Argosy, Vol. 1 (December 9, 1882) — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

B42 THE ARGOSY. attempt to assassinate me, and therefore sought my owm apartments before . going to the palace. I mtended to adopt a disgwise of some kind, aitd, more- over, I had given orders for several of my leaders to meet me there, and I knew that I would find them waiting. They were there when | arrived—Coyle, Canfteld, Malet, St. Cyr, and with them several of ‘heir lieutenants. There was another one there also, whose hands were tied behirtd him, and whose feet were fastened together, whale, by way of additional security, he was tted to the chair m whiels my friends had seated him.. That man was Ivan, the brother of Princess Olga. I did not glance at him as I entered, but notwithstanding his presence, proceeded at once to business, instructing my men mm exactly what they were te do that night. Fie hstened intently, first with amper amd even rage, then with scorm and contempt, but finally with wonder and genuine fear. In.order to convey some dea of the moral effect that the nreeting had upon Inm, | must outline a part of it. One by one my mem read off hsts of the Nihiltsts ander thetr jurisdictions, accurately describing them, as well as the several disguises that they were m the habit af wearing, the meeting places af the different branches of the society, and where the members of those branches were to be found at certain hours. Included in the lists were names of many prominent people in the city, officers in the army, polscemen on duty, spies in private families, is hotels and cafés, im the palace, at the barracks, in the prisons, and, im fact, everywhere. AS name after name was read off, until the number amounted to many hundreds, the face of Ivan d’cheveria became as pale as death, and when, at last, his own sister’s name was read, and | remarked grimly that sbe was alveady 2 prisoner, and would be on her way to Siberia within the week, he broke out in curses and threats, to. which, of course, mot one of us paid the shghtest attention. When he found that we did not notice him in any way, but proceeded qtrietly with our busmess, he relapsed mto a moody silence, and | knew that my moral lesson was working. I knew that I could save Olga’s brother, for that is what } meant to do. When the lists were compteted, and I had given my orders regardmg who was to be arrested that night, and who was to be spared, having directed that certam of them be told that they could obtain passports out of the country under certain conditions, I dismissed my leaders, and at last stood aloe in the presence of Ivan. ‘ Now, sir,’ I satd coldly, “ what do you think of rt? ” “ T think that this night will see the end of our cause, until others are born, and grow up to know the wrongs to which the people of Russia have to submit. You may crush out Nihilism today, but you cannot erush it out for- ever. It will spring up again, like——” “ Like the poisonous weed that rt is. | expect that, but this present growth with be cut down tonight. You do not ask what ts to be done with you, Ivarr.”” GOH GoOOO ‘SS COLNT