The Emperor's Englishman, etc

Front matter

THE EMPEROR'S ENGLISHMAN The Empress looked up and slowly surveyed the new comer. Page 166. FRONTISPIECE. EMPEROR'S Englishman B'i Fred. Whish aw author OF "OUT OF DOORS IN TSARLAND", "BORIS THE BKAR HUNTER*', "A BOVAR OF THE TERRIBLE", •" THE ROMANCE OF THE WOODS", "MY TERRIBLE TWIN'", ETC, FTC. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY WARWICK GOBLE Xon&on HUTCHINSON & CO. 34 PATERNOSTER ROW rRIHTRD AT NIHEOIIEN (llOI.HSlt) BY II. C. A. TH1EME OF NIMEGUEN \HOLLAM>) AND 27 SHOE LANE, LONDON, E.C. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. IN DISGRACE WITH THE KING I II. A NOVEL RAFT II III. WOLF ISLAND [9 IV. MORE WOLVES 27 V. MONTAGUE GOES TO GATCHINA 35 VI. MONTAGUE MAKES A NEW FRIEND 43 VII. THE GRAND DUKE 52 VIII. MONTAGUE PLAYS THE CHAMPION 62 IX. THE DAREDEVIL IS PROMOTED 74 X. TWO LADIES OF THE COURT 82 XI. AN AGENT FROM THE EMPRESS 92 XII.

STEINBOK SHOWS THE CLOVEN FOOT 102 XIII. A SPRING NIGHT IN THE FOREST II3 XIV. THE TEMPTER AT WORK 122 XV. A RAT, A RAT! 131 XVI. A GOOD FIGHT AND A POOR ONE 1 42 XVII. A SIMPLE RUSSIAN MAIDEN I 52 XVIII. THE GREAT CATHARINE l6l XIX. THE DAREDEVIL TAKES A PUPIL 171 XX. MONTAGUE AS "TOMMY ATKINS" 180 XXI. DUCKING A COURTIER 190 XXII. THE GRAND DUKE HAS A FRIGHT CONTENTS CHAP1ER PAGE XXIII. A CHANGE OF FORTUNE 208 XXIV. THE NEW EMPEROR 2l8 XXV. MONTAGUE ASSISTS IN AN ACT OF JUSTICE .... 23O XXVI. THE BABY GUARDS OF CATHARINE THE GREAT . . 24I XXVII. IMPERIAL ECCENTRICITIES 254 XXVIII. AN EASY SOLUTION OF THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION. 265 XXIX. A FOOLISH WAGER 2, XXX. MONTAGUE FIGHTS A DUEL 280 XXXI. AT THE COUNT'S HOUSE 29 1 XXXII. A WOLF HUNT 298 XXXIII. HOW A REGIMENT WAS SENT TO SIBERIA 308 XXXIV. A TRAGEDY AT THE COUNT'S HOUSE 314 XXXV. MONTAGUE QUALIFIES FOR A HONEYMOON

Chapter I. In Disgrace With The King

In the early part of the month of April, 1796, a small Prussian merchant vessel was coasting along the shores of the Baltic, carrying a cargo of hard ware and manufactured goods from the newly-ac quired Prussian port of Dantzic, and bound for St. Petersburg. She was not designed to carry passen gers, and possessed but little accommodation for such ; hence it was all the more surprising that two young gentlemen should have been found in so unexpected an asylum, and still more so that they should have been English gentlemen ; for the Baltic sea was at this time an unusual haunt for English men. Nevertheless, the two young fellows pacing to gether the tiny deck of the little foreign brig at the moment this history commences were undoubted Britons; their speech would have betrayed them if their appearance had been insufficient; though, as a matter of fact, any one of the German or Russian sailors on board could have told at a glance that they were English, for there is something about the "cut of a man's jib," if he is a Briton, which reveals to the foreigner in a moment the fact of his nationality, as many a dweller on the continent can testify.

