132 A JACOBITE EXILE

right and left, and I almost thought at one time that he
would have struck him. He told him that he had dis-
graced the Russian name by not treating you with proper
hospitality, and especially by placing you in a miserable
cell without a fire. ‘What will the King of Sweden think?’
he said. ‘He treats his prisoners with kindness and cour-
tesy, and after Narva gave them a banquet, at which he
himself was present. The Duke of Croy writes to me to say
he is treated as an honoured guest rather than as a prisoner,
and here you disgrace us by shutting your prisoner in a
cheerless cell, although he is wounded, and giving him
food such as you might give to a common soldier. The
Swedes will think that we are barbarians. You are released
from your command, and will at once proceed to Moscow
and report yourself there, when a post will be assigned to
you where you will have no opportunity of showing yourself
ignorant of the laws of courtesy. Doctor,’ he went on,
‘you will remember that all prisoners, officers and men,
will be henceforth under the charge of the medical depart-
ment, and that you have full authority to make such ar-
rangements as you may think necessary for their comfort
and honourable treatment. I will not have Russia made
a by-word among civilized peoples.’ Then he dismissed
the rest of them, and afterwards sat down and chatted with
me, just as if we had been of the same rank, puffing a pipe
furiously, and drinking amazing quantities of wine; indeed
my head feels the effects of it this morning, although I was
quite unable to drink cup for cup with him, for had I
done so I should have been under the table long before he
rose from it, seemingly quite unmoved by the quantity he
had drank. I have no doubt he summoned me especially
to hear his rebuke to the general, so that I could take word
to the king how earnest he was in his regrets for your
treatment.”

“Yhere was nothing much to complain of,” Charlie said;