The Tsar's Window

Front matter

NO NAME SERIES.

THE TSAR'S WINDOW.

NO NAME SERIES.

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"NO NAME SERIES."

The First Series, completed,

COMPRISES TWELVE NOVELS, VIZ.,

Chapter 01

THE TSAR'S WINDOW.

CHAPTER I.

DORRIS'S JOURNAL.

November 27, 1877.

HOMESICKNESS, chills, cold, fog; outside the window, a musky atmosphere, and a dull roar which tells of toiling crowds at a distance; inside, a sombre room, furnished in ugly chintz: in short, London,—London in November, London in a fog, London seen from the windows of a hotel in its darkest, most unlovely aspect. For lack of something better to do, I am wondering vaguely where all the smoke and fog come from. I can picture it rising slowly from millions of factories and breweries, miles upon miles of palaces, and acres of wretched dwellings. The splendor and the squalor are alike hidden by this misty curtain, which settles down by my window, and on my spirits, causing an unpleasant gloom. How the passers-by jostle each other with their umbrellas, and of what a dull color are the brick houses opposite! I take a look at the room, and the prospect is still more depressing. Voluminous cloth curtains obstruct the entrance of the feeble yellow light. Dark, chintz-covered chairs, and a tiny fire in the microscopic grate, complete the gloomy picture.

My sister is making futile efforts to warm one foot, and to keep from crying. Poor Grace! She, too, is wondering why she came, and she thinks I am so interested in my writing that I do not notice her.

Of course Tom considers this the finest and most cheerful hotel in the city, as he selected it, and we are staying here. After the complaints which I made this morning, I am sure that Tom would pronounce me a sour old maid if I belonged to another family; but as I am his sister-in-law he thinks kindly of me, and speaks of me as "Dear Dorris! A little quick, you know, but the kindest and the cleverest woman in the world."

I never shall become so accustomed to Tom as not to laugh at him. What a blessing that there is something to laugh at!

The waiter comes in to know what we will order for dinner. He looks at us as if he wished to say, "Poor creatures, how sorry I am for you! After all, it is not your fault that you were not born British subjects."

Why did it occur to Grace that she would like to spend a winter in St. Petersburg? Why should she have cared about getting acquainted with our Russian kinsman? Why did Tom make that investment which gave him the money for this trip? Above all, what evil genius whispered to me that it would be pleasant to accompany them? To these questions I can find no answer, and I am going to drown my sorrows in crumpets and tea. Those articles, at least, are good here.

Chapter 02

CHAPTER II.

LETTERS FROM THOMAS AND GRACE CATHERWOOD.

London, Nov. 27.

MY DEAR MOTHER,—I have not quite recovered my land legs, and Grace is completely knocked up after our long sea-voyage. We were eleven days on the water, and though it is humiliating to confess it, I was absurdly sick. Grace was wretched in body and mind, and Dorris did the cheerfulness for the whole party. She was irrepressible, and for two days was the only lady at table. We landed yesterday in Liverpool, and came directly here, where we have found nothing but fog and rain. Grace has succumbed to her miseries, and a bad attack of homesickness. There is a suspicious redness about her eyes, and she avoids looking me directly in the face. She told me that nothing would induce her to write a letter to-day, and has retired to her room with a novel to cry; but I shall take her on to Paris in a day or two, where I hope Worth's influence will revive her.

I don't care much for London at this season, myself, and if Grace were not homesick, I might be so, but I feel obliged to differ from my wife. It ruins women to agree with them, which is the reason, dear mother, I have always given you so much trouble.

Dorris has set her energies doggedly to work to study up Russia, and is buried in books which treat of that subject. I never saw such a woman for finding amusement in trifles, and for picking up information on all occasions, from all sorts of people. I only hope she will not set up for an intellectual woman. She is the best traveller I ever saw.

This note will inform you of our safe arrival, and I dare say Grace will write from Paris, and tell you about the fashions. I have considered your feelings in writing this, and have refrained from slang. You should give me a great deal of credit, for I deserve it.

Grace and Dorris send love, and so does 3em

Thomas.

Paris, Nov. 30.

My dear sister,—Tom is really too dreadful. He was prowling all over the city last night until after twelve o'clock, with that young Mr. Lane whose father used to be in love with Aunt Emma. I wanted him to write to his mother, but he said that he wrote to her in London, and he would go off. Dorris only laughs at him, but I shall use my influence to get him started for your country next week, if our dresses are finished. I am longing to see you, and your dear little girl, and your Russian home; but if I have my gray brocade trimmed with fringe, it will take two days longer, for the fringe has to be made, and Dorris says it will be hideous without the fringe; so our departure depends on my decision about that dress. These dressmakers are really too aggravating.

