Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 163: what you’re looking at

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IVAN THE a girl, all._I can say is that.I can swear I saw the werry parties you is lookin’ arter !”” * Ah |? ** Yes, upon my soul !” “ Where ?” | “ Where ?” said one and another, in great haste. “Why, now I comes to think on it,” said Sharkey, scratch- ing his head, “now I comes to think on it, I saw the werry parties not many minutes since, and I’m sure [I isn’t mistaken. A wagabond-looking chap I thinks you said ?” _ “Yes, yes, fool! Quick !” “Anda werry purty-looking girl?” ., ‘Yes, yes; make haste, or I'll erack your head, fool !”” said the chief officer, in wrathful impatience, flourishing a stout oak stick over Sharkey’s head, TERRIBLE. 159 ‘¢ Come, none o’ that,” said Sharkey, with.a motion of;fear, ‘‘ None o’ that, or I can’t tell you nought about it, ming ye,” ‘Well, go on, then, stupid ass !" “Well, I was—” ‘* Well, do, instantly.” Sharkey coughed once or twice, and said, “The gitl.was——”’ “Yes; well, what?” * Abont seventeen years of age, wasn’t she?” Damnation! Drag him along to gaol!” “ Stay a bit, governor, I was going to say that——” _ “On the road to London after ’em,” said the chief officer, in a great passion. (To be continued.) THE RED HOUSE AT ST. PETERSBURGH. (Concluded from page 152.) . —_—+——_ The Russians, accustomed to passive’ obedience, retired without a murmur, and Gregory, Demetrius, and ‘the two other slaves of the general were alone. ABE F ! “Well, we are alone,” said Gregory; “what'do you mean - “ Why, what would you say,” replied Demetrius, ‘‘if, in spite of the late hour, in spite of the cold, and, although we are only slaves, my lady should quit her father’s hotel, and come here to drink our healths ?” | ‘“<T should say that you ought to profit by it,”’ returned Gregory shrugging his shoulders; “but tell her,” he continued, banter- ingly, ‘‘to bring a bottle of brandy with her; there is probably better in the General’s cellar than in mine.” _. “Phere is better,” replied Demetrius, with the manner ofa man _. ‘*She follows me,” : { ! who is perfectly sure of the truth. of, what he says, “and'she shall bring you a bottle to convince you.” fe ' ‘You are a fool,” said Gregory. “ Fe is a fool,” repeated the two slaves, mechanically... “Ah! am Ia fool?” cried Demetrius ; ‘ well, will you bet?” . ‘© What will you bet?” inquired Gregory. “¢Two hundred rubles against a year’s drinking here at my own discretion,” returned Demetrius. / “Done!” exclaimed Gregory. The two betters shook hands, and the affair was concluded. Then, with a confidence that quite confounded the witnesses of this strange scene, Demetrius took his furred. cloak, which he had spread near the stove to dry, wrapped himself in it, and went away. In half an hour he re-appeared. “ Well?” cried Gregory and the two slayes, f said Demetrius, coolly, ‘The three drinkers looked at each other in astonishment, but Demetrius returned quietly to his place in the midst of them > and, filling a freah bumper, and raising, his glass, ‘“ My lady’s health, simultaneously. he added: “it is. the least. we can do for her complaisance in ae to join us in so cold a night, and when the snow fafls so | heavily.” ) pane i Aeonschike,2 said a voice without, ‘knock at that door, and ask Gregory if he has not some of our people with him.” : Gregory and the two slaves looked at each other in a state bor- dering upon stupefaction ; they had reeognised the voice of Vaninka. “As for Demetrius, he threw himself hack in his chair with an air of ridiculous importance. hy Aatictschke opened the door, and the revellers could see that the snow, as Demetrius had said, descended heavily. ‘© Yes, madam,” said the young girl, ‘there is my brother, and also Daniel and Alexis.” Vaninka then entered. igbina ‘My friend,” said she, with a strange smile, ‘‘ I have been told that you have been drinking my, health, and I come to bring you something that will enable you to drink it again, Here is a bottle of old French brandy, which I have chosen for you from the best in my father’s cellar. Let me fill your glasses.” Gregory and the two slaves obeyed with the slowness and hesita- tion of astonishment, while Demetrius advanced his glass with the most perfect effrontery. Panties filled them herself to the brim, to drink, she added : Hs Come, to my health, my friends.’” ‘* FLurrali !’ cried the revellers; re-assured by the gentle and and, as they hesitated , -been sorry familiar tone of their noble visitor, and they emptied their glasses at a single draught. Vaninka immediately poured out a second bumper-for each, and then, placing the bottle on the table, she invited them to help themse!ves to the remainder, and not to mind her, as she and An- nouschka would sit by the stove until the storm Avere over. | Gregory endeavoured to rise, for the purpose of placing: stools near the stove, but whether it was that he was completely drunk, or that some strong narcotie-had been mixed with the brandy ad- ministered by Vaninka, he fell back upon the bench, essaying, but in vain, to stammer out an excuse. ‘Never mind, never mind,” said Vaninkas ‘‘do not: disturb yourselves. Drink, my friends, drink.” ! The reyellers profited by this permission, and each emptied the contents of the glass which he fownd before him. Searcely had Gregory drained his, when he fell forward on ‘tlie table, and presently sunk under it upon the floor. ‘¢Good,’? said Vaninka, in a low voice'to her attendant, ‘* the opium has done its work.” ‘But what do you now intend to do?” inquired Annouscelika. «© You will see presently,” replied her mistress. The two slaves were not slow in following the example of the master of the house, and fell, in their turn, ‘side by side upon the ground, , Demetrius was the last that remained, struggling to keep himself awake, and endeavouring to sing a bacchanalian sone ; but soon his tongue refused its office, his eyes closed in spite of his efforts to keep them open, and, while seeking the tune that fled from him, and muttering words hecould not pronounce, he fell, in a state of utter insensibility, by the side of his comrades. Vaninka inimediately rose, and looked on them with fixed and flashing eyes. She called them one after another by their names, but without weceiving any reply; and then, clapping her hands exultingly, ‘©The moment is arrived!”? she eried, in joyous accents; and, hastening to the bottom of the room four times in suceession, she took up, at each visit, an armfal ‘of straw, which she deposited in the several corners, then, drawing a flaming branch of the fir-tree -from the stove, she set fire successively to tlie four licaps of the combustible material placed in the manner just deséribed. “What are you doing?” cried Annouschka, in the greatest terror, and endeavouring to stop her hand. ‘<f am about to bury our secret beneath the ashes of this honse,” , replied Vaninka. ; ‘But my brother! “my poor brother!” ‘exclaimed the young irl. ‘© Your brother isa wretch who would have betrayed us,” said Vaninka, “and we are lost if we do not destroy him.” “Oh, my brother! my poor brother !” reiterated the girl. ‘You can die with’ bim,” said Vaninka, accompanying this proposition with a smile, which showed ‘that she would not have had Annousehka carried her sisterly love’ to that ex- ee Buithie house is on fire, madam! the house is on fire!” ex- claimed the terrified attendant. ‘Let us go, then,” resumed Vaninka; and, drawing away the weeping girl, stie locked the door, and threw the key as far as slic could into the snow. ‘“Tn the mame of heaven, let us retnri quickly,”’ cried An- nouschka. ‘! Oh, I cannot look upon this frigtittal sight!” COMICOOOKS.Com