One of the young men was dressed in civil garb, and wore a somewhat dandified air, his clothes being unnecessarily fine, not to say gorgeous, for his surroundings. He was, in fact, an attache of the British Legation at St. Petersburg, a dweller in or about Courts, and looked the part to perfection. He was returning from a visit to the Prussian capital with despatches from our Embassy there, and was proud enough of his mission and of his position generally ; hence Percy Osborne's demeanour towards his companion was somewhat patronising, while his bearing towards the skipper of the vessel and his mate was sufficiently de haul en bas to render him decidedly obnoxious to those worthies. His companion was as different in appearance as he was in personal bearing towards those into whose company fortune had thrown him.

He was a sol dierly young fellow of about twenty-five years of age, well set up, though not tall, and strikingly good-looking. His expression was the most fascinating possible, especially when he smiled, which he did very frequently. Peter Montague was dressed in a Prussian infantry uniform which had seen service, and was engaged at the moment in narrat ing something to his dapper friend which appa rently amused the teller greatly, for the narrative was interrupted by explosions of hearty laughter, and accompanied by much slapping of his own thigh as he walked, and by an occasional whack on the other's back which much disconcerted the neat diplomat, who was not accustomed to famili arity and still less to personal violence, even of a friendly description. ■ Softly, my dear sir, softly, " he said insinuat ingly, after a more than ordinarily emphasised whack on his back had marked a special point in his com panion's story.

" I am enjoying your tale mon strously; but your hand is heavy, my friend, and I would rather you marked your points otherwise than on my back. Well, what did you do next?" "Well, as soon as I said that, up gets my gen tleman and says, ' I'll tell you what it is, Mr. Eng lishman, you know nothing about the affairs of our Prussian Court, and would do far better not to express opinions upon matters you don't understand. I serve the king and so do you; we both eat his bread — if you like to put it so — and are his ser vants ; but we are paid for our services not for our opinions: my opinions are my own, and I am not bound to a personal love for Frederick William because I take his pay and wear his uniform.' "'Well,' I said, 'go on, go on; think what you like ; but I tell you plainly, don't abuse a man in my presence while he is my master, that's all I ask of you.

It isn't much to ask, but I will have it, much or little.' " Well, you know Kempenberg, what a fiery, peppery person he is, never satisfied with anything, and always imagining that he is getting less than his rights or being offended by someone. No sooner had I said this, than he took two strides up to me and stood with his face close to mine, like this — I could feel his breath — and said, " ' You will have it ? You threaten me with con sequences if I dare to disobey that which you, a Httle English puppy-dog, desire? Is this your meaning ? ' I nodded; I should have laughed if I had spoken, for I was more amused than angry with the fellow ; he is no swordsman, you know. ' Well then, I tell you this, Mr. Englishman,' he says, almost foaming at the mouth, ' the king's about as fit to stand in his glorious uncle's shoes as — as a doll-faced English boy is to wear a Prussian uniform.' He said all that, Osborne; hang me if he didn't!" cried Montague, breaking off into a roar of laughter, which he accompanied with another whack on his friend's shoul der, sufficiently emphatic to send that gentleman cannonading against the rail of the ship.

" Well, go on, " said the latter when he had recovered himself after this onslaught ; " this is getting interesting. " " Well, then, I drew on him, of course, " said Montague, " and we were just about to begin a little set-to, then and there, in the king's ante-room, when, at the clash of our swords, the door opened, and in came Frederick William himself. The king looked very black when he saw what was going on, and he glared first at Kempenberg and "then at me as we both put up our swords. Kempenberg grew as white as milk; I thought he would faint; I never saw a man look so frightened. He thought the truth would come out as to the cause of our quarrel, if it had not actually been already over heard. "'Well, gentlemen,' said the king, after awhile, ' I am waiting : who is the offender ? ' " ' I drew first, your majesty,' I said ; ' Kempen berg drew in self-defence.' " The king frowned still more darkly ; I believe he would rather it had been Kempenberg, whom he does not love.

