 from a tub on which he had been sitting. * Then 
 we cross the river to-morrow. Yes ; speed, speed 
 is the word ! Come, now, let us go out and 
 exhort our brave handful of warriors. The good 
 cause will be a host in itself to us. It's the 
 small compact number that always wins. Hold 
 together, gentlemen, and before a month is out, 
 Moscow's glittering cupolas will hail us as their 
 deliverer.' 
 
 The door opened, and in the doorway appeared 
 a grizzly, weather-beaten old Cossack, with an 
 eye that twinkled with good humour, but which 
 seemed to bore into the man on whom it fell like 
 a gimlet. 
 
 ' Korela, by St. Nicolas I ' exclaimed Dmitri, 
 springing forward. * Why, now, now we shall 
 carry everything before us ! Why, Korela, when 
 we fought together, who ever saw our backs ? 
 And have you brought some of your brave 
 fellows with you ? ' 
 
DMITRI 97 
 
 * Ay, ay, Dmitri ! — Tsarevitch, I mean/ said 
 the gratified veteran, with a kind of wink ; ' we'll 
 send the rascals helter-skelter. There's four thou- 
 sand stout fellows outside, just arrived. We've 
 been rusting in camp, but we couldn't stay at 
 home below the Falls when there was iron clink- 
 ing in the north. But I've something else for 
 you, Hetman, — a despatch from a friend of yours, 
 and a prisoner.' 
 
 * A despatch and a prisoner ? ' Dmitri took 
 the packet held out to him, and breaking it open, 
 ran his eye over the contents. They were as 
 follows — 
 
 I send this by a safe hand. The prisoner is an old 
 friend of ours ; but suppose he says he is a Russian noble, 
 one Kroustchof, why should you contradict him ? It looks 
 well to be recognised by stray nobles. I've given him 
 details about things in Moscow ; examine him publicly, 
 and 'twill aid the cause. I shall be with you soon. 
 
 Grishka. 
 
 * Eeady brain that you are,' thought Dmitri. 
 ' Come on, gentlemen,' he said aloud ; ' we'll 
 examine the prisoner outside, in full view. I've 
 no secrets from my gallant friends. Gentlemen, 
 
 H 
 
98 DMITRI 
 
 let me present you the hetman Korela — braver 
 comrade never breathed. Come.' 
 
 And they all left the shed. 
 
 Outside, the scene was inspiriting. There 
 were assembled the fragmentary forces with 
 which to conquer the millions of Eussia. Drawn 
 up in somewhat irregular order for the review, 
 on one side appeared about fifteen hundred Polish 
 knights ; their brilliantly caparisoned horses, 
 their bright armour, the tall plumes that nodded 
 from their helmets, the huge wings that in many 
 cases, aping real eagles, flapped from their 
 shoulders, and even their heads, their shining 
 lances and the jewels that sparkled on their 
 dress and accoutrements, — all this, brightened by 
 the ardour and excitement of novelty and hope, 
 combined to fill every heart with martial en- 
 thusiasm. In the centre, some thousand Russians, 
 mounted or on foot, with their strange flowing 
 robes, bows and arrows, or antique armour, 
 produced an efiect more picturesque than re- 
 assuring. But on the right — joyful spectacle 
 for a military eye — were massed the new arrivals, 
 the men whose trade was war. There were the 
 red trousers and rusty firelocks, the splendid 
 
DMITRI 99 
 
 horses and consummate riders that all lands 
 adjacent to the Dnieper and the Black Sea knew 
 and feared — the Zaporogues. 
 
 Mounting his horse, Dmitri, followed by his 
 train, rode rapidly to a little eminence which, 
 forming a centre, had been selected as the plat- 
 form from which to address the troops. The 
 three small regiments pressed around him, and, 
 after a preliminary cheer had died away, he 
 spoke to the motley throng. 
 
 ' Noble Poles, loyal Russians, valiant Cossacks, 
 why should I waste words ? You all know the 
 great cause for which we have assembled here. 
 Here am I, an exile ; yet with your aid I hope 
 soon to sit on the throne of my ancestors. To 
 all of you I have but one thing to say — no, two 
 things. One is, that while we are still but a 
 little band of brothers, you will find in me a 
 general who will share every danger with the 
 lowest amongst you. The other, that when 
 Dmitri — as he will soon be — is recognised as 
 the rightful Tsar, he will not forget to share 
 the glory and reward with his faithful allies — 
 with the chivalrous Poles, who espoused his 
 cause when it was still uncertain and obscure ; 
 
loo DMITRI 
 
 or with those faithful Kussian subjects, who 
 preferred danger and the glory of obeying their 
 legitimate sovereign to the safe disgrace of 
 crouching before the usurping tyrant; or with 
 the gallant Cossacks, who left their pleasant 
 life on the banks of the Dnieper to help a former 
 companion-in-arms. ' 
 
 Shouts rent the air, but Dmitri waved his 
 hand, and went on — 
 
 'Fellow -soldiers, I have here a prisoner, a 
 Eussian noble taken by accident on the Don, 
 who has important information to disclose. I 
 know no^ secrets from my comrades. Bring 
 forward the man there.' 
 
 A man, loaded with irons, was hurried before 
 him. His dress was the customary long caftan, 
 red boots, and fur cap of the Eussian boyar. 
 No sooner had he caught sight of Dmitri than 
 he fell on his face, and grovelled on the ground. 
 
 * By St. y assili, it is himself ! Mercy, mercy ! 
 noble Tsarevitch, mercy ! I knew not I was 
 fighting against my Tsar — against the son of 
 the Terrible. Holy Saints ! how like him he 
 is ! It must be the Terrible Ivan himself come 
 back to life. Mercy, mercy ! ' 
 
DMITRI lOT 
 
 A murmur of astonishment ran through the 
 onlookers. 
 
 ' What is your name, fellow ? ' said Dmitri. 
 ' If you want your pardon, you must gain it by 
 your information. And what news have you ? ' 
 
 ' My name is Kroustchof — Ivan Fedorovitch 
 Kroustchof — most mighty Tsarevitch. I was 
 one of the usurper's most trusted confidantes. I 
 know the imperial plans as well as Boris himself ; 
 ay, better.' 
 
 'Get up then, and tell me how matters go 
 on at Moscow, Ivan Fedorovitch. Speak the 
 truth, and it shall be well for you.' 
 
 Kroustchof rose as if unwilling to stand before 
 his Tsar. 
 
 ' Most mighty Tsar, I will utter nothing 
 but the truth. Boris is gathering all the 
 troops he can, but they hate him, all of them 
 — hoyars or moujiks, noble or peasant. They 
 smile with their lips, but their hearts are all 
 for thee. He cannot trust them ; he trembles 
 on his throne ; he is afraid of thy name and 
 the might of truth. And they say he is sending 
 all his treasures to Astrakhan, and means to 
 escape to Persia.' 
 
f02 DMITRI 
 
 'The dog!* exclaimed Dmitri 'Do you 
 hear that, gentlemen? But he shall not get 
 far. Go on^ KrouBtchot' 
 
 ' There is nothing more to telL Wait — Boris 
 has sent for thy mother from her convent' 
 
 'WeU?' 
 
 *He has interviewed her time after time/ 
 said Kroustchof. *No one knows what he has 
 said, but he keeps her under strict guari' 
 
 ' No doubt/ said Dmitri, turning to his circle. 
 ' The old fox ! Poor mother, you shall soon see 
 your son, in spite of his locks and keys. Any- 
 thing more ? ' 
 
 'His sister, the Tsarina Irene, is dead,' said 
 Kroustchof * They say he poisoned her, as he 
 poisoned thy brother, the Tsar Feodor. He gives 
 out everywhere that thou art an impostor, but no 
 one believes him in Moscow. He has hanged 
 two nobles for drinking thy health, and his 
 police crowd the prisons with the people, who 
 expect thee as their deliverer.' 
 
 * Is that all ? ' inquired Dmitri. 
 
 * All, most mighty Tsar ; absolutely all.* 
 'Very good. Guards, remove the prisoner. 
 
 1 will deal with him presently. Fellow-soldiers,' 
 
DMITRI 103 
 
 he went on, turning to the eager soldiers, ' some 
 of you have heard this fellow's report. Let 
 those who have not learn it from those who 
 have, and then who can doubt our success? 
 To-morrow we cross the river and set forth for 
 Moscow. Let God and the holy Saints bless us, 
 and in six weeks we shall be talking over our 
 adventures in the Kremlin. Let every man be 
 ready to-morrow by sunrise.' 
 
 And amidst cheers and the flourishing of 
 trumpets he rode back to the shed. 
 
 'General,' said Iwanicki on their arrival, 
 ' some of these Russian boyars have villainous 
 plebeian countenances. What a stroke of luck 
 for you, that fellow turning up in the nick of 
 time ! His story is worth a host to you.' 
 
 * Put thy trust in the Lord,' commented one 
 of the Jesuits, who rode disguised as a man- 
 at-arms ; * and He shall give thee thy heart's 
 desire.' 
 
 * Yes,' observed Dmitri thoughtfully ; * it was 
 odd how the man recognised me. I suppose 
 there must be a resemblance — so many people 
 have noticed it already.' 
 
I04 DMITRI 
 
 XXII 
 
 A month flew by. 
 
 From the window of an exquisite houdoir in 
 her father's palace at Cracow, the beautiful 
 Marina gazed wistfully at the thickly falling 
 snow. 
 
 * Come ! ' suddenly exclaimed our old friend 
 Lise ; * your Imperial Tsarinaship has been very 
 dull this morning. Can you think of nothing 
 but your Paladin, Dmitri? I daresay he is 
 putting to flight, at this very moment, at least 
 six hundred miserable Muscovites, panic-stricken 
 at the glare of his terrible black eyes ! ' 
 
 * They're not black ; they're grey ! ' said 
 Marina ; and she was silent for a moment. 
 ' Oh ! ' she exclaimed, coming back into the 
 room ; * I wish he would write ! Oh, Lise ! you 
 don't think he is killed ? ' 
 
 ' Killed ! How could he possibly be killed ? 
 They've nothing but bows and arrows to fight 
 with, those poor Muscovites. Unless, perhaps, 
 he gets frozen up in an iceberg, — or eaten by a 
 
DMITRI 105 
 
 bear, — or shot by your father, Marie ! — he does 
 shoot so badly. I never saw any one shoot so 
 badly as your worthy papa, dear. Why ' 
 
 The sentence was never finished, for a servant 
 entered the room. 
 
 * A courier. Mademoiselle, from Eussia.' 
 
 Marina sprang to the door. ' A courier ! 
 Where is he ? ' 
 
 The wily Francois had anticipated this out- 
 burst, and drew aside. There, in the doorway, 
 stood the long-expected and snow-speckled post- 
 man. 
 
 Marina caught from his hands the packet, 
 tore it open, and there was the letter. Let us 
 look over her shoulder. 
 
 Novgorod-Severski. 
 
 Little golden-haired Marie ! first, I send you hundreds 
 of kisses. I must take care not to put this in the wrong 
 packet — it would startle some of my good friends if I 
 made a mistake. Are you trembling with anxiety to 
 know whether I'm dead % No ; I'm alive still, little 
 woman, and we're getting on famously. I haven't time 
 to write much, but I expect I shall soon be able to send 
 for you. All the people here are enthusiastic for me. 
 But what does a little girl know or care about battles and 
 sieges, except that we win ? Lots of the towns have 
 declared for me. I always fight behind a large shield, so 
 
io6 DMITRI 
 
 don't be afraid, Marie. We took a Kussian convoy 
 yesterday with nearly a hundred thousand ducats in it. 
 We are besieging Novgorod -Severski, where there's a 
 troublesome fellow called Basmanof, who has shut himself 
 up inside ; but we shall take it in another week. Next 
 time I write, it will be from Moscow, I expect. 
 
 Adieu, little Marie ! I think about you in the huts 
 and sheds I generally sleep in, while you are luxuriously 
 rolling in your silky bed ! But I'm pretty well off here. 
 They've burned most of the houses, but one or two do to 
 live in. I send you a bearskin — I killed its owner the 
 other day when we were out hunting — and the head of an 
 arrow, which stuck in my hand last week as I was looking 
 at the ramparts here. The hand is nearly well again now, 
 but it won't be quite well till you've kissed it once more. 
 Good-bye, darling little girl ! I've no time to write more. 
 Your father is safe and sound, and Count Iwanicki says 
 he looks after me, so you must not be afraid. 
 
 Dmitri. 
 
 ^ Dear Count Iwanicki ! ' murmured Marina. 
 
 ' Why, Marina, will you never hear ? The 
 news ! the news ! I suppose you won't let me 
 see the sweet epistle, so tell me all that I may 
 hear with my profane ears. How is the 
 Paladin ? ' 
 
 And Marina told her. 
 
DMITRI 107 
 
 XXIII 
 
 It was night at Novgorod-Severski. Through 
 the blackened ruins of the lower town, burned by 
 the Eussian governor, Basmanof, when he re- 
 tired into the citadel, the troops of Dmitri were 
 scattered here and there in such of the houses 
 and huts as had escaped utter destruction. 
 
 Wrapped in a military cloak, Dmitri himself, 
 accompanied by Iwanicki, stole from point to 
 point, marking the disposition and wakefulness 
 of the pickets, sentinels, and videttes. As they 
 drew near a half-ruined wall, they heard on the 
 other side talking and laughing, mingled with 
 dispute. Cautiously approaching, they gained 
 a position from which, unobserved themselves, 
 they could see and hear the group of disputants. 
 
 ' Why, what do you know about it, Zarucki ? ' 
 they heard an old Cossack say to a young one 
 who had just spoken. ' A fine captain you 
 would make, to be sure ! ' 
 
 ' Say what you like, the general is wrong. 
 Why, here have we been three weeks before 
 
lo8 DMITRI 
 
 this miserable wooden fort ; and if we stay- 
 here three years we shall not take it ! The 
 Kussians are close on us, with their whole army. 
 Do you think we shall win if we take as much 
 time as this over each wretched citadel we 
 come to ? ' 
 
 * Why, what would you do ? ' said his critic, 
 with a shrug. 
 
 'Do? Why, if I were hetman, I would 
 attack the Muscovite army to-morrow ! ' said 
 Zarucki, with an oath. 
 
 ' Do you know how many they are ? ' said a 
 Pole. 'They are forty thousand if they are a 
 man. And we — why, all told, we aren't fifteen 
 thousand ! ' 
 
 * Pooh ! what does that matter ? The Mus- 
 covites are cowards ; their generals drive them 
 on with whips. Anyhow, if the general stays 
 here much longer, he won't have any men at all ! 
 I shall go back to the Sizca. I daresay there 
 will be something to do against the Tartars. 
 Fve had enough of this sitting idle here, 
 freezing.' 
 
 ' So have I ! ' ' And I ! ' shouted two or three 
 more. 
 
DMITRI 109 
 
 Dmitri beckoned his companion, and they 
 stole away. 
 
 ' Iwanicki, do you know, that fellow is right. 
 I must do something. The Cossack is quite 
 right ; the men are getting restless. What do 
 you say ? Shall we fall on and try our luck 
 to-morrow ? ' 
 
 * I'm under orders. General. What you com- 
 mand, I do. But if you ask my opinion, I should 
 half agree with the ferocious young Cossack 
 fellow. My knees are getting stiff here. Be- 
 sides, General, the Poles are groiving cold — you 
 remember ? ' 
 
 Dmitri marched on for a moment in silence. 
 
 * To-morrow it shall be, then, Iwanicki. Look ! 
 will you go and bring Mniszek and the rest round 
 to my quarters at once ? Yes ; well stretch our 
 legs against the Muscovites to-morrow ! ' 
 
 Iwanicki went off, and Dmitri stopped for a 
 second before he went into his house. 
 
 * Yes, I must be doing! The men are getting 
 tired and impatient. By hook or crook, I must 
 do something brilliant ! — something to strike 
 them ! Curse this Basmanof ! What fiend 
 put him into Novgorod-Severski ? 
 
no DMITRI 
 
 ' Well, it's a big risk, but it must be run. If 
 we could only manage to beat tbe Kussian army 
 — if we could manage that — we'd soon have 
 Basmanof and his fort. I must get that man on 
 my side — he's a valuable man ! — but how ? ' 
 
 He shook the snow from his boots, and 
 entered the house. 
 
 XXIV 
 
 Grey, cold, and sunless was the morning of 
 the last day of December 1604. In spite of the 
 snowy mantle in which she had wrapped herself, 
 Nature looked grim and repulsive. But in the 
 little camp of Dmitri all was bustle and stir. 
 Joyously did every man, whether Pole or Cossack, 
 learn the intention of his general to make trial of 
 fortune in the open plain. Nor did the least 
 anxiety appear on the face of Dmitri himself, 
 as he rode rapidly from point to point, cheering 
 the hearts of all his soldiers by his gay humour 
 and kindly honhomie. 
 
 'Well, Zarucki,' he said, as he passed the 
 young Cossack, to whose opinions he had listened 
 
DMITRI 
 
 the previous night, ' the Saints have remembered 
 you, and you have your wish. Let me see you 
 play the man to-day/ 
 
 * Trust me, Hetman,' answered the delighted 
 Zarucki, as Dmitri rode on. 
 
 At this moment a Russian envoy, escorted by 
 a Cossack on each side, rode into the camp ; and 
 dismounting, was brought before Dmitri, who 
 addressed him in Russian. 
 
 ' Well, what now ? Are the rebels prepared to 
 return to their dutiful allegiance ? ' 
 
 ' Do I speak to him who styles himself Prince 
 Dmitri Ivanovitch ? ' said the envoy. 
 
 ' You do.' 
 
 ^ Then know,' answered the envoy, ' that 
 Prince Fedor Ivanovitch Mtislavski, General-in- 
 Chief of the Russian armies, sends his injunction 
 hereby to the Palatine of Sandomir, bidding him 
 withdraw on the instant from the Russian terri- 
 tory, which he is violating in time of truce, and 
 abandon the cause of an impostor, now in revolt 
 against his lawful Tsar in alliance with Sigis- 
 mund, King of Poland.' 
 
 ' Do you hear the injunction, gentlemen ? ' 
 said Dmitri, turning to his suite. ' Well, well, we 
 
112 DMITRI 
 
 bear no malice to Prince Mtislavski for obeying 
 orders. But get back to thy quarters, fellow, 
 and bid them look to themselves, or I will teach 
 them their mistake and their duty before the sun 
 is down. Away with thee. In five minutes I 
 will string thee from the beam of that blackened 
 roof if thou art still in my camp.' 
 
 The messenger did not wait to be told a 
 second time. 
 
 Within half an hour Dmitri's little army for- 
 sook its entrenched position, and debouched on 
 to the plain. Half a mile from the Eussian 
 lines he drew up his forces in three bodies. On 
 the right wing were the mounted Cossacks, com- 
 manded by Korela ; in the centre the contingent 
 of Kussians, with all those of the Poles or Cossacks 
 who fought on foot. He himself, at the head of 
 the Polish knights, occupied the left. 
 
 For nearly two hours he remained quiet, 
 watching attentively the huge Eussian army, 
 spread as it were all round him on the horizon, 
 as it slowly assumed position, numbering not 
 less than forty thousand men. At length the 
 expected moment arrived. By the carelessness 
 of the Eussian generals, two regiments, if the 
 
DMITRI 1 1 3 
 
 irregular and ill - drilled Russian bodies may so 
 be styled, advanced simultaneously to occupy 
 a position almost exactly opposite the Polish 
 forces. The mistake was discovered, and the 
 order countermanded. One of the two began 
 slowly to move along the line, presenting its 
 flank to Dmitri's eager eye. 
 
 He instantly gave the order to advance. 
 
 ' Now, gallant Poles, forward ! God will 
 bless the good cause. Iwanicki, remain be- 
 hind, and see that Korela and his Cossacks 
 support us, ready to dash in where we are 
 pressed.' 
 
 With a blast of their trumpets the Poles, 
 their plumes waving, their skin mantles floating 
 behind them, their long lances with red pennons 
 gleaming all in a row, rushed upon the point 
 selected. Perceiving their intention, the Russians 
 made a clumsy attempt to present a solid front 
 to their onslaught ; but the want of drill was fatal, 
 and their confusion was complete. In five min- 
 utes the Poles were riding hither and thither 
 amongst them, transfixing with their lances, or 
 cutting and hewing with their swords, the dis- 
 orderly crowd of terrified Russians, who, with 
 
 I 
 
114 DMITRI 
 
 loud shouts of ' the Tsarevitch ! the Tsarevitch ! ' 
 abandoned their position, threw away their arms, 
 and fled in utter panic. The whole army caught 
 the infection, and the sudden charge of Korela 
 with his Cossacks, half a mile farther to the 
 right, turned the panic to a rout. In vain did 
 the Russian general endeavour to rally his 
 cowardly and disaffected troops ; they paid no 
 attention to any word of command. He himself 
 was knocked off his horse, wounded, and nearly 
 killed. The whole Russian army would have 
 been annihilated, had not a few bands of German 
 mercenaries, making a virtue of necessity, suc- 
 cessfully withstood the Cossacks, while the Poles, 
 bent on exterminating their opponents, fell into 
 confusion on their side ; the shout arising in the 
 rear that Basmanof had made a sally from the 
 fort and set fire to Dmitri's camp. This timely 
 intervention, and the disinclination of Dmitri to 
 tempt fortune too far, brought the sudden and 
 temporary engagement to a close. 
 
 In half an hour it was all over. Dmitri re- 
 called the Cossacks, and his troops returned half 
 unwillingly to their camp, leaving the disorgan- 
 ised Russian army to collect itself a few miles 
 
DMITRI 115 
 
 farther on the plain, and trusting to the effect 
 of his victorious cavalry charge to finish what 
 their swords had left half done. 
 
 XXV 
 
 * Are you there, General ? ' 
 
 ' Come in, Iwanicki. What is it ? I can see 
 a shadow on your face/ 
 
 ' You have a keen eye, General. Why, what 
 reason could there be for a shadow, after the 
 glorious victory, and that reinforcement of 
 twelve thousand Don Cossacks yesterday ? ' 
 
 ' Victory ! Yes, that's all very well ; but there 
 ought to be more deserters coming in. And 
 what are four thousand killed and wounded to 
 the Kussians ? — a mere flea-bite. It won't do, 
 Iwanicki. There's a fresh army coming from 
 Moscow ; it must be close at hand.' 
 
 ' There's something more dangerous than 
 another army.' 
 
 ' What's that ? ' 
 
 'A house divided against itself shall not 
 stand.' 
 
ii6 DMITRI 
 
 ' Which means — what ? ' 
 
 ' General, a message has just arrived from 
 Sigismund ordering all the Poles to return at 
 once, on pain of forfeiting their goods. There 
 are troubles at home/ 
 
 'Well?' 
 
 ' Well, General, the noble and chivalrous Poles 
 for once are going to obey their sovereign's com- 
 mands. They don't do it often ; but they must 
 "honour and obey the King" once in a way, just to 
 keep their hand in, you know, General.' And 
 Iwanicki laughed in derision. 
 
 ' And you yourself. Count ? ' 
 
 ' I ? oh, I'm an insignificant person ! I stay 
 with the General, sink or swim.' 
 
 ' Brave heart ! ' said Dmitri ; * we'll win yet, 
 and win together. I knew something of the sort 
 would happen soon. These hussars, they were 
 furious at my giving that gold we took from 
 Massalski to the Cossacks, and they are angry 
 because Eome is not built in a day. I suppose 
 my cautious father-in-law is one of the loyal 
 returners ? ' 
 
 * Oh yes ! the prodigal father is quite anxious 
 to get home. They're getting ready now to go.' 
 
DMITRI 1 1 7 
 
 ' Without orders ? ' said Dmitri, with a scowl. 
 ' Oh, I forgot, they're only volunteers. There's 
 their excuse for leaving me in the lurch, the 
 pitiful wretches ! Well, it's a bad blow, Count. 
 They were, between ourselves, the flower of the 
 whole troop. But courage — courage. Count ! 
 Fortune's not like the Poles ; she never deserted 
 a brave man in his need. We'll manage without 
 them yet.' 
 
 ' General, they're not all going. I've a little 
 influence left ; there's a hundred good fellows are 
 going to follow my bad example and disobey 
 Sigismund.' 
 
 ' And if he seizes their belongings, I'll make 
 it up to them — every ducat. They shall lose 
 nothing by acting like brave men and true com- 
 rades. And you, Iwanicki, I'll make you a 
 home at Moscow worth all you've left behind 
 you. As long as I live, what's mine is yours. 
 Come, let's go and see these cowardly trimmers 
 and my worthy father-in-law. Yes, we'll make 
 these fair-weather friends bite their lips for 
 shame before six months are gone. We'll suc- 
 ceed in spite of them, Iwanicki — and together ; 
 there's my hand on it. Ay, by God, we will.' 
 
Il8 DMITRI 
 
 XXYI 
 
 The little cavalcade of Polish knights pranced 
 and curveted, manifesting a somewhat indecent 
 eagerness to be gone. Some hundred paces 
 higher up the hill, Dmitri, surrounded by Iwan- 
 icki, Korela, the two indomitable Jesuits, and a 
 few Cossacks, watched them from his horse, 
 while he listened abstractedly to the apologies 
 offered by his future father-in-law, the Palatine 
 of Sandomir, who came to make his adieux, and 
 those of his party. 
 
