the investigation that General _Lewicki,_ Russian commander of the
town, independently of the lodgings he occupied, received payment for
more _than a hundred lodgings_; that General _Gendre_ received
payment of 212l. 10s.; that _Philippeus_, cashier to the grand
duke, received from the same fund 225l. annually, which was sweetened by
a prompt payment of 2,500l., being ten years in advance; and that the
coachmen and lackeys of the grand duke and generals received money from
the same fund, instead of wages from their masters. As the inflexibility
and integrity of those gentlemen were proof against all bribes, the
generals foresaw the impending storm which threatened to break and
overwhelm them. In this critical situation, they conceived one of the
most atrocious plots on record. Its object was to create a disturbance,
by which the town-house should be set on fire, and the documents which
implicated them in the pillage should be consumed. They agreed to
produce this by arming a number of students; and their agent was an
officer in the army, known to belong to the secret societies. The sum of
200 ducats in gold was paid him as a reward for anticipated services,
and 200 stand of arms was provided him. For such a project this man
seemed a fit agent. He took lodgings in the house where the students met
to hold their deliberations, opened to them his revolutionary views,
and represented himself as one qualified to rescue their common country
from the grasp of despotism. He so far ingratiated himself into their
confidence as to obtain some knowledge of the general plan for the
freedom of Poland. Circumstances, however, created distrust of this new
and overzealous auxiliary; and the students refused to act with him,
or to receive the muskets the generals had provided for distribution.
Communication having now ceased between Petrikowski and the students, he
took lodgings in the next room to that in which they met to hold their
deliberations; what he overheard was communicated to the generals; and
ten students were in consequence denounced, arrested, and severely