"As you please, sir,--as you please. Some among us might be less particular," said the old General, tugging his grisly mustaches. "And stay; by-the-bye, there is a prisoner in Schlusselburg, whose sentence is to be executed to-morrow, in presence of the assembled troops and people here----" Balgonie thought of but _one_ prisoner there; and an icy chill came over him, as Weymarn said-- "With the escort and the kabitka, Captain, you will, at the same time, bring the culprit here." "And--and this pris--on--oner, Excellency?" faltered the poor fellow. "Is Jagouski, the Cossack, who so severely wounded Colonel Bernikoff when in the execution of his duty." Charlie breathed more freely. "An order will be necessary for you--a special order: since the affair of that wretched young fellow Mierowitz, we cannot be too particular, so take this:-- "'_To the officer commanding in Schlusselburg._ "'You are hereby directed to deliver to Captain Carl Ivanovitch Balgonie, of the Smolensko Regiment, the prisoner who is to be executed to-morrow. "'WEYMARN, _Lieutenant-General._' "For the delivery of the money, here is a separate order from the Treasurer--adieu." CHAPTER XXIII. WILL HE SUCCEED? As Balgonie left the presence of General Weymarn, a sudden light broke through the darkness of his mind--an unlooked-for thought and hope suddenly inspired him, and a prayer of thanks to Heaven rose to his lips therefore. No prisoner was actually designated by name in the written order of the General! Thus, in lieu of the Cossack Jagouski, he would demand that Natalie Mierowna be given into his custody; and with her he would escape, quit Russia and the service of the Empress at all risks. He had no papers--no leave of absence, or passport; but, as the epaulette is an all-powerful badge in Russia, his uniform and his sabre would be passports enough. For the rest, he must trust to his own love and courage, and to his knowledge of the country. But then there was the Cossack escort--how was he to rid himself of it? The same kind Heaven which favoured and inspired him now, would not fail to do so, he hoped, when the crisis came. While his best horse was being saddled and accoutred, and even when the escort was at the door, he consulted, till the last moment, the map of Russia, and also that of Finland, which was not ceded to the latter till forty-four years after; and he made notes of his proposed route. Escape by sea, by the Lake of Ladoga, or by the shores of the Gulf, were alike impossible.