Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 140: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

136 ‘‘ So,”’ cried the general, ‘‘ you persist in. maintaining that Foedor loves my daughter ?”’ Ln ‘‘ Ah,” replied Gregory, with the duplicity of his nation, ‘‘it is not I who have said so; it is your excellency. I did not-name the Lady Vaninka.” ne ‘‘ But that is what you meant, was it not ?” answered the general. ‘Come, contrary to your custom, answer frankly.”’ “Tt is true, your excellency,’’ said the other; “that is what I meant.” ‘* And, according to you, my daughter returns this love, without doubt ?” added the general. ‘‘T fear it,’? answered the barber, ‘‘ for her sake and your’s, your excellency.” ‘‘ And what makeg you think’so?, Speak,’’ continued the general, seeing him hesitate. ‘* First,” replied Gregory, ‘‘ Mr. Foedor never lets an occasion pass to speak with the Lady Vaninka.” “* He is in the same house with her,” returned the general. ‘*‘ You would not have him avoid her?’’ ‘‘ When the Lady Vaninka comes home late,” continued the wily Greek, ‘‘ and if, by chance, Mr. Foedor has not accompanied you, whatever hour it may be, he is there in order to give her his arm when she descends from the carriage.”’ ‘‘Foedor waits for me; and what you refer to is his duty,”’ ob- served the general, who was beginning to believe that the suspicions of the slave were founded on slight appearances. ‘‘ He waits for me, because at any hour of the day or night at which I return, I may have orders to give him.”’ *‘ There is not a day passes that Mr. Foedor does not go into the Lady Vaninka’s chamber,’”’ continued the other, ‘‘ though it is not customary to grant such favours to a young man in a house like that of your excellency.” ‘* It is mostly I who send him,” said the general. ‘< Yes, in the day,’’ answered Gregory ; ‘‘ but—by night——” “By night!’’ exclaimed the general, starting up suddenly, and turning so pale that he was forced to lean on a table for support. ‘‘¥es, by night, your excellency,’’ added the barber, quietly. ‘* And since*I«have, as you say, involved myself in a bad affair, I may. a3 well-make it complete. Besides, I should deserve a more terrible punishment than that which I have received, if I were to suffer so good.a master to be any longer deceived.” “Pay attention to’ what you are going to say, slave,’’ enjoined the agitated father; “ for I know ycur country, and aint ou that if the accusation you make, evidently from feelings of revenge, does not rest on proofs—visible, palpable, and positive proofs—you shall be punished #8 an infamous calumniator.” ‘“) agree to it,” replied Gregory. — ‘“And you say,” resumed tle general, “that you have seen Foedor enter my daughiter’s chamber by night ?” “‘T do not say that I\have seen him enter it, your excellency,’”’ re- plied the barber, ‘‘I say that I have seen him come out of it.” ‘* And when was that ?”’ inquired the general. “About a quarter of an hour ago,”’ returned the other, on my way to your excellency.” “You lief” exclaimed the general, extending his arm menacingly towards the slave. “‘That, is not. our agreement, your excellency,”’ said the slave, aA back. “I ought not to be punished unless I give not proofs.” » . + « “ But your proofs—what are they ?’’ replied his master. ‘‘T have told you,” answered the other. sa aud do you expect me to believe your word ?” said the general, sternly. | “* No,”’ was the reply; ‘‘ but I expect you to believe your eyes.” “And how ?” returned the general. ‘ y ¥ * The first time ‘Mr. Foedor is in your daughter’s chamber after midnight,” continued the Greek, ‘‘ I will come and seek your excel- lency, and then you may judge for yourself if I lie. But at present, your excellency, all the conditions of the service I am to render you ure to my disadvantage,” ‘‘ How ?”’ asked the other. “‘ Why, if I cannot give proofs,’”’ continued the barber, I am to be treated as an infamous calumniator; so far, well; but if I give them what shall I gain?”’ ; ‘A thousand rubles, and your freedom,” answered the general. “It is a bargain, your excellency,” said Gregory, calmly replacing the razors in the general’s toilet-table. ‘* And I trust that, before fe expiration of eight days, you will do me more justice than you 0 now. At these words, the slave quitted the room, leaving the general under the conviction that some terrible misfortune menaced him. From this moment, it will readily be imagined, the general O1 MEGS THE. RED: HOUSE AT ST. PETERSBURGH. listened to every word and watched every gesture that passed between Vauinka and Foedor in his presence; but neither on the part of the aide-de-camp nor his daughter could anyth'ng be dis- covered tending to confirm his suspicions ; on the contrary, Vaninka appeared more cold and reserved than usual. Eight days, then, passed away ; but at about two o clock-on the morning of the ninth day, the general was awakened by some one knocking at his chamber door. It was Gregory. ; eli “If your excellency will now enter your daughter’s room, said the barber, ‘‘ Mr. Foedor will be found with her.” . The general turned pale, dressed himself without uttering a word, followed the slave to the door of Vapinka’s apartment, and then motioned him to retire. a: P Instead of obeying, however, the mute ofder that had been given — to him, he concealed himself behind an angle of the corridor. As soon as the general thought himself alone, he knocked once at the door, but all remained silent. r This, however, indicated nothing, for, Vaninka might be asleep. He knocked a second time, and the calm voice of the young girl was heard inquiring, ‘‘ Who is there?” . : ‘It is I,” replied the general, in a voice trembling with emotion. “© Annouschka!”’ said the girl, addressing her foster-sister, who slept in the adjoining room, ‘ bpenghe door to my father. _ Pardon me, my father,’’ she immediately added, ‘‘ Annouschka is dressing, but will be with you in an instant.” The general waited patiently, for he had discovered no emotion — in his daughter’s voice, and he trusted that Gregory was mistaken. The door was soon opened, and the general entered, casting a long and eager look around him ; but there was no person in tlvs first chamber but his daughter and the attendant who had admitted ~ him. Vaninka Jay, paler, perhaps, than usual, but perfectly calm, and having the filial smile upon her lips with which she always re- ceived her father. . ‘‘To what fortunate circumstance,” inquired the young girl, in her sweetest. tone, ‘‘am I indebted for the liappiness of seeing you at so late an hour in the night ?” . *‘T wish to speak with you on a matter of importance,” said the general, ‘‘ and, whatever the hour, I believed that you would for- give me for disturbing you.” as | ** My father will be-always welcome in his daughter’s room,” re- joined Vaninka, ‘‘ at whatever hour of the day or night he may think proper to present himself.” r 4 e- The general cast another look round him, and was quite con- firmed in the belief that it was imposible a man could be concealed in the first chamber, but the second yet remained. “T listen to you,” said Vaninka, after a pause. ** Yes, but we are not alone,” replied the general, “and ‘it is — important that what I have to say should reach no other ears but yours.” ‘‘Annousckka is, a3 you know, my foster sister,” returned Vaninka. ‘* No matter,”’ said the general, and taking a lielit in his hand he passed into the next room, which was considerably smaller than his daughter’s. ‘* Annouschka,”’ he continued, ‘‘ wait in the passage and see that no one overhears us.” While speaking these words his eyes were carried round him with searching eagerness; but, except the young girl, there was no ap- pearance of any person there. Annouschka proceeded to obey the command she had received, and the general, after taking a last look round him, followed her into her davghter’s room, Bil seated liimself at the foot of the bed. Annouschlea, on a sign from her mistress, then left her alone with her fatlier. The general extended his hand to Vaninka, who gave him hers without hesitation. ‘My child,” said the general, ‘1 have something of importance to communicate to you.” ; ** What is it, my father?” inquired Vaninka. ** You are now verging on eighteen,” continued the general, “at which age the daughters of the Russian nobility are usually married.”’ (To be continued.) - A NEW AND STARTLING TALE. BLACK HAWKE, THE HIGHWAYMAN, No. 1 will be published on Sarurpay. Manon 24, A LARGE ENGRAVING, GRATIS. comicbooks % ’ com