i 
 
 ■■ 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 0¥ CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN ; 
 
 LIFE IN RUSSIA.
 
 Aberdeen : 
 
 D. Chalmers & Co. Printers, 
 
 ■2i, Adelphi Court.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN ; 
 
 LIFE IN RUSSIA. 
 
 By THADDEUS BULGARIN. 
 
 TWO VOLS. 
 VOLUME THE FIRST. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 WHITTAKER, TREACHER, AND CO. 
 EDINBURGH : H. CONSTABLE. 
 
 M.D.CCC.XXXI.
 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 Probably no other work which was ever published 
 
 in Russia, acquired such a sudden popularity as the 
 
 Novel a translation of which is now submitted to the 
 
 British public. The first edition, which came out in 
 
 the beginning of 1829, was sold off within three weeks 
 
 after it issued from the press ; it has been translated 
 
 ^ into the French and German languages ; and, in its 
 
 T own country, its fame has extended itself to the 
 
 K lowest ranks of society. 
 
 I Notwithstanding the abundance of intellectual riches 
 
 ^ with which the land we live in overflows, perhaps this 
 ^ small contribution to the stock of literature may not 
 be altogether overlooked or despised, especially by 
 those who have any curiosity, — to contemplate the so- 
 cial condition of a people which exhibits some features 
 common to the whole of Europe a few centuries ago ; 
 while, in some other points, it resembles the splendidly 
 
 industrious subjects of the ancient Pharaohs ; — to con- 
 A 3 

 
 tiast the state of mind in the most backward, with 
 that in the most forward of European nations in the 
 march of intellect ; — and, above all, to read a very 
 interesting chapter in the great book of Human Nature. 
 
 Concerning the manner in which this translation is 
 executed, a few observations are necessary, rather in 
 extenuation than commendation. 
 
 To render literally all the peculiarities of a foreign 
 idiom, is apt to produce a work not likely to be re- 
 lished by the great majority of readers, and thus to 
 hurt the main object for which a book of this sort, like 
 the razors in the fable, is made ; that is — to sell. On 
 the other hand, by giving to a foreign production all 
 the characteristics of the vernacular idiom, an effect is 
 produced which may be compared to that which re- 
 sults from a figure meant to represent an Eastern saint 
 or ancient hero, dressed up in the modem costume of 
 the West. Ignorant people may be pleased — but the 
 taste of those who know better is sliocked. 
 
 However, for more than one reason, it seems to be 
 advisable to make a compromise between these two 
 extremes, and to follow in this respect the prevailing 
 fashion of meeting the ideas of the multitude half-way : 
 but the original has been adhered to wherever the mean-
 
 ing- appeared capable of being rendered closely and 
 neatly at the same time. 
 
 It has been found necessary to encumber the text 
 with a considerable number of explanatoiy notes, which, 
 if they possess no other good quality, may, at any 
 rate, lay claim to the negative merit of shortness. 
 
 The translator must acknowledge his want of ex- 
 perience in book-making, and is sensible that many 
 other defects besides, exist in the performance : the cri- 
 tical reader will find these out by far more readily than 
 the unpractised wiiter ; but it will be very agi'eeable 
 if, after all, he shall be adjudged not to have deserved 
 ill of that best of republics — the Republic of Letters. 
 
 Aberdeen, 
 \st June, 1831.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Page 
 The Orphan — a Picture of Human Nature, after the man- 
 ner of the Flemish School 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Mr. Gologordoflsky and his Family 12 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 Love ^4 
 
 CHAPTER IV, 
 
 Pui-poscs of Marriage 30 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Ball and Elopement 37 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Marriage and Honey-moon 50 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A rich Jew — Sources of his Riches 56 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Meeting of two great Lawyers, the one going out full, and 
 the other coming in empty I leave the Jew 74
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Page 
 Unexpected meeting Change of life. — My Aunt — My Edu- 
 cation 88 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 lioarding-scliool Examination. — A Tempter — New Friend 
 of my Aunt. — Symptoms of First Love. — Departure from 
 Moscow 107 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 I get better acquainted with Vorovaateen's Character. — 
 
 Conversation overheard Presentiments. — A Provincial 
 
 Dealer in Justice 129 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 The Freedman. — Lunatic. — Love's Labour lost 1 53 
 
 CHAPTER XIIL 
 
 A Prisoner with the Kirglieez. — Philosophic Chieftain. — I 
 learn the art of Horsemanship 167 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Arsalan Sultan's Relation of liis Adventures iu Russia 181 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Consequences of a hard Winter in the Steppe. — Attack 
 
 Joyful Meeting with my first Benefactor 198 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Meloveeden's Narrative A living Automation and his 
 
 Housekeeper. — An Old Maid's Family, — Panorama of 
 Moscow Society— A friendly Quadrille.— Russian Foreigner. 
 — Company at the Watering Places. — Glance at Venice 211
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Page 
 The Resolution of the Kirgheezian Elders, with reference to 
 my Reward. — The continuation of Meloveeden's Story. — 
 Duel. — Flight The renegade Jew. — Residence in Con- 
 stantinople. — What is Pera ? — Deceit. — Slavery. — Delive- 
 rance 230 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 I quit the Steppe Another provincial Magistrate Custom- 
 
 liouse Officers A Lawyer's Dinner 253 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Conversation upon business with a Russian Mercliaut A 
 
 turbulent Man End of a Malefactor 279
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The Orphan — a picture of Human Nature, after the manner of 
 the Flemish school. 
 
 The first ten years of my life were spent in the house 
 of Mr. Gologordoffsky, a country gentleman in Byalo- 
 Russia* : there I was reared like a home-bred wolfling, 
 and was known under the name of the Orphan. No- 
 body cared for me, and still less cared I for any body. 
 None of the mmates of the house paid me any atten- 
 tion except an old, worn out dog, who, like me, was 
 left to provide for liimself. 
 
 I had no comer of tlie house assigned me for my 
 lodging, no food nor clothing allotted me, nor any fix- 
 ed occupation. In tlie summer, I spent my days in 
 the open air, and slept under the sheds attached to the 
 bara or cow-house, f In the winter, I lived in the 
 bulky kitchen, wliich served as a rendezvous for the 
 
 * A district composed of some of the border-provinces, lying 
 between the Empire of Russia and the old Kingdom of Poland. 
 
 i" The farm-yards in Russia, and pirt of Poland, are supplied 
 with roofs or sheds, on account of the sun's heat in summer, 
 aud the snow in winter. 
 
 B
 
 2 IVAN VEJKEGIIEN. 
 
 numerous train of servants, and I slept on the hearth * 
 among the hot cinders. In summer I wore nothing but 
 a long shirt and a piece of rope about my waist : in win- 
 ter I covered my nakedness with whatever came in my 
 way — any old jacket or fragment of a peasant's coat 
 served my pui-pose. With these articles I was fur- 
 nished by compassionate people, who did not know 
 \vhat to do with their old rags, I wore nothing on 
 my feet, which became so hardened that neither grass 
 nor mud, nor ice, made any difference of feeling. 
 My head likewise was left to its natural covering : 
 the rain washed out the dust, and the snow cleared 
 away the ashes. I was fed with the fragments from 
 the servants' table, and feasted upon eggs, wliich I 
 gathered in the neighbourhood of the lien-house, and 
 about the bam ; on tlie leavings in the milk-pots, -f- 
 'jvhicli I licked with luicommon relish, and on finiit 
 whicli I stole by night in the orchard. I was under 
 the command of no one in particular, but every body 
 ordered me about at discretion. In summer, they set 
 me to herd the geese on the pasture, or on the banks 
 of the pond, to protect the goslings and chickens from 
 dogs and kites. In winter they employed me as a turn- 
 spit in the kitclien, and this was to me a most agree- 
 able occupation. Every time that the cook turned his 
 or her back, I would quickly apply my palm to the 
 juicy roast, and under my wrist suck my greasy hand 
 as a bear does its paw. I sometimes very ingeniously 
 
 * In Byalo-Russia stoves are not so much used, as raised 
 hearths, on wliich fires arc kindled. 
 
 -f- The milk is kept in large, round, black-earthen pots.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEX. 3 
 
 snatclieil pieces of bacon from the dripper, and stole 
 cutlets out of the stewing-pan : my chief occupation 
 was to mn eiTands for all the men-servants, maid-ser- 
 vants, and even the foot-boys. They sent me to tlie 
 kartchma* for vodJey,\ placed me on the out-look 
 in smidry places, without explaining their reasons ; 
 with orders to whistle or clap my hands on the ap- 
 pearance of the squire, steward, and sometimes even 
 of the other men-servants, or maid-servants. On the 
 first word — " Orphan, mn this way or that way, and 
 call this one or that one" — I set off at the gallop, and 
 fulfilled my instructions to a tittle, knowing that the 
 smallest neglect would expose me to an inevitable 
 beating. Wlien they placed me on the watch, and 
 forbade me to look about me, (which mostly happened 
 in the garden, during the summer season,) I stood like 
 one buried in the ground, not daring even to lift up 
 my eyes or make the least motion, till they pushed me 
 from the spot. Sometimes, though very seldom, they 
 rewaj'ded me for my zealous services with a piece of 
 black bread, old bacon, or cheese, and I, not being 
 famished, would divide it with my beloved dog Kood- 
 lashka. 
 
 Observing how other children were fondled and 
 kissed, I wept bitterly, from an inexpressible feel- 
 ing of envy and cliagi-in : the caresses and blandish- 
 ments of Koodlashka alleviated my giief, and made my 
 solitude more tolerable. If other children caressed 
 
 * A Polish hostelry is railed a kartchma. 
 •f- Vodky is an ill-tasted sori ot wMsky, made from malt and 
 rye flour. 
 
 B 2
 
 4 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 tlieir mothers and nurses, I would do the same to my 
 Koodlashka, calling him mammy and nursy, lifting 
 liini, kissing liim, pressing him to my hreast, and 
 tumbling with him on the sand. I had an inclination 
 to love my fellow-creatures, particularly those of the 
 other sex, but this inclination was thwarted by fear. 
 All beat me and knocked me about, either from cha- 
 giin, for diversion, or from ennui. Wlien I happened 
 to meet any of the lackeys or maid-servants, after they 
 had got a scolding or beating from the higher powers, 
 they would wreak their vengeance upon me, driving 
 me out of their way either with a blow or a curse. If 
 I chanced to be tempted by curiosity to look on while 
 they harnessed the carnage-horses, the coachmen, to 
 raise a laugh among the other by-standers, would strike 
 me on the head with the whip, and, lashing my feet, 
 ma]<e me lea]) from the smart. 
 
 I did not dare to approach the sportsmen within 
 reach of the whipper-in. The herdsmen would also 
 amuse themselves at my expense, by driving me into 
 the midst of their flock, and observing the effects of 
 my fear in trying to extricate myself from among the 
 cows and sheep. The two sons of the squire would 
 also take their sport in shooting at me from a bow, or 
 pursuing me with little lap-dogs, from wliich, how- 
 ever, my Koodlashka always defended me. 
 
 The Ghospodeen himself I rarely saw : meeting me 
 once in the court-yard, he forbade me to come near 
 the windows of the mansion, and stamped so terribly 
 with his foot, saying, " Get out of the way, you little 
 savage," that I no more dared to appear in the pre-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 5 
 
 8ence of so august a personage, but would hide my- 
 self in the dog-kemiel if I only chanced to see him at 
 a distance. His lady and her two daughters I had no 
 opportunity of seeing, except through the garden-fence 
 or in their carriage, and knew them oidy by their 
 dress. I stood in the utmost fear of the steward and 
 his wife, because they occasionally flogged me, for an 
 example to their dear little son, who was not disposed 
 to learn his lessons, but preferred robbing birds' nests 
 and tlirowing stones at the Ghospodeen's ducklings 
 and chickens. The destruction of the domestic birds 
 by this little good-for-nothing, was laid to the blame 
 of the kites and of my carelessness. As a pimish- 
 ment for his frolics they Avould place him to witness 
 how I was whipped, and to liear a lecture which used 
 to be concluded in these words : " Observe, Ignatius ; 
 if you continue to romp and not to learn, you will be 
 flogged too, as severely as this oqjhan. Do you hear 
 liow he screams ? You will have to sing the same song 
 by and by !" In recompense for the dramatic per- 
 formance of this didactic experiment, the stewai'd's 
 wife would give me a bit of bread and cheese, or a 
 pot of milk, which I swallowed with tears, without un- 
 derstanding the cause either of the punishment or 
 gratuity. 
 
 Tills is all that I recollect of the first years of my 
 childliood, which is impressed on my memory as an 
 era of unalloyed sonow and suffering. At last it 
 pleased providence to lighten my hard lot, and at 
 least to include me in the number of rational crea- 
 tures. 
 
 B 3
 
 6 IVAN VEJEEGHEN, 
 
 One of the female servants, 3Iasha,* a cheerful 
 and kind-looking girl, who used to place nie on the 
 watch in the garden oftener than the other chamber- 
 maids ; this young woman meeting me one day in the 
 court-yard at twilight in an autumn evening, beckoned 
 me to her, and patting my head, said : " Take this 
 paper, oi-}>han : keep a fast hold of it and go to the 
 village. There, in the starost's-]- hovise, ask where 
 the officer lives, give him the paper and return home. 
 Only don't tell any body that I sent you, and if any 
 one should want to take the paper from you, don't 
 give it up though you should eat it. Dost thou un- 
 derstand me, orphan ?" " I understand you." " Now, 
 repeat all that I have told you." I repeated it word 
 for word, which gave her such satisfaction, that she 
 almost kissed me and would have actually done it, if 
 I had not been so dirty. " But dost thou know the 
 starost's house." " Wliy slundd not I liiiow it : isn't 
 it the third house from the Kartchma ?" " Very well: 
 but dost thou know what officer it is ?" " To be sm-e, 
 tlie gentleman who has red facings to his coat, who 
 rides by on horseback, and who comes in the even- 
 ings." " That's enough : I see you are a sharp, active 
 boy, and if you acquit yourself well, you shall have 
 plenty of bread, meat and everything : dost thou 
 hear ?" " I hear you :" replied I, and immediately 
 whistling on Koodlashka, I ran out at the gate with 
 great speed. 
 
 " The vulgar name of Mary. 
 
 ■\- The starcst is the elder or chief of a village, elected either 
 by the villas^ers themselves, or appointed by their proprietor.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 7 
 
 It was three versts* to tlie village by the highway, 
 but, by a short cut known to me through the fields and 
 hedges, it was not the half of that. Having got to 
 the starost's house, I met the officer in the porch, 
 whom I knew by his features, made my bow to him, 
 and delivered the note. He looked at me from head 
 to foot, smiled and ordered me to follow him into the 
 eezba.j- Tliere, having read over the paper, he ap- 
 peared very well satisfied mth its contents, and as a 
 reward, apparently for good news, gave me a bit of 
 fruit-pie. This was the first time in my life that I 
 partook of tliat dainty. I could not contain my ex- 
 tacy at feeling in my mouth a hitherto unknown agree- 
 able sensation : in the officer's presence I began to de- 
 vour the pie, at the same time laughing and capering 
 for joy. 
 
 At this moment anotliei* officer came in, and they 
 were both highly taken with my wild simplicity in 
 tasting sugar, wine, and difterent sweetmeats. " Who 
 art thou ?' asked the officer to whom I was sent. 
 " The orphan :" answered I. — " Wlio were thy pa- 
 rents ?" — " I do not know." " Wliat is thy name ?"' 
 " The orphan." " Poor creatm-e," said the good of- 
 ficer, patting my cheeks : " I will do something for 
 
 * A verst is two thirds of an English mile. 
 
 i" An eezba is that part of a peasant's house which is inhabit, 
 ed by himself and family ; the whole premises consist generally 
 of a court-yard with a covered roof, of an inclosure for the cattle, 
 another for the hay, an ice-cellar for the milk and meat in sum- 
 mer, a storehouse for oats, rye and buck wheat, and a covered 
 porch with a door, to intercept the exit of heat from the eezba in 
 winter ; lastly the eezba itself which is heated with a large brick 
 oven-stove. 
 
 B 4
 
 8 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 thee." " Isn't he a pretty boy ?" added the officer, 
 turning to his companion. " He really is," answered 
 the other : " only it is a pity that he is kept like a 
 pig." The caresses of these good officers raised my 
 spirits to such a degree, that I, recollecting how I 
 had seen other children caressed daily by their fathers 
 and mothers, fell a crying and threw myself down to 
 kiss the feet* of the persons who, for the first time in 
 my life, treated me with humanity. My tears and gi-a- 
 titude made a powerful impression upon them. They 
 redoubled their kind treatment, and gave me different 
 sweetmeats to take with me. " Go home, now, or- 
 phan," said the officer to me ; " and say to the person 
 who sent you," " veiy well ;" " but so that nobody else 
 may hear thee." " Dost thou understand me ?" "I 
 understand. I will take a hold of Masha's skirt, and 
 pull her aside, and tell her that the good gentleman 
 said, " very well." " Excellent : could not be better. 
 This boy is very quick for his years," rejoined the 
 officer, " and I will make a man of him : good bye, 
 orphan." 
 
 In general all secret commissions lie near to the 
 heart of the employers, and become a source of good 
 fortune to the employed when they are promptly exe- 
 cuted. This was the case with me. On an-iving at 
 the manor-house, I slipped into the kitchen, and ob- 
 serving that Masha looked rather uneasily, first at me, 
 then all around her, I did not appear as if I wished to 
 speak with her, but slunk out of the kitchen. Masha 
 
 • This is an usual mode of asking a favour of a superior, 
 among the common people.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 9 
 
 followed me, and when I gave her an account of my 
 embassy, she also patted me and praised me for my 
 activity, ordered me to tell no one of what had hap- 
 pened, and promised next day to reward me. I spent 
 the most agreeable night in my life under the roof of 
 the farm-yard, on the straw with my Koodlaslika, who 
 kept me warm while I dreamed the whole night of 
 officers with pies and sugar. 
 
