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

104THE HISTORY OF THELENEF.

" Certainly. My son has seen the Father" " The Emperor?"

" Yes; and the Emperor himself has sent us word that we are 2;0m¤; to be made free. It is his will; and if it depended only on him it would be done."

Thelencf shrugged his shoulders, and asked —

" How has Fedor been able to speak to the Emperor ? "

" How ? He was one of those who were sent by all

the people of the district and of the neighbouring vil

lages, to go and ask our Father"here Mother

Pacome suddenly stopped short. "To ask what?"

The old woman, who began, a little too late, to perceive her indiscretion, took refuge in obstinate silence, notwithstanding the hasty questions of the steward. This abrupt silence had something about it that was unusual, and at the same time significative.

" Once for all, what is it that you are plotting here against us ?" cried the furious Thelencf, seizing the old woman by her shoulders.

"It is easy to guess," said Xenie, advancing between her father and her nurse. " You know that

the Emperor bought, last year, the domain of,

which adjoins ours. Since then our peasants dream of nothing but the happiness of belonging to the crown. They envy their neighbours, whose condition, as they believe, has become much improved, though, before, it was similar to theirs. Do not you remember that many of the old men of our district have, under various pretexts, asked your permission to travel. I was told, after their departure, that they had been chosen as deputies by the other serfs to go and entreat the .Emperor to purchase them, as he had