Thus, if at moments jealous doubt made my torture, so the moment's relief from it sufficed for my rapture. But I had a cause for disquiet less acute but less varying than jealousy. her daughter; and, except the weather was very the heavenly! Take the wings from the image unfavourable, Lilian now rode daily with of Love, and the god disappears from the Colonel Poyntz, who was a notable equestrian, form! and often accompanied by Miss Jane Poyntz, and other young ladies of the Hill. I was generally relieved from my duties in time to join her as she returned homewards. Thus we made innocent appointments, openly, frankly, in her mother's presence, she telling me beforehand in what direction excursions had been planned with Colonel Poyntz, and I promising to fall in with the party-if my avocations would permit. At my suggestion, Mrs. Ashleigh now opened her house almost every evening to some of the neighbouring families; Lilian was thus habituated to the intercourse of young persons of her own age. Music and dancing and childlike games made the old house gay. And the Hill gratefully acknowledged to Mrs. Poyntz "that the Ashleighs were indeed a great acquisition." But my happiness was not unchequered. In thus unselfishly surrounding Lilian with others, I felt the anguish of that jealousy which is inseparable from those earlier stages of love, when the lover as yet has won no right to that self-confidence which can only spring from the assurance that he is loved. Despite Lilian's recovery from the special illness which had more immediately absorbed my care, I remained perplexed as to its cause and true nature. To her mother I gave it the convenient epithet of "nervous." But the epithet did not explain to myself all the symptoms I classified by it. There was still, at times, when no cause was apparent or conjecturable, a sudden change in the expression of her countenance; in the beat of her pulse; the eye would become fixed, the bloom would vanish, the pulse would sink feebler and feebler till it could be scarcely felt; yet there was no indication of heart disease, of which such sudden lowering of life is in itself sometime a warning indication. The change would pass away after a few minutes, during which she seemed unconscious, or, at least, never spoke; never appeared to heed what was said to her. But in the expression of her countenance there was no character of sufIn these social reunions I remained aloof from fering or distress; on the contrary, a wondrous Lilian. I saw her courted by the gay young serenity that made her beauty more beauteous, admirers whom her beauty and her fortune drew her very youthfulness younger; and when this around her; her soft face brightening in the ex- spurious or partial kind of syncope passed, she ercise of the dance, which the gravity of my pro-recovered at once without effort, without acfession rather than my years forbade me to join -and her laugh, so musically subdued, ravishing my ear and fretting my heart as if the laugh were a mockery on my sombre self and my presumptuous dreams. But no, suddenly, shyly, her eyes would steal away from those about her, steal to the corner in which I sat, as if they missed me, and, meeting my own gaze, their light softened before they turned away; and the colour on her cheek would deepen, and to her lip there came a smile different from the smile that it shed on others. And then-and then-all jealousy, all sadness vanished, and I felt the glory which blends with the growing belief that we are loved. In that diviner epoch of man's mysterious passion, when ideas of perfection and purity, vague and fugitive before, start forth and concentre themselves round one virgin shape-that rises out from the sea of creation, welcomed by the Hours and adorned by the Graces-how the thought that this archetype of sweetness and beauty singles himself from the millions, singles himself for her choice, ennobles and lifts up his being. Though after experience may rebuke the mortal's illusion that mistook for a daughter of Heaven a creature of clay like himself, yet for a while the illusion has grandeur, Though it comes from the senses which shall later oppress and profane it, the senses at first shrink into shade, awed and hushed by the presence that charms them. All that is brightest and best in the man has soared up like long dormant instincts of Heaven, to greet and to hallow what to him seems life's fairest dream of knowledging that she had felt faint or unwell, but rather with a sense of recruited vitality, as the weary obtain from a sleep. For the rest, her spirits were more generally light and joyous than I should have premised from her mother's previous description. She would enter mirthfully into the mirth of young companions round her; she had evidently quick perception of the sunny sides of life; an infantine gratitude