ing had ceased, the door opened, and a servant entered the
apartment.

"Summon my sons to attend me!"

The servant bowed, and retired.

A few minutes after, two youths entered the apartment. They appeared to
be of the respective ages of sixteen and eighteen. One, the elder and
taller, was of a darkish complexion, with brown waving hair, and hazel
eyes. The expression of his countenance was that of a youth of firm and
rather serious character; while the style of his dress, or rather his
manner of wearing it, showed that he was altogether without vanity in
matters of personal appearance. He was handsome withal, having that
aristocratic air common to the nobility of Russia. This was Alexis.

The younger brother differed from him as much as if no kinship existed
between them. He was more the son of his mother, the baroness; while
Alexis inherited the features and a good deal of the disposition of his
father. Ivan was a fair-haired lad, with golden locks curling over a
forehead of bright blonde complexion, and cheeks that exhibited the hue
of the rose. His eyes were of a deep azure-blue--such as is often seen
among the Sclavonic races--and their quick sparkle told that in the
breast of Ivan there beat a heart brimming with bright thoughts, and
ever ready for mischief and merriment, but without any admixture of
malice.

Both approached their father with a serious expression of countenance.
That of Alexis bespoke sincerity; while Ivan stole forward with the air
of one who had been recently engaged in some sly mischief, and who was
assuming a demure deportment with the design of concealing it.

A word about these two youths, and the object for which their father had
summoned them into his presence. They had now been each of them more
than ten years engaged in the study of books, under some of the ablest
teachers that Russia could furnish. Their father himself had given much
time to their instruction; and, of course, an inclination to their minds
similar to that which characterised his own, but chiefly to the mind of
Alexis.

The latter had imbibed a fondness for the study of nature, while Ivan
was more given to admire the records of stirring events, with a strong
_penchant_ for the splendours of the world, in which he felt longing to
bear a part. The nature of the books which had passed through their
hands--a great number of them being books of travel--had begotten within
these youths a wish to see the world,