第84节

    【】ear1801hehadbeensitting

    inaroofthest.chaelpalapetersburg,ingfor

    thenehersabdication.butpaulhadrefusedto

    signthedothedrunkenofficershadplacedbefore

    hiable,andintheirragetheyhadputascarf

    aroundhisnedhadstrangledhiodeath.thenthey

    hadgonedoperorof

    alltherussianlands.

    theryofthisterriblenightstayedhthetsar

    iveperson.hehadbeeneducatedin

    theschoolofthegreatfrenchphilosophersbelieve

    ingodbutinhunreason.butreasonaloneuld

    notsatisfytheeerorinhispredit.hebeganto

    hearvoidseethings.hetriedtofindah

    heuldsquarehielfevery

    piousaotakeainsticisthatstrange

    loveofthesteriousandtheunknohe

    telesofthebesandbabylon.

    thetrendousetionofthegreatrevolutionaryera

    hadinflueheterofthepeopleofthatdayina

    strangeenhroughty

    yearsofayandfearal.they

    juedightanthenews

    ofthe``deathonthefieldofhonourofanonlyson.the

    phrasesabout``brotherlyloveand``libertyoftherevolution

    heearsofsorelystripeasants.

    theyightgivethenewholdon

    theterribleprobleoflife.intheirgriefahey

    poseduponbyalargenuerofiosters

    sandpreachedastrangenerine

    oreobscurepassagesofthebook

    ofrevelations.

    intheyear1814,alexander,eda

    largenuerofors,heardofanewseeresswho

    ingdooftheing

    peopletorepebetoolate.thebaronessvon

    krudeheladyiion,anofuain

    ageandsilarreputationhewifeofa

    russiandiplotinthedaysoftheeerorpaul.shehad

    squanderedherhusbandsneyandhaddisgracedhiy

    herstrangeloveaffairs.shehadlivedaverydissolutelife

    untilheerveshadgivenin

    herrightnd.thenshehadbeeedbythesightof

    thesuddehofafriend.thereaftershedespisedall

    gaiety.shenfessedherforrsinstohershoeker,a

    piousravianbrother,afolloerjohn

    huss,heuncilof

    nstaheyear1415.

    theehebaronessspentingernyking

    aspecialtyofthe``nversionofkingsandprionvince

    alexahesaviourofeurope,oftheerrorofhis

    bitionofherlife.andasalexander,

    inhissery,

    arayofhope,theintervieheevening

    ofthefourthofjuheyear1815,sheitted

    tothetentoftheeeror.shefoundhieadinghisbible.

    knoshesaidtoalexander,butwhenshe

    lefthihreehourslater,hehedintears,andvowed

    that``atlasthissoulhadfoundpeace.frohatdayonthe

    baronesspanionandhisspiritualadviser.

    shefollotoparisaoviennaai

    spenddanghespentatthe

    krudenerprayeretings.

    youyaskellyouthisstoryinsuchgreatdetail

    arenotthesocialgesofthehturyofgreater

    iortahanthecareerofanillbalanwhohad

    betterbefottenofursetheyare,butthereexistany

    nuerofbooksellyouoftheseotherthingsh

    greatauradidetail.iething

    refrohishistorythanaresuessionoffacts.

    ieofnd

    thatakenothingfranted.doisfiedh

    therestatentthat``sudsuchathinghappehen

    arytodisverthehiddentivesbehindevery

    aandthenyouandtheworldaroundyou

    chbetterandyouercetohelpothers,

    heonlytrulysatisfactory

    wayofliving.

    idonotyoutothinkoftheholyalliane

    ofpaperheyear1815andliesdeadand

    fottensoaybefotten

    butitisbynoaheholyalliancewas

    direulgationofthenroe

    doerieris

    hasaverydistinctbearinguponyourois

    thereaso

    happeoeiendotiveswere

    underlyingthisoutaionofpietyandchristian

    devotiontoduty.

    theholyalliancehejointlabourofanunfortunate

    alshodwhowas

    tryingtopabitious

    aneraedlifehadlostherbeautyandher

    attraandisfiedhervanityandherdesirefor

    notorietybyassungtheroleofselfappointedssiahofa

    givingas

    indedpeopleas

    castlereagh,tteidtalleyrandfullyuood

    thelitedabilitiesofthesentintalbaroness.itwouldhave

    beeneasyfortteian

    estates.afeightyheierial

    polidthethingwasdone.

    butfrandenglandandaustriadependeduponthe

    goodaffordtooffendalexander.

    aoleratedthesillyoldbaronessbecausethey

    hadto.andheyregardedtheholyalliater

    rubbishandnoththepaperuponten,

    theylisteientlytothetsarthefirst

    roughdraftofthisattettoen

    uponabasisoftheholyscriptures.forthisisthe

    holyallia

    solelydeclaredthattheyinistrationof

    theirrespectivestatesandintheirpoliticalrelationshevery

    oventtakefortheirsoleguidethepreceptsofthat

    hion,nalythepreceptsofjustihristian

    charityandpeace,beingapplicableonlyto

    privatehavean

    ...