Page:Julian Niemcewicz - Notes of my Captivity in Russia.djvu/102

74 Home Department and the Secret Affairs of the Empress. This courier was Major Achmatow, a soldier of fortune, who was, if possible, more ignorant than all our guards together, but, in other respects, a very good fellow. The Russian cabinet fearing that Titow, with his officers and grenadiers, would not be able sufficiently to watch three poor crippled men, sent Achmatow to share the empire of Titow. The latter was much displeased with this division of supreme authority; false and dissembling, however, he hid his dissatisfaction, and soon gained a complete ascendancy over the simple good-natured Achmatow. The appearance of this new actor on the stage procured us some relaxation of rudeness from our tyrant. Titow, being inclined to gossip, overwhelmed Achmatow with questions, and left us the most of the time at rest; sometimes even we pretended to read while we were listening to their conversation.

During the last war with Sweden, Achmatow, who rose from being a simple corporal to the