 ' You must not take it ill, Tsarevitch,' he was 
 saying, 'if we, the nobles of Poland, find it 
 necessary to obey the summons of our King, in 
 his difficult and perilous position, and return 
 home. We shall soon, I hope, be able to come 
 back to you with reinforcements, though, I 
 make no doubt, only to find you firmly estab- 
 lished on your throne, and in the hearts of your 
 subjects. I wish, for my own part, I could 
 remain to share whatever danger and glory may 
 attend your enterprise, but my first duty is that 
 to my Sovereign.' 
 
DMITRI 119 
 
 Dmitri listened, apathetically, yet with a 
 touch of scorn on his countenance, to the glib 
 excuses that the Palatine poured out. 
 
 ' You are very right, my dear father-in-law, 
 you are quite right ; your obedience is exem- 
 plary. I am sorry you are going, more on 
 your account than my own. You will wdn great 
 reputation for prompt loyalty by getting back 
 as quick as you can, but you will miss some 
 honour and some interesting adventures. But 
 you do best to follow your conscience, father-in- 
 law. Don't forget to tell your daughter the 
 latest news of the camp, and say I will soon send 
 for her to Moscow.' 
 
 And, moving abruptly forward, he drew near 
 to the departing squadron. A crowd of Cossacks 
 surrounded it, some contemptuous, some half 
 inclined to go and do likewise. But at a little 
 distance from the main body were drawn up, in 
 silent reproach, a little troop of some hundred 
 hussars — the hundred that were prepared to 
 disobey their king, but careful of their military 
 honour. 
 
 ' Noble Poles ! ' he shouted to the departing 
 squadron, ' let me thank you here, before you go, 
 
I20 DMITRI 
 
 for your freely rendered services in my cause. 
 I wish necessity did not compel you to draw 
 back before we have gone to the end. Believe 
 me, there will be many a stirring tussle where 
 honour is to be won, at which we shall mourn 
 your departure — we who stay behind. But as 
 for you, generous gentlemen,' he added, turning 
 to the remaining hundred, 'let me thank you 
 here, and put off any other more substantial 
 recognition till we feast together in the Kremlin. 
 Trust me, it shall be soon. The fewer we are, the 
 greater the glory. When did the stars desert a 
 handful of brave men who stuck together ? ' 
 
 A shout burst from the Poles and the by- 
 standing Cossacks, while there was a certain 
 movement of hesitation in the larger body that 
 were meditating a retreat. But one of the 
 Jesuits spoiled the ejffect. 
 
 'Woe,' he cried aloud, 'to the backsliders, 
 who put their hand to the plough but draw 
 back in fear ! ' 
 
 * It does not sit well on you, Father,' said Mnis- 
 zek instantly, ' to approve disloyalty, and sneer at 
 those who merely obey their king. Nobles,' he 
 cried to his companions, ' let us be off ! Forward ! ' 
 
DMITRI 
 
 and he rode away at the word. The whole 
 cavalcade followed him, and with them, Dmitri 
 could not but feel, went the sheet-anchor of his 
 little army. 
 
 He watched them for a minute, as they grew 
 less and less on the plain ; then, turning to those 
 who had remained, he cried — 
 
 ' There is still time ! ' And he pointed to the 
 departing troop. 
 
 But an enthusiastic shout refused his invita- 
 tion. 
 
 ' Very well, gentlemen,' he said, ' you believe in 
 me now when I am weak ; I will remember you 
 when I am strong.' And turning his horse he 
 rode back to his quarters. 
 
 Two hours later Iwanicki burst in upon him, 
 as he sat discussing the state of affairs with the 
 Jesuits. 
 
 ' What is it ? ' 
 
 ' General, four hundred Poles have come back 
 again ; they were ashamed to desert you.' 
 
 ' A good omen,' said Dmitri smiling, turning 
 to the Jesuits. 
 
 ' One of them said, " I go not," but afterwards 
 
122 DMITRI 
 
 he repented and went/ observed the Father who 
 had rebuked the deserters. 
 
 XXVII 
 
 Late that evening Dmitri pondered with him- 
 self as to the thing to do next. 
 
 ' Well, they have gone ; it's no use crying 
 about it. What's to be done now? We must 
 abandon this wretched siege ; we must get away 
 from Novgorod -Severski. The whole Eussian 
 army will be down on us in a few days, and how 
 are we to make head against them ? We can't 
 repeat our victory without the Poles. No ; per- 
 haps we had better retire on one of these little 
 towns, Eylsk, perhaps, or Yoroneje, and wait and 
 see what turns up. But then, the danger of 
 waiting ! My whole force will melt, just like 
 this snow in the spring sun. Just what Boris 
 would like. No, no ; I must do — something ; but 
 what ? Curse these Poles I A pretty hole I am 
 in without them. I wonder ' 
 
 Zarucki, who was on guard, broke in on his 
 meditations. ' A courier from Moscow, Hetman.' 
 
DMITRI 123 
 
 A tall man, dressed as a moujik, entered the 
 room. 
 
 'Well, Tsarevitch/ 
 
 'Otrepieff!' 
 
 ' I see you don't forget old friends.' 
 
 ' Grishka, you again ! Why, what an age it 
 is since I saw you ! Sit down. Where have you 
 dropped from ? ' 
 
 * An age ! yes, centuries. But I've heard all 
 about you, including the victory. We're getting 
 along.' 
 
 Dmitri shook his head. * Victory ! yes ; but 
 the beard grows during the shaving. Their 
 army is bigger than it ever was. No, Grishka, 
 we're not there yet.' 
 
 ' But we soon will be.' 
 
 ' You say you've heard all. Have you heard 
 about the Poles ? ' 
 
 'Whatr 
 
 ' That they've gone back to Poland again.' 
 
 Dmitri told him. The monk listened, and 
 swore fearfully. ' Cowardly scoundrels ! but 
 we'll manage — we'll manage without them. The 
 legend — the legend ; that will do the work better 
 than millions of Poles ! You are Tsar already — 
 
124 DMITRI 
 
 almost, I've just been at Moscow. News ! 
 news ! It's all up with Boris.' 
 
 ' How ? ' 
 
 ' He's heard of your victory. He suspects 
 every one — dare not punish any one. They're 
 all against him. If not always for you, yet 
 against him — that's the main point. He's just 
 sent Shuiski — Prince Vassili Ivanovitch Shuiski 
 — to take command of the army ; Mtislavski's 
 almost dead of his wounds. Shuiski loathes 
 him, and is, besides, no good at all in the field. 
 We shall beat him all to pieces, if we try ; and 
 then ' he winked significantly. 
 
 ' And then — yes,' said Dmitri abstractedly. 
 
 ' You mustn't stop here, though,' went on 
 Otrepiefi", after a pause. ' Look ! you must throw 
 up this siege, and get ofi" to Putiol. Wait there 
 a little while. I don't think you will have any 
 more fighting to do ; I've been working the 
 Kussian army. The men are nearly all half 
 for you already ; they only want a little coaxing. 
 I can manage it.' 
 
 ' Grishka, what a head you've got ! Yes, 
 you're right ; avoid a battle, and let the charm 
 work quietly.' 
 
DMITRI 125 
 
 ' Look you, Dmitri ! Boris is doomed ; lie 
 can't live long. As soon as he's dead, they 
 must have you ; there's no one else. Boris 
 can't last much longer.' 
 
 * Are you sure about that ? ' 
 
 * Pretty sure,' said Otrepieff with a grin. 
 ' I've a friend or two in the Kremlin, though 
 Boris — shrewd man ! — never suspects it. I'm 
 afraid his food doesn't always agree with him ! 
 That, and the state of mind he's in — oh yes ! 
 we're sure enough. Leave that to me. You 
 draw off to-morrow, and go to Putiol ; they are 
 all your men there. We'll do the rest — we — 
 that is, the Kussian army, — and we'll manage to 
 disgust all the peasants by burning a few villages. 
 You won't have to wait long. So now, I must 
 be off. By the bye, what's this I hear about a 
 Polish Princess ? Is it true ? ' 
 
 Dmitri was silent a moment. 
 
 ' Yes, it's true.' 
 
 ' Fool — fool ! Dmitri, you are too soft — 'twill 
 ruin you ! Do you think the Muscovites will 
 stand your marrying an "accursed pagan 
 Lyakh ? " ' 
 
 Dmitri compressed his lips. ' They shall ! ' 
 
126 DMITRI 
 
 Otrepieff gazed curiously at him. 
 
 * As I thought,' he said at last. ' Look ! if 
 we oust Boris, Fve done my part! Mark my 
 words, Dmitri ! — this Polish woman will do for 
 you. But the future must take care of itself; 
 what will be, will be ! I must see to the present. 
 For the present, then, good-bye ! ' 
 
 'Good-bye, Otrepieff!' 
 
 The monk went out, and Dmitri remained 
 lost in thought. 
 
 ' I shouldn't wonder if Otrepieff is right — he 
 always is. But give me a careless life. The 
 whole thing's a gamble ! No, no ! let who will 
 worry himself to death and spin out his miserable 
 existence by cutting off his pleasures. As for 
 me, Caesar's my master. Great Caesar ! — ay I I 
 could die like you, if I could but live like you.' 
 
 XXVIII 
 
 At Moscow, in the Council -chamber of the 
 Senate, sat a solitary boyar, awaiting the arrival 
 of his brother nobles and the Tsar. To him 
 presently there entered another. 
 
DMITRI 127 
 
 ' Good morning, Bielski ! ' 
 
 ' Ah, Katiref ! is that you ? Well, have you 
 heard ? ' 
 
 ' What ? About the impostor fellow beating 
 Mtislavski and the whole army with a handful 
 of Poles and Cossacks ? ' 
 
 ' Yes. Is it true ? ' 
 
 *I should think so! But have you heard 
 about Boris ? ' 
 
 'What?' 
 
 ' Why, the news has killed him ! They say 
 it's broken him to pieces.' 
 
 ' Dear me ! how sad ! Hasn't Shuiski gone 
 to take command ? ' 
 
 'Yes; if we wait a little, perhaps we shall 
 hear things.' 
 
 ' What things ? ' 
 
 ' Oh, I don't know ! But Shuiski's a deep 
 man, and loathes our friend Boris,' and Katiref 
 nodded significantly. ' How do you think, now, 
 it would answer to recognise this Dmitri — just 
 for a while? We could easily get rid of him, 
 when we'd had enough of him.' 
 
 ' And Boris was gone, eh ? ' queried Bielski. 
 ' Well, I would do a good lot to get rid of our old 
 
128 DMITRI 
 
 GodunofF family, certainly ; but you know the old 
 fable — we might get out of the frying-pan only to 
 find ourselves in the fire. This impostor seems 
 an active man. Has that fellow Basmanof been 
 really appointed as Shuiski's second in command?' 
 
 ' Yes ; but too many cooks, — you know. And, 
 between ourselves, our army is a fraud. Not a 
 hundred men to be depended on in it. Every 
 other man is either a coward or a Dmitrist. 
 Come now, how would a new Tsar — Dmitri, 
 for example — suit you ? ' 
 
 ' Oh, very well, I daresay ! Perhaps he would 
 let me marry. But hush ! here comes the Tsar 
 that is.' 
 
 The great doors were flung open, and a crowd 
 of nobles, who had been waiting in the ante- 
 room, appeared. They were followed by the 
 Tsar himself, Boris Godunoff", the much -hated, 
 leaning on the arm of the Patriarch Job. The 
 extraordinary pallor and feeble worn-out look of 
 the Tsar was marked by all, and subdued whispers 
 went round the assembly. 
 
 An unusual silence prevailed as soon as all 
 were seated ; the presentiment of something 
 impending weighed, as it were, on every tongue. 
 
DMITRI 129 
 
 ' Most omnipotent Tsar,' at length began 
 Prince Vorotinski, ' may thy slaves venture to 
 ask the latest news from the southern pro- 
 vinces ? ' 
 
 ' His Imperial Majesty,' replied the Patriarch, 
 ' has directed me to read to the Council a despatch 
 received from the impostor styling himself Prince 
 Dmitri Ivanovitch, who died, as we all, but 
 more especially Prince Vassili Shuiski, now 
 absent, knows, at Uglitch.' 
 
 The lips of Boris moved, but he said nothing. 
 
 The Patriarch, amidst profound silence, read 
 the despatch, the tenor of which was that Boris 
 was summoned to resign the crown in favour of 
 the rightful heir. * Finally,' the letter ran, ' I 
 will be merciful. Let Boris Godunoff hasten to 
 vacate the throne he has usurped, and retire to 
 a cloister. I will forget his crimes, and even 
 assure him of my protection.' 
 
 The face of the Tsar grew still paler and more 
 ashy. 
 
 ' From this we may see,' continued the 
 Patriarch, 'how a momentary and accidental 
 success over some scattered fugitives has blinded 
 this scoundrel. How is it possible for us to 
 
 K 
 
130 DMITRI 
 
 entertain to his pretensions any feeling but 
 contempt ? The Lord will protect His people. 
 Under the able guidance of Prince Yassili 
 Shuiski and Peter Fedorovitch Basmanof we 
 shall soon see the Kussians obliterate, with 
 the blood of the criminal rascal, the passing 
 dishonour reflected on their arms by his tem- 
 porary success.' 
 
 ' 'Tis a lie ! ' suddenly yelled Boris. ' He has 
 not succeeded ! He is dead ! I saw him 
 myself — Yassili Shuiski saw him — dead at 
 Uglitch ! Ah ! ' he screamed, as the astonished 
 boyars rose in dismay, * I see your guile ! I 
 know you, Bielski, Kurbski! I read your 
 hearts ! What ! Would you leave the Council 
 — my Council — for the usurper's ? Traitors ! 
 are you so anxious to worship the new idol ! 
 Oh ! you may smile and plot. Villains ! I'll 
 crush you yet ' 
 
 He raised his arms to heaven, and fell heavily 
 forward on his face. 
 
 ' Here, Yorotinski, Katiref, some of you ! ' 
 exclaimed the Patriarch. ' Don't stand gaping 
 there — help me!' And they carried ofi" the 
 unconscious Tsar back to his chamber. 
 
DMITRI 131 
 
 The Council broke up. 
 
 ' All over ! ' said Katiref to his neighbour, 
 Bielski. ' Now we may choose between Dmitri 
 and — who ? Which of us all is to be Tsar ? 
 Yassili Shuiski ? He would like it, no doubt ; but 
 none of him for Katiref — no, thank you ! Boris 
 is doomed. If ever there was death in a face, it 
 was there just now! Come round with me. 
 We'll send in an hour and see how he is ; then 
 we can settle what to do next. St. Nicolas ! 
 how white his face was ! ' 
 
 XXIX 
 
 A week later, as Dmitri was interviewing a 
 deputation of the principal men at Putiol, where 
 the inhabitants were all enthusiastic in his cause, 
 the young Cossack, Zarucki, abruptly entered. 
 
 ' Hetman, the townspeople have brought three 
 spies, who were going about the streets crying 
 out you were an impostor, and offering a reward 
 for your head. One of them says he knows you 
 by sight, and will swear to you anywhere as 
 a runaway monk.' 
 
132 DMITRI 
 
 ' Take them to the great hall, Zarucki. We'll 
 be there immediately to examine them.' 
 
 '•General ! ' cried Iwanicki, * an idea, an idea ! 
 What do you say ? Let me be Tsarevitch for 
 half an hour. Let's see whether this fellow 
 really does know you, or whether he is lying.' 
 
 ' Why, that's a glorious idea, Iwanicki ! Yes, 
 Zarucki, keep the men under guard, and don't 
 produce them till I send word. Eing the great 
 bell and let every one know there are some spies 
 to be examined. We'll have a splendid scene. 
 Iwanicki, come and get into my clothes. I'm 
 afraid you'll look rather odd in them ; never 
 mind. Who'll lend me some Cossack things for a 
 while ? Can you look dignified enough, Count ? 
 No ; you'll spoil the efi'ect by some mad prank or 
 other.' 
 
 *Not I. I'll be as solemn and stilted as 
 Sigismund himself; as royal as Nebuchadnezzar. 
 Look here ! Where are the 'prisoners f What ! 
 by the blood of Rurik! There, what do you 
 think of that ? Why, I was born to be a Tsar ! ' 
 
DMITRI 133 
 
 XXX 
 
 The hall was crammed. At the upper end, 
 on a raised dais, appeared the Tsarevitch and his 
 suite. The body of the room was filled with 
 a tossing crowd of Cossacks, Kussian refugees, 
 or the good folk of Putiol, all struggling to get 
 as near as possible to the platform. 
 
 ' Where are the spies ? ' ' Don't push ! ' ' That's 
 not the Tsarevitch ! ' ' Oh, don't you know ? ' 
 Suddenly aery arose from behind, 'Room — room 
 for the prisoners !' By force and magic a lane was 
 opened, through which Zarucki and half a dozen 
 Cossacks dragged forward the three miserable 
 spies. As they passed, they were saluted with 
 many a curse, blow, or kick from the throng. 
 Two of them seemed half- dead already with 
 terror, but the third returned these offerings 
 with scorn, and made as though, had his guards 
 allowed, he would have defended himself against 
 them all. 
 
 Iwanicki stepped forward and extended his 
 hand to the crowd. 'Bring forward the prisoners. 
 
134 DMITRI 
 
 Now, whicli of you rascals is it that can swear 
 to tlie Tsarevitch ? ' 
 
 The bold prisoner answered immediately. 
 
 ' I know you, you renegade scoundrel, in spite 
 of your little pagan beard and moustache. 
 People!' he shouted, * this is no Tsarevitch, but 
 a runaway monk ! His name is Gregory Otre- 
 pieff.' 
 
 ' Are you sure ? ' demanded the counterfeit 
 Tsarevitch. 
 
 * Sure ? As if I had not lived with you for 
 years in the monastery. Scoundrel, do you come 
 here with your accursed pagan ruffians to poison 
 the minds of the holy Eussian people ? ' 
 
 ' You hear the villain ? ' said Iwanicki. 
 ' Good folk of Putiol, you hear his lies ? You 
 see, all of you, how he recognises me. Why, 
 you rascal, you are quite right. I am indeed 
 not the Tsarevitch, but a poor Polish gentleman.' 
 
 ' Hear him ! hear him ! ' yelled the prisoner. 
 
 * But here is the Tsarevitch,' went on Iwanicki, 
 stepping back and pointing to Dmitri, who came 
 forward disguised as a Cossack. ' Perhaps you 
 were for years in the monastery with him too ? ' 
 
 The prisoner stared, bewildered ; but a yell of 
 
DMITRI 135 
 
 delight from the audience showed that they 
 entered into the scene. 
 
 'Good people/ said Dmitri advancing, *you 
 have all heard this fellow perjure himself. This 
 is the man who says he knew me when I was a 
 monk. Now, let me tell you another thing. 
 These letters were discovered on him ; in them 
 the usurper Boris offers you large rewards to 
 deliver up me and the brave fellows with me into 
 his power. Here I am ; what do you say ? ' 
 
 A roar of indignation. 
 
 ' One word more, good people. Do you want 
 any more proof that Boris knows only too well 
 who I am ? This scoundrel had poisons hidden 
 in his boots. Boris thought he would try to get 
 rid of me in his usual way. You all know how 
 he poisoned my poor brother, the Tsar Feodor, 
 and his own sister.' 
 
 Another roar, louder and more dano^erous 
 than the first. ' Hang the villains ! ' ' Drown 
 them!' The crowd surged towards the platform. 
 
 Suddenly from behind, a voice rose with a 
 shriek above the tumult, 'Tsarevitch Dmitri, 
 Boris is dead ! ' 
 
 There was instant silence. All turned, and 
 
136 DMITRI 
 
 saw a tall man standing on a bench at the 
 back. 
 
 ' Look at me, good people. I am Gregory 
 Otrepieff, the man that fellow said was the 
 Tsarevitch. I come from Novgorod-Severski, and 
 the news has arrived. Boris is dead. There is 
 your Tsar.' 
 
 And he pointed to Dmitri. 
 
 There was a wild howl of delight, and a dash 
 at the prisoners. In the midst of shouts of 
 'Dmitri! Dmitri!' 'The Tsar! the Tsar!' the 
 miserable spies were whirled out of the hall, and 
 paid the penalty of their untimely zeal at the 
 hands of the furious partisans of the new Tsar. 
 
 XXXI 
 
 At Moscow the funeral of the unfortunate Boris 
 was hurriedly performed. Immediately after- 
 wards, his son Fedor, an ingenuous young man 
 not yet eighteen years of age, with his uncle 
 Semen GodunofiP, the Patriarch, Basmanof, and 
 a few of the nobles, assembled in the Council- 
 chamber of the Kremlin to deliberate as to the 
 
DMITRI 137 
 
 best method of dealing with the exigencies of 
 the moment. 
 
 The consultation was short, nor indeed was 
 there much choice of action. 
 
 ' To-morrow, then,' said the Patriarch, finally, 
 ' your coronation shall be performed and the 
 oaths administered. But you, Basmanof, will 
 proceed forthwith to the army, and use all means 
 to retain it in its allegiance, for it is not to 
 be denied that alarming rumours have reached 
 us as to the progress of this impostor.' 
 
 ' You will do well to make haste,' added Semen, 
 looking up from under his brows as was his wont. 
 ' My brother Ivan sends me word that things are 
 come to a pretty pass with the army.' 
 
 ' Lose no time, Basmanof,' said the young 
 Tsar -elect, timidly; 'and I will guarantee any 
 promises you may find it necessary to make to 
 keep my subjects in their duty. And I will 
 be to you all, and more, that my poor father was, 
 should you add the glory of destroying this 
 impostor to that which you have already won 
 at Novgorod-Severski.' 
 
 Basmanof prostrated himself, and kissed the 
 hand outstretched to him with fervour. 
 
138 DMITRI 
 
 ' And do what you can,' added the Patriarch, 
 ' to compose this fatal dissension which, I am 
 told, has arisen between Prince Mtislavski and 
 the brother of the late Tsar. Is this a time 
 for quarrelling ? I would almost recommend,' he 
 went on, turning to the young Tsarevitch, ' that 
 Prince Mtislavski should be recalled ; yes, and 
 even Prince Shuiski, for they can do little good 
 with the soldiery, and may do much harm by 
 ill-timed rivalry/ 
 
 ' You are right,' said Fedor. * Yes ; let 
 them know my instant desire to see them at 
 Moscow.' 
 
 ' The Tsar cannot do without the chief of his 
 boyars at this anxious moment,' said the 
 Patriarch. ' Bid them return at once, Basmanof, 
 and our confidence will repose in yourself alone.' 
 
 'Do so, Peter Fedorovitch,' said the young 
 man to Basmanof, ' and I will not forget your 
 services.' 
 
 Basmanof bowed low and left the room, as 
 the Patriarch retired with the Tsarevitch, and 
 the consultation ended. 
 
 The Princes Tcherkasky and Eomanoflf were 
 the last to leave. The former remained drum- 
 
DMITRI 139 
 
 ming on a table for some time, while the latter 
 looked out over the Moscowa. 
 
 Finally, Tcherkasky rose and joined EomanofF 
 in the window. ' A penny for your thoughts, 
 Prince/ 
 
 'Oh, I was thinking — of our late lamented 
 Tsar and the name he took on becoming a monk, 
 just before he died. Bogolep — remarkable name, 
 isn't it ? ' 
 
 They looked at each other. 
 
 'What do you think about Basmanofs 
 fidelity ? ' 
 
 ' How will Shuiski like being recalled ? ' 
 
 ' Well, hell come back.' 
 
 ' Yes, in time ; but under which Tsar ? ' 
 
 ' Who knows % Dmitri sounds more Kussian 
 than Fedor, and would dissolve, perhaps, still 
 more easily into that of Shuiski.' 
 
 They looked at each other again. 
 
 'And then, where would Semen Godunoff be?' 
 
 ' The scoundrel ! With his sainted brother, I 
 hope.' 
 
 ' St. Semen and St. Bogolep ! Ha ! ha ! 
 Why, a second Boris and Gleh, on my w^ord ! ' 
 
 ' Well, time will show.' 
 
I40 DMITRI 
 
 XXXII 
 
 Two montlis flew by, while Dmitri still 
 remained at Putiol, and smiling spring came 
 round again. For six weeks had the little town 
 of Kromy, held by Korela and a small band of 
 picked Cossacks, defied every effort of the great 
 sluggish Kussian army that lay before it, separ- 
 ated into two camps by the little stream that runs 
 into the Oka — one commanded by Ivan Godunoff, 
 brother of the late Tsar, the other by Prince 
 Galitzin and Basmanof. Shuiski and Mtislavski 
 had, somewhat unexpectedly, gone quietly home 
 on receiving the order for their recall. 
 
 Day after day, the Kussians lay in slothful 
 inactivity, nor had this been broken by the 
 arrival, a month since, of Basmanof. The sole 
 occupation of the idle soldiery was to gather in 
 knots, and discuss in dangerous whispers the 
 death of Boris, and the awkward question of 
 the new Tsar. Had their leaders designed to 
 secure the victory for Dmitri, they could not 
 have adopted a method more certainly calculated 
 
DMITRI 14T 
 
 to achieve that end. Even the most sternly 
 faithful of the Eussians was not proof against 
 this policy of masterly inactivity : the leaven of 
 disaffection spread gradually through the whole 
 lump. 
 
 ' Why do we not march against him ? ' one 
 soldier would say to another. ' Is it because our 
 generals are afraid ? ' 
 
 ' Why should we march against him ? ' would 
 his comrade reply. * Who is this Fedor Boris - 
 sovitch, that we should fight for him ? A 
 Tartar.' 
 
