y, in whom, notwithstanding his torn-out shoes and unhappy
looks, I recognized the unfortunate Heir to the Russian Throne.
Someone called him in--and he went slowly into the house. Two Reds
passed near the women smoking pipes and dragging the rifles by their
bayonettes. They both looked piercingly at the women and exchanged a
few words with each other. The women slowly moved toward the house.
Their life must be a real torture within this fence!

A man of medium height passed from the Mansion and crossed the street.
He entered the Kornilov House, and after short conversation with the
chamber-lackey,--

"Did you wish to speak to me?" he asked,--I am Dr. Botkin."

"Yes, sir."

"Now,--what is it?"

"I come from Tumen, Dr. Botkin. I have brought you a letter from your
friends."

A grimace passed over his face, and he stared at me with suspicion.
"Tumen? Who are you?"

"I hardly think my name would tell you anything, doctor. Here is the
letter." He stopped my movement:

"Please, please, not here. Let's go in. Don't be so sure of this
place."

We entered the dining room, and he took the letter and opened the
envelope. After reading--there were no more than two pages--he said:

"No answer. Do you know the contents?"

"I don't. But I can guess."

"Oh! Is that so?"

All of this commenced to irritate me. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Very well, very well," the doctor said, "we must not be offended. You
know what times we live in. Won't you sit down, please?"

The doctor was very nervous: rubbed his hands, looked around and
showed other signs of impatience. Finally he expressed what was in his
mind.

"Can't the Princess understand how risky these writings are for us?"

"Just as risky as for the authors and bearers," I replied feeling
sorry for the lady who meant well. "If there is no answer I don't
think I'll return to Tumen. I have nothing to do there. I see all
these affairs are managed in the same way, as we managed them in our
country. I am through. I thought we had changed. I'll attend to other
things."

"Please," he said looking at me with amazement, "don't misunderstand
me. You see,"--he tried to invent something, or say something,--"all
is very dangerous...."

We were interrupted by a movement on the street. A crowd of soldiers
(for I cannot call it a company, or a detachment,--just a crowd of
man-haters clad in uniform) passed, and made a demonstration against
the Mansion. A few stones and pieces of