COLONEL RASCHEVSKY.
Aye, and not only was he an aide-de-camp, but he was now a hero, for had he not been promoted to the St. George of the Third Class? Alas! how that Order for gallantry fell in our eyes. It was dreadful to think of the Tsar and the millions of people in Russia who had been deceived by his false reports. But for this I was forced to go and congratulate him, as for his former honour. After a few moments' conversation he turned to me.
'Who writes the "News" in the Novy Kry?'
'I don't know.' I had every right to say this, for, though it was not signed, I well knew that Stössel was aware I wrote it.
'What are you doing with yourself?'
'I am collecting materials with which to write a book.'
The General frowned, and his manner changed.
'And you will, I suppose, only write the truth in it?'
'Only the truth.'
'Ah! all you correspondents are liars! The one who pays most gets the truth.'