"'Very well,' he said, 'you know the penalty for drawing in the king's presence (except in defence of the king's honour). This is my ante-room : to be here is equivalent to standing in my actual presence. What was your motive in drawing?' "'Must I say, your majesty?' I replied, making as though I were confused. I glanced at Kempen berg, and saw his hand grasp at the back of a chair. ' Must I give the reason, if, in so doing, I am obliged to mention the name of an innocent person?' "'Enough,' said the king. 'I will show you that my officers shall not with impunity bring their private intrigues and quarrels into the very precincts of the sovereign's presence.' He placed his hand upon my shoulder and tore away the epaulette, stamping upon it with his foot. ' You are no servant of mine henceforth!' he said; 'as for you, Kempen berg, I shall consider your case at my leisure.

Stay ! Montague, hand me your sword; so! It is a pity,' he added, ' for I had hoped to see you serve me with distinction ; nevertheless, I can make no ex ception in your favour. Now go, both of you.' " As we retired together towards the barracks, Kempenberg at last found his tongue, and began to flood me with a whole stream of thanks and praise and flattery. I had saved his life, he said, and all he had was mine ; there was nothing I could ask of him that he would not give me, so long as it was consistent with his honour. He had never under stood me, he declared, or he would not have spoken as he did. No Prussian officer in the army was more worthy to wear the glorious uniform which I honoured by hanging upon my British limbs, nor could any Prussian hero have made a nobler sacri fice than I had this morning. ■ ' That is all very nice and proper, my dear man,' said I, ' and would read very prettily in a story-book for the young; but there is only one of two things that you are to do in this matter : either you go back and tell his majesty what a grateful and loyal officer you are, and how truly devoted to his person as your master ; or else you will get hold of Von Dernhof, or one of the others, and join me within half-an-hour, in the usual spot behind the lindens in the Wild Park.' "'My dear man,' he said, with fallen countenance, 'I cannot fight you after what you have done for me this day ' " ' Then off with you to his majesty,' I interrupted, 'or I must fight with you after what you have said to me this day.' "'But I have apologised,' he cried. 'I will apol ogise again if it please you to hear a repetition.

You know I cannot possibly go back to the king. That would be suicide.' " I knew this well enough. " 'Au revoir, then, in half-an-hour,' I said, 'behind the lindens. We can then settle this matter with out further words.' That's how it all came about." Montague paused. " Go on, " said Osborne. " You forget I started from Berlin the day before you did, and know no thing of the upshot of all this." "Well, I spitted him, of course, " said Montague; " any fool could do that, " he added modestly. " He wouldn't fight at first, and just held his sword foolishly against mine, till I began to whack at him with the flat of it ; then he suddenly grew furious it is Kempenberg's way— and cursed at me, and dug and thrust with delightfully serious intentions. I gave him one slash on the cheek for the king's excellent majesty, and one little slit in the arm as a remembrance of the doll-faced English puppy dog — you'll scarcely believe it, Osborne, but he called me that and with that I let him off.

He had the grace to own he deserved it afterwards when he had cooled down, and said his cause was bad or he'd have made a better fight. Also, when I bade farewell of the fellows in the regiment, he did his utmost to be allowed to go to the king and tell him the whole story rather than allow me to leave the country with my career ruined; but neither I nor the others would hear of it — naturally. We might as well have reared up a gibbet and hung him in the drill yard!" "And what's your next move?" asked Osborne. " And what are you doing on board this detestable little brig?" "Fortune-hunting," said the other. " My present intention is to dig in the mine of the favour of the great Catharine. They say there is gold there for those who seek, and that English officers are sure of good pay in her service.

