06-the young tsar-第1节

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THE　YOUNG　TSAR




THE　young　Tsar　had　just　ascended　the　throne。　
For　five　weeks　he　had　worked　without　ceasing；　in
the　way　that　Tsars　are　accustomed　to　work。　　He
had　been　attending　to　reports；　signing　papers；　re…
ceiving　ambassadors　and　high　officials　who　came
to　be　presented　to　him；　and　reviewing　troops。　　He
was　tired；　and　as　a　traveller　exhausted　by　heat
and　thirst　longs　for　a　draught　of　water　and　for
rest；　so　he　longed　for　a　respite　of　just　one　day
at　least　from　receptions；　from　speeches；　from
paradesa　few　free　hours　to　spend　like　an　ordi…
nary　human　being　with　his　young；　clever；　and
beautiful　wife；　to　whom　he　had　been　married　only
a　month　before。

It　was　Christmas　Eve。　　The　young　Tsar　had
arranged　to　have　a　complete　rest　that　evening。　
The　night　before　he　had　worked　till　very　late　at
documents　which　his　ministers　of　state　had　left
for　him　to　examine。　　In　the　morning　he　was
present　at　the　Te　Deum；　and　then　at　a　military
service。　　In　the　afternoon　he　received　official
visitors；　and　later　he　had　been　obliged　to　listen
to　the　reports　of　three　ministers　of　state；　and　had
given　his　assent　to　many　important　matters。　　In
his　conference　with　the　Minister　of　Finance　he
had　agreed　to　an　increase　of　duties　on　imported
goods；　which　should　in　the　　future　add　many　mil…
lions　to　the　State　revenues。　　Then　he　sanctioned
the　sale　of　brandy　by　the　Crown　in　various　parts
of　the　country；　and　signed　a　decree　permitting　the
sale　of　alcohol　in　villages　having　markets。　　This
was　also　calculated　to　increase　the　principal
revenue　to　the　State；　which　was　derived　from　the
sale　of　spirits。　　He　had　also　approved　of　the
issuing　of　a　new　gold　loan　required　for　a　financial
negotiation。　　The　Minister　of　justice　having　re…
ported　on　the　complicated　case　of　the　succession
of　the　Baron　Snyders；　the　young　Tsar　confirmed
the　decision　by　his　signature；　and　also　approved
the　new　rules　relating　to　the　application　of　Arti…
cle　1830　of　the　penal　code；　providing　for　the　pun…
ishment　of　tramps。　　In　his　conference　with　the
Minister　of　the　Interior　he　ratified　the　order　con…
cerning　the　collection　of　taxes　in　arrears；　signed
the　order　settling　what　measures　should　be　taken
in　regard　to　the　persecution　of　religious　dissenters；
and　also　one　providing　for　the　continuance　of
martial　law　in　those　provinces　where　it　had　al…
ready　been　established。　　With　the　Minister　of
War　he　arranged　for　the　nomination　of　a　new
Corps　Commander　for　the　raising　of　recruits；　and
for　punishment　of　breach　of　discipline。　　These
things　kept　him　occupied　till　dinner…time；　and　even
then　his　freedom　was　not　complete。　　A　number
of　high　officials　had　been　invited　to　dinner；　and
he　was　obliged　to　talk　to　them：　　not　in　the　way　he
felt　disposed　to　do；　but　according　to　what　he　was
expected　to　say。　　At　last　the　tiresome　dinner　was
over；　and　the　guests　departed。

The　young　Tsar　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief；
stretched　himself　and　retired　to　his　apartments
to　take　off　his　uniform　with　the　decorations　on　it；
and　to　don　the　jacket　he　used　to　wear　before　his
accession　to　the　throne。　　His　young　wife　had　also
retired　to　take　off　her　dinner…dress；　remarking
that　she　would　join　him　presently。

When　he　had　passed　the　row　of　footmen　who
were　standing　erect　before　him；　and　reached　his
room；　when　he　had　thrown　off　his　heavy　uniform
and　put　on　his　jacket；　the　young　Tsar　felt　glad　to
be　free　from　work；　and　his　heart　was　filled　with　a
tender　emotion　which　sprang　from　the　conscious…
ness　of　his　freedom；　of　his　joyous；　robust　young
life；　and　of　his　love。　　He　threw　himself　on　the
sofa；　stretched　out　his　legs　upon　it；　leaned　his　head
on　his　hand；　fixed　his　gaze　on　the　dull　glass　shade
of　the　lamp；　and　then　a　sensation　which　he　had　not
experienced　since　his　childhood；the　pleasure　of
going　to　sleep；　and　a　drowsiness　that　was　irresist…
iblesuddenly　came　over　him。

〃My　wife　will　be　here　presently　and　will　find
me　asleep。　　No；　I　must　not　go　to　sleep；〃　he
thought。　　He　let　his　elbow　drop　down；　laid　his
cheek　in　the　palm　of　his　hand；　made　himself　com…
fortable；　and　was　so　utterly　happy　that　he　only
felt　a　desire　not　to　be　aroused　from　this　delight…
ful　state。

And　then　what　happens　to　all　of　us　every　day
happened　to　himhe　fell　asleep　without　know…
ing　himself　when　or　how。　　He　passed　from　one
state　into　another　without　his　will　having　any
share　in　it；　without　even　desiring　it；　and　without
regretting　the　state　out　of　which　he　had　passed。　
He　fell　into　a　heavy　sleep　which　was　like　death。　
How　long　he　had　slept　he　did　not　know；　but
he　was　suddenly　aroused　by　the　soft　touch　of　a
hand　upon　his　shoulder。

