this idea, which seemed merely
to propose putting a lunatic out of harm's way. But Palhen and his
accomplices thought it necessary to go further. Five of the
conspirators undertook the assassination, one of them being Plato
Zuboff, a former pet of Catherine, whom Paul had loaded with favours
after recalling him from exile. The five penetrated into Paul's
sleeping apartment after he had gone to bed. The two guards at the
door defended it valiantly, but their resistance was fruitless, and
one of them was killed. At the sight of the infuriated men rushing in
upon him, Paul rose from his couch. As he was very powerful he made a
long fight against his murderers, who finally managed to strangle him
in an armchair. The unhappy man's last words were, "You, too, Zuboff!
I thought you were my friend!"

It seems that chance had contributed in every way to the success of
the plot. A regiment of soldiers had been brought to surround the
palace, and the Colonel, far from being in the counsels of the
conspirators, fully believed that an attempt upon the Emperor's life
was to be frustrated. A portion of the regiment went through the
garden to post themselves under Paul's window. Unfortunately, the
marching of the soldiers did not awaken him; nor did the noise of a
flock of crows, which were in the habit of sleeping on the roof, and
which burst out cawing. Had it been otherwise, the ill-fated ruler
would have had time to reach a secret staircase next to his room, by
which he could have descended to that of one Mme. Narischkin, in whom
he had full confidence. Having got thus far, nothing would have been
easier for him than to make off in a little boat always moored on the
canal beside the palace. Besides, the distrust he harboured against
his wife had caused him to double-lock the door dividing his
apartments from the Empress's. When he tried to escape through that
door it was too late, the assassins having taken the precaution to
withdraw the key. To crown all, Kutaisoff, his faithful valet, the
very day the murder was committed received a letter revealing the
conspiracy; but this man had for some time been neglecting most of his
duties, and did not open his letters punctually. Kutaisoff left the
letter disclosing the conspiracy on the table. On opening the missive
next day the unhappy man fell into such a desperate state that he
nearly died of it. The same was the case with the Colonel who had
placed his troops about the palace. This