I am told, too, that my 'doll-face' may stand me in good stead." Montague laughed, but he did not blush as he spoke. Osborne glanced swiftly at his companion; he was himself an aspirant to the favour of that great lady, and was about as well up in the ante-room tittle-tattle of the Russian Court as any foreigner could be. There was no denying Montague's good looks; he carried in his face the best of passports to Catharine's regard. But Osborne knew all about such matters, and his next words to Montague were not the outcome of any feeling of jealousy but the real expression of his opinion as to the pros and cons of enterprise in the direction laughingly indicated by his companion. " Don't be deceived, my friend," he said. " I admit your good looks; I have heard, also, of your popularity among the ladies of the Berlin Court; but if you desire to remain a free agent and the arbiter of your own destinies, be warned by me, and do not offer opposition to those already in favour with the great lady, rather keep out of their way until your position is assured.

Speaking seriously, I suppose I may take it that your real ambitions are in the direction of military distinction?" " Certainly, " said Montague ; " I should only wish for the favour of the empress as assisting me in my military career. I have no ambitions in any other direction, and no desire to disturb vested interests. " Osborne laughed and slightly blushed. " I daresay I can put you in the way of a com mission, if that's all you want," he said. Montague turned upon him, grasping his hand in a way that made the dandy diplomat wince. "My dear man," he said, "that's what I desire above all things in this world. I vow, I'll pray for you for ever if you'll help me to it. A cap taincy in the Guards —can you do that much for me? " " Nay, leave the Guards alone ; they'll do you no credit," said Osborne.

"If you only knew what they were like just now you would keep clear enough of them. I daresay I can get you a captain's commission in the line, but you need not be grateful for that; any foreigner could have it for the asking if he possessed a year or two of barrack-room experience. Leave the matter to me; I'll think it over and do the best thing that occurs to me when we reach St. Petersburg." " And why not the Guards? " persisted Montague. ■ You are too old, " laughed Osborne. " The Imperial Guards are reserved for aristocratic babies of anything from a week to ten years of age. I'll tell you all about it afterwards. There's the steward (save the mark!) carrying in dinner, and I'm starving."

Chapter II

A NOVEL RAFT. The famished Mr. Osborne was, nevertheless, not destined to finish the simple though sufficient meal provided for his passengers by the captain of the " Graf von Arnim, " for before the repast was ended, the dishes of sausage and Sauerkraut, the captain himself, his mate, and his two passengers were all sent suddenly cannonading against one another or the sides of the cabin by a violent shock. " Lieber Himmell what can that be?" cried the skipper, picking himself up pale and dazed. " There are no rocks here. We are ten or fifteen miles from the land ! " He tumbled up on deck as he spoke, followed by the mate and the two English men. All four were too bewildered to form any opinion as to the mysterious disaster which had befallen the ship. It could not be a collision, they knew, for no vessel had been in sight when they had left the deck half-an-hour ago.

On deck, confusion and panic were holding car nival. Sailors were running aimlessly about, looking over the rail, first on one side of the ship and then on the other, shouting incoherently, crying aloud, some of them, and praying. The cause of the disaster was soon apparent to Montague and the rest: the ship had sailed straight into a quantity of drift ice, whose surface was level with the water, and at a little distance indistinguishable therefrom. These blocks of ice were some two or three feet in thickness, and some of them were half an acre in size, while others did not exceed five or six square yards. The captain, having given a single glance over the side, had dived down into the hold of the vessel, whence he re-appeared in a moment paler than ever. " She's cut almost in two ; she can't possibly float half an hour, " he said.

" Stand by the boat there, some of you ! " Short as the time had been since the first shock was felt, however, a number of the crew had already busied themselves with the single boat, and before the skipper's order was out of his mouth, she was already being lowered into the water. Instantly the crew scrambled over the side and into her, the mate following them. The captain was about to do likewise, but courteously thought of his two passengers. " Get in, Mr. Englishmen, " he said. " Be quick ! A NOVEL RAFT 13 the ship's filling fast; this accursed ice has ripped her in two ! " Osborne stepped to the side as though to do as requested, but Montague looked over the rail and laughed. " What ! " he said, " get into that boat with all those fellows already crowding her so that they can't sit down?

