By Right of Sword

In Short

Set against the icy backdrop of late-nineteenth-century Moscow, Arthur W. Marchmont’s adventure novel follows Rupert, an Englishman who assumes the identity of a notorious Russian infantry lieutenant named Alexis Petrovitch. Forced to navigate a lethal maze of military duels, radical Nihilist conspiracies, and dangerous romantic entanglements, Rupert attempts to reform his double’s toxic reputation while protecting Alexis’s sister, Olga. Packed with swordplay, high-stakes deception, and high-level political treason, the narrative endures as a vivid, fast-paced tale of honor, romantic devotion, and self-sacrifice under the shadows of imperial Russian despotism.

The Story

The story opens in Moscow when Rupert, an Englishman, assumes the physical persona and military post of Alexis Petrovitch, a disgraced Russian lieutenant burdened with debts, political treason, and a shameful reputation. Guided by Alexis's sharp and spirited sister, Olga, Rupert carefully adapts to the lieutenant's dress, mannerisms, and household under the watchful eye of a suspicious servant, Vosk. To extinguish Alexis's established record as a coward, Rupert immediately provokes and defeats Major Devinsky—a brutal regimental bully—in a sensational sword duel, earning the sudden respect of his fellow officers.

However, assuming Alexis’s life forces Rupert to inherit a labyrinth of ugly secrets. He is soon confronted by Peter Prashil, a bitter man demanding blackmail money over Alexis's ruin of his daughter, Anna. Rupert sternly dismisses Prashil, but far more dangerous complications arise through Alexis’s covert ties to Moscow’s underground Nihilist movement and his obsessive female admirers. Paula Tueski, a reckless woman wildly enamored with Alexis, murders her own husband, Christian Tueski, using Alexis’s dagger and then keeps the initialed sheath to blackmail Rupert into loving her. Concurrently, high-society figures like the enigmatic Princess Weletsky and the powerful Prince Bilbassoff entangle Rupert in complex court intrigues.

As the pressure intensifies, Rupert realizes that his fake sister, Olga, has captured his true affection. When Major Devinsky abducts Olga and traps her at his estate, Rupert launches a perilous rescue, breaking her out only to discover that the imperial police and Nihilist conspirators are closing in. Olga is arrested, forcing Rupert to strike a precarious balance between pleading with police officials and preparing a desperate plan of escape across the Russian frontier.

The narrative culminates in a dramatic climax near a stretch of railway guarded by four prominent alder trees. A faction of Nihilists, supported by high-ranking conspirators, plots to derail the Imperial train carrying the Czar by manipulating a secret track-switching mechanism. Recognizing the plot after a decoy train passes, Rupert leaps onto the tracks directly in front of the approaching locomotive. Waving his arms and shouting, he successfully alerts the engineers to apply the emergency brakes, halting the train and thwarting the assassination.

Severely injured during the frantic confrontation, Rupert spends a month recovering inside the imperial palace under the personal care of the Czar's medical staff and surrounded by high state honors. His loyal friend Balestier and Prince Bilbassoff conduct a relentless search for Olga, who had gone missing amid the turmoil. Meanwhile, the true Alexis Petrovitch permanently flees to Paris to abandon his compromised life. Once the police locate Olga, she and Rupert are joyfully reunited, allowing Rupert to marry the woman he protected and establish an honorable new life beyond the shadow of swordplay.

How It Unfolds

The transformation begins Rupert steps into the identity of the Russian officer Alexis Petrovitch, carefully adjusting his clothes and practicing his demeanor with Alexis's sister, Olga. He successfully fools the sharp-eyed servant Vosk while memorizing military uniform requirements to prevent fatal blunders.

A triumph of steel Challenged by the regimental bully Devinsky, Rupert fights a precise, decisive duel with swords, easily disarming and humiliating his opponent. The sudden display of skill and courage completely reverses Rupert's reputation among his fellow infantry officers.

Confronting the blackmailer When a disgruntled father named Peter Prashil attempts to extort money regarding his daughter Anna, Rupert calls his bluff directly. He writes a confession to the police and orders Prashil to present it, forcing the blackmailer to tear up the paper in frustrated rage.

The bloody trap Paula Tueski murders her husband Christian with a dagger belonging to Alexis, attempting to trap Rupert in a web of shared guilt. She uses the sheath bearing Alexis's name to threaten him and his sister with execution or exile to Siberia if he rejects her affection.

Abduction and rescue Major Devinsky retaliates by kidnapping Olga and imprisoning her at his secluded residence. Rupert infiltrates the house, survives being bound by Devinsky's men, and secures his freedom when police arrive, though he is forced to plot Olga's release through high-level officials.

