men should make an attack upon one armed
with a sword, and within call of assistance. You yourself know, Doctor
Bertmann, that the reason which he alleged for the attack is a false
one, as we were not asked for our parole."

"I am, of course, aware of that," the doctor said, "and should attend
to give evidence, but the case is a doubtful one. The officers of our
line regiments are, for the most part, poor and friendless men.
Promotion is almost entirely by favoritism, and it would need a very
considerable amount of courage and independence to give a verdict in
the teeth of their commanding officer. In the next place, for I have
heard them talking it over among themselves, there is a sort of
feeling that, for the honor of the Russian army, it is almost
necessary that you should be found guilty, since it would throw
discredit upon the whole service were it published to the world that
two unarmed young English officers had been attacked with a sword by a
Russian officer of rank."

"Then things look rather badly for us," said Jack. "Well, it can't be
helped, you know, and the count will, no doubt, write to our people at
home, to tell them the truth of the case."

"Oh," said the doctor, "you must not misunderstand me. I only said
that the new commandant had ordered that you should be tried by
court-martial, but that is a very different thing from its being done.
We must get you out of prison to-night."

"You speak very confidently," Jack said, laughing, "but how is it to
be done?"

"Oh," answered the doctor, "there is no great difficulty on that
score. It may be taken as certain that as a rule every Russian
official, from the highest to the lowest, is accessible to a bribe,
and that no prisoner with powerful friends outside need give up hope.
This is a military prison. The soldiers at the gate are open to imbibe
an unlimited amount of vodka, whoever may send it. The officer in
command of them will be easily accessible to reasons which will induce
him to shut his eyes to what is going on. Your warder here can of
course be bought. The count is already at work, and as his means are
ample, and, although under a cloud at present, his connections
powerful, there is little fear that he will fail in succeeding. By the
way I have news to tell you. Do you hear the bells tolling? The news
has arrived that Nicholas is dead. Alexander, our new Czar, is known
to be liberally disposed, and, were there time, the count would go to
St