In the mean time Peter grew more and more urgent in his demands upon

the emperor to deliver up his son, and the emperor at last, finding

that the quarrel was really becoming serious, and being convinced,

moreover, by the representations which Peter caused to be made to him,

that Alexis had been much more to blame than he had supposed, seemed

disposed to change his ground, and began now to advise Alexis to return

home. Alexis was quite alarmed when he found that, after all, he was

not to be supported in his rebellion by the emperor, and at length,

after a great many negotiations, difficulties, and delays, he

determined to make a virtue of necessity and to go home. His father

had written him repeated letters, promising him a free pardon if he

would return, and threatening him in the most severe and decided manner

if he did not. To the last of these letters, when Alexis had finally

resolved to go back, he wrote the following very meek and submissive

reply. It was written from Naples in October, 1717:

"MY CLEMENT LORD AND FATHER,--

"I have received your majesty's most gracious letter by Messrs. Tolstoi

and Rumanrow,[1] in which, as also by word of mouth, I am most

graciously assured of pardon for having fled without your permission in

case I return. I give you most hearty thanks with tears in my eyes,

and own myself unworthy of all favor. I throw myself at your feet, and

implore your clemency, and beseech you to pardon my crimes, for which I

acknowledge that I deserve the severest punishment. But I rely on your

gracious assurances, and, submitting to your pleasure, shall set out

immediately from Naples to attend your majesty at Petersburg with those

whom your majesty has sent.

"Your most humble and unworthy servant, who deserves not to be called

your son,

"ALEXIS."

After having written and dispatched this letter Alexis surrendered

himself to Tolstoi and Rumanrow, and in their charge set out on his

return to Russia, there to be delivered into his father's hands; for

Peter was now in Russia, having returned there as soon as he heard of

Alexis's flight.

[1] These were the envoys, officers of high rank in the government,

whom Peter had sent to bring Alexis back.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE TRIAL.

1717-1718

His father's manifesto on his return--Interview between Alexis and his

father--Anger of the Czar--Substantial cause for Peter's

excitement--Grand councils convened--Scene in the hall--Conditional

promise of pardon--Alexis humbled--Secret conference--Alexis

disinherited--The new heir--Oaths administered--Alexis

imprisoned--Investigation commenced--Prisoners--The torture--Arrest of

Kikin--The page--He fails to warn Kikin in time--Condemnation of

prisoners--Executions--Dishonest confessions of Alexis--His

excesses--Result of the examinations--Proofs against Alexis--An

admission--Testimony of Afrosinia

As soon as Alexis arrived in the country, his father issued a

manifesto, in which he gave a long and full account of his son's

misdemeanors and crimes, and of the patient and persevering, but

fruitless efforts which he himself had made to reclaim him, and

announced his determination to cut him off from the succession to the

crown as wholly and hopelessly irreclaimable. This manifesto was one

of the most remarkable documents that history records. It concluded

with deposing Alexis from all his rights as son and heir to his father,

and appointing his younger brother Peter, the little son of Catharine,

as inheritor in his stead; and finally laying the paternal curse upon

Alexis if he ever thereafter pretended to, or in any way claimed the

succession of which he had been deprived.

This manifesto was issued as soon as Peter learned that Alexis had

arrived in the country under the charge of the officers who had been

appointed to bring him, and before the Czar had seen him. Alexis

continued his journey to Moscow, where the Czar then was. When he

arrived he went that same night to the palace, and there had a long

conference with his father. He was greatly alarmed and overawed by the

anger which his father expressed, and he endeavored very earnestly, by

expressions of penitence and promises of amendment, to appease him.

But it was now too late. The ire of the Czar was thoroughly aroused,

and he could not be appeased. He declared that he was fully resolved

on deposing his son, as he had announced in his manifesto, and that the

necessary steps for making the act of deposition in a formal and solemn

manner, so as to give it full legal validity as a measure of state,

would be taken on the following day.

It must be confessed that the agitation and anger which Peter now

manifested were not wholly without excuse, for the course which Alexis

had pursued had been the means of exposing his father to a great and

terrible danger--to that, namely, of a rebellion among his subjects.

Peter did not even know but that such a rebellion was already planned

and was ripe for execution, and that it might not break out at any

time, notwithstanding his having succeeded in recovering possession of

the person of Alexis, and in bringing him home. Of such a rebellion,

if one had been planned, the name of Alexis would have been, of course,

the watch-word and rallying-point, and Peter had a great deal of ground

for apprehension that such a one had been extensively organized and was

ready to be carried into effect. He immediately set himself at work to

ferret out the whole affair, resolving, however, in the first place, to

disable Alexis himself from doing any farther mischief by destroying

finally and forever all claims on his part to the inheritance of the

crown.

Accordingly, on the following morning, before daybreak, the garrison of

the city were put under arms, and a regiment of the Guards was posted

around the palace, so as to secure all the gates and avenues; and

orders were sent, at the same time, to the principal ministers, nobles,

and counselors of state, to repair to the great hall in the castle, and

to the bishops and clergy to assemble in the Cathedral. Every body

knew that the occasion on which they were convened was that they might

witness the disinheriting of the prince imperial by his father, in

consequence of his vices and crimes; and in coming together in

obedience to the summons, the minds of all men were filled with solemn

awe, like those of men assembling to witness an execution.

When the appointed hour arrived the great bell was tolled, and Alexis

was brought into the hall of the castle, where the nobles were

assembled, bound as a prisoner, and deprived of his sword. The Czar

himself stood at the upper end of the hall, surrounded by the chief

officers of state. Alexis was brought before him. As he approached he

presented a writing to his father, and then fell down on his knees

before him, apparently overwhelmed with grief and shame.

The Czar handed the paper to one of his officers who stood near, and

then asked Alexis what it was that he desired. Alexis, in reply,

begged that his father would have mercy upon him and spare his life.

The Czar said that he would spare his life, and forgive him for all his

treasonable and rebellious acts, on condition that he would make a full

and complete confession, without any restriction or reserve, of every

thing connected with his late escape from the country, explaining fully

all the details of the plan which he had formed, and reveal the names

of all his advisers and accomplices. But if his confession was not

full and complete--if he suppressed or concealed any thing, or the name

of any person concerned in the affair or privy to it, then this promise

of pardon should be null and void.

The Czar also said that Alexis must renounce the succession to the

crown, and must confirm the renunciation by a solemn oath, and

acknowledge it by signing a declaration, in writing, to that effect

with his own hand. To all this, Alexis, who seemed overwhelmed with

contrition and anguish, solemnly agreed, and declared that he was ready

to make a full and complete confession.

The Czar then asked his son who it was that advised him and aided him