 *And this Dmitri — what do you think of 
 him?' 
 
 ' What do I know ? But how could he be 
 Dmitri Ivanovitch, if he was murdered at 
 Uglitch?' 
 
 ' Ah ! but they say he did not die. No one 
 saw him dead. And how could this one have 
 done so much if he were not Dmitri Ivanovitch ? 
 
 * It is the will of Heaven,' said the other, with 
 a shrug. Let us have some vodka. Now that 
 the accursed Tartar Boris is dead, we shall be 
 able to drink vodka in peace.' 
 
 At length, one fine May morning, an outpost 
 
142 DMITRI 
 
 captured a yoimg Cossack, who was attempting 
 to get through the Russian lines with despatches 
 for Korela in Kjx)my, and brought him into 
 Basmanof s camp. 
 
 Basmanof forthwith summoned a meeting of 
 the principal oflficers in his tent, and the prisoner 
 was produced. 
 
 * Give up your despatches,' said Basmanof 
 Zarucki, for it was he, did so ; and as he gave 
 
 them, a look of intelligence passed from his ^y^s> 
 to those of the general. There was a momentary 
 pause, while Basmanof and Galitzin consulted 
 over the contents. 
 
 ' Where do you come from ? ' said the former 
 at length. 
 
 The Cossack (who was in reality merely one 
 of a small band of Cossacks and hussars under 
 the command of Zaporski, a Polish noble, and 
 whose capture was nothing else than a deep-laid 
 scheme between Basmanof and Dmitri to give a 
 colour to the events that followed) answered 
 readily, that he was a scout of Prince Dmitri's 
 advance-guard, which was rapidly approaching 
 to relieve Kromy. 
 
 * And in what force ? ' 
 
DMITRI 143 
 
 ' Two thousand Polish knights and eight 
 thousand Eussians/ 
 
 The officers looked at one another. 
 
 * It agrees with the despatch/ muttered 
 Galitzin. ' And where is the main army, and 
 what are its numbers ? * 
 
 ' It is advancing,' said Zarucki. * A Polish 
 reinforcement of forty thousand men is to join us 
 four leagues from Putiol. A large body of our 
 own people from below the Falls is expected 
 every hour.' 
 
 Deep silence followed these words. As Bas- 
 manof looked from man to man, each officer 
 averted his gaze, or bent his eyes on the ground. 
 Basmanof darted a glance of meaning at Zarucki. 
 
 'Gentlemen,' he said at last, * the state of 
 things is before you. I put it to you, especially 
 to those who met the Polish forces at Novgorod : 
 How are we to cope with this new army ? ' 
 
 Silence. 
 
 * For me,* continued Basmanof, * the chain of 
 circumstances is too strong to leave any doubt 
 on my mind. I cannot but think that in this 
 matter the will of Heaven is declared. I will no 
 longer beat about the bush. Between Fedor 
 
144 DMITRI 
 
 and Dmitri our choice lies. Heaven has blessed 
 the cause of Prince Dmitri, and I, for one, recog- 
 nise him for my Tsar.' 
 
 'And I,' added Galitzin. 
 
 A momentary hesitation. Then a universal 
 acclamation followed the lead of the two generals. 
 
 ' Long live Dmitri Ivanovitch, Tsar of Kussia ! ' 
 yelled the Cossack, and the cry was taken up 
 outside by a crowd of Basmanof s partisans. 
 'Dmitri!' 'TheTsarevitch!' 'Long live the Tsare- 
 vitch Dmitri ! ' The shouts grew and were re- 
 peated by knot after knot, till at length there 
 was an indescribable uproar throughout the camp. 
 Arrows and matchlocks were discharged into the 
 air. 
 
 Honeycombed as the army of Basmanof was 
 by the secret agents of Dmitri, but faint resist- 
 ance was offered on this side of the little stream. 
 But suddenly, across the water, Ivan Godunoff, 
 followed by a tumultuous and growing band, 
 rode up to the little bridge that connected the 
 two camps, and loudly shouted to Basmanof and 
 his party, who approached the bridge at the 
 moment from the opposite side, to know what 
 was the matter. 
 
DMITRI 145 
 
 ' Support me/ said Basmanof, turning to his 
 party ; 'here comes an enemy.' Then, riding on 
 to the bridge, he shouted as loud as he could, 
 ' Soldiers, your rightful Tsar, Prince Dmitri 
 Ivanovitch, is at hand with a large army. Who 
 dares oppose the Tsar \ Long live Dmitri, our 
 Tsar ! ' 
 
 At the same moment, dashing across the 
 bridge, he struck down Ivan GodunofF, who 
 caught the whole situation, and was vociferating 
 * Treason ! treason ! ' 
 
 A frightful tumult arose. Seeing their leader 
 fall, and not clearly understanding the position, 
 some of Ivan's men stood irresolute ; others 
 rushed up and began fighting with those who 
 crossed the river. From behind them, however, 
 shouts of ' Dmitri ! ' began to be heard. Yet 
 his name was less potent on this side of the 
 stream, and a general m^lee was commencing, 
 whose issue might have been doubtful, when the 
 cry was raised, no one knew how, that Korela was 
 making a sortie from Kromy. And in fact, some 
 hundred Cossacks were seen dashing towards 
 them, with loud yells of ' Dmitri ! Dmitri ! ' 
 This turned the scale against the unnerved and 
 
146 DMITRI 
 
 uncertain Fedor faction, and within half an hour 
 from that moment every man in both camps was 
 shouting for Dmitri, though none the less here 
 and there a few knots of men were fighting 
 vigorously, they knew not why. 
 
 Kiding rapidly about, Basmanof and his staff 
 at length succeeded in restoring order. The few 
 w^ho remained, in spite of all, faithful to Fedor ^ 
 were partly cut down; part laid down their 
 arms, and some fled, though no one pursued 
 them. 
 
 Late in the afternoon Zaporski arrived with 
 his hussars. By nightfall all was quiet again. 
 Basmanof took the supreme command, and pre- 
 pared to communicate the change of events to 
 the new Tsar. Ivan Godunoflf was thrown into 
 chains, and the victory was won. 
 
 The same night a horseman left the camp at 
 full speed, and directed his course towards 
 Putiol. 
 
 XXXIII 
 
 ' You look very solemn. General.' 
 
 ' Is that you, Iwanicki ? Solemn ? yes ; any 
 
DMITRI 147 
 
 one but you would be solemn enough just now, 
 in my place/ 
 
 * Pooh ! what's the use ; die sara, sara. What 
 is it Master Eabelais says, ''Laugh and live.'' 
 That's the true creed, General. All the same, 
 this gets embarrassing. I wonder what will 
 happen next.' 
 
 ' OtrepiefF said he had made sure of Basmanof, 
 but it seems too good to be true. If that army 
 would only declare for me. Just think of the 
 effect. Why, every man in Poland would set off 
 here as fast as he could ! ' 
 
 ' Well, the gods will decide. Let's see what 
 the dice say. Look here ; here's for the other 
 fellow — what's his name — Fedor.' 
 
 The dice rattled, and the total was seven. 
 
 ' Now for you. General. There ; sixes, by 
 
 ! You're all right. General ; Venus is for 
 
 you.' 
 
 ' You and your dice,' said Dmitri, with a 
 smile ; ' well, let us hope they are true prophets 
 for once.' 
 
 The door burst open, and Otrepieff, ' fiery red 
 with haste,' entered the room. 
 
 ' Long live Dmitri Ivanovitch, Tsar of Kussia ! ' 
 
148 DMITRI 
 
 The young men started up. Dmitri turned 
 pale ; his heart beat, and his voice failed 
 him. 
 
 * What do you mean ? ' 
 
 'The Russian army has declared for you. 
 Prince Galitzin will be here to-morrow, to ask 
 you to take command.' 
 
 'Hurrah I — hurrah!' shouted Iwanicki ; 'the 
 dice for ever! Sixes, General! — didn't I tell 
 you ? What ! solemn still ? is the dream true ? 
 Aha ! Look at me well, Boleslas Iwanicki, 
 sorcerer in waiting to His Imperial Majesty, the 
 Tsar ! Hurrah ! OtrepiefF, you angel of light, 
 here's to you.' And seizing the unwilling 
 Otrepieff round the middle, he staggered about 
 the room with him, shouting, ' Venus, Venus ! 
 the Tsar for ever ! ' 
 
 But the blood rushed up into Dmitri's head, 
 and things swam before his eyes. 
 
 XXXIV 
 
 Why do the people so furiously rage together 
 at Moscow, and what means this hurried gather- 
 
DMITRI 149 
 
 ing of nobles, in the palace of Prince Vassili 
 Shuiski on tlie Red Place ? 
 
 'Boyars/ said Shuiski abruptly, 'there is 
 no time for words. Are we for Dmitri or 
 against him? In five minutes it will be too 
 late. The people are for him; his envoys are 
 here ; in a moment they will proclaim him. If 
 we do not head the revolution we are lost. 
 Look ! ' 
 
 He went to the window, and as he pointed 
 to the scene outside, suddenly the bells in Ivan's 
 Tower burst into wild jangling, followed almost 
 immediately by all the bells in Moscow. 
 
 Below, the entire population of the town 
 seemed to have squeezed itself into the great 
 square. The dull roar of a great multitude, 
 assembled as for some forthcoming demonstra- 
 tion, mingled with the clang of the innumerable 
 bells. Shuiski could hardly make himself heard. 
 
 ' There ! ' he exclaimed, turning to the nobles 
 behind him, ' all that is for the impostor. There 
 is just time to decide. Which is it to be ? Un- 
 less we declare for him, our last hour has come. 
 Choose : — Dmitri or death.' 
 
 And as he spoke, there arose from the lowxi 
 
ISO DMITRI 
 
 end of tlie square, just below them, a tremendous 
 uproar, and the sea of faces all turned towards 
 it. 
 
 Leaning from the balcony, the boyars who 
 were nearest saw a band of citizens entering the 
 Eed Place, just opposite the Church of St. Vassili, 
 and in their midst were two men, the envoys of 
 the Tsarevitch Dmitri. With magical rapidity a 
 hasty platform was put together of two or three 
 trestles and planks carried by the new-comers, 
 and upon these the envoys mounted. Discern- 
 ing their intention, the shouts of the crowd 
 gradually died away, yet only those close to the 
 speakers were able to catch their words. 
 
 ' People of Moscow ! ' cried the spokesman, 
 ' Prince Dmitri Ivanovitch, your rightful Tsar, is 
 approaching at the head of an army devoted to 
 him. He has commissioned us to offer free 
 pardon to all those who return at once to their 
 allegiance, but to all those who traitorously 
 refuse to return to their duty, and recognise the 
 declared will of Heaven, he brings a terrible and 
 swift punishment.' 
 
 ' Long live Dmitri Ivanovitch, our Tsar ! ' 
 
 Not a voice was raised in opposition ; the 
 
DMITRI 151 
 
 Eed Place rang with tlie tremendous acclama- 
 tions of ten thousand throats. 'Dmitri Ivano- 
 vitch ! ' ' God bless the Tsar ! ' 
 
 ' You see ! ' shouted Shuiski to his companions, 
 and he leaned out over the balcony, motioning 
 to them to do the same. At a loss to attract 
 attention, he tore down a large red curtain, and 
 began waving it in the air. He succeeded at 
 length in gaining the notice of the crowd, to 
 whom his person and his palace were familiar ; 
 and as soon as a lull in the storm of voices made 
 it possible, he cried at the top of his voice : 
 
 * People of Moscow, who has a better right to 
 address you at this moment than myself? I 
 was the man who held the investigation at 
 Uglitch when Prince Dmitri was said to be 
 murdered. I know the facts. Learn, People 
 of Moscow, Dmitri was never murdered at 
 Uglitch.' 
 
 A roar followed his words, and the tumult 
 was again indescribable. But mingled with 
 the shouts of ' Dmitri ! ' ominous voices were 
 heard, ' Death to the usurpers ! ' ' Down with 
 theGodunoff!' 
 
 All of a sudden, the anxious nobles saw 
 
152 DMITRI 
 
 the crowd begin to move. Inspired by a com- 
 mon and mysterious impulse, it poured into the 
 Kremlin through the Gate of the Eedeemer, with 
 a growl that boded no good to the family of the 
 late Tsar. 
 
 ^ We were just in time ! ' cried Shuiski in the 
 ears of his brother nobles. ' Look, they're going 
 to massacre the Godunoff. That's what would 
 have happened to us if we had delayed another 
 minute.' 
 
 ' Poor devils,' said Vorotinski to himself ; * I 
 wouldn't be young Fedor now, for all Muscovy.' 
 
 XXXV 
 
 ' Whither away, Kepnin ? Is it true ? They 
 say Fedor and his sister have been torn to pieces 
 by the mob. What's become of the Patriarch ? ' 
 
 ' Oh, he's praying ! Hollo ! here's Bielski. 
 What's the news ? Are they dead ? ' 
 
 ' Dead ! no, not yet ; they're all right, only 
 rather frightened. The mob poured into the 
 palace and seized them, but didn't do them any 
 harm.' 
 
DMITRI 153 
 
 ' Who ? ' 
 
 ' Why, Fedor and his sister and the old 
 Tsarina ! But the GodunofF are in a bad way. 
 They're all being packed in carts, like bullocks, 
 and sent off to the new Tsar at Kromy as a 
 present from his loyal citizens of Moscow, after 
 being kicked and cuffed by half the town; 
 especially Semen.' 
 
 * Serve him right, the scoundrel ! ' 
 
 ' It's no joke, though, this rabble ; they might 
 have sacked the whole place ; but I managed to 
 get hold of the leaders and persuaded them 
 to go and break open the German shops ; by 
 this time half of them will be dead drunk. I 
 suppose our new lord and master will turn up 
 soon to see his faithful subjects,' went on Bielski, 
 with a sneer. 'Well, I must be off. Keep 
 indoors, I should advise you, unless you want to 
 be made to shout, " Dmitri for ever ! " and drink 
 bumpers of bad brandy till you burst.' 
 
154 DMITRI 
 
 XXXVI 
 
 A week later, as Dmitri was sallying forth to 
 hunt with a crowd of nobles and courtiers who 
 had come to Tula, where he had fixed his head- 
 quarters, to pay their respects to the rising sun, 
 he was met by a courier, with despatches from 
 Moscow. 
 
 ' Tsar, thy enemies have ceased to live/ 
 
 ' What do you mean ? ' 
 
 Dmitri tore from his hands the despatch, and 
 glancing through it, turned with black brows to 
 his following. 
 
 ' Who has dared to do this ? Here have young 
 Fedor Borissovitch and his mother been mur- 
 dered — strangled — as Prince Galitzin informs 
 me — hy my order. I gave no orders. Has any 
 one dared to give them for me ? ' 
 
 A look from Otrepieff, who was amongst them, 
 told him what he wanted to know. 
 
 * My lords,' said Dmitri, ' go on ; I will join 
 you in an instant. Otrepieff, and you, Iwanicki, 
 come back with me.' 
 
DMITRI 155 
 
 As soon as they were alone, Dmitri turned 
 upon OtrepiefF. 
 
 ' Was it you who sent the order to murder 
 this wretched boy ? ' 
 
 'Dmitri/ said OtrepiefF, *it was necessary; 
 alive, they might have been the cause of much 
 difficulty/ 
 
 ' And how did you dare to use my name ? ' 
 
 ' Dare f said OtrepiefF. 
 
 ' Ay, dare. I will have you know I am the 
 Tsar, and no one else/ 
 
 ' Are you mad ? ' exclaimed the monk. * Have 
 you forgotten already how much you owe to me ? 
 A week ago, without me, where were you ? ' 
 
 'Look you, Otrepieflf, I forget nothing; but 
 I am the Tsar. I will have none of this. I 
 will be a father to my people. You have done 
 me incalculable harm.' 
 
 'Yet you yourself put Semen Godunoflf to 
 death.' 
 
 *That is another matter; the people hated 
 him. But what had this poor youth done, ex- 
 cept happen to be the son of Boris? And to 
 send bandits in to strangle him in prison ! — it is 
 too much. Luckily the girl is still alive.' 
 
156 DMITRI 
 
 ' Dmitri, this pitiful soft-heartedness will ruin 
 you/ 
 
 * Kuin me, if you please, but I will have no 
 bloodshedding ; if I cannot stand without it, I 
 will fall. Never dare to put yourself in my 
 place again. I will not forget your services ; 
 but away, remember what I have said.' 
 
 OtrepiefF stood, amazed and confounded ; then, 
 as if unwillingly, turned on his heel and went 
 out. 
 
 ' General,' said Iwanicki, ^ I scarcely know 
 you ; you are not the same man. I am quaking.' 
 
 ' The same for you, Iwanicki ; but this monk, 
 he thinks I am his baby, to lead about wherever 
 he will. But I will have no more of that, and no 
 cruelty. It was my father's vice, and in that, at 
 least, I will not resemble him. If he was Terrible 
 to his people, I will be their benefactor. But 
 come, and let us catch up these nobles, and 
 have a gallop. These poor devils are dead, so 
 let us forget them ; it's no use crying over spilt 
 milk, or spilt blood.' 
 
DMITRI 157 
 
 XXXVII 
 
 It was j&ve o'clock in the afternoon. 
 
 Wearied out with long interviews and deputa- 
 tions, and the thousand and one necessary pre- 
 parations for his entry into Moscow on the 
 following day, Dmitri mounted his horse, and 
 accompanied only by Korela and Iwanicki, left 
 his camp, then situated about four miles to the 
 south-west of Moscow, and galloped to the low 
 Sparrow hills ; those same hills from which, long 
 after him, the great Corsican, in his last fatal 
 expedition, surveyed the ancient capital of the 
 Tsars, stretched out beneath his feet. 
 
 He surmounted the little eminence, and 
 drew his rein. And there, before his gaze, lay 
 the city of his dreams — fair as in a dream — 
 Moscow. 
 
 Moscow ! 
 
 On his left the river ran towards him, sweep- 
 ing past the embattled walls of the Novo- 
 Devitchi convent, curving round at his very 
 feet in a huge half- moon, and running back 
 
158 DMITRI 
 
 and away to the right, till it lapped with its 
 blue waves the low mound on which arose the 
 Kremlin. The Kremlin ! — the white walls of 
 the Kremlin, like gigantic ivory combs lying 
 on their backs, there they were ! His eye 
 wandered from spire and belfry, tower and 
 pinnacle, to spire and belfry, tower and pin- 
 nacle. Over cupola after cupola, blue and gold 
 and green, the soft evening sun fell with its 
 kindly glow, and high above all, on Ivan's great 
 tower, emblem of the Tsar, stretching upwards 
 to the sky. Away on the right, from over the 
 river, the tinted bulbs of the monastery and 
 fortress of the New Eedeemer peeped out from 
 their nest among the trees. 
 
 He gazed and gazed. 
 
 Could it be real ? 
 
 For the first time, the strangeness of his 
 enterprise came over him with a rush. Was he, 
 Dmitri, actually the lord and absolute master 
 of all ? 
 
 Yes ; it was no dream. It cannot escape 
 him now. The real diflSculties have all been 
 overcome. 
 
 And he will be worthy of it. He will 
 
DMITRI 159 
 
 be a Tsar such as Russia has not seen. 
 Only let him get firmly on the throne, and 
 then — Yes, and then ? What may he not 
 do ? With his influence in Poland, — who 
 knows ? Perhaps the old dream of Stephen 
 Battori, — the union of Poland and Eussia, with 
 himself as Emperor ! And then the Tartars 
 to be thrashed, and driven back, and Russia 
 to reach to Caucasus, perhaps to Constan- 
 tinople ! And his name would be placed beside 
 that of Henry lY. Dmitri Ivanovitch, Emperor 
 of the East ! 
 
 His thoughts oppressed him, and he turned 
 instinctively. 
 
 Behind him lay the great plain. On his left 
 was his camp. A sort of haze lay over the scene. 
 The sun looked at him from out the barred 
 clouds. 
 
 He felt he had been exactly in this position 
 before. 
 
 With a sudden flash, memory brought back 
 to him a yellow evening — an evening near 
 Jitomir — a year ago. A year ! — a century, 
 rather! He seemed to have lived, since then, 
 untold ages. 
 
i6o DMITRI 
 
 What of Natacha ? What had become of her ? 
 
 After all, what was it all worth, this ceaseless 
 striving and struggling? How could it be 
 compared with the peace of living, quiet and 
 obscure, somewhere where there was no bustle ? 
 
 The evening was very still. Away, some 
 miles to the right, the blue smoke from a little 
 homestead rose straight up into the air. 
 
 * To-morrow, General ! ' said a voice in his ear. 
 He came to himself. 
 
 ' To-morrow, yes. And then, the power of 
 rewarding my brave comrades, such as Iwanicki 
 and Korela.' 
 
 ' And Otrepieff ? ' said Iwanicki. 
 
 Dmitri frowned. 
 
 ' Forgive me. General ; but — beware of 
 Otrepieff! I watched him when you did not. 
 You've mortally offended him, and — he's 
 dangerous.' 
 
 ' Pooh ! a passing spleen. He'll be all right 
 again in a day or two.' 
 
 Iwanicki shook his head. 
 
 * What harm can happen to me with my 
 
DMITRI l6l 
 
 faithful bodyguard of Poles and Cossacks ; eh, 
 Korela ? ' 
 
 The cunning old Cossack looked sideways at 
 the camp for a moment. Then he said — 
 
 ' Hetman, there was a queer Indian fellow in 
 our village on the Dnieper once. He used to 
 say, " Contempt pierces even the shell of the 
 tortoise." These Eussian boyars, you treat 
 them very shortly ; they do not forget it.' 
 
 ' What ? You too, Korela ? ' 
 
 ' You know my fellows, Hetman ; wild blood, 
 wild blood ! Well, none of them ever loses a 
 chance of calling these boyars bad names. 
 Last night, for instance, I caught a lot of them 
 pursuing Shuiski with shouts of " filthy Jew ! "" 
 And Zarucki heard one of these Eussian fellows 
 speak of you as " the Cossack." Forewarned is 
 forearmed.' 
 
 Dmitri mused for a while. 
 
 * It's getting late,' he said at last ; ' we'd better 
 go back to camp.' 
 
 M 
 
1 62 DMITRI 
 
 XXXVIII 
 
 But for a very high wind, which perhaps 
 rather assisted than marred the gay ceremonies, 
 by spreading out to the utmost the innumerable 
 flags that floated from every pinnacle and house- 
 top, everything smiled on the day fixed for the 
 entry of the long-lost Tsarevitch to his enthusi- 
 astic capital. The bells rang out madly all over 
 the city ; business and the bazaars were deserted, 
 and the people swarmed excitedly in the streets. 
 From an early hour in the morning old and 
 young, male and female, thronged the ways, 
 each decked out in his bravest attire. Joy and 
 hope sat on every face. The long vexations, 
 the abhorred police, and ofiicious interferences of 
 Boris the stranger were gone. No more captious 
 and irritating penalties and prohibitions. Was 
 not Dmitri the father of his people, a son of the 
 line of Eurik ? 
 
 * Come along, Peter Petrovitch, we shall be 
 late ! What on earth are you about ? There's 
 your hat' 
 
DMITRI 163 
 
 ' Where shall we go % — to the bridge ? The 
 procession begins at the bridge.' 
 
 ' No, no ! — not the bridge ! We shall never see 
 anything. The Ked Place, where they've put 
 up the scaffolding, close under St. Vassili. The 
 Tsarevitch — God bless him ! — will speak to the 
 people there.' 
 
 ' What a squeeze ! Only look at that roof ; it 
 will fall in directly ! ' 
 
 * I can't hear what you say ; speak up ! 
 Take care, sir ! you're tearing my dress. Don't 
 tumble over, whatever you do ; you'll never get 
 up again.' 
 
 ^ Let's try and get close to the scaffolding. 
 Doesn't it look splendid ? Here, take my hand, 
 Dashenka ! Now, push ! — thank you, sir ! Now 
 we're all right. We shall hear beautifully.' 
 
 ' Oh, there's Ivan ! Hollo, Ivan Ivanovitch ! 
 is the Tsarevitch coming yet ? ' 
 
 ' Yes, he'll be here directly.' 
 
 * St. Nicolas ! what a lot of people ! ' 
 
 * There goes a courier — that's the twenty- 
 seventh this half -hour ! And how is little Peter, 
 Daria Ivanovna ? ' 
 
 * Oh, he's very well ! I couldn't bring him 
 
1 64 DMITRI 
 
 to-day ; he would have been crushed to pieces. 
 Why doesn't the Tsarevitch come ? ' 
 
 ' He won't be long now ; he's receiving the 
 deputations, just over the bridge. They'll be 
 here directly. Hark ! there's the gun ! Now 
 they've started. They'll be round the corner 
 in a moment.' 
 
 The roar of cheering, about half a mile to the 
 right, mingled with the blast of trumpets, was 
 now heard. The crowd surged to and fro. 
 Presently a large body of irregular cavalry, 
 magnificently dressed in red, their horses' feet 
 also dyed red, according to old custom, to show 
 that the Tsar arrived bathed in the blood of his 
 enemies, advanced, forcing the crowd back, and 
 forming a lane through which the procession was 
 to pass. 
 
 ' Holy Mother of God ! I can't get any farther 
 back!' 
 
 ' Here, get up on this. Now, hold on here. 
 There!' 
 
