ping and wailing, seating themselves upon a thousand open
graves, and singing out their plaintive hymns of lamentation. 'War!
war!' they cried, 'woe to war! It kills our men, devours our youths,
makes widows of our women, and nuns of our maidens. Woe, woe to war!
Shriek out a prayer to God for peace--peace! O God, send us peace; close
these open graves, heal our wounds, and let our great suffering cease!'"

The prophet folded his hands and looked to heaven, and now the woman's
voice was heard.

"But the heavens were dark to the prayer of the spirits, and a blood-red
stream gushed from them; colored the stars crimson, turned the moon to a
lake of blood, and piteous voices cried out from the clouds, and in the
air--'Fight on and die, for your king wills it so; your life belongs to
him, your blood is his.' Then, from two rivulets of blood, giant-like,
pale, transparent forms emerged; upon the head of the first, I read the
number, '1759.' Then the pale form opened its lips, and cried out: 'I
bring war, and ever-new bloodshed. Your king demands the blood of your
sons; give it to him. He demands your gold; give it to him. The king is
lord of your body, your blood, and your soul. When he speaks, you must
obey!'"

"It seems to me all this is a little too Russian in its conception,"
said Ranuzi, half aloud. "I shall be surprised if the police do not
interrupt this seance, which smells a little of insurrection."

"The scene is so very piquant," said Giurgenow, "I would like to draw
nearer. Pardon me, gentlemen, I must leave you, and go upon the square.
It is interesting to hear what the people say, and how they receive such
prophecies. We can, perhaps, judge in this way of the probabilities of
peace and liberty. The voice of the people is, in politics, ever the
decisive voice." He took his hat, and, bowing to the gentlemen, left the
room hastily.

CHAPTER III. RANUZI

Count Ranuzi gazed after the Russian with a mocking smile. "Do you know,
Belleville, where he is going?"

"He has not told us, but I guess it. He is going to approach this
fortune-teller, and give her a sign that her zeal has carried her too
far, and that, if not more prudent, she will betray herself."

"You think, then, that Giurgenow knows the fortune-teller?"

"I am certain of it. He has engaged these charlatans to rouse up the
people, and excite them against the king. This is, indeed, a very common
mode of proceeding, and often successful; but