We had such a rough passage across the channel that I was very glad of my new ulster which I bought in London. Tom's mother sent you a mince-pie, for she remembered that you used to like them. I took it out of my trunk when we were in London, to make room for Karamsin's History of Russia, in six volumes, which Dorris bought, and packed in with my collars and cuffs, so you can imagine how they looked when we got here! The pie was done up in brown paper, and Tom thought that the parcel contained his slippers, and he put all his boots and shoes on top of it; it looks now as if some one had been sitting on it, but I shall keep it for you.

Dorris does nothing but read, and she says she does not believe that old Mr. Lane was in love with Aunt Emma. Tom is so much handsomer than he used to be, I can hardly wait for you to see him.

Dorris looks as young as I do. She does n't seem to care about getting married since that sad engagement of hers, though that was eight years ago. I never could understand how she could fall in love with a man who was dying of consumption. Tom never has had an ill day since I married him except last summer when he was poisoned,—and how cross he was!

Dorris behaves just like a widow. Some widows don't act much like it, though. That Mrs. Miller used to flirt awfully with Tom before he was engaged to me, but he never thought she was pretty. I think I shall have the fringe on that dress. The milliner has brought some bonnets for me to look at, so I must leave my letter.

Kiss your baby for me, and give my love to Nicolas.

3em

Grace Catherwood.

Berlin, Dec. 8.

Dear mother,—We are on our way to the North Pole, having left the fascinations of Paris behind us. I made a discovery in that city which is worth a fortune to me. I found the emperor of all tailors, a man perfect in his profession, which is a thing you can rarely see. You will be delighted with the results of our acquaintance when you behold them.

Grace has purchased every article which was recommended to her to keep us warm on the journey, and the consequence is, my big black bag is completely filled with her traps. It flew open at the Paris station, and startling were the secrets which were disclosed.

We are all delighted at the prospect of getting out of this beastly hole. We have been in a chronic state of shivering ever since we landed in Europe, and Grace is looking forward to getting warm in St. Petersburg, for she says that Alice never mentions the cold in her letters, so she does not believe it can be as cold as London and Paris. Never say anything more to me, my dear mother, about the beauty of this Berlin street, "Unter den Linden," or some such name. It does not compare with Fifth Avenue. The "Linden" is the poorest apology for a tree that I ever beheld. I shall be glad to take my departure to-night, and as I have some accounts to settle with the courier, I must leave you now. 3em

Thomas.

Chapter 03

CHAPTER III.

DORRIS'S JOURNAL.

December 9, 1877.

SITTING on the floor in a low, smoky Russian car, with a flickering candle over my head, I am trying to write a short account of our journey. We entered the land of the Tsar about three hours ago, after travelling twenty-four hours from Berlin. Tom says that ours is the most competent courier who ever took charge of a party, so of course it must be so. He is tall and dark, and looks like a bandit. He is known as Gustave, but we don't often dare to address him by name. He makes profound bows whenever he enters our presence, and is continually giving us titles such as "Excellency," "My Lady," "Your Grace," and then correcting himself, as though he had always served the nobility, and found it difficult to descend to common mortals.

He is not travelling with us; we are travelling with him. We do whatever he tells us,—eat, drink, walk, and sleep when he thinks best. I fancy that he makes a good profit on everything, even on the suspicious-looking apples which he brings us; but such is the awe with which he inspires me that I dare not remonstrate.

We left Berlin at seven o'clock last night. When I awoke this morning, my first movement was to peep out of the window. A flat, snowy country met my eyes, and a gray sky. The day has been monotonous. Tom has spent his time poring over a Russian Grammar. He knit his brows, made various notes in a new memorandum-book, and appeared to be studying intently; but when, towards night, I catechised him, I could not discover that his knowledge went beyond the fact that "Da" meant "Yes," and "Nyett" was Russian for "No."

It was five o'clock this afternoon when we reached the Russian frontier. Our advent had been telegraphed from Berlin by some one whom Tom knows there, and we received every attention. A polite official conducted us to the restaurant, where we had supper. The excellent French which he spoke did not surprise me. I have always had a vague idea that Russians used their own language very little, and that one could travel throughout the country simply with a knowledge of French.

The waiter, however, did not understand my French orders, and Gustave's powers as interpreter were called into play. Our travelling companions wore long, dark cloaks, and fur hats. That was as it should be. But the mild air was all wrong, and the thermometer was wrong too. It should be colder in Russia.

