I did not wait. Through wind and snow, crawling like an Indian, I passed the dangerous spot near the gate where I could be seen, then hurried home, almost crying for the poor Ls., and Pasha--such a sweet girl, probably at that moment being nationalized--condemning all and everything and especially the impossibility of helping my unfortunate friends. All was frozen inside of me, due to the cold and this fear of a helpless creature. When I was about a score of yards from the house--shooting started behind me--just as idiotic as in Petrograd or Moscow: in every direction, bullets cracking the windows, the street lamps, the passers-by,--on this occasion myself,--I got a bad one in the sleeve, right near the elbow. I did not have to knock at the door as I feared running home: the door flew open, and Lucie dragged me in, closing the door behind me on the lever. "Oh, I am so glad you came! Silly man! Are you wounded? No? I heard it all--I was so afraid that they had shot you! I am so glad, Alex dear! Do stay here, I won't be in your way, honest. Please do stay!..." (_pages missing_) 28 (_Second letter to M. Goroshkin_) "I must bring to your attention the fact that a certain lady, whom I knew in Petrograd in other days, came here quite unexpectedly, under the name of Lucie de Clive. She was in the plot in June, and at that time was very strongly protected by A.F. K-y, who released her from jail. She is an Englishwoman, but knows Russia well, as in fact, she knows all European countries. She came here the day the L's were killed and Pasha taken away. She made me understand that she is in a new plot to save the Emperor's family. Her task will be to stay here for a while "and make some preparations" and then go farther on. I must tell you that her arrival here is of great inconvenience to me: in a city like Tumen it became known to the G-ns, and, though the Princess thinks I am nothing much and _her_ morals are not for my class of people, she is a little hypocrite and pulls a long face at me. I tried my best to avoid having this lady in my house; but the president of the local soviet, who has a great respect for me as Marchenko's protégé, allowed me a short stay for the lady; I explained to him that she is my old affinity--"a civil wife." Therefore, he found it a sufficient reason, but did not like it much, and I am afraid his trust in me may diminish.