 With a blast of trumpets and clashing of 
 cymbals now advanced a troop of Polish knights, 
 themselves and their horses in full armour, 
 which blazed with jewels and gold, their huge 
 
DMITRI 165 
 
 plumes nodding ; before them the great white 
 eagle of Poland floated on an enormous banner. 
 These filed past, twenty deep, and took up their 
 position immediately around the platform. After 
 them came a regiment of foreign auxiliaries on 
 foot — Turks, Scots, Germans, and Hungarians — 
 in bright corselets and trousers or doublets of 
 every hue ; their matchlocks on their shoulder. 
 Next to them rode two thousand Cossacks, with 
 wide scarlet trousers, long lances, rusty firearms, 
 and very short stirrups, gaily decorated with 
 ribbons. They were followed by ten thousand 
 of the strelitz, the Russian national infantry, 
 with their bows and quivers, their enormous 
 axes, or long partisans. Next advanced five 
 hundred Russian nobles, who formed the Im- 
 perial Guard for that day, in long, magnificently 
 jewelled caftans, carrying long double axes, 
 striving to outdo in barbaric splendour their 
 rivals, the Polish cavaliers. Lastly, surrounded 
 by the chief of the boyars and a few of his 
 suite, and followed by three hundred picked 
 Cossacks, came Dmitri himself, riding a beautiful 
 white horse, which he managed with consum- 
 mate - skill, so as to display to the greatest 
 
1 66 DMITRI 
 
 advantage his athletic figure, in a splendid 
 military dress of scarlet velvet, sparkling all 
 over with diamonds. 
 
 'Mother of God! is that the Tsarevitch? 
 What a handsome young man ! Look, he's 
 bowing to us all. God bless you, Dmitri 
 Ivanovitch.' 
 
 Amidst deafening shouts from every throat 
 Dmitri pranced along, till he arrived at the red 
 scafiblding. Here he dismounted and ascended 
 the steps, followed by his suite, and took his 
 seat in a huge throne of oak and silver prepared 
 for him. 
 
 ' Long live Dmitri ! ' ' Long live the Tsar ! ' 
 ' God bless and keep you ! ' ' God confound 
 your enemies ! ' ' The Tsar ! the Tsar ! ' 
 
 All being in their places. Prince Bogdan 
 Bielski came forward, and raised his hand to 
 command silence. The roar ceased. Except 
 the tossing of the horses' accoutrements, not a 
 sound was heard. 
 
 'People, behold your Tsar. Let us pray to 
 God for his preservation — God, who has miracu- 
 lously preserved and restored him to us ; and be 
 you all faithful to him, as to his father Ivan.' 
 
DMITRI \(i*l 
 
 Then drawing from his breast an image of 
 St. Nicolas, he cried aloud — 
 
 * People, honour and obey your lord the Tsar. 
 Defend him from all his enemies.' 
 
 And with one shout they answered — 
 
 ' God guard our lord the Tsar, and scatter 
 his enemies before his face i ' 
 
 There came a blast of wind, and a cloud of 
 dust whirled up and hid the Tsar from the eyes 
 of the people below. 
 
 A shiver of superstition shook through every 
 heart. But the next second it was gone, 
 and Dmitri appeared again in all his eJ0ful- 
 gence. Stepping forward, he spoke to the 
 crowd — 
 
 * My children, pray to God for me, that He 
 may send His blessing on us all.' 
 
 And as the Patriarch advanced, he kissed 
 reverently the sacred ikon extended to him. 
 The clergy, assembled in a body to his right, 
 began a sacred chant. 
 
 ' 'Tis our Tsar, our very Tsar ; 'tis the true 
 descendant of Ivan,' murmured a hundred voices 
 in the crowd delightedly. 
 
 But at that moment, by a mistaken zeal, the 
 
l68 DMITRI 
 
 holy chant was drowned by a long flourish from 
 the Polish trumpets. 
 
 'Listen to them, the accursed pagans/ 
 muttered Peter uneasily ; ' the second unlucky 
 omen. I don't like all these foreigners. What 
 business have they in Moscow ? ' 
 
 A few bystanders shook their heads in gloomy 
 acquiescence. 
 
 * See, there he's coming down!' cried Dashenka. 
 'Look!' 
 
 Dmitri in fact descended, and, surrounded by 
 his nobles, entered the Kremlin through the Gate 
 of the Saviour, before which he knelt down and 
 bowed his head. Then crossing the square, he 
 proceeded to the Cathedral of the Archangel 
 Michael. 
 
 All who could find room pressed in after him, 
 among them being our friend Peter and his wife. 
 The Tsarevitch proceeded up the aisle, and, 
 arrived at the tomb of Ivan the Terrible near 
 the altar, fell on his face before it. 
 
 * Oh, my father ! ' he cried aloud, * look on thy 
 son, who kneels before thy tomb. 'Tis to thy 
 holy prayers he owes his restoration to the throne 
 of his ancestors.' 
 
DMITRI 169 
 
 The boyars exchanged significant glances ; 
 but those of the people who had come in were 
 seized with delight, and even shed tears of heart- 
 felt exultation. 
 
 ' Listen to that, poor dear Tsarevitch ! ' 
 whispered Dashenka, profoundly moved. 'Holy 
 St. Michael bless and keep him ! How like 
 his father's picture he looks ! The Lord protect 
 him ! ' 
 
 XXXIX 
 
 Two days afterwards the new Tsar was sitting 
 discussing with Basmanof, with whom he now 
 transacted all business, the advisability of an- 
 nulling the late ukas, by which Boris Godunoff 
 had chained the peasants to the soil, when a 
 servant entered and announced that Count 
 Iwanicki wished to know when the Tsar would 
 be at liberty. 
 
 'Bring him in at once. Come in, Iwanicki. 
 What ! this is not like you, to use all this 
 ceremony with me.' 
 
 'The Tsar of to-day is not the General of 
 a week ago.' 
 
I70 DMITRI 
 
 ' What nonsense ! He is the same for you. 
 Do you think I will submit to be cooped up 
 as these fellows would have me ? Come when- 
 ever and as often as you please, and call me 
 General, just as you used to ; I like it/ 
 
 ' Well, General, it's very good of you ; but are 
 you quite sure you are wise ? ' 
 
 ' How ? ' 
 
 'These boyars are jealous of the Poles. I'm 
 afraid I shall compromise you in their eyes. 
 They don't like it, nor me.' 
 
 * Why, how cautious we've got all of a sudden, 
 Iwanicki.' 
 
 'Not for myself — not for myself, General; but 
 I tell you, beware of these nobles. I have heard 
 some funny things. They detest foreigners, and 
 of all foreigners, Poles. They can't bear the new 
 Patriarch.' 
 
 ' What, Ignatius ? Why, what's the matter 
 with him ? ' 
 
 ' Well, they think the whole thing's a scheme 
 to overthrow the national church. They loved 
 the old Patriarch. My valet has heard a lot 
 of loose grumbling. Whatever you do, General, 
 respect their prejudices.' 
 
DMITRI 171 
 
 * Tsar/ said Basmanof, ' the Count is right. 
 Count, I've just been telling the Tsar the same. 
 All these boyars hate me for my influence. 
 It's rash enough to offend them; but at all 
 hazards, the people must be carefully mani- 
 pulated.' 
 
 ' Why, what croakers you are ! Any one 
 would think I was sitting on a mine ready to 
 explode. You both seem to have forgotten the 
 scene on the Eed Place the other day. Why, 
 the people must adore me ! I never heard such 
 a noise.' 
 
 ' Noise enough, yes,' said Iwanicki ; * but 
 hollow, hollow. Half of that and more was 
 merely the excitement of holiday-making. No, 
 no. General, put no faith in the multitude. At 
 least be wise ; don't tread on their corns.' 
 
 ' Well, well, perhaps there's something in 
 what you say, but life's too short to be always 
 afraid of things that might happen. Anyhow, 
 the new Patriarch must stay — I can't alter 
 that.' 
 
 ' Where's Otrepieff ? ' asked Iwanicki drily. 
 
 * I don't know ; I haven't seen him lately. 
 Never mind him. Tell me now, what do you 
 
172 DMITRI 
 
 think about this business with the peasants ? 
 
 You know ' 
 
 And they went on with the matter in hand. 
 
 XL 
 
 The council was over. As the boyars left 
 the council -chamber, Prince Yassili Shuiski 
 whispered to Bielski and Galitzin, and then, 
 accompanied by his brother Demetrius, took his 
 way to his palace, followed by a huge train of 
 more or less dirty but splendidly dressed at- 
 tendants. 
 
 As they crossed the Place they were accosted. 
 
 ' Ho there, Shuiski ! ' 
 
 * Who's that? Pushkin! — the Grand Fal- 
 coner himself ! ' 
 
 * What do you mean by that ? ' 
 
 'Why weren't you at the council to-day, 
 my dear Grand Falconer? — then you would 
 know.' 
 
 * I couldn't come. But what do you mean by 
 Grand Falconer ? ' 
 
 ' Come in with me and I'll tell you.' 
 
DMITRI 173 
 
 They went upstairs, and as soon as they 
 were seated, Vassili Shuiski produced a parch- 
 ment. 
 
 ' Here, my dear Falconer, is the explanation 
 of the enigma.' 
 
 ' Out with it ! ' 
 
 Shuiski read aloud : * List of the Ecclesiastical 
 and Secular Members of the Council of His 
 Csesarean Majesty ' 
 
 ' " Ecclesiastical and Secular ! " *' Csesarean 
 Majesty ! " Who's that ? ' 
 
 ' Our most noble Tsar, my dear sir, does not 
 think the old title good enough for him, so he 
 prefers to call himself CcesarJ 
 
 ' Does he indeed ? ' 
 
 *And he is so anxious for the good of the 
 State that he has made a third part of his Council 
 ecclesiastics.' 
 
 ' He hasn't ! ' 
 
 * He has indeed, and more. He has made a 
 whole string of new officers. You, as I said, are 
 Grand Falconer to Csesar ; Galitzin is his Major- 
 domo ; Bielski — imagine his rage ! — is Grand 
 Master of Artillery — but here he comes. Doesn't 
 he look pleased ? ' 
 
174 DMITRI 
 
 ' How are you, Bielski ? ' said Pushkin, as lie 
 entered. ' Is it true ? ' 
 
 ' True ? You'll find it true enough when 
 Csesar sends for his Falconer ! ' 
 
 * But suppose I don't go ? ' 
 
 * Then he'll whistle for his Poles, or Basmanof , 
 or a Cossack or two, and you'll be hung.' 
 
 And Bielski swore a frightful oath. 
 
 'Yes, that's what we all feel,' said Galitzin. 
 ' Shuiski, is there anything to drink ? I want it 
 badly.' 
 
 ' Gentlemen,' said Shuiski, * I think we are all 
 of one mind about this. I can count on you all. 
 We must be cautious, for Caesar is a shrewd lad, 
 or he would never be here ; and the people just 
 now are mad about him.' 
 
 * Basmanof, too, the low scoundrel ! ' growled 
 Bielski ; ' to think of him ruling the roast ! ' 
 
 'Ay, Csesar is no fool ! ' put in Galitzin ; * he 
 has doubled the pay of the army.' 
 
 * Anything more ? ' 
 
 * Oh, a few trifles ! All his dear relations, the 
 old Nagoi lot, coming back to court in a swarm, 
 anxious to make up for being kept out in cold 
 exile all these years.' 
 
DMITRI 175 
 
 ' Gentlemen/ said Shuiski again, ' let me 
 entreat you all, don't show any signs of in- 
 dignation before Caesar ; don't let your tongues 
 cut your throats, as the Tartars say. All this 
 popular excitement will wear off in a week or 
 so ; the people are already rather cross about 
 the expulsion of the Patriarch. As soon as 
 things get cooler, and he begins to show the 
 cloven hoof, and sends for his accursed Polish 
 woman, we'll pull the strings, and see if we can't 
 manage for our poor Dmitri to die a second 
 time.' 
 
 ' And this time we'll leave no doubt about it/ 
 quoth Bielski. ' What made you perjure your- 
 self the other day, and swear he never died at 
 Uglitch?' 
 
 ' What could I do ? — it was touch and go 
 with all of us that morning. But that won't 
 make any difference. Only keep quiet, and 
 swallow your pride for a fortnight, and we 
 shall have him.' 
 
 ' No doubt,' muttered Galitzin to Bielski, as 
 Shuiski left the room to order refreshment, ' our 
 friend Shuiski here would not mind replacing 
 Caesar on his throne.' 
 
176 DMITRI 
 
 Bielski winked. * The torch is dark at its own 
 base/ he said. 
 
 XLI 
 
 ' I say he is the Tsarevitch ! ' 
 
 ' I say he is not ! ' 
 
 * How should you know anything ? Has he 
 not the marks ? I saw him quite close — he has 
 the wart beneath his eye.' 
 
 ' What is a wart ? Why, there's Nicolas there, 
 he has also a wart under his eye ; is he the 
 Tsarevitch ? ' 
 
 The listeners in the filthy little drinking 
 booth, its atmosphere heavy with brandy fumes 
 and foul odours, laughed at this sally, while 
 Pimen threw himself back, and looked round 
 triumphantly. But Mitka did not give in. 
 
 ' Oh yes ! But his arm — his long arm ? And 
 did not Prince Shuiski say the Tsarevitch never 
 did die at Uglitch ? ' 
 
 This was an awkward ' counter ' for Pimen. 
 
 ' No, he is not the Tsarevitch,' he said again, 
 angrily, with a thump on the dirty table. * When 
 did a Tsar ride about everywhere alone, without 
 
DMITRI 177 
 
 his boyars? He is a Cossack, a pagan, and no 
 Tsar.' 
 
 ' Yes ; why else should he love the accursed 
 pagans ? ' put in a boor from the farther end of 
 the room. 
 
 ' How could he know what to do ? ' shouted 
 Mitka. ' Has he not been wandering among 
 Lyakhs and pagans for ten years ? ' 
 
 ' Well, Mitka,' said the host, who sat majestic- 
 ally with nothing on but a pair of loose blue 
 pantaloons, for the heat was stifling, ' if he is the 
 Tsarevitch, why does he nob go to see his mother, 
 the Tsarina, at Vyksa ? ' 
 
 ' Ay ! ' exclaimed Pimen, delighted at this 
 reinforcement, 'tell me that. What good son 
 would not hurry to see his poor mother ? ' 
 
 ' He will go,' said Mitka hardily ; * he has not 
 had time.' 
 
 ' Time ! Why, it is a month since he came.' 
 
 ' A month ! What is a month ? The Tsar 
 has more to do than you. He will go as fast as 
 he can ; he has not had time yet.' 
 
 A flood of drinkers poured in suddenly, and 
 the host went to supply their wants. 
 
 * We shall see,' said Pimen, ' whether the 
 
178 DMITRI 
 
 Tsarina will know him for her son. A fine 
 son, to keep his mother waiting a whole month, 
 after ten years ! ' 
 
 XLII 
 
 Four days afterwards, Mitka, triumphantly 
 standing, harangued a crowded audience in the 
 little booth with enthusiastic vehemence. It 
 was late in the evening. A wretched oil lamp, 
 which smelt abominably, to make up for its 
 miserable failure as a light-giver, threw a sickly 
 gleam on his little pig eyes, sparkling with 
 excitement over his shiny fat cheeks, and the 
 stains, half dirt, half brandy, on his blue shirt. 
 In fact, he was at this moment obviously in- 
 toxicated, and kept casting glances of scorn at 
 the disconsolate Pimen, who sat opposite, drink- 
 ing in silence, with his head on his hands. 
 
 ' Now, who will say he is not the Tsarevitch ? 
 I said he would see his mother. I said she would 
 know him for her son. I saw it all. I knew he 
 had not had time.' 
 
 ' Tell us about it,' said the host, who had 
 
DMITRI 179 
 
 heard it ten times already, but foresaw a large 
 demand for vodka. 
 
 Mitka took another long pull at his bottle, 
 and set it down with a bang. 
 
 ' I went in the morning. The Tsar went, 
 with all his boyars and all his friends, and 
 all the people who could go went too. And I 
 went with them. The Tsar went on his horse 
 — such a horse ! how it reared and plunged ! 
 — and after him came a carriage, all shining 
 with gold, and all red inside, to bring back 
 the Tsarina in. And the boyars, all in their 
 fine clothes ' 
 
 ' And you in yours,' observed Pimen, paren- 
 thetically. 
 
 The listeners laughed. Mitka's garments were 
 certainly anything but fit for a procession. But 
 he was not disconcerted by this sally. 
 
 * Ah ! you are angry, Pimen Pimenovitch, be- 
 cause you were wrong, and he is the Tsarevitch 1 
 But I do not mind. Well, we went to Toininsk, 
 and there we came to a splendid tent made for 
 the Tsarina, all white and gold, and she was 
 inside. And the Tsar stopped, and got down 
 from his horse, and went in, and brought out his 
 
i8o DMITRI 
 
 mother, the Tsarina, and she seized him in her 
 arms, and he seized her in his, and they cried ; 
 and we all shouted — I shouted ! ' cried Mitka, 
 frantically waving his bottle in the air, and 
 sprinkling his neighbours freely with the con- 
 tents—' "The Tsar ! " " The Tsarina ! " " God 
 bless the Tsar ! " And at last the Tsar took 
 his mother by the hand and led her to her 
 carriage, and she got in ; and he walked beside 
 it all the way back, just like a footman. And 
 we all followed, shouting. And at last we got 
 back, and the Tsarina went into the Kremlin, 
 and into the monastery of St. Cyril. And she is 
 to live there till the Tsar can build her a fine 
 new monastery all for herself. And now, who 
 dared to say she would not admit him to be her 
 son ? Who says he is not the Tsar ? Here's to 
 the Tsar ! ' And Mitka drained his bottle, and 
 shouted excitedly for more. 
 
 * How do you know it was really the Tsarina ? ' 
 asked the incredulous Pimen. 
 
 ' How do I know % ' stuttered Mitka, inarticu- 
 late with rage and surprise. 'Why, all the 
 people knew ! — they knew. How could it not 
 be the Tsarina ? ' 
 
DMITRI l8l 
 
 Pimen laughed sardonically. 
 
 ' Do you say it was not tlie Tsarina ? ' de- 
 manded Mitka unsteadily. 
 
 ' Yes, I do.' 
 
 Mitka threw his bottle, but missed Pimen, 
 and hit the next toper on the chest. His 
 neighbours forthwith seized him, and held him 
 down, struggling furiously, and shouting, ' Tsar ! 
 Tsarina ! ' while Pimen took himself off. 
 
 ' Be quiet, you scoundrel ! ' roared the host. 
 
 * Do you want the police to come in ? Throw 
 him out at the door, Fedka.' 
 
 Mitka was accordingly pitched out into the 
 dark. The cool night air completed the work of 
 the bottle, and after staggering a little way he 
 fell in the road, and lay, muttering at intervals, 
 
 * Tsar ! ' ' Who says he is not ? ' till his senses 
 left him. 
 
 XLIII 
 
 The public meeting of the newly found Dmitri 
 with the widowed Tsarina, and the enthusiastic 
 mutual recognition of mother and son, had finally 
 dispelled all doubts as to his identity, except in 
 
1 82 DMITRI 
 
 those minds whose doubts were not to be dis- 
 pelled by any means whatever. 
 
 On the following morning the boyars in 
 council had already waited nearly half an hour 
 for the Tsar, and were beginning to grow more 
 than restive. 
 
 ' I will wait no longer ! ' exclaimed Pushkin. 
 ' 'Tis intolerable.' 
 
 ' Calm yourself, Grand Falconer ; be calm/ 
 said Shuiski. ' What could our Tsar do, should 
 he arrive and miss his Grand Falconer. No 
 doubt he has been weeping on the neck of his 
 saintly mother, and is but drying his eyes.' 
 
 ' Or perhaps,' said Mtislavski, * he is playing 
 cards ^ with his inseparable, the Polish Count.' 
 
 As he spoke the door opened, and Dmitri 
 actually appeared, unceremoniously attired in a 
 tightly-fitting hunting- dress of Polish cut, fol- 
 lowed by Afanassi Vlassief, the secretary of the 
 council. 
 
 ' Excuse my delay, my lords ! ' he cried 
 brusquely, as though he did not much care 
 whether they excused him or not, ' and this 
 
 1 This was a social crime in Kussia at that epoch. Cards 
 were forbidden by law. 
 
DMITRI 183 
 
 dress. I am just off to Toininsk. I hope you 
 are all coming. There are some bears there. 
 There's nothing to do this morning of any 
 importance. I only want to tell you that I am 
 sending for my bride, the Lady Marina Mniszek. 
 Vlassief will start immediately ; so, if you have 
 any messages to friends in Poland, now is your 
 chance. Vlassief will bring back the latest thing 
 in caftans for you from Paris,' — and the slightest 
 sarcasm pierced through his expression. 
 
 'We are much obliged to your Imperial 
 Caesarean Majesty,' said Shuiski, 'but the old 
 Kussian methods of making our clothes are quite 
 good enough for us.' 
 
 ' Well, well, please yourselves ; anyhow, 
 Vlassief is off this afternoon. Any one of you 
 who w^ould like to go with him and see Poland 
 has my permission. I make no doubt they would 
 welcome you. There's plenty to see there. 
 'Twould be only fair, now that the Poles visit 
 Moscow, to return the call ; eh, Mtislavski ? 
 'Tis a great mistake to stay at home as much as 
 you do, gentlemen. You should travel ; it 
 opens the mind. What the devil ! one gets 
 sleepy and stupid by always sticking to the 
 
1 84 DMITRI 
 
 domestic hearth. There are lots of excellent 
 people in Poland, though you may not think so/ 
 
 ' We have the opportunity of judging for our- 
 selves, without leaving Moscow, Sire,' said the 
 irrepressible Bielski. ' There is plenty of material 
 here at present to teach us what Poles are like.' 
 
 Dmitri cast a glance at him, for there was a 
 shade of insolence in his tone. 
 
 'I hope, sir, you will understand that any 
 Poles here have particular claims on my grati- 
 tude, and treat them well. We ought to be above 
 all these petty national antipathies. We have 
 much to learn, ay, much, from our cousins the 
 Poles. But enough. Who is coming to hunt? 
 There is no time to lose. We start in twenty 
 minutes. I hope to see you all, gentlemen.' 
 
 He disappeared, and left them gazing at one 
 another. 
 
 ' Mtislavski,' said Shuiski, * are you going to 
 hunt ? ' 
 
 * Not I. I have a bad cold,' said Mtislavski 
 significantly. 
 
 ' Well, come to my house, and you, gentle- 
 men, unless you prefer the chase. I have some 
 Armenian silks I should like your opinion on.' 
 
DMITRI 185 
 
 XLIV 
 
 ' By God ! it's too much ; did you hear what 
 he said to me ? What, am I to sit and hear 
 this cursed impostor cast his damned Poles in 
 my teeth ? ' And Bielski stamped about the 
 room. 
 
 ' Patience, Prince,' said Vassili Shuiski. ' You 
 mistake ; we ought, on the contrary, to admire 
 our new Tsar's cosmopolitan sympathies, and 
 rejoice that we have a ruler who stands in no 
 need of his faithful nobles' advice.' 
 
 ' Eejoice ! ' 
 
 * Ay, and one who makes no scruple of telling 
 his boyars that they are a pack of ignorant 
 boobies,' added Pushkin. 
 
 'And who gibes at their customs and cos- 
 tumes,' said Galitzin. 
 
 ' ! ' burst out the choleric Bielski. * To be 
 
 kept waiting for half an hour, and then for his 
 Csesarean Majesty to dash in half-dressed, and 
 tell us he did not want us, but was off to hunt 
 bears with his infernal Cossacks ! ' 
 
1 86 DMITRI 
 
 *Well, we shall soon have the pleasure of 
 kissing the hand of his beloved Polish woman.' 
 
 * Shuiski, you jest 1 ' exclaimed Bielski, ' but I 
 do not. A pretty jest, all this ! ' 
 
 ' I do not talk ; I act/ answered Shuiski ; 
 * but as for you, you are a boy. You will be 
 betraying our whole scheme one fine day, if 
 you cannot refrain from indulging your temper 
 as you did to-day. You must control yourself. 
 I have good evidence that the proper moment is 
 approaching. Caesar is a clever lad, but he has 
 dismissed his Polish guards. That is one 
 for us, and if we are patient the time will soon 
 come. The people are being cured of their frenzy 
 already.' 
 
 He summoned a servant, and gave him an 
 order. In a minute or two the servant returned, 
 and ushered in two monks. 
 
 'Here are my Armenian silks, Mtislavski — 
 fellow- workers in the good cause. Well, Father 
 Nicolas, how are the people — still out of their 
 senses ? ' 
 
 The elder monk bowed profoundly. * My 
 lord, the usurper is losing ground in the 
 people's affection. They are beginning to dis- 
 
DMITRI 187 
 
 trust a Tsar who is entirely without dignity. 
 Why, he runs about the streets like a pedlar, 
 talking to every one he meets.' 
 
 * That's true enough,' said Galitzin. ' He 
 got lost in some of the back streets the day 
 before yesterday. 'Twas all we could do to find 
 him again. He was, by your leave, sitting dis- 
 cussing the price of beef with a butcher.' 
 
 ' He is no son of the Terrible Ivan,' said the 
 monk ; ^ and the people are beginning to see it. 
 Worst of all, he is a pagan, a Latin heretic, I 
 fear. Never does he salute the sacred images.' 
 
 'He will do worse than that soon,' said 
 Shuiski. ' Do you know. Father, that he means 
 to seize the goods of the Church to defray the 
 expense of providing for his Poles ? ' 
 
 The monk shuddered at the impious thought. 
 
