was his. All that became surplus under this arrangement, the emperor appropriated to himself. Peter divided the country into governments or districts; appointed a governor in the principal town of each, giving him soldiers, police, and all the machinery of command. He then established a poll-tax, and, giving to the progenitors of the present barons, grants of land in these districts, made them responsible for the yearly payment of this tax. The government looked to the barons for it; and they, backed by the military power of the governor, levied it from the peasants. In the disputes arising out of this arrangement, the starosta represented the people, and he was chosen by them for this purpose, amongst others. They were not then serfs, but the levying of these taxes in course of time furnished the barons with an excuse for enslaving them. Peasants who could not, or who would not, pay, had their land taken from them, and were forced to work the land belonging to the baron. The barons, having to pay for all, introduced compulsory labour, more or less to meet their difficulty; and the peasants, being ignorant and priest-ridden, were easily robbed of their lands and rights by their self-constituted tax-collecting masters. Thus it was that, in course of time, they came to be regarded as the property of these men, and were bought and sold with the land, as beasts of burden. The government connived at all this. fore, it will happen that he hates the steward, who The starosta who had come to our assistance imagined that my yeamshick was drunk, so, without more ado, he began to kick and beat the poor man in a most brutal manner. Not content with his own blows, he caused two of his satellites to aid in the kicking and beating. The poor man, notwithstanding our continual remonstrances, was kicked, beaten with a stick, slapped in the face, and bore it all without saying a word. Abuse and blows rained on him, until my friend Harry could stand it no longer. His English love of fair play was scandalised at seeing one man thus beaten by three, and, had I not restrained him, he would soon have made short work of So long as the tax was paid on each soul, all the starosta and his gang. But the hindrance was right, and the passport gave means of de- of a police difficulty could not be risked. We termining the numbers upon each estate and vil-waited, therefore, impatiently until the men lage. In this way have the barons gradually, and surely, appropriated to themselves the land, labour, property, and persons, of the peasantry. And, this being the case, instead of calling the new edict an emancipation of serfs, it ought strictly to be called a restoration of the peasants' rights. But the starosta, while this change was taking place, was not what he was first designed to bethe peasants' delegate. He has become a tool in the hands of the baron and the stewards: chosen not for his age and experience, but more frequently because of a certain kind of superior intelligence, and sometimes for a scrupulous devotion to his masters. Now, if the steward be a bad one, the starosta must be bad, because he is the exponent of the steward's will. Woe to the poor peasant when this is the case! The starosta knows intimately the domestic history, feelings, and conduct, of every serf on an estate; he pairs the young for marriage (not often compelling them against their inclination), and takes them before the baron or steward for his sanction. He selects the conscripts for the army: those who are to be sent out on "obrok :" and those who are to stay at home. He has the appointment of the different gangs of labourers on the estate, and it is he who, either with his own hand or by deputy, punishes the serfs for real or imaginary faults. In plain terms, he is the slave-driver of the American plantations, with this very material difference, that he is invariably a serf himself: one of the class over which he is placed; often, there were tired of knocking the poor driver about. He was then sent back to the stables, and a boy of twelve years, or rather less, was put in his place on the box. Against this proceeding I strongly protested, for I thought the exchange much for the worse. Remonstrance, however, had no effect. The starosta assured me that he had not in all his gang a better driver than the boy; besides, he was brother to the pig who had overturned us; and as the horses belonged to them-or rather to their master-they must be driven back by one of them to the station whence they came. So, to the very tender mercies of the boy we were committed until daybreak. MEMBERS OF THE V.C. "Two other thieves, of the names of M'Kenzie and Holmes, were captured last evening by our patriotic fellow-citizens, the members of the V.C. (Vigilance Committee)." This I read in the Alta California, on a certain morning ten years ago. Too well I knew the interpretation of this paragraph. Two more wretched creatures, arrested perhaps for comparatively venial crimes, were about to be imprisoned, tortured, and finally put to death, by a merciless body of men, who having taken all power out of the hands of an effete police, perpetrated unheard-of horrors under the sole authority of Judge Lynch. I need not say that to me, as to all English residents in San Francisco, the American institution of "lynching" was revolting. It was un of literature, their disgust is partly to be referred to the fact that they were called upon to furnish the