for kindness; an infantine joy in the trifles that amuse only those who delight in tastes pure and simple. But when talk rose into graver and more contemplative topics, her attention became earnest and absorbed; and, sometimes, a rich eloquence such as I have never before or since heard from lips so young, would startle me first into a wondering silence, and soon into a disapproving alarm. For the thoughts she then uttered seemed to me too fantastic, too visionary, too much akin to the vagaries of a wild though beautiful imagination. And then I would seek to check, to sober, to distract fancies with which my reason had no sympathy, and the indulgence of which I regarded as injurious to the normal functions of the brain. When thus, sometimes with a chilling sentence, sometimes with a half-sarcastic laugh, I would repress outpourings frank and musical as the songs of a forest bird, she would look at me with a kind of plaintive sorrow-often sigh and shiver as she turned away. Only in these modes did she show displeasure; otherwise ever sweet and docile, and ever, if, seeing that I had pained her, I asked forgiveness, humbling herself rather to ask mine, and brightening our reconciliation with her angel smile. As yet I had not dared to speak of love; as yet I gazed on her as the captive gazes on the flowers and the stars through the gratings of his cell, murmuring to himself, "When shall the doors unclose ?" RUSSIAN TRAVEL. I HAVE spent no small part of a long life among the Russians in active business of divers kinds, by which I have been brought into close contact with men of all grades throughout the whole empire. In Russia there are seasons when, and regions where, the mere act of travelling is an adventure of some peril. For example, last winter was in Russia as in England memorable for frost; but the winter before that, was memorable for snow. In several parts of Russia, the beginning of March, eighteen 'sixty, brought a succession of snow-storms, the most violent that had been experienced for more than fifty years. It was my unlucky fate to be compelled to travel at that time, three hundred versts, or not quite two hundred miles (a verst being about three-fifths of a mile), over a portion of the country which had been most heavily visited. And I began my journey only one day after the first great violence of the storms had subsided. FAMISHING WOLVES. bour, though a gentleman for whom I had much respect, was the last man I should have chosen as a travelling companion in a narrow sledge, for he weighed over twenty stone, had great difficulty in breathing, and, when once he was scated, almost required horse-power to get him up again. He was a phlegmatic, lazy, good-natured, monosyllabic, cigaret - smoking monster who was not to be refused; so, his request granted, he rolled in on the right side and filled three parts of the sledge. My Russian house servants crossed themselves, whereby they meant "God give you a safe journey." The members of my own family cried, "Goodby, God bless you!" and the driver having gathered up the rope reins, I jumped in, and with a noo-noo to the cattle, off we went dead against a blinding drift. Fat-sides having observed my weapons, grunted in his own Russian, of which he made the least possible use, "Pistolet. Wolves. Shoot. Good." "Have you any weapons ?" I asked. Well; take this bear-knife." Good," he said again, and relapsed into his corner. frequently, and gave us so much trouble in digging ourselves out, that it was noon before we had made sixteen versts-hardly ten mileshaving been six hours on the way. Daylight came struggling through the heavy morning clouds, and disclosed a cheerless waste of ridges and valleys of snow. The trees which at wide intervals indicated the route, did not save us from often plunging into great pits I had been living for some months in a town of soft snow, the moment our driver turned but on the Volga, in the centre of European Rus-a few feet from the track. This took place so sia, forty versts from Jaroslav, the government county town. To reach that town I must traverse a wild and uninhabited track, where there were only two small hamlets, at one of which the twenty-verst post-station was to be found, if not buried in snow. My team of three horses, commonly called in Russia "a troika," had been carefully selected from the various stabling establishments in the place: the cost for driver and horses to be three and a half roubles (or about half a guinea, the rouble of a hundred copecks being worth a halfpenny or two more than three shillings), which was no great price for such a journey in such weather. Two wolves had been killed in our principal street within a week. One, I had shot in my own court-yard the day before we started, and many reports were current of their hunger and unusual boldness. It was even said that a small village, about thirty versts distant, had been attacked by them in force. These facts and stories made me careful about requisite defences. My six-barrel travelling companion was carefully loaded, and placed in my belt ready for use; a magnificent nine-inch bear-knife in a sheath, and a formidable blackthorn cudgel heavily weighted at the handle, belonged also to my armament. The brandyflask, bag of provisions, bottle of water, matches, cigars, and portmanteau, having been stowed". away, I was about to step into the open sledge, when a Russian neighbour came up and asked At this point in our journey the driver sent the blood dancing through my veins, by the alarming cry of "Volka! Volka!"