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The instability of the throne had sadly diminished the prestige of the country, and after Austerlitz the nation had been treated with contempt in the person of the Czar, both in his political and his military character, the rest of Europe being profoundly indifferent to Russian chagrin. His situation was not improved by Pultusk, Eylau, or Friedland.
But he gradually steeled himself to the conviction that war with Alexander was inevitable, and that the help of Austria and Prussia would enable him to beat back the Muscovite hordes into their eastern steppes. For a time he had unquestionably thought of destroying Prussia before he attacked the Czar; but he finally decided to postpone her fate until he had used her for the overthrow of Russia.
The archbishops of Novgorod supplied their place in certain things, as occupying the chief see after that of Moscow, but with scarcely any authority that the Czar did not entirely usurp, and more carefully still after King William had given him the counsel before alluded to; so that by degrees he had become the real religious chief of his vast dominions.
We knew that not even the members of Congress who had occasionally in debate, but more frequently in their cloak rooms, and often to us privately, called the President "autocrat""Kaiser""Ruler""King""Czar" would approve our telling the truth publicly. Nor was it to be expected that eager young boys, all agog to fight Germans, would be averse to attacking women in the meantime.
Then a singular legend was invented about the travels of the Czar. It was said that he went to Stockholm disguised as a merchant, and that the Queen had recognized him and had tried in vain to capture him. According to another version, she had plunged him in a dungeon, and delivered him over to his enemies, who wished to put him in a cask lined with nails and throw him into the sea.
THE last accounts received of the Czar reported him to be at Dantzic. He had, however, quitted that place when I arrived there. I lost no time in following him, and presented myself to his Majesty one day after his dinner, when he was sitting with one leg in the Czarina's lap and a bottle of the best eau de vie before him.
The King of Westphalia was delayed a few days at Grodno by bad weather and other difficulties; thus Bagration, who had been ordered by the Czar to retire, was able to escape the meshes closing around him by a speedy retreat to Bobruisk, whence he moved northwards.
"Captain in the corps of couriers of the Czar." "Thou dost know Siberia?" "I am a Siberian." "A native of?" "Omsk, sire." "Hast thou relations there?" "Yes sire." "What relations?" "My old mother." The Czar suspended his questions for a moment.
"Is Matin mixed up in this thing?" he demanded, believing that, after all, the capture might have been concocted by the French soldier who had sought to kill Hal. "Matin? Who is Matin?" asked their captor. Chester explained. "No, he has nothing to do with it," was the reply. "Then, in the name of the Great Czar, what's it all about?" "I can't tell you," was the firm reply. Chester groaned.
That is all the servant could tell you. Yvonne was gone. That one truth glared at you from every hideous corner of the desecrated room. Hours many of them have passed since then. You laugh wildly, insanely, as you brush the servant aside, and dash from the house in pursuit. "'The czar is my friend! He is her friend!
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