As, Ever Since The Compassionate Edella Had Procured Them To Be
Removed From The Dungeon, They Had Enjoyed The Privilege
Of walking on
the leads, and going up to the round tower, which being of a very great
height, not
Only overlooked the town, but the country round for a
considerable distance, they frequently made use of this indulgence, at
first for no other purpose than to have the benefit of the open air, but
now in hope of seeing their beloved prince at the head of a victorious
army approaching to give them liberty and relief. - But, alas! how
terrible a reverse of their high-raised expectations had inconstant
fortune in store for them. - One day as they were sitting together,
discoursing on the usual topics with which they entertained each other,
and endeavoured to beguile the tedious time, they heard a confused noise
as of some sudden tumult. - Tho' they had now been above a year in
Russia, none of them could speak the language well enough to be
understood, so could receive no information from the guard, even should
they have proved good-natured enough to be willing to satisfy their
curiosity, so they all run hastily up to the round tower, whence they
easily perceived the town in great confusion, and the people running in
such crowds, that in the hurry many were trampled to death in
endeavouring to pass the gates: - at a distance they perceived standards
waving in the air, but could not yet distinguish what arms they bore. - A
certain shivering and palpitation, the natural consequence of suspence,
ran thro' all their nerves, divided as they were at this sight, between
hope and fear; but when it drew more near, - when, instead of Swedish
colours they beheld those of Russia; - when, in the place where they
expected to see their gallant king coming to restore them once more to
freedom, they saw the implacable czar enter in triumph, followed by
those heroes, the least of whom had lately made him tremble, now in
chains, and exposed to the ribald mirth and derision of the gaping
crowd, they lost at once their fortitude, and even all sense of
expressing their grief at this misfortune: - the shock of it was so
violent, it even took away the power of feeling it, and they remained
for some moments rather like statues carv'd out by mortal art, than real
men created by God, and animated with living souls. A general groan was
the first mark they gave of any sensibility of this dreadful stroke of
fate; but when recruited spirits once more gave utterance to words, how
terrible were their exclamations! Some of them, in the extravagance of
despair, said things relating to fate and destiny, which, on a less
occasion, could have little merited forgiveness.
Unable either to remove from the place, or view distinctly what their
eyes were fixed upon, they stayed till the whole cavalcade was passed,
then went down and threw themselves upon the floor, where their ears
were deafen'd by the noise of guns, loud huzza's, and other testimonies
of popular rejoicings, both within and without the prison walls.
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