of maddened greasy beards, the peasants crowded
in in a solid phalanx, and, braving all our missiles,
threatened to storm the staircase leading
to the gallery in spite of all we could do
But at that moment a discharge of musketry
was heard, and a mere handful of soldiers, pouring
in a volley at the mob, advanced through the
hall with fixed bayonets, and were soon masters
of the field. In five minutes more, there was
not an insurgent in the building, and we had
again barricaded the great entrance and placed
a guard there. It was Alexis who had brought
in the soldiers by a back-garden entrance of
which the mob was ignorant.

"So far so good, Campbell," said Pellican,
patting Alexis on the back. "Well done, old
Hydrocephalus! But it will still go hard with us
at daybreak if we do not get further help. This
time I will go."

I remonstrated with the brave fellow, but all
in vain. In a few minutes Pellican had put on
the greasy leather caftan of Alexis, his huge,
shapeless boots, and his lambswool cap, and
given him his dress. He pressed my hand as I
went with him to the garden door.

"Good-by, Campbell!" he said. "If I don't
come back, be sure the dogs have got me; don't
waste regrets on me; I am of no use to any one;
only let my father know that I perished in trying
to do some good. Adieu!" And he was lost in
the darkness.

What a night that was! Spent partly with
Olga watching the broken sleep of her father
who was tossing in a fever of pain, partly in
supplying the soldiers and students with refreshments,
partly in reassuring the sick men in the
ward, who expressed perfect reliance in our good
faith, and who, as they died, died blessing us.

There was no further attack that night, but
every now and then a threatening roar broke
forth from our cruel besiegers. To-morrow, if no
aid came, must bring death to us all. Oh! with
what inconceivable agony I watched the hands
of the clock from hour to hour, and still there
came no tidings of Pellican, no sign of troops!

As the first curdling grey streaked the sky,
I left the roof where I had been watching, and
went to Olga. She was not asleep, but she was
on her knees. I kneeled beside her. "Dearest,"
I said, "our time on earth may be very short.
These madmen will soon advance to the attack.
Tell me that you love me."

She made no answer, but she placed her hand
in mine, and we kneeled hand in hand in that
solemn betrothal. We could hear the gathering
roar of the peasants below the window as
they collected for the assault. I pressed a pas-
sionate kiss upon her lips, and ran to the hall to
arrange our last defence.

Already the axes were ringing at our barricade,
when a distant shout spread and widened
till it ran through the vast multitude. The
axes ceased their blows, the great mob rolled
and heaved and divided, leaving a road through
the centre of the market-place. There was a
flutter of red and yellow flags, a glitter of spearheads
in the first sunlight, and an open carriage
drawn by four grey horses dashed to the door.
It was the emperor, alone: the lancers, at
his order, had retired into the outer street.
He was in a plain military cloak, and wore a
brass helmet, but no star or order. The barricades
of hay waggons fell away as he approached.
He prayed and crossed himself before the sacred
picture at our door, then stood up in the carriage
and addressed the people. He was so near that
we could hear his words.

"My children," he said, in his imperial manner,
"you are misled. These good men, these
good doctors, venture their lives for your good.
Not a finger shall be laid upon them. This
pestilence is sent from Heaven to punish some of
our national sins. Kneel down and pray to God
to remove the scourge, and to forgive you!"

I shall never again behold such a sight. In a
moment, the multitude, lately so fierce and so
thirsting for blood, fell upon their knees, and
every head was bowed. When they rose, they
slunk away like so many criminals, and some fifty
of them surrendered themselves without a murmur
to the lancers, who came riding slowly among
them. As I was still watching the extraordinary
scene, Alexis pulled me by the arm, and up the
steps rushed Pellican, and seized me by the hand.

"Hurrah, Campbell! Did not I manage
it pretty well? I drove to the citadel when I
left you last night, and, finding the old brute of
a general would not believe my story, or send
me any more troops, I took a carriage and three
horses and rattled off to Sarskoi Seloi, where,
by the best luck in the world, one of the
chamberlains whom I knew brought me to the
emperor, to whom the riot had already been
telegraphed, and now he's coming to see the
hospital. Get along and meet him. Hurrah,
Campbell, we shall all make our fortunes!"

I went to receive the emperor, who was most
gracious. He thanked us for our conduct during
the siege, and then went through the wards. The
only thing that puzzled him was Alexis, whom,
in Pellican's dress, he took at first for one of
the medical staff. Next day the minister wrote
to me, by command of Nicholas, constituting me
a coadjutor of Dr. Tillmann, who, however, sank
from his injuries within the week, and died soon
after; but not before he had joined mine and
Olga's hands, and begged my forgiveness.

I married dear brave Olga; nor was I long
chief physician to the Petro-Paulovsky Hospital,
you may be sure, before I made Ivan Pellican
the house-surgeon.

NEW WORK BY MR. DICKENS, In Monthly Parts, uniform with the Original Editions of "Pickwick," "Copperfield," &c. Now publishing, PART V., price 1s., of

OUR MUTUAL FRIEND.

BY CHARLES DICKENS.

IN TWENTY MONTHLY PARTS.

With Illustrations by MARCUS STONE. London: CHAPMAN and HALL, 193, Piccadilly.