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n Rezanov de… clined their hospitality they dispatched a courier at once to the Governor…General of Irkutsk acquaint… ing him with the condition of the Chamberlain and of his imminent arrival。 In consequence； when Rezanov drew rein two days later and looked down upon the city of Irkutsk with its pleasant squares and great stone buildings beside the shining river； the gilded domes and crosses of its thirty churches and convents glittering in the sun； the whole pic… ture beckoning to the delirious brain of the traveler like some mirage of the desert； his appearance was the signal for a salute from the fort； and the Gov… ernor…General； privy counselor and senator de Pestel； accompanied by the civil governor； the com… mandant； the archbishop； and a military escort； sal… lied forth and led the guest； with the formality of officials and the compassionate tenderness of men； into the capital。
For three weeks longer Rezanov lay in the pal… ace of the Governor。 Between fever and lassitude； his iron will seemed alternately to melt in the fiery furnace of his body； then； a cooling but still viscous and formless mass； sink to the utmost depths of his being。 But here he had the best of nursing and attendance； rallied finally and insisted upon continu… ing his journey。 His doctor made the less demur as the traveling was far smoother now； in the early days of March； than it would be a month hence； when the snow was thinner and the sledges were no longer possible。 Nevertheless； he announced his intention to accompany him as far as Krasnoiarsk； where the Chamberlain could lodge in the house of the principal magistrate of the place； Counselor Kel… ler； and； if necessary； be able to command fair nurs… ing and medical attendance； and to this Rezanov indifferently assented。
The prospect of continuing his journey and the bustle of preparation raised the spirits of the in… valid and gave him a fictitious energy。 He had fought depression and despair in all his conscious moments； never admitted that the devastation in his body was mortal。 With but a remnant of his for… mer superb strength； and emaciated beyond recog… nition； he attended a banquet on the night preced… ing his departure； and on the following morning stood up in his sledge and acknowledged the God… speed of the population of Irkutsk assembled in the square before the palace of the Governor。 All his life he had excited interest wherever he went； but never to such a degree as on that last journey when he made his desperate fight for life and happiness。
XXVII
The snow rarely falls in Krasnoiarsk。 It is a little oasis in the great winter desert of Siberia。 Reza… nov； his face turned to the window； could see the red banks on the opposite side of the river。 The sun transformed the gilded cupolas and crosses into dazzling points of light； and the sky above the spires and towers； the stately square and narrow dirty streets of the bustling little capital； was as blue and unflecked as that which arched so high above a land where Castilian roses grew； and one woman among a gay and thoughtless people dreamed； with all the passion of her splendid youth； of the man to whom she had pledged an eternal troth。 Rezanov's mind was clear in those last moments； but something of the serenity and the selfishness of death had already descended upon him。 He heard with indifference the sobs of Jon； crouched at the foot of his bed。 Tears and regrets were a part of the general futility of life； insignificant enough at the grand threshold of death。
No doubt that his great schemes would die with him； and were he remembered at all it would be as a dreamer； or as a failure because he had died be… fore accomplishing what his brain and energy and enthusiasm alone could force to fruition。 None realized better than he the paucity of initiative and executive among the characteristics of the Slav。 What mattered it？ He had had glimpses more than once of the apparently illogical sequence of life； the vanity of human effort； the wanton cruelty of Na… ture。 He had known men struck down before in the maturity of their usefulness； cities destroyed by earthquake or hurricane in the fairest and most promising of their days： public men； priests； par… ents； children； wantons； criminals； blotted out with equal impartiality by a brutal force that would seem to have but a casual use for the life she flung broadcast on her planets。 Man was the helpless victim of Nature； a calf in a tiger's paws。 If she overlooked him； or swept him contemptuously into the class of her favorites； well and good； otherwise he was her sport； the plaything of her idler mo… ments。 Those that cried 〃But why？〃 〃What rea… son？〃 〃What use？〃 were those that had never looked over the walls of their ego at the great dra… matic moments in the career of Nature； when she made immortal fame for herself at the expense of millions of pigmies。
And if his energies； his talents； his usefulness； were held of no account； at least he could look back upon a past when he would have seemed to be one of the few supreme favorites of the forces that shaped man's life and destiny。 Until he had started from Kronstadt four years before on a voyage that had humiliated his proud spirit more than once； and undermined as splendid a physique as ever was granted to even a Russian； he had rolled the world under his foot。 With an appearance and a personal magnetism； gifts of mind and manner and charac… ter that would have commanded attention amid the general flaccidity of his race and conquered life without the great social advantages he inherited； he had enjoyed power and pleasure to a degree that would have spoiled a coarser nature long since。 True； the time had come when he had cared little for any of his endowments save as a means to great ends； when all his energies had concentrated in the determination to live a life of the highest possible usefulnesswithout which man's span was but exist… encehis ambitions had cohered and been driven steadily toward a permanent niche in history； then paled and dissolved for an hour in the glorious vision of human happiness。
And wholly as he might realize man's insignifi… cance among the blind forces of nature； he could accept it philosophically and die with his soul uncor… roded by misanthropy； that final and uncompromis… ing admission of failure。 The misanthrope was the supreme failure of life because he had not the in… telligence to realize； or could not reconcile himself to； the incomplete condition of human nature。 Man was made up of little qualities； and aspirations for great ones。 Many yielded in the struggle and sank into impotent discontent among the small material things of life； instead of uplifting themselves with the picture of the inevitable future when develop… ment had run its course； and indulgently pitying the children of their own period who so often made life hateful with their greed； selfishness； snobbery most potent obstacle to human endeavorand in… justice。 The bad judgment of the mass！ How many careers it had balked； if not ruined； with its poor ideals； its mean heroes； its instinctive avoid… ance of superior qualities foreign to itself； its con… temptible desire to be identified with a f