ountry. They
then waited for a week, when they offered to make me a _Count_, and give
me the command of a frigate. This suited me, as you may suppose, Peter;
it was the darling wish of my heart--I was to be made a gentleman. I
consented, and was made Count Shucksen, and had a fine large frigate
under my command. I then set to work with a will, superintended the
fitting out of the whole fleet, and showed them what an Englishman could
do. We sailed, and you of course know the brush we had with the
Russians, which, I must say, did us no discredit. I was fortunate to
distinguish myself, for I exchanged several broadsides with a Russian
two-deck ship, and came off with honour. When we went into port I got
this riband. I was out afterwards, and fell in with a Russian frigate,
and captured her, for which I received this other riband. Since that I
have been in high favour, and now that I speak the languages, I like the
people very much. I am often at court when I am in harbour; and, Peter,
I am _married_."

"I wish you joy, count, with all my heart."

"Yes, and well married too--to a Swedish countess of very high family,
and I expect that I have a little boy or girl by this time. So you
observe, Peter, that I am at last a gentleman, and, what is more, my
children will be noble by two descents. Who would have thought that this
would have been occasioned by my throwing the captain's jacket into the
boat instead of my own? And now, my dear Mr Simple, that I have made you
my confidant, I need not say, do not say a word about it to anybody.
They certainly could not do me much harm, but still, they might do me
some; and although I am not likely to meet any one who may recognize me
in this uniform and these moustachios, it's just as well to keep the
secret, which to you and O'Brien only would I have confided."

"My dear count," replied I, "your secret is safe with me. You have come
to your title before me, at all events; and I sincerely wish you joy,
for you have obtained it honourably; but, although I would like to talk
with you for days, I must return on board, for I am now sailing with a
very unpleasant captain."

I then, in a few words, stated where O'Brien was; and when we parted, I
went with him on deck, Count Shucksen taking my arm, and introducing me
as an old shipmate to his officers. "I hope we may meet again," said I,
"but I am afraid there is little chance."

"Who knows?" replied he; "see what chance has done for me.