 'Yesterday morning, when I was talking to 
 him,' said Galitzin, ' he scoffed at the Councils of 
 the Church, and he talked to me of " your re- 
 ligion " — as much as to say, " not miner ' 
 
 ' You see what is in store for you. Father,' 
 said Shuiski. 'But we will discuss the point 
 another time. I will be with you when I have 
 settled a little business with these gentlemen.' 
 
1 88 DMITRI 
 
 The monks withdrew, and Shuiski turned to 
 his conspirators. 
 
 ' These monks know the people ; but we must 
 not be in a hurry. Let us wait till the Polish 
 woman and her attendants swarm into Moscow. 
 Then the mob will grow really disgusted, and we 
 shall have them on our side. Then we can wipe 
 out old scores. Tis but a few weeks' patience. 
 Can you keep quiet, do you think, Bielski ? 
 Eeally, if not, you had better go away and wait 
 somewhere in the country. You will spoil 
 everything.' 
 
 ' I'll try/ growled Bielski. ' But I must keep 
 out of his sight, or I shall get up and wring his 
 pagan neck for him some morning.' 
 
 'Perhaps not,' said Galitzin. 'Don't try, 
 Bielski. He's a tough customer in a squabble, 
 is this same Polish impostor. I've seen him do 
 very funny things with bears and men, out 
 hunting. You're a bit of a bear yourself, but 
 you'd find him your match, I expect.' 
 
DMITRI 189 
 
 XLV 
 
 Thus then did the exasperated boyars plot 
 dark treason against the heedless Tsar; he, in the 
 meanwhile, had entirely forgotten their existence. 
 
 Accompanied by a band of Cossacks, Poles, 
 and Eussians, he had ridden out to Toininsk, and 
 there for some time they amused themselves by 
 riding races, Dmitri giving prizes to the victors, 
 and occasionally winning himself. Many of the 
 younger Kussian nobles, who cared less for 
 politics than sport, had not the same grudge 
 against him as their elders ; and if they thought 
 him very unlike their idea of a Tsar — who should 
 before all things have been dignified and in- 
 visible — they liked him none the less for that. 
 Their joyous shouts mingled with the hurrahs 
 of the Cossacks ; and they looked on with admir- 
 ation while their new Tsar vied with the boldest 
 Cossack present in riding his horse at full gallop, 
 standing on the saddle — a feat which may still 
 be witnessed by the traveller among the Cossacks 
 of the Don. 
 
190 DMITRI 
 
 Growing tired of this, they turned to sterner 
 sport. A large number of bears, captured for 
 the purpose, were enclosed in pens within a kind 
 of arena, upon which the Tsar and his suite 
 looked down from a raised platform. Several of 
 these bears had been slain by cunning arrows 
 from above, when Dmitri, yearning for more 
 exciting, if more dangerous amusements, pro- 
 posed a change. 
 
 ' Here, gentlemen, this is all very well. I 
 remember now, my brother, the late Tsar Fedor 
 Ivanovitch, was very fond of this kind of innocent 
 make-believe ; but he was always a bit of a monk, 
 and somewhat timid — Heaven rest his soul ! 
 But, I must confess, it is very dull work. What 
 do you say ? Shall we let the biggest bear out, 
 and one of us, or each in turn, go down and bait 
 him till we settle it — fair play, man and bear ? ' 
 
 The young men looked at one another. 
 
 ' Tsar,' said Iwanicki, ' we all know — some of 
 us at least know — that you are good at bear- 
 baiting, but let me beg of you not to think of it. 
 Your life is too valuable ; the game is not worth 
 the candle. Nobles of Muscovy, you will support 
 me in dissuading the Tsar ? ' 
 
DMITRI 191 
 
 With difficulty could they succeed, but at 
 length Dmitri gave in. 
 
 ' Well, now that I am somebody, I see I must 
 give up all the old sports I loved when I was 
 nobody ; yet I should dearly love to kill another 
 bear. Anyhow, we'll look at him. Let loose 
 another ! ' he shouted to the attendants. 
 
 In two minutes a gigantic old bear came 
 rolling along just under them, and several marks- 
 men prepared arrows. 
 
 ' Stop, gentlemen ! ' said Dmitri. ' If / am so 
 precious, yoii are not, all of you. Who will gain 
 a day's glory and a gold chain ? No, Iwanicki, 
 not you. I forbid you ; I cannot spare you.' 
 
 ' But you can spare your own subjects. Tsar,' 
 observed one young Eussian haughtily. 
 
 And, in fact, no one seemed particularly 
 anxious to hazard his life against the glory, 
 or even the gold chain Dmitri took off his neck, 
 heavy though it was. 
 
 Dmitri suddenly tossed it at the bear, and 
 it fell close to him. 
 
 * Now, whoever will get it may keep it. Any 
 of you man enough to try ? ' he said, turning to 
 his guards. 
 
192 DMITRI 
 
 There was a pause, then a short, very thick-set, 
 muscular man stepped forward. ' Tsar, I will 
 get the chain/ 
 
 ' Brave fellow ! ' said Dmitri ; ' in with you. 
 I wish I was you. Get the chain and I will 
 double your pay for this year.' 
 
 The man laid aside his cloak and his match- 
 lock, felt if his Tartar yataghan was loose in the 
 scabbard, and seizing his long pole-axe, with 
 a double blade curved like a crescent each side, 
 descended the steps, and going round to the 
 back, entered the arena through one of the 
 empty dens, and cautiously advanced towards the 
 bear. 
 
 The spectators leaned forward and held their 
 breath. Bruin, who was sniffing at one of his 
 dead brethren, did not for a moment perceive 
 his enemy ; but the noise of steps fell upon his 
 ear, and he looked round. With an ominous 
 growl, he rolled towards the bold invader. Al- 
 ready he was within six paces of him, and stood 
 erect on his hind paws. 
 
 ' Now, man ! ' cried Dmitri. 
 
 The soldier raised his axe, but in his anxiety 
 to keep his eye on the bear, he did not mark well 
 
DMITRI 193 
 
 where he stepped. As he swung back his weapon 
 for the stroke, his foot slipped in a puddle of 
 blood. The next moment, Bruin had him in his 
 arms. 
 
 A groan burst from the onlookers. *He's a 
 dead man ! ' shouted one or two. 
 
 Quick as thought, Dmitri seized a short bear- 
 spear, leaped over the wooden paling that ran 
 along in front of him, and dropped ten feet into 
 the arena. Before any one was aware of what was 
 happening, he reached the bear, and pricked him 
 severely enough to make him drop his victim 
 and turn with outstretched paws upon his new 
 assailant. 
 
 The next instant, Dmitri's spear, driven home 
 by a cunning hand, pierced the bear's heart, and 
 he fell dead. 
 
 A shout of admiration fell on his ear from 
 behind, and a hand grasped his arm. He turned 
 and saw Iwanicki, who had followed him. 
 
 ' General,' said Iwanicki, ' there's another man 
 besides me now owes you a life ; but youVe dis- 
 honoured me. But for your command, I should 
 have been on the scene before you.' 
 
 * I know it, Iwanicki,' said Dmitri, pressing 
 
 
194 DMITRI 
 
 his hand. 'Why, man, 'tis nothing. I have 
 done it without spectators fifty times. Only 
 keep cool, and there's no danger. Here, some of 
 you,' he called, 'look to this fellow; he's not 
 hurt, only badly frightened, and a little squeezed. 
 Tell him to come and see me this evening in the 
 Kremlin.' 
 
 There was no more bear-fighting that day. 
 The whole party returned to Moscow. Among 
 some at least of his new subjects Dmitri could 
 now count on staunch friends. 
 
 XLYI 
 
 That night, as the Tsar was leaning with 
 Basmanof and Iwanicki over some plans for the 
 new palace he was about to build in the Kremlin, 
 the soldier whose life he had saved in the morn- 
 ing presented himself. 
 
 * Well, Koulikofi",' said Dmitri cheerfully, * how 
 are you ; none the worse for your squeeze ? ' 
 
 The soldier held himself erect in a military 
 attitude, but did not answer. Eound his left 
 arm was the chain of gold. 
 
DMITRI 195 
 
 ^ I see your arm is in a very good sling,' went 
 on Dmitri. ' Well, 'twill be something to re- 
 member. Your pay is doubled, and I will not 
 forget you.' 
 
 ' Tsar,' said KoulikofF hesitatingly, ' I owe 
 thee a life, and I will repay it by saving 
 thine.' 
 
 ' Why, that's excellent, and as it should be, 
 good KoulikofF. What else should a soldier do 
 for his general ? You sKall have many a chance 
 before we grow much older — the Tartars fight 
 well.' 
 
 ' Tsar, may I speak and live ? 'Tis not the 
 Tartars, but thy boyars I will save thee from. 
 Tsar, they are conspiring against thy life. They 
 do but wait to have thee at their mercy. There 
 is a plot, and this morning I was of them ; but 
 I owe thee my life, and I will tell thee all.' 
 
 ' Speak,' said Dmitri; ' name thy accomplices.' 
 
 ' Tsar, Prince Vassili Shuiski is their chief, and 
 the clergy love thee not. Half thy guards are 
 with them. I can tell thee all their names. 
 They will kill me, but that is as God wills.' 
 
 ' And the people — do they hate me ? ' 
 
 ' No, Tsar, they would not harm a hair of 
 
196 DMITRI 
 
 thy head; but the boyars and their men are 
 stronger than the people.' 
 
 ' Are they ? ' exclaimed Dmitri. ' They shall 
 not be, ten years hence. Here, come with me, 
 and you, Basmanof ; we'll get the details of this 
 plot. Iwanicki, will you go and bring Korela 
 and some of his fellows, but say nothing : I will 
 have all these mutineers in the trap. The 
 people ! the people ! Why, let me but have 
 them on my side, and I care not two straws for 
 these old nobles, these clumsy conspirators in 
 dressing-gowns 1 ' 
 
 XL VII 
 
 An hour later, KoulikofF had been removed 
 under a guard, while Dmitri, left alone with 
 Basmanof, was rubbing his hands with glee at 
 the thought of the mine he would spring next 
 morning on the conspirators. 
 
 'Think, Basmanof, think of the length of 
 their faces to-morrow in council ! ' 
 
 ' Tsar, you are too rash ; you will repent it. 
 Let me go at once and arrest Shuiski ; he may 
 hear of it.' 
 
DMITRI 197 
 
 ^ To-morrow, to-morrow, Basmanof ; there is 
 lots of time. We will have some fun to-morrow 
 in council. The old traitor — he deserves to die. 
 See how the Saints must love me, Basmanof. 
 But I won't keep you. Be early at council to- 
 morrow. Korela and his Cossacks will do the 
 w^ork. Good-night. Don't be late to-morrow.' 
 
 Hardly had Basmanof gone when Korela, 
 who was on guard outside, presented himself. 
 
 *Hetman, there's an old friend wants to see 
 you ; shall I let him in ? ' 
 
 The old friend walked in unceremoniously. 
 Dmitri frowned slightly, but nodded to Korela, 
 who departed. 
 
 ' Ah, it's you, Otrepieff, at last ! Well, where 
 have you been ? ' 
 
 * At Yaroslav ; I had business there.' 
 
 ' Well, I hope you managed it all right. As 
 you see, we are getting on famously here. The 
 people know their Tsar.' 
 
 ' Dmitri,' said Otrepieff, ' you play the Tsar 
 well. I know all about it. But you are too 
 familiar and easy of access. You must mend 
 that. The Kussians love their Tsar to be digni- 
 fied and invisible. You should take more care 
 
198 DMITRI 
 
 about these little matters ; but you are young and 
 don't know the world. At this very moment 
 even, there is danger. You need me. It was 
 not well of you to treat me with such scant 
 courtesy as you did at Tula.' 
 
 ' Much obliged for your advice, Grishka ; but 
 though I'm young, as you say, I'm fairly well 
 able to take care of myself.' 
 
 ' You are careless,' said the monk. ' Now, you 
 ought to beware of being thought too much 
 given to the Poles. Now that you are Tsar, 
 you can do without fhem. That young Count 
 Iwanicki, for instance ; I passed him but now. 
 You see him too much. They talk of it in 
 Moscow.' 
 
 ' Grishka,' said Dmitri, turning away ; ' let 
 me be judge in my own affairs.' 
 
 * You trust too much to your own wisdom,' 
 angrily answered the monk ; ' and you insult me. 
 What could you have done without me % I tell 
 you, even now, you are mistaken if you think 
 you can get along without me. Yes, at this 
 
 very moment But come, tell me that you 
 
 didn't mean to treat me harshly at Tula, and 
 let us take counsel together once more.' 
 
DMITRI 199 
 
 ' I meant what I said/ replied Dmitri quietly; 
 ' no one gives any orders here but me/ 
 
 The monk bit his lip. 
 
 ' Do you mean to cast me off — me, the ladder 
 you mounted by ? ' 
 
 ' That's just what you would have me do to 
 the Poles.' 
 
 * Very good ; then you think you can stand 
 by yourself; good, very good. Well, I'll not 
 force myself on you. What, throw me aside like 
 an old boot ! fool, fool ! — you will know when it's 
 
 too late But I will say no more. I came 
 
 to save you, but have it as you will. Don't 
 blame any one but your own black ingratitude 
 when the fatal moment arrives. Fool that I 
 was to lend you my aid ! No ; can this be you 1 
 Ay, no doubt you think yourself safe on the 
 throne, but you know what I can do — I'll not 
 be trampled on for nothing. Take your own 
 way, most omnipotent Tsar ; there is life in me 
 yet: — I will make you sorry for this, soon 
 — very soon. Trust to your Poles and your 
 new friends. Friends — ha ! ha ! — perhaps not 
 so very friendly. We'll see, we'll see — ay ! 
 You shall feel the difference between Grishha 
 
200 DMITRI 
 
 the friend, and Otrepieff the enemy. AVait a 
 little, my fine young Tsar — we'll see, we'll 
 see ' 
 
 He turned to go, his whole frame trembling 
 with rage and indignation. 
 
 ' Go, by all means,* said Dmitri. ' Now listen 
 to me, Grishka ; you fancy you have me under 
 your thumb, and can order me about, and that 
 I can't do without you, so you give yourself airs. 
 But ril show you I can stand by myself, and 
 want no nurse to lead me up and down ; no, nor 
 master to come here hectoring me, and giving me 
 advice. If you choose to see that, I will do 
 something for you, but none of your threats to 
 me. What do I care for your secrets and your 
 counsels I I know what you came here to say. 
 Don't flatter yourself I want it. It's no news to 
 me. Do you think these foolish old mole-eyed 
 boyars can burrow and plot without my dis- 
 covering them ? ' 
 
 The monk stared at him, really surprised. 
 
 ' Ay, and I'll do you a favour, in return for 
 those you're always throwing in my teeth. I 
 might have you arrested at this moment for 
 being privy to a plot to overthrow me. I know 
 
DMITRI 20I 
 
 it all ; but I will overlook it and pardon you, — 
 you can go where you like — free.' 
 
 And he waved his hand at OtrepiefF with a 
 sneer. 
 
 * Dog of a Tsar ! ' screamed OtrepiefF, stung 
 to the quick by this contempt ; ' do you spit on 
 the hand that set you up ? Next time we meet, 
 look to yourself.' 
 
 And he hurried out. 
 
 XLVIII 
 
 Leaving the room by another door, Dmitri 
 descended some steps, and proceeded along a 
 gallery hung with tapestry. Arrived at the 
 end of this, he did not open the massive oak door 
 which led to the terem, or ' woman's apartments,* 
 but raising a magnificent hanging representing 
 Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, he pressed a 
 spring and entered a small ante-room, through 
 which he passed. He drew aside a curtain, and 
 stepped into the room beyond. 
 
 A dark-haired, pretty, but very fragile-look- 
 ing young girl, clothed, after the Eussian fashion. 
 
202 ' DMITRI 
 
 in a shapeless sort of quilt of yellow silk, sewn 
 with pearls, whose stiff rectangular folds com- 
 pletely concealed the outlines of the figure — a 
 figure too bulky, according to Western ideas of 
 beauty, to be graceful, started up to meet him. 
 This was the Tsarina Xenia, daughter of the late 
 unfortunate Boris. 
 
 ' Ah, you are here at last ! Why were you so 
 long ? ' 
 
 *I was quarrelling, Xenia, with a man you 
 wouldn't like me to name.' 
 
 Xenia shuddered. ' The man who — gave the 
 order ? ' 
 
 ^Yes.' 
 
 ' And you sent him away ? ' 
 
 ' Yes, he's gone ; we've quarrelled. It wasn't 
 very wise of me, perhaps, but I promised you ? ' 
 
 * How kind you are to me. Tsar.' 
 
 * How could any one be anything else to you, 
 poor little orphan ? I wonder why you Eussian 
 ladies wear such hideous dresses. You look like 
 a little bundle.' 
 
 Xenia played with the cross on his breast. 
 ' You — will — soon — have — a nicer dress to 
 look at.' 
 
DMITRI 203 
 
 ' What do you mean ? ' 
 
 Xenia averted lier face. 
 
 * When is — she — coming ? ' 
 
 'Who?' 
 
 ' The Polish lady.' 
 
 ' How did you find out about her ? Who 
 told you ? ' said Dmitri with a frown. 
 
 ' Oh, dont frown, Tsar ; it was Afanassi 
 Vlassief. I saw him before he went.' 
 
 Dmitri felt rather nonplussed. 
 
 ' She won't be here for a long time yet.' 
 
 Xenia hung down her head, and spoke very 
 low. 
 
 ' I ought not to love you, but I can't help 
 myself. You are the only friend I have left, since 
 
 And you tried to save my poor mother 
 
 and Fedor. You will promise me. Tsar, you will 
 promise — to let me go into a convent — as soon 
 as she comes. I will pray for you till I die ? ' 
 
 ' Don't talk about it.' 
 
 ' Promise, promise.' 
 
 ' Well, I will promise. You shall be a nun. 
 What a nice little nun you will make. But the 
 time hasn't come yet.' 
 
 Xenia threw her arms round his neck. 
 
204 DMITRI 
 
 XLIX 
 
 The next morning those of the boyars who 
 came as usual to council were much perplexed to 
 see a number of workmen engaged in erecting a 
 sort of scaffold on the Eed Place, immediately 
 before the Gate of the Eedeemer. 
 
 ' What is this tribunal that is being fixed up 
 in the Square ? ' asked Sotoupof of Bielski, as he 
 entered. 
 
 ' I don't know ; no one knows. Csesar is 
 going to dance on it, probably, or stand on his 
 head, for the edification of his faithful people.' 
 
 ' Do you know, Shuiski ? ' 
 
 ' Not I, indeed. Why should the Tsar con- 
 sult me as to his doings ? ' 
 
 ' Why, indeed ? ' echoed Dmitri, who entered 
 at the moment with a radiant face. ' Why 
 should I ? You are perfectly right ; you have 
 hit it exactly. Any one would think you were 
 a prophet. Well would it be for Princes if they 
 always took counsel before any important design; 
 but they are headstrong, very headstrong, and 
 
DMITRI 205 
 
 they have a most fatal confidence in themselves. 
 Haven't they, Prince Vassili Shuiski ? ' 
 
 'Your Imperial Majesty seems pleased/ 
 observed Shuiski, not entirely at his ease. 
 ' Has your Majesty any good news for your 
 council this morning ? ' 
 
 ' The best — the best ! I have some most 
 important matters to lay before them. Bas- 
 manof, you will act as secretary while Vlassief 
 is away. Well, then, to business. No ; first I 
 will tell you a story, — a most interesting story, 
 gentlemen, that I've just heard, — I want your 
 opinion on it. Once on a time, my lords, it 
 came about that the fox, highly indignant 
 that the lion should be king over the beasts, 
 laid a plot ; and having obtained the assistance 
 of a great quantity of beavers and moles — ay, 
 moles I — he dug a pit, and overlaid it cunningly 
 with earth, so that the lion, when he went forth 
 on his rounds, should fail to detect it, and fall in 
 — you follow me, gentlemen ? ' 
 
 The nobles stared, not without qualms. 
 
 ' 'Twas a very cunning contrivance, my lords, 
 oh, so cunning ! but it so happened that, just as 
 the lion drew near to the pitfall, he saw a hear, 
 
2o6 DMITRI 
 
 who, being hungry, had caught one of those 
 same beavers, and was on the point of making 
 a meal off him. The poor beaver cried out to 
 the lion, who was seized with compassion and 
 slew the bear, and so the beaver was saved. 
 
 * " Lion," said the beaver, " don't go farther 
 along that walk. I was digging a pit there 
 yesterday, and you might fall in." ' 
 
 The Tsar stopped. 'How do you like the 
 story, Shuiski ? Are you anxious as to the fate 
 ofthe/oajf 
 
 Shuiski's countenance fell. 
 
 ' Koulikoff ! ' shouted Dmitri. 
 
 Koulikoff entered. 
 
 ' Here is my beaver, gentlemen ; a fine speci- 
 men, isn't he ? ' 
 
 And as the nobles stood thunderstruck, 
 Dmitri altered his tone. 
 
 ' Aha, Vassili Shuiski 1 how do you like the 
 application ? I don't take advice from my faith- 
 ful boyars, you think ! Traitor, so you thought 
 Dmitri was asleep ! Had you forgotten, you 
 scoundrel, how my father the Terrible had your 
 grandfather Andrew torn to pieces by hounds 
 for daring to insult him when he was a boy ? 
 
DMITRI 207 
 
 Did you wonder, all of you, what the Tsar had 
 erected that scaffold on the Eed Place for ? 
 Well, I will tell you : 'Tivas to execute one of 
 the house of Shuiski, who plotted against his 
 Tsar: 
 
 He clapped his hands, and the grey mous- 
 tache and coppery visage of Korela, at the head 
 of thirty Cossacks, appeared in the doorway. 
 
 ' Korela,' said Dmitri, pointing to Vassili 
 Shuiski, ' there is your man.' 
 
 Shuiski offered no resistance ; the blow was 
 too sudden. 
 
 ' Consider it a proof of my clemency,' went on 
 Dmitri, *that I condemn no one else. Don't 
 suppose I am not well aware of who it is I have 
 to deal with. But I will be a father, and not 
 an executioner, to my people ; and even when 
 they fail in their obedience, I will have mercy. 
 Let me have no more plotting — you cannot 
 escape my vigilance. Be wise in time, and re- 
 member; next time I will sing another song. 
 And you,' he went on to the ecclesiastical lords, 
 ' mark me ! let this be a lesson that the Tsar 
 has a respect for the Church. I know you ; see 
 that you keep to your duty for the future. I 
 
2o8 DMITRI 
 
 pardon you for this once. To-day the ringleader 
 only shall expiate his crime on the Red Place.' 
 
 He went out, while the guards led off Shuiski 
 to execution. The boyars sneaked out, like 
 beaten curs, without a word. 
 
 The great bell rang. An anxious crowd 
 gathered on the Red Place. ' AVhat is it ? ' 
 ' Have you heard V ' k. plot against the Tsar ? ' 
 'An execution!' 'WhoT ^The boyars?' 
 ' Look, there they come ! ' 
 
 A strong body of troops arrived and sur- 
 rounded the scaffold. Presently Korela and his 
 Cossacks followed ; in their midst the unfortunate 
 Shuiski, who yet showed no sign of weakness. 
 His face was very pale, his lips twitched, but he 
 did not flinch. 
 
 They mounted the scaffold. 
 
 A crier came forward, and announced that the 
 Tsar, having discovered a deadly plot against 
 himself and the Imperial State, had selected the 
 ringleader to suffer death on the scaffold, but 
 
DMITRI 209 
 
 graciously granted pardon to all minor accom- 
 plices. 
 
 Dead silence followed his proclamation. 
 
 Two officers led Shuiski forward, and divested 
 him of his rich caftan. Stripping off next his 
 tunic and shirt, they tied him securely to a post. 
 
 An executioner then advanced with a knout, 
 and scourged him till the blood ran down upon 
 the scaffold, and the miserable victim fainted. 
 
 He was untied, and revived. His back was 
 roughly dried, and he was forced to kneel at the 
 block. 
 
 Half unconscious he laid his head down upon 
 it. The headsman waved his great axe — sud- 
 denly a cry was raised from behind, ' Stop, in the 
 name of the Tsar ! ' 
 
 The executioner lowered his weapon. 
 
 An official came on to the stage and read 
 aloud his warrant. The Tsar, of his gracious 
 mercy, and in consideration of the birth and 
 high position of the prisoner, had, owing to the 
 prayers and intercession of his mother, the 
 Tsarevna Maria Fedorovna Nagoi, granted a 
 pardon, on condition that the criminal gave 
 his promise to take part in no more rebellious 
 
 p 
 
2IO DMITRI 
 
 movements. Instead of death, the sentence was 
 commuted to banishment for life to Siberia. 
 
 The criminal was forthwith removed, and 
 placed in a cart, which set out straightway for 
 Siberia under a strong guard. The crowd dis- 
 persed in silence. The scene was over. 
 
 Ten miles from Moscow, a courier overtook 
 the escort. The Tsar granted full pardon to the 
 criminal, restored him to his former position, 
 and his former favour at Court. 
 
 Shuiski was accordingly brought back to 
 Moscow, and his liberty was restored. 
 
 LI 
 
 ' Tsar, I am not cruel ; but as you value your 
 own life, don't pardon him now.' 
 
 ' Oh, he's punished enough by this time ! Let 
 the scoundrel live. We have but one life each 
 after all.' 
 
