familiar. All this clamor of the streets, this going to and fro of
people, the roar of traffic, the shriek of whistles, the ringing of
bells--had he not known them all in London when Lois was his friend and
old Paul his neighbor? There had been many Poles by Thrawl Street and
the harsh music of their tongue came to him as an old friend. It is true
that he was housed luxuriously, in a palace built for millionaires; but
he had the notion that he would not long continue there and that a newer
and a stranger destiny awaited him. This thought, indeed, he carried to
his bedroom and slept upon at last. He would find Lois to-morrow and she
would be his messenger.

There had still been excited crowds in the streets when he found his
bedroom and a high balcony showed him the last phases of a weird
pageant. Though it was then nearly midnight, Cossacks continued to
patrol the avenue and the mob to deride them. By here and there, where
the arc lamps illuminated the pavement, the white faces and slouching
figures of the more obstinate among the Revolutionaries spoke of dogged
defiance and an utter indifference to personal safety. Alban could well
understand why the people had ventured out, but that they should have
taken women and even young children with them astonished him beyond
measure. These, certainly, could vindicate no principle when their flesh
was cut by the brutal whips and the savage horses rode them down to
emphasize the majesty of the Czar. Such sights he had beheld that
afternoon and such were being repeated, if the terrible cries which came
to his ears from time to time were true harbingers. Alban closed his
windows at last for very shame and anger. He tried to shut the city's
terrible voice from his ears. He wished to believe that his eyes had
deceived him.

This would have been about one o'clock in the morning. When he awoke
from a heavy sleep (and youth will sleep whatever the circumstance) the
sun was shining into his rooms and the church-bells called the people to
early Mass. An early riser, long accustomed to be up and out when the
clock struck six, he dressed himself at once and determined to see
something of Warsaw before the Count was about. This good resolution led
him first to the splendid avenue upon which the great hotel was built,
and here he walked awhile, rejoicing in his freedom and wondering why he
had ever parted with it. Let a man have self-reliance and courage enough
and there is no city in all