When Prince Alexis received his son's letter, an expression of
fierce, cruel delight crept over his face, and there remained,
horribly illuminating its haggard features. The orders given for
swimming horses in the Volga--one of his summer diversions--were
immediately countermanded; he paced around the parapet of the
castle-wall until near midnight, followed by Sasha with a stone jug
of vodki. The latter had the useful habit, notwithstanding his
stupid face, of picking up the fragments of soliloquy which the
Prince dropped, and answering them as if talking to himself.
Thus he improved upon and perfected many a hint of cruelty, and was
too discreet ever to dispute his master's claim to the invention.

Sasha, we may be sure, was busy with his devil's work that night.
The next morning the stewards and agents of Prince Alexis, in
castle, village, and field, were summoned to his presence.

"Hark ye!" said he; "Borka and his trumpery wife send me word that
they will be here to-morrow. See to it that every man, woman, and
child, for ten versts out on the Moskovskoi road, knows of their
coming. Let it be known that whoever uncovers his head before them
shall uncover his back for a hundred lashes. Whomsoever they greet
may bark like a dog, meeouw like a cat, or bray like an ass, as
much as he chooses; but if he speaks a decent word, his tongue
shall be silenced with stripes. Whoever shall insult them has my
pardon in advance. Oh, let them come!--ay, let them come! Come
they may: but how they go away again"----

The Prince Alexis suddenly stopped, shook his head, and walked up
and down the hall, muttering to himself. His eyes were bloodshot,