§2
Pestel, one of the Governors of Western Siberia, was like a Roman proconsul, and was outdone by none of them. He carried on a system of open and systematic robbery throughout the country, which he had entirely detached from Russia by means of his spies. Not a letter crossed the frontier unopened, and woe to the writer who dared to say a word about his rule. He kept the merchants of the First Guild in prison for a whole year, where they were chained and tortured. Officials he punished by sending them to the frontier of Eastern Siberia and keeping them there for two or three years.
The people endured him for long; but at last a tradesman of Tobolsk determined to bring the state of things to the Tsar’s knowledge. Avoiding the usual route, he went first to Kyakhta and crossed the Siberian frontier from there with a caravan of tea. At Tsárskoë Seló[[99]] he found an opportunity to hand his petition to Alexander, and begged him to read it. Alexander was astonished and impressed by the strange matter he read there. He sent for the petitioner, and they had a long conversation which convinced him of the truth of the terrible story. Horrified and somewhat confused, the Tsar said:
[99]. I.e., “The Tsar’s Village,” near Petersburg.
“You can go back to Siberia now, my friend; the matter shall be looked into.”
“No, Your Majesty,” said the man; “I cannot go home now; I would rather go to prison. My interview with Your Majesty cannot be kept secret, and I shall be murdered.”
Alexander started. He turned to Milorádovitch, who was then Governor of Petersburg, and said:
“I hold you answerable for this man’s life.”
“In that case,” said Milorádovitch, “Your Majesty must allow me to lodge him in my own house.” And there the man actually stayed until the affair was settled.
Pestel resided almost continuously at Petersburg. You will remember that the Roman proconsuls also generally lived in the capital.[[100]] By his presence and his connexions and, above all, by sharing his booty, he stopped in advance all unpleasant rumours and gossip. He and Rostopchín were dining one day at the Tsar’s table. They were standing by the window, and the Tsar asked, “What is that on the church cross over there—something black?” “I cannot make it out,” said Rostopchín; “we must appeal to Pestel; he has wonderful sight and can see from here what is going on in Siberia.”
[100]. Herzen is mistaken here.
The Imperial Council, taking advantage of the absence of Alexander,—he was at Verona or Aix,—wisely and justly decided that, as the complaint referred to Siberia, Pestel, who was fortunately on the spot, should conduct the investigation. But Milorádovitch, Mordvínov, and two others protested against this decision, and the matter was referred to the Supreme Court.
That body gave an unjust decision, as it always does when trying high officials. Pestel was reprimanded, and Treskin, the Civil Governor of Tobolsk, was deprived of his official rank and title of nobility and banished. Pestel was merely dismissed from the service.
Pestel was succeeded at Tobolsk by Kaptsevitch, a pupil of Arakchéyev. Thin and bilious, a tyrant by nature and a restless martinet, he introduced military discipline everywhere; but, though he fixed maximum prices, he left all ordinary business in the hands of the robbers. In 1824 the Tsar intended to visit Tobolsk. Throughout the Government of Perm there is an excellent high road, well worn by traffic; it is probable that the soil was favourable for its construction. Kaptsevitch made a similar road all the way to Tobolsk in a few months. In spring, when the snow was melting and the cold bitter, thousands of men were driven in relays to work at the road. Sickness broke out and half the workmen died; but “zeal overcomes all difficulties,” and the road was made.
Eastern Siberia is governed in a still more casual fashion. The distance is so great that all rumours die away before they reach Petersburg. One Governor of Irkutsk used to fire cannon at the town when he was cheerful after dinner; another, in the same state, used to put on priest’s robes and celebrate the Mass in his own house, in the presence of the Bishop; but, at least, neither the noise of the former nor the piety of the latter did as much harm as the state of siege kept up by Pestel and the restless activity of Kaptsevitch.