Grace and I uttered an exclamation of horror when we entered the compartment which had been reserved for us in the Russian train; for, in spite of the mild temperature outside, the little stove was nearly bursting with wood, and was burning fiercely. We struggled vainly to open the double window; at last we were obliged to call the guard, who remonstrated earnestly with us, in his unintelligible language, before he could be induced to comply with our request. When the room had become somewhat cooler, Grace lay down on one of the hard seats, with a travelling-bag for a pillow, and, covered with her fur cloak, was soon sound asleep. I made some attempts to look out of the window, but finding the night dark and the landscape invisible, I give my attention to my journal. The candle shows signs of going out altogether, so I will follow Grace's example and try to sleep.

St. Petersburg, Dec. 13.

The rest of that night journey was inexpressibly weird. Being fond of novelty, I was pleased with it, though my bones ached sadly from my hard bed. We lumbered on slowly and painfully. I felt sorry for the engine, it seemed to labor so. Every now and then we stopped to rest. A mysterious, funereal bell tinkled every five seconds during the stoppage, and strange voices kept up a continual jabber in an unknown tongue under the window. Then on we plodded through the darkness, and it seemed as if daylight would never come.

I had fallen into a light doze, when our door was unceremoniously opened, and a face framed in a long, dark beard was thrust in. The hair was parted in the middle and fell on the shoulders, and the head was surmounted by a round cap, ornamented about the rim with the eyes of peacock-feathers. I gazed at this curious figure inquiringly, and he ejaculated something which sounded like "Day." Grace plied him with questions in German, and then in French; but he continued to make unintelligible sounds, and finally retreated for a moment, returning with some tumblers filled with steaming tea, and some delicious bread. We blessed the intruder in all the languages at our command; and never was anything so refreshing to me as that tea! Surely, one must come to Russia to have tea served in the middle of the night.

We were so delighted with our midnight meal that whenever the tinkling of that goblin bell awoke us during the night, we put our heads out of the window and ordered tea in every language which we knew; but as Russian was not included in our repertory, we sometimes got cigarettes, or more wood for the stove, instead of the article we asked for.

The long night dragged itself away at last, and I opened my eyes upon the most desolate tract of country I have ever beheld. Flat and uncultivated, marshy in many parts, no trees except stunted pines and birches, and not a hill or a mountain. Far as the eye could reach, on either side, the same dreary expanse. Snow everywhere, of course, even in the air,—not coming down in great flakes, as in dear old New England, but sifting through the air like a mist, and falling almost imperceptibly.

We passed few villages, and no great cities. I caught some glimpses of peasants, in long sheepskin coats, high felt boots, and fur caps. This seems to be their out-of-door costume. In some poor little huts with no visible windows appeared startled figures in bright-colored shirts belted in over the trousers, which were full, and tucked into high boots. They all had long beards, and hair parted in the middle.

All day there were endless stoppages at stations where there seemed to be no passengers to get on or off, and always that melancholy bell-ringing.

It was after dark when a forest of lights in the distance proclaimed the end of our journey to be near. I was half-dazed when I tumbled out of the cars and into the arms of Nicolas, who was waiting to welcome us. He received us most cordially, kissing Tom on both cheeks, which so embarrassed the poor fellow that he looked uncomfortable for some time after. My Russian brother-in-law is a very handsome man. In the six years which have elapsed since he carried Alice away with him, I have had time to forget how good-looking he was. I was surprised to find Alice changed so little. She has grown somewhat stouter and a trifle more self-conscious, but beyond that she is the same happy little woman as of old.

We found her at the Hotel de l'Europe when we got there, after what seemed a very long drive through streets filled with clumsy horse-cars and funny little sleighs.

Our tongues ran busily during dinner; and when Alice and her husband took their departure, I was glad to go to bed.

Chapter 04

CHAPTER IV.

LETTERS FROM MR. TREMAINE AND DORRIS ROMILLY.

New York, November, 1877.

MY DEAR JUDITH,—I am rather hurried this morning, as I wish this letter to go by to-day's steamer. Mrs. Tremaine tells me that you are twenty years old. I think that you ought not to remain longer at school. I have written Fräulein Lütke to that effect, and have arranged matters so that you will have no difficulty about leaving. You can come home to us with Mrs. Emmons, who will sail on the 8th of January; or I have a proposition to make which will perhaps be more welcome to you.