Thanks, Mr. Skipper, I think I prefer to stick to the ship. What do you say, Osborne ? " " My dear man, the ship is bound for the bottom of the sea, and she'll reach her destination in a quarter of an hour or so," said Osborne. "It's monstrous unpleasant, I know, to herd with a score or so of sweating sailors, but I think I'd rather do that of the two." He hesitated. "Man alive, we're not for the bottom of the sea yet awhile ! " said Montague. " The ice is setting as straight as a line for Dago yonder, and away from the mainland. Dago is nearer to us than the mainland. I'm for Dago on board of an ice-raft. That boat will be cut in two, you'll see!" " Come on ! " yelled the skipper from the boat. The sailors were getting out the oars and rigging up a sail preparatory to clearing out from the dan gerous vicinity of the sinking ship.

" Don't mind us, Mr. Skipper ; we're off to Dago Island," shouted Montague. " Aus wiedersehen! Send across for us when you reach the mainland ! " " Come along! " sung out the skipper. " For the last time, I warn you ! We cannot wait ! You are committing suicide ! " " Go if you like, Osborne," said Montague: " don't mind me." " Upon my word, I believe your idea is not a bad one," said the other. "I should hate to drown, especially in this cold water. But, on my honour, I don't see why one of these big ice-rafts should not bear us at least as well as that overcrowded boat there." As a matter of fact, the chance of a passage upon the boat was lost by this time, for the crew, recognising that they were too many already, had gladly taken the Englishman at his word, and were now rapidly increasing the distance between themselves and the unfortunate "Graf von Arnim."

Meanwhile, the ship was settling fast, and it became necessary to make their arrangements and leave her as quickly as possible. Both men accord ingly descended to the cabin in order to secure their personal property and whatever food and wine they could find in the steward's pantry. The ship was floating side by side with the ice-floe which had murdered her, while an equally gigantic raft kept pace with her on the opposite beam, like two wolves cantering beside their victim, which they intend to devour so soon as it shall have fallen exhausted to the earth. Her bow was by this time A NOVEL RAFT. 15 raised high out of the water, while her stern, the wounded part, was sinking correspondingly. From this latter end it was an easy matter to climb out upon the ice-raft, and this Osborne presently did, while Montague handed him the impedimenta of both, to be placed in a position of safety at some yards from the edge of the water.

Food in a basket followed, together with a blanket or two for each, and a pair of oars which had belonged to the boat as a spare set, but which had been left behind in the confusion of departure. There were a few thin fowls clucking in a coop in happy ignorance of their approaching doom, and these — coop and all — were unceremoniously bundled over the side, to their immense surprise and alarm, for hens, like human beings, do not always recognise blessings in disguise. Then, having secured everything he could lay hands upon, Montague followed his companion upon the ice-raft; and a very few moments later the " Graf von Arnim, " to the accompaniment of a hearty British cheer, reared her head high in air, as though to take a last look at sky and sea, and perhaps to discover what had become of her faithless captain and crew, stood straight up out of the water, and suddenly went down like a stone, tearing a large piece out of the side of her murderer as she went, and playing havoc also with the edges of the ice-floe upon which our two friends had taken sanctuary.

The position of the two Englishmen, though not without danger, was not very critical. The island of Dago, towards which the ice appeared to be setting, was but a few miles distant, while the mainland of Esthonia was in sight, some ten miles away. Between the two there lay a very small island, whose name I do not know; while, if the raft were to miss both this and Dago there was still the large island of Oesel beyond, and it would be unfortunate, indeed, if the castaways should float past each one of these havens of refuge without touching at any. As a matter of fact, the " Graf von Arnim " was a mere coaster, and they had scarcely once been out of sight of land since the beginning of the voyage, a couple of days ago. Meanwhile, the sea was calm and the weather warm, and they were well provided with food; the water was brackish, but drinkable.

