Oushakoff knit his brows, and silently shook his head. The priest took the cross and books, called to Vâra in the attic to shut the door, and by the time his niece had descended, the carriage was rolling noisily away in the street. Driving up to the palings of the church, Father Peter woke up the clerk, went into the church, and took the chalice. CHAPTER XXVIII. _BAPTISM._ The carriage stopped at the house of the Commander-in-Chief Galitzin. The prince was informed of the arrival of the priest, and ordered him to be brought to his bedroom, where he was awaiting him in his dressing-gown. “_Mille pardons_, Batiushka,” said the prince, hurriedly dressing. “Most important affair; by orders of the highest authority. You must first give me your oath that you will be silent for ever on everything heard and seen this night. Do you swear?” “As one offering up a bloodless sacrifice,” answered Father Peter, “I will be faithful to my Sovereign, without any oaths.” Galitzin was a little embarrassed at first, but he did not insist. He related to the priest a few of the circumstances concerning the captive. “Did you ever hear anything of her before?” he asked the priest. “Yes! a few rumours did reach me.…” “Have you heard that she is now in Petersburg?” “I hear it for the first time.” Galitzin told him of the anxiety of the empress, of the several foreign inimical parties, and of the false wills. “The doctor has quite given her up,” added the field-marshal. “Not only her days, but her hours are numbered.” Father Peter crossed himself. “She wishes to be prepared,” continued the prince, as if choosing his words. “It is not for me to teach you what to do. Most probably, like a good shepherd, you will lead her to a full Confession and Repentance as to who she is, and if she has taken a name not belonging to her, and who incited her to do it?… Will you do this?” The priest lingered with his answer. “Give your word that you will help justice.” “I know my duty and my obligations as minister of God,” answered Father Peter, drily, coughing. “You may go,” said the prince, bowing. “You will be conducted where you are needed. As to me, I hope you will excuse the trouble I have given you at such a late hour.” The carriage, with the priest and Oushakoff, took the road to the fortress. At the door of the commandant’s they noticed another carriage. The priest was led into a special room, where he saw the Général Procureur, Prince Viazimski. Near the prince stood the tall, manly, ruddy-faced commandant of the fortress, Tchernishoff, and, near the latter, his still young-looking and smartly dressed wife. “Is everything ready?” asked Viazimski, looking round. “Everything is ready,” answered the _Commandantsha_,[47] trembling and bowing in her rustling farthingale. “Be so good as …” said the Prince Viazimski to the priest.