hangable material. But as the V.C. used great delicacy in meddling with representatives of its own nation, the American public breakfasted cheerfully, with a sensation" for relish at ten cents: that being the price of a morning paper. The confessions of the prisoners were continued from day to day, and consisted chiefly of rambling reminiscences of highway robberies, burglaries, and petty larcenies. In giving them to the public, the V.C. had no doubt a certain end in view, and that was, to excuse or palliate its own proceedings. doubtedly true, that before the V.C. was organised, theft was usual and murder common. Nearly every morning, corpses of men killed in the dark by slung shot were found in the streets. I, like others, had had more than one escape from such assassination, and I owe my life probably to the possession of a feeble-minded pistol, which, though declining to go off above once in six times, had a highly-burnished barrel, easily seen; and a noisy lock, easily heard; which weapon I always cocked and handled ostentatiously when passing dangerous corners at night, on my way home to Happy Valley. It is also true that the police were thought to be aiders and abettors of crime. But better-a thousand times better-even this, than the open "But," the reader may inquire, were these day murdering by the " Vigilance," who had confessions valid?" To this query, as a regone on from one excess to another, until some spectable ex-member of the V.C., I reply that of its more sanguinary members openly an-they were as valid as the witch confessions of nounced their intention to hang any one, even old times, and as confessions generally are, when for the theft of a "red cent," or, as we should wrung out by torture. say at home, of a brass farthing. Yet on the evening of the day on which I read the before cited paragraph, I entered my self as a member of the Vigilance Committee! Yes. Inconsistent as the act may seem, considering my opinion of that body, I not only joined it, but also persuaded a good friend of mine to do the same. His christian name was "Dave." He was a stalwart hunter from Texas, who, if he had had brains in proportion to his inches, would have been a prodigy; but as he hadn't, he wasn't. If I were a hapless prisoner, not knowing from one minute to another when a cruel death would overtake me, and if, while I lay in this anguish, a mob of drunken rowdies were in the habit of invading my prison at all hours-midnight for choice-and putting a rope round my neck, and dragging me about the floor, swearing with horrible imprecations that they would there and then put me to death if I did not confess something; would that be torture? The V.C. did this to their prisoners, when I and Dave were present. At length, no more confessions Our committee consisted of several hundred were to be got out of them. Their memories or men, well armed, who were compelled each to their imaginations failed. So much the worse take his turn of duty when it came round, and for them."Nothing now remained," as an clofulfil to the letter the orders of the "almighty quent morning paper remarked, "but for the majority." They were chiefly American resi-majesty of the people's justice to assert itself.” dents of San Francisco, and were popularly sup-In other words, the prisoners were to be posed to be the most well-to-do and respectable hanged, and execution was accordingly ordered merchants in the city. We, that is my friend for the morrow. Dave and I, entered the premises of the V.C. That evening I secretly held "deep converse" with considerable curiosity, and found them to with a certain middle-aged determined-looking consist of a large wooden building of two American gentleman. Dave also was present, stories, which had formerly been a store. Bu- and might have held deep converse too if he siness was transacted in the top story: a long liked; but being in nowise deep, he didn't. naked-looking room, with two doors at the front Nevertheless, he paid great heed to what was instead of windows, over which were placed out-going on. Here is the fag end of our interview. side, a couple of small cranes fitted with pulleys and ropes, formerly used to hoist goods out of the street. They were now used to hoist men into another world. In a word, they were the ready-to-hand gallows of the Vigilance Committee. At the end of the room opposite these doors, was a post to which were then chained two miserable objects, the prisoners Holmes and M'Kenzie. Six armed men, regularly relieved, kept guard over them night and day. A few days passed away, during which, as usual, "sensation articles on the "new" prisoners appeared in the papers, which were eagerly read by the public. In fact, other amusements being fearfully expensive, the public-that is, the American clement of it-owed at that period its chief and cheapest excitement to the enterprising operations of the V C. If the men of other nations did not relish this sort "At what time do you go on guard tonight?" asked the Determined One. "At ten o'clock, and are relieved at six in the morning." Good; at two o'clock I shall be with you. That will give you plenty of time for your operations. And lookee hy'ar," added the speaker, waxing star and stripy in his accent as he became excited, "if so be you do your parts, gentlemen, sure as shooting I shall do mine. Yes, sir. I guess they reckon up my men pretty considerable mean in this har city; but if I wasn't short