soon become a mother. As the time drew near he stationed guards at
the distance of a verst around the castle, that no clattering
vehicles should pass, no dogs bark loudly, nor any other
disturbance occur which might agitate the Princess. The choicest
sweetmeats and wines, flowers from Moscow and fruits from
Astrakhan, were procured for her; and it was a wonder that the
midwife performed her duty, for she had the fear of death before
her eyes. When the important day at last arrived the slumber-flag
was instantly hoisted, and no mouse dared to squeak in Kinesma
until the cannon announced the advent of a new soul.

That night Prince Alexis lay down in the corridor, outside of
Helena's door: he glared fiercely at the nurse as she entered with
the birth-posset for the young mother. No one else was allowed to
pass, that night, nor the next. Four days afterwards, Sasha,
having a message to the Princess, and supposing the old man to be
asleep, attempted to step noiselessly over his body. In a twinkle
the Prince's teeth fastened themselves in the serf's leg, and held
him with the tenacity of a bull-dog. Sasha did not dare to cry
out: he stood, writhing with pain, until the strong jaws grew weary
of their hold, and then crawled away to dress the bleeding wound.
After that, no one tried to break the Prince's guard.

The christening was on a magnificent scale. Prince Paul of
Kostroma was godfather, and gave the babe the name of Alexis. As
the Prince had paid his respects to Helena just before the
ceremony, it may be presumed that the name was not of his own
inspiration. The father and mother were not allowed to be present,
but they learned that the grandfather had comported himself
throughout with great dignity and propriety. The Archimandrite