Stanmitz .Well，mother，I mustn’t be skulking about here in Moscow any longer.I must leave you，and go back to Holland to my trade.At the risk of my life I came here，and at the risk of my life I must go back.
Mrs .Stanmitz.Ah！Michael，Michael，if it hadn‘t been for your turning deserter，you might have been a corporal by this time！
Sta .Look you，mother，-I was made a soldier against my will，and the more I saw of a soldier’s life the more I hated it.As a poor journeyman carpenter，I am at least free and independent；and if you will come with me to Holland，you shall take care of my wages and keep house for me.
Mrs.S.I should be a drag upon you，Michael.You will be wanting to get married by and by，moreover，it will be hard for me to leave the old home at my time of life.
Sta.Some one is knocking at the door.Wait，mother，till I have concealed myself.[Enter Peter the Great disguised.]
Peter.What，ho！comrade！No skulking！Come out from behind thatscreen！Didn‘t I see you through the window，as I passed？
Sta.Is it possible？Peter！My old fellow-workman！Give us your hand，my hearty！How came you to be here in Moscow？There is no ship-building going on so far inland.
Pet.No；but there is at St.Petersburg，the new city that the Czar isbuilding up.
Sta.They say the Czar is in Moscow just now.
Pet.Yes，he passed through your street this morning.
Sta.So I heard.But I didn’t see him.I say，Peter，how did you findme out？
Pet.Why，happening to see your mother‘s sign over the door，it occurred to me，after I returned to the palace-Sta.The palace？
Pet.Yes；I always call the place where I put up a palace.It is a way I have.
Sta.You always were a funny fellow，Peter！
Pet.As I was saying，it occurred to me that Mrs.Stanmitz might be the mother or aunt of my old messmate；and so I put on this disguise-Sta .Ha，ha！Sure enough，it is a disguise，the disguise of agentleman.Peter，where did you get such fine clothes？
Pet.Don’t interrupt me，sir！
Sta .Don‘t joke in that way again，Peter！Do you know you half frightened me by the stern tone in which you said “Don’t interrupt me，sir！”But I see how it is，Peter，and I thank you.You thought you could learn something of your old friend，and so stopped to inquire，and saw me through the window.
Pet.Ah！Stanmitz，many‘s the big log we have chopped at together through the long summer day in Von Block’s ship-yard.
Sta.That we have，Peter！Why not go back with me to Saardam？
Pet.I can get better wages at St.Petersburg.
Sta.If it were not that I‘m afraid of being overhauled for taking that long walk away from my post，I would go to St.Petersburg with you.
Pet.How happened you to venture back here？
Sta.Why，you must know that this old mother of mine wanted to see me badly；and then I had left behind here a sweetheart.Don’t laugh，Peter！She has waited all this while for me；and the misery of it is that I am too poor to take her along with me yet.But next year，if my luck continues，I mean to return and marry her.
Pet.What if I should inform against you？I could make a pretty little sum by exposing a deserter.
Sta.Don‘t joke on that subject！You’ll frighten the old woman.Peter，old boy，I‘m so glad to see you-Halloo！Soldiers at the door！What does this mean？An officer？Peter，excuse me，but I must leave you.
Pet.Stay！I give you my word it is not you they want.They are friends of mine.
Sta.O！if that’s the case，I‘ll stay.But do you know one of thosefellows looks wonderfully like my old com man ding officer？
Officer.A dispatch from St.Petersburg，your majesty，claiming your instant attention.
Mrs.S.Majesty！
Sta.Majesty！I say，Peter，what does he mean by majesty？
Officer.Knave！Know you not that this is the Czar？
Sta.What！-Eh？-This？-Nonsense！This is my old friend Peter.
Officer.Down on your knees，rascal，to Peter the Great，Czar of Russia！
Mrs.S.O！your majesty，your majesty，don’t hang the poor boy！He knew no better！He is my only son！Let him be whipped，but don‘t hang him！
Sta.Nonsense，mother！This is only one of Peter’s jokes.Ha，ha，ha！You keep it up well，though.And those are dispatches you are reading，Peter！
Officer.Rascal！Dare you interrupt his majesty？
Sta.Twice you‘ve called me rascal.Don’t you think that‘s being rather familiar？Peter，have you any objection to my pitching your friend out of the window？
Officer.Ha！Now I look closer，I remember you！Soldiers，arrest thisfellow！He’s a deserter.