pain. The surgeon came, examined my arm, and said that mineral waters only could restore to me the use of my hand. They will not send me there, thought I, so I must be resigned, and let nature perform her part.
The day after, at eleven o'clock in the morning, I heard a great number of persons walking in the passage; the door of Fischer's cell opened, and somebody went in; I was almost sure that it was the Procurator-General Samoilow, and, after a conference of a quarter of an hour with Fischer, my supposition was realised on seeing the former enter my room. He told me that I must know how unpardonable were the wrongs which I had done to Russia, and to the august and sacred person of his great sovereign; that my fate was in my own hands, that if I would speak frankly and with veracity, and give them the information which they would require, I was sure of my fortune and the most brilliant career, but if, on the contrary, I should be reserved, and persist in keeping silence, I had only to expect the greatest
