of tears.

"I am ordered to Petersburg immediately, on a charge of treason. My
conscience tells me that I have done nothing; but, alas! for me, the
emperor has no mercy. Ekaterina," for that was the name I went by, "will
you accompany me?--it will be a long, and a melancholy journey. God
knows how it may end."

I immediately consented--packed up what we required, and without
disturbing those who were enjoying themselves, we gained the courtyard,
and took our seats in a britska, in company with the officer. In four
days we arrived at Petersburg, and my mistress was separated from me and
thrown into prison. She never saw her accusers or her judges; her
memorial to the emperor was disregarded, and she was condemned--but her
punishment was not immediately decided upon.

For three weeks my mistress remained in prison. I was, by the humanity
of the officer, who had the charge of her, allowed to visit her for a
few minutes every day; but it was always in the presence of a third
person. One morning when I came, the poor lady fell upon my neck and
sobbed a long while without speaking; the countenance of the officer was
also melancholy to a degree, and I perceived that a tear occasionally
trickled down his manly cheek.

"Ekaterina," said she, at last, "I have heard my sentence, and am to be
punished to-morrow. O God! forgive them their cruelty and injustice;"
and she sank from my arms upon the floor of the dungeon.

We raised her, and she recovered a little. "Yes, Ekaterina, I am to be
punished to-morrow for a crime of which I am innocent--a punishment--God
have mercy!--worse than death. The knout--the knout--and that attended
with public exposure in the market-place. May God forgive the emperor
his cruelty!"

I had heard of this dreadful punishment, but little thought that women
suffered by it. It was too barbarous.

* * * * *

"I have not heard of it," said the pacha. "Tell me, old woman, is it
worse than the bastinado?"

"Yes, your highness. It is a whip of enormous power, so that if the
executioner has a private order, he can kill the party on whom it is
inflicted by two or three blows; but your highness will better
comprehend the nature of the punishment when I describe what I
witnessed."

My dear mistress begged me, as a favour, that I would attend her to the
place of execution, and I consented. Poor creature! she, as well as I,
had but an imperfect idea of what she was to endure