 Next morning, while I was prowling, as usual, about 
 the kitchen, to pick up what might come in my way, 
 I saw Masha who beckoned me to her, and ordered 
 me to follow her to the steward. Supposing that I 
 would have to encounter another whipping for the l)e- 
 nefit of the little scape-gi'ace, I fell a crying and was 
 preparing to run away to tlie officers in the village. 
 But Masha having assured me that no harm was in- 
 tended, I followed her, trembling however from fear. 
 They washed me, and combed me, or properly speak- 
 ing, scraped me, put clean linen upon me, and some 
 sort of a coat, and then led me into the apartments oc- 
 cupied by the squu-e and family. I was exactly in the 
 pi'edicament of a sheep in the hands of its shepherd, 
 which trembles for fear, not Icnowing whether they 
 are going to shear it or slaughter it. I was stationed 
 in the lobby and ordered to wait. It astonished me 
 greatly that the lackeys and foot-boys who were pass- 
 ing and repassing through the lobby, did not beat me 
 nor laugh at me as usual.* Tins gave me some cou- 
 
 " In the houses of the Russian country gentry, a stranger or 
 visitor will find the behaviour of the servants to be a pretty accu- 
 rate thermometer of the dispositions of their master or mistress, 
 B 3
 
 10 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 rac^e ; but when tlie door leading from the inner-rooms 
 suddenly opened, and I beheld the Ghospodeen in all 
 his glory, with his lady, the young misses and their 
 hrotliers, wlio all came straight up to me, my presence 
 of mind utterly failed me, and the recollection of the 
 squire's orders not to approach the house-windows, 
 came fresh upon my memorj^ An icy coldness thrilled 
 through my ^ eins. I trembled, shrieked with terror, 
 and wished to make a hasty retreat fi-om the lobby ; 
 but they stopped me. By good luck, I observed the 
 officer in the number of the spectators ; I tlirew my- 
 self at his feet and exclaimed in a pitiful tone : " Pray, 
 good Sir, don't let them flog me : I am really not to 
 blame !" " Poor oi-phan," said the officer ; " how he 
 is harassed and frightened ; rise, my little friend : ' 
 added he ; " they will not whip you, but feed you 
 Avith pies." 
 
 The word pies had a magic effect upon me. I rose, 
 wiped off the tears with my sleeves, and looking about 
 me, observed that tlie squire grinned and smoothed his 
 mustachios, the misses held their haaidkerchiefs to 
 then- eyes, and their mother turned aside from me, 
 while the little masters from behind their mamma, pro- 
 truded their tong-ues and made grimaces. 
 
 " Mr. Kantchukoffsky," said the Ghospodeen, ad- 
 dressing himself to the steward, " I take that boy to 
 serve in the house, and, at the request of my eldest 
 daughter, he is to wait upon lier in the capacity of 
 
 the one being as variable as the other. This rule, however, is 
 only applicable to people whom the master and mistress consider 
 to be their inferiors, or who are in any way dependent upon them.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. H 
 
 English jockey. Send to the town for the Jew-tailor, 
 and order him to make a suit for him after the picture 
 which my daughter will give you." 
 
 " I hear you," said the steward, with a profound 
 obeisance. " I am taken with the boy," gravely con- 
 tinued Mr. Gologordoffsky ; " it is astonishing that I 
 did not remark him before in the house." The females 
 began to caress me and pat me. " Wliat is his name ?" 
 asked the squire of the steward ; but neither he nor 
 myself could answer that question. They sent to en- 
 quire at all the servants, and the result of the investi- 
 gation was, that amongst them they furnished me with 
 the name of Ivan. From that time they ceased to 
 call me " the oqihan," and I was liiiown in tlie house 
 under the name of Vanky Englishman, from my jockey 
 dress. I am not the first nor the last in the world 
 who has been indebted for his name and dignity to his 
 dress. 
 
 B 6
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Mr. Gologordoffsky and his Family. 
 
 When Byalo-Russia formed a part of PolaTul, Mr. 
 (lologordoffsky sliewed a great attachment to Russia, 
 and farther proved that he sprang from an old Russian 
 family, which had settled in this country in the time 
 of Mstislaf, the brave. On the incoqjoration of this 
 •listrict with Russia, Mr. Gologordoftsky, of a sudden 
 became a devotee of the old Polish government, and 
 began to trace his origin to a cliamberlain of tlie an- 
 cient Polish King Popel, who, upon the authority of 
 written documents, is said to have been devoured by 
 mice on the island of Hopel. Mr. Gologordoffsky 
 very much regretted those blessed times when a power- 
 ful nobleman could crash the poor gentry with impu- 
 nity, and while he called them his brothers and equals, 
 might flog them with rods, while they lay stretched out 
 upon a caipet as a mark of distinction between them 
 and the peasants ; and when he might lock them up 
 in the house-prison, or take possession of their estate 
 if he had a mind. He particularly regretted the change 
 of customs at the diets or elections of magistrates. 
 In good old times the rich proprietor brought along 
 with him some cart-loads of poor-gentry, accoutred 
 with anns and ready to fight, and set them to elect 
 himself and his friends to the different offices, and to
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 13 
 
 knock down and cut down the rival candidates. These 
 days were called the golden age of freedom. Mr. Go- 
 logordoffsky thus having his privileges abridged from 
 without, could only rule within his own domains on 
 the old footing. Besides his numerous household 
 servants, who were his own vassals, he had in his ser- 
 vice a number of poor gentry who thought to make up 
 for their low calling by high-sounding titles. The 
 household of Mr. Gologordoftsky was exactly sucli as, 
 in days of yore, were those of the ancient feudal 
 Barons and of the old Polish Pans. The principal 
 servants were, in the first place, the confidential agent 
 for the management of law-suits, of which there were 
 always pending in the different courts two or three 
 dozen ; the commissary, or head-steward, over the 
 Avhole property ; the econome or mider steward ; the 
 marshalek who presided over the table-service and the 
 domestics ; the stud-master who governed the stables 
 and grooms ; the head cook or commander in chief of 
 the pots and pans, cooks and kitchen-maids ; the okh- 
 meestreena or housekeeper who commanded the maid 
 servants, and superintended the linen and the pantry, 
 which in Polish is called aptetchka, and contains sweets 
 of all sorts, preserves, corrections, sugar, coffee, and 
 a numerous array of spirits and cordials. Besides these 
 servants of honourable station, there lived in the liouse 
 in all readmess, the kapel-meister or music-master, who 
 taught the young ladies and gentlemen music, and 
 presided at the orchestra, consisting of twelve people, 
 Avho in winter (besides) filled the office of footmen, 
 but in summer raked hay, and worked in the garden,
 
 14 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 The kapelyan or chaplain, a monk of the order of 
 Jesuits, had under his inspection tliree tutors, and 
 watched over tlie education of Mr. Gologordoffsky's 
 children : in addition to this there was a French gou- 
 terneur, and tnadame, a French woman, with the young; 
 ladies. The c^ardener, a German, was at the same time 
 member of the boai'd of agriculture. The squire had 
 for his own person a free valet de chambre, a shlt/- 
 akhtitch* who was a favom-ite and his confident in 
 secret affairs : Ids lady had likewise a maid of equal 
 rank for the same pui-pose, who, though she discharged 
 all the duty of chambermaid, yet, in virtue of her 
 birth and merit, exacted respect m the house, and was 
 addressed Pcmna or Ma'am. The young ladies had 
 likewise each o. pcmna from among the shlyakhtyankas, 
 who had chai'ge of their wardrobe and the female ser- 
 vants of tlieii- suite, of whom, with each of the young- 
 ladies, one bore the appellation of Garderobnoy. The 
 chase formed a department of itself, and was partly 
 under the inspection of the stable-keeper, and partly 
 of the squire himself, who was a gi-eat sportsman. 
 Amongst the sportsmen were several shlyakhtitches 
 who went under the name of strelitz. Most of the 
 upper servants, such as the law-agent or pleniputent, 
 commissary, mxirshalek, studnmaster, econome, kapel- 
 meister and goiiverneur, lived in tlie house with their 
 wives and cliildren ; besides their salary they received 
 rations of provisions for their own table or ordinary, 
 were atte.nded by the servants of the house, and kept 
 
 * Shlyakhtitch is the name given to the small Polish gentry ; 
 synonymous with the old English term of franklin or yeoman.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 15 
 
 their own horses at the squire's expense. All the 
 other free servants also received rations ; the house 
 vassals were partly fed from the squire's table, and 
 besides that liad a table of their own. But as the 
 free servants spent a great part of their allowance in 
 drink, and the vassals never had enough to eat, every- 
 one laid hold of whatever he could, by hook or by 
 crook. Besides these feudal attendants, there lived in 
 the house for the sake of company and amusement to 
 the squire and liis lady, some gentlemen and ladies, 
 toad-eaters, friends and distant relations, under the 
 name of residents. They received no salary, but had 
 the advantage of the table, kept their o^vn servants, 
 and some of them had the privilege of keeping horses. 
 Amongst the number of these residents were some 
 bachelor creditors of Mr. Gologordoffsky, some widows 
 of old servants whose wages had remained impaid after 
 some twenty years' ser\dce, and some orjihans possess- 
 ed of capital under the guardianship of the landlord. 
 In a word, Mr. Gologordoffsky's house contained near- 
 ly as many mouths and stomachs as there were working 
 hands on the whole property, and from this cause the 
 working hands were sadly tormented, and made but 
 feeble exertions to fill the stomachs of so overwhelm- 
 ing a majority of sinecurists. It is tnie that Mr. Go- 
 logordoffsky himself, his family, and guests invited to 
 partake of his hospitality, ate and drank well ; but his 
 huge table had at one extremity what is called " a grey 
 end," where no dainty-dishes or savoury wines ever 
 reached, and where in full measure was felt the inconve- 
 nience of a disproportion between outlay and income.
 
 16 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 Mr. Gologordoffsky, as a mark of his Polish ex- 
 traction, wore long mustachios, which he frequent- 
 ly stroked, particularly when he talked on impor- 
 tant subjects, such as the county-elections and law- 
 suits, and disputes with his neighbours, whom he 
 reckoned to be all inferior to himself, notwithstanding 
 that many of them were richer and more serviceable 
 to their country. Mr. Gologordoffsky's pride was 
 founded on the antiquity of his family, which lie prov- 
 ed not by historical documents regarding notable trans- 
 actions, but from the journals of the courts of law, in 
 whicli for the course of four centuries were recorded 
 complaints against robberies committed by his ances- 
 tors, and the decisions wliich ensued. Families of 
 one or two centuries he called upstarts, and declaimed 
 them unworthy to be connected with him, or received 
 on a friendly footing. He had a particular prejudice and 
 dislike towards those wlio had made their own fortunes 
 in an honest way, and had not inherited them from 
 their ancestors. He admitted to his house all with- 
 out exception, but feasted sumptuously only sucli 
 persons as were necessary to him, such as j)eople in 
 office, capitalists and money-lenders ; and was parti- 
 cularly kind to such gentlemen as from interested mo- 
 tives shewed him extraordinary marks of respect, and 
 listened quietly tolas stories and abuse of his enemies. 
 In the mornings, when the weather Avas unfit for hunt- 
 ing, Mr. Gologordoffsky occupied himself with his law- 
 papers : his agent composed them, and he merely for 
 Jiis amusement added to the papers chicaneries, per- 
 sonalities, and imaghiary pretensions. After that, })e
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 17 
 
 went round all the court-yard to solace liimself with 
 the salutations of his numerous servants. After en- 
 tertaining himself during dinner with jokes, (not al- 
 ways the most delicate,) at the expense of those who 
 sat beside him, he lay down and took a nap to eva- 
 porate tlie fumes of the wine. 
 
 Till evening liis time was devoted to particular 
 amusements, selected by the ladies, m which, liow- 
 ever, Mr. GologordofFsky partook only as a spectator. 
 In the evening, Josel, the Jew, made his appearance, 
 who rented all the mills and kartchmas on the pro- 
 perty. This Josel was general agent for the wliole 
 house, privy counsellor both of master and servants, 
 walking newspaper, and relater of all political news, 
 and scandalous anecdotes within a circle of a hundred 
 miles round, and teller of ev^ery thing good and bad. 
 Tlie Jew was master of two powerful talismans for the 
 subduing of hearts, viz. money and vodky. He was 
 necessary to all, fi'om the master down to the lowest 
 cowherd in tlie village ; all were in his debt, and all 
 had more inclination to borrow than to pay. With 
 this Jew Mr. Gologordoffsky spent the greater part of 
 his evenings, while he sipped his bowl of punch, 
 gathering from him all the news from the capital, and 
 government-to^Ti, * where the iesM had his con'espon- 
 dents. Along with the Jew, he devised projects for 
 
 " The reader is probably aware, that Russia is divided into 
 provinces called Gubcrnias, or governments, and that in the chief 
 town of each province, there is a governor, police-master, pro- 
 cureur, and courts of law. These governments again are sub- 
 divided into districts, or ooyezds, which have each their suhordu 
 nate magistrates and courts of law in the disbict-iown.
 
 18 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 the sale of corn, spirits, and wood, for the borrowing 
 of money, and for the avoiding payment of old debts. 
 He counselled with the Jew concerning the com- 
 mencement of new law-suits, the continuance of such 
 as were already begun, and the endless spinning out 
 of those of long continuance. The Jew proposed dif- 
 ferent measures to increase the income without any 
 previous outlays ; for instance, to make tlie peasants' 
 horses cany loads, to cut canals in another man's pro- 
 perty, to hew wood and burn charcoal on his neigh- 
 bours' land, and the like. In a word, tlie Jew-farmer 
 was regarded as the principal personage on the estate, 
 next to the proprietor, and would have been more in- 
 dispensible to Mr. Gologordoffsky than his Jiead to his 
 shoulders, if it had only been possible to transfer the 
 mouth to some other part of the body. Without re- 
 garding such a close relation, the Jew, knowing the cha- 
 racter of Mr. Gologordoffsy, insinuated himself into his 
 confidence, and flattered his pride, solemnly assuring 
 him that he esteemed Mr. Gologordoffsky as the only 
 real gentleman and grandee in the government. In 
 this way the Jew, enjoying his confidence, sucked like 
 a real vampire the life's-blood of his fellow-creatures, 
 grew rich, and, like tlie moving sands of the desert 
 which absoib all tlie moisture of living nature, dried 
 up the surrounding sources of riches, and spread 
 around him jwverty and baiTenness. 
 
 Mrs. Gologordoffsky regarded herself as of much 
 higher origin than her husband. She hinted that she 
 would never have taken him for her husband, but for 
 some particular circumstance in which a Russian Colo-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 19 
 
 nel of Hussars played the piiucipal part. In other res- 
 pects she led a very peaceful life with her husband, and 
 lie did all in his power to please her. She selected her 
 own society, and chose what diversions she thought pro- 
 per, her husband having the honour of being invited to 
 participate in them along with the family. Mrs. Golo- 
 gordoft'sky never asked her husband for any thing ; she 
 bought in the shops whatever she wanted or whatever 
 she fancied, whether it was necessary or not, and sent 
 the merchants to her husband, who was obliged to pay 
 liis wife's del)ts, notwithstanding that it was with the 
 greatest reluctance that he would discJiarge even his 
 own. In other respects, Mrs. Gologordoffsky was a 
 very good sort of a lady, although she did not at all 
 meddle with the management of the house : she be- 
 haved civilly to the sei^vants, but did not pay the least 
 attention to their wants, and never heard to an end 
 any of their reasonable requests. She believed from 
 the bottom of lier heart, that her kind word and smile 
 were more valued by all of them than either good 
 food, clothing, or wages. Slie dearly loved to read 
 sentimental romances, still more dearly to talk with 
 the gentlemen upon the tender passion, but most of 
 all loved dress. Some girls amongst her vassals, who 
 had been taught tkess-making in Warsaw and Peters- 
 burgh,* incessantly laboured at sewing and shaping ; 
 almost eveiy week, cases and packages arrived from 
 
 • The Russian and Polish gentry are in the practice of sending 
 some of the young boys and girls of their household as appren- 
 tices to different trades in the metropolitan cities; indeed, almost 
 all the apprentices of the different artizans there, are composed of 
 this class.
 
 20 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 Petersburg}!, with caps, bonnets, head-dresses, pat- 
 terns, and all manner of frippery. Every day she 
 dressed herself like a doll, although there should not 
 happen to be a single guest, while, on the other hand, 
 Mr. Gologordoflfsky, in the midst of all his feudal 
 pride, walked about at home in a gi-easy great-coat, 
 made in a half old- Polish fashion, and appeared m the 
 presence of his wife, as if he was the first of her most 
 obedient servants. 
 
 The Misses Gologordoffsky, Petronella and Cecilia, 
 Avere good-looking, afll'able in conversation with gen- 
 tlemen, bold as dragoons, sprightly and cheerful. — 
 They excelled in dancing and music, spoke French 
 extremely well, smig charmingly, dressed with great 
 taste and elegance after their mother's example, and 
 along with her read sentimental romances. They 
 were both tender hearted, and could not bear in their 
 walks to go through the village for fear they shoidd 
 behold the misery of its inhabitants. Petronella was 
 eighteen, and Cecilia, the youngest, sixteen years old. 
 
 Two sons, the one in his twelfth, the other in 
 his fourteenth year, were real baboons for mischief, 
 cunning, and the like. They were contmually playing 
 tricks either on their teachers, sisters, or servants. 
 The greatest distiirbances which they made were as- 
 cribed by their parents to the uncommon abilities and 
 fertile genius of their children, on whom they rested 
 all the hopes of their family, and treated them as if 
 they were heirs to the Mogul emj)ire. The name of 
 Infanta, which was given to the eldest son in jest by 
 an officer who happened to pass that way, was kept
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 21 
 
 up ever after. The servants who did not know the 
 real meaning of tliis title, gave the little scape-grace 
 no other name, and this tickled tlie fancy of the old 
 people, who anticipated for their sons the highest ranks 
 in the army, millions in their coffers, and princesses 
 for brides, as the due recompense for qualities by 
 which, in the world, every tiling is lost and nothing 
 gained. 
 
 With regard to the other inhabitants of tlie house, 
 they were so numerous that I cannot now recollect 
 them all, and when I was afterwards in Mr. Gologor- 
 doffsky's house, many of them were no longer there. 
 Father Ezueet, being a Jesuit, was a riddle to all ex- 
 cept the lady, wliose confessor he was. 
 
 The steward was a walking whip, or instrument of 
 infliction : all trembled before him, except the Jew 
 and the squire's favourite dogs, whom he did not dare 
 to punish. 
 
 The marshal and stud-master — irrational creatures, 
 a sort of utensils for digesting pro^dsions. Their whole 
 duty consisted in staring vacantly on the crowd of su- 
 pemumeraiy servants, bowing to tlieir master and 
 mistress, always saying " Yes," eating for four, and 
 getting drunk every evening on mulled wine. 
 
