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

EMPEROR AND EMRRESS.267

" Sire, your majesty drew yom` strength from the right source."

" I did not know what I was about to do or say — I was inspired."

" To receive sueh inspirations, it is necessary to merit them."

" I did nothing extraordinary ; I said to the soldiers, ' Return to your ranks !' and at the moment of passing the regiment in review, I eried, ' On your knees!' They all obeyed. What gave me power was, that the instant before I had resigned myself to meet death. I am grateful for having succeeded ; but I am not proud of it, for it was by no merit of my own."

Such were the noble expressions whieh the emperor made use of in relating to me this contemporary tragedy.

From the above relation an idea may be formed of the interesting nature of the subjects on which he converses with the travellers whom he honours with his

Eye-witnesses have informed me that his form seemed to dilate and grow more lofty and commanding at caeh step that he made in advancing towards the mutineers. Taeiturn, melancholy, and absorbed in trifles as he had appeared during his youth, he became a hero the moment he was a monarch. The contrary is usually the ease—and princes promise more than they perform.

This prince is, on the throne, as perfectly in Iris