The Shadow of the Czar

evisa,-a dark-eyed, handsome young fellow,-raising

m on the death of a relative, Captain Woodville, smiled a

, "and have already been asked that question six ti

the pride of the Czernovese in their princess. Natalie

Varsovie, the principal establishment of its kind in Slavowitz, t

and in the quiet enjoyment of these luxuries the two Englishmen yielded themselves to lazy abandon in the soft sunshin

arbara had been carried off to perish, as Pa

agitated, and Isola Sacra itself disappeared beneath the waves. The frightened fishermen, perceiving that the force of the earthquake was not yet spent, refused to put in o

ieve that the last resting-place of Barbara was fathoms deep below these waves? He rowed to and fro over the spot, peering throu

astel Nuovo during the night of the

l Nuovo yielded no tidings as to the missing maiden. Barbar

upon Paul. Life seemed

d at Corfu had been ordered to India to suppres

of war should be attributed to a spirit of cowardice. The fierce thrill of fighting might help to drown the memory of Barbara-for

f considerable landed property in Kent, subject to the condition that he should assume his relative's

hat matters?" he said. "Soon

ity over, he hurr

o gain a brilliant reputation,-a reputation destined, though he foresaw i

e of a garrison of four hundred men besieged b

he mountain-passes w

h artillery, their provisions running out, sleepless from ince

officers, yielding to a spirit of fear strange in English

e it. If you do not know your duty, Major, there are those who will teach it you. I wil

s, under arrest, and he himself took the command. Upon this there arose from the garrison, when informed

the enemy regardless of their number. The garrison attributed his conduct to sh

he would cry "Barbara! Barbara!" to the bewilderment of his men. The wild Afghans shrank back in dismay whenever the "Feringhee devil" t

the heroic defence of Tajapore became known to the world, Pa

year in India Paul made

ad not thought of putting his opinion to the proof by ascertaining whether the Sacred College had actually lost a member in the year '45. However, be

ppoint Cardinal Ravenna to the

e cardinal had survived the earthquake, why should not

e to a dictionary of geography informed him that it was the capital of Czernova,

or the purpose of interviewing the dark-dealing cardinal in

g post-haste day and night he threaded the passes of the Balkans, crossed the Danube, traversed the forests of the Carpathians, and finally arrived at Slavowitz late at n

ned to await

ng from the balcony of his hotel, he caught sight o

ewing old memories; and great were Trevisa's surprise and admiration on learning that the Captain Woo

inquired Paul, when the other had drunk

university of Slavowitz, I am now private secretary to the loveliest

s. How did you, a foreign

eus th

is

h as he is no more-the late Prince of Czernova,

stand. P

glish Constitutional History. Naturally I did not refuse so charming a student. When a few months later her secretary resigned through ill-heal

er to smell powder! All thanks to you, Noel, but

her army with men experienced in warfare. And of all nationaliti

interrupted

dn't she go there?" retor

ow long is it since she

two y

pro

r whether his head had not become affected

to appoint a new uniform for her body-guard. Accordingly sketches of the various costumes worn in the di

y s

to detect the difference. As you walk through the streets of Slavowitz you wi

picion entere

the Prince

er nineteenth bir

is time," murmured Paul to himself; and then aloud he a

from now she will pass along this boulevard on her way to the Mazep

her portrai

with me no other

th a gold-piece, bright a

erse-the profile of the princess with the legend 'Natalia, Princeps Czern. Amat. Patr.' 'Natalie, Pr

obverse, and then sat in a state wa

Paul. At any rate, if her profile had been engraved on metal with due regard

e profile of the maiden whose portrait he had seen in the cardinal's secret stud

he remarked, returning the coin. "I sho

estions as

rincess Natalie pass he

t of us, and has visited different European countries, but, speaking generally, she was reared

her earlier years at Warsaw, her later in

her visit t

te state of health, and the physicians recommended a tour around the Adriatic.

Paul, "to Castel Nuovo, as is proved by th

of singular results," co

what

d to six; and when the princess returned she was an altered b

Natalie had not returned to Czernova; inst

pment had the princess'

aiden. She returned grave and sedate. Thi

earth

great upheaval on the Dalma

ing of the sort, now I

to death, seem to have sobered her from girlhood into womanhood. From that time she began

interested in poli

any, were in favor of Russia. She return

edly an anti-Musco

greates

t the other had stopped short in his utterance with the a

reply, Paul drew

Thaddeus thinking of when he placed his daughter under the tutelage of Cardinal Ravenna? One

it on a state secret, communicated only to her cabinet, and to me-her secretary. But, Paul,

o the edge of the pavement with their faces all set in one direction, whence came the distant sound of cheering and of

feet. Paul felt his heart beating as it had never beat befo

lances glittering in the morning sunshine, and the points

orps du garde, the Blue Legion, pr

is the same as the T

" observed Trevisa, drily. "You

ing trot, followed by an open

as if fortune were favoring Paul, the vehicle was brought to

Poland gleaming in gold from the polished sable panel. The fine blac

his equipage; his eyes we

head, and responsive to the plaudits of the people by sweet smiles and

for a moment the whole street-Barbara, soldiers, people, buildings-became a co

t set his teeth on edge afterwards when he recalled how near he had come to making a fool of himself. No

ze him, Paul drew aside behind a screen of aloes t

e a real princess with a court, ministers, and an army at her command. The wonderment of it all! And though she had spent nearly a third of her life in a convent, yet

r to enable her to address two pedestrians, who, judging from the respect paid t

man of fine presence, and distinguishe

tion. "The prime minister of Czernova, brother of the celeb

her, Paul could afford to view him with composure; but

ith the silver eagle upon his helmet. His splendid uniform glittered with gold lace, stars, and orders. He carried himself erect, his left hand restin

s Serene

member of the cabinet, and the heir-apparent to the crown. He is fir

ted Bora. Barbara was bending forward in her carriage, laughing pleasantly, and apparently holding an animat

slow intellect, yet not without ambition; a man upon whom the graces and restraints of polite life lay but lightly;

lent terms with the

eing that he i

ha

so sharp that Trevis

how white yo

But your princess; she can't enter

f Barbara had become such that she could marry without any love on her side, then her

isa, "tending to secure her position on the thr

ove and extended her fair jewelled hand to the duke with a smile and

otherwise, it is not likely that she will pay much regard to me now. And yet what were her words to me

id the applause of the crowd, who seemed to

landau was gliding smoothly along the Boulevard de Cracovie, followed by a

victim to perp

he daughter of Thaddeus, personating the character with such art and tact as apparently to defy detection,

ssociate the appropriation of another's heritage with that winsome and dignified presence. No, difficult though i