AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE 289

fora time in Holland, and performed several operations
under the eyes of the surgeons there. I saw that you did
not recognize my name. It is known to every Russian,
but doubtless you never heard of me save as Peter the Czar.
Directly you mentioned it to the commandant at Bercoy
and described my appearance he knew who it was you were
speaking of, and despatched a messenger at once to me.
He will be here in the course of a week or so. Upon your
report of the state of the prison, I at once despatched an
order for him to hand over his command to the officer next
in rank and to proceed hither at once. He is evidently a
good administrator, and heaven knows I have need of such
men here. I was pleased with you when I saw you with
my friend Dr. Kelly. It was pleasant not to be known and
hear a frank opinion such as you gave me, and as you
know, I sent you back on the following morning. I cer-
tainly told Kelly at the time not to mention who I was, but
I did not intend that he should keep you in ignorance of
it after I had left, and it was not until I heard from your
jailer at Bercov that you were ignorant that Peter Michaeloff
was the czar, that I knew that he had kept you in igno-
rance of it until the end. I should have liked to have kept
you as my guest for a time, but winter comes on early and
suddenly, and if you did not go now you might be detained
here until the spring. I have therefore given orders that
one of the Swedish vessels we captured on the lake should
be got in readiness and its crew placed on board again.
You shall embark in an hour, and it shall carry you to any
port in Sweden you may choose. The wind is from the
east, and you have every chance of a quick run thither.”

Charlie expressed his warm thanks to the czar for his
thoughtful kindness.

“JT have much to do now,” the czar said, “and must
hand you over to the care of one of my officers. He will
accompany you in my carriage to the spot where the vessel