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

" Sir, it was only yesterday I learnt your address : my name is Pernet; and I come to express to you my gratitude ; for I was told at Petersburg that it is to yon I owe my liberty, and consequently my life."

After the first surprise which such an address caused me, I began to notiee the person of M. Pernet. He is one of that numerous class of young Frenchmen who have the appearance and the temperament of the men of southern lands; his eyes and hair are blaek, his cheeks hollow, his eountenanee every where equally pale ; he is short and slight in figure ; and he appeared to be suffering, though rather morally than physieally. He discovered that I knew some members of his family settled in Savoy, who are among the most respectable people of that land of honest men. He told me that he was an advocate; and he related that he had been detained in the prison of Moseow for three weeks, four days of which time he was placed in the eells. We shall see by his recital the way in whieh a prisoner is treated in this abode. My imagination had not approached the reality.

Tln>, two first days he was left without food! No one came near him ; and he believed for forty-eight hours that it was determined to starve him to death in his prison. The only sound that he heard was that of the strokes of the rod, which, from five o'eloek in the morning until night, were inflicted upon the unhappy slaves who were sent by their masters to this place, to receive correction. Add to that frightful sound, the sobs, the tears, the sereams of the victims, mingled with the menaces and imprecations of the tormentors, and you will form some faint idea of the moral as well as physical sufferings of our unhappy countryman during four weary days, and while still remaining ignorant of his crime.

After having thus penetrated against his will into the profound mystery of a Russian prison, he believed, not without reason, that he was destined to end his days thei`e; for he said to himself, " If there had been any intention to release me, it is not here that I should be confined by men who fear nothing so mueh as to have their seeret barbarity divulged."

A slight partition alone separated his narrow eell from the inner court, where these executions were perpetrated.