He pulled up. ‘Yes, it is Chelminsky,’ he said, staring at me with wild eyes; ‘but how know I that you are not for my accursed sister?’
‘I was always for thee, Tsar; my name is in the book at Preobrajensky. I am a soldier of the Pleasure Army!’
‘True—I remember. Ride with me and I will tell you all. Are you only arriving from Batourin? Then you know nothing. My sister, whom may the devil claim for his own, has plotted against me. Last night the Kremlin was full of villains assembled and paid by her to murder me. Two good fellows deserted and warned me: by now the rest are skulking around the house at Preobrajensky, unless my fellows have caught them. I should have been murdered but for the warning, thanks and praise be to God the Saviour!’ The Tsar crossed himself devoutly. It was a remarkable sight—this panic-stricken young giant frightened into prayer, sitting bare-legged upon his horse, in mid-forest.
I argued with him. I would go forward while he concealed himself. I would fetch clothes for him—that was the first need, and bring back word of what happened at the house, which, though fortified and garrisoned very strongly, was not, said the Tsar, prepared for sudden assault.
At first the Tsar would not tarry until I returned; but presently, finding a portion of the forest which was so dense that he might safely hide therein without fear of discovery, he consented to wait. Then I rode quickly forward and reached Preobrajensky.
The garrison was in a tumult of preparation in case of attack: every hand was busy, every face haggard and anxious; but the most anxious of all was that of the Tsar’s mother, that good and gentle Tsaritsa Nathalia, who was in distress because of her son’s disappearance.
‘He will go to the monastery at Troitsa,’ she said, ‘and there I shall join him; but who shall protect him upon the way?’ Then I told the Tsaritsa how I had seen the Tsar and had returned for clothes and for news; but she informed me that the Tsar’s clothes had already followed him, though probably the messenger had been so frightened that he had turned aside from the road rather than meet me. ‘Go quickly, good Chelminsky!’ she said, ‘and ride with him. Take others with you—I am in dread for my poor boy!’
But when I sought the Tsar in the place where I had left him he was not to be found, so great a coward had sudden terror made of this young lion—he who should presently learn to roar so loudly that all the world would be terrified at his voice!
CHAPTER XXXVIII
I rode straight to the monastery at Troitsa, hoping to find opportunity for serving the Tsar Peter with distinction. This, it seemed to me, might prove the hour of his destiny, unless indeed terror should have rendered him unfit to assert himself. But I found matters went strongly for Peter and against Sophia, for there flowed into Troitsa a constant stream of soldiers, some from Preobrajensky, others Streltsi deserters, some serf soldiers sent in hurriedly by the Boyars who were on Peter’s side, and even the newly-enrolled men of Gordon’s and Lefort’s regiments, upon whom the Regent had depended the most. There would be no fighting, and no opportunity for distinction, for the weight all tilted naturally to one side.