37 6 BY ORDER OF THE CZAR.
were closed and he heard the melancholy tramp and clank of irons in which his imagination easily depicted his un- happy young friend.
In the interior of the prison he found most of the men and women unfettered, but the governor informed him that on the next day he might witness, if he remained, the riveting of their chains. At the same time it occurred to the officer to suggest that these poor creatures were more to blame than the Government. Softie of them were criminals of a bad type ; others were political criminals, little better, except that in most cases they had been well nurtured, and were educated men and women who had been too wise to accept and obey the laws under which they lived. He refused to accept for a moment Chet- wynd's suggestion that many political prisoners in Russia were probably misunderstood, some unduly and unfairly punished on unfounded and occasionally manufactured evi- dence. Justice might make mistakes, the governor said, and did no doubt in all countries, but he begged Mr. Chetwynd not to forget that the late Emperor had been murdered in the streets, and that plots of the most diabo- lical character had been successful, while others which threatened the lives of innocent people had been prevent- ed by the activity of the Government.
Chetwynd had to confess to his distinguished escort that these questions seemed to be more openly discussed in Russia than he had believed possible ; but at the same time he was fain to regard the frankness of the officials whom he had met as a compliment to his special creden- tials and a desire to stand well with the English authorities.
Asked about the prisoner Forsyth, the governor had no particulars to give except to indicate the band of which he was a member and the name of the commander. He did not remember having seen or noticed Forsyth. There had of late been a great many prisoners passing through
