“Are you referring to the death of the Emperor Alexander? I knew that yesterday. What else is there?”
“Quite another affair, indeed. Constantine has been set aside, and the Grand Duke Nicholas is to succeed his brother.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. But that is not all; we knew that yesterday. The news the courier brought this morning is more serious. It seems a conspiracy has broken out—”
“A conspiracy! Where?”
“At St. Petersburg. The courier left the twenty-fourth of December. They were then fighting on the square before the palace, and the emperor was in the midst of the fight.”
“Constantine?”
“No, indeed; his brother.”
“The Grand Duke Nicholas? Is he at the head of the plot?”
“No; on the contrary, it seems to be Constantine, and yet it is not he either.—In fact, no one knows anything about it, the report is so very confused. But come and help me, if you will. We have despatches to send in every direction. We shall certainly have further news this evening. I dare say Waltheim (the chief member of the firm of which they were the principal clerks) is this very moment beside himself.”