of hands-which I am, dreadful— I want to know whose got the grit to work well and risk his skin, when his salary's paid in city scrip at seventy-five cents discount, as my poor fellows' salaries air? Wal, sir! I reckon a few hours will jest figure up whether they kin do their duty or kin not. I'm bound to hev them pris'ners this night or die, sure as my name's M'Kay!" "Don't you fear, squire," said Dave; and we parted to make preparations for the evening. Ten o'clock came. Dave and I arrived at the Vigilance rooms separately, in order to avoid suspicion, and our men were there before us. I found time to shake hands with Sims the barkeeper, and to exchange a significant look with our two demi-allies: a pair of honest-looking storekeepers. I then turned my attention to the doctor, and surveyed him with eagerness, as an antagonist with whom I was about to engage in a duel of wits to the death. He was a tall lathy man, with a low forehead and small cruel eyes, but by no means wanting in resolution and energy; there was evidence of that in his high cheek-bones and massive lower jaw. M'Kay was the name of the stout sheriff of San Francisco: "a good man and true," as he has often proved himself. In a word, Dave and I had enrolled ourselves in the ranks of the V.C. in pursuance of a covert understanding with the sheriff, which had for its express object the rescue of these unhappy prisoners. We should have made the attempt sooner, but that until now we had not been able to get ourselves detailed for guard. In selecting Dave as my comrade in this enterprise, I had not been guided by any great respect for his intellect-which, as I have hinted, was not well developed-but because he was the best-hearted of men, with unlimited strength and pluck, and, above all, Well, gents," he said, taking the initiative, was a man who could be thoroughly depended "we must be spry to-night, and keep our eyes Such qualities were wanted for our enter-skinned. There's a report that the sheriff has said he won't let us keep our prisoners nohow. Guess he's jest out there, he is! To-morrow night he may have 'em and welcome, not afore; no, sir, ha! ha!" Making this cruel jest ring in the ears of the prisoners, he laughed discordantly. "By-the-by," he resumed, "have those fellows' chain fixings been looked to ?" on. prise, which was of a ticklish nature. The slightest suspicion of our purpose on the part of the V.C. would either doom us to the gallows, or cause our immediate extradition from the state: the lightest punishment inflicted upon those who made themselves obnoxious to the ruling powers. With a sensitive knowledge of our position, I repeated Dave's instructions over and over again to him, before we went on guard. "Ah's me!" he ejaculated, as he listened rather impatiently, "if we'd only jest a score of mountain boys from down Texas way along now, we'd chaw up yon Vig'lance, right away!" I was obliged to administer a clincher" upon this digression. Dave, have you got a score of mountain boys along?" 66 Wal, no." "I will see to that," I replied; and, hastening to the prisoners under pretence of examining their chains, I passed to each a couple of small watch-spring files and a bottle of sweet oil. What a look of gratitude those broken-down men gave me in return! "Work for your lives,” I whispered; "the chain must be cut through in five hours." Returning to the fire stove, about which the guard was grouped, I found to my vexation that the dunder-headed Dave had got hold of Sims the bar-keeper, and was making insane proposals of drink and cards to him. He had mistaken him for the doctor. "Dave," said I, making my fingers and thumb nearly meet in the brawny arm of the giant as I slewed him round, "this is the doctor." "Glad to see you, squire," said Dave, with a shambling bow, rubbing his arm. Have you got one ?" Dave "guessed he hadn't. Wished he had." "Then what's the use of talking about 'em?" Waiting until Dave recovered from this poser, I proceeded: "Remember, there will be six of us on guard to-night. That's four beside ourselves, isn't it? Out of those four, two are neutral. They belong to a moderate party in the V.C., disgusted with its doings, but not Two hours passed away in desultory converdaring to confess themselves disgusted. They sation, during which I plied the bar-keeper, will not interfere with us if they can keep quiet nothing loth, with liquor from a demijohn of without compromising themselves. So, there" monongahela," always kept in the rooms for remain only two men point blank against us. the refection of the committee, until he was quite With one of these I am acquainted; he is a bar- stupified and went to sleep. The two neutrals keeper much given to drams, and I can engage to feigned to drink, as a pretext for following his make him safe.' The fourth man, Doctor Jonah example, and Dave, who had now contrived to get Fisk, is hardest to manage of the whole lot. He on good terms with the doctor, sat a little apart is one of the chiefs of the V.C., has a great with him, playing "old sledge." The prisoners name for smartness,' and though he, likewise, couched in an attitude of repose in the obscurity drinks, it takes an immense quantity of stuff to of the end of the room, and no doubt worked shut his eyes. So, Dave, we look to you to ac-away with a will at their fetters. All seemed to count for this man.' "I'll give the black snake etarnal goss!" responded Dave, feeling in his