Your cousins, as you know, have gone to Russia to spend some months. They would be glad to have you with them. Dorris spoke to me about it before she left America, and I have no doubt Fräulein Lütke can find some one to accompany you from Vienna to St. Petersburg, should you decide to go. My advice to you is not to lose this opportunity of seeing Russian life. Your Cousin Alice married well. Count Piloff belongs to one of the best Russian families, and is in a position to introduce you into the court society. I should like you to become better acquainted with Dorris, as your father and hers were more warmly attached than most brothers. Dorris is a woman whose friendship will be beneficial to you, and I know they will all try to make you happy. If you are not contented, of course you can come home when an opportunity occurs.

I have no time to write more to-day. Hoping to hear immediately when you have decided which course to pursue, I am

Your affectionate guardian,

John Tremaine.

New York, Nov. 30, 1877.

My dear Dorris,—I am sorely perplexed. I have received a letter from a young man in Vienna,—Roger Fisk by name,—who is studying medicine abroad. Since his sojourn in Europe he has met Judith, and claims to have an undying love for her. He is twenty-six years of age, has no money, and cannot marry for years. He says that Judith returns his affection, but will give no promise without my sanction.

I have written to him, of course. I told him that my ward was too young to enter into any engagement; that in another year she would be her own mistress, but that, meantime, I could not consent to her making him any promise.

I am at a loss to conceive how these mutual confessions were made, when I supposed Judith to be in a strict boarding-school. I am shocked at this revelation, and cannot think of keeping her longer in such guardian . I have decided, after much reflection, to accept your proposition, and let Judith join you in St. Petersburg. She is old enough to leave school now, but I have no doubt she needs a watchful eye over her. I wish you would do what you can for her, and write me your ideas on the subject. I shall feel at ease when she is twenty-one, and my responsibility will be at an end.

When you reply to this letter,—which I hope will be soon,—tell me what you think of the Tsar. I have a great sympathy for that oppressed Russian nation, and its efforts to free itself from the yoke which presses so heavily upon it. If you have witnessed any ceremony in which the Tsar took part, I should be glad to have you describe it to me.

With love from Mrs. Tremaine and myself for you, your sisters, and Thomas, I am 4em

John Tremaine.

December 14.

My dear Mr. Tremaine,—I can only admire your ingenious way of getting rid of an irksome responsibility. Because Judith falls in love with a young man, you send her to us to be cured. I shall not find fault with you, for your ward proves to be a delightful companion; not the foolish, love-sick girl my fancy would have painted her if your letter had arrived before she did; and I can commend the course you have taken, from the bottom of my heart. We are a most harmonious quartette. Grace is always placid and happy. Tom is the perfection of a traveller, never objects to roughing it, laughs at his own blunders,—and he makes plenty of them,—and never does anything to make himself disagreeable except thinking all the shopkeepers are cheats, and carrying our letters about in his pocket for an indefinite length of time; I might say that his memory is his weak point. I have no need to describe myself and how much I add to the party: modesty forbids. Judith is a light-hearted, happy girl; she stands Tom's teasing and my scolding like an angel. As far as I can judge, she is quite contented, and does not appear to regret any object or person in Vienna. We have a very sober, staid Englishman here, a most unimpressionable creature, but he has succumbed to Judith's fascinations and is a willing victim. You need have no fears for her. It is to be hoped the young man in Vienna is as easily consoled. I have no doubt he is; still, I don't see why she should not marry the poor fellow if she wishes to.

Having finished the business part of my letter, I will proceed to answer your other questions. I have seen the Emperor several times driving in a small sledge, entirely unattended, and wrapped up to the nose in furs. Once a day he goes to the Summer Garden, where he walks for half an hour. The day he was expected to arrive from Moscow last week, I stationed myself at the window about ten o'clock. The street from the station to the palace was lined with soldiers. I heard loud cheering, and suddenly an open carriage swept by like the wind. It contained the Emperor and the Tsarevitch; there was no one on the box except the coachman. They were followed by about two hundred officers on horseback, but they went by so rapidly that I only got a confused idea of brass helmets, waving feathers, Cossack caps, and long spears. Then came several carriages from the palace, coachmen and footmen in the imperial livery of scarlet and gold, and then many scattered horsemen. The Tsar went at once to the church and thence to the palace. Perhaps you are astonished to hear me say they went in carriages. Before I came here I never imagined a carriage in St. Petersburg—certainly not in December. But the truth is, the snow, which is constantly falling, is not allowed to accumulate; it is continually being taken up and carted off to the Neva, so that it is not more than an inch or two deep in the street, and the sidewalks are comparatively clear. What a contrast to New York! One can always use a carriage here with comfort.