-"Wolves! Wolves!" I sprang from my seat, and, looking ahead, saw six great, gaunt, and no doubt hungry wolves, sitting exactly in our way, at the distance of about a hundred yards, or less. Our horses had huddled themselves together, trembling in every limb, and refused to stir. We shouted and bawled, but the wolves also refused to stir. My fat friend, gathering a large handful of hay from the sledge bottom, rolled it into the form of a ball, and handed it to me, saying, "Match." I understood him at once. The driver managed, by awful lashing and noonooing, to get the horses on, until we came within a short distance of our enemies. By this time I had succeeded in setting fire to the ball of hay, and just as it began to blaze out well, I threw it in among them. It worked like a charm. Instantly the wretches parted, three on each side, and skulked off slowly at right angles, their tails dragging as if they were beaten curs. dashed our brave team-lash, lash-noo, noo. "Hurrah!" I shouted, with a lightened heart; we are safe this time, thank God!" Wait. Look back," said Fat-sides. On I did so, and I saw the wolves, who had joined leave to join in the journey to Jaroslav. My neigh-each other again in the centre track, pausing, as if to deliberate. Our horses were going at their utmost speed, the driver standing up and using lash and voice with all his might, to urge them on to the station, then only about a mile and a half ahead. Luckily, the road or track, as far as we could see, was free from drift, and our hope was that we could gain the station before the wolves, should they pursue us. Looking back just as we turned a bend in the track, I saw the whole pack in swift pursuit. I had often been told that wolves will not attack a party unless in a large pack. Six was no large pack, yet here they were, coming up to attack us; there was now no doubt about that. Hunger through a long and severe winter must have made them daring. With the consciousness of an impending death-struggle, I prepared for the result. My thoughts went for one moment to my wife and children; for another, to the Great Disposer of events. Then, throwing off my sheepskin coat, so as not to impede the free action of my arms and legs, I sprang on the front seat beside the driver, but with my back to the horses, and my face to the enemy. I said to the driver, They are coming, brother; drive fast, but steadily. I have six bullets in this pistol. Don't move from your seat, but drive right in the centre of the track." My fat companion sat still in his corner, and neither moved nor spoke; but I saw the blade of my bear-knife gleaming in his hand. The track had become worse, so that the horses could not maintain their pace. In a short time, the wolves ran beside the sledge, the horses strained and shot on, keeping their distance, but in forcing our way through a drift, we came to a walking pace, and the first wolf on my side made a dash at the horse next him. The pistol was within a foot and a half of his head when I fired, and the ball went through his brain. I shouted my triumph in English; my companion echoed it with a "Bravo!" The second wolf received my second fire in the leg, which must have shattered the bone, for he dropped behind instantly. "Bravo!" was again cried from the corner. But the same moment was the moment of our greatest peril. My pistol fell into the sledge, as, with a sudden jolt, our horses floundered up to their bellies in a deep drift; then they came to a dead stop, and there was a wolf at each side of the sledge, attempting to get in. the wolf. He cried, "Give me the pistol!" I did so, and the poor horse was free. So, also, were we; for the other wolf ran off, followed by the one with the broken leg. The wolf last shot, was tumbling among the snow. The driver handed me the pistol to put right, and begged another shot at the brute. This finished the engagement. I cannot tell how I felt. I could scarcely realise our great deliverance. The driver secured the carcases to the sledge, and when we reached the station I was completely exhausted from the reaction of the strong excitement. My