 Tlie law-agent l)elonged to that class of people, 
 whom you might, without any compunction of consci- 
 ence, hang first and try afterwards, knowing for cer- 
 tain that every week in his life, you would find good 
 and sufficient reason for so doing. His soul was, it 
 may be said, composed of nothing but hooks and eyes, 
 to lay hold of whatever desirable objects might come
 
 22 IVAN VEJEEGHEX. 
 
 in liis way. With liim nothing was riolit nor wrong, 
 white nor black. The laws he esteemed only as words 
 whose excellence consists in their capability of being 
 t^visted right or left. In a word, the law-agent was 
 professor of chicanery, and next to the Jew, first coun- 
 sellor to Mr. Gologordoffsky. 
 
 The commissary — ])oor commissary ! His duty 
 consisted in seeing that all the estate was in order, 
 also in the chequuig of accompts, and the collecting of 
 incomes ; but, as every thing was in disorder, as the 
 incomes were collected before they were due, and if 
 tlie thing itself were possible, without any revision of 
 accompts, the poor man from gi-ief spent eleven 
 months of the year in drinking, and, in the twelfth, 
 composed a general statement, or, properly speaking, 
 made a summary of the incomes, copied it out on a 
 sheet of clean paper, and presented it to the squire, 
 with the N. B. that they had been previously collected 
 (although not in full) in the course of the year : this 
 liiglily pleased Mr. Gologordoffsky, who took it for 
 granted that he really possessed as great an income as 
 appeared in the Itoga. 
 
 The most important personage in the house was the 
 OMimeestreeiui or housekeeper, not so much because 
 she was acquainted with all the lady's secrets, and 
 enjoyed her confidence in an unlimited degree, but 
 because she had under her power all the strengthening 
 juices, such as mm, cognac, bitters, and liqueurs. — 
 The whole house treated licr with deference, not ex- 
 cepting even the young ladies, who received from her 
 preserves and confections. Tliis respectable personage
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 23 
 
 would declare with a fastidious look lier dislike to 
 strontr liquors, and altliough she, every evening, with- 
 out waiting for supper, stretched herself out upon her 
 bed with a fiery face, and a nose glowing like the end 
 of a candle, that proceeded from an excruciating 
 tooth-ache, which obliged her to apply spirits to her 
 gums. Tliis at least was her version of the story. 
 There is no doubt that Mr. Gologordoffsky also put 
 UTeat faith in this medicine ; for he very frequently 
 ])ut his hand to his cheek, and made so frequent trips 
 to the pantry, that the floor was indented with the 
 marks of Ids footsteps all the way to the door. 
 
 Such Avere the people amongst whom I was the 
 least by the destination of fate ! In the period of my 
 childhood they all appeared to me uncommon, exalted 
 beings, a sort of suns ! In process of time I learned 
 their real value, and only make mention of them in 
 this place, that the reader may not be astonished why 
 they kept me in the house like a wild beast. Besides, 
 we shall have an opportunity hereafter of meeting with 
 some of the persons here mentioned, and on that ac- 
 count a previous acquaintance will be of service.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Love. 
 
 All military men like to quarter in Poland, notwith- 
 standing the poverty of the peasants, the extortion of 
 the Jews, and the difference in the language and re- 
 ligion of the gentry. The truth must be told : the 
 men among the Poles are excellent company, and the 
 women full of the milk of human kindness, and gene- 
 rally more attached to foreigners than their husbands 
 and brothers would wish. The quartering of soldiers, 
 particularly of artilleiy and cavalry, is very agreeable to 
 the landholders, the Jews, and the ladies. The first 
 find a ready market for the productions of the soil, the 
 second for their Avares, while the women all find ad- 
 mirers, and frequently husbands, notwithstanding then* 
 profession of the Roman Catholic faith, the national 
 antipathies, and the disagi'eeableness of a military life. 
 Every long stay of a regiment in any district generally 
 ends with a couple of marriages, and one or two dozen 
 of anecdotes, propagated by old maids at the expence 
 of young ones. At these anecdotes modest people are 
 first of all thunderstruck with amazement, then they 
 give credit to them, and finally consign them to obli- 
 vion till another op])ortunity. In general the Polish 
 women are lovely, understand the art of pleasing, and 
 loving tenderly, with all the refinements of romantic
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 25 
 
 })assion, and, although constancy does not form a pro- 
 minent feature in their character, yet, who in love 
 thinks of such occurrences ? There are no mles with- 
 out exceptions ; and is it possible to refrain from lov- 
 ing the Poles merely from fear of inconstancy ? The 
 Poles seem fully persuaded, that women are created 
 for love, and they spend all their youth in agreeable 
 musings. I may add that, in the Polish language, there 
 exists a particular verb, invented for the expression of 
 the most tender, and, in other respects, the most trifl- 
 ing occupation of life, to romance (romansowa^). This 
 denotes a tender, respectful, passion, mutual pleasure 
 founded on principle and attachment ; but it can no 
 where subsist out of Poland, where the free intercourse 
 between the sexes is not only permitted, but regarded 
 as indispensable. Italy alone excels Poland in the free- 
 dom of the Avomen. In Poland nobody thinks it 
 strange or improper for a mamed or unmarried wo- 
 man to converse alone with a gentleman, to walk arm 
 in arm with him at a distance from others, to receive 
 from him small presents or entertamments, although 
 she be neither attached, betrothed, nor related to him. 
 Tender looks, soft words, sighs, complimentary verses, 
 music, and even letters, excite no attention on the part 
 of parents or by-standers. There they say openly, 
 that such a one is in love with such a one, tliat he 
 flirts with her ; that such a woman is in love with such 
 a man ; and all tliis does not destroy a female's reputa- 
 tion. Tender lovers make one another mutual vows 
 and promises, build aerial castles of future happiness, 
 and after all separate in sung froid, without any 
 c
 
 26 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 scandal. This is a jilace to call to mind the proverb : 
 ' like priest, like people,' ' like country, like fashion.' 
 In the meantime I may honestly assure my readers, 
 that, without regarding the freedom of intercourse, 
 perhaps no where in the world are there so many vir- 
 tuous young women as in Poland, believe it who will. 
 Of manied women I make no mention, because - - - 
 because that is not our present subject. 
 
 On Mr. GologordofFsky's estate was quaitered a 
 Lieutenant Meloveeden, with a troop of Hussars. He 
 had all the good and bad qualities of a young dragoon ; 
 was brave and honourable, acquainted with service, 
 but was frequently out of order owing to his giddiness 
 and his extraordinary passion for amusements. With- 
 out being in the least covetous, he played high, and fre- 
 quently lost liis lastkopeek* at cards, merely fi'om en- 
 nui or fi'om having nothing to do ; with a natural dis- 
 ])osition to temperance, from mere frolic he would 
 drink tokay as he would water, and champagne as 
 quass. His principal occupation was gallantry. Of a 
 handsome person, affable and clever, brought up in the 
 circle of the best Moscow society, an excellent dan- 
 <-er, musician, and painter, versed in the productions 
 of French literatiu-e, and gifted with an uncommon 
 memory, Meloveeden, a spoiled child of fortune, be- 
 came an object of love to all the young women for a 
 hundred miles roimd. For him they made fetes, and 
 always wished to have him at their parties, and wliat 
 was most astonishing of all, the gentlemen, that is to 
 say the landlords, not only were not angry with liim for 
 
 * A kopeek is about the tenth-part of a penny sterling.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 27 
 
 the open preference shewn him by the women, but 
 even loved him. Meloveeden was, in the full sense of 
 the word, a good fellow, open hearted, and with all 
 his sharpness very simple. He did not quarrel with 
 tlie Poles on politics ; he drank with them to the 
 health of old patriots, and sincerely abused the people 
 in office. For this he enjoyed the confidence of the old 
 and the friendship of the young landholders, who wisli- 
 ed to form themselves into a sort of Meloveeden in 
 Poland, or at least in Livonia. A high distinction whicli 
 few Russians attained in Poland ! 
 
 His heart was so unbounded that he could love fifty 
 women at the same time, without any defalcation of 
 affection, and without tormentmg himself with sighs 
 and sufferings. At that time, of all the women and 
 girls, he gave the preference to Petronella Gologor- 
 doffsky, who, to say the tnith, was passionately in 
 love with him : you have no more occasion then, gen- 
 tle reader, to guess from whom and to whom I was 
 sent with the letter to the village ! You understand 
 now why I was promoted to the rank of English 
 Jockey, and appointed to execute particular commis- 
 sions for the eldest daughter of Mr. Gologordoffsky. 
 You doubtless conjecture, gentle reader, that I filled 
 the station of postillion of love. Exactly so : my 
 whole duty consisted in standing dtiring meals with a 
 plate behind my mistress's chair, and canying billets- 
 doux fi-om the squire's house to the lieutenant's quar- 
 ters, which I fulfilled with particulai* attention, exact- 
 ness, and speed. For that I was loved by my mistress, 
 and consequently by the whole family of Mr. Golo- 
 c 2
 
 28 IVAN VEJEEGIIEN. 
 
 gordoffsky. Tlie appellation of oi-plian was no more 
 to me a mark of nothingness ; on the contrary, it ex- 
 pressed tenderness and compassion, and was pro- 
 nomiced with sympathy and particular kindness. The 
 servants, following always the example of their lords, 
 caressed me as mucli as they had formerly spumed 
 me. This change in my fate produced a sudden change 
 in my intellect, which was naturally keen. In half a 
 year I understood every thing which was formerly a 
 riddle to me, surpassed in activity all the boys of the 
 house, and became what is called a roguish or shai-j) 
 l)oy. For all this fortunate change I was mdebted to 
 love. 
 
 After the agreeable days of love and pleasure, there 
 was a sad change. The regiment received orders to 
 move into another government, and this unexpected 
 occurrence was quite a thunderstroke to all the female 
 population of the district. The doctors travelled 
 from house to house, the apothecary's laboratory was 
 put in motion ; messengers galloped along every road, 
 some to the town with recipes, some with letters. It 
 appeared as if the plagxie or some epidemic disorder 
 was spreading its ravages in the neighbomliood. And 
 in reality, s])asms, meagrums, vapours, nervous faint- 
 ings, and vertigos attacked the fair sex. My mistress 
 Petronella GologordofFsky in particular, fell into a 
 state of complete deprivation of all her faculties. She 
 lay in bed, swore she would die for love, and refused 
 to take the medicine prescribed by the doctor for 
 a fever arising from cold. Her condition was really 
 dangerous. Unceasing tears and sighs, want of sleep
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 29 
 
 and loss of appetite, niiglit have given a bad turn 
 to a slight cold brought on in the garden, during a late 
 interview with her dear friend. She would take no 
 advice nor consolation from her parents, sister, and 
 companions, and was a little quieter only when Melo- 
 veeden gave her his word of honour to return as soon 
 as possible, and confirm theii' tender love by marriage. 
 The self-love of Meloveeden was touched by such a 
 powerful expression of passion on the part of the 
 charming Petronella : he had never in his life seen 
 liow people grew sick and died from love, and being 
 both a witness and an oliject of a scene worthy to 
 adoni the most tender romance of the days of chivalry, 
 Meloveeden's feelings were overcome, and he resolved 
 to reward the charming patient with liis hand. But 
 this promise was given in secret without the know- 
 ledge of lier parents. They agreed to carry on their 
 coiTespondence by means of the Jew-farmer, Melo- 
 veeden threatening to pull off" his nose and ears if he 
 betrayed him. He at the same time enti"usted Petro- 
 nella's second aunt by the mother's side to bring the 
 match to a conclusion. The lovers foresaw the diflicul- 
 ty of obtaining the consent of Petronella's father, who 
 fed himself mth the hope that some travelling prince, 
 no matter though he might be a native of Asia or at 
 least some potentate, would ennoble his blood by a 
 union with the Gologordoffsky family. But as of all 
 hmnan follies love is the most powerful, our lovers ex- 
 pected to overcome the ambition and stubbornness of 
 Mr. Gologordoffsky, or, at any rate, to break through 
 tliem by force. 
 
 c 3
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Pinposes of Marriage. 
 
 Dreary winter came, and Mr. GologordoiFsky had 
 frequently to go to tlie Government-town on account 
 of some of his law-suits which had terminated not in 
 the most agreeable manner. His law expences reduced 
 him to some sort of retrenchment at home ; and made 
 him keep his family in the country at the time of the 
 county elections, which drew all the gentry to the town 
 for some weeks. This obstacle brought on a fit of 
 melancholy on Mrs. Gologordoffsky and her youngest 
 daughter. The eldest, without that, was sick enough 
 at heart. In vain did father Ezueet preach upon the 
 vanity of this world : they heard him with siglis, and 
 internipted him to begin the conversation upon balls 
 and dresses. Mrs. Gologordoft'sky lamented only that 
 her absence at the time of the elections would give 
 visitors from other governments and military people a 
 very unfavourable opinion of the taste of the female 
 sex with regard to dress, an<l that, without lier daugh- 
 ters, they could not dance niazoorkas* and French qua- 
 drilles. After this preface began a critical disquisi- 
 tion upon all the females of the whole government, 
 from thirty years of age down to sixteen, which ended 
 with the conclusion, that it Avas only Mrs. Gologor- 
 
 * A fashionable Polish dance, also naturalized in Russia.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 31 
 
 dofFsky and lier daughters who had no moral or phj^- 
 sical deficiencies, and that all the other females were 
 sadly neglected by nature. The residents, confidantes, 
 and the misses living as companions, as well as 
 the wives of the agent and commissary, and withal 
 father Ezueet, confirmed with one accord the opinion 
 of Mrs. Gologordoft'sky, and this served as some con- 
 solation for lier grief. If the tenth part of what Mrs. 
 GologordofFsky said concerning the females had been 
 correct, it would have been the duty of the men to 
 seek for wives not only in another government or in 
 another empire, but in another planet. Fortunately 
 all the mothers thought exactly the same of themselves 
 and their daughters as Mrs. Gologordoffsky : it would 
 be necessary then to believe in all the failings of the 
 fair sex with the exception of the present company. 
 
 Meloveeden remained constant : he returned an an- 
 swer to every ten of Petronellas letters, full of ten- 
 derness, with the additional attraction that it was 
 WTitten on rose-coloured or green or light blue paper : 
 this was the fashion at that time in the country. Al- 
 though I could not read these letters, I formed con- 
 clusions regarding their contents from the effects which 
 they had on my mistress's temper, who, while she 
 read them a hundred times, always began with crying 
 and ended with laughing. Meloveeden gave lier a 
 description of his new acquaintances, various adven- 
 tures, characters and anecdotes, which soothed my 
 mistress in lier forlorn state, and delighted both lier 
 and her sister. The i^w faithfully performed the 
 duty entnisted to him, receiving from the post-office 
 c 4
 
 32 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 and forwarding the letters with tlie greatest exactness. 
 Notwithstanding that I was now of no more use to my 
 mistress, she continued to love and caress me : with 
 me were associated sweet recollections, and besides, 
 Meloveeden had recommended me to her protection. 
 
 Sprmg came on, but the roses no more bloomed 
 on the cheeks of the fair Petronella. She became 
 from day to day more disconsolate, and could not 
 without tears look upon the little birds sitting in 
 pairs on the branches. All Itnew the cause of lier 
 giief ; but, except her sister, the faithful Masha and 
 the Jew, no one made mention of her beloved, or 
 soothed her with hopes. Once on a pleasant* spring- 
 day at sunset, the whole family dmed in the gai'den. 
 Roasted chickens with salad, improved by the addi- 
 tion of sour cream, and a bottle of Tokay presented 
 as a rarity by the Jew-farmer, put Mr. GologordoiSfeky 
 into such a happy disposition of mind, that the aunt 
 took the resolution to avail herself of this opportunity 
 to fulfil her commission. She made a sign to tlie 
 young ladies to withdraw, and began her speech first 
 with some general observations on the happiness of 
 wedlock, where the attadiment between the parties is 
 mutual, alluded to the pitiable state of Petronella, 
 who was a victim to love, and at last plainly declared 
 that she was authorised l)y Meloveeden and her niece 
 to beg the consent of the parents to the marriage, and 
 
 " The month of May in Russia is generally one of the most 
 delightful seasons of the year. We have some such weather for 
 days in England, but a whole month of it would be an unpre- 
 cedented occurrence.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 33 
 
 ■pulled out his letter from her bosom. Mrs. Gologor- 
 (loffsky was silent during the discourse of lier cousin, 
 siglied, looked at the clouds and see-sawed with her 
 head. On the other hand, Mr. Gologordoffsky at the 
 lieginning of the speech began to shew symptoms of 
 impatience and chagrin. At first he redoubled his 
 draughts of wine, then his face grew red, and at last, 
 when he had finished the bottle, he grew quite fu- 
 rious, knocked violently with his fist on the table, 
 makmg all the bottles and glasses dance, and roared 
 vociferously, " Enough !" However the officious aunt 
 was not to be daunted by all this uproar, but quietly 
 said ; " I don't see what can hinder this match." 
 " Much, very much, Ma'am," replied Mr. Gologor- 
 doffsky ; " and you do not perceive it, because you never 
 inspected the archives of my house, and apparently 
 never noticed the family-portraits in the dining-room." 
 " But is not Meloveeden a gentleman," added the 
 aunt ; " his father and grandfather held the rank of 
 generals." Mr. Gologordoffsky grinned savagely ; 
 " Ma'am," said he, " I was before you in my inqui- 
 ries at Meloveeden concerning his family, and learned 
 from himself that his nobility begins only with his 
 great-grand-father." " Do you thiiJi that insufficient?" 
 asked the amit. " So insufficient, that nothing could 
 be less so for entering into an alliance with a family 
 which counts its nobility from the fiftieth generation. 
 And so you see, Madam, that my nobility bears the 
 same proportion to that of Mr. Meloveeden as fifty 
 to three, consequently there is a leettle difference be- 
 tween us." At this he smiled triumphantly. " But 
 c 5
 
 34 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 in our times the old and young gentry liaA'e the same 
 privileges of distinction, and the same period of ser- 
 vice conducts them to a liigher rank,"* said the aunt. 
 " That is not our business, Ma'am," replied Mr. Go- 
 logordofFsky, " You know our old proverb, ' A gentle- 
 man in one town is equal to a lord in another.'" " Con- 
 sequently Meloveeden is equal to you," added the 
 aunt. " It signifies," said Mr. GologordoflPsky, " no- 
 thing less, than that it is only gentlemen who are equal 
 in birth, who are equal among themselves, without re- 
 garding difference of ranks. Besides, it is not anti- 
 ([uity of family alone which will give a man a title to 
 be my son-in-law — he must have riches, immense 
 riches, in order to keep up the dignity of the united 
 families ; but Meloveeden is as bare as a hawk." " It 
 is true that Meloveeden's father spent all his property 
 in the service," said the aunt, " but he has a rich and 
 childless uncle who does not intend ever to maiTy. 
 He lias a great liking for his nephew, maintains him 
 in the service, and designs to make him his heir." 
 " What authority have you for that?" asked Mr. Go- 
 logordoff'sky. " I have seen Meloveeden's uncle's own 
 letters," replied the aunt. " That is all castles in the 
 air : it is a shame for you. Ma'am, to think of debas- 
 ing my family to such a degree, as to propose to unite 
 it with a man who has neither name nor property,"' 
 
