- Chains, infamy,
lasting as our lives, replied another. Then let us dye, added a third.
Right, said his companion feircely; - the glory of Sweden is lost! - Let
us disappoint these barbarians, these Russian monsters, of the pleasure
of insulting us on our country's fall.
In this romantic and distracted manner did they in vain endeavour to
discharge their breasts of the load of anguish each sustained. - Their
misfortune was not of a nature to be alleviated by words; - it was too
mighty for expression; and the more they spoke, the more they had yet to
say. - For three whole days they refused the wretched sustenance brought
to them; neither did the least slumber ever close their eyelids by
night: on the fourth the keeper of the prison came, and told them they
must depart. - -They endeavoured not to inform themselves how or where
they were to be disposed of; in their present condition all places were
alike to them, so followed him, without speaking, down stairs, at the
bottom of which they found a strong guard of thirty soldiers, who having
chained them in a link, like slaves going to be sold at the market,
conducted them to a very stately palace adjoining to that belonging
to the czar.
They were but eight in number, out of fifty-five who had been taken
prisoners at the time Horatio was, and were thrown altogether in the
dungeon, the others having perished thro' cold and the noysomeness of
the place, before Edella had procured them a more easy situation; but
these eight that survived were all officers, and most of them men of
distinguished birth as well as valour, tho' their long imprisonment,
scanty food, and more than all, the grief they at present laboured under
made them look rather like ghosts, than men chose out of thousands to
fight always near the king of Sweden's person in every
hazardous attempt.
They were placed in a stately gallery, and there left, while the
officer, who commanded the party that came with them, went into an inner
room, but soon after returned, and another person with him; on which,
the first of this unhappy string was loosed from his companions, and a
signal made to him to enter a door, which was opened for him, and
immediately closed again.
For about half an hour there was a profound silence: our prisoners kept
it thro' astonishment; and the others, it is to be supposed, had orders
for doing so. - At the end of that time the door was again opened, and
the chain which fastened the second Swede to the others, was untied, and
he, in like manner as the former, bid to go in. - In some time after, the
same ceremony was observed to a third; - then to a fourth, fifth, sixth,
and seventh: - Horatio chanced to be the last, who, tho' alarmed to a
very great degree at the thoughts of what fate might have been inflicted
on his companions, went fearless in, more curious to know the meaning of
this mysterious proceeding, than anxious for what might befal him.
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