friend of the twenty stone chuckled much at his own trick upon the wolf he had killed. Instead of putting his arm into the animal's open mouth, as I supposed, he had stuffed into it the loose sleeves of his great sheepskin coat, thereby getting plenty of time to cut the monster's throat. His own arm was untouched. But the poor horse's neck and shoulder were much torn. After consuming an enormous quantity of tea, and part of our provisions, we left the station, and, without meeting more adventures, except several diggings-out, arrived at Jaroslav at eight o'clock: having accomplished about thirty miles in thirteen hours. Next morning we found ourselves popular characters in the town. The driver's tongue had not been idle. My revolver underwent many an examination. The government or local reward for a dead wolf is three roubles, which we claimed and received for three. So the wolves, instead of killing us, paid our travelling expenses. The fourth animal I caused to be skinned, for preservation as a remembrance of the greatest peril I was ever in. IN A RUSSIAN POLICE-OFFICE. Jaroslav is the name of a large goobernie, or government. Russia is divided into such districts, the principal town of cach being generally named after the district, and containing the whole machinery of local government-a governorgeneral, with soldiers, police, barracks, government offices, and officials of all sorts, who obtain their rank from, and obey the orders of, the supreme imperial power in St. Petersburg. I am not writing the history or geography of Russia, but am only recalling personal experiences and adventures, and therefore, having said so much, I go on with my story. As this trip was made before the new law reMy bludgeon still remained. With both garding foreigners' passports, which now enables hands I raised it high and brought it down them to travel for an entire year with one passwith the desperate force of a man in mortal port all over the empire, I was obliged to go extremity, upon the head of the wolf on my before the governor-general for permission in side. He tumbled over on his back, and the skull continuing my journey to leave the government was afterwards found to have been completely of Jaroslav. What is gained by the new passsmashed. As I stooped to regain my pistol, I port system one may judge from what had to be was astonished to see my companion coolly endured before its time. I call at the offices thrust one of his arms into the wolf's mouth, entitled "Gubernator's Kansileery." The doorand as coolly, with the disengaged hand, draw-keeper tells me I must wait till to-morrow. ing the knife, with a deep and sharp cut, across Twenty kopecks, however, induce him to conhis throat. A peculiar cry among the horses arrested my attention. Looking round, I saw another wolf actually fastened on the off-horse by the neck. The driver was between me and duct me to the right clerk. This clerk looks over my old passport, and, for "a consideration," makes out a petition, praying the governor to give me a new one to go to St. Petersburg, by I way of Moscow; for another "consideration" he makes out the new passport itself, for which pay the legal sum of two roubles. I am then told to go to the governor's own house, in a distant part of the town, to get his signature. When I get there I am told that it cannot be done without a certificate from the chief of the police that I am quite clear on his books. By this time it is near four o'clock, and I am too late. A day is lost. Next day, at ten, I am at the police-office, and, among a crowd of people of all sorts, am obliged to wait till two before the chief makes his appearance. In the mean time, I have coaxed a secretary with another consideration to make out the certificate on the back of my old passport, that there may be no delay when he does come. Well aware, as I was, of the practically irresponsible position held, and the almost unlimited power exercised, by officials of this kind at such a distance from head-quarters, still I was scarcely prepared for the experience I acquired during a patient waiting of four hours for this official. I had been, as usual, asking questions, and moving about from one part of the large room to another. There were no mere spectators present. That all had business, was fully manifested by the enormously large papers each held in hand. These papers contained their various cases, as they were to be submitted to the chief of the police, and as they had been written out by the under functionaries of the police establishment for a consideration, duly or unduly proportioned to the nature of the cases and the demands of the officials. Accommodation in an inner room was offered to me, but declined; for I wanted to know more of a Russian police-court. "What are you wanting here, brother ?" I said to a decent-looking man. "You are an Englishman. I will tell you. You see that man in the blue caftan ?" "Yes." "Well, my brother and I caught him stealing from my premises six months ago. He had two horses with him for carting my goods off, and, as we caught him in the act, we gave him and the horses up to the police." "Well," I said, "that is a plain case casily settled." accuse. I wish we were quit of the business.” And he crossed himself. "Why do you cry, my dear mother, and what is your petition about ?" I said to a poor woman. 