 ' General,' said Iwanicki, ' Basmanof is quite 
 right. If you had pardoned him before, well ; but 
 after all this disgrace, he must die — or you will.' 
 
DMITRI 211 
 
 ' Let him live — let him live ! ' 
 
 ' General,' persisted Iwanicki, * you read Mac- 
 chiavelli ; remember what he tells his prince : 
 Treat your enemies well, or put it out of their 
 power to do you harm. Be warned ; don't 
 sign it.' 
 
 ' Iwanicki — Basmanof,' said Dmitri, ' thanks ; 
 but look here ' — and he signed the pardon. 
 ' Look you, I have sworn I will not lightly 
 shed Kussian blood. I will keep my oath. 
 Believe me, there are two ways of governing 
 an empire. Terror? — That is not my way. 
 Generosity ? Yes ; there is the alchemy that 
 works wonders, there^s the key that unlocks 
 all hearts. You say, I shall die. Very well, 
 be it so. But I will not live under your con- 
 ditions. While I live, I will let live. They 
 shall not say, in future ages, that Dmitri Ivan- 
 ovitch took away his subjects' lives to preserve 
 his own.' 
 
 ' General,' said Iwanicki after a while, ' you 
 have a great soul, but you are doomed. Now, 
 swear to me that you will never go anywhere 
 without me ! ' 
 
 * No, I will not swear,' said Dmitri with a 
 
212 DMITRI 
 
 smile ; ' but I will do it, as a rule, without 
 swearing. Why, do you think I could exist, 
 with no one but these rusty old Eussian cur- 
 mudgeons to talk to ? Death would be welcome, 
 after a single month of them.' 
 
Ill 
 
 CHILD OF ADAM, LET NOT HOPE MAKE GAME OF THEE. 
 FOR, BETWEEN THE CLOSING OP AN EYE AND ITS OPENING, 
 
 GOD BRINGETH ABOUT A CHANGE IN THE STATE OF 
 
 AFFAIRS. 
 
 The City of Brass. 
 
LII 
 
 ' We never thought to see you again after that 
 morning, Shuiski/ said Bielski to the reprieved 
 criminal, as he lay in bed. 
 
 ' Strange things happen,' answered Shuiski. 
 ' By the way, how is Ccesar this morning ? ' 
 
 'Oh, very cheerful. I wonder how you can 
 speak of him.' 
 
 * You are a mere child, Bielski. I hope he's 
 well. I shouldn't like anything to happen to 
 him now till I'm sound again. Hands off, all of 
 you ; he's my game.' 
 
 * Keep him, by all means,' said Yorotinski ; 
 * we want none of him. The very sound of his 
 laugh makes me ill.' 
 
 Shuiski laughed sardonically. ' They laugh 
 best who laugh last. Wait : the fox will dig his 
 pit without heavers next time. Bielski, hand me 
 that cup, and put a little brandy in it.' 
 
2i6 DMITRI 
 
 LIII 
 
 The Polish envoy ceased speaking, and looked 
 at the Tsar for a reply. 
 
 He had just been admitted by Dmitri to a 
 public audience in the Palace of Facets. It was 
 over, and the Tsar himself, the Envoy, the nephew 
 of the Papal Legate in Poland, and the two 
 Jesuits, who had accompanied Dmitri on his 
 adventure, were discussing the knotty difficulty, 
 how to introduce the wedge which was to split 
 asunder the Eussian heresy. 
 
 Dmitri listened impatiently to the Envoy's 
 expostulations, and took a turn in the room. 
 
 ' What you say, Gonciewski, is perfectly clear. 
 I can understand the extreme anxiety of all my 
 very good friends in Poland to see the true faith 
 established here, but they do not appreciate the 
 difficulties of the thing. I tell you, they are 
 gigantic. Why, I am hardly on the throne; I 
 have only just crushed a conspiracy. 'Tis ab- 
 solutely impossible to do anything definite yet. 
 These reverend fathers will tell you the same. 
 
DMITRI 217 
 
 Why, it's as much as their lives are worth — ay, 
 and my own — for them to be seen in the streets 
 in the habits of their order. Say, isn't it so. 
 Father Brancaleoni ? ' 
 
 ' 'Tis so indeed,' answered the Father, whose 
 outward man was that of a Polish cavalier. 
 * Prince Gonciewski, the Tsar is speaking the 
 simple truth. The frenzy of these barbarians for 
 their heretical errors is beyond all belief 
 
 ' There is doubtless difficulty,' observed Gon- 
 ciewski ; * nevertheless ' 
 
 ' Look you here,' interrupted Dmitri. ' What 
 we want is policy and patience. You don't know 
 these pigheaded Muscovites. One false step, and 
 we lose all. What, man, Kome was not built in 
 a day ! See here, here are some plans for a 
 Catholic church to be built on the site of the 
 Convent of the Ascension, close by here, where 
 my mother is living at this moment ; but I don't 
 dare to propose it till I'm much more firmly 
 seated than I am yet. If the thing got wind, 
 there would be a revolution.' 
 
 ' Gonciewski,' observed Count Alexander Ean- 
 goni, the nephew of the Papal legate, *it's all 
 quite true. Michiawicki told me exactly the 
 
2i8 DMITRI 
 
 same thing yesterday. He was mobbed in the 
 streets a week ago, because he is known to have 
 Mass celebrated in his house.' 
 
 * Well, well,' said the Envoy, reluctantly, ' I 
 will represent to his Majesty what you say. It 
 sounds reasonable. I daresay His Holiness Pope 
 Paul does not sufficiently appreciate the greatness 
 of the obstacles. But to turn to another subject, 
 Tsar, His Majesty is ill pleased with the attitude 
 you have adopted to Duke Charles of Sudermania. 
 'Twas understood, and even stipulated, by King 
 Sigismund that you should distinctly refuse to 
 recognise him as King in Sweden.' 
 
 * Now, there you are again,' said Dmitri. 
 ' Cannot you see it's all a matter of time ? I 
 must cajole where I can't oppose. How is it 
 possible for me at this moment to do anything 
 but dissemble ? A quarrel with Charles at this 
 moment would bring ^^i^ thousand Swedes into 
 Kurland, and I cannot trust my army. We 
 must be patient; all in good time. What we 
 need, before any strong measures can be taken, 
 is some victories over the Tartars. We shall 
 soon be in the field. Fm only waiting till 
 Mniszek arrives with my Tsarina ; and then we 
 
DMITRI 219 
 
 start for the South. But we'll discuss this 
 another time. Come and let me show you my 
 new foundries. Fve got some guns casting 
 which will make some big lanes in the ranks 
 of these Turkish savages. You shall see for 
 yourself. Give me a year — only one — and I 
 will undertake to have all these obstacles and all 
 this disaffection under my thumb. Rangoni, 
 will you come? Brancaleoni, you are going out: 
 — will you tell Margeret to come and escort us 
 with a batch of his men ? You see, Gonciewski, 
 it's hardly safe, even for me, to wander about my 
 own capital without a guard. I used to at first ; 
 but since these disturbances, perhaps it's as well 
 to take precautions. What's this ? Despatches 
 from Poland ? Wait for me a moment. I'll be 
 with you as soon as I've thrown my eye into 
 them.' 
 
 LIV 
 
 My own dear, dear Dmitri ; and yet I hardly dare to 
 call you Dmitri now, you seem so high up and so far away. 
 To think of your being Tsar of all Muscovy ! Actually 
 you^ my Dmitri ! It doesn't seem real. Oh, Dmitri, have 
 you forgotten all about me? How I have waited since 
 
2 20 DMITRI 
 
 you went away ! And sometimes a letter came. I used to 
 give the men who brought your letters mch a lot to drink — 
 far more than was good for them, I should think. And how 
 good it was of my darling to write to me, in the middle of 
 all your battles and sieges. I was terribly afraid you 
 would get killed, but, thank God, your battles are all over 
 now. You won't fight any more now, Dmitri, will you % 
 
 Dmitri smiled. 
 
 When my father and the others came back and said 
 they had left you by yourself, I thought I should have died. 
 I wouldn't see my father for months. I cried all day, 
 except when I was praying. Now it's all over. I blessed 
 Count Iwanicki for staying with you ; tell him I will pray 
 for him all my life long. 
 
 And so I shall see you soon ; your Envoys arrived last 
 week. We shall be starting in ten days. What a funny 
 old man Vlassief is ! They laugh at him a great deal here ; 
 he is so stiff and proud, and yet so reverent to me. He 
 will hardly stand up before me ; he makes me feel so 
 nervous. He behaves just as though he thought I should 
 hreok if he touched me. I like Buczinsky better ; I have 
 seen him very often. He told me all about you, and 
 all about Moscow, and the horrible boyars who plot against 
 you. And, Dmitri, what beautiful pearls you sent me, 
 and what a sledge ! Do you know, I think my father 
 likes you twice as well since you sent him all that money. 
 He is always in debt, poor man ! The King has given him 
 leave to come to Moscow with me. 
 
 I am going to be married to Vlassief — for you — next 
 week, but I shall be married again, to you yourself, when 
 
DMITRI 221 
 
 I get to Moscow, Vlassief says. I hope so. Then we 
 shall start at once. How strange it will be, coming all the 
 way to Moscow in a sledge, and how cold ! I shall put on 
 all those great furs you sent me. And I've learned by 
 heart all the things you told me to remember in your 
 letter, and I've got presents for all the boyars who are to 
 meet me. Will they all behave like Vlassief % I shall be 
 glad when I'm really at Moscow and with you. I feel 
 frightened sometimes. I feel as if some terrible end would 
 come to all this. I think perhaps I shall never get to you : 
 something will happen — just like as in a dream things 
 suddenly change. If you weren't at the end, I could never 
 dare to leave my dear Poland and set out on such a journey. 
 It seems like going to another world, and so cold and dreary. 
 Do you remember the song I was singing on that night % 
 It's coming true. I &holl be an exile after all. But I will 
 come anywhere to you. 
 
 Good-bye, my Dmitri. I hope the time will go fast. 
 I wish I could go to sleep till I saw you, as Count Iwanicki 
 used to say some of the bears do all winter. How is the 
 Count, is he well "i I'm going to do my letter up in a 
 great packet ; it looks just like a treaty, or something like 
 that. To think of it going all the way through the snow 
 to Moscow ? Good-bye, my darling. I'm almost afraid to 
 send you a kiss. Your own MARINA. 
 
 Dmitri read and re-read the letter, and then 
 fell into a brown study. 
 
 Outside, the Polish ambassador groaned with 
 impatience, and made a mental note to put the 
 
2 22 DMITRI 
 
 worst colour on the Tsar's behaviour, as soon as 
 he got back to Poland. 
 
 LV 
 
 Late in the evening, Prince Vassili Shuiski 
 tossed uneasily on his couch, vainly seeking 
 a position which should give rest and relief 
 to his excoriated shoulders, still sore from 
 the effects of his knouting ; but this he sought 
 in vain. 
 
 * Ah, scoundrel of a Tsar ! ' he thought, * there 
 shall come a day of reckoning between thee and 
 me. Accursed impostor, it shall go hard with 
 me but I wipe off old scores. Thou hast chas- 
 tised me with whips, but I will chastise thee 
 with scorpions. St. Nicolas, St. Sergius — all 
 the Saints in the calendar — will these infernal 
 shoulders of mine never stop aching ? ' 
 
 A servant entered. ' My lord, there is a man 
 — a monk — below, who says he is a great doctor, 
 and is come to cure your back.' 
 
 ' Cure my back, you villain ? What do you 
 mean ? ' 
 
DMITRI 223 
 
 'My lord, the man insisted on my using those 
 exact words.' 
 
 ' Flog him out with the dog-whips, and — no, 
 stay ! Bring him in here first ; perhaps he may 
 be the new buffoon Vorotinski told me of. Any- 
 how, the distraction may help me to forget this 
 excruciating torture.' 
 
 Shuiski looked curiously at the man as he 
 entered. ' Who are you, and what do you mean 
 by sending such an extraordinary message?' 
 
 The monk dropped his hood, and fixed his 
 eyes on the Prince. ' Prince, I meant what I 
 said ; I am a doctor.' 
 
 ' I have five already, and if you are no more 
 use than they are, beware of the scourge, you 
 rogue ! ' 
 
 ' The best men don't always escape scourging,' 
 replied the man ; ' and there are more wounds 
 than those inflicted by the knout. Prince, the 
 iron has entered into thy soul. As I said, I 
 come to cure you.' 
 
 ' The man is mad,' thought Shuiski, as he 
 watched his strange visitor's gleaming eyes and 
 twitching mouth. ' You are a bold rascal,' he 
 said aloud. * What is your cure ? ' 
 
2 24 DMITRI 
 
 ' I will tell you that, and your own hurt, in 
 one word. I know what you were thinking of as 
 I came in. Eevenge is a fine thing, Prince 
 Vassili Shuiski : is it not so ? ' 
 
 ' He must be a spy, sent by the impostor to 
 try me,' thought Shuiski again. ' Very cunning 
 trick, but I will be even with him.' 
 
 ' You may be something of a doctor, but you 
 are no sorcerer, you scamp ! I was thinking 
 when you came in what sort of a w^oman this 
 Polish bride of our young Tsar will be.' 
 
 * You are lying 1 ' said the monk coolly, 
 ' because you are afraid I am a spy of the Tsar. 
 Listen ! Look at me. Prince, and you will think 
 so no longer. Did I not say, revenge is sweet ? 
 Well, we both want it — I more than you, per- 
 haps. Do you know me yet, or must I tell you 
 who I am ? I am Gregory Otrepieif. We saw 
 each other at Uglitch, twelve years ago.' 
 
 ^ Otrepieff ! ' cried Shuiski, with a start that 
 made his shoulders ache again; ' why, fool that I 
 am, of course ! Yet I might be forgiven if I 
 forgot you ; twelve years have left their mark 
 on you. Well, you renegade scoundrel, fine 
 work you have made here ! They say you were 
 
DMITRI 225 
 
 this impostor's right hand ; and they say, too, he 
 has cut you off and cast you away — ah, there's 
 the sting ! I see it in your face.' 
 
 ' Ay,' said Otrepieff, without emotion, * it is 
 so. He thought, poor young fool, he could kick 
 away the ladder by which he had mounted. 
 Well, Prince, you see now I am no spy. Do 
 you understand me yet ? I come to cure you.' 
 
 ' Why, no doubt we have all heard fine stories 
 of your deeds on behalf of this scoundrel, my good 
 Otrepieff. They say — he said himself — you had 
 put him on the throne ; but as to getting him off 
 again, who are you ? What can you do ? ' 
 
 ' I'm the only man in Kussia who can undo 
 my own work.' 
 
 Shuiski laughed derisively. ' You don't like 
 being pushed contemptuously away, I suppose ; 
 but you know the proverb, " The runaway monk 
 blackguards his own convent." ' 
 
 'You think I'm bragging,' said Otrepieff. 
 Well, it's not easy. But think, who knows the 
 Tsar as well as I do — I who pulled him out of 
 a fire at ten years old, and have been a father to 
 him ever since ? ' 
 
 Shuiski lauorhed ao^ain. ^ It's a wise father that 
 Q 
 
226 DMITRI 
 
 knows his own child. You didn't know, did you, 
 your adopted son would play you such a dirty 
 trick as this ? ' 
 
 ' No,' said the monk quietly, ' I did not ; but 
 let that pass. Shall I prove to you that you 
 cannot do without me ? ' 
 
 ' Yes, by all means.' 
 
 * If I tell you the one thing you must do to 
 overturn him, if I tell you the way to do it, and 
 show you how to do it — nay, do it myself — will 
 you believe me ? ' 
 
 * Perhaps.' 
 
 ' Then,' said Otrepieff, * listen : There, must 
 arise another impostor. You did not think of 
 that, you boyars, cunning as you are ; yet that 
 is the only way.' 
 
 ' How will that do any good ? We shall only 
 have two impostors instead of one.' 
 
 Otrepieff smiled scornfully. * I told you, 
 you needed me. You do not know the people ; 
 I do. If there should arise a new impostor, they 
 will begin to doubt about this first one. Now, 
 do you see ? ' 
 
 Shuiski uttered an ejaculation. ' By , 
 
 Otrepieff, you are the devil! Another impostor! 
 
DMITRI 227 
 
 what an idea ! k. new claimant ! Yes, you 
 must be the devil himself. But where are we 
 to find him ? ' 
 
 ' Leave that to me/ said the monk. ' Only, 
 let a month from to-day go by before you 
 attempt any new schemes. And in the mean- 
 time you must change your attitude. Do not 
 oppose anything the Tsar may do that tramples 
 on old customs and observances. Kather try and 
 incite him to violate national prejudices in every 
 possible way ; the end will come all the sooner. 
 Do you see ? ' 
 
 ' OtrepieiF,' said Shuiski, ' you are a miracle. 
 You are right ; we are all babies compared with 
 you. We needed you — needed you badly. I 
 tell you, when the impostor has fallen, I will not 
 forget you.' 
 
 * I know what you are thinking of/ answered 
 Otrepieflf, with a peculiar smile ; * you mean to 
 be Tsar yourself. Advice is always thrown 
 away, but I warn you, do not think of it ; if so, 
 you will come to a bad end. As for me, I shall 
 not need your rewards by then. I want no 
 rewards ; I work for my own hand, and for no 
 one else. 
 
2 28 DMITRI 
 
 ' Eemember, wait for a month. Before it is 
 over you shall hear strange news.' 
 He turned and went out. 
 
 LVI 
 
 The days flew by. March was dying, but it 
 was icy cold at Moscow. The snow lay deep 
 upon the ground. 
 
 The council broke up. ' In three months, 
 then, we shall be all ready, and then, woe to the 
 Tartars ! ' exclaimed Dmitri. * But practice, my 
 lords, practice is what we want now. I hope 
 you are all coming out to Viazema this morning, 
 gentlemen, to see our sham fight. Those who 
 find themselves too old to brave the deadly 
 snowballs will find plenty of sport in looking on. 
 We begin at two.' 
 
 ' Three months hence,' muttered Shuiski 
 under his breath, as the Tsar left the room, 
 *the Tartars will trouble you no more.' 
 
 Over the white snow the gay sledges flew 
 along, the bells tinkling, the whips cracking, 
 
DMITRI 229 
 
 the young nobles shouting with delight as they 
 vied with one another in the race to be first on 
 the field of action. Among them the Tsar 
 himself, who had put his driver behind, and 
 looking like a huge bear in his thick furs, leaned 
 over his three fine horses, and drank in the 
 glorious pleasure of existence, the rapturous 
 excitement of incomparable motion. What is 
 the poor, sluggish, rolling on wheels to the 
 gliding, flying, whirring, whistling, voluptuous 
 intoxication of a sledge ? 
 
 The afternoon was growing old before they 
 arrived at Viazema, for they had started late, 
 and the days were short. 
 
 Half a mile from the convent a huge fort of 
 snow had been erected on a rising mound. A 
 high wall of snow ran round it, encircled itself 
 by a deep ditch. The plan of action was soon 
 formed. About fifty young nobles, commanded 
 by Basmanof and Galitzin, entered the fortifi- 
 cation, and prepared to repel the attack of a 
 select detachment of the Tsar's bodyguard, led 
 by Dmitri himself. Those who did not fight 
 flew about in their sledges, and occasionally 
 stopping close to the works, excited the com- 
 
230 DMITRI 
 
 batants to do their utmost by their plaudits and 
 cheers. 
 
 The signal was given by the discharge of a 
 musket, and the game began. The depth of the 
 ditch, and the slippery sides of the wall, at first 
 defied all the efforts of the besiegers. From 
 the summit of the snowy palisade the besieged 
 Eussians rained down a hail of snowballs ; and 
 loud was the laughter as man after man, as he 
 all but scaled the rampart, struck full in the 
 eyes with a well -aimed shot, lost his balance 
 and rolled in the snow. 
 
 Gradually, as one or another lost his temper a 
 little, the fun grew somewhat more earnest. The 
 besiegers, repeatedly repulsed, grew less careful 
 in their choice of weapons, and began to hurl 
 lumps of snow frozen into ice, or mingled and 
 made hard and dangerous with gravel and 
 stones. More than one of the defenders had 
 his face badly cut, and the game soon became 
 a fight in good earnest. The Eussians within 
 the fort, afraid of hurting the Tsar, who hurried 
 about, attempting any point which seemed to 
 offer the best opportunity, did not dare to 
 retaliate in kind. The Tsar at length, with a 
 
DMITRI 23 T 
 
 small force of four or five of his best men, 
 amidst a hail of inofiensive missiles, succeeded in 
 efiecting an entrance, partly owing to the sudden 
 fall of part of the wall, and rushing in with 
 a shout of delight, followed by his supporters, 
 appeared suddenly on the top of the interior 
 castle, and the victory was won. 
 
 ' Gallantly done, my men ! ' he cried joyously, 
 brushing the snow from his fur, ' admirable ! 
 Next summer, by God's help, we will take Azof 
 as easily from the Tartars. Truce, gentlemen, 
 truce for ten minutes.' 
 
 The action stopped ; but the besieged, many 
 of whom were seriously cut and wounded on 
 the face with fragments of ice and stones, stood 
 sulkily apart, and conversed in small knots. 
 
 ' We'll begin again in five minutes ! ' shouted 
 Dmitri gaily, after a pause, 'and reverse the 
 positions. Some one repair the breach in the 
 wall there.' 
 
 But as he stood laughing and talking with his 
 men, a young noble approached, and drawing 
 him aside, said — 
 
 *Tsar, forgive me, but don't begin again. 
 The game may be sport to you, but it's very 
 
2 32 DMITRI 
 
 serious earnest with some of them. They dare 
 not use the stones and ice that your men do ; 
 they don't love you, some of them ; they are 
 hurt and angry, and they carry sharp knives. 
 It may be fighting in real earnest in another 
 ten minutes.' 
 
 Dmitri started, and looked at the discomfited 
 ranks of the besieged. He saw enough to corro- 
 borate the young man's advice ; some of the young 
 nobles were throwing sidelong ugly glances at 
 himself and his more prominent companions, 
 many of whom were Poles or Cossacks. 
 
 After a minute's hesitation he decided not 
 to reopen the combat. Announcing that the 
 day was getting dark, and that it was too late 
 for a second engagement, he re-entered his 
 sledge and drove home, followed by the rest 
 of the company, in a spirit very diff'erent from 
 that in which they had started in the morning. 
 
 Night was falling as they entered Moscow. 
 The knots of people gathered together in earnest 
 conversation, and their fixed curious stare at- 
 tracted the Tsar's attention. As soon as he 
 reached the Kremlin, he got out, and sent his 
 driver back to find out what was the matter. 
 
DMITRI 233 
 
 The man soon returned. 
 
 * Tsar, bid me not to be chastised, if the news 
 is unwelcome.' 
 
 * Speak out.' 
 
 ' Tsar, there has been a great disturbance in 
 the town. The people thought — it was said — 
 that the Tsar was massacring the principal 
 boyars at Viazema, by means of his Poles and 
 Cossacks.' 
 
 Dmitri said nothing, but went in. 
 
 LVII 
 
 As he entered, Iwanicki came towards him. 
 
 * Ah, Iwanicki, you should have been with us ; 
 we had some grand sport. It ended a little 
 seriously, but it was splendid. What a pity you 
 had a bad ankle.' 
 
 Iwanicki stretched out his foot. ' There's 
 nothing the matter with my ankle.' 
 
 * Why, I thought you said ' 
 
 ' Yes, I told you this morning I had. I 
 thought it would be as well, this morning, to 
 have a sprained ankle.' 
 
234 DMITRI 
 
 ' What do you mean ? ' 
 
 ' Viazema is a long way from Moscow.' 
 
 'Well?' 
 
 ' And a good many boyars didn't go with you. 
 
 'Welir 
 
 ' Well, I thought it would be as well to have 
 a bad ankle. One can never tell ; when the 
 cat's away the mice will play, and you might 
 have found it difficult to get in, perhaps, when 
 you came back.' 
 
 Dmitri looked at him. ' Do you really think 
 it's as bad as that ? ' 
 
 ' General, have you heard the rumours ? ' 
 
 ' What ! about my massacring the boyars ? 
 oh yes.' 
 
 ' That's not the worst ; that only arose from 
 the other.' 
 
 ^ Which?' 
 
 ' It's rather a curious thing. They say a 
 pretender ' — Iwanicki turned away — ' has arisen 
 on the Don, giving himself out to be the Tsare- 
 vitch Peter Fedorovitch,^ and that a good many 
 Cossacks are for him.' 
 
 1 The * Tsarevitch Peter ' was supposed to be a son of Dmitri's 
 brother, Fedor, who had died in infancy. 
 
DMITRI 235 
 
 Dmitri started, this time in good earnest. 
 
 ' You see, General, there is probably not much 
 danger, but it will make people talk — and com- 
 pare. In fact, I was rather glad when you came 
 back. They were beginning to get restless, 
 these Muscovites, — and they looked at your 
 humble servant,' said Iwanicki, laughing, *in no 
 very pleasant manner.' 
 
 ' Iwanicki, you are right. I've noticed a good 
 many things myself. This new Tsarevitch, — 
 yes, I see through it all. Do you know who is 
 at the bottom of it ? It's that restless busybody, 
 OtrepiefF; I know the look of his work. It 
 was not wise of me to make the man my 
 enemy. 80 this is his game, — well, no, I 
 didn't anticipate this move, — but we'll see, 
 even now. These foolish old boyars would 
 never have thought of a trick like that. Yes, 
 it's Otrepieff. The rogue; he's the very devil 
 at intrigue. 
 
