Argosy, Vol. 1 (December 9, 1882) — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

ag6 | THE ARGOSY. Intellectnally, he was not preponderant; mmdeed, rather deficient, but he was naturally a kindly disposed man, and at the beginning of his reign, and, indeed, through more than half of it, he proved that fact to the people. It was just before the time of my arrival in St. Petersburg that he allowed himself to fall more and more into the power of the nobles, who in reality ruled the empire, and who do so sfill. Easily influenced by those in whom he trusted, thousands of crimes were committed in his name of which he had no idea, and of which he never heard. At all events, I liked him, and, moreover, I had thorough faith in my own influence over him. In like proportion to my familiarity at court, and to his fondness for my society, I was cordially rated by the nobiltty ; but as they feared me quite as much as they hated me, and as nry real standing there remained a mystery, I was constantly fawned upon to a degree that was auseating. Even the story that I had so lately heard from the lips of the princess had not materially lessened the liking I felt for Alexander, for I could understand much better than she conld all the influence that had been brought to bear upon the emperor not to pardon the woman in whose possession had beer found cyanide of petassium, intended for his wine. I did not believe that he had intended that she should go to the island of Saghalien; 1 did not believe that he could be held accountable for the evils that befell poor Yvonne in the isolated garrisons of Siberia. He believed that she intended to poison him, and he banished her ; there his part of the evil ceased. The awful things that happened in those garrisons he did not know about, could not hear about, for I believe, among all! his friends, | was the only one who dared to tell him the truth. Even the prince lied to him, for i had often heard him do so. | As to the killing of Stanislaus, who could blame the Czar for that? The man had endeavored to kill him; had twice snapped a pistol in his face, and still held itim his hand when the emperor tore zt from his grasp and strick him on the head with it. Who would not do the same? I repeat all this as my excuse for still feeling that affection for him which our mntercourse had taught me. The real criminal in the case of the story of Yvonne was Durnief. Him I hated, and hts name was on one of the lists that had been read off to me before going to the palace ihat mght. There were special orders concerning him, too—but that will be dealt with later. Now, 2s I entered the cabmet with the prince, I confess that ] had some doubts concerning my reception, for I had ne idea what the prince had said to his majesty, and I knew only teo well his disposition to listen to anything that had a suspicious side to it, particularly if that suspicion concerned one of his closest amd most intimate associates. J could at any time, within five mimutes, have poisoned the mind of the Czar against the prince; I did not donbt that he could accomplish the same delicate attention for me. The prince preceded me, and the Czar rose as we entered. He was alone, and I advanced at once, with extended hand, as he had often GOH GoOOO ‘SS COLNT