Warning the train Stationed near three alder trees along the railroad line, Rupert discovers a hidden mechanism designed by Nihilists to derail the incoming Imperial train. As the third train carrying the Czar approaches, Rupert leaps between the tracks, frantically signaling the engineers to trigger the emergency brakes.

An imperial recovery Having saved the sovereign, Rupert awakens in the palace to recover from severe wounds under the care of royal physicians. Prince Bilbassoff tracks down the missing Olga, while the real Alexis flees abroad, leaving Rupert free to marry Olga and live in peace.

The People

Rupert (impersonating Alexis Petrovitch) wants to navigate his false identity safely without compromising his personal code of honor. Constantly threatened by duels, police surveillance, blackmailers, and Nihilist plotters, he transforms from a reckless adventurer into a deeply committed protector driven by genuine love for Olga and a patriotic impulse to prevent regicide.

Olga wants to safeguard her family honor and protect Rupert as he assumes her brother's perilous position. Hindered by Devinsky’s persistent unwanted advances, political abduction, and imperial arrest, she evolves from a lighthearted co-conspirator into a brave, resilient woman willing to endure exile for the man she loves.

Major Devinsky wants to maintain his domineering dominance over the infantry regiment and forcibly possess Olga. Thwarted by Rupert’s vastly superior sword skills and steadfast resistance, he ends up bitter, humiliated, and discarded by court politics.

Paula Tueski wants to bind Alexis to her at any cost, driven by an unhinged, obsessive passion. Blocked by Rupert’s total disgust for her violence, she stoops to murdering her husband and using blackmail, ultimately becoming a desperate figure who uses threats of imperial execution to force affection.

Prince Bilbassoff wants to maintain imperial order and root out Nihilist subversion within Moscow high society. Hindered by complex court conspiracies and evasive suspects, he acts as a shrewd, calculating authority figure who ultimately rewards Rupert’s heroism by uncovering state secrets and reuniting the lovers.

In Its Own Voice

Following the intense sword duel where Rupert decisively disarms the regimental bully, Lieutenant Essaieff delivers his revised assessment of his comrade's character.

"After this morning no one will ever call you a coward;" said he; and I think he was a good deal relieved at not having to stand in front of a sword which could do what mine had just done.

During a desperate confrontation, Paula Tueski explains the chilling weapon of leverage she holds over Rupert to force his compliance.

"The dagger that killed Christian Tueski is your own weapon, known by its sheath to a hundred people: and that sheath, with your name on it, is in my possession."

When Rupert frantically demands information about Olga's whereabouts, a polite police official offers bureaucratic courtesy while withholding help.

"Lieutenant, a brave man like you shall always command my sympathies and services so far as my duty permits," and with that official reservation he bowed me out with the most profuse of polite gestures.

What It's Really About

Beneath its energetic surface of dueling and disguise, the novel explores the volatile nature of identity and moral redemption. By stepping into another man's shoes, Rupert proves that character is defined by choices and courage rather than bloodline or past reputation. The story questions whether an individual can maintain personal honor while functioning inside an authoritarian regime riddled with police corruption, blackmail, and revolutionary terror. It also examines the destructive power of obsessive passion—contrasting Paula Tueski's murderous, coercive fixation with the genuine, self-sacrificing devotion between Rupert and Olga. Ultimately, the narrative asserts that true nobility is demonstrated through right action and protective loyalty, enabling a man to overcome the darkest political webs by force of personal integrity.

Why Read It Today

Fans of late-Victorian sensation fiction, classic swashbucklers, and tales of mistaken identity will find this novel immensely satisfying. Reading it feels like stepping into a tense nineteenth-century melodrama, filled with high-stakes military duels, clandestine meetings, and hair-breadth escapes across snow-bound Russian landscapes. Marchmont constructs a narrative of persistent momentum, balancing tactical swordplay against the intricate suspense of imperial espionage.

Readers should be prepared, however, for certain period conventions shown in the text. The dialogue occasionally leans into theatrical melodrama, and the portrayal of Russian political structures and Nihilist undergrounds reflects typical Victorian imperial attitudes and dramatic tropes rather than nuanced historical analysis. Additionally, the plot relies heavily on fortunate coincidences, extreme villainy, and formulaic romantic declarations. Yet, these dated elements do little to dim the book's genuine storytelling vigor. What remains with the reader is the exhilarating thrill of a principled protagonist outwitting corrupt officials, humbling bullies, and risking everything on a single act of bravery along the railway tracks.