not　be　worried。〃　　All　this　considerate　caution　on　the　part　of
  friends；　both　conspirators　and　others；　did　not　prevent　Mr。
  Nicholas　B。　being　made　to　feel　the　misfortunes　of　that　ill…omened
  year。
  Less　than　forty…eight　hours　after　the　beginning　of　the　rebellion
  in　that　part　of　the　country；　a　squadron　of　scouting　Cossacks
  passed　through　the　village　and　invaded　the　homestead。　　Most　of
  them　remained　formed　between　the　house　and　the　stables；　while
  several；　dismounting；　ransacked　the　various　outbuildings。　　The
  officer　in　command；　accompanied　by　two　men；　walked　up　to　the
  front　door。　　All　the　blinds　on　that　side　were　down。　　The　officer
  told　the　servant　who　received　him　that　he　wanted　to　see　his
  master。　　He　was　answered　that　the　master　was　away　from　home；
  which　was　perfectly　true。
  I　follow　here　the　tale　as　told　afterwards　by　the　servant　to　my
  grand…uncle's　friends　and　relatives；　and　as　I　have　heard　it
  repeated。
  On　receiving　this　answer　the　Cossack　officer；　who　had　been
  standing　in　the　porch；　stepped　into　the　house。
  〃Where　is　the　master　gone；　then？〃
  〃Our　master　went　to　J〃　（the　government　town　some　fifty　miles
  off）；　〃the　day　before　yesterday。〃
  〃There　are　only　two　horses　in　the　stables。　　Where　are　the
  others？〃
  〃Our　master　always　travels　with　his　own　horses〃　（meaning：　　not　by
  post）。　　〃He　will　be　away　a　week　or　more。　　He　was　pleased　to
  mention　to　me　that　he　had　to　attend　to　some　business　in　the　Civil
  Court。〃
  While　the　servant　was　speaking　the　officer　looked　about　the　hall。
  There　was　a　door　facing　him；　a　door　to　the　right　and　a　door　to
  the　left。　　The　officer　chose　to　enter　the　room　on　the　left　and
  ordered　the　blinds　to　be　pulled　up。　　It　was　Mr。　Nicholas　B。's
  study　with　a　couple　of　tall　bookcases；　some　pictures　on　the
  walls；　and　so　on。　　Besides　the　big　centre　table；　with　books　and
  papers；　there　was　a　quite　small　writing…table　with　several
  drawers；　standing　between　the　door　and　the　window　in　a　good
  light；　and　at　this　table　my　grand…uncle　usually　sat　either　to
  read　or　write。
  On　pulling　up　the　blind　the　servant　was　startled　by　the　discovery
  that　the　whole　male　population　of　the　village　was　massed　in
  front；　trampling　down　the　flower…beds。　　There　were　also　a　few
  women　amongst　them。　　He　was　glad　to　observe　the　village　priest
  （of　the　Orthodox　Church）　coming　up　the　drive。　　The　good　man　in
  his　haste　had　tucked　up　his　cassock　as　high　as　the　top　of　his
  boots。
  The　officer　had　been　looking　at　the　backs　of　the　books　in　the
  bookcases。　Then　he　perched　himself　on　the　edge　of　the　centre…
  table　and　remarked　easily：
  〃Your　master　did　not　take　you　to　town　with　him；　then。〃
  〃I　am　the　head　servant　and　he　leaves　me　in　charge　of　the　house。
  It's　a　strong；　young　chap　that　travels　with　our　master。　　IfGod
  forbidthere　was　some　accident　on　the　road　he　would　be　of　much
  more　use　than　I。〃
  Glancing　through　the　window　he　saw　the　priest　arguing　vehemently
  in　the　thick　of　the　crowd；　which　seemed　subdued　by　his
  interference。　　Three　or　four　men；　however；　were　talking　with　the
  Cossacks　at　the　door。
  〃And　you　don't　think　your　master　has　gone　to　join　the　rebels
  maybeeh？〃　asked　the　officer。
  〃Our　master　would　be　too　old　for　that　surely。　　He's　well　over
  seventy　and　he's　getting　feeble　too。　　It's　some　years　now　since
  he's　been　on　horseback　and　he　can't　walk　much　either　now。〃
  The　officer　sat　there　swinging　his　leg；　very　quiet　and
  indifferent。　　By　that　time　the　peasants　who　had　been　talking　with
  the　Cossack　troopers　at　the　door　had　been　permitted　to　get　into
  the　hall。　　One　or　two　more　left　the　crowd　and　followed　them　in。
  They　were　seven　in　all　and　amongst　them　the　blacksmith；　an　ex…
  soldier。　　The　servant　appealed　deferentially　to　the　officer。
  〃Won't　your　honour　be　pleased　to　tell　the　people　to　go　back　to
  their　homes？　　What　do　they　want　to　push　themselves　into　the　house
  like　this　for？　It's　not　proper　for　them　to　behave　like　this　while
  our　master's　away　and　I　am　responsible　for　everything　here。〃
  The　officer　only　laughed　a　little；　and　after　a　while　inquired：
  〃Have　you　any　arms　in　the　house？〃
  〃Yes。　　We　have。　　Some　old　things。〃