 * In Russia before a man can attain the lowest dignity, he must 
 serve a certain number of years. This period is shorter for the 
 nobihty than for the other cLsses; the order of i)riests comes 
 next in rank, after them the merchants, tlien the lowest bourgeois, 
 and foreigners last of all, unless where a special exception is made 
 in favour of individuals.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 35 
 
 said Mr. GologordofFsky emphatically, while he rose 
 from his chair : " I beg you will never mention it 
 again, if you wisli to preserve my friendship." " Very 
 well," resumed the aunt, gi-owing red with chagrin ; 
 " but allow me to make one observation : you surely 
 do not wish that your daughter should die for love, or 
 sliould be forced to many against her inclinations ?" 
 " Do not trouble your head about that. Ma'am," said 
 Mr. Gologordoffsky : " girls don't die for love, but on 
 the contrary become very happy when they are manned 
 against their inclinations. As a proof of that, there 
 is your cousin,* my dearly beloved spouse, who was 
 also in love with an officer before her marriage, and 
 fainted thrice before pronouncing the fatal " Yes" at 
 the h)Tneneal altar. All this was got the better of in 
 time, and I flatter myself that Mrs. Gologordoffsky 
 does not repine at her unhappy lot, although her hus- 
 band wears neither sword nor uniform. " Is it not 
 tnie, my love ?" added Mr. Gologordoffsky, while he 
 gave his ^vife an affectionate kiss for the first time since 
 I had been admitted into the rooms. " Yes, it is tnie," 
 replied ins wife with a deep sigh. " Tell the people 
 to saddle my riding-horse," said Mr. Gologordoffsky. 
 " Ladies, will you please to take an aunng with me 
 for two or three versts, and I will shew you somethmg 
 new — a kartchma which I am now buildmg on the 
 boimdaiy of my estate, and under the very nose of 
 my neighbour, Protzessoaveetch. I have christened 
 
 * The tousins-german of a father and mother are called aunts 
 and uncles in Russia, and the children of cousins-gernian are also 
 called nephews and nieces. 
 
 c6
 
 36 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 this kartchma, ' The Tliom,' and It will be a real 
 thorn in the side of my worthy neighbour. Isn't it 
 ti-ue, Mr. Marslialek ?" " It's a real truth," answer- 
 ed the marshalek with a low bow. " I will give 
 orders to sell spirits there at a lower rate than they 
 are sold in my neighbour's, and in this way I shall 
 <lraw all his peasants to my shop. Isn't it tnie, Mr. 
 Commissaiy ?" " Exactly so," answered the com- 
 missary. " If lie should think to drive his peasants 
 away from my kartchma, I will summon him into 
 court and bring an action against him." " Exactly so, 
 'tis a real tnith," answered the agent, " we will sue 
 liim 'pro incursione et violentia."' While Mr. Golo- 
 gordoflFsky continued the dialogue in this strain with 
 his servants, who, while the marriage was on the tapis, 
 stood at a respectful distance, Mrs. GologordofFsky 
 went into her apartment to dress, and the aunt joining 
 the young ladies, walked along with them into a dailc 
 alley, apparently relating the success of her applica- 
 tion. I do not know what passed betwixt them, but, 
 to my utter amazement, I observed no tears in my 
 mistress's eyes when she returned to the door to take 
 her seat in the carriage. On the contrary it appealed 
 to me that she was more cheerful than usual.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Ball and Elopement. 
 
 Mr. GoLOGORDOFFSKY wished to celebrate lils wife's* 
 birth-day, and, at tlie same time, the gaining of a law- 
 suit for ten deshateens* of land. This-law suit had 
 lasted thirty years, and had cost each party sixty times 
 the value of the object in dispute. But as the main 
 point consisted in gaining the victory, the public ma- 
 nifestation of joy served as a recompense for all the 
 trouble and expence uicun'ed during the progress of 
 the law-suit, along with the niin of the opposite party. 
 For a week previous, invitations were sent to the re- 
 lations, neighbours, and also to distant acquaintances 
 ^vitllin the government. The Jew-farmer brought two 
 other Jews as contractors for tlie fmnisliing of wines 
 and gi-oceries for the feast. The said contractors, as 
 I afterw^ards heard from the steward Kantchukoft'sky, 
 dispos.?d of goods belonging to our farmer, who did 
 not wish to sell the articles in his own name, as, in 
 that case, he ran the risk of being paid with a bill or 
 bond, which he could not refuse to take from Mr. 
 GologordofFsky. As the matter stood, there being no 
 ready money in the house, and the com not being yet 
 
 • A deshateen is a Russian measure of land, equal to llJifiWl 
 English square feet.
 
 3B IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 ripe, tlie wlieat and rye on the gi-ound were sold at so 
 much a deshateen ; or, as it is called, sold in the 
 stalk. Our farmer got a power of attorney from the 
 said purveyors for the receipt of the com after it should 
 be cut and threshed, and tln-ee dozen of calves, once 
 they should be born, with an obligation to feed them 
 for eight months. In this way Mr. GologordofFsky, 
 by selling his com wliile in the bowels of the earth, 
 and his cattle before they came into the world, re- 
 ceived a large supply of wine and delicacies for his 
 table, which were to be all consumed in one day. — 
 All the sportsmen belonging to the house and neigh- 
 bouring villages were dispatched to the Avood in search 
 of game ; each of them was furnished with one pound 
 of g-unpowder and three pounds of shot, on the under- 
 standing that every one should bring forthwitli sixty 
 head of game. For each two ])ounds of powder allow- 
 ance was made for missing tlu'ee shots ; and for the 
 remainder, they had to pay the squire at the rate of 
 ten kopeeks* silver for each shot missed. The Jew- 
 fanner presented Mr. Gologordoflfsky with a list of 
 all the peasants who possessed fowls, chickens, es:gir', 
 and butter. To these people the houseliold-vassals 
 were dispatched to take possession of all these nrtides 
 either by fair or foul means. Those who gave them 
 up willingly were to be promised in recompense an 
 abatement of so many days labour on the manor :-j- 
 
 * Fourpence sterling. 
 i-^'Acconlinjj to the written law of Russia, the peasants can 
 only be obliged by their masters to work for them three days in 
 each week ; but, in practice, this regulation is null and void.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 39 
 
 those who refused Avere to be put in mind of the ex- 
 istence of Mr. Kantchukoftsky, and tlu-eatened with an 
 execution. What is called an execuzia in the Polish 
 governments is the quartering upon a peasant of some 
 of the household-vassals, iisually the gi'eatest black- 
 caiards, who riot, eat, and drink in the house, till the 
 peasant pays his dues, or complies with his landlord's 
 demands. Sometimes these executions are inflicted as 
 a punishment for not working well, for i-udeness to the 
 ^ew, and for various other causes. The preparations 
 for the ball during the week made an extraordmary stir 
 and bustle in the liouse. The villages were scenes of 
 rapine and robbery. The hungiy vassals of the house- 
 hold acted like real marauders. They searched for 
 fowls in tlie chests, butter amongst the linen, and 
 eggs in the bosoms of the peasants, poking into every 
 liole and comer, and insulting in every possible way 
 the poor villagers, both males and females. It is the 
 greatest hardship to which a country can be subjected, 
 when people of the lower orders, uneducated and un- 
 principled, are entrusted with power. They endea- 
 vour to make others feel the full weight of their au- 
 thority, and think that they excite respect when they 
 make others tremble before them. The peasants and 
 their women were continually fleeing to the manor- 
 house with complaints tliat they were asked for what 
 they had not to give, and swore that the Jew had made 
 a false statement as regarded them, \a\i\ complaints ! 
 
 The peasants are acfitalh/ obliged to do all their masters' lield- 
 wotk before they touch their own. In case of refusal, their mas- 
 ters can find means to punish ihem as they think proper.
 
 40 IVAN VEJEEGHEN 
 
 Mr. Gologordoffsky believed the Jew more than his 
 own wife and children ; he referred the complainants to 
 Mr. KantchukofFsky, whose look alone was enough to 
 frigliten them away. Day and night the work went 
 on in the kitchen, and, in order to prevent stealing, 
 sentinels from tlie stables were placed at the kitchen 
 doors, who tliemselves stole pieces of meat, fowls and 
 eggs, and in the night time carried them to the kartch- 
 ma. All the servants were employed in cleaning 
 and furbisliing up the rooms. For the first time in the 
 course of the year the cob-webs were swept away and 
 banished with the family-portraits. Arm-chairs of 
 oak and alder were covered with new Imen. Mahogany 
 furniture, which adorned two rooms in the house was 
 rubbed up with olive-oil. Tlie floors were re-scraped, 
 seeing that to wash them was out of the question. All 
 the looking-glasses from the other apartments, besides 
 those belonging to the upper servants and residents 
 were taken into the principal rooms, which, in addi- 
 tion to all other changes and repairs, were adorned, the 
 day before the fete, with festoons of spruce and fir- 
 branches. The liousehold musicians rehearsed and 
 practised continually in the barn, where father Ezueet, 
 who was allowed, tln'ough all the government, to be a 
 great cliemist, prepared fire-works for a sui-jirise to 
 Mrs. Gologordoffsky : two sportsmen worked under 
 liis direction. For the horses of the guests a separate 
 stable was fitted up, and a provision of guests' hay was 
 prepared ; that is to say, a score of cart-loads of rushes 
 and weeds, which it would have been impossil)le to 
 grind with a mill-stone, putting horses' teeth out of
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 41 
 
 the question. Guests oats were a mixture of chopped 
 straw with husks and siftings of wheat. The laws of 
 liospitality require that gnests, their servants and horses, 
 sliould be filled ; but as the landlord's duty is confined 
 to looking after the entertainment and treatment of the 
 gentry, if the servants and horses are starved, all the 
 blame falls commonly on the steward, in case any of 
 the guests should thuik of his liorses and servants. — 
 Besides, with necessary -people, such as the powers 
 that be, of the goveniment and district, there is another 
 mode of procedure ; tlieir servants and horses being 
 committed to the special care of the marshalek and 
 stud-master. 
 
 At last the day of the fete arrived. A number of 
 guests came in the morning. Carnages, calashes, 
 breetchkas and koleemashkas, * occupied all the space 
 between the stables and farm-yard. Almost every fa- 
 mily brought along with it a score of horses ; six in 
 tlieir OAvn can-iage ; four in the breetchka, containing 
 the male and female sei-vants, trunks, and band boxes ; 
 and a pair in the koleemashka, which contained the 
 bedding packed up in large square chests, and the 
 cooking utensils for the road stowed among hay. 
 Single persons came with six horses, and very few 
 with four. Some families came with a still greater 
 number of these animals, as a badge of the importance 
 of their owners, and I really do not think it amiss that 
 Mr. GologordofFsky should have contrived to feed 
 them with bulrushes, husks, and weeds. This custom 
 of going a visiting with a whole stud at the expence of 
 
 * A sort of cart.
 
 42 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 another, has tlie same consequence to the entertainer 
 as the inroad of a Tartar horde ; and if the landhold- 
 ers did not prepare this forage for ^ests, which is 
 nothing: but tlie shadow for the substance, two coun- 
 try balls would eat up their whole yearly stock of hay 
 and oats. But, as no assembly can come together 
 without cattle, the main point is to Icnow how to get 
 them decently oft" their hands. 
 
 After morning prayers, breakfast was served up, or 
 ])roperly speaking, dram-drinking, as the ladies ate 
 but little, and the gentlemen drank more than they ate. 
 Spirits of different colours and tastes* were unceas- 
 ingly circulated, till the decanters were emptied. 
 Then the gentlemen walked into the garden to join 
 the ladies. In the mean time the cloth was laid in 
 the dining-room, and, as fresh guests were continually 
 arriving, four lackeys continued to serve up spirits and 
 whets in the garden. 
 
 At two o'clock in the afternoon, wlien dinner was 
 on the table, the musicians, led by the Kapel-meister, 
 stationed themselves on the flig])t of steps leading to 
 the garden, and played a Polish air. This was a 
 signal for dinner, and all the g-uests assembled in the 
 ])rincipal alley. Mr. Gologordoffsky offpred his arm 
 to his most distinguished guest, the wife of the Go- 
 vernment-marshal. The Marshal himself led up Mrs. 
 Gologordoffisky, and in this way, two couples in a row, 
 they moved into the dining-room. Tlie other guests 
 
 * In Russia the making of all different sorts of cordials and 
 bitters is much better understood than it is in this country : even 
 in the very lowest classes they are connoisseurs of that art.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 43 
 
 also followed in couples, that is to say, the ladies along- 
 side of the gentlemen. It is true that Mr, Gologor- 
 dofFsky managed to place the most respectable guests 
 higher, notwithstanding they came into the hall later. 
 Before they were seated, he called them out of the 
 crowd according to their rank,* and begged them to 
 occupy the place nearest to the landlady, arranging 
 these movements with various jokes and proverbs. 
 The diinier was luxmious, and, although more than a 
 hvmdred sat down at table, there was abundance of 
 provisions. With regard to wine, the following ar- 
 rangement Avas adopted. The common table-wine, 
 that is to say French wine, was placed m decanters 
 before the guests. The best wines of different quali- 
 ties Avere canned about and poured out under the di- 
 rection of the marshalek and stud-mas'te7\ The first 
 with three footmen on the right side of the table, the 
 other with the same number of assistants on the left. 
 On each side, the first lackey held bottles of the very 
 best wine, the second with a middle quality, and the 
 third with the most common, appertaining to the class 
 of best wines Avith only one name. The mmshalek 
 and stud-master, by a previous understanduig, took 
 their cue from Mr. Gologordoffsky's style of address, 
 Avhat sort of wine to poiir out for each guest : for in- 
 stance, when he said to a guest, " I beg you Avill 
 drink. Sir, do honour to my Avine, I assure you it is 
 worth trying ;" then they poured out the fii'st sort. 
 
 * In the houses of the greater part of the Russian gentry, who 
 have never seen any world but their own, this practice is still kept 
 up.
 
 44 li^AN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 " Drink a little wine ; it really is not bad," denoted 
 the second sort. " You don't drink any : hey, ponr 
 out wine to the gentleman," niaiked the third sort. 
 It appears that Mr. Golog-ordoffskj^ knew perfectly the 
 tastes of his guests, for they all drank a decent por- 
 tion, and regularly complied with the landlord's invi- 
 tation. Besides, I reckon Mr. Golodordoffsky's be- 
 havioiu" very commendable : why treat a guest with 
 what he is not acquainted, and when he is as well sa- 
 tisfied with the name as with the quality of his wine ? 
 Some drink Champagne and Tokay, because they 
 find that these wines please their taste ; others merely 
 in order to have it to say, " We have di-unk Cham- 
 pagne and Tokay !' Who does not know the pro- 
 verb, ' Do not throw your pearls before swine ?' At 
 the end of tlie dinner a huge goblet was brought in, 
 adonied with coats of arms and inscriptions. Mr. 
 Gologordoffsky poured wine into it, draidi to the health 
 of his spouse, and with loud cries of ' Vivat' ! with 
 peals of music and flourishing of trumpets emptied it, 
 and bowing to his next neighboiu-, added, " Into 
 your hands." Exactly with the same ceremonial tl»e 
 cup went round from hand to hand. At last, when 
 all the party refused to drink more, Avith the signifi- 
 cant observation, " that the day was not over yet," 
 the landlord rose, all the guests following his example, 
 and each of them taking one or two ladies by the arm, 
 walked away tottering into the garden, Avhere coffee 
 and sweet-meats awaited them. Hardly had the gen- 
 try left the dining-room, when the lackeys belonging 
 to the house and to the ^ests, the musicians and
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 45 
 
 maid-servants, rashed in like harpies upon the re- 
 mains of the feast, and without listening to tlie hoarse 
 voices of the marshaiek and stud-master, tore every 
 thing to pieces, and emptied the bottles to the very 
 lees. In the kitchen the greatest confusion reigned 
 while the servants got their dinner. Without the least 
 ceremony they helped themselves, took possession of 
 the pots and pans, and satisfied their appetite which 
 had been sharpened by the journey. In recalling to 
 my mind all the particulars of this feast, I am per- 
 suaded that the one half of the provisions consumed 
 would have been amply sufficient both for masters and 
 servants ; but, in this case, order would have been re- 
 quisite, and that was a thing quite neglected in the 
 house of Mr. Gologordoffsky. 
 
 After dinner some of the old gentlemen went to re- 
 pose,* the greater part of the guests seated themselves 
 around card-tables, where some experienced hands 
 with mere amateurs sat down to faro. All those gen- 
 tlemen who dm-ing dinner had made loud complaints 
 of bad times, and on the ruin of the corn-trade, pro- 
 duced at the table gold, silver, and lieaps of assignats.f 
 Some of them having lost their last kopeek, in the 
 
 * The siesta is not confined to southern climates. In the 
 heat of summer, not only elderly people, in good circumstances, 
 but almost the whole body of the people, take a two hours nap, 
 usually from one to three, p. m. ; but, then, working people, in 
 summer, are in the habit of rising at three or four o'clock in the 
 mornings. Even in winter, the habit of sleeping after dinner, is 
 by no means uncommon, 
 
 -|- Government paper money of which there is about six hun- 
 dred millions of roubles (upwaids of twenty-four millions of 
 pounds sterling) in circulation.
 
 46 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 hei^rht of their plirenzy sold their horses, equipages, 
 cattle, and the copper kettles of their distilleries, and 
 hoping to regain these, lost still more. Young gal- 
 lants and old heaux sat beside the ladies, and, heated 
 with wine, made declarations of love, or entertained 
 the ladies with their nonsense and drolleries. At 
 length, when it began to be damp out of doors, the 
 ladies went into the house to dress and prepare for 
 the dance. At eight o'clock the rooms were lighted, 
 the music stnick up, and Mr. Gologordoffsky opened 
 the ball by dancing a Polonaise with his wife. The 
 dancing continued till twelve o'clock, when supper 
 was served. 
 
