But it was not she.  Before his eyes, which were wide open and blinking at the light, she, that charming and beautiful creature whom he was expecting, did not stand, but he stood.  Who he was the young Tsar did not know, but somehow it did not strike him that he was a stranger whom he had never seen before.  It seemed as if he had known him for a long time and was fond of him, and as if he trusted him as he would trust himself.  He had expected his beloved wife, but in her stead that man whom he had never seen before had come.  Yet to the young Tsar, who was far from feeling regret or astonishment, it seemed not only a most natural, but also a necessary thing to happen.

“Come!” said the stranger.

“Yes, let us go,” said the young Tsar, not knowing where he was to go, but quite aware that he could not help submitting to the command of the stranger.  “But how shall we go?” he asked.

“In this way.”

The stranger laid his hand on the Tsar’s head, and the Tsar for a moment lost consciousness.  He could not tell whether he had been unconscious a long or a short time, but when he recovered his senses he found himself in a strange place.  The first thing he was aware of was a strong and stifling smell of sewage.  The place in which he stood was a broad passage lit by the red glow of two dim lamps.  Running along one side of the passage was a thick wall with windows protected by iron gratings.  On the other side were doors secured with locks.  In the passage stood a soldier, leaning up against the wall, asleep.  Through the doors the young Tsar heard the muffled sound of living human beings:  not of one alone, but of many.  He was standing at the side of the young Tsar, and pressing his shoulder slightly with his soft hand, pushed him to the first door, unmindful of the sentry.  The young Tsar felt he could not do otherwise than yield, and approached the door.  To his amazement the sentry looked straight at him, evidently without seeing him, as he neither straightened himself up nor saluted, but yawned loudly and, lifting his hand, scratched the back of his neck.  The door had a small hole, and in obedience to the pressure of the hand that pushed him, the young Tsar approached a step nearer and put his eye to the small opening.  Close to the door, the foul smell that stifled him was stronger, and the young Tsar hesitated to go nearer, but the hand pushed him on.  He leaned forward, put his eye close to the opening, and suddenly ceased to perceive the odour.  The sight he saw deadened his sense of smell.  In a large room, about ten yards long and six yards wide, there walked unceasingly from one end to the other, six men in long grey coats, some in felt boots, some barefoot.  There were over twenty men in all in the room, but in that first moment the young Tsar only saw those who were walking with quick, even, silent steps.  It was a horrid sight to watch the continual, quick, aimless movements