66 'Oh, my lord, I have been cheated. I am a widow; my husband died three months ago. He bought the little house and garden twelve months before that, and paid two hundred roubles-all the money except twenty roubles. The police master signed the deed of sale for it, but has forgotten all about it. The man that sold the place denies the selling and the paying. and my children are turned out, and this is the fourth petition I have presented. I have no money to give his excellency, to make him remember." Poor woman! The only appeal from official rapacity is to the emperor; his ears are, indeed, never shut to the lowliest of his subjects; but how can a poor woman tramp six hundred miles of Russian road to sue for justice? Wandering among these confused but silent groups, I was heartily glad to be an Englishman. An old grey-haired, long-bearded peasant, with a head like an apostle, attracted my attention. Good father, why are you here? What is that paper in your hand ?" "My son has been misbehaving and rebellious to me, his father, and I am come to get him whipped by the police." "Is your son young, then ?" "He has seen thirty-four summers." "How can you think of whipping a man of that age?" Well, you see, before he left me for St. Petersburg, nine years ago, he was, and had always been, a good and respectful son. But he has learnt bad manners amongst the fine folks. He drinks, sir; puts on fine airs; sets himself up against my authority; and is corrupting the rest of my children. I must get him whipped, for, while I live, I will be father of my own house." Suddenly there was a bustle and stir. The waiting claimants for justice, with a score of prisoners under arrest, arranged themselves in rows all round the room, and I had time to ensconce myself behind a large and greasy merchant, when in came the long-looked-for chief of the police-judge, jury, law, and emperor in one. He was a colonel, dressed in full regimentals, a man who seemed to be naturally bold, shrewd, and intelligent; but his nose was scarlet, his face blotched, and he reeled rather than walked. Doing his best to stand erect, he scowled upon the assembled mob, all of whom, except myself, stood bending and bowing before him. "God help me! I thought so too. But you see they have been sending for my brother and me, on one pretence or another, from our village, fifteen versts away, every week for six months, writing papers, and giving evidence, until I have cause to believe that the affair itself must have been a dream. I am so tired out, I cannot go on telling the truth any longer. Besides, it's of no use. Last week my brother saw the very He took paper after paper glanced at and same two horses in the police master's car-partially read some of them; gave his signariage." ture to contracts; passed, as the papers Ah! I see; the thief is free at the cost of were read, sentence on each with marvellous two good horses. And what do you do now? That paper is "A statement that the whole thing must have been a dream and delusion on the part of my brother and myself, and that we have nobody to rapidity; tossed some on the table, and ordered those who presented them, under arrest; sent ten to be whipped-among the rest the old man's son; and before I was aware, so absorbed was I in observation of this swift torrent of jus tice, I found myself almost alone with his excel- 66 Simply to beg that you will sign this certificate of good character, which have here under your jurisdiction." "It shall be done instantly; sorry to keep you waiting. You see how I am tormented by these canaille. Pray excuse me. A safe journey. Adieu." He thrust me out, and I am driven to the governor-general's, to get his signature to my new passport. The governor-general has gone to dine. Another day is to be lost. The hour of the diligence for Moscow for starting every morning is eight. The governor's office does not open until ten, so that the next day is also to be lost unless I choose to hire post, which would be a desperate proceeding in such weather. The signature is obtained, however, by the aid of a consideration to the clerk, the day passes heavily away, and next morning I start for Moscow, distant two hundred and sixty-three versts, in a public diligence, in company with four Russians and a German. square frame of wood covered with