a vessel,
whose copper plates, now hidden, now disclosed, by the restless motion
of the waves, are green with verdigris. And everywhere the great
sea-spiders and monster crabs--lords of the abyss--crawl and gloat
unceasingly among the wreckage. Then the spectator, shuddering at
this terrible arrangement of still life, is forced to ask himself,
"Who could have been so mad as to build a tower like this on such an
accursed spot, and who the madmen that could steer their vessels
hither on these cruel rocks?"

And could there be any link of destiny connecting that forbidding
edifice with the wreckage that lay around?

[Illustration]

CHAPTER II

Back to the Sea

In the time of Catherine II. a baron of the Von Ungern family, in the
province of Brandenburg, migrated to the court of St. Petersburg. He
had some Slavonic blood in his veins, and shortly after settling in
the Russian capital he married the daughter of a Muscovite nobleman.
His wife's dowry brought him several extensive estates in Volhynia.
In spite of their German name his two sons were perfect Russians. The
elder, Feodor, was a naval officer. He was a thorough seaman, and the
terror of every Swedish seaport and merchantman. Zeno, the younger
brother, was also a seaman, but his tactical abilities were exercised
only at court, and particularly among the ladies. The fame of the
elder brother naturally lent brilliancy to Zeno's name also. Feodor,
however, willingly left to him all the pleasures of court life and all
its dazzling distinctions. Such things were not for him. The
storm-tossed sea and its perilous combats were for Feodor his chiefest
joy. Yet, when storm and fight alike were lulled to rest, he loved his
quiet home--a little castle buried in an old forest, where his dear
and beautiful wife dwelt with her little son. The boy, whose name was
Alexander, was now four years old, and the father was not less proud
of his domestic fortune than of his naval laurels.

Feodor had just accomplished one of his most heroic exploits against
the Swedes. One stormy night he had suddenly surprised the convoy
fleet at Karlskrona and burnt a large portion of it. He had captured
several richly laden merchant-ships which tried hard to get out of
range, plundered them of their most valuable contents, and then sent
them to the bottom. He had also carried off the magnificent bell which
had been taken by the Swedes from Hamburg city, and was then on its
way to adorn