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

28MADAME DE CUSTINE ;

placing others, which, as having been written by her parents and dearest friends she felt unwilling to destroy, in a separate box, when suddenly she heard the door of the outer apartment open, and forewarned by one of those jiresentiments which had never failed to admonish her in moments of danger, she said within herself, " I am betrayed; they are coming to arrest me ;" whereupon, without further deliberation, for it was too late to burn the heaps of dangerous documents by which she was surrounded, she gathered them hastily together and stuffed them, with the box also, under the sofa, the hangings of which fortunately reached to the floor.

This accomplished, she arose, and received, with an air of perfect com¡iosure, the persons who instantly after entered her cabinet. They were the members of the Committee of General Safety, with their attendants. These beings, whose external appearance was at once ridiculous and terrible, surrounded her with muskets and drawn swords.

" You are under arrest," said the president.

My mother made no answer.

(< You are arrested, for intent to emigrate."

" It was my intention," she replied, on seeing her false passport already in the hands of the president; for it had been taken from her jrøckct by the agent of the municipality, whose first care was to search her person.

At this moment my mother observed that her servants had followed the members of the committee into the room. A single glance sufficed to show her by whom she had been denounced ; the face of her femme äe chamhre betrayed the secret of a troubled conscience.