canvas, having a door on each side. The covered frame, which resembles a large box, is fixed on a low strong sledge. Primitive birch shafts are fastened to the front, the horses are put in, and the turn-out is perfect. Without the cattle it may cost two or three pounds, because it is all covered in. This is a luxurious winter equipage compared to the open sledge. It was in a kibitka, dignified by the name of diligence, that we started at eight o'clock A.M. from Jarislov. We had no sooner cleared the town than our difficulties commenced, not to terminate for seven following days and nights. For three days since the great storm little snow had fallen, but there was a blinding wind lifting into clouds the snow already on the ground, and building it into mountain ridges right in our track. The smooth broad macadamised road was a myth, buried here six, or there teu, feet, deep, and in case of ridges or wind sweeps, thirty feet. Traffic was nevertheless going on: indeed, had been going on during the whole time of the storm. A snow-storm, however fierce, never deters the Russians from a journey. For this reason a single track was commonly available, but that track was by no means a level or smooth one; it worked like Toby Tosspot's, "with sinuosities THROUGH SNOW, BY DILIGENCE, TO MOSCOW. along," not only transversely but vertically, in a In ordinary weather the road to Moscow from continued succession of ups and downs, from six Jaroslav is one of the best and busiest in the to ten feet in depth, so that the horses' heads empire. In both summer and winter it can be were generally in the hollow. When the "kitravelled over, in twenty-eight or thirty hours. bitka" was on the crest of the snow wave, we There are post stations every sixteen or twenty soon found that our team of three good horses versts, where horses are changed, and a fresh was totally unable to pull us over these dreadful driver is put on to every fresh team. These "yamas.' In many cases the six passengers drivers are the most reckless and determined got out to help the cattle, and even then it took whips I have seen. No weather scares them, no a good pull all together to accomplish it. To save obstacles stop them; the Society for the Preven- this labour, three additional horses were added tion of Cruelty to Animals would put every man at the first small village at our own expense, and boy of them in jail. The knout or whip is and then we got on rather better. It would be used without mercy; the men take especial de- tedious to enumerate how many times we were light in beginning at the top of a steep hill a overturned and had to dig ourselves out of the fierce gallop, that grows to racing speed as they soft snow. Many vehicles of like construction get near the bottom, so that the cattle and to ours were struggling on under the same diffipassengers find themselves up the next ac- culties, to or from Moscow. At nine P.M. one clivity before the momentum is lost. They don't of our horses gave up, died, and, having been know the meaning of patent drag, but drive de-cut out of his traces, was left to the wolves. At terminedly on at full stretch to the end of the station. The Russians cross themselves when a start is made, lie back in the most convenient manner possible, and, amid jolting, bumping, cries, and lashing, go to sleep as composedly as if they were in a railway carriage. Wheels will come off, poles break, and other casualties occur. But as spare ropes, hammer, axe, nails, and even spare wheels, are always carried, a break-down seldom causes a delay of ten minutes. This is summer travelling: the vehicle used being a "tarantas," a large double calèche without seats, placed on and tied to the centre of horizontal poles, for springs of the best steel would snap like glass. Passengers make seats of their luggage, and with straw and pillows save their joints from dislocation. Winter, however, brings other contrivances. The universal travelling "kibitka" is got out. This is a nearly eleven o'clock, another burst a blood-vessel, and shared his fate. A third gave up within a mile of the town at which we intended to recruit, and finally we had to get out and walk to a place of refuge, leaving the three remaining animals to pull the empty carriage after us. We had, in sixteen hours, with three separate teams of fresh horses, accomplished the distance of forty-five versts: our pace being little better than two miles an hour. The town we had entered is called Rostov, and had been, for the two previous weeks, the scene of an immense fair, second only to the great Nishni Novgorod fair held in August. It was nearly over when we reached the town. Had we come two days sooner, there would have been great difficulty in finding shelter; as it was, it was one o'clock in the morning before we got under cover in a large traktera, or inu, |