eld-Marshal Souvarow had made
a friend of him, and none could know to what this friendship might not
lead; for Paul honoured Souvarow like one of the ancient heroes.

But no one could rely upon Paul, for his character was made up of
extreme impulses. Without having done anything to offend his master,
and without knowing the cause of his disgrace, Souvarow, on arriving
at Riga, received a private letter which informed him, in the emperor's
name, that, having tolerated an infraction of the laws of discipline
among his soldiers, the emperor deprived him of all the honours with
which he had been invested, and also forbade him to appear before him.

Such tidings fell like a thunderbolt upon the old warrior, already
embittered by his reverses: he was heart-broken that such storm-clouds
should tarnish the end of his glorious day.

In consequence of this order, he assembled all his officers in the
market-place of Riga, and took leave of them sorrowfully, like a father
taking leave of his family. Having embraced the generals and colonels,
and having shaken hands with the others, he said good-bye to them once
more, and left them free to continue their march to their destination.

Souvarow took a sledge, and, travelling night and day, arrived incognito
in the capital, which he was to have entered in triumph, and was driven
to a distant suburb, to the house of one of his nieces, where he died of
a broken heart fifteen days afterwards.

On his own account, Foedor travelled almost as rapidly as his general,
and entered St. Petersburg without having sent any letter to announce
his arrival. As he had no parent in the capital, and as his entire
existence was concentrated in one person, he drove direct to the
general's house, which was situated in the Prospect of Niewski, at an
angle of the Catherine Canal.

Having arrived there, he sprang out of his carriage, entered the
courtyard, and bounded up the steps. He opened the ante-chamber door,
and precipitated himself into the midst of the servants and subordinate
household officers. They cried out with surprise upon seeing him: he
asked them where the general was; they replied by pointing to the door
of the dining-room; he was in there, breakfasting with his daughter.

Then, through a strange reaction, Foedor felt his knees failing him, and
he was obliged to lean against a wall to prevent himself from falling.
At this moment, when he was about to see Vaninka again, this soul of his