 This was as abundant and luxurious as the dinner, 
 only the drinking took another turn. Almost all the 
 guests made themselves beastly dmnk. They sent 
 away the musicians into another room, and began with 
 declarations of friendship among the gentlemen, em- 
 bracing and kissing one another, and promising to for- 
 get all quaiTels and nmtual differences. The ladies 
 were called as witnesses to these reconciliations, and 
 Avere obliged to become sureties for the fulfilment of 
 the promises on both sides. On the well-known toast, 
 ' Let us love one another,' (Kochaymy sic) being 
 given, the guests drank a full bumper, falling on their 
 knees before one another, or embrachig. At last they 
 returned to the ladies, and began to drink every one of 
 their healths from their respective shoes. A gentle- 
 man falling on his knees before a lady, pulled off her 
 shoe, and, after that, respectfully kissed lier foot and 
 lier hands, placed liis glass iii the shoe, and in some
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 47 
 
 cases poured his wine into it, drank it out, and handed 
 it to another. On a sudden a salute from two dozen 
 of muskets and some swivels roused the convivial party. 
 All ran to the windows and beheld in the midst of 
 the court the flaming initials of the lady in whose 
 honour the entertainment had been given. A joyful 
 vivat anew resounded through the hall. The music 
 struck up again, and the large goblet again appeared 
 upon the scene. Some scores of rockets and Roman 
 candles were launched into the air to the gratification 
 of the spectators. But, whether from ignorance or 
 awkwardness, some rockets broke upon the straw- 
 tliatch of the bam, and the wind being pretty high, in 
 a few minutes the roof fell in, and all the offices were 
 on fire. It would be difficult to imagine the conster- 
 nation occasioned by this unexpected occuiTence. The 
 drunken masters were troubled ; the servants did not 
 know what to do. All gave orders, but nobody was 
 disposed to obey them. They knew not how to ma- 
 nage the fire-engines, and then every one ran to the 
 fire, with a bucket, an axe, or a pike,* and nobody 
 ventured to approach the flames. They sounded the 
 tocsin, and sent to the village for the peasants : but 
 they, it appeared, were not over hasty in coming to 
 the assistance of their lord and master. The guests 
 ordered their horses to be put to as fast as possible, 
 
 • In all the crown-villages, every house or cottage, in case of 
 fire, is obliged to send one of its inmates with one of these three 
 articles, a figure of which is painted on a board at the gate of 
 each house. In the towns, each police office is provided with a 
 fire-engine and people to attend it. A particular officer, the 
 Brand-major has the command of these engines and people.
 
 48 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 and their things packed up. The household-sen'ants la- 
 boured for the preservation of tlie silver-plate and table- 
 linen from destruction. The phrenzy, disorder, noise 
 and confusion, and running to and fro, were enough 
 to distract the most cold-blooded of mortals ; every 
 thing was turned upside down in the house. From 
 slieer teiTor I did not know what to do, stood on the 
 outer steps, looked at the fire, and fell a crying. On 
 a sudden Masha appeared. " Vanky I I am looking 
 for you : follow me." We immediately fled through 
 all the rooms to my mistress's bed chamber. Masha 
 put upon my head my gold laced cap which lay in my 
 mistress's wardrobe, gave me a bundle and a basket to 
 carry, threw her capote about her shoulders and told 
 me to follow her. We fled through the garden, leap- 
 ed through a broken fence, and alighted on a field 
 beside a thicket. There stood a calash drawn by four 
 horses. In the dark I could not discern who was 
 seated in it. Masha occupied the fore seat, a whis- 
 kered footman placed me on the portmanteau behind, 
 and he himself sat on the box along with the driver. 
 The horses turned and trotted slowly to the mainroad, 
 which was about half a verst distant, and then set off 
 at full speed. However much wearied I was with 
 faintness and over exertion, I could not shut my eyes. 
 The fire was continually present to my imagination, 
 and I shuddered when I thought of my mistress's fate, 
 supposing, according to my reflections at that time, 
 that probably every thing in the house would be burnt, 
 and that on this accouvit Masha had saved herself by 
 flight, along with me. I thought that the carriage be-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 49 
 
 longed to some one of the guests. In the calash I 
 heard a vvhispermg, but could not distinguish the "words, 
 or the speakers by their voices. At length by day- 
 ))reak we arrived at the first post-house.
 
 CHAPTER VL 
 
 Marriage and Honey-moon. 
 
 When I dismounted from the portmanteau and ap- 
 ])roaclied the carriage-door, I almost screamed with 
 astonishment, when I saw Meloveeden and my mis- 
 tiess, Petronella GologordofFsky, who, wrapt up in 
 her cloak, was leaning with her head on the shoul- 
 der of her dear fi-iend. " Do you know me, Vanky, 
 said Meloveeden, with a smile." " How should not 
 I know the good gentleman !" In the mean time, 
 Cosmo, the whiskered footman, who had gone to the 
 Post-house with the podoroajney,* returned with the 
 post-master's answer, that there were no horses to he 
 had. On hearing this, Meloveeden leaped out of the 
 carriage, and ran instantly into the house, and I after 
 him. The post-master, dressed in a moniing-gowii, 
 was seated at a tahle, and turning over the leaves of a 
 book, in which the podoroajnejfs were written. — 
 " Horses," cried Meloveeden gruffly. " There are no 
 horses at present : they are all taken up," answered 
 the post-master coolly. " If you don't give me horses 
 this minute," said Meloveeden, " I will harness your- 
 self to the carriage, witli all the two-legged animals in 
 your house. Do you hear ?" " You are pleased to 
 joke," returned tlie post-master coolly. " Wont you 
 rest a little and drink a cup of cofl'ee ; and in the 
 
 " Government licence to entitle a traveller to hire post-horses.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 51 
 
 meantime the horses will come home." " The Devil 
 take you with your coffee : I want horses," exclaimed 
 Meloveetlen in a passion. " There are no horses/' an- 
 swered the post-master again. " You lie : nobody 
 travels on this road, and I met nobody on the way," 
 said Meloveeden. " Please to inspect the post-book." 
 " I don't wish to lose time uselessly, and in place of 
 counting the pages, will count the lashes upon your 
 back," said IMeloveeden, taking a step towards the 
 post-master. " It can do you no good to fall into a 
 passion," returned the latter. " Please to read upon 
 the walls the post regulations : you will see that, for 
 insulting a post-master, who holds the rank of the 
 fourteenth class of nobility, you are liable to a fine of 
 a hundred roubles." " Ah ! if you want a fine," said 
 Meloveeden, " I will pay you treble, and give you 
 such a bellyful, that you will not, likely, have many 
 more fines to receive in this life ; but listen, in the 
 first place, I wish to argue the matter with you civilly. 
 \\liat is the charge for the legal number of horses to 
 the first stage ?" " Sixteen roubles," replied the post- 
 master. " See, I am willing to pay you double, that 
 is thirty-two roubles ; and, besides, I will give you 
 three roubles for coffee and tobacco : give me horses, 
 or, by God, I will give you a thrashing !" " I see I 
 can make notliing of you," said the post-master, " I 
 must give you my own horses." On this he thrust 
 his head out of the casement, * and cried to the drivers, 
 
 * The advantage of having a pane of glass upon hinges is not 
 so much perceived in this country as it is in Russia : where, in 
 the winter-time, it is almost the only comfortable way of admit- 
 D 2
 
 52 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 " Hey, boys ! Put to the duns, quick, in couriers' 
 style." " You confounded rogne" ! added Melovee- 
 den, on receiving tlie balance. " What can one do, 
 your lionour" ! answered the post-master, " we must 
 live somehow or other." " That is one of the curses 
 of this country : almost every thing is done somehow 
 or other,'' said Meloveeden, going out of the room. 
 In the mean time the horses were put to, and we set 
 oft". For tln-ee days and nights we traversed the 
 highway, without any jiarticular adventures. At every 
 stage there was some hinderance, owing to our po- 
 doroajney not having the words, ' on government 
 business,' written upon it. But Meloveeden, what 
 with bullying, scolding, and bribing, got the better of 
 the iron-bound o1>stinacy of the post-masters, who in 
 general consider the performance of their duty to con- 
 sist in dispatching couriers as fast, and detaining other 
 travellers as long, as possible. On the fourth morn- 
 ing at day-break, within sight of a town, we tm-ned 
 aside from the main road, and after passing through a 
 wood for five versts, an-ived at a village, at the door 
 of a peasant's cottage. Here was quartered a friend 
 of Meloveeden, Lieutenant Khvatomsky, He came 
 out to receive them, handed Petronella out of the car- 
 riage, and gave her his arm to his quarters. They im- 
 mediately sent for a Russian and Catholic Priest, who 
 liad been brought thither on pui-pose, and waited Me- 
 loveedens amval. He shewed them his permission 
 to contract a legal man-iage, and the consent of the 
 
 ting a little freshjair into a room ; opening an entire window being 
 quite out of the question.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 53 
 
 Catholic Bishop oi- Indidt, with what is called a tvin- 
 dow, that is, a blank for the filling up of the names ; 
 in two hours the whole ceremony was concluded, ac- 
 cording to the Russian ritual, in the church, and ac- 
 cording to the Catholic, in the Priest's house. After 
 reposing and dinmg with Khvatomsky, the newly mar- 
 ed couple at twilight set off for the town, where Melo- 
 veeden's quarters were. To avoid surmises, he did 
 not chuse to appear before the squadron but with a le- 
 gal wife ; this precaution doubtless does honour to his 
 character. 
 
 Meloveeden, before going for his bride, put his 
 quarters in as good order as possible for her recep- 
 tion. He hired two rooms in the house of a rich Jew. 
 But as cleanliness does not follow in the train of riches 
 among the Jews, he got the rooms finished on liis own 
 account. The walls were hung with coloured paper, 
 the floors painted ; in the inner room an alcove was 
 formed of deals for a bed chamber, and the division 
 was himg with caqiets. The windows were adorned 
 with pink curtains, and, from a female friend of his, 
 the wife of a country gentleman, living, by a decision 
 of the Consistory-Court, separated from her husband, 
 iNIeloveeden got the use of a piano-forte, a dozen of 
 chairs, a couple of lombard-tables, and a mirror. Some 
 pairs of pistols, Turkish sabres and scymitars, a Per- 
 sian horse-furniture, and two muskets, hung in tlie 
 drawing-room in place of pictures. A pyramid of 
 pipe-stalks, with huge heads and gilded stoppers, serv- 
 ed also for an ornament to the room. In a word, look- 
 ing to the place and cu'cumstances, Meloveeden's rooms 
 D 3
 
 54 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 were wonderfully well furnished, and hardly inferior 
 to those of Mr Golosrordoffsky himself. Besides all 
 this, there lay on the piano-forte a bundle of music 
 expressly ordered from Petersburgh, and on a shelf 
 in the bed room, some dozens of new French ro- 
 mances with plates. Meloveeden had neglected no- 
 thing to make his dwelling agreeable. 
 
 Peti'onella sighed with astonishment on entering 
 the lodgings for the first time. After looking about 
 her, she threw her arms around her husband's neck, 
 and wept for joy and gratitude at such a reception. — 
 Next day, Meloveeden, with his wife, visited the 
 Colonel, pay-master and quarter-master, besides one 
 (H- two maiTied ofHcere, in order to introduce lier to 
 their wives. For the course of a whole week, he was 
 entirely taken up in making visits along with his wife, 
 in the neighbourhood, and was everywhere congi'atu- 
 lated on the beauty and amiability of the channing Pe- 
 tronella. 
 
 Soon after, g-uests came in from all quarters to visit 
 them. Meloveeden liked good company ; had dinners, 
 evening-parties, and sup])ers, wliich usually ended 
 with a drinking-bout and cards. Time passed away, 
 and money along with it. At first they bought Avine 
 and provisions for ready money ; after that, took them 
 upon tick ; and at last, when the Jews saw that they 
 did not pay their debts, they gave no more credit, and 
 Meloveeden had to pawn liis things. 
 
 Petronella's pai'ents would receive no more letters 
 from her, and returned what she had sent unopened. 
 Meloveeden's uncle was also angry with him f<n- hav-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 53 
 
 iiig deceived him, in saying tliat he was marrying a 
 rich lieiress ; and, for marrying witliout tlie consent of 
 Jiis relations, he refused to give him any more money. 
 Meloveeden engaged in play upon credit ; he associ- 
 ated witli gamblers who cheated him, and stripped him 
 of all that he was worth. His circumstances became 
 critical. Within six months after his marriage, every 
 tiling which it was possible to sell was sold ; nothing 
 remained to pawn, nothing to gamble with, and no- 
 body to borrow from. Meloveeden then resolved 
 upon the last resource — to go with his wife to his uncle, 
 in hopes that by her charms she would melt the ob- 
 <lurate old man. Having got leave of absence he sold 
 his last saddle-horse, and, with the proceeds, redeem- 
 ed out of pawn his calash ; and, collecting the remains 
 of his property, his linen, saddles and fire-arms, he 
 pledged them with the Jew, his landlord, in order to 
 raise wherewithal to pay his travelling expences. Mrs. 
 Meloveeden would on no account part with her 
 dresses or Masha. She was certainly to blame, and so, 
 after filling the carnage with band-boxes, and taking 
 Avith them Masha, the footman and cook, my master 
 and misti-ess set off for Moscow. They left me in 
 their lodgings to take cai'e of the things left in pawn, 
 and tlie Jew was ordered to feed me on their account. 
 
 D 4
 
 CHAPTER VIL 
 
 A rich Jew — Souices of his Riclies. 
 
 In a month after Meloveeden's departure, tlie regi- 
 ment marched into other quarters, and I remained witli 
 the Jew along with the effects, as none of the officers 
 were able or willing to redeem them and take with 
 them the locked up trmiks. Being left alone with no 
 one to look after me or protect me, in the natural 
 course of events I became the servant of the person 
 who fed me, that is to say of the Jew Moses, the 
 master of the house, who v/as reckonetl to be one of 
 the richest inhabitants of tlie town. His wife Reefka, * 
 a fat woman of a low figure, whose liead was decked all 
 over with pearls, and, besides, some natm^al cutaneous 
 ornaments not quite so pretty, kept a shop for silk stuffs, 
 sugar, coffee, and dried fruits. Moses traded in the 
 house, in wines, porter, and provisions for the table, 
 groceries, Dutch lierrmgs, cheese, and, in fine, all 
 articles pertainmg to gastronomy. But as a Jew can- 
 not go on without dealing in spirits, in addition to his- 
 other business, he kept a tap for peasants and the low- 
 er sorts of people. The retailing of spirits is a most 
 indispensable thing for a Jew in the Polish provinces. 
 By this means he procures for the tenth part of their 
 real value all sorts of provisions, and keeps liis house 
 
 * A contraction for Rebecca,
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 57 
 
 for almost nothing. Besides that, by means of the 
 vodky, he picks out of the peasants and servants all the 
 secrets, all the wants, all the connections and relations of 
 their masters, which makes the Jews the real ralers of 
 tlie actual landholders, and subjects to Jewish controul 
 all affairs and objects in which the precious metals and 
 assignats act a part. In real fact, the landholders are 
 merely gratified with the clink of the cash and the look 
 of the notes, while the Jew is the real o\\nier. 
 
 In Moses' WTiting there lay three Imge books or re- 
 gisters of debts. The first contained the debts of the 
 fair sex, contracted in Reefka's shop ; the second held 
 the debts of the landholders, or of such men in general as 
 were called Pans,* for eatables and drinkables ; tl>e 
 third book contained the debts of unfortunate peasants, 
 who, coming into town to sell the produce of their 
 land from necessity, kept only as much money as 
 would pay their masters' dues, and drank the balance 
 l)esides iimning into debt. In order to make the reader 
 understand in what manner the Jews go to work with 
 the peasants, I shall mention how Moses balanced one 
 of his accounts, of which I was an eye-witness. 
 
 The peasant alluded to came into town the night be- 
 fore market-day with two loads, the one of rye, the 
 other of wheat, antl brought two cows with him for 
 sale. He put up for the night at Moses' house. The 
 wily Jew, seeing that the farmer was sitting down to 
 supper with three of his companions, treated him with 
 a glass of liis best and strongest vodky. The peasant 
 
 " A tetm synonymous with what ' gentleman'' was formerly in 
 English, or miles in the Latin of the middle ayes. 
 D 5
 
 58 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 was uncommonly pleased with this beverage, and the 
 Jew gave him another glass for nothing. Wlien the 
 peasant's head gi-ew light, he ordered a kvart* of the 
 same spirits to be given liim, for which he would pay. 
 The Jew only waited for this — he kjiew his guest's 
 free and open temper ; and hardly had the peasant 
 drunk tliis, when he sent to acquaint some of his other 
 companions, and mvited some well known town-dnmk- 
 ards who had a particular knack at insinuating them- 
 selves into the confidence of strangei's. In proportion 
 as the senses of his guests grew stupified, the Jew 
 added water to the spirits ; and, though the people at 
 table perceived this, and gave vent to their dissatisfac- 
 tion in gross abuse, the Jew patiently bore their up- 
 braidings, and continued his operations till the gi'eater 
 part of his visitors fell asleep on the spot, and tlie rest 
 managed to stagger into the street. 
 
 Next day, when the peasant, tormented with a 
 head-aclie, went into the stable-yard where his horses 
 and cows stood, the Jew demanded payment for the 
 debts whicli he had accumulated in the course of some 
 months. The peasant earnestly begged lum to defer 
 a settlement till another time ; but the Jew, being a 
 good psychologist, knew the loile — ' in coi'pore sano 
 mens sana' — as well as its converse, and would not 
 agree to a postponement, wishing to take advantage of 
 the stupefaction of his guest's senses with the fumes of 
 drink, in consequence of his yesterday's intemperance 
 and the weak state of liis mental faculties. The Jew 
 
 * A Polish kvart is about a pint, English measure.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 59 
 
 produced his book of debts written in the Hebrew* 
 chai-acter, took a piece of chalk, placed the peasant on 
 the opposite side of the table, and turning over the 
 leaves of the book, began the settlement : — "Do you re- 
 collect," said the Jew, " how you lived here three days 
 when you came in with loads before the summer- St. 
 Nicholasf ?" " How should not I recollect it ?" an- 
 swered the peasant. " The first day you took in the 
 morning a half-kvart of vodky — is not that correct?" 
 " It is so." " Now, here I shall note it ;" and he made 
 a mark with the chalk on the table. " Afterwards, 
 when yom- brother-in-law came with Nicetas, you took 
 another kvart ;" and, at this word, the Jew drew two 
 marks. " At dimier you took again two kvarter- 
 kas"\ and the Jew agam drew two mai'ks without 
 regarding the difference of the measure. " After din- 
 ner," — but the peasant, who was all this time scratching 
 his head and rubbing his forehead, uiteiTupted the Jew, 
 "Paney Arendaiyoo ! " (an honorary appellation given 
 by the Lithuanian peasants to the Jews), " I really 
 have not strength to go on, give me some vodky, for 
 I have an insufferable head-ache." This was just what 
 
 * It is the Rabbinical character which the Polish Jews use, 
 but the words are German, though nearly as difficult for a stran- 
 ger from Germany to understand as the broadest Scotch is to an 
 Englishman. 
 
