Page:The Czar, A Tale of the Time of the First Napleon.djvu/188

178 to bring a letter from him to the Czar. But young Yakovlef stood firm; in fact, he told Napoleon he could not presume so far, if his life depended upon it. The Czar's refusal to receive any proposition whatsoever from the French is absolute. But surely I see buildings in the distance, and smoke.—Isvostchik, can this be St. Petersburg?"

"Yes, gospodin, this is St. Petersburg." Then, being himself a native of Moscow, "But it is not Moscow the holy. Ah! Moscow the holy will be never more what she was in the old days."

None of the party, except the driver, had seen the new capital before. Adrian was full of natural curiosity and interest in all that met their view as they drove along; while Michael was busy wondering whether the Nyemtzi would come here also, what sort of defence could be made if they did, and whether a great many of them would be killed. But Ivan grew silent and absorbed, and looked very pale. "I verily believe," said Adrian, turning to him suddenly, "that you are seeing the horrors of Moscow over again."

"No," returned Ivan—"no. I was not thinking just then of what I have seen, but of what I am about to see."

"You are about to see the thing you have been longing for through all your toils and perils. Rouse yourself, man! Of what are you afraid?"

"Of the face of Majesty," said Ivan to himself; though to Adrian he only answered, with a rather nervous laugh, "First interviews are trying." Yet he knew that this was not, for him, a first interview with his sovereign. He felt beneath his doublet for the precious piece of gold, the cherished souvenir of his boyhood, as if to assure himself that the great Emperor, into whose presence he was going, was really the kind young boyar who had promised that he should serve him one day.

"Dear Barrinka," pleaded Michael, "do not forget to tell our lord the Czar that a mujik who has lost one hand desires