Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

EXILE OF M. GUIBAL.2-41

M. Guibal — every time that I am authorised to cite a name, I use the permission — M. Guibal, the son of a schoolmaster, was exiled without cause, or at least without explanation, and without being able to guess his crime, into a Siberian village in the environs of Orenburg. Л song, which he composed to beguile his sorrow, was listened to by an inspector, who put it before the eyes of the governor; it attracted the attention of that august ]Dersonage, who sent his aide-de-camp to the exile to inform himself re"·ardin£·· the circumstances of his situation and his

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conduct, and to judge if he was good for any thing. The unfortunate man succeeded in interesting; the aide-de-camp, who, on his return, made a very favourable report, in consecpience of which he was immediately recalled. He has never known the real cause of his misfortune: perhaps it was another song.

Such are the circumstances on which depends the fate of a man in Russia !

The following story is of a different character.

In the domains of Prince, beyond Nijni, a

female peasant obtained the character of being a witch, and her reputation spread far and wide. Prodigies were said to be performed by this woman : but her husband grumbled; the household was neglected, and the work abandoned. The steward confirmed in his report all that was said of the sorceress. The prince visited his domains. The first subject about which he made inquiry was the affair of the famous demoniac. The pope told him that the state of the woman grew worse daily, that she no longer spoke, and that he was determined to exorcise her. The ceremony took place in the presence of the lord, but

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