 ■\ There is more than one Saint of that name in the Russian 
 Calendar, who have each their holy days ; but the two most no- 
 table ones are that which occurs a little before Christmas, and 
 the other in the middle of summer. The most effectual oath in 
 Russia is that which is taken before a picture of ' St. Nicholas, 
 the miracle- worker,' (Nicolal Tchudotvorclr.. ) 
 
 X A kvarterka is the eighth-part of a kvart. 
 D 6
 
 60 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 the Jew wanted. " Hey, Sorka* ! Reefka ! " cried 
 out the Jew, " give the Hospodar a dram." (Hos- 
 ])odar is a title which the Jews, in return, give the 
 peasants when they want to cheat them.) The pea- 
 sant drank the fill of a large tumbler, makhig wry faces, 
 and shnigghig his shoulders, and the business took 
 another turn. " After dinner," continued the Jew, 
 " you took half a kvart." " Right." The Jew made 
 another mark. " But when Ivan came in, you again 
 took half a kvart." " No, I did not take it, but Ivan 
 got it," answered the peasant. " Very well you did 
 not take it," added the Jew, but in the meantime 
 added another mark. " In the evening you took half 
 a kvart :" " Right." — The Jew drew another mark. — 
 " And in the morning you got one." " No, I did not," 
 answered the peasant. " You did not get it," said the 
 Jew, but nevertheless drew another score. " At diimer, 
 next day, you took half a kvart." " No, only a kvarter- 
 ka," answered the peasant. " \ ery well, let it be only 
 a kvarterka" YetmweA the Jew, but drew a mark denot- 
 ing the measure of half a kvart, which contahis in itself 
 four kvarterkas. In this way was the reckoning con- 
 tinued : during all the time Moses' daughters, Sorka and 
 Reefka, kept plymg the peasant with vodky ; and the 
 Jew went on scoring, it mattered not whether the pea- 
 sant agreed or disagreed with the items marked against 
 him, and making no distinction of measures when they 
 were less than half a/fi'rt)'/, but adding scores when tJie 
 measm'e was more. At last, when the peasants head 
 grew giddy and his eyes dizzy, the Jew pulled out of 
 
 " A contraction for Sarah.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 61 
 
 Ills bosom a piece of chalk with a split ui it, like two 
 blades of a knife, and with this double instniment pro- 
 ceeded to draw two scores, in place of one, at a time. 
 Wlien the table was all marked over, the Jew called in 
 as witnesses to the settlement some of the peasant's 
 neighbours, and they, after summing up the scores, 
 reduced them into money : the unfortunate man had 
 to give up to the Jew his best cow and all his wheat, 
 although he was actually due, perhaps, only the tenth 
 part of what he paid. 
 
 Almost in the same manner Moses behaved to the 
 landholders ; only more artfully, and, in some meastu'e, 
 more delicately. However, the double chalk, over- 
 measure in wmes, &c. were also made use of in his 
 reckonings with tlie gentiy, as well as with the pea- 
 sants. The Jew, knowing that Polish Pans and Rus-^ 
 sian officers do not like to keep account-books, and 
 are quite disgTisted with long reckonings, used to fix 
 upon a favom-able time for his views, and pounce upon 
 his debtors at the precise moment when they were 
 either in a very merry or in an extremely low mood. 
 
 Moses' wife, Reefka, who also sold goods upon 
 credit, and, in place of interest, received from the 
 landliolders' wives whole tubs of butter and coopfuls 
 of domestic fowls, chose such a time for settling with 
 her debtors, when they were in the greatest want of 
 credit — for instance, before balls,, elections, and mar- 
 riages. In this sort of trade it was impossible to cheat 
 by the same means as m the sale of wines and spirits : 
 but the wily Reefka, takmg advantage of the neces- 
 eities and vanity of her customers, gave them short
 
 62 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 measure and sliort weight, charged a double price 
 for every thing, and, besides that, contrived to squeeze 
 presents from them, under the pretence that she her- 
 self got the goods upon credit and was obliged to 
 pay interest. Besides that, her trade brought her this 
 advantage, that, by means of their wives, Moses had 
 a claim upon the husbands, that is, on the pecuniary 
 speculations of the landholders. They were even glad 
 that, for silk-stuffs, and laces, for wine, mm, porter, 
 sugar, and coffee, they could pay according to their 
 pleasure, in wheat, flax, hemp, or other agi-icultural 
 produce ; seeing that the Jew, on these occasions, would 
 purchase the remainder of their stock for ready money, 
 at a valuation also fixed by the Jews, and commonly 
 for the half of what the articles would bring at the 
 regular markets and shipping ports. The landlords in 
 these provinces have, in general, no idea of business, 
 and receive their commercial information solely from 
 the Jews. Throughout a whole government, there 
 are only a few persons who take in newspapers, and 
 they merely for notices of law-suits, and for the con- 
 venience of reference, if the conversation should turn 
 upon politics. 
 
 All this Jewish trade, founded on knavery, is 
 called lawful, because the Jews engage in it openly ; 
 gaining, hoAvever, much more in a concealed maimer, 
 by means forbidden both by law and conscience. 
 
 Moses loved me for my modesty and docility : he 
 regarded me as his own servant, because Melovee- 
 den, having withdrawn from the army and settled 
 in Moscow, had relmquished his effects as well as
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 63 
 
 myself, not having the means to redeem them from 
 pawni. 
 
 Moses also employed me upon the most secret com- 
 missions, and promised me mountains of gold if I 
 would resolve to turn Jew. Although I knew no- 
 thing of Clu-istianity, having been brought up like a 
 wild animal, however, the mere name of Jew went 
 against my grain ; and without positively refusing, I 
 declined changing my religion, under different pre- 
 tences, and in the meantime resolved to flee from 
 such a calamity. 
 
 One day there alighted at Moses' house two agents 
 of rich proprietors, on their return from Riga with 
 money received for com and hemp which they had 
 sold. These gentlemen-agents, it appeared, were on 
 an intimate footing with Moses ; they gave him charge 
 of all their masters' gold, which Moses engaged to re- 
 turn punctually next day ; and besides, to one of the 
 two, a man unexperienced in such transactions, he 
 gave in pledge silver money of an equal value. 
 
 At night Moses shut himself up stairs into his own 
 apaitment, called me and his sou Judelia to liim, and 
 told us that we must work all night. He pom'ed out of 
 bags upon the table great heaps of ducats, and set 
 Judelia to pick out of the heaps those that were large 
 and of full weight : he spread a clotli upon the floor 
 for me, sprinkled some sort of black powder upon 
 it, and ordered me to nib the picked ducats upon 
 it, squeezing them tightly to the cloth. Moses him- 
 self sat at the table, on which stood two wax candles, 
 and a magnifying-glass on a stand. Judelia gave him 
 the ducats, and he, looking through the glass at them,
 
 64 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 pared them with little crooked scissars. I do not 
 know how many ducats passed through our hands, 
 but, before day-liglit, I changed three pieces of cloth, 
 and Moses collected a whole tea-cupful of gold-clip- 
 pings. The agents received their money back punc- 
 tually without minding the weight, and, in recom- 
 pense for tlieir civility, they got each a few ducats 
 to liimself ; and besides, the Jew charged them notliing 
 for tlieir horses' feed, for board and lodging, or wine, 
 and gave them some bottles for tlie road. In the even- 
 ing Moses burned tlie cloths and melted the clippings 
 in a stove constmcted for that purpose in his closet. 
 Our night's work procured him a piece of gold as large 
 as a man's fist. We were always engaged in this 
 sweating of gold from ducats, whenever there chanced 
 to be in the house any of his acquaintances among 
 the stewards or agents of rich Pans, or when mer- 
 cliants or gentlemen put gold into Moses' hands to 
 transact any business for them. 
 
 One evening Moses ordei'ed me to prepare for a 
 journey next morning. Reefka packed up in a small 
 tiTink a suit of Moses' best clotlies, a black lialf-silk 
 coat, fastening from the collar to the waist witli small 
 hooks, a small silk cloak with large pockets before, a 
 pair of grey stockings, new shoes, and a round broad- 
 brimmed liat : she also put in as many shirts as she 
 reckoned he would be weeks absent ; that is to say, 
 a fortnight at least. She filled a separate basket 
 witli provisions, which consisted of one bottle of spirits 
 called ' Shabashovfy,'* on account of its quality, and 
 
 " From ' Shalash,' the Russian term for giving up or resting
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 65 
 
 because they only drink it when work is over, at wliich 
 time they smg the merry ' Mayofees ;'* of two home- 
 made goats'-milk cheeses, two large radishes, two 
 dozens of onions, one dozen of lierrmgs, two rye- 
 loaves, one string of Jewish krendeh or barankies,\ 
 and a small piece of roast kid. This provision was 
 intended to sei-ve five persons for a fortnight. Along 
 with Moses there were the Jew-chiver, his brother-in- 
 law Josel, his nephew Khatzkel, and poor I. The 
 trunk and basket were put into my hands, and, when 
 I observed to Reefka that that provision would be 
 too little, she fell into a passion and scolded me. 
 " Hold your peace, you ' Ghoy.'it^ All your thoughts 
 are taken up on your belly, and you never consider 
 that every cnimb costs money : people liave need to 
 take care of their money now-a-days, for times are 
 bad enoiigh in all conscience !" " Aye, but you have 
 plenty of money for all that," said I, muttering with 
 my head partly ensconced in the basket. " How dare 
 you say that we have plenty of money ? Hiirsli tvx !§ 
 One would suppose you had seen and counted our 
 money ? Hiirsh tu ! Ah, you vagabond ! Ah, you 
 villain ! How dare you say that we have money !" 
 
 from work ; apparently a corruption of the Hebrew word, ' Sab- 
 bath,' or as it is pronounced by the Polish Jews ' Shaabat.'' 
 
 • The Jewish song of joy, which has no words. 
 
 -f- Hard biscuits made of wheaten flour rolled to the thickness 
 of a rope, and formed into rings of two to three inches in dia- 
 meter strung together like a necklace in forties or fifties upon a 
 piece of twine ; in which state they are sold. 
 
 J Infidel, synonimous with Ghiaour in Turkish. 
 
 § A corruption of the German ' Hoerst du' (' I say,') (literally 
 ' hearest thou.')
 
 66 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 The Jewess shook with anger, threatened to beat me, 
 and would probably have carried her threats into exe- 
 cution, if I had not assumed the defensive, and cried 
 out in reply : " Wliy are you angry, Panay Aren- 
 darsha ! If you touch me, I will cut and run !" Our 
 outcry brought Moses to the spot, who, learning the 
 cause of the disturbance, called out to his wife and 
 took her into another room, where they scolded one 
 another, grew quiet, and Reefka returning, patted me 
 on the head, and gave me a large biscuit, adding ; 
 " Don't be angry, Vanky ! I shall put into the bas- 
 ket for you a piece of smoked goose, and if our own 
 Jewish folks wish for any dainties, let them buy them 
 with their own money." 
 
 One of the neighbouruig landliolders was then put- 
 ting up at our house. In the evening before Moses' 
 departure, this gentleman ordered a tumbler of punch 
 for himself and one for the landlord, and asked him 
 to sit down beside him and give liim his news. In ge- 
 neral, the greater part of the small country-gentiy re- 
 gard the Jews as the best-informed people in every 
 thing, even in politics ; and, in place of subscribing . 
 for a newspaper, expend the money which would other- 
 wise be applied for that pui-pose, on punch and wine, 
 and the time which would be lost in reading, they pre- 
 fer to spend in dialogues with the Jews on tlie state of 
 affairs all over the world. 
 
 The door of tliis gentleman's room chanced to be 
 open towards the gallery, wliere, by the light of a 
 night-lamp, I was posted to strip feathers for the Jew's 
 beds, merely to prevent me from being a single minute
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 67 
 
 idle, ancr according to the Jewisli saying-, eating my 
 bread for nothing. Eveiy word was heard ; but as 
 long as they talked about trade, farming, war, and the 
 governor, I took no interest in the conversation : how- 
 ever, when it turned upon Moses' jouniey, I pricked 
 up my ears, being cmious to know whither and why 
 we were to go. 
 
 " It is strange, Rabi Moses," said the landholder, 
 " that you who cairy on such an extensive trade, should 
 have thought of renting a kartchma on a property a 
 hundred miles distant from your place of residence. 
 I know that you make, besides, tar and potash there ; 
 but you might have all that, as we say, under j'our 
 nose. I and every proprietor hereabout would be 
 glad to have you for a tenant." " Particular circum- 
 stances, right-honourable Sir," answered the Jew, 
 " occasion me to rent a place so distant from home. 
 In that part of the country live all my wife's relations, 
 and, from pure benevolence, I established my poor re- 
 latives in kartchmas. Potash and tar are more easily 
 disposed of there, as that property lies upon the very 
 fi'ontiers. From all that I receive no manner of be- 
 nefit, but take a jouniey thither twice a year to see 
 that every tiling is in order, to settle my accounts, and 
 lay out the money for the payment of my rent : my 
 Avife's relations get all the profit, which I gratuitously 
 bestow upon them." " It is laudable, veiy laudable, 
 Rabi Moses," said the gentleman ; " that example of 
 yours is worthy to be imitated even amongst us ; and 
 to give them their due, there is too great an outcry 
 raised against the Jews : for one such instance of dis-
 
 68 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 interested love towards their relations ought to place 
 their conduct in a more favoui-able light." 
 
 I was called to supper, and did not hear the con- 
 clusion of the dialogue. The reader will soon see 
 what is the meaning of a Jew's disinterested love to- 
 wards his relatives, and his benevolence without any 
 advantage. Next day, a long hreetclika^ was brought 
 to the door, covered with oil-cloth, well smeared with 
 tar and mud, to which three raw-boned horses were 
 harnessed with ropes and the remnants of some gentle- 
 man's old harness : feather-beds and pillows were 
 crammed into the breetchka, the tranlis and boxes 
 were made fast, and we set off on our journey. Moses, 
 Josel, and Khatzkel, in greasy go^vns and night caps, 
 sat upon the feather-beds, quite close, almost one upon 
 the other, and I at their feet on the clothes' trunk. 
 As it was autumn, they gave me an old frieze great- 
 coat to wear, which had been bought in the rag-mar- 
 ket, and a cap which had been forgotten in the tap- 
 room by some drunken footman : this cap was a great 
 inconvenience to me, as it came over my eyes at every 
 bounce of the hreetclika. 
 
 I shall not describe our journey, which had nothing 
 interesting in it, and continued for two days and a 
 half. 
 
 On the third day, we turned aside from the main 
 
 • A breetchka is a long four-wheeled carriage, sometimes with- 
 out springs, but generally having two hind-springs, and some- 
 times provided with a leathern cover like a gig or calash. Its 
 form makes it convenient for holding a feather bed, and allowing 
 travellers to stretch themselves out in it at full length.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 69 
 
 road ; and about mid-day, arrived at a small kaitchma 
 whicli stood at some distance from a miserable village 
 consisting of ten huts. 
 
 The landlord of the kartchma was delighted, it ap- 
 peared, at our arrival, and immediately sent off three 
 peasants with letters in various directions. 
 
 At night, Jews began to anive, some on horseback 
 without saddles, others in carts ; and by the time that 
 the landlady had supper ready, about a score of them 
 had assembled. As usual there was a collection of 
 peasants in the kartchma, who came to spend the 
 evening in smoking tobacco, driiJiing vodky upon 
 credit, feasting upon dried fish and train-oil, and talk- 
 ing by the light of a fir-stick about their ghospodeen 
 and his steward. 
 
 The Jews did not mingle with the peasants in the 
 public room, but shut themselves into another apart- 
 ment, where they talked loudly amongst themselves, 
 speaking generally all at once. At last, when this 
 noisy council was at an end, the tacksman drove out 
 without ceremony the peasants from the kartchma, 
 saying that the room was wanted to lay beds for his 
 guests. To the discontented peasants, who did not 
 want to shift their quarters, he gave spirits and to- 
 bacco to take home with them, and they went away 
 singing to the village. 
 
 About midnight a gentleman arrived upon horse- 
 back : he remained half an hour alone with Moses, and 
 I heard at the doors how they bargained : at last they 
 shook hands,* and Moses counted out to the gentle- 
 
 * In Russia where most mercantile transactions are carried on
 
 70 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 man some dozens of silver roubles and ducats. The 
 gentleman, after drinking a glass of spirits to the health 
 of the honourable company, and smoking a pipe of to- 
 bacco, seated himself on his horse and galloped into 
 the wood. 
 
 The Jews after supper also separated. Moses and 
 his fellow-travellers lay down, without undressing, 
 upon featlier-beds, and I upon straw. 
 
 A little before day-break, the tacksman awakened 
 us, and we in two one-horse carts also proceeded into 
 the wood, along a naiTow road. I drove the cart 
 in which Moses and Josel were seated, while the 
 landlord of the kartclnna with Khatzkel Avent before 
 in the other cart. We had proceeded a long way 
 through the Avood before dawn, and at last heard the 
 creaking of wheels, and the vociferous bawling of 
 carters. Moses was overjoyed, and ordered me to 
 make up to them. We soon met the cavalcade, con- 
 sisting of fifty carts loaded with barrels of tar and 
 potash. Only one Jew accompanied them : the drivers 
 were peasants. In order to speak with this Jew, Moses 
 ordered me to turn the horse and follow the carts. 
 After proceeding on the way back about two versts, 
 at a turn of the road, we met with a file of Cossacks 
 belonging to the frontiers, along witli Avhom was the 
 very gentleman whom I had seen in the kai'tchma : he 
 was not a military man, but dressed very plainly. 
 
