LITHUANIA AND ITS PEOPLE. 109 



neighbours, headed by a Russian priest, were coming to 

 the Governor of Grodno with a petition on his behalf. 

 The word of a Russian priest spoken in favour of a 

 Polish Roman Catholic proprietor was no ordinary inci- 

 dent ; and I was sanguine in the hope of a successful 

 result'. He was indeed released, but only for a short 

 time. He was still forbidden to leave Grodno ; and, in 

 a few days afterwards, the hand of power was once more 

 laid npon him, and he was removed to St. Petersburg, on 

 his way to the distant province of Orenburg, which 

 adjoins the south-western range of the Ural Mountains. 

 He was told, indeed, that upon arriving at the place of 

 his exile, he should be allowed his personal liberty ; that 

 his valet and man-cook should accompany him ; that he 

 should have the command of his money for the supply of 

 what was needful ; and that his estates should all be 

 preserved. Upon arriving at St. Petersburg he was again 

 placed in confinement for eight days, until the arrange- 

 ments were completed lor the subsequent disposal of him- 

 self and of those who were forwarded, at the same time, 

 to undergo the like or severer banishment. 



'During his stay in St. Petersburg, his servant, who 

 had thus far continued to wait upon him, with the 

 intention of going on even to the end, went to the 

 Prussian Embassy, and their received such formidable 

 accounts of the risks to which (through ignorance of 

 the Russian language), he might probably be exposed in 

 the place of his master's exile, accompanied with such 

 strong advice that he should retrace his steps home- 

 ward, that his resolution to share his master's fortunes 

 was utterly shaken. Ludwig hastened to his master, 

 and told him of all that he had heard, and of the fears 

 and perplexities by which he was beset. His master 

 frankly told Ludwig that he should be sorry to part 

 with him, but still more sorry if his intention to follow 

 his master into the interior should entangle him in 

 serious difficulties. He urged him, therefore, to act 

 upon the advice which he had received ; to go home to 



