She saw her brother now as he had been at the moment when he took leave of her and of Lise, his look tender yet proud.

She saw him tender and amused as he was when he put on the little icon.

" Did he believe? Had he repented of his unbelief? Was he now there? There in the realms of eternal peace and blessedness?" she thought.

"Father, tell me how it happened," she asked through her tears.

"Go! Go! Killed in battle, where the best of Russian men and Russia's glory were led to destruction.