Things were not so bad, as Montague declared, but they might have been a very great deal worse. The raft drifted slowly, but the progress was sure, and gave no trouble: moreover, there was entertainment just at this time to give the two Englishmen something to think of and keep away ennui. They saw the boat suddenly run full speed upon an ice-floe and upset; then they heard the shouts of the ducked ones and saw them all scramble and help one another upon the ice, and stand there huddled together, horribly cold, doubtless, and try to haul their boat up out of the water. A NOVEL RAFT. 17 "There, my good Osborne," said Montague, ■ that's where we should have been. You may thank Heaven you were sent to sea in company with a wise man as well as with some fools! Here are we, now, travelling in luxury, with food and blan kets in plenty.

Think of those fellows, when night comes — if we don't all get ashore before night — lying down, wet and hungry, on the ice! Ugh!" ■ Upon my word, you're quite right, " said Osborne ; " and if you land me without a ducking, well, I'll forgive you all those whacks on the back — I will indeed, though I feel them still ! " The progress was extremely slow, however, and when darkness fell Dago was still a league away, though the smaller island above referred to appeared to be close at hand, closer than they guessed, as it happened ; for just as the castaways had eaten their supper and curled themselves up in their blankets upon the ice to talk or sleep and await develop ments, a sudden violent jar brought both of them to their feet again; the ice-raft cracked and rent, and water began to flood over the surface; it stopped, moved on a little, and stopped again.

" It appears to me, my good Osborne, that we have arrived in port, " said Montague ; " a rocky port, by the feel, but, in any case, our ship is at anchor. Let us explore." The dapper Mr. Osborne had never experienced anything half so unpleasant as that wade ashore — so he afterwards declared ; for it turned out that the raft had brought up against a rocky beach, and the water was exceedingly cold; yet it was necessary to step into it up to his thighs and feel his way in the dark to land. As for returning afterwards for the luggage, he would rather perish, he said, and good-natured Montague was porter for both, and made the cold, wet journey backwards and for wards several times, until he had secured and brought ashore everything, down to the hens in their coop. Montague rather enjoyed the work, for anything that savoured of adventure was food and drink to him.

Then, when all was brought to land and placed high up on the beach in case of rising tides — for neither of them were aware that there are no tides that rise and fall in that barbarian sea — the two shipwrecked Englishmen wandered awhile upon a tour of inspection, hoping to see a fight or stumble upon a fisherman's cottage; but in this they were disappointed. Instead, they failed to find their way back to their blankets and provisions, until at length, having almost given up the search, and determined to make the best of a bad and cold job without them, they were guided back to the right spot by the clucking of the rescued hens. Then they wrapped themselves luxuriously in their blankets, and slept happily enough until morning came.

Chapter III. Wolf Island

The two castaways were awakened next morning by the violent fluttering and screaming of the hens in the coop, and no sooner had they opened their eyes and sprung to their feet than they saw a sur prising sight. The sun was up and making a broad path of gold over the sea in the distance, though close in shore the rays were broken up by the deader surface of the ice-floes, many of which had anchored themselves in the shallow approaches to the little island. All around, excepting on the side of the sea, were forest pines and birch, with here and there a patch of snow at their roots — faded, grey, improvident snow, which had not as yet taken the hint, whispered daily by the sun, and fled before the coming terror of the mild season. The trees stretched almost to the very water's edge, and there, seated on their haunches between the hen-coop and the two shipwrecked Englishmen, whom they watched with apparently benevolent interest, licking their lips now and again, however, as they watched, were a little company of five wolves.

The creatures were waiting to see whether the two toothsome morsels thus providentially placed upon the small island which was their temporary home were alive or dead. If alive, well, they would say au revoir before any harm was done; if dead, that was where the licking of the lips came in. It was thus a sad disappointment to them when Montague suddenly opened his eyes and sprang to his feet with an exclamation of surprise, instantly followed by Osborne, who did the same in every particular, excepting that in his exclamation there was a distinct note of alarm, a quality which was entirely absent in Montague's cry. As when the darkness vanishes at the striking of a match, as when the pickpocket disappears at the first glint of a policeman's eagle eye, as wrong vanishes at the appearance of right, so those five wolves vanished in an instant, at the very first movement of the awakened sleepers.