e soldiers.[37]

MICH. (_to VERA_). Why did you not let me kill him? Come, we must fight
to the death for it.

VERA. Peace! he will not betray us.

ALEX. A whim of mine, General! You know how my father keeps me from the
world and imprisons me in the palace. I should really be bored to death
if I could not get out at night in disguise sometimes, and have some
romantic adventure in town. I fell in with these honest folks a few
hours ago.

GEN. But, your Highness--

ALEX. Oh, they are excellent actors, I assure you. If you had come in
ten minutes ago, you would have witnessed a most interesting scene.

GEN. Actors, are they, Prince?

ALEX. Ay, and very ambitious actors, too. They only care to play before
kings.

GEN. I' faith, your Highness, I was in hopes I had made a good haul of
Nihilists.[38]

ALEX. Nihilists in Moscow, General! with you as head of the police?
Impossible!

GEN. So I always tell your Imperial father. But I heard at the council
to-day that that woman Vera Sabouroff, the head of them, had been seen
in this very city. The Emperor's face turned as white as the snow
outside. I think I never saw such terror in any man before.

ALEX. She is a dangerous woman, then, this Vera Sabouroff?

GEN. The most dangerous in all Europe.

ALEX. Did you ever see her, General?

GEN. Why, five years ago, when I was a plain Colonel, I remember her,
your Highness, a common waiting girl in an inn. If I had known then what
she was going to turn out, I would have flogged her to death on the
roadside. She is not a woman at all; she is a sort of devil! For the
last eighteen months I have been hunting her, and caught sight of her
once last September outside Odessa.

ALEX. How did you let her go, General?

GEN. I was by myself, and she shot one of my horses just as I was
gaining on her. If I see her again I shan't miss my chance. The Emperor
has put twenty thousand roubles on her head.

ALEX. I hope you will get it, General; but meanwhile you are frightening
these honest people out of their wits, and disturbing the tragedy. Good
night, General.

GEN. Yes; but I should like to see their faces, your Highness.

ALEX. No, General; you must not ask that; you know how these gipsies
hate to be stared at.

GEN. Yes. But, your Highness--

ALEX. (_haughtily_). General, they are my friends, that is enough. And,
General, not a word of this little adventure here, you understand. I
shall rely on you.

GEN. I shall not