"I have had bad news from the head-quarters of your regiment, and from Lieutenant-General Weymarn, since you left Novgorod." "And these tidings, Excellency?" "Are to the effect that your friends, the two subalterns, have both deserted, with several soldiers, all of whom are natives of the Ukraine." "Deserted!" "And are nowhere to be found, though pursued by a whole sotnia of Cossacks." "Deserted!" reiterated Balgonie with real concern. "Yes--the cursed Asiatics!" replied Bernikoff, expectorating with great vehemence, and thoroughly believing that each time he did so, he cast out a devil. For some moments intense anxiety and alarm bewildered Balgonie, and he felt himself grow pale at a time when six searching eyes were bent with a doubtful expression upon him. He remembered the hostility, the threatening and mysterious words of Natalie, and grew almost sick with apprehension of he knew not what, as he muttered inaudibly-- "Basil deserted--and his cousin too! The whole family will be inculpated and degraded. Oh, Natalie, my hapless love! Did General Weymarn state this in _his_ dispatch?" he asked aloud. "He did, and at its end referred to you." "To me, Excellency?" "Yes; here is the document, and it concludes thus: 'as I and the Regiment of Smolensko will shortly march into St. Petersburg, Captain Carl Ivanovitch Balgonie need not return to Novgorod; but until then, shall attach himself to your staff, and remain in Schlusselburg, where, erelong, you may require all the good service he can render you.--WEYMARN.'" Great were the mortification and disgust of Balgonie on learning that he was to remain for an indefinite period in a place so revolting and uncomfortable, and with no other society than that of three military jailers,--cruel, hard-hearted, and avaricious Muscovites of the worst kind; and with these orders died his hopes of revisiting, as he intended, Louga, on his return, and of seeing Natalie again. Under ban as all the household of Mierowitz would be now, should he ever see her more? Every way fate and the tide of events seemed to be against him and her, already in the very dawn of their love. "And now, gentlemen," said the Governor, lowering his voice, "the Empress's dispatch contains only two lines, thus: 'A scheme is formed to free Prince Ivan. _Let him not fall alive into the hands of those who come to seek for him!_' Nor shall he!" exclaimed Bernikoff with ferocious enthusiasm, as he dashed a cup of vodka among his quass, and drained the goblet, after shouting, "The health of Her Imperial Majesty Catharine Christianowna--hurrah!" "Hurrah, hurrah!" added Vlasfief and the Lieutenant. Balgonie also, as in duty bound, essayed to "hurrah," but the sound died away on his lips. CHAPTER XIV. CHARLIE'S FIRST DAY IN SCHLUSSELBERG.