 ' The fact is, we want action ; a victory or two 
 over the Tartars, — there's what I need. Only 
 let Marina come, and we'll be oflf.' 
 
 ' Iwanicki,' he went on presently, ' it was good 
 of you ; you are a true friend ; but you shall 
 
236 DMITRI 
 
 have no more bad ankles while I'm away. I'll 
 not leave you behind to be slaughtered by a 
 rising of these villains. Ah ! wait a bit, my 
 conspiring boyars; next time I'll be a heavy 
 weight to you all. The great thing is, how to 
 deal with this rumour well. Let me see. 
 
 ' How do you think it would do to accept it as 
 true, eh, Iwanicki? and send and invite the 
 Tsarevitch Peter to come and see his uncle, and 
 prove his claim, and assure him of being well 
 treated. That's it, that's it. That's the plan. 
 Aha ! Otrepieff, I'll beat you at your own game. 
 I'll see about that the first thing in the morn- 
 ing/ 
 
 LVIII 
 
 Near Moscow, on the very spot where Dmitri 
 had pitched his camp before entering his capital 
 for the first time, a spacious pavilion had been 
 erected for the reception of Marina and her 
 escort. They had arrived in the morning, and 
 after discussing a sumptuous collation that had 
 been prepared for them, the Palatine of San- 
 domir, the Princes Wisnowiski, and a few other 
 
DMITRI 237 
 
 Polish nobles, Vlassief and his suite, Marina 
 herself, and a few Polish maids of honour, 
 were assembled chatting in the principal room, 
 when an orderly entered with several parcels, 
 which he stated to have just arrived from the 
 Tsar. 
 
 ' More presents I ' exclaimed the Palatine. 
 
 * Well, Marina, you certainly have a generous 
 lover. This is at least the hundredth man who 
 has brought you wedding presents from the Tsar 
 since we started.' 
 
 On opening the packages they were found to 
 contain several bags of roubles for distributing 
 to the crowds who should welcome her arrival, 
 and a magnificent tiara of pearls. 
 
 The tiara passed from hand to hand. 
 
 ' My lord,' said the orderly to Mniszek, ' the 
 courier who brought these is waiting outside. 
 He has a verbal message from his Imperial 
 Majesty to her Imperial Majesty, which can only 
 be communicated to her in private.' 
 
 The Palatine looked at his daughter. ' I sup- 
 pose your Imperial Majesty,' he said with a smile, 
 
 * must order us all out of her presence.' 
 
 'Oh no ! ' said Marina, with a blush ; ' that 
 
2^8 DMITRI 
 
 is not necessary. I will go into the next room, 
 and he can come in there.' 
 
 Mniszek nodded to the orderly, as Marina 
 finished speaking. ' I suppose there is no harm, 
 Vlassief ? ' he said to the Eussian representative 
 of the Tsar, who stood by, stiffly disapproving 
 this familiarity with his Imperial mistress. 
 
 *His Imperial Majesty has spoken,' answered 
 Vlassief. * No son of Russia would offer violence 
 to his Tsarina.' 
 
 The courier, almost concealed by his furs, and 
 the huge cap pulled down over his ears and eyes, 
 till nothing but the tip of his nose was visible, 
 entered and made a salute. 
 
 ' Go in there,' said Mniszek, pointing to the 
 door by which Marina had gone out, ' and you 
 will find her Imperial Majesty.' 
 
 Marina looked nervously at the man as he 
 entered. ' I believe you have a particular mes- 
 sage from the Tsar for me ? ' 
 
 The man removed his hat. 
 
 ' Dmitri, Dmitri ! ' she cried, and rushed into 
 his arms ; ' oh, Dmitri ! this is better than the 
 pearls. Now, I am safe.' 
 
 ' You did not know me till I took off my hat.' 
 
DMITRI 239 
 
 ' How could I know you, wrapped up like a 
 great bear ? ' 
 
 'You always know a bear by his hug,' said 
 Dmitri, smiling, and suiting the action to the 
 word. 
 
 LIX 
 
 Two days afterwards, the whole population of 
 Moscow was massed on the northern bank of the 
 river to witness the entree of their new Tsarina 
 into her capital. On the opposite bank, close to 
 the bridge, a shining tent of white silk had been 
 set up, wherein she might receive the homage 
 and addresses of the nobles and the deputations 
 from the city, which were drawn up on the bridge 
 in order. 
 
 At half-past eleven, a splendid carriage of 
 ebony, lined with yellow silk, and drawn by six 
 dapple-grey horses, their manes, tails, and feet dyed 
 scarlet, drew her and the Palatine of Sandomir 
 to the tent. Behind followed in other carriages 
 her maids of honour and the cavalcade of Polish 
 knights who formed her escort. 
 
 Here she dismounted and went inside the 
 
240 DMITRI 
 
 tent. One after another the boyars^ came for- 
 ward and kissed the hand of their new mistress. 
 Outside, the Tsar, dressed as a cavalry officer, 
 waited incognito on his horse, for etiquette 
 forbade him to receive her in his own proper 
 person till she arrived at the Kremlin. 
 
 This lasted an hour, during which Marina 
 patiently presented her hand to the interminable 
 series of nobles who came to welcome her. A 
 sense of indefinable nervousness possessed her. 
 Half-way through the ceremony she glanced aside 
 and caught the eye of Vassili Shuiski contemplat- 
 ing her with a smile of sinister irony. 
 
 Coming forth from the tent when all was 
 over, she was assisted by the six leading boyars 
 into a new carriage, this being of inlaid cedar, 
 with cushions of red velvet, embroidered with 
 pearls, and drawn by twelve cream-coloured 
 steeds. The procession, led by the boyars on 
 foot, wound slowly over the bridge and up the 
 street towards the Spaski Gate. The Polish 
 knights followed close behind, their band playing 
 Polish national airs. The bells rang joyfully ; 
 peal after peal of Dmitri's new ordnance drowned 
 from time to time the music and the shoutino^. 
 
DMITRI 241 
 
 ' Look, look at her ! ' exclaimed Dashenka to 
 Peter, who stood at hand. ' Isn't she beautiful ? 
 But who ever saw a decent woman in such tight- 
 fitting clothes ? ' 
 
 ' I don't care about her clothes,' returned 
 Peter ; ' but those Poles, why do they come here ? 
 They look just as if they were entering a cap- 
 tured citadel, with their arms and their trumpets, 
 St. Nicolas blast them ! ' 
 
 Nevertheless, the crowd cheered lustily as the 
 cortege arrived by degrees at the Eedeemer's 
 Gate, and was there met by the Tsar in his robes 
 of state, the stuff of which it was impossible to 
 discern, so overstrewn was it with jewels flashing 
 in the sun. Taking his Tsarina by the hand, he 
 led her to the door of the Convent of the 
 Ascension, where she was received by the 
 Dowager -Tsarina Maria, the mother of the 
 Tsar, and conducted within. 
 
 Amidst such apparent rejoicing did the beauti- 
 ful Pole enter her new abode, but with a heavy 
 heart; for, as she slowly moved through the 
 streets threading the vast crowd, many a scowl- 
 ing eye had struck a chill into her soul. 
 
 R 
 
242 DMITRI 
 
 LX 
 
 An eager crowd of gutter politicians was 
 assembled in the little drinking booth, and lent 
 an attentive ear to the fervent denunciations 
 of Pimen, who now had public opinion on his 
 side. 
 
 ' What are all these accursed Lyakhs, these 
 pagans, doing in our Moscow ? ' he shouted. 
 ' Why do they all come here armed to the teeth, 
 in crowds ? Answer me that ! ' 
 
 But this time Mitka did not accept his chal- 
 lenge. 
 
 * What can they want here, these vile pagans, 
 but to attack our faith ? When were pagans ever 
 in the Kremlin before ? And the foreign woman, 
 is she not in the Ascension Convent ? And has 
 she not brought her cooks and her musicians 
 with her ? ' 
 
 * What does she want with cooks ? ' asked one 
 of the drinkers. 
 
 ' Want ? She wants to eat unholy meats in 
 the sacred convent.' 
 
DMITRI 243 
 
 'Ay,' said another; 'and the Tsar, he eats 
 veal. He is not a Russian/ 
 
 * Who told you he eats veal ? ' asked Mitka. 
 
 ' The butcher, Rustok, told me ; he sends veal 
 to the Kremlin/ 
 
 ' Of course he eats veal ! ' exclaimed Pimen. 
 ' Did not he have Prince Tatischef flogged for 
 telling him he ought not ? ' 
 
 A tall man in the corner raised his head. 
 ' It would be very well if that was all. But he 
 is a pagan. He has seized the property of the 
 Church, and built churches for his Wends and 
 foreigners with the money.' 
 
 ' It is a plot ! it is a plot ! ' cried Pimen. 
 ' They are all in it, these Poles and Wends. 
 They want to get our country into their hands. 
 They are all Cossacks. The Tsar is a vile 
 Cossack, just like this other new Tsarevitch on 
 the Don.' 
 
 ' Who is he ? ' asked a toper. 
 
 ' Did you not hear ? Another dirty Cossack 
 says he is the Tsarevitch Peter Fedorovitch.' 
 
 ' Soon we shall have two Tsars ! ' 
 
 ' And both Cossacks, both pagans ! ' cried 
 Pimen. 
 
244 DMITRI 
 
 ' How can we have anything but pagans for 
 Tsars, when we Eussians are all half pagans 
 ourselves ? ' said the tall man in the corner. 
 * What we have to do is to remember our Saints, 
 and pray to them. But the day of the Lord's 
 vengeance will come soon, sooner than these 
 pagans imagine. No, the Lord will not abandon 
 His people if they are faithful.' 
 
 ' Who is that ? ' asked Pimen, as the tall man 
 went out. 
 
 ' I don't know,' answered the host. ' He has 
 been here a good deal this last day or two. He 
 comes from the South. 'Twas he that brought 
 the news of this new impostor on the Don.' 
 
 ' Perhaps he is a spy,' suggested a timid- 
 looking little man. 
 
 * Not he,' said Pimen. ' When did a spy sit 
 without drinking anything ? ' 
 
 ' You would be a good spy if drinking makes 
 a spy,' observed the irritated Mitka. 
 
 ' Well, you wouldn't,' retorted Pimen ; * for 
 you pour half all you drink on to your clothes.' 
 
 * No quarrelling ! ' said mine host. ' There are 
 no spies here, I hope,' and he went to get 
 brandy for a new-comer. 
 
DMITRI 245 
 
 'I believe he is a spy himself/ muttered 
 Pimen to his neighbour, who shook his head 
 oracularly. 
 
 LXI 
 
 * And you aren't going to stay with me to- 
 night, Dmitri ? ' 
 
 ' I can't, little woman ; I must be at the 
 banquet. The guests would fight if I wasn't 
 there to keep the peace.' 
 
 'And how long will the horrible banquet last ? ' 
 
 ' Oh, hours ! Up to any time in the morning, 
 I should think.' 
 
 Marina pouted. ' I wanted you all to myself 
 this evening ; and it's so long since I've seen 
 you. And I don't feel safe without you,' and 
 she nestled close up to him. ' These people look 
 at me so — I don't know how. I heard a man in 
 the crowd this morning cry, "Polish woman." 
 He looked at me so terribly, I'm sure he had the 
 evil eye. Oh, Dmitri ! I wish you hadn't got to 
 go.' 
 
 ' Foolish little thing, what are you afraid of ? ' 
 
 'I can't help it, Dmitri, I feel so nervous. 
 
246 DMITRI 
 
 And that horrible, horrihle old man, Prince 
 Shuiski, I donH like him.' 
 
 * I must tell him that.' 
 
 ' Don't let him see me,' said Marina, shud- 
 dering. ' Oh, Dmitri ! I shall be so glad when 
 to-morrow's over, and we're married. I can't 
 bear being alone in that dismal convent, I feel so 
 lonely. And they want me to wear such hideous 
 clothes to-morrow, just like great sacks, to be 
 married in, though I've brought such a beautiful 
 wedding dress with me ! They told me I mustn't 
 wear it. But I may, mayn't I, Dmitri ? ' 
 
 ' I don't know,' said Dmitri. ' They are very 
 silly about little things like that here ; they 
 think it's impious not to wear the old Kussian 
 garments, or dress differently from other people 
 here. So you don't like your pretty head and 
 this beautiful hair to be buried under a kakoshnik. 
 Well, I daresay you're right, little woman. I'll 
 see what I can do ; but I'm afraid you may have 
 to be a Eussian lady to-morrow, Marie. I have 
 had a fearful trouble about your priests; they 
 are very stupid and very obstinate about re- 
 ligious matters. You can't argue with them ; 
 it only makes them hate you.' 
 
DMITRI 247 
 
 ' Yes ; I know that already. They were very 
 angry with me in the convent because I have 
 brought my own cooks. But I carUt eat the 
 fearful messes they give me.' 
 
 ' Well, anyhow, it can't last long, Marie. 
 To-morrow you will be installed here with me, 
 and then we'll be able to manage better. But 
 try and do as they want for a little while. Now 
 I must go ; I've lots of things to look after. And 
 whenever I'm not about your people are always 
 squabbling with my faithful subjects.' 
 
 * Our faithful subjects, Dmitri.' 
 
 ' Yes, ours, if you like,' said Dmitri, smiling. 
 ' What a pretty little hand you've got, Marie. 
 I envy my boyars. It must have been quite 
 sore this morning with being kissed. . Now, 
 good -night, I really must go. Take care 
 what you do, and I'll see you early to-morrow 
 morning.' 
 
 Marina's women were summoned, and she 
 went back to the convent by a private gallery. 
 
248 DMITRI 
 
 LXII 
 
 It was two o'clock in the morning. The 
 wearisome dinner and the drinking bout that 
 followed it were at last over, and the guests 
 broke up and sallied forth into the night. The 
 Kussian nobles left the Kremlin, for the most 
 part, silent and reserved; their long trains of 
 attendants with torches flaming gave the scene 
 the aspect of some strange ceremony. The Poles 
 reeled out into the air, their brains whirling with 
 the strong uncouth liquors they had been obliged 
 to consume, making the grey night hideous 
 with their uproarious shouting and unseasonable 
 laughter, and arousing the rage and indignation 
 of the Russians with their outspoken criticisms 
 and unseemly demeanour. 
 
 ' Good Lord, Iwanicki ! ' exclaimed a young 
 Pole, leaning on the arm of the person he ad- 
 dressed, 'was there ever such a dinner party 
 before since the world began? I thought I should 
 have died ! To see the Tsar perched up all by 
 himself, togged out like — like Solomon in all his 
 
DMITRI 249 
 
 glory ! And the two miserable Wisnowiskis 
 jammed together at a little button of a table 
 with the Palatine ! Lord ! how wretched they 
 did look for six mortal hours ! Hollo ! there's 
 Konstantin Wisnowiski ! How did you like it, 
 old fellow?' 
 
 ' Like it ? I feel as if I was dead and buried,' 
 grunted Konstantin. 
 
 * Don't make such a row, SoltikofF,' expostu- 
 lated Iwanicki. ' You'll wake all the people up.' 
 
 ' Let 'em wake. I say, look at that old owl ; 
 he's got all his clothes on at once. Hi, sir, you 
 there, isn't it cold ? ' 
 
 ' For Heaven's sake, Soltikoff ! Wisnowiski, 
 help me to get this drunkard home,' said Iwanicki. 
 
 * You don't know these Muscovites. There'll be 
 a fight. Why, that's Prince Bielski you're in- 
 sulting ! ' 
 
 * Bielski r yelled Soltikoff, on whose heated 
 brain the night air was beginning to work. 
 
 * Hurrah for old Bielski ! I say, Konstantin, did 
 you have plates ? We had — ha ! ha ! — what do 
 you think ? We had slices of bread for plates. 
 The Tsar sent us one each. I thought it was the 
 right way to begin dinner, and I ate half mine to 
 
250 DMITRI 
 
 start with before I found out. Ha ! ha ! Plates 1 
 ha ! ha ! ha ! — just like a picnic. Slices of bread ! 
 oh! ho! ho! I shall die!' 
 
 ' Yes, you will in a minute if you don't stop 
 shouting like that. Look at those fellows glaring 
 at us.' 
 
 ' I say, Iwanicki,' SoltikofF suddenly sang out 
 at the full pitch of his voice, ' see old Moses there 
 with the big beard ! He sat opposite me. He 
 drank forty-seven great tankards of Eussian wine, 
 and he's still alive. Let's go and ' 
 
 But the desperate Iwanicki, trembling for the 
 consequences, fell upon him, and with the assist- 
 ance of two or three fairly sober companions 
 lifted him, struggling and shouting, bodily up, 
 carried him off to his own quarters, and forced 
 him into bed. 
 
 Lxin 
 
 But in the house of Prince Vassili Shuiski 
 a crowd of excited and furious Russians were 
 gathered together. One after another of those 
 who had just assisted at the banquet kept com- 
 ing in, among them the ungovernable Bielski, 
 
DMITRI 251 
 
 fresh from Polish insults and spluttering with 
 rage ; there too were many spies employed by 
 Shuiski in different quarters of the town; a few 
 ecclesiastics; a few officers who were not on guard 
 that night, and one or two Cossacks, deserters. 
 
 ' What need is there for me to waste words ? ' 
 Shuiski was saying. * What is the good of long 
 speeches, w^hen the things are flagrant before 
 your eyes % This influx of abominable Poles, 
 armed to the teeth ; this pollution of our sacred 
 places with their loathsome rites; this Lithuanian 
 woman for our Tsarina ; these vile pagan upstart 
 youngsters publicly insulting us and deriding our 
 customs — is it not enough ? Are we agreed ? ' 
 
 A unanimous growl of indignation answered 
 his appeal. 
 
 * Then why should we delay ? To-morrow at 
 this hour the Polish impostor will be drowned 
 in wine and the arms of his Polish woman. 
 To-morrow at this hour — is that our time ? ' 
 
 * Yes, yes ; to-morrow, to-morrow ! ' 
 
 ' As for the nobles, I will answer for them,' 
 went on Shuiski ; ' they distrusted me at first, 
 and I nearly paid the penalty of my daring with 
 my life. But they have learned wisdom by now; 
 
252 DMITRI 
 
 they doubt no more. But the people — Otrepieff, 
 you know them, — how are they disposed \ ' 
 
 ' They are for us, in a sense,' said Otrepieff. 
 * That is to say, they are beginning to chafe at the 
 wild enormities of the Tsar, but they are not 
 wholly against him. We cannot depend on them. 
 They still, most of them, believe him to be the 
 son of Ivan. It would be well if we could 
 devise some scheme to deceive them. One thing 
 is certain, they execrate the Lithuanian strangers. 
 What do you say ? To-morrow, when we rush 
 into the Kremlin, let us raise the shout, " The 
 Lithuanians are hilling the Tsar ! " That will 
 madden them against the foreigners, and while 
 they are cutting the throats of the Poles, we can 
 settle quietly with the impostor.' 
 
 * Good ! ' exclaimed Shuiski ; ' very good ! 
 That is the thing to do ! Yes, that's the plan ! 
 Listen, every one. To-morrow, after the ball — 
 'twill be about three in the morning, let us say, — 
 we all assemble in the Eed Square, just outside 
 the Redeemer's Gate. The guards are ours; they 
 will let us in. Some dozen of us — Otrepieff, you 
 will choose them — wait outside, and raise the 
 cry against the foreigners. While the mob are 
 
DMITRI 253 
 
 after them, we can do the rest. It will go hard 
 with us if there is a single Pole left alive to- 
 morrow morning. Kemember, surround the 
 palace and seize the vile Cossack while he sleeps. 
 Don't listen, don't let him speak, kill him, any of 
 you, stab him where he lies. He can't escape. 
 We must post a detachment at every gate and 
 along the river bank. Do you see ? ' 
 
 ' Yes, yes.' 
 
 ' Away then till to-morrow ; and the God of 
 Kussia fight for us.' 
 
 ' One word ! ' cried OtrepiefF. ' Let us beware, 
 beware, beware of betraying our plan. Not a 
 sign, not a look, not a wink. The impostor is as 
 cunning as Satan ; a hint, and we are all dead 
 men. Let him have his way ; bear with every 
 insult or outrage, 'twill soon be over.' 
 
 ' You hear ? ' said Shuiski. * OtrepiefF is right. 
 It is only twenty -four hours' waiting, and I — I 
 have waited months.' 
 
 * Let us kneel,' said the ousted Patriarch, who 
 sat at Shuiski's side in disguise, ' and ask a bless- 
 ing of the Lord.' 
 
 They knelt, and the Patriarch raised his 
 voice — 
 
254 DMITRI 
 
 ' Set a watch, Lord, before our mouth, and 
 keep the door of our lips, and grant us Thy grace 
 that we may wipe out the stains and insults they 
 have offered to Thy holy altars in the blood of the 
 offenders.' 
 
 'Amen/ came from every lip. 
 
 ' To-morrow,' said Shuiski, posting himself at 
 the door, to each one as he went out ; ' to-morrow, 
 at three in the morning, before the Church of 
 St. Vassili.' 
 
 LXIV 
 
 *Then, my lords, I understand you will not 
 give way in this small matter to oblige me. 
 Very well, I will not forget it,' and the Tsar 
 rose angrily from his throne. 
 
 'Your Imperial Majesty must not suppose 
 that his councillors offer any opposition. Least 
 of all would Vassili Shuiski presume to pronounce 
 on the delicate question of a lady's dress. Only, 
 the thing involves an old custom. The Kussian 
 people will certainly consider the appearance of 
 the Tsarina in a foreign costume — so indecent in 
 their eyes — as in the highest degree ofifensive. 
 
DMITRI 255 
 
 But let the Tsar decide how far he can afford 
 to set old customs — prejudices — at nought. 
 His councillors dissuade nothing, recommend 
 nothing; they merely state facts and their 
 probable effects on the people.' 
 
 ' All very fine, all very smooth, Prince Vassili 
 Shuiski,' answered Dmitri. * It seems to me, on 
 the contrary, that I get on perfectly with my 
 people, but that my senators are too fond of 
 giving me good advice. What absurdity ! to 
 make such a fuss about an affair of clothes — a 
 girl's clothes ! ' 
 
 *But a girl's clothes may cover a nation's 
 obedience.' 
 
 * Have it your own way then, gentlemen, since 
 you will insist upon it. I yield, and the Tsarina 
 shall conform to the old Kussian manners and 
 customs. To-day, to-day she shall look like a 
 walking mountain, to please you ; but to-morrow 
 she shall please herself, and look like what she 
 chooses.' 
 
 And he went out abruptly. 
 
 'To-morrow!' The boyars looked at each 
 other, but they said nothing. 
 
256 DMITRI 
 
 LXV 
 
 The uproarious Soltikoff was in so evil a 
 plight after his night's debauch that he was 
 unable to attend the wedding of the Tsar, but 
 sat at home cursing his hard fate and his racking 
 headache in the house of Iwanicki, with whom he 
 was staying, till it was all over. At last his 
 host returned in company with another young 
 Polish grandee, one of Cracow's exquisites, by 
 name Count Stanislas Niemciwicz. 
 
 * Well,' asked the invalid as they came in, 
 ' all over ? How went the thing ? ' 
 
 Niemciwicz always spoke in a very high 
 sing-song voice. 
 
 * Oh, my dear Soltikoff,' he replied, ' quite the 
 funniest proceeding ! What a thousand pities 
 you weren't there ! The very drollest thing ! 
 Poor Marina Mniszek in a sort of bed-quilt, that 
 looked as if it had been smeared with honey and 
 then dipped in pearls. Her face stuck out at the 
 top ; and such a singular affair on her head, quite 
 ridiculous ! ' 
 
DMITRI 257 
 
 * The ceremony go off well ? ' 
 
 * Oh, fairly well, fairly well. The whole 
 business was extremely laughable. No chairs, 
 nothing to sit down on ; every one stood up all 
 the time. Most fatiguing ceremony, wasn't it, 
 Iwanicki? I was ready to drop, so down I 
 dropped, and sat on something or other ; heard a 
 great noise ; people grumbling ; found I was 
 sitting on Ivan the Terrible's face, or something 
 of the kind. Most absurd ! eh, Iwanicki ? ' 
 
 But Iwanicki, who seemed abstracted, looked 
 very grave. 
 
 *Do you notice now, Soltikoff, how serious 
 Iwanicki's got since we saw him last. Quite 
 Russian, I declare. The cold has that sort of 
 effect, I believe. Everybody is very grave here. 
 They don't understand a joke here, these Mus- 
 covites. If you had only been there ; why, 
 who but a Muscovite would not have laughed 
 to see the Tsar and his bride hoisted about 
 the cathedral by half a dozen venerable boyars, 
 — grey- haired old curmudgeons in long gowns ? 
 Yes, the sense of humour is gone among these 
 Muscovites — quite gone. I thought I should 
 split with laughing. Poor Skzyrnowski can- 
 
258 DMITRI 
 
 not recover ; lie is doomed. We all laughed 
 so!' 
 
 ' Yes, too much, a great deal too much,' ob- 
 served Iwanicki. ' I thought the people would 
 set upon you.' 
 
 ' Oh, come ! now you really are too severe. 
 We did laugh a little ; but how could we help 
 it ? The whole thing was so supremely ridicu- 
 lous ! ' 
 
 ' It will be a bad joke for some of us before 
 you've done,' answered Iwanicki. 'You don't 
 know this place or these people. Now, I do, and 
 I'll give you a piece of advice. Don't stop too 
 long at the ball to-night, and don't roam about 
 the streets after. There's something in the air 
 just now.' 
 