〃It　is　my　darling；　it　is　she；〃　he　thought。
〃What　a　shame　to　have　dozed　off！〃

But　it　was　not　she。　　Before　his　eyes；　which
were　wide　open　and　blinking　at　the　light；　she；
that　charming　and　beautiful　creature　whom　he　was
expecting；　did　not　stand；　but　HE　stood。　　Who　HE
was　the　young　Tsar　did　not　know；　but　somehow
it　did　not　strike　him　that　he　was　a　stranger　whom
he　had　never　seen　before。　　It　seemed　as　if　he　had
known　him　for　a　long　time　and　was　fond　of
him；　and　as　if　he　trusted　him　as　he　would　trust
himself。　　He　had　expected　his　beloved　wife；　but
in　her　stead　that　man　whom　he　had　never　seen
before　had　come。　　Yet　to　the　young　Tsar；　who
was　far　from　feeling　regret　or　astonishment；　it
seemed　not　only　a　most　natural；　but　also　a　neces…
sary　thing　to　happen。

〃Come！〃　said　the　stranger。

〃Yes；　let　us　go；〃　said　the　young　Tsar；　not
knowing　where　he　was　to　go；　but　quite　aware
that　he　could　not　help　submitting　to　the　com…
mand　of　the　stranger。　　〃But　how　shall　we　go？〃
he　asked。

〃In　this　way。〃

The　stranger　laid　his　hand　on　the　Tsar's　head；
and　the　Tsar　for　a　moment　lost　consciousness。　
He　could　not　tell　whether　he　had　been　uncon…
scious　a　long　or　a　short　time；　but　when　he　re…
covered　his　senses　he　found　himself　in　a　strange
place。　　The　first　thing　he　was　aware　of　was　a
strong　and　stifling　smell　of　sewage。　　The　place
in　which　he　stood　was　a　broad　passage　lit　by　the
red　glow　of　two　dim　lamps。　　Running　along　one
side　of　the　passage　was　a　thick　wall　with　windows
protected　by　iron　gratings。　　On　the　other　side
were　doors　secured　with　locks。　　In　the　passage
stood　a　soldier；　leaning　up　against　the　wall；　asleep。
Through　the　doors　the　young　Tsar　heard　the
muffled　sound　of　living　human　beings：　　not　of
one　alone；　but　of　many。　　HE　was　standing　at　the
side　of　the　young　Tsar；　and　pressing　his　shoulder
slightly　with　his　soft　hand；　pushed　him　to　the
first　door；　unmindful　of　the　sentry。　　The　young
Tsar　felt　he　could　not　do　otherwise　than　yield；
and　approached　the　door。　　To　his　amazement
the　sentry　looked　straight　at　him；　evidently　with…
out　seeing　him；　as　he　neither　straightened　himself
up　nor　saluted；　but　yawned　loudly　and；　lifting
his　hand；　scratched　the　back　of　his　neck。　　The
door　had　a　small　hole；　and　in　obedience　to　the
pressure　of　the　hand　that　pushed　him；　the　young
Tsar　approached　a　step　nearer　and　put　his　eye　to
the　small　opening。　　Close　to　the　door；　the　foul
smell　that　stifled　him　was　stronger；　and　the　young
Tsar　hesitated　to　go　nearer；　but　the　hand　pushed
him　on。　　He　leaned　forward；　put　his　eye　close
to　the　opening；　and　suddenly　ceased　to　perceive
the　odour。　　The　sight　he　saw　deadened　his　sense
of　smell。　　In　a　large　room；　about　ten　yards　long
and　six　yards　wide；　there　walked　unceasingly　from
one　end　to　the　other；　six　men　in　long　　grey
coats；　some　in　felt　boots；　some　barefoot。　　There
were　over　twenty　men　in　all　in　the　room；　but
in　that　first　moment　the　young　Tsar　only　saw
those　who　were　walking　with　quick；　even；　silent
steps。　　It　was　a　horrid　sight　to　watch　the　con…
tinual；　quick；　aimless　movements　of　the　men　who
passed　and　overtook　each　other；　turning　sharply
when　they　reached　the　wall；　never　looking　at　one
another；　and　evidently　concentrated　each　on　his
own　thoughts。　　The　young　Tsar　had　observed　a
similar　sight　one　day　when　he　was　watching　a　tiger
in　a　menagerie　pacing　rapidly　with　noiseless　tread
from　one　end　of　his　cage　to　the　other；　waving　its
tail；　silently　turning　when　it　reached　the　bars；　and
looking　at　nobody。　　Of　these　men　one；　appar…
ently　a　young　peasant；　with　curly　hair；　would
have　been　handsome　were　it　not　for　the　unnatural
pallor　of　his　face；　and　the　concentrated；　wicked；
scarcely　human；　look　in　his　eyes。　　Another　was
a　Jew；　hairy　and　gloomy。　　The　third　was　a　lean
old　man；　bald；　with　a　beard　that　had　been　shaven
and　had　since　grown　like　bristles。　　The　fourth　was
extraordinarily　heavily　built；　with　well…developed
muscles；　a　low　receding　forehead　and　a　flat　nose。　
The　fifth　was　hardly　more　than　a　boy；　long；
thin；　obviously　consumptive。　　The　sixth　was
small　and　dark；　with　nervous；　convulsive　move…
ments。　　He　walked　as　if　he　were　skipping；　and
muttered　continuously　to　himself。　　They　were
all　walking　rapidly　backwards　and　forwards　past
the　hole　through　which　the　young　Tsar　was　look…
ing。　　He　watched　their　faces　and　their　gait　with
keen　interest。　　Having　examined　them　closely；　he
presently　became　aware　of　a　number　of　other　men
at　the　back　of　the　room；　standing　round；　or　lying
on　the　shelf　that　served　as　a　bed。　　Standing　close
to　the　door　he　also　saw　the　pail　wh