I certainly told Kelly, at the time, not to
mention who I was, but I did not intend that he should keep you in
ignorance of it after I had left, and it was not until I heard,
from your jailer at Bercov, that you were ignorant that Peter
Michaeloff was the czar, that I knew that he had kept you in
ignorance of it until the end.
"I should have liked to have kept you as my guest for a time, but
winter comes on early and suddenly, and if you did not go now you
might be detained here until the spring. I have therefore given
orders that one of the Swedish vessels we captured on the lake
should be got in readiness, and its crew placed on board again. You
shall embark in an hour, and it shall carry you to any port in
Sweden you may choose. The wind is from the east, and you have
every chance of a quick run thither."
Charlie expressed his warm thanks to the czar for his thoughtful
kindness.
"I have much to do now," the czar said, "and must hand you over to
the care of one of my officers. He will accompany you, in my
carriage, to the spot where the vessel is lying, near the mouth of
the river, and will there see you on board. Should the fortune of
war again throw you into our hands, do not lose an hour in sending
a message to Peter Michaeloff.
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