 Upon seeing us he made the detaclnnent halt, and 
 with the officer of tlie Cossacks rode up to the carts. 
 
 verbally, the shaking of hands between the two parties when the 
 bargain is corcluded is an universal practite.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 71 
 
 " Are you the owner, or where is he ?" said the Cos- 
 sack officer. " No, Sir : there he is, your excellency, 
 your honour !" answered the Jew, pointing to Moses, 
 wlio, in the meantime, alighted from the cart, and 
 standing without his cap, made a low bow. " You 
 rascals I you certainly are caiTying contraband goods !" 
 cried the gentleman in plain clothes. " How is it 
 possible. Sir, that honest people should cany on a 
 contraband trade ?" said Moses, making a low bow : 
 " May God keep us from doing any such thing! We, 
 poor Jews, deal in tar and potash. Please to examine 
 the loads." The gentleman dismounted from his liorse, 
 took an iron rod from his saddle, and a hammer from 
 a leathern bag, and began to knock upon the casks ; 
 to listen with his ear to the sound produced ; to probe 
 with his rod the inside of the casks, and at last he 
 knocked about the peasants and the carts, and, as if it 
 were from chagrin, cried out : " There is notliing can 
 be done ! Go to the devil with you." During the 
 search, the Cossack-officer remained on horseback, and 
 attentively observed the proceedings of the gentleman 
 in plain clothes : on seeing that all was right, he left 
 us at rest, and went on his way with his detachment. 
 
 Moses could not contain his joy, and, Avhen the 
 Cossacks had gone out of sight, he clapped witli liis 
 hands and sang out in a joyful key, repeating fre- 
 quently, ' atrapirt ! atrapirt ! (caught.) 
 
 On arriving safe at the kartchma, the casks were 
 unloaded into the storehouse, and the peasants were 
 dismissed, being paid partly in money, but mostly in 
 spirits, tobacco and herrings. After dining and sleep-
 
 72 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 ing a while, Moses sliut himself Tip in the storeliouse 
 with Josel, Khatzkel, and myself. I was quite asto- 
 nished when he began to work at the casks. In the 
 centre was tar or potash, but the two ends had double 
 bottoms, and the space between them contained a 
 variety of valuable goods, silk stuffs, linens, cambrics, 
 laces, trinkets, perfumery, &c. They brought a 
 brazier, stamps, black and red marking ink, and melt- 
 ed tin ; and while I blew the coals, Moses with liis 
 companions began to stamp the goods exactly as I af- 
 terwards saw it done at the custom-houses. 
 
 In the night-time there airived some large Jewish 
 waggons on which the goods were loaded, being now 
 packed up in bales and cases, and sent home with 
 Josel and Khatzkel : I with Moses went back in the 
 same hreetchka in which we had travelled to the 
 kartchma. 
 
 Moses, as has been already mentioned, had calcu- 
 lated upon being a fortnight absent, and only chanced 
 to be a week, because his goods anived from beyond 
 the frontier sooner than usual. All was joy and re- 
 joicmg in his house, and Reefka for next day, which 
 was Sabbath, baked tarts with honey and poppies ; 
 and kugel (paste fried in goose-fat ;) roasted geese, 
 boiled lokshena (milk broth tliickened with home-made 
 macaroni ;) and tzimes (a sort of hotch-potch made of 
 caiTOts and honey, with fat and spices ;) and besides 
 regaled me with some spoiled wine. 
 ' Moses notified to his factors and agents, that he 
 wislied to commemorate the fortunate issue of one of 
 his imdertakmgs by a good action. In lending money
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 73 
 
 on pledge, he usually took two per cent, a week : on 
 this occasioii, for the length of a whole month, he re- 
 solved to take only one and a half from poor people 
 and those in straitened circumstances. His factors 
 gave notice of this act of Moses' benevolence to all 
 gamesters, spend-thrifts, and drunkards ; but Moses 
 had to endure the remonstrances and even scoldings of 
 his wife for tliis useless generosity, which in Reefka's 
 opinion might bring on his ruin.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Meeting of two great Lawyers, the one going out full, the other 
 coming in empty — I leave the Jew. 
 
 Winter came on, and with it, in Moses' house, an 
 increase of activity, and to me of dnidgery. Loads 
 of goods, and travellers fre([uently put up with Moses, 
 and I had to be in attendance in the strangers' apart- 
 ments, the veiy same as had been occupied formerly 
 by Meloveeden. Besides having to light the stoves, 
 carry water, and sweep tlie rooms, the Jew ordered 
 me to listen, behind the doors, to the subjects of the 
 strangers' conversation, particularly if they were people 
 in office. I was instructed to find out if they were in 
 search of any one ; if they had caught any thing ; and 
 to attend particularly if the words '■false money ^ or 
 ' contraband^ should be introduced. Although I was 
 not aware of the real purjiort of these words, yet, 
 feeling that some Jewish rogaiery must be at the bot- 
 tom of this curiosity, I had no desire to serve the Jew 
 faithfully, if he had not sometimes bribed me with the 
 promise of a reward, and had not hunger constrained 
 me to be an instrument of Jewish policy. But I was 
 so wearied of this sort of life, that I resolved to flee 
 on the first opportunity whithersoever my good luck 
 should carry me. There was only one thi)ig which 
 detained me ; an insufficiency of winter-clothing.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 75 
 
 One day, when the sun began to leave tlie horizon, 
 some can'iages stopped in the mai'ket-place just oppo- 
 site to jNIoses' house. He immediately ran to the 
 street, and, approaching the principal carriage with a 
 low bow, made an offer of his lodgings to the people 
 in the caniage, cried up all the conveniences of his 
 house, the cheapness of fodder and of all sorts of pro- 
 visions, not forgetting to recommend himself as a man 
 well known for his honesty and civility. The fair 
 outside of Moses' house in comparison with others, 
 was, I suppose, a more powerful argument than the 
 landlord's words ; and the carriages, to the great delight 
 of the whole Jewish family, drew up at the door. 
 
 Ileefka ran with her daugliters to meet the gentry, 
 while she drove me and the maid-servants to the 
 strangers' apartments, to sweep away the dust, to clean 
 the floors, and to clear off the table the fragments of 
 an entertainment which Moses had been giving to the 
 magistrates that same morning, having something to 
 do with a charge of counterfeiting pawned goods. We 
 had hardly got things in order, when the travellers 
 came uito the room. I stopped at the doors to get a 
 look at them. First came a little, thin, pale-com- 
 plexioned man, ^\Tapt up in a fur great-coat. His eyes 
 glared like those of a fox : ^vith a single glance he ex- 
 amined all aromid him, and, passing into the other 
 room, he immediately began to take off his coat. He 
 was followed by a couple of boys, and as many girls, 
 from ten to fourteen years of age, wi-apped up and 
 tied up like so many snails. Tlie lady herself, also, a 
 thui person with a frowning look, in the mean while, 
 E 2
 
 76 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 hopped about like a frog. After her followed a train 
 of maid-servants, nurses, and footmen, with bundles 
 and baskets. The first expression uttered by the lady 
 to me and the house-maid was the words, " Get out 
 of the way, you creatures !" We, returning the 
 compliment with a bow and a courtesy, made our re- 
 treat, and, behind the door, repaid her in her own 
 coin. 
 
 In the common room I learned that the passengers 
 were travelling with liired horses to Moscow, from 
 the government-towni, where this gentleman, wliose 
 name was Scotinko, had filled the office of Procureur.* 
 Candles were put on the table, the tea-urn f was 
 heated, and Mr. Scotinko's cook began to make ready 
 supper, while the gentleman himself put Moses in re- 
 quisition to converse with liim and answer questions 
 about the news. 
 
 In about two hours after, when it was already dark, 
 a kibitka\ drew up at the door, covered witli matting 
 and drawn by two horses. The landlord and landlady 
 did not trouble themselves about meeting their guest. 
 There entered a tall, stout, ruddy-faced gentleman, 
 who, learning that the best rooms were already occu- 
 
 * Crown-advocate a'i;l public prosecutor. 
 
 -f- No one has lived '. • I'ussia without appreciatinc the benefits 
 of the Russian tea-urn or samovar, which is not unlike the old 
 P^nglish tea-urns in shape, but is heated wiih charcoal. When 
 the teapot is placed on the top of the samovar, the strength of the 
 tea is drawn ofi' sooner and better than by any similar process in 
 this country. 
 
 J A kibilka is four-wheeled cart with a cover like the head 
 of a cradle. Thi.re is gefitrally a mat fastened to the head, 
 which can be drawn over the rest of the kibitka when it rains.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 77 
 
 pied, took possession of a little closet, usually tenanted 
 by Judelia, the landlord's son. The whole baggage 
 of this gentleman consisted of a small portmanteau and 
 leathern pillow, which his man-servant, wlio was dress- 
 ed in a bare sheepskin coat, carried under his arm. — 
 The worn-out pelisse of the gentleman himself was a 
 plaui enough index of the contents of the portmanteau. 
 Reefka treated his man with a dram, and learned that 
 his master's name was Plootyagoaveetch, and that he 
 was on Ins way from Petersburgh to occupy the situa- 
 tion of Procureur in the very same town which Mr. 
 Scotinko had left. A town-clerk who was at tliat time 
 standing at the bar, drinking a dram of cordials, smiled 
 very knowingly, and said — " There is a meeting of 
 kites !" 
 
 Mr. Plootyagoaveetch, learning that his predecessor 
 was in the house, immediately went to pay his re- 
 spects to him. They seemed to like one another's 
 company, for Scotinko Invited Plootyagoaveetch to sup 
 with hun, and they spent the whole evening convers- 
 ing together. 
 
 In the mean time, Plootyagoaveetch's man, having 
 supped upon a bit of dry bread and quass,* seated 
 liimself beside the pot where Mr. Scotinko's servants 
 were emptying out of the goblets the fragments of their 
 master's lordly supper, joldng together, and casting 
 contemptuous looks on Plootyagoaveetch's man. Wlien 
 they learned that Plootyagoaveetch was going to occu- 
 
 • Quass is a sour fermented liquor, made from rye-malt, and 
 is the usual drink of the common people in Russia. It is a very 
 refreshing drink in the heats of summer. 
 E 3
 
 78 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 py their master's place, they softened their tone, and 
 treated tlie poor fellow with a dram. " Wliat is your 
 name, neighbour ?" Scotinko's valet asked. " Phara- 
 phont," answered Plootyagoaveetch's servant. " Look 
 ye, Pharaphont," rejoined the valet, " leani to be deaf, 
 and you will enjoy a peq^etual carnival. Don't say 'aye' 
 to petitioners, and allow nobody to enter gi-atis, butmake 
 them pay for a sight of your master, as they do for admit- 
 tance to the dancing dogs. WHiy should you let them 
 off?" " I would be glad to take, but will they give, 
 is the queiy ? " " To be sure they will, if you squeeze 
 it out of them," answered the valet. " Leam to bawl 
 lustily, ' not at home,' ' engaged,^ ' indisposed,' ' wishes 
 to repose' " / but when they ask, if they may retuni, 
 might they not wait, might you not let him know, say, 
 ' I might do every thing in the world, if you were 
 only discreet !' " At this all Scotinko's servants burst 
 into a roar of laughter. Pliaraphont continued, " All 
 that is veryplausible; but what is to be done with gentle- 
 men whom my master orders to be admitted witliout 
 previous notice : I suppose that I must be more civil to 
 them without expecting any returns." " Nonsense !" 
 answered tlie valet, " But you must manage them in 
 a different style. Make your bow regularly, open the 
 tloors with alacrity, go before them with a candle, and 
 ])ay your compliments to them on holidays. Oh ! 
 brother Pharaphont, it is a happy life with tlie Procu- 
 reur, but with the Governor a perfect paradise — tlie 
 cup of bliss there overflows. We wept wlien we left 
 the city. Our future lot we could not foresee ; our 
 past was good. But with you in Petersburg)! what
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. /9 
 
 sort of a life do tlie servants of people in office lead ? " 
 " According to the place, brother," answered Phara- 
 phont, " there are some of us who act the gentleman ; 
 there are others who wipe away their tears with a na- 
 ked hand. My master was only at the head of a 
 table ; * but a small spoke in the wheel of state. He 
 himself was glad to wrench a kopeek from right and 
 wrong indifferently, but did not always succeed. It 
 only liappened that I would receive drink -money when 
 my master sent me with the copy of a paper to a pe- 
 titioner, or if there should be much business in the 
 liouse, and the petitioner, having nothing to do, shoiild 
 turn and speak to us. But all that was very trifling : 
 the oldest hands could make but a poor job of it." 
 " But now your master will be a great man," added 
 the valet, " Oh Phai-aphontushka, f Pharaphontushka, 
 I would give the best feather in my cap to change 
 places with thee ! But my master calls ; good bye." 
 
 All this time I was wanning myself at tlie fire, and 
 hearing these dialogues, envied the condition of other 
 servants. Considering that the Jew had no right to 
 detain me, I resolved to beg one of the travelling gen- 
 tlemen to take me with him. 
 
 Plootyagoaveetch on his return to his closet, called 
 for the Jew, who, learning that he was going to occu- 
 py an important situation in the government, had al- 
 
 * There is an immense number of courts of law and public 
 oiEces in St. Petersburgh, and every department has what is call- 
 ed a Kantr.ellaria or Chancery attached to it. Each of these chan- 
 ceries has a head-clerk or director, who sits at the head of the table 
 to superintend the inferior clerks. 
 
 -f* A diminutive of endearment. 
 E 4
 
 80 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 ready changed his manner towards him, bowed con- 
 tinually, and apologized to the new Procureur that he 
 had no better room for him, but, to make amends for 
 it, offered him whatever he liked, and whatever was 
 in the house, gratis. Plootyagoaveetch, seated on his 
 bedside, was smoking a large wooden pipe, and be- 
 gan to question the Jew. I was on the other side of 
 the wooden partition, and, peeping through a seam, 
 heard all that went on. " I say, Moses, tell me your 
 mind freely, and perhaps I may be of service to you." 
 The Jew took off liis cap and made a bow. Plooty- 
 agoaveetch continued — " Here am I, going to occupy 
 the place of Mr. Scotinko, who says that he has been 
 dismissed for no offence, owing to the intrigues of 
 evil-minded people, in consequence of his fearless and 
 strict performance of his duty ! " The Jew smiled 
 knowingly arid shook his head. Plootyagoaveetch 
 continued — " Mr. Scotinko has quite frightened me 
 by saying that it is a shocking situation, attended with 
 no emohiments but the bare salary." There the Jew 
 inten-upted Mr. Plootyagoaveetch's speech, and ex- 
 claimed loudly, " Wliat do you say ? Salary ! Oh 
 Lord ! " Plootyagoaveetch continued, " Mr. Scotinko 
 says he has spent all his substance in his situation, and 
 gone through all his father's and wife's property, and 
 retires with the wreck of his rained fortune, taking 
 with him only the respect of honest people and peace 
 of conscience." At these words the Jew burst into a 
 fit of laughter, and continued it so long, putting his 
 hands to his sides, that Plootyagoaveetch had to stop 
 liim. " Horsh tu," said the Jew, " Mr. Scotinko
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 81 
 
 speaks of his conscience ! but where has he met with 
 it, if he has not picked it up on the road ? After this 
 we may expect the wolves to turn guardians over the 
 sheep, and the Jews to seek salvation in a monastery, 
 and the landholders to prohibit their peasants from 
 getting dnmk on vodky. I will tell you, Sir, your 
 honour, that I knew this Mr. Scotinko, when his fa- 
 ther was a tanner, a skinner, while he, a poor clerk, 
 ran about the streets without shoes or stockings, and 
 stole barankies and krendels* from the Jews. He is 
 a native of the same town where I was bora. Now, 
 Mr. Scotinko is as rich as the devil, has moveable and 
 immoveable property, gold and silver, and so much 
 money, that, I dare say, he camiot count it. He has 
 also received ranks and orders. Oh Lord, Lord ! 
 Mr. Scotinko has made so good use of his opportuni- 
 ties, that no leech of the law ever sucked such a belly- 
 ful !" There the Jew recollected that it was with a 
 candidate for the same office that he was speaking, and 
 corrected himself — " Forgive me, Sir, your honour, 
 but such a practitioner as Scotinko never was amongst 
 us, and his conscience is all fudge : pure water runs 
 through him, but the fishes stick. His situation is a 
 magic wand for findmg ready money. Don't believe 
 a word that he says. Mr. Scotinko lies even when he 
 speaks the tnith ; tliat is to say, he speaks the trath 
 for the purpose of deceit. I will tell you one thing- 
 more — Scotinko was foraierly as bare as a hawk ; but, 
 in different governments, he has counsellored and pro- 
 
 * See note to page Go. 
 E 5
 
 82 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 cureiired for liimself so much riches, that, though he 
 is like a dried lizard in appearance, below the skin he 
 is as fat as a Siberian bear." " But wliy should he 
 conceal himself so before me ? " asked Plootyagoa- 
 veetch. " He wishes to pass for an honest man now, 
 as is iisual witli rogues after tliey have made their for- 
 tunes. Forgive me. Sir," continued the iew, — " I am 
 only sorry," said Plootyagoaveetch : " I would have 
 liked to get a lesson from him, that is to say, to learn 
 !,-efvice.* " Why not," answered Moses, " but yon 
 don't want teachers for that : as soon as you anive in 
 the city, take for afactor-f our Jew Isaac, who filled 
 the same situation under Mr. Scotinko ; he will assist 
 you in every thing ; will seek out petitioners for you ; 
 establish an understanding with the country practition- 
 ers, and borrow money for you, of course without bill 
 or receipt for the same. I will give you letters to my 
 relations and to Isaac : rely entirely upon them, and 
 they will not deceive you ; only assist us in our small 
 Jewish transactions." " With pleasure," said Plootya- 
 goaveetch, " you may depend upon me ; make ready 
 every thing for to-morrow and, in the meantime, good 
 night." Moses retired, and I crept out from behind 
 the partition. 
 
 * Under the name of sloojha or service, is included the perfor- 
 mance of all the various duties to which a man may be called, 
 under government. It seems originally to have been applied to 
 the performance of military duty, and owing to the organization 
 of the other departments of the state being in Russia very much 
 upon a military model, the transition was natural. 
 
 "t" The office of a Jcmah factor in Poland (pronounced^/ac^oar) 
 is that of general caterer for all the wants of the person who em- 
 ploys him.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 83 
 
 Next day, Mr. Plootyagoaveetch set off very early, 
 while Scotiiilio lay in bed on account of indisposition. 
 The one made haste for fear of losing- a single day of 
 Jiay-making while the sun shone ; the other had no 
 cause to bestu- himself — he had reached his goal. 
 
