and relief.—­But, alas! how terrible a reverse of their high-raised expectations had inconstant fortune in store for them.—­One day as they were sitting together, discoursing on the usual topics with which they entertained each other, and endeavoured to beguile the tedious time, they heard a confused noise as of some sudden tumult.—­Tho’ they had now been above a year in Russia, none of them could speak the language well enough to be understood, so could receive no information from the guard, even should they have proved good-natured enough to be willing to satisfy their curiosity, so they all run hastily up to the round tower, whence they easily perceived the town in great confusion, and the people running in such crowds, that in the hurry many were trampled to death in endeavouring to pass the gates:—­at a distance they perceived standards waving in the air, but could not yet distinguish what arms they bore.—­A certain shivering and palpitation, the natural consequence of suspence, ran thro’ all their nerves, divided as they were at this sight, between hope and fear; but when it drew more near,—­when, instead of Swedish colours they beheld those of Russia;—­when, in the place where they expected to see their gallant king coming to restore them once more to freedom, they saw the implacable czar enter in triumph, followed by those heroes, the least of whom had lately made him tremble, now in chains, and exposed to the ribald mirth and derision of the gaping crowd, they lost at once their fortitude, and even all sense of expressing their grief at this misfortune:—­the shock of it was so violent, it even took away the power of feeling it, and they remained for some moments rather like statues carv’d out by mortal art, than real men created by God, and animated with living souls.  A general groan was the first mark they gave of any sensibility of this dreadful stroke of fate; but when recruited spirits once more gave utterance to words, how terrible were their exclamations!  Some of them, in the extravagance of despair, said things relating to fate and destiny, which, on a less occasion, could have little merited forgiveness.

Unable either to remove from the place, or view distinctly what their eyes were fixed upon, they stayed till the whole cavalcade was passed, then went down and threw themselves upon the floor, where their ears were deafen’d by the noise of guns, loud huzza’s, and other testimonies of popular rejoicings, both within and without the prison walls.—­What have we now to expect? cried one,—­endless slavery:—­chains, infamy, lasting as our lives, replied another.  Then let us dye, added a third.  Right, said his companion feircely;—­the glory of Sweden is lost!—­Let us disappoint these barbarians, these Russian monsters, of the pleasure of insulting us on our country’s fall.