"It would not matter at all, only, you see, when any one gets into disgrace there is no saying what may happen.

An enemy misrepresents some speech, some evil report gets to the ears of the Czar, and the next day papa might be on his way to Siberia," she dropped her voice as she uttered the dreadful word, "and all his estates confiscated." "What ?" said Jack indignantly, "without any trial, or anything?
I never heard such a shame." The girl nodded.
"It is dreadful," she said, "and now, to make matters worse, that odious Count Smerkoff wants to marry Katinka.

She will be rich, as she will inherit large estates in Poland.

Of course, papa and mamma won't consent, and Katinka hates him, but, you see, he has got lots of powerful relations at court.

If it hadn't been for that, I hear that he would have been dismissed from the army long since; and, worst of all, he is governor here, and can send to headquarters any lying report he likes, and do papa dreadful harm." Jack did not understand anything like all that Olga said, but he gleaned enough to understand the drift of her conversation, and he and Dick chatted over the matter very seriously that night.
Both agreed that something ought to be done.