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Updated: May 20, 2025
He was pale and trembling, and he glared wildly about, as though expecting to see the ghosts of his victims, or the real return of Batavsky to drag him down, as he had done in that awful dream. "Have you any further orders, sir?" "No; but stay come to me again just before dark I may want you," said Kanoffskie, hesitatingly. "Very well," replied Barnwell, bowing himself from the room.
This feeling was increased when the Czar found a note on his dressing-bureau, which read as follows: "Alexander. My life was as good as that of your tyrant father, Nicholas. He murdered me. My spirit will murder you. Batavsky."
Would she not forget and condemn him for failing to keep his word, not knowing why did did not keep it? One day when he went to the cell occupied by old Batavsky, he found him unexpectedly low and evidently very ill; in fact, he was nearly unconscious. Barnwell at once sprang to his side. "Are you ill, sir? Speak to me."
Some said Batavsky was an exiled nobleman, and that he had been thus buried by order of the governor, but no one suspected for a moment that it was at the orders of the surgeon-in-chief, whose dream had frightened him into the semblance of a human being. When all had been done, and the grave marked with Batavsky's prison number, Barnwell returned, as ordered, to Kanoffskie.
Barnwell mingled with his fellow-servants in the hospital, and answered their questions regarding Batavsky. Concluding that it was best to humor the prevailing idea, he half-way admitted that the old man belonged to a noble family, and that he had been given a Christian burial at the instigation of the Czar himself.
"Have you slept all night?" was the first question he asked, looking at Barnwell. "No, doctor; you kept me awake." "In what way?" "You were talking in your sleep, sir." "Indeed; what did I say?" "Your mind seemed to be on old Batavsky." "Did I mention his name?" "No, sir, not directly; but you recalled portions of your horrible dream." "Did I?" and he fell to musing.
"Mastowix!" exclaimed Batavsky, and this time he tottered to his feet. He was trembling violently, and his eyes, before half closed, were now wide open and glaring at Barnwell strangely. "Prince Mastowix, did you say?" "Yes, sir; the governor of the Bastile." "Executed, did you say?" "Yes, sir." "Heaven be praised!" cried the old man, falling heavily upon his couch.
It took England, France and Sardinia to teach him the rudiments of civilization, and even then he died a barbarian at heart, as he had always lived, leaving a conquered monarchy to his son, who tried to appease the world by abolishing serfdom, although he probably never would have done so had not the teachings of Batavsky and others taken root in the hearts of the Russian people, creating a diversion in favor of political liberty, which he thought to smother while freeing the serfs.
I feel that I can. Come and see me again to-morrow to mind you to take still further lessons in the Russian language." "I will come." The next day, and for several days, William Barnwell visited the cell of old Peter Batavsky for the purpose of receiving lessons in the Russian language.
Batavsky was as true as steel, and I will be true to his memory!" said Barnwell, holding the candle aloft. It was fully a minute before he could summon sufficient courage to proceed further, so startled were his nerve over the sudden fruition of his hopes. Then, mastering his emotions, he reached in and lifted one of the bags from its long resting-place.
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