boot for his bowie. "I tell you that violence will never do, and is not to be used. Dave, your instructions are, to engage the doctor at cards; he is a great gambler, and, as we know you are some pumpkins' at the monongahela' (namely, whisky), only contrive to drink him 'blind,' and all will be well." be going on well. "Two hours hence," I thought, "and the thing is done, without risk or bloodshed; for the doctor-seasoned vessel though he is must certainly succumb before then, to the innumerable smiles' with which Dave is plying him." Thus time passed on, and from time to time I watched the face of the doctor, rapidly reddening under the influence of his potations, as anxiously as a pilot consults his compass to be certain of his bearings. in rushing to the engine-house near at hand and tolling the Vigilance bell, never rung save in cases Suddenly, to my unspeakable mortification, I of executions or fires. In a few minutes the saw him, as if he were struck by a sudden after-whole city was alarmed, and turned out. Scores thought, throw down his cards, rise from his seat, of half-dressed Vigilance men, weapons in hand, and walk with unequal steps towards the pri- poured into the committee-rooms, but they came soners, evidently to inspect them. How if he too late. M'Kay and his party, having gained should discover their filed chains! It was a mo- the protection of the jail, were safe. ment of intense suspense to me. But he came back to his seat again, apparently satisfied. "Squire," said Dave, approaching me at this juncture, yon darned skunk won't play nor drink no more, nohow." I looked at my watch. To my dismay it was half-past one; there was only half an hour to spare before the sheriff would arrive. The time had come when it was necessary to play my last card. "Dave," I whispered, "there is only one thing to be done. Pick a quarrel with the doctor and disable him; but remember you must use no weapons." This affair caused a great sensation. Never before had the V.C. met with such a check. They were furious. Luckily for us they did not suspect treachery, and were satisfied with expelling us all from their ranks, except the doctor. I need not say that to Dave and myself this was no calamity. I wish my story ended happily here, like the old story-books. But, as these miserable details are unfortunately true, I am compelled to add, that the efforts made to save the prisoners, eventually proved futile, owing to the treachery or the carelessness of the police. The V.C., smarting under their defeat, deter"All right," replied my cool Texian partisan; mined to recapture their prisoners, and readding, admiringly, "what smart head fixins you cover their lost prestige, at any hazard. About have got, squire, surely! Why ain't you a land three weeks after the night I have described, all jobber? You'd make a fortin at it down our way." the prisoners of the state jail were attending A few minutes after this, a difficulty" oc- prayers in the chapel one Sunday afternoon. In curred between the late pair of card-players, the midst of the service, a forlorn hope, sworn to arising from a discussion on the last game. It succeed or die, organised by the V.C., and comended in Dave picking up the doctor by his waist-posed of some half-dozen young fellows armed band, before he could draw knife or pistol, car-to the teeth, burst into the chapel. As there rying him in spite of his struggles to the door, and hurling him violently down stairs. This performance achieved, I had the effrontery to go and pick up the fallen man, and condole with him on his misfortune. Though terribly shaken, he was not seriously injured. As I had foreseen, he declined to go up into the room again, but with hideous imprecations against Dave, limped off home. was, by a suspicious coincidence, only one jailer present, they instantly seized on M'Kenzie and Holmes, and bore them away without resistance. A light waggon with a team of six blood horses was ready waiting in the street, and, flinging their miserable victims into it, the desperadoes drove at full gallop through the city to the Vigilance rooms, about three-quarters of a mile distant. As the most effectual means of Shortly after his departure, all the guards putting their prey beyond all chance of recapwere asleep, or shamming sleep. Two o'clock-ture, it was determined at a hurried consultation time up! To the minute, I heard the forcing of the V.C. to hang the men at once. And so, on of the lower door. Then I heard stealthy the calm summer afternoon of that day sacred steps ascending the stairs, and suddenly the to God's service, the deep tones of the Vigidoor of our room was sent in with a crash, and a lance bell tolled forth its deadly warning. dozen policemen leaped upon and disarmed us before one of us could draw a weapon in defence. The sheriff of San Francisco then stood forth. "M'Kenzie and Holmes," he said, addressing the prisoners, come forward!" The persons addressed sprang to their feet. Their chains fell from them to the ground, and they hastened towards the sheriff, who gave them into the custody of his men. "And now, gentlemen," he said, turning to us, "I wish you good morning. Tell your committee that M'Kay and his men have done Wedged in an immense crowd, I stood before the committee-rooms, and looked on at the tragedy I had risked my life to prevent. I dare not give the details of what I saw. Enough that the wretched creatures were put to death in the most shocking manner, and that every wanton atrocity and shameful indignity that the worst passions of man could invent were heaped upon them. At the completion, in March, of their duty. Bring on the prisoners, boys, to the SIR EDWARD BULWER LYTTON'S NEW WORK, jail; hurry!" Taken by surprise and disarmed, what were we five disconsolate members of the V. C. to do? Simply, all that we could do, to save our A STRANGE STORY, Will be commenced reputations. This was not much, and consisted | A NEW NOVEL, BY MR. WILKIE COLLINS. The Right of Translating Articles from ALL THE YEAR ROUND is reserved by the Authors. Published at the Office, No. 26, Wellington Street, Strand. Printed by C. WHITING, Beaufort House, Strand. ALL THE YEAR ROUND. A WEEKLY JOURNAL. CONDUCTED BY CHARLES DICKENS. