to-night what to-morrow he would announce to all Russia--tell
them of the discovery he had made, and reveal to his subjects the
peril in which they stood. Towards the close of the banquet he
rose to address his guests, announcing that he had an important
communication for them. In silence they waited for him to speak.
And then, abruptly, with no word yet spoken, he sank back into
his chair, fighting for breath, clawing the air, his face
empurpling until suddenly the blood gushed copiously from his
mouth and nostrils.

He was vouchsafed time in which to strip off his splendid apparel
and wrap himself in a monk's robe, thus symbolizing the putting
aside of earthly vanities, and then he expired.

It has been now and then suggested that he was poisoned. His
death was certainly most opportune to Demetrius. But there is
nothing in the manner of it to justify the opinion that it
resulted from anything other than an apoplexy.

His death brought the sinister opportunist Shuiski back to Moscow
to place Boris's son Feodor on the throne. But the reign of this
lad of sixteen was very brief. Basmanov, who had gone back to the
army, being now inspired by jealousy and fear of the ambitious
Shuiski, went over at once to the pretender, and proclaimed him
Tsar of Russia. Thereafter events moved swiftly. Basmanov marched
on Moscow, entered it in triumph, and again proclaimed Demetrius,
whereupon the people rose in revolt against the son of the
usurper Boris, stormed the Kremlin, and strangled the boy and his
mother.