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BY ORDER OF THE CZAR, 363

me in the past, but do not ask for the impossible ; do not ask for a destroying angel in a mere woman of the people \ do not ask for the spiritual in the mortal ; do not ask for a miracle I am only a woman ! "

CHAPTER XLVII.

DICK CHETWYND SAYS " I WILL."

FERRARI'S instinct was true. His judgment of Anna Klosstock was confirmed by results.

It needed no traitor in the camp to frustrate the opera- tions which took him and Anna and the rest by the various routes to St. Petersburg. The mainspring of the move" merit was altered. It was a question of nerve. Ferrari had detected it. There had been no secrets between him and Anna until her previous visit to London, when Philip Forsyth crossed her path ; but he had been reassured, touching any 'fears he might have experienced in Anna's confession of deep interest in Philip, by her magnificent campaign of strategy and vengeance on the Grand Canal. Her outbreak of emotional memories, however, on the eve of the Brotherhood's united action in St. Petersburg, had, as we have seen in the previous chapter, shaken his faith in the mental and physical strength of his amazonian asso- ciate. But there was no course of check open to him in regard to the Nihilistic advance. All he could do in the way of strengthening the outposts, guards and sentinels of the conspiracy, he carried out with firm exactitude. He hoped to have kept the action clear from any association with what Anna called her auxiliary aid, Philip Forsyth, who traveled in her company to St. Petersburg, the Coun- tess Stravensky's private secretary,, vice for the time being Ferrari resigned.