Page:The Czar, A Tale of the Time of the First Napleon.djvu/455

Rh Then the half-closed door was pushed open, and at once three little voices spoke the Easter greeting—"Christohs voskress." Who should be the first to claim Papinka's Easter kiss? Alexander hung back, and putting his arm round Feodor, held him back also, that sunny-haired little Henri might spring triumphantly to his father's arms, never doubting that his own active limbs had won the race for him.

"Voyst venno voskress," said Ivan, as he fondly kissed, first the baby brother, then the two elder boys. There was magic in the touch of those little lips to soothe the heavy sorrow at his heart. But something in the thoughtful face of Alexander made him draw the boy close to him. "My child has been weeping this Easter morning," he said.

For a moment the child did not speak. Then he said falteringly, "I meant to serve the Czar, my godfather, when I grew to be a man."

"Serve instead his King, whom he loved," answered Ivan. "And take this thought with thee to keep all thy life, 'The Lord is good to the soul that seeketh him.'"

"Yes, father," the boy whispered, winding his arm about his father's neck. "Yes, he is good; for he comforted him at last."

"He did, my child. However dark his ways with his own may seem to be, yet are they all mercy and truth—all—when we see them from the end to the beginning. 'Though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion.' He will make the heart of his own to rejoice, and that joy no man taketh from them."

"Papinka, are these our Easter gifts?" asked Feodor, laying his rash little fingers on the silver medal and the golden coin so temptingly near him on the table.

"Nay, my boy; these are too precious for thy father to give away even to his dear little son. When he is laid in the grave, these shall be laid there with him. But to-day, my children,