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED HOUSEHOLD WORDS. No. 147.] SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1862. A STRANGE STORY. [PRICE 2d. to some knowledge at his command "surer than man's!" And now, even now, the mere wreck BY THE AUTHOR OF MY NOVEL," RIENZI," &c. of his former existence-by what strange charm CHAPTER LXXV. I FOUND Mrs. Ashleigh waiting for me in our usual sitting-room. She was in tears. She had begun to despond of Lilian's recovery, and she infected me with her own alarm. However, I disguised my participation in her fears, soothed and sustained her as I best could, and persuaded her to retire to rest. I saw Faber for a few minutes before I sought my own chamber. He assured me that there was no perceptible change for the worse in Lilian's physical state since he had last seen me, and that her mind, even within the last few hours, had become decidedly more clear. He thought that, within the next twentyfour hours, the reason would make a strong and successful effort for complete recovery; but he declined to hazard more than a hope that the effort would not exhaust the enfeebled powers of the frame. He himself was so in need of a few hours of rest that I ceased to harass him with questions which he could not answer, and fears which he could not appease. Before leaving him for the night, I told him briefly that there was a traveller in my hut smitten by a disease which seemed to me so grave that I would ask his opinion of the case, if he could accompany me to the hut the next morning. My own thoughts that night were not such as would suffer me to sleep. Before Margrave's melancholy state much of my former fear and abhorrence faded away. This being, so exceptional that fancy might well invest him with preternatural attributes, was now reduced by human suffering to human sympathy and comprehension. Yet his utter want of conscience was still as apparent as in his day of joyous animal spirits. With what hideous candour he had related his perfidy and ingratitude to the man to whom, in his belief, he owed an inestimable obligation, and with what insensibility to the signal retribution which in most natures would have awakened remorse! did he still control and confuse my reason! And how was it that I felt myself murmuring, again and again, "But what, after all, if his hope be no chimera, and if Nature do hide a secret by which I could save the life of my beloved Lilian ?" And again and again, as that thought would force itself on me, I rose, and crept to Lilian's threshold, listening to catch the faintest sound of her breathing. All still, all dark! and the great physician doubts whether recognised science can turn aside from her couch the stealthy tread of death, while in yon log-hut one whose malady recognised science could not doubt to be mortal has composed himself to sleep confident of life! Recognised science! recognised ignorance! The science of to-day is the ignorance of to-morrow! Every year some bold guess lights up a truth to which, but the year before, the schoolmen of science were as blinded as moles. What, then," my lips kept repeatingwhat if Nature do hide a secret by which the life of my life can be saved? What do we know of the secrets of Nature? What said Newton himself of his knowledge? I am like a child picking up pebbles and shells on the sand, while the great ocean of Truth lies all undiscovered around me! And did Newton himself, in the ripest growth of his matchless intellect, hold the creed of the alchemists in scorn? Had he not given to one object of their research, in the transmutation of metals, his days and his nights? Is there proof that he ever convinced himself that the research was the dream which we, who are not Newtons, call it ? And that * "Besides the three great subjects of Newton's labours-the fluxional calculus, physical astronomy, and optics-a very large portion of his time, while resident in his college, was devoted to researches of which scarcely a trace remains. Alchemy, which had fascinated so many eager and ambitious minds, seems to have tempted Newton with an overwhelmAnd by what dark hints and confessions did ing force. What theories he formed, what experi he seem to confirm the incredible memoir of Sirments he tried, in that laboratory where, it is said, Philip Derval! He owned that he had borne from the corpse of Haroun the medicament to which he ascribed his recovery from a state yet more hopeless than that under which he now laboured! He had alluded, rapidly, obscurely, VOL. VI. the fire was scarcely extinguished for weeks toge It is certain that no success attended his labours; and Newton was not 147 |