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It looks proudly over all that glory and keeps ward over all that treasure; and that statue, in full majesty of imperial robes, and bees, and diadem, and face, is of the First Napoleon. Admiration of his tyrannic will has at last made him peaceful sovereign of the Kremlin. This spirit of absolutism took its most offensive form in Nicholas's attitude toward Europe.
Then the political economists beset him, proving that without forced labor Russia must sink into sloth and poverty. Yet all this could not shut out from Nicholas's sight the great black fact in the case.
Here late, and so home, and at the office set down my journey-journall to this hour, and so shut up my book, giving God thanks for my good success therein, and so home, and to supper, and to bed. I hear Mr. Moore is in a way of recovery. Sir H. Bennet made Secretary of State in Sir Edward Nicholas's stead; not known whether by consent or not.
"Yes, he is, sir," said the clerk. What was the amazement of Nicholas when his conductor took him into a room and presented him to another old gentleman, the very type and model of himself the same face and figure, the same clothes. Nobody could have doubted their being twin brothers. "Brother Ned," said Nicholas's friend, "here is a young friend of mine that we must assist."
Now Nicholas was not strong at spinning sham reason nor subtle at weaving false conscience; but, to his mind, the very fact that the system had so degraded a man that he could laugh and dance and sing, while other men took his wages and wife and homestead, was the crowning argument against the system. Yet all this could not shut out from Nicholas's sight the great black fact in the case.
He had been, for forty years, the servant of Judge Vandeleur, and had entered his present service rather in the light of a preceptor than a menial, invariably dictating to the worthy justice upon every occasion of etiquette or propriety, by a reference to what "the judge himself" did, which always sufficed to carry the day in Nicholas's favour, opposition to so correct a standard, never being thought of by the justice.
Where all offices of profit or honor are engrossed by needy aliens, you cannot expect a cheerful temper in the people. And, unhappily, from moody discontent in Greece to the taking of purses is a short transition. Thus have we disposed of 'St. Nicholas's Clerks. Next we come to fleas and dogs: Have we a remedy for these?
I was entrusted with the composition of a tune for a National Hymn written by Brakel in honour of the Tsar Nicholas's birthday. I tried to give it as far as possible the right colouring for a despotic patriarchal monarch, and once again I achieved some fame, for it was sung for several successive years on that particular day.
In particular the plight of one poor boy, older than the rest, called Smike, a drudge whom starvation and ill-treatment had rendered dull and slow-witted, aroused all Nicholas's pity. It was Smike who was the cause of Nicholas leaving Yorkshire. Nicholas could endure the coarse and brutal language of Squeers, the displeasure of Mrs.
Regardless of this circumstance, however, Mrs Lillyvick refused to be comforted until the belligerents had passed their words that the dispute should be carried no further, which, after a sufficient show of reluctance, they did, and from that time Mr Folair sat in moody silence, contenting himself with pinching Nicholas's leg when anything was said, and so expressing his contempt both for the speaker and the sentiments to which he gave utterance.
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