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

MURDER OP THE CZAREWITCII.341

stay the hand of the tyrant; Ivan redoubled his blow. and the Czarewitch fell mortally wounded.

Here commences the only affecting scene in the life of Ivan.

The prince lay in agonies for more than one day. As soon as the Czar saw that he had destroyed with his own hand the object that was most dear to him in the world, he fell into a despair as wild and violent as his anger had been terrible: he rolled in the dust, uttering the most horrid howls; he mixed his tears with the blood of his unhappy son, kissing his wounds, invoking heaven and earth to spare to him the life which he had himself destroyed, calling surgeons and sorcerers, and promising treasures and titles to whoever would restore the heir of his throne, the only object of his tenderness—the tenderness of Ivan IV.J!

All was in vain! Inevitable death drew on. . God had judged the father and the son: the son was ordained to die. But his torments were lon¤·; Ivan learnt for onee to feel for the pain of another. For four days the victim struggled with his agony.

But how think you these four days were employed ? how would you expect this son, first perverted by his father, and afterwards unjustly suspected, insulted, and killed by him, to avenge himself ? He passed his time of trial in praying to God for that father, in consoling him, in excusing him, in repeating to him, with a delicacy of feeling worthy the son of the best of men, that his punishment, severe as it might be, was not unjust: for a son who blames, even in the secret of his heart, a crowned father, deseryes to perish.