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The Commandant decided to examine the Corporal that same day, but he had escaped, no doubt, by the aid of his brother Cossacks Another event increased the Captain's uneasiness A Bashkir was seized bearing seditious letters Upon this occasion, the Commandant decided to call at once a council, and in order to do so, wished to send away his wife under some specious pretext But as Mironoff was the simplest and most truthful of men, he could think of no other device than that already e several times, "Father Garasim has, it is said, been to the city--"

"Silence! silence!" interrupted his wife; "you are going to call another council and talk in atcheff, but this time you can not deceive me"

The Captain stared; "Eh! well! my dear," said he, "since you know all, stay; we may as well speak before you"

"You cannot play the fox," said his wife; "send for the officers"

We asseatcheff's proclaand declared to us his intention ofthe Cossacks and soldiers to join hi, in that case, extreetic terms, and must have produced an impression upon simple-minded people

"What a rascal!" exclaio out and ! He does not know that we have been forty years in service, and that, thank God, we have seen all sorts of military life Is it possible to find a Coht not to be," replied the Captain, "but it is said that the villain has taken possession of several fortress"

"It appears he is quite strong," said Alexis

"We shall instantly know his real force," continued the Conatius, bring the Bashkir here, and tell Zoulac to bring the rods"

"Wait a little,her seat; "let me take Marie out of the house, or else she will hear the screahtened And, to tell the truth, I aations Until I see you again, adieu"

Torture was then so rooted in the customs of justice, that the humane Ukase of Catherine II, who had ordered its abolition, reht that the confession of the accused was indispensable to his condemnation, an idea not only unreasonable, but contrary to the ood sense in matters of jurisprudence; for if the denial of the accused is not accepted as proof of his innocence, the confession which is torn frouilt Even now I soret the abolition of this barbarous custom But in the time of our story no one doubted the necessity of torture, neither the judges nor the accused themselves For this reason the Captain's order did not astonish any of us Ignatius went for the Bashkir, and a few -room The Commandant ordered him into the council-room where ere