On the red staircase

THE Patriarch Joachim was standing on the balcony, in front of the Church of the Savior, looking down upon the dense mass of people below in the Grand Square of the Kremlin at M...

SHE had just come out of the Cathedral of the Assumption, and was standing beside the proud old boyar, whom I supposed to be her father. Her veil had slipped aside, and once mor...

“This is no place for private converse,” he said; “when we are in my house, I can answer you. It was of the Boyar Ramodanofsky I was about to speak, and your question startled m...

BEFORE I left Von Gaden, I had learned the exact locality of Ramodanofsky’s house. I scarcely knew what design was forming in my mind; but my love of adventure was keen, and the...

It was my turn to stare in blank astonishment. She was a tall angular woman, with near-sighted eyes, and gray curls dancing on her temples. I did not know her, but it was eviden...

WHEN the postern had finally closed upon mademoiselle, I advanced cautiously through the darkness. It had occurred to me that the outer gate might be closed for the night, in wh...

MY original errand in Moscow was a diplomatic one; it had been my good fortune to be selected as the confidential agent of the French government, empowered to look into and secu...

WHEN it was too late to prevent the consequences, the Naryshkins realized the effect of the Czarevna Sophia’s presence at the funeral of Feodor. Her passionate appeal to the peo...

While we were still conversing, there was a noise in the hall, and I heard a familiar voice. In a moment, the doctor’s man told me that my attendant wished to speak with me. I f...

I WENT directly to my own quarters and ordered Pierrot to have my horse saddled, while I put on my riding boots and loaded my pistols. I had no taste for my errand, but was dete...

THERE was so large an element of chance about my experiment that I watched the dangling belt with the interest of a gambler. It might very easily attract the notice of the inmat...

I WAS not a little thankful when the carriage stopped at Von Gaden’s door and I got out at last; nearly falling as I did so, for my skirts became involved in the wheel, displayi...

ALTHOUGH the packet was again safe in my possession, I was in some perplexity. The czarevna’s directions were emphatic. I was to have delivered it into Prince Galitsyn’s hands o...

AFTER leaving Galitsyn’s palace, I returned at once to my own quarters, and was glad to find that Pierrot had not neglected my instructions, and had a comfortable meal spread. I...

WHILE the women were creeping down ahead of me, I reflected upon the risks of our situation, and speculated a little upon the chances of Ramodanofsky’s having neglected to set a...

THE following day I went to the Kremlin, mainly for the purpose of learning, if possible, the result of Zénaïde’s flight, for I was sure that the disappointment of Viatscheslav...

I HAD almost reached the foot of the Red Staircase, when some one caught my cloak; turning, I was confronted by Peter Lykof’s servant Michael. The man’s face was full of anxiety...

I TOOK a step backward and stared at him in surprise. My feelings were strangely confused, and in that first moment I did not realize how completely the situation was transforme...

FOR a few moments I stood regarding the wretch in silence. He was a picture of abject and villainous misery; knowing that he was in the hands of his most determined enemies, he...

I HAD repeated my summons twice before it was answered by a solemn-looking servant, who hesitated before admitting me. But I assumed an air of authority, and that, with my forei...

I DETERMINED to search the house, and assure myself that Zénaïde was not incarcerated in any part of it. All possibility of obtaining information from Ramodanofsky was at an end...

THERE was a window in the inner cell, a narrow slit in the solid wall on a level with my eyes, and barred with iron. It served only to admit the air and a faint gleam of light,...

AT last, after so much ill luck, fortune favored me. At no great distance from Von Gaden’s house, in a lonely street, I saw a small figure dodging along ahead of me. Dark as it...

HAVING had no sleep and scarcely any food for many hours, I was worn out; yet so intense was the mental strain that the physical weakness was little heeded. I had but one though...

I flung her mantle over her head, veiling her face, and opening the other door of the carriage, sprang boldly out, lifting her to the ground. The rioters were still busy dispatc...

One to the right of the door was not securely shuttered, and I got it open with but little difficulty, and climbed in. I found the postern securely barred, and opening it, admit...

ZÉNAÏDE came and stood beside me, and we watched those blue wreaths increase until the foot of the staircase was clouded, and we had to draw back for a breath of air.

FOR days it was impossible for Zénaïde to leave the house with safety. The Kremlin was virtually in the possession of the Streltsi, and every gate strongly guarded. The scenes o...

“I have been talking with this fellow, M. le Vicomte,” he said, in his deliberate way, “and I find that we may be in some danger. He belongs to the household of the czarevna, an...

WHEN I came to myself again, I was lying on a couch, and the first eyes that I met were the tearful ones of Zénaïde, for she was standing beside me. For the moment, my mind was...