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authors of the eighteenth century。 In him Christian charity was
joined to a philosophical indulgence for the failings of human
nature。 But the memory of these miserably anxious early years；
his young man's years robbed of all generous illusions by the
cynicism of the sordid lawsuit； stood in the way of forgiveness。
He never succumbed to the fascination of the great shoot； and X；
his heart set to the last on reconciliation with the draft of the
will ready for signature kept by his bedside； died intestate。
The fortune thus acquired and augmented by a wise and careful
management passed to some distant relatives whom he had never
seen and who even did not bear his name。
Meantime the blessing of general peace descended upon Europe。
Mr。 Nicholas B。； bidding good…bye to his hospitable relative； the
〃fearless〃 Austrian officer； departed from Galicia； and without
going near his native place； where the odious lawsuit was still
going on； proceeded straight to Warsaw and entered the army of
the newly constituted Polish kingdom under the sceptre of
Alexander I。； Autocrat of all the Russias。
This kingdom； created by the Vienna Congress as an acknowledgment
to a nation of its former independent existence； included only
the central provinces of the old Polish patrimony。 A brother of
the Emperor； the Grand Duke Constantine （Pavlovitch）； its Viceroy
and Commander…in…Chief； married morganatically to a Polish lady
to whom he was fiercely attached； extended this affection to what
he called 〃My Poles〃 in a capricious and savage manner。 Sallow
in complexion； with a Tartar physiognomy and fierce little eyes；
he walked with his fists clenched； his body bent forward； darting
suspicious glances from under an enormous cocked hat。 His
intelligence was limited and his sanity itself was doubtful。 The
hereditary taint expressed itself； in his case； not by mystic
leanings as in his two brothers； Alexander and Nicholas （in their
various ways； for one was mystically liberal and the other
mystically autocratic）； but by the fury of an uncontrollable
temper which generally broke out in disgusting abuse on the
parade ground。 He was a passionate militarist and an amazing
drill…master。 He treated his Polish Army as a spoiled child
treats a favourite toy； except that he did not take it to bed
with him at night。 It was not small enough for that。 But he
played with it all day and every day； delighting in the variety
of pretty uniforms and in the fun of incessant drilling。 This
childish passion； not for war but for mere militarism； achieved a
desirable result。 The Polish Army； in its equipment； in its
armament and in its battlefield efficiency； as then understood；
became； by the end of the year 1830； a first…rate tactical
instrument。 Polish peasantry （not serfs） served in the ranks by
enlistment； and the officers belonged mainly to the smaller
nobility。 Mr。 Nicholas B。； with his Napoleonic record； had no
difficulty in obtaining a lieutenancy； but the promotion in the
Polish Army was slow； because； being a separate organisation； it
took no part in the wars of the Russian Empire against Persia or
Turkey。 Its first campaign； against Russia itself； was to be its
last。 In 1831； on the outbreak of the Revolution； Mr。 Nicholas
B。 was the senior captain of his regiment。 Some time before he
had been made head of the remount establishment quartered outside
the kingdom in our southern provinces； whence almost all the
horses for the Polish cavalry were drawn。 For the first time
since he went away from home at the age of eighteen to begin his
military life by the battle of Friedland； Mr。 Nicholas B。
breathed the air of the 〃Border；〃 his native air。 Unkind fate
was lying in wait for him amongst the scenes of his youth。 At
the first news of the rising in Warsaw all the remount
establishment； officers； vets。； and the very troopers； were put
promptly under arrest and hurried off in a body beyond the
Dnieper to the nearest town in Russia proper。 From there they
were dispersed to the distant parts of the Empire。 On this
occasion poor Mr。 Nicholas B。 penetrated into Russia much farther
than he ever did in the times of Napoleonic invasion； if much
less willingly。 Astrakhan was his destination。 He remained
there three years； allowed to live at large in the town but
having to report himself every day at noon to the military
commandant； who used to detain him frequently for a pipe and a
chat。 It is difficult to form a just idea of what a chat with
Mr。 Nicholas B。 could have been like。 There must have been much
compressed rage under his taciturnity； for the commandant
communicated to him the news from the theatre of war and this
news was such as it could be； that is； very bad for the Poles。
Mr。 Nicholas B。 received these communications with outward
phlegm； but the Russian showed a warm sympathy for his prisoner。
〃As a soldier myself I understand your feelings。 You； of course；
would like to be in the thick of it。 By heavens！ I am fond of
you。 If it were not for the terms of the military oath I would
let you go on my own responsibility。 What difference could it
make to us； one more or less of you？〃
At other times he wondered with simplicity。
〃Tell me； Nicholas Stepanovitch〃（my great…grandfather's name
was Stephen and the commandant used the Russian form of polite
address）〃tell me why is it that you Poles are always looking
for trouble？ What else could you expect from running up against
Russia？〃
He was capable； too； of philosophical reflections。
〃Look at your Napoleon now。 A great man。 There is no denying it
that he was a great man as long as he was content to thrash those
Germans and Austrians and all those nations。 But no！ He must go
to Russia looking for trouble； and what's the consequence？ Such
as you see me； I have rattled this sabre of mine on the pavements
of Paris。〃
After his return to Poland Mr。 Nicholas B。 described him as a
〃worthy man but stupid；〃 whenever he could be induced to speak of
the conditions of his exile。 Declining the option offered him to
enter the Russian Army he was retired with only half the pension
of his rank。 His nephew （my uncle and guardian） told me that the
first lasting impression on his memory as a child of four was the
glad excitement reigning in his parents' house on the day when
Mr。 Nicholas B。 arrived home from his detention in Russia。
Every generation has its memories。 The first memories of Mr。
Nicholas B。 might have been shaped by the events of the last
partition of Poland； and he lived long enough to suffer from the
last armed rising in 1863； an event which affected the future of
all my generation and has coloured my earliest impressions。 His
brother； in whose house he had sheltered for some seventeen years
his misanthropical timidity before the commonest problems of
life； having died in the early fifties； Mr。 Nicholas B。 had to
screw his courage up to the sticking…point and come to some
decision as to the future。 After a long and agonising hesitation
he was persuaded at last to become the tenant of some fifteen
hundred acres out of the estate of a friend in the neighbourhood。
The terms of the lease were very advantageous； but the retired
situation of the village and a plain comfortable house in good
repair were； I fancy； the greatest inducements。 He lived there
quietly for about ten years； seeing very few people and taking no
part in the public life of the province； such as it could be
under an arbitrary bureaucratic tyranny。 His character and his
patriotism were above suspicion； but the organisers of the rising
in their frequent journeys up and down the province scrupulously
avoided coming near his house。 It was generally felt that the
repose of the old man's last years ought not to be disturbed。
Even such intimates as my paternal grandfather； a comrade…in…arms
during Napoleon's Moscow campaign and later on a fellow…officer
in the Polish Army； refrained from visiting his crony as the date
of the outbreak approached。 My paternal grandfather's two sons
and his only daughter were all deeply involved in the
revolutionary work； he himself was of that type of Polish squire
whose only ideal of patriotic action was to 〃get into the saddle
and drive them out。〃 But even he agreed that 〃dear Nicholas must
not be worried。〃 All this considerate