With these pauper princes his children intermarried, and he fed
them with his crumbs and clothed them with scraps of his purple. The
visitor can see today, in every one of their dwarf palaces, some of his
malachite vases or porcelain bowls or porphyry columns.
But the people of Western Europe distrusted him as much as their rulers
worshipped; and some of these same presents to their rulers have become
trifle-monuments of no mean value in showing that popular idea of
Russian policy. Foremost among these stand those two bronze masses of
statuary in front of the Royal Palace at Berlin, representing fiery
horses restrained by strong men. Pompous inscriptions proclaim these
presents from Nicholas; but the people, knowing the man and his
measures, have fastened upon one of these curbed steeds the name of
"Progress Checked," and on the other "Retrogression Encouraged."
A few days before Nicholas's self-will brought him to his deathbed we
saw him ride through the St. Petersburg streets with no pomp and no
attendants, yet in as great pride as ever despotism gave a man.
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