trom?

Later again he was to think of Ankarstrom, to make inquiries concerning
him, which justifies us here in attempting to follow those thoughts of
his. They took the road down which his conscience pointed. Above all
Swedes he had cause to fear John Jacobi Ankarstrom, for, foully as he
had wronged many men in his time, he had wronged none more deeply than
that proud, high-minded nobleman. He hated Ankarstrom as we must always
hate those whom we have wronged, and he hated him the more because he
knew himself despised by Ankarstrom with a cold and deadly contempt that
at every turn proclaimed itself.

That hatred was more than twenty years old. It dated back to the time
when Gustavus had been a vicious youth, and Ankarstrom himself a boy.
They were much of an age. Gustavus had put upon his young companion an
infamous insult, which had been answered by a blow. His youth and
the admitted provocation alone had saved Ankarstrom from the dread
consequence of striking a Prince of the Royal Blood. But they had not
saved him from the vindictiveness of Gustavus. He had kept his lust of
vengeance warm, and very patiently had he watched and waited for his
opportunity to destroy the man, who had struck him.

That chance had come four years ago--in 1788--during the war with
Russia. Ankarstrom commanded the forces defending the island of
Gothland. These forces were inadequate for the task, nor was the
island in a proper state of defence, being destitute of forts. To have
persevered in resistance might have been heroic, but it would have been
worse than futile, for not only would it have entailed the massacre of
the garrison, but it must have further subjected the inhabitants to all
the horrors of sack and pillage.

In the circumstances, Ankarstrom had conceived it his duty to surrender
to the superior force of Russia, thereby securing immunity for the
persons and property of the inhabitants. In this the King perceived his
chance to indulge his hatred. He caused Ankarstrom to be arrested
and accused of high treason, it being alleged against him that he had
advised the people of Gothland not to take up arms against the Russians.
The royal agents found witnesses to bear false evidence against
Ankarstrom, with the result that he was sentenced to twenty years'
imprisonment in a fortress. But the sentence was never carried out.
Gustavus had gone too far, as he was soon made aware. The feelings
against him which hitherto had smouldered