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

EMPEROR OF RUSSIA.269

Such a man cannot be judged by the standard applied to ordinary characters. His grave and агг-thoritative voice — his magnetic and piercing look, which is often cold and fixed rather through the habit of suppressing his passions than of dissimulating his thoughts, for he is frank—his superb forehead—his features, which are those of an Apollo or a Jupiter—his immovable, imposing, and imperious expression — his figure, more noble than easy, more monumental than human, exercise upon all who approach his person a power which is irresistible. He becomes master of the wills of others, because it is seen that he is master of his own.

The following is what I have retained of the remainder of our conversation: —

" The insurrection thus appeased, your majesty must have entered the palace with feelings very different to those under which it was left; not only the tln`one, but the admiration of the world, and the sympathy of all lofty minds being, by this event, assured to your majesty."

" I did not thus view it: what I then did has been too much praised."

The emperor did not tell me that on his return he found his wife afflieted with a nervous trembling of the head, of which she has never been entirely cured. This convulsive motion is scarcely visible ; indeed, on some days, when calm and in good health, the empress is entirely free from it: but whenever she is suffering, either mentally or physically, the evil returns and augments. This noblewoman must have fearfully struggled with the inquietude occasioned by her husband's daring exposure of himself to the assassin's N 3