We  only  waited  the  return  of  Mr.  Crustiew  to  begin
our  proceedings,  who  at  last  arrived,  and  brought  the
good  news,  that  the  governor  left  me  entirely  master
of  the  prisoner  and  his  punishment ;  but  that  with
regard  to  the  assembling  of  the  soldiers  and  cossacks,
he  would  give  orders  that  no  person  in  future  should
dare  to  approach  our  quarters  with  the  intention  of
committing  violence,  under  pain  of  fifty  strokes  of  the
knout,  and  condemnation  to  the  public  works  for  three
months.
This  agreeable  message  was  delivered  to  me  by  Mr.
Crustiew  in  the  full  meeting,  and  as  soon  as  he  had
taken  his  seat,  I  demanded  their  advice  how  to  act
with  regard  to  Stephanow.     The  greater  part  were  for

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CHAPTER  XX

putting  him  to  death,  as  a  man  capable  of  excesses
which,  sooner  or  later,  would  endanger  the  society ;
and  insisted  that  it  was  better  to  save  the  lives  of  fifty-
seven  persons  by  sacrificing  one  single  person,  especially
one  who  was  a  criminal.  I  could  not,  however,  consent
to  this  resolution,  on  account  of  my  attachment  for  Mr.
