ight mist had commenced to mix with the sifting snow, and the
houses to right and left were visible only as masses of shadow. We
glided over the snow like a boat along the river in foggy calm. Then,
suddenly, we heard piercing cries and saw shadows of soldiers rushing
around, with movements that looked larger than human through the mist;
their short whips looked enormous as they knocked some other shadows
that we saw down like logs. The general stopped the sleigh and got out
to see what was going on. I got out with him. They were soldiers of the
famous Semenowsky regiment, who had two prisoners, a young man and a
child. The child was being beaten on the nape of the neck. It writhed
on the ground and cried in torment. It couldn't have been more than nine
years old. The other, the young man, held himself up and marched
along without a single cry as the thongs fell brutally upon him. I was
appalled. I did not give my husband time to open his mouth before I
called to the subaltern who commanded the detachment, 'You should be
ashamed to strike a child and a Christian like that, which cannot defend
itself.' The general told him the same thing. Then the subaltern told
us that the little child had just killed a lieutenant in the street by
firing a revolver, which he showed us, and it was the biggest one I
ever have seen, and must have been as heavy for that infant to lift as a
small cannon. It was unbelievable.

"'And the other,' demanded the general; 'what has he done?'

"'He is a dangerous student,' replied the subaltern, 'who has delivered
himself up as a prisoner because he promised the landlord of the house
where he lives that he would do it to keep the house from being battered
down with cannon.'

"'But that is right of him. Why do you beat him?'

"'Because he has told us he is a dangerous student.'

"'That is no reason,' Feodor told him. 'He will be shot if he deserves
it, and the child also, but I forbid you to beat him. You have not been
furnished with these whips in order to beat isolated prisoners, but to
charge the crowd when it does not obey the governor's orders. In such a
case you are ordered "Charge," and you know what to do. You understand?'
Feodor said roughly. 'I am General Trebassof, your governor.'

"Feodor was thoroughly human in saying this. Ah, well, he was badly
compensed for it, very badly, I tell you. The student was truly
dangerous, because he had no sooner heard my husband say, 'I am General
T