t of his
appearance. His beauty, however, was marred by two serious defects. The
lower half of his right ear had been torn away and his left arm was
stiff at the elbow and almost useless.

We find him in earnest conversation with Governor Drentell and a few of
the counsellors of his court.

"It is to be deplored," said the Governor, "that there seem to be no
efficient means of quelling the popular discontent. Arrest and exile do
not have the desired effect. Our prisons are filled to overflowing and
there is scarcely a day that does not send its quota of criminals to
Siberia. Here, in the southern part of Russia, the state of affairs is
particularly threatening. It is becoming alarming."

"Your excellency," remarked Mikail, in a deep, musical voice, "the
object of exile is, or ought to be, corrective rather than vindictive.
But, in my opinion, it exasperates the community and increases the
discontent."

"But," objected one of the counsellors, "to allow discontented persons
to remain unmolested will make them dangerous to the State."

"Undoubtedly," replied Mikail, "unless we remove the cause of their
discontent."

"Remove the cause?" interrupted Drentell, surprised. "To remove the
cause would mean to grant them liberty of action, to grant them a
constitutional government, to acquiesce in the thousand reforms they
demand."

"Let us not disguise from ourselves the fact that the people are
entitled to all they ask," said Mikail, quietly; "that the inhabitants
of other countries enjoy these rights and more, too, and that they only
ask for what is the prerogative of every human being--liberty and
happiness. But," continued he, emphasizing the little word; "while other
nations may prosper under such a rule, Russia would not. Her people are
not ready to enjoy the rights they demand. They would look into the full
glare of the mid-day sun before having accustomed their eyes to
candle-light. When I spoke of removing the cause, I did not mean to
abolish the cause of their discontent, but to obviate the necessity of
sending people into exile."

The assembly, which had at first been appalled by the priest's
unpatriotic sentiments, now breathed more freely.

"How would you accomplish your purpose?" asked the Governor.

"By directing the attention of the masses to something which will for
the time divert their minds from their present projects."

"It has been tried," replied the Governor. "We have begun quarrels with
all