Louise seemed about to speak, but a motion of the Emperor's hand warned her to remain quiet. After a moment's silence-- "You are pardoned," said the Emperor. The soldier drew a deep breath. Louise uttered an exclamation of joy. "Where did you leave Count W----?" "At Koslowo, your Majesty." "You will set off again, and escort this lady thither." "Oh, sire!" exclaimed Louise, who began to understand the Emperor's feigned severity, "You will obey her in all respects, consistently with her safety, for which you answer to me with your head; and if, on your return, you bring me a letter from her, saying that she is satisfied with your conduct, you shall be made sergeant." "Thanks, father," said Ivan, forgetting for a moment his military stiffness, and falling upon his knees. The Emperor gave him his hand to kiss, as he was in the habit of doing to the lowest of his subjects. Louise was going to throw herself at his feet and kiss his other hand, but the Emperor stopped her. "You are indeed a true and admirable woman," said he. "I have done all I can for you. May God bless and protect you!" "Oh, sire!" exclaimed Louise, "how can I show my gratitude!" "When you pray for your child," said the Emperor, "pray also for mine." And waving his hand kindly to her, he left the room. When Louise returned home she found a small packet that had been sent from the Empress during her absence. It contained thirty thousand rubles. It had been arranged that I should accompany Louise as far as Moscow, a city that I was desirous of visiting, and thence she would pursue her journey under Ivan's escort. The day after her interview with the Emperor, we started in a carriage that Ivan brought, and the combined strength and elegance of which surprised me, until I observed on a corner of the pannel the mark of the imperial stables. It was an excellent travelling berline, lined throughout with fur. Ivan was provided with an order, by virtue of which post-horses would be furnished us the whole of the journey, at the Emperor's expense. Louise got into the carriage with her child in her arms; I seated myself beside her, Ivan jumped on the box, and in a few minutes we were rattling along the Moscow road. Louise was received with open arms by the Countess W---- and her daughters. The nature of her connexion with Alexis was lost sight of and forgotten in the devotion and disinterestedness of her attachment. A room was prepared for her in the Countess's house; and, however anxious the Count's mother and sisters were that he should have society and consolation in his exile, they nevertheless entreated her to pass the winter at Moscow, rather than run the risk of so long a journey during the bad season that was approaching. But Louise was inflexible. Two days were all she would consent to remain. She was forced, however, to leave her child in charge of its grandmother, for it would have been madness to have done otherwise.