Quickly he controlled himself,
and then as he continued to listen he was moved to scorn, and a
faint smile began to stir under his grizzled beard.
A man had appeared in Poland--such was the burden of Basmanov's
story--coming none knew exactly whence, who claimed to be
Demetrius, the son of Ivan Vassielivitch, and lawful Tsar of
Russia--Demetrius, who was believed to have died at Uglich ten
years ago, and whose remains lay buried in Moscow, in the Church
of St. Michael. This man had found shelter in Lithuania, in the
house of Prince Wisniowiecki, and thither the nobles of Poland
were now flocking to do him homage, acknowledging him the son of
Ivan the Terrible. He was said to be the living image of the dead
Tsar, save that he was swarthy and black-haired, like the dowager
Tsarina, and there were two warts on his face, such as it was
remembered had disfigured the countenance of the boy Demetrius.
Thus Basmanov, adding that he had dispatched a messenger into
Lithuania to obtain more precise confirmation of the story. That
messenger--chosen in consequence of something else that Basmanov
had been told--was Smirnoy Otrepiev.
The Tsar Boris sat back in his chair, his eyes on the gem
encrusted goblet, the stem of which his fingers were mechanically
turning.
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