 ' Dear me, Iwanicki, what a sage you are ! The 
 fact is, my dear Soltikoff,' went on the inexhaust- 
 ible Niemciwicz, as Iwanicki left the room, 'our 
 friend here is a little out of humour about 
 something. Stands a little on his dignity, and 
 gives a little too much advice.' 
 
 Niemciwicz was jealous of Iwanicki, who 
 always outshone him in society at Cracow. 
 
 * Well, anyhow, / shan't do much roaming/ 
 
DMITRI 259 
 
 groaned SoltikofF. ' Oh ! these Eussian beverages, 
 what can they be made of? I must go and just 
 look in at the ball, but I shall come back early, 
 and go to bed as soon as I get back.' 
 
 ' A very bad plan, my dear fellow, — the worst 
 in the world if you've been living a little fast. 
 There's only one receipt — a hair of the dog that 
 bit you. Sit up all night and play baccarat. 
 I've often done it; it's infallible. If you go to 
 bed early, the whole room goes round with you, 
 and you don't know where you are in the 
 morning.' 
 
 LXVI 
 
 The dinner had long been over. But in the 
 imperial palace, where a grand ball was given in 
 honour of the Tsar's marriage and of his young 
 Tsarina, the dancing went on into a late hour of 
 the night. 
 
 Through the tapestried chambers and galleries, 
 lit up by torches, flaring from long gold and silver 
 branches on the walls, with here and there a 
 lamp of strange shape, the Eussian boyars, in 
 their most magnificent caftans, moved with their 
 
2 6o DMITRI 
 
 spouses, mixing majestically with the Polish 
 strangers and the ladies of Marina's train — 
 mixing, but not mingling ; tending rather, like 
 oil and vinegar, to keep sharply distinct, and 
 gravitate in small exclusive knots : the Kussians 
 silent, dignified, and icily reserved ; the Poles 
 noisy, laughing, and critical. 
 
 In the uniform of a captain of strelitz, Dmitri 
 moved from group to group, doing his best to 
 smooth away difficulties and promote intercourse, 
 but unsuccessfully. The Kussians viewed all his 
 efforts to mitigate their sullenness as proof that 
 he was himself half a Pole, while the Poles 
 laughed at him in their sleeve as one of the 
 barbarians. Over the whole company there hung 
 a vague and undefinable atmosphere of incon- 
 gruity : a feeling of general antagonism, as it 
 were latent under an amicable social veneer, 
 lurked in every heart. The hours flew by, and 
 each hour, as it died, left behind it a more distinct 
 and unmistakable sentiment of oppression and 
 constraint. 
 
 The dances caught the prevailing tone, and 
 the want of anything approaching to gaiety pro- 
 duced a solemn and almost overpowering impres- 
 
DMITRI 261 
 
 sion on the guests. A presentiment, not to be 
 accounted for, robbed the festivities of all that 
 sparkle and life without which such ceremonies 
 are as flat champagne. There was, indeed, 
 plenty of noise, mainly from Polish throats, but 
 no light-heartedness. The evening wanted a 
 soul ; or more exactly, every one in the room 
 bore himself as if his shoe pinched. 
 
 In the midst of all this uneasiness, the Tsar 
 alone seemed a stranger to it ; but his isolated 
 merriment only accentuated the universal gloom. 
 As he left a knot of Poles, he felt a touch on his 
 shoulder. He turned and perceived Iwanicki. 
 
 ^Ah, Iwanicki, are you as solemn as all the 
 rest?' 
 
 ' General, have you made sure of your guards 
 to-night ? ' 
 
 ' Of course ! Why ? ' 
 
 ' Are you sure of them ? ' 
 
 ' Why, certainly I Why not ? What do you 
 mean ? ' 
 
 'General, I wish you had not sent away 
 Korela and his Cossacks to disperse those dis- 
 turbers on the Don. There's something curious 
 about every one to-night. Perhaps you've not 
 
262 DMITRI 
 
 noticed it ; but look at all these boyars ; they 
 keep exchanging glances. I've seen a lot of 
 things that escape you.' 
 
 At this moment the Palatine of Sandomir 
 came up. ' Tsar, you don't happen to have a 
 score or two guards to spare to-night, do you ? ' 
 
 * What ! you too, father-in-law ? What are 
 you afraid of ? ' 
 
 'Why, things seem rather unsettled. Some 
 of our fellows have been rather roughly treated 
 and insulted in the street. A dirty ruffian had 
 a scuffle with one of my grooms, who told him 
 the Tsar should hear of it in the morning. 
 "Ah," says he, "wait till to-morrow comes!" 
 Then I was warned by an odd-looking rascal who 
 said he was a Pole, to stay indoors to-night. 
 There seems to be something in the air. These 
 townspeople are behaving very strangely.' 
 
 * Why, what are you all afraid of ? How can 
 you expect anything else ? You Poles are al- 
 ways fighting with my people, and of course 
 they say anything that occurs to them. They 
 don't mean anything. It's all noise. But as to 
 your fellows who were beaten in the street, I'll 
 look into it in the morning. Iwanicki, you are 
 
DMITRI 263 
 
 fearfully solemn. You want a cup of something 
 and a partner.' 
 
 * No, General, I must be gone. IVe got an 
 invalid to look after. All the same, I wish you 
 had your Cossack guards ; or, anyhow, I wish / 
 was on guard in the Kremlin to-night.' 
 
 ' I wish you were. But don't be afraid. I'm 
 going myself in a minute or two. Marina's very 
 tired. We're going sledging to-morrow ; come 
 and hold her in while I drive, will you ? ' 
 
 * All right ! Good-night, General ! ' 
 ' Good-night.' 
 
 As soon as the Tsar and his bride had gone, 
 the guests gradually dropped away by twos and 
 threes. A few lingered talking and drinking. 
 The Poles went home in small knots with less 
 hilarity than on the previous night. By one 
 o'clock, save for the laughing of here and there 
 a couple of returning guests, Moscow was buried 
 in quiet and repose. 
 
264 DMITRI 
 
 LXVII 
 
 'Ah, Dmitri, Fm so glad I'm with you to- 
 night ! That dreadful ball ! Do you know, all 
 night the boyars kept looking at me ? ' 
 
 ' Of course they did, Marie ! Every one did ! ' 
 
 ' No ; not like that. I don t mean that, but 
 — somehow — it was awful. At times I almost 
 screamed. Oh, that horrible Prince Shuiski. I 
 shall have nightmare. His eyes sneered at me 
 so. I am afraid of him, Dmitri.' 
 
 ' Well, now, he's gone, and forgotten all about 
 you.' 
 
 'Put your arms round me, Dmitri. There, 
 now I feel safe.' 
 
 ' Why, you're all cold. What is it ? ' 
 
 * I don't know. I feel so — unhinged. Fm 
 afraid ' 
 
 'You're overtired, little woman. You'll be 
 all right to-morrow.' 
 
 ' You won't let him hurt me, Dmitri ? ' 
 
 ' Foolish little Marie ! ' 
 
 *Fm so sorry. I carUt help it. They all 
 
DMITRI 265 
 
 seem enemies to me. I feel so lost and friend- 
 less here. Dmitri, do you remember that 
 evening ? ' 
 
 * At Sandomir ? Yes, I should think so.' 
 ' And — my song ? ' . 
 
 'Yes.' 
 
 'Well, it's come true. I am an exile after 
 all.' 
 
 * Foolish little exile; why, you're in your 
 own house. Now go to sleep.' 
 
 LXVIII 
 
 * Are we all ready ? Are the men prepared, 
 OtrepiefF ? Good ! Comrades, you know the 
 plan. To the Spaski Gate ; not a sound till the 
 bell rings. Who's that ? Vlassief ? Come in ! ' 
 
 * Everything's quiet,' said the newcomer. 
 ' They suspect nothing. The Poles are making 
 merry in one or two houses.' 
 
 'Have you set the watches at the gates, 
 Otr^pieff? Are the men come in from the 
 suburbs ? ' 
 
 ' They're all there.' 
 
266 DMITRI 
 
 * Come on, then. Kemember tlie signal : the 
 big bell. Now, then, every man to his post. In 
 an hour it will be all over. Quietly now ! ' 
 
 LXIX 
 
 It was three o'clock in the morning. Moscow 
 was still as death. The night was very cold. A 
 faint light hung in the sky, but the streets were 
 pitchy black. 
 
 TV* •TV' "Vf* ^ 
 
 Clang — hoowj — whirr — &oom. 
 
 The great bell rang out into the startled air. 
 A noise of shouting, the trample of hurried feet. 
 
 Doors flew open. People leaped out of their 
 beds, and hurried on their clothes. 
 
 ' What's that ? ' ' Lord, have mercy upon us ! ' 
 ' What's the matter ? ' * Get up ! ' 
 
 The streets filled like magic. Torches dashed 
 about ; soon a stream of people began to pour 
 along in affright. 
 
 'What is it?' 'The Kremlin's on fire!' 
 * The, Poles, the Lithuanians are murdering the 
 Tsar!' 
 
DMITRI 267 
 
 ' The Lithuanians — down with the pagan dogs ! 
 Come along ! ' 
 
 Every now and then half a dozen soldiers 
 hurried by. The bell boomed on into the night. 
 Church after church took it up, and the clamour 
 became infernal. 
 
 At the Spaski Gate Shuiski, at the head of his 
 band of conspirators and a detachment of soldiers, 
 shouted to the mob that grew every moment — 
 
 * Christians, to the work ! The accursed im- 
 postor and his Lithuanians have sold Kussia and 
 the holy city to the King of Poland. You have 
 seen how they laugh at our customs and defile 
 our churches ; how they desecrate our monasteries 
 and convents. People, the time has come ! All 
 good Christians, follow me. Death to the im- 
 postor and the Poles ! ' 
 
 The gate, held by some treacherous guards, 
 flew open, and the conspirators rushed in. Be- 
 hind them, the cry grew : ' Death to the Lithu- 
 anians I ' Shuiski and his band, with shouts 
 of * Death to the heretic ! ' hurried across the 
 Square, brandishing hatchets, swords, and spears. 
 Arrived at the Tsar's palace, they began to 
 batter at the doors. 
 
268 DMITRI 
 
 Within five minutes the whole city was in an 
 uproar. The infuriated mob, led by sections of 
 the conspirators, poured in detachments to the 
 different quarters assigned to the principal Poles, 
 and began to beat in the doors. A few of those 
 in the plot rapidly collected a heap of prepared 
 materials, and an enormous bonfire suddenly 
 flared up on the Red Place; its red uncertain 
 flickering flames gave the weird Church of St. 
 Vassili and the crowds of startled citizens pouring 
 past into the Kremlin an effect almost unearthly. 
 
 LXX 
 
 Asleep in his palace in the Kremlin, Dmitri 
 dreamed a dream. 
 
 He thought he was flying along in his sledge 
 after two bears, one black and one white, which 
 ran like the wind. They always kept just ahead 
 of him. He felt, somehow, that his life depended 
 on his catching them up. They flew along, the 
 wind whistling in his ears. He could see their 
 little short tails, always at the same distance, just 
 in front of him. He noticed suddenly he had 
 
DMITRI 269 
 
 no horses in his sledge, and wondered how he 
 got along, but it did not seem at all strange. 
 
 Then, with a kind of jerk, he became aware he 
 was not moving along at all, nor in a sledge ; he 
 was in the ballroom. Before him were the two 
 bears; how absurd, they were not bears at all, — the 
 black one was Shuiski, and the white one Marina ! 
 
 How could he have mistaken them ? They 
 were dancing furiously side by side on a table. 
 He could see Marina was in mortal agony ; she 
 looked ready to drop. But they danced furiously 
 up and down, never stopping. They got quicker 
 and quicker, faster and faster. Their feet kept 
 growing bigger and bigger; he could hear the 
 loud thumps they made. The thumping got 
 louder and louder, till it became quite. a roar. 
 
 Something shook him violently ; he opened 
 his eyes. There was Marina, her face blanched 
 and ghastly with terror, close to him. 
 
 * Dmitri ! ' Her tongue clove to her mouth. 
 
 He bounded out of bed. The thunder was 
 real ; an infernal uproar fell on his ears. 
 
 ' Dmitri ! My God ! what is it ? ' 
 
 He dashed on a few clothes, and hurried to 
 the door. 
 
2 70 DMITRI 
 
 Dmitri ! ' she screamed in terror, ' don't leave 
 
 me ! ' 
 
 He darted out, and bumped up against 
 Basmanof rushing in. 
 
 'What is it?' 
 
 ' Tsar, they're after you. Not a moment to 
 lose. The gates will be broken in in a moment. 
 Away, fly ! Don't mind me ! ' 
 
 ' And Marina ? ' 
 
 Basmanof shrugged his shoulders. *I shall 
 die too,' he said. 
 
 He dashed downstairs as he spoke. With the 
 speed of light Dmitri flew back. As he entered, 
 Marina fell heavily to the ground in a swoon. 
 Catching her up in his arms, and seizing a short 
 Turkish scimitar, he flew out again along the 
 gallery. As he came out on the staircase, he 
 heard the door below go crash, and through it 
 poured a mob of howling assailants. ' The im- 
 postor, the Cossack dog, give him up ! ' 
 
 He ground his teeth. * If Marina were only 
 safe, we would see.' Desperation seized him ; 
 they were coming up. He caught a glance from 
 Basmanof, who had posted himself on the first 
 landing with a score of guards. Springing back 
 
DMITRI 271 
 
 into the gallery, he raised the tapestry, burst 
 open a door in the wall, laid Marina on the floor, 
 and returned. ' God grant they don't find 
 her. 'Tis all I can do. Ah no ! I have it ! ' 
 He hurried in and caught her up again, then out 
 and across the stairs. As he passed he saw 
 Basmanof fall, cut down by a man with a hatchet. 
 He penetrated through the tapestry into another 
 suite of rooms, traversed these, and gained 
 another staircase. 
 
 No use ; they are mounting by this too. A 
 few Germans and Scots were defending it. step 
 by step. 
 
 He laid Marina down on the floor, and for one 
 brief instant thought of stabbing her where she 
 lay. ' No, she may get through it yet : I can'V 
 
 He ran down the stairs. No sooner did they 
 catch sight of him than a storm of execrations 
 arose. * Ah ! scoundrelly impostor — dog of a 
 Cossack ' 
 
 * Villains ! ' shouted Dmitri, cutting down the 
 foremost man, * do you attack your Tsar ? Aha ! 
 do you think you have to do with another 
 Boris ? ' Two or three shots were discharged, 
 missing him, but one more of his guards fell. 
 
272 DMITRI 
 
 ' Come back ! ' shouted Dmitri, seeing the 
 impossibility of holding the staircase against 
 numbers ; ' up, all of you ! ' They hurried up 
 and slammed the door, but it could not last 
 long. 
 
 ' Here, two of you — never mind me — take the 
 Tsarina — there is still time — back to my room, 
 through the wall. No, stay with her in the 
 wall ; you cannot reach the Terem. If they find 
 you, do your best for her.' 
 
 * Now, my brave fellows, keep the doors while 
 you can. If I could get out I could save you 
 all ; but how ? God ! to die like a rat in a hole ! 
 
 Ah, Shuiski, if I get through Look out ! the 
 
 door's giving ; come back, this next is stronger.' 
 
 They retired to the inner room. The mob 
 burst with a yell into the first. 
 
 * My brave men,' said Dmitri, * I'm afraid it's 
 all over. Forgive me. Lay down your arms and 
 save yourselves how you can.' 
 
 He disappeared with a run into the inner room, 
 and threw open a window which looked out at 
 the back of the palace. There was no one below, 
 but it was thirty feet from the ground. It was 
 too dark to see where or how to fall. 
 
DMITRI 273 
 
 * Now, Fortune, one more good turn. If only 
 I don t break my legs.' 
 
 He tore down a curtain, wrapped his legs 
 in it, threw down a few hangings and cushions 
 to break his fall, if he happened to pitch on 
 them. Then he jumped himself. 
 
 LXXI 
 
 Long after he left the ball, Iwanicki sat up in 
 his room, partly to keep Soltikoff company — who, 
 having been ill all day, had now suddenly be- 
 come lively and anxious to converse, — and partly 
 because he felt he could not sleep. But gradu- 
 ally he removed his clothes, one after another, 
 and the two young men sat half-dressed before 
 the fire, discussing the events of the day. 
 
 *A fine girl, Marina,' observed Soltikoff; 
 * seems a pity she should be thrown away on 
 these savages. I wouldn't be her for some- 
 thing. I shall be glad enough to get back 
 to Cracow. Another dinner would kill me, 
 stone-dead.' 
 
 ' The place is not so bad ; it's the people. 
 
 T 
 
2 74 DMITRI 
 
 There's very good fun here sometimes. But 
 these Muscovites ' 
 
 * Yes ; they seem very slow. I say, what an 
 extraordinary ball it was.' 
 
 ' Fearful bore ! I'm getting sleepy/ and 
 Iwanicki yawned portentously. 
 
 ' Sleepy ? Why, I feel as if I'd only just 
 got up ! Put on your clothes again, and we'll 
 go out and see what Moscow looks like in the 
 dark.' 
 
 ' Not for me,' said Iwanicki. ' How on earth 
 do you suppose I could get all my clothes on 
 again without my man ? ' 
 
 ' By ! what's that ? 
 
 As the affrighted bells clanged in their ears, 
 the two young men started up, and stared at 
 each other in amazement. Iwanicki's heart 
 stopped ; all his suspicions leaped into his 
 throat, and sent a shiver through his frame. 
 
 They ran to the window. The shouts grew 
 louder. 'Death to the Lithuanians!' 'Death 
 to the pagans ! ' 
 
 * By ! this looks queer ! ' exclaimed 
 
 Soltikoff again. * What on earth is the matter ? 
 Are all the devils loose ? Why, what in the 
 
DMITRI 275 
 
 name of ! Why, Iwanicki, you're not going 
 
 out?' 
 
 Iwanicki threw on his clothes with a rapidity 
 that showed how little real need he had for his 
 man. 
 
 ' I suspected this/ he said. ' The Muscovites 
 are up against the Tsar. I knew they would ; 
 it's been hatching for some time. You'd better 
 get the servants together, and guard the door, 
 Soltikoff; it's strong, and will hold out a bit 
 with a few men behind it. There's not a 
 minute to lose ; don't wait ' 
 
 * But, my dear Iwanicki, you're never going 
 out ? Why, you'll be killed ' 
 
 ' Don't talk, but listen ; I haven't time to 
 argue. Here, Soltikoff,' — he took off a chain 
 and locket from his neck, — * I daresay I shan't 
 see you again. If you get back to Cracow, give 
 this to my mother ; tell her all about it. Good- 
 bye, old fellow, I can't stop.' 
 
 ' Iwanicki — good God ! ' Soltikoff almost 
 wept ; he loved Iwanicki — it was about the 
 only genuine sentiment in his soul. ' Why, 
 he's gone ! What's to be done ? I wish I knew 
 my way about this infernal place — I'd go after 
 
276 DMITRI 
 
 him. I suppose we'd better guard the doors. 
 My God ! Iwanicki ' 
 
 LXXII 
 
 Darting along by- streets, and avoiding the 
 crowds as far as possible, thanks to the darkness, 
 Iwanicki succeeded in gaining the Ked Place. 
 Crossing this at a run, he entered the Kremlin, 
 and, pursued by shouts of * Mark the Pole ! ' * A 
 pagan ! ' * Down with him ! ' flew across the square 
 inside. The seething crowd at the principal 
 entrance to the palace told him it was too late to 
 attempt to force his way in there. 
 
 He ran round inside the wall to the back. 
 * Perhaps the back gate is still free.' As he came 
 round the corner a heavy body fell through the 
 air from an upper window, and the sound of 
 the fall was followed by a deep groan. 
 
 Iwanicki ran up. * General — hurrah ! — saved ! 
 — up with you — there's still time. Are you hurt?' 
 
 ' Iwanicki, is that you ? Fly ! — get away ! 
 Go, go ! Don't stand ; save yourself Leave 
 me ; it's all over — my leg's broken.' 
 
DMITRI 277 
 
 * Let me carry you.' 
 
 * No, no ! Go, man ! I thought you at least 
 would be safely out of it. Fly, fly ! — I order 
 you!' 
 
 ' General, I disobey to-night, just for once. 
 To-morrow, you know, you mayn't be able to 
 punish me for it. Can you stand ? Here, let me 
 carry you.' 
 
 The yelling mob drew near them round the 
 corner. 
 
 ' Too late,' murmured Dmitri. *Ah, Iwanicki ! 
 well, we'll die together. Give me your hand. 
 Ah, if I could but stand ! ' 
 
 The shouts came nearer. 
 
 ' General, one word,' said Iwanicki with a 
 smile, as he supported the wounded Tsar. ' I 
 can't die happy till I know.' 
 
 *\Vhat?' 
 
 ' Were you really the Tsarevitch ? ' 
 
 * Rogue, you knew I was not ? ' 
 
 * I liked you all the better. Good - bye. 
 General.' 
 
 The crowd surged round the corner. 
 ' If I could but stand ! ' exclaimed Dmitri ; 
 ' one looks so pitiful on the ground. Help me.' 
 
278 DMITRI 
 
 ' There he is ! There's the Cossack — look ! — 
 with his accursed Lithuanian ! ' 
 
 * Villains ! — traitors ! ' roared Dmitri. ' Dare 
 you come here to murder your Tsar ? ' 
 
 But a spasm of agony twisted his features ; 
 he sank back into the arms of Iwanicki, and his 
 words lost their force. 
 
 A crack, and Iwanicki fell with a smile, shot 
 through the heart. 
 
 ' Seize the dog ! ' They struck at him. 
 ' Don't kill him ; bring him along. Bring his 
 pagan.' 
 
 They dragged him along by his wounded leg 
 into the Red Square, and propped him up in the 
 light of the bonfire, against the dead bodies of 
 Basmanof and Iwanicki. 
 
 ' Here, let's see whether he can play while we 
 dance ! ' cried a ferocious rioter, with a laugh ; 
 and he stuck a pipe into the Tsar's mouth. 
 ' Now, pipe to us, foul Cossack.' 
 
 Dmitri's lips moved convulsively. 
 
 * Dog of a pagan ! ' screamed another, ' will 
 you not play? then take that,' — and he dis- 
 charged a musket into his face. 
 
 Then they fell on him, one and all, and 
 
DMITRI 279 
 
 hacked him to pieces. As his life fled, the 
 firelight fell on a tall man in the habit of a 
 monk, who watched his last agonies, standing 
 apart, with a quivering lip, but bright vengeful 
 eyes. 
 
NOTES 
 
 Chapters III, XVIL See Latham's Nationalities of 
 Europe, vol. i. pp. 30, 388 ; and passim. — The legend in 
 Chapter V is a paraphrase from Ealston's Early Russian 
 History, p. 69. — The fair at Nijni- Novgorod is an ana- 
 chronism ; it was not moved there till 1817 ; at the period 
 this story deals with it was still at Kazan. But for our 
 purposes it was better to place it at Novgorod. — The 
 recognition of the false Dmitri by the Tsarina as really her 
 son, given in Chapter XLII, is a historical fact ; though, 
 like the similar wonder in the case of the Tichborne 
 claimant, it is, as Dundreary would say, ' one of the things 
 no fellow can understand.' — The words and expressions 
 used by Dmitri at important crises throughout the book 
 are historical ; especially his opinions of Caesar and Henri 
 IV, and his exclamation about Boris in Chapter LXX, 
 given in an old anonymous tract in the Bodleian Library. — 
 The best idea of the costume will be derived from some 
 plates in the sixth volume of Racinet's Costume Historique, 
 among which is a portrait of Boris GodunofF himself. — The 
 best complete modern account of the career of Dmitri is 
 that by Prosper Merim^e, to which I am much indebted. 
 I have not read his drama on the same subject, and I 
 
282 NOTES 
 
 doubt very much whether the genius which could achieve 
 perfection in ' Lokis ' and ' Colomba ' was equally well 
 suited to draw Dmitri. 
 
 There is an old book in the Bodleian, entitled, T}ie 
 Reporte of a bloudie and terrible Massacre in the Citty of 
 Mosco, with the fearefull and tragicall end of Demetrius the last 
 Duke before him raigning at this p'esent, 1607. It contains 
 the following interesting account of our hero, which 
 readers -will be grateful to me for transcribing : — 
 
 ' For his own person, he maintayned his greatnesse verie 
 well : he was a man of mean stature, browne of hew, 
 prompt to choler, but quickly appeased : he hath broken 
 many a staffe and given sentence of death upon the 
 Marshalls and other officers when they did but a little 
 swarve from their dutie : he liked well to be on horseback, 
 and loved to go often on hunting, being a man of great 
 expedition and that would quickly order whatsoever came 
 before him, and commanded with excellent forecast, even 
 in the least matters : he was a great enterpriser, of 
 wonderful! courage, and inwardly conceived that all the 
 countrie of Muscovia was not sufficient for him to purchase 
 any great renowne, so that he aspired after other countries 
 also and monarchies. At the beginning he was verie 
 affable, giving free accesse even to the meanest, but after 
 he grew to know and understand the Russians^ false 
 prankes he provided himself of a guard,* etc. etc. 
 
 THE END 
 
 Printed by 'R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh. 
 
/ 
 
I