I think there is but one opinion about the Tsar, as far as he is personally concerned. Even his enemies acknowledge that it is only the power he represents which they wish to destroy. It seems to me no one could look at this Emperor, and not acknowledge that, if expression indicates anything of character, he is a good and conscientious man. His position is by no means an enviable one, nor should I care to be one of his ministers. They receive threatening letters all the time, I hear; and the Chief of the Third Section—appointed in the place of General Mezenzeff, who was stabbed in the streets last summer—has been warned that the life of his only little girl will be attempted.

Such is the respectable and humane course which these Nihilists, with whom you pretend to sympathize, take to attain their ends. There must be many good Russians who desire a more liberal form of government. Their cause would be mine were I a Russian subject, but I have no sympathy with the Nihilists, or with the principles which they avow.

Last week there was a grand review of all the troops about Petersburg (Russians drop the "St.") on the Champs de Mars, a large open field near the river. We went with Nicolas and Alice, to witness it from the windows of the Oldenburg Palace. The Prince of Oldenburg is related in some way to the imperial family, but I have not yet studied the "Almanach de Gotha" sufficiently to be quite sure of these relationships.

From the window in which we were placed, we could overlook the whole field, where the soldiers had been drawn up since eleven o'clock, although the review was not to begin until twelve. There had been a slight fall of snow the day before, which froze during the night; so the ground was very slippery, and the horses, which had not been newly shod, had some difficulty in keeping their feet. The white ground and the gray sky made an outlook which was anything but cheerful. Apparently the men found it cold waiting, and, not content with jumping up and down to warm themselves, they chased each other about and performed various gymnastics.

Punctually at noon, cheers resounded along the lines; a band at one end began the national hymn, which was taken up by the other bands in turn; the soldiers fell into place; and, looking intently far down the line of gray overcoats which covered the brilliant uniforms below us, I saw a crowd of horsemen approaching: as they came nearer I distinguished the Emperor on a gray horse, followed by his brothers and sons, and his staff, which consisted of about one hundred horsemen. I have no doubt there were many famous men among that retinue.

The Tsar was closely followed by the two Cossacks who went through the war with him, and always accompany him when he is on horseback.

After riding past the troops he took up his position on one side of the field, surrounded by his generals and military attachés. Here he remained while all the regiments filed by.

These troops did good service during the war. The Chasseurs lost one man out of three in the fight before Plevna.

A fat, jolly-looking priest, in a purple gown, was pointed out to me as having crossed the Balkans with the Simeonovsky regiment, last winter. On one occasion he was separated from the others, and found himself surrounded by Turks. Tucking his Icon under his left arm, he picked up a musket from the ground and laid about him with it, braining the first man he struck.

At the head of the cavalry came a motley crowd of a hundred horsemen, who at once attracted our attention. They carried a quantity of richly decorated weapons, of various antiquated shapes, and no two were dressed alike. Steel or gilt trappings covered the horses, each of which was caparisoned differently. They were unmistakably eastern, and somewhat barbaric in their appearance. This was the Emperor's bodyguard, composed of men from the Caucasus. Each province is required to furnish a certain number; each man provides his own horse, saddle, uniform, etc., hence the curious and picturesque variety. They are extremely proud of their position, and consider themselves the bulwarks of the throne and indispensable to the Tsar's comfort and safety.

The Don Cossacks were equally curious and interesting, sweeping by on their small horses, which seem a part of the rider, their hats jauntily cocked over one ear, with long, thin feathers sticking up in the air, and their short, crooked swords in attitude of attack. They do good service with these little swords, as many thousand flying soldiers in Sulieman Pacha's army last winter could testify.

The Cossack is an utterly free and independent fellow. He pays no taxes, but is required to serve in the army when needed, and to furnish a certain number of permanent troops. He serves without pay, and "keeps himself," which means that he takes what he wants wherever he finds it. The Tsarevitch is the nominal head, or Hetman, of all the Cossacks. Their loyalty is unquestioned, and they make excellent soldiers for some purposes, though each one is fond of skirmishing about on his own account, with little regard as to where his regiment or commander may be.

I looked curiously at the noses of the Paulovsky regiment. I had been told that the Emperor Paul, having a snub nose, founded this regiment for men with a similar misfortune, but I failed to discover anything peculiar about that feature in the present troop.

The review lasted an hour and was a very interesting sight; but I will spare you further details, and write no more except to beg you to get over your sympathy for the Nihilists as soon as possible. You have no idea of their diabolical plans; the information you get from newspapers, and especially from England, is quite untrustworthy. Their statements are colored by prejudice, so do not pin your faith to any of them. You see I have not been idle since I came to Russia, and have really picked up a good deal of information, but I fear I bore every one I meet with the number of interrogation points that I put in my conversation.