Page:Julian Niemcewicz - Notes of my Captivity in Russia.djvu/128

100 Samoilow, the nephew of Potemkin, Procurator General, or Secretary of State for the Home-Department and Secret Affairs of the Empress. He came up to me with an air of gravity, and, after a pause, he asked, in slow and measured words: “In what capacity have you been with General Kosciuszko?” “In the capacity of a friend and volunteer officer,” replied I. Then a long silence followed. I was attired in a pelisse of wolf's skin, my arm in a sling, and my hair in disorder. Wishing to break the silence, and resume the conversation, “I am sorry, sir,” said I, “to appear before you in dress so unsuitable.”—“This is not the time for politeness,” answered he coldly. I was going to tell him, that I was not aware that there was any time when gentlemen could dispense with being polite, but I said nothing, and did better. At a given sign from him, our conductors surrounded us and led us down stairs.

We passed through the spacious court of the fortress, and went out by a large gate