  〃Bring　them　all；　here；　on　to　this　table。〃
  The　servant　made　another　attempt　to　obtain　protection。
  〃Won't　your　honour　tell　these　chaps。　。　。？〃
  But　the　officer　looked　at　him　in　silence　in　such　a　way　that　he
  gave　it　up　at　once　and　hurried　off　to　call　the　pantry…boy　to　help
  him　collect　the　arms。　　Meantime　the　officer　walked　slowly　through
  all　the　rooms　in　the　house；　examining　them　attentively　but
  touching　nothing。　　The　peasants　in　the　hall　fell　back　and　took
  off　their　caps　when　he　passed　through。　　He　said　nothing　whatever
  to　them。　　When　he　came　back　to　the　study　all　the　arms　to　be　found
  in　the　house　were　lying　on　the　table。　　There　was　a　pair　of　big
  flint…lock　holster　pistols　from　Napoleonic　times；　two　cavalry
  swords；　one　of　the　French　the　other　of　the　Polish　Army　pattern；
  with　a　fowling…piece　or　two。
  The　officer；　opening　the　window；　flung　out　pistols；　swords　and
  guns；　one　after　another；　and　his　troopers　ran　to　pick　them　up。
  The　peasants　in　the　hall；　encouraged　by　his　manner；　had　stolen
  after　him　into　the　study。　　He　gave　not　the　slightest　sign　of
  being　conscious　of　their　existence　and；　his　business　being
  apparently　concluded；　strode　out　of　the　house　without　a　word。
  Directly　he　left；　the　peasants　in　the　study　put　on　their　caps　and
  began　to　smile　at　each　other。
  The　Cossacks　rode　away；　passing　through　the　yards　of　the　home
  farm　straight　into　the　fields。　　The　priest；　still　arguing　with
  the　peasants；　moved　gradually　down　the　drive　and　his　earnest
  eloquence　was　drawing　the　silent　mob　after　him；　away　from　the
  house。　　This　justice　must　be　rendered　to　the　parish　priests　of
  the　Greek　Church　that；　strangers　to　the　country　as　they　were
  （being　all　drawn　from　the　interior　of　Russia）；　the　majority　of
  them　used　such　influence　as　they　had　over　their　flocks　in　the
  cause　of　peace　and　humanity。　　True　to　the　spirit　of　their
  calling；　they　tried　to　soothe　the　passions　of　the　excited
  peasantry　and　opposed　rapine　and　violence　whenever　they　could；
  with　all　their　might。　　And　this　conduct　they　pursued　against　the
  express　wishes　of　the　authorities。　　Later　on　some　of　them　were
  made　to　suffer　for　this　disobedience　by　being　removed　abruptly　to
  the　far　north　or　sent　away　to　Siberian　parishes。
  The　servant　was　anxious　to　get　rid　of　the　few　peasants　who　had
  got　into　the　house。　　What　sort　of　conduct　was　that；　he　asked
  them；　towards　a　man　who　was　only　a　tenant；　had　been　invariably
  good　and　considerate　to　the　villagers　for　years；　and　only　the
  other　day　had　agreed　to　give　up　two　meadows　for　the　use　of　the
  village　herd？　　He　reminded　them；　too；　of　Mr。　Nicholas　B。's
  devotion　to　the　sick　in　the　time　of　cholera。　　Every　word　of　this
  was　true　and　so　far　effective　that　the　fellows　began　to　scratch
  their　heads　and　look　irresolute。　　The　speaker　then　pointed　at　the
  window；　exclaiming：　　〃Look！　there's　all　your　crowd　going　away
  quietly　and　you　silly　chaps　had　better　go　after　them　and　pray　God
  to　forgive　you　your　evil　thoughts。〃
  This　appeal　was　an　unlucky　inspiration。　　In　crowding　clumsily　to
  the　window　to　see　whether　he　was　speaking　the　truth；　the　fellows
  overturned　the　little　writing…table。　　As　it　fell　over　a　chink　of
  loose　coin　was　heard。　　〃There's　money　in　that　thing；〃　cried　the
  blacksmith。　　In　a　moment　the　top　of　the　delicate　piece　of
  furniture　was　smashed　and　there　lay　exposed　in　a　drawer　eighty
  half…imperials。　　Gold　coin　was　a　rare　sight　in　Russia　even　at
  that　time；　it　put　the　peasants　beside　themselves。　　〃There　must　be
  more　of　that　in　the　house　and　we　shall　have　it；〃　yelled　the　ex…
  soldier　blacksmith。　　〃This　is　war　time。〃　　The　others　were　already
  shouting　out　of　the　window　urging　the　crowd　to　come　back　and
  help。　　The　priest；　abandoned　suddenly　at　the　gate；　flung　his　arms
  up　and　hurried　away　so　as　not　to　see　what　was　going　to　happen。
  In　their　search　for　money　that　bucolic　mob　smashed　everything　in
  the　house；　ripping　with　knives；　splitting　with　hatchets；　so　that；
  as　the　servant　said；　there　were　no　two　pieces　of　wood　holding
  together　left　in　the　whole　house。　　They　broke　some　very　fine
  mirrors；　all　the　windows　and　every　piece　of　glass　and　china