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Rh, shut up this young man only to frighten him, and thus to compel him to disclose further particulars relative to this robbery; seeing, however, that he knew nothing more than what he had at first declared, they released him at the end of a fortnight. Branicka, the favourite and confidente of the Empress, loved and treated by her as her own sister, was put out of favour, and exiled to her estates of Bialocerkiew. Thus heaven apparently wished to punish, in the wife, the criminal ambition of her husband.

In the month of July 1796, two other prisoners had been brought. Their examination lasted more than six weeks. Samoilow came three times himself to examine them, and a day scarcely elapsed without their having a visit from Makarow. Sometimes they were taken from prison at 12 o'clock at