 Mr. Scotinko's little boys went to play under the 
 roof of the stable-yard,* and I, having been accustom- 
 ed to amuse myself with my master's children when 
 I lived Avith Mr. Gologordoffsky, at their request, 
 joined them in their frolics, assisted them to harness 
 goats to a little carriage, made a swing for them of old 
 rope harness, and joyfully put up with the buffeting 
 and unpleasantness of bemg pelted with snow-balls. — 
 Reefka called me from play to work, but the young 
 masters ScotiiJio begged their father to order me to 
 play with them, and the Jewess was obliged to submit. 
 Although I was yomiger than Scotinko's clildren, I 
 had much more sharpness than they ; accordmgly, with- 
 out delay, I availed myself of their inclmation to- 
 wards me, and easily persuaded them to beg their pa- 
 rents to take me with them. After dinner, Mr. Sco- 
 tinko called me to him. 
 
 " What brought thee into the Jew's service ?" asked 
 Mr. Scotinko. I related to him the story of Melo- 
 veeden's maiTiage and his depaiture for Moscow, and, 
 falling at his feet, begged him to deliver me from the 
 Jews, promising to serve him faitlifully all my life. — 
 Mr. Scotinko looked at his wife, and she gave a ver- 
 
 • The stable-yards attached to all the peasant's houses and hos- 
 telries, baiting houses, and the like in Russia, are partly roofed 
 in ; in Poland they are often entirely covered with a roof. 
 E 6
 
 84 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 diet in my favour. Scotinko immediately called for 
 Moses. " By what right dost thou hold this boy" ? 
 said he rouglily. Moses liemmed tlnice before he pro- 
 nouuced the first word of his answer. " His master, 
 Meloveedeu, was owing me money, and left in pawn 
 effects with this boy." " And thou darest to take in 
 pawn Christian subjects ?" rejoined Scotinko. " Art 
 thou aware of the ukaze which prohibits Jews from 
 having Christians in their service ? Art thou aware of 
 the ukaze against usurers ? Shew me this instant the 
 deed by which you liold that boy — where is his 
 passport ?" * The Jew was frightened. " Horsh 
 tu /" said he in a low tone of voice. Then, making a 
 most profound bow, he added — " I liave no papers re- 
 g-arding him : tlie affair was settled by word of mouth." 
 " And so you keep in your house people without pass- 
 ports," said Mr. Scotinko. " Hey ! bring paper and 
 ink ; we will do your business immediately. I sliall 
 give in a declaration to the authorities here, and, on 
 my aiTival in Moscow, shall not fail to present a peti- 
 tion.-]- In the meantime I shall take the boy with my- 
 self on my own acknowledgement." " Youi* honour !' 
 said the Jew ; " is it worth our while to quaiTel about 
 Hucli trifles ? You wish to take the boy : take him in 
 
 * A passport, my readers are probably aware, is a sine qua 
 lion in Russia. The majority of the people being in a state of 
 bondage, and the country embracing such a vast extent, escape 
 from their masters would be easy and frequent, if it were not for 
 the law, which imposes a very heavy fine for the harbouring of 
 people not having a passport. 
 
 -|- All tlie affairs of which the courts of law take cognizance 
 are brought before them in the form of a petition.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 85 
 
 God's name. I shall make no obstacles ; only give 
 me an acknowledgement, in order that I may be able 
 to account for him to Meloveeden, when he asks. And 
 that you may have no cause to complain of my beha- 
 viour, for your day's lodging here and for every tiling 
 which you have got in my house, I shall not charge a 
 kopeek ; nay, over and above that, I shall put into 
 your carriage a half-dozen of Tokay, the like of which 
 you will not find within five hundred miles. Will that 
 satisfy you ?" " Very well," said Scothdco ; " but has 
 the boy any wann clothes for the road ?" " No, but 
 I shall provide that immediately, and, by to mon-ow, 
 eveiy thing shall be in order." Mr. Scotinlio sent us 
 out of the room, and ordered me to make ready for the 
 road. 
 
 " Damned rascal !" exclaimed Moses on meeting 
 Rebecca. " This khapoon is taking away our Vanliy." 
 Reefka got into a violent passion, but Moses said 
 something in their own jargon, which pacified her, and 
 she patted me on the head. Moses took me up stairs 
 into his own room, sat down in his arm-chair, and 
 said ; " Vanky ! you ai'e a good boy, and will surely 
 not forget all the kindness which you have received 
 from us ?" " What kindness ?" asked I. " How ! 
 have we not given you meat and drink, and clothes ?" 
 " But have not I worked from morning to night ?" 
 " Harsh tu ! You know, every body must work. 
 But tell me : you have not been ill treated here ?" 
 " Not particularly well," answered I bluntly : " much 
 tlrudgery and poor fare." " Don't sUght us, Vanky : 
 you might have fared worse with another. We have,
 
 86 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 at least, never beaten you, wliile other masters make 
 their people work without feeding them, and flog them 
 into the bargain, without even giving them liberty to 
 cry." " I cannot complain of you for that : you did 
 not beat me," said I. " And therefore you ought to 
 be gi-ateful to us : here is a whole half-rouble piece to 
 you for your services ; and, if any one should question 
 you about us, say that you neitlier saw nor heard any 
 thing bad about us, and that we are poor people al- 
 ways pinched for money." " But the ducats, you 
 know." " What ducats ? The boy is crazed : you 
 never saw any ducats with us." " Be it so," an- 
 swered I, merely to get rid of the Jew. " You your- 
 self have seen how we love the Christians, and assist 
 them, sell spirits and grain on credit to the peasants, 
 and give alms to poor people." " Dry bread,'' said 
 I, " which you would throw to the cattle, if no beggai- 
 should make his appearance." " Vanky, Vanky, don't 
 slight us ! Here is another half-rouble piece to you. 
 Isn't it true that we are good, compassionate, poor 
 people ?" I held my tongue. Moses put the money 
 into my hand and kissed me, adding : " You will 
 surely speak well of us ?" " I will, I will ;" said I, 
 running down stairs to my new masters. Tlie Jew 
 bought me a second-hand sheepskin coat, a cap and 
 gloves : Reefka gave me for the road a whole string 
 of havankies, part of which I ate, and pai-t gave away 
 to Mr. Scotinko's sons' dogs in virtue of theu- autho- 
 rity over me. I passed the night in pleasant musings 
 upon my adventures. The hope of meeting with my 
 good Meloveeden kept up my spirits : I wished for
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 87 
 
 nothing- more in life. Next morning every thing was 
 ready for our departure. I was ordered to place my- 
 self behind tlie carriage, along with the valet, and we 
 set off.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Unexpected meeting — Change of life — My Aunt — My Education. 
 
 AVe amved, without any adventure, in Moscow. A 
 house had been pre\'iously hired and furnished for our 
 accommodation by Mr. Scotiuko's house- stewai'd, who 
 had been dispatched some months previous. Mr. Sco- 
 tinko had in Moscow many acquaintances among the 
 people in office, who assembled at his house with their 
 wives once a week to dinner, and twice a week to spend 
 the evening at cards. Mr. Scotmko, soon after his 
 arrival, engaged a French governor for liis sons, and 
 a French governess for his daughters. Besides that, 
 they had teachers, who came into the house every day 
 to give them lessons. My duty consisted in waiting 
 xipon the sons, keeping the school-room clean, and 
 being in attendance dm-ing the lessons, to fulfil the 
 different orders of the teachers and young gentlemen. 
 Besides that, I waited at table during dinner, and exe- 
 cuted the commissions of Madam Scotinko in different 
 shops ; also carried through the tovm her notes to her 
 different friends, went to the Apothecary's shop for 
 medicines, and fed the birds and lap-dogs which were 
 favourites of my mistress. I was, what is called, 
 chamber-boy. I wore a Cossack-dress, and went by 
 the name of Kazatchok, (little Cossack.) Gifted by 
 nature with a happy memory and quick perception, in
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 89 
 
 a few months, I learned from the cook to read and 
 write Russian, and the first foui* mles of arithmetic ; 
 and, from being present during the lessons of my mas- 
 ter's sons, in the course of half a year, I picked up a 
 number of French and German words, and formed 
 some acquaintance with geogi-aphical aud historical 
 names. The teachers, observing my docility and cu- 
 riosity, examined me sometimes for their own amuse- 
 ment, concerning what I recollected of the lessons 
 which I had heard, and explained to me what I did 
 not understand. In this way I became a learned man 
 among the lackeys. I was content with my lot, com- 
 paring it with my situation imder the Jew ; and, al- 
 though the servants in general in Mr. Scotinko's house 
 were kept and fed very indifferently, more from neglect 
 than niggardliness, yet I had my own perquisites, 
 whicli made up for other insufficiencies. I got the 
 ft'agments of tlie children's breakfasts and suppers ; got 
 presents of money for gingerbread in the dressmakers' 
 and apothecaries' shops, and in other places where I 
 chanced to be on my mistress's business : besides that, 
 I played at orlenoJc,* with the neighbouring boys and 
 voiTeiters,-]- and partly by good luck, partly by skill, 
 almost always gained. I thus succeeded in acquirmg 
 for myself a small capital, which was sufficient to serve 
 the puiiiose of allaying my hunger, and gi'atifying my 
 palate. In tliis way I passed a year and a half in Mr. 
 
 • ' The little eagle,' a game at cards. 
 
 + The coachmen do not drive four-in-hand in Russia, but the 
 two front horses are managed by a little boy called from the 
 German ' vorreiter,' literally ' fore-rider.'
 
 90 IVAN VEJEEGHEN, 
 
 Scotinlvo's house at Moscow, without caring for the 
 future, or anticipating any amelioration of my condi- 
 tion. My most flattering hopes went no farther than, 
 to occupy, in time, the situation of valet de chamhre 
 to one of my master's sons, or to return to my former 
 henefactor Meloveeden, whose affability and goodness 
 of soul had made a lasting impression on my heart 
 and memory. 
 
 But fate ordered it otherwise. I was one day in a 
 dressmaker's shop, waiting till some work should be 
 finished for my lady. On a sudden there entered the 
 shop, a lady, dressed very elegantly, who began to 
 look at different articles which were for sale. Her 
 eyes happening to fall upon me, she stopped and look- 
 ed stedfastly with particular emotion. She again fell 
 to examine the goods, but, as it were by some invo- 
 luntary attraction, her eyes incessantly wandered to- 
 wards me. At last, she could no longer get the better 
 of her inward feeling, but came up to me. " Whose 
 boy are you, my dear ?" said the lady affably, patting 
 me upon the cheek. " I myself don't know ;" said I. 
 " I am, at present, a servant with Mr. Scotinko." 
 " Who is this Mr. Scotinko ?" " A rich gentleman 
 who came to live in Moscow about a year and a half 
 ago, and I entered his service on the way." " And 
 so you are free, and not a serf?" " I really don't 
 know whose I am : I was brought up in Byalo-mssia 
 in the house of Mr. Gologordoffsky." At these words 
 the lady interi-upted my recital, hastily left the shop, 
 and ordered me to follow her. She sent her footman 
 to the carnage, as he stood waiting on the steps before
 
 IV'AN VEJEEGHEN. 91 
 
 the door, and there continued the dialogue witli me. 
 " What is your name ?" " Ivan." " How old ai'e 
 you ?" '• I don't know." " You say that you were 
 l)rouglit up in tlie house of iVIr. GologordoflFsky," said 
 the lady : " but who are your parents ?" " I don't 
 know : I am an orphan." All tliis time, I stared in 
 the lady's face, and observed that she blushed, and 
 that her eyes were filled with tears. " Ivan !" said 
 she, in a low tone of voice ; then, after a short silence, 
 she added : " Vanushka,* have not you a mark on 
 your left shoulder ?" " But how do you know that, 
 Ma'am, that I have a gi-eat scar on my shoulder ?" 
 At these words, the lady put her handkerchief to her 
 eyes, and remained for some time silent. At last she 
 kissed me, asked where Mr. Scotinko lived, gave me 
 a silver rouble, and ordering me not to tell any body of 
 our meeting and of her questions, went into her car- 
 riage, saying, " We shall see one another soon." 
 
 My eyes followed the good lady to her carriage, and 
 I returned to the shop. As I had an agreealjle coun- 
 tenance in my childhood, I was frequently taken notice 
 of by people who did not know me, particularly fe- 
 males, who would stop me on the street ; but no si- 
 milar adventure had made such a powerful impression 
 upon me as this meeting. My heart beat strongly : 
 the lady's beautiful features, and her black eyes, were 
 continually present in my imagination ; and her soft 
 voice resounded in my ears. I returned home sad. 
 All night I dreamed of the good lady ; and sometimes 
 
 * A diminutive from Ivan.
 
 92 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 awoke and fell a crying from grief and vexation, that 
 I had not met with such kind masters. I wished to 
 get into the service of that kind, affable lady ! Of 
 other feelings I had no idea. 
 
 Next morning, at twelve o'clock, there stopped at our 
 gate a coach and six, with three livery servants. One 
 of the footmen came into the lobby, and begged to 
 let Mr. Scotinko know, that prince Tclivanoff wished 
 to speak with him upon very important business. Mr. 
 Scotinko who was sitting in his morning-gown, imme- 
 diately put on his coat, ordered the servants to request 
 the prince to come in, and waited for him in the lobby. 
 The prince was a man of about seventy years of age ; 
 his face was covered with wrinkles and red spots ; his 
 bald head was covered with a paste made of powder 
 and pomatum ; and the remains of his grey hairs were 
 formed into curls and tied with a queu. He could 
 hardly move his legs, and liis footmen took him under 
 their arms with as much precaution as if he had been 
 made of glass, and might be shivered to pieces by the 
 smallest slip. Mr. Scotinko received the prince with 
 low bows, and conducted him uito the ckawing-room ; 
 but the prince wished to speak with him in private, 
 and they entered into a closet where they remained 
 about an liour. At last, Mr. Scotinko looked out of 
 the closet and called me. I thought that he wanted 
 me to fetch something, but what was my astonisli- 
 ment wlien Mr. Scotinko, pointing me out to tlie prmce, 
 said, " There he is ;" when the prince, stroking my 
 head, and patting my cheeks, muttered something in 
 a foreign language. " Vanl<y," said Mr. Scotiidco to
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 93 
 
 me, " go immediately with his higluiess. I Iiave no 
 longer authority over you : here is your benefactor." 
 I was so thunderstruck with these words, that I made 
 no answer, but stood motionless. The prince rose, 
 shook hands with Mr. Scotinko, and tottered towards 
 the door, leaning upon my shoulder. In the lobby, 
 Mr. Scotinko said to me : " Now, adieu, Vanya : you 
 are no more my servant : go with his highness." The 
 valet gave me my cap, and I went out with the prince 
 into the street. I was almost frightened, when the 
 prince ordered me to sit in the can-iage alongside of 
 himself. I was in such confusion, that I did not dare 
 to lift my eyes or to take my breath. Fortunately the 
 prince was silent all the way, and slumbered. My 
 heart fluttered, when we halted beside an elegant 
 house. Ignorance of one's lot occasions sometimes 
 more uneasiness than real misfortune. 
 
 We had hardly entered the rooms which glittered 
 with gold, bronze, and marble, and were adorned with 
 carpets and pictures, when tlie prince sat down on a 
 sofa, and ordered the house-steward to be sent for. I, 
 the mean while, stood at the doors, and looked upon 
 every thing witli a curious eye. The steward entered. 
 " Take this boy," said the prince, " and go with him 
 to a tailor and sempstress ; buy for him the best sort 
 of linen, and fashionable clothes for his time of life ; 
 dress him as neat as a doll, and as fine as a prince ; 
 get his hair cut, wash him, clean him ; and after doing 
 all this as well as possible, take him to Adelaida Pe- 
 tro\Tia. Dost thou hear ?" — " I hear, your highness." 
 *' Let every thing be ready by six o'clock : I shall
 
 94 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 myself be at her house in the evening." The steward 
 beckoned to me, and I followed him. 
 
 Without farther questions he seated me beside him- 
 self on a hackney-droshky, and took me to a tailor. 
 Here he left me, ordering the tailor to execute imme- 
 diately the prince's commission, and saying that lie 
 would come back for me in a few hours. The tailor's 
 wife went out and bought linen for me. The tailor 
 sought out a beautiful ready-made jacket and trowsers 
 of violet-coloured kerseymere, with gilded buttons. 
 The shoemaker brought shoes for me. My hair had 
 been cut in a circidar form, hi the old Russian fa- 
 shion. * The hair-dresser cut it in the prevailing 
 mode, and put it into curls. The landlady soon re- 
 turned with Imen, and with an embroidered shirt-neck. 
 She herself washed me, dressed me, and could hardly 
 keep from Idssing my rosy cheeks. I scarcely knew 
 myself when I looked into the mirror, and perceived 
 with inward satisfaction that I was prettier than the 
 young Gologordoflfskys, Scotinkos, and all the boys 
 whom 1 had seen in their houses. The house-steward 
 soon returned, and was likewise struck with my me- 
 tamorphosis. We again mounted a hackney-droshky, 
 and drove to the place pointed out by the prince. I 
 asked no questions, being quite absorbed in admu'ation 
 of my clothes. 
 
 * This operation is often performed among the peasants by 
 clapping a wooden bowl upon the head of the person to be ope- 
 rated upon, and clipping all round by the brim of the bowl. In 
 addition to this, among the Russian methodists, or starovayrics, 
 (old believers), in some provinces, they clip a considerable space 
 round the crown quite bare.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 95 
 
 On arriving at a little neat wooden house, we stop- 
 ped, and the steward led me by the hand along with 
 him. A footman opened the door into the dining- 
 room ; and I almost fainted with joy when I saw the 
 very same lady who, the day before, had questioned 
 me at the dressmaker's. The lady herself screamed 
 for joy, tlu-ew her arms about my neck, kissed me, and 
 leading me into another room, dismissed the steward. 
 When we remained alone, the lady sat down on a sofa, 
 seated me beside her, ordered me to take off my jacket, 
 and, on examining the mark on my left shoulder, fell 
 a crying. I also cried, thinking that the good lady 
 had some cause 'for her giief. " Vanya," said she to 
 me, " you will now be no more a servant. You are 
 my own nephew, my sister's son. You ought to call 
 me aunt, and not to tell any body what you were be- 
 fore. You will now be a young gentleman, exactly 
 such as the sons of Gologordoffsky and Scotinko." — 
 " Oh no, aunt !" said I, " I want to be much better 
 than they. They behave very ill to poor boys and 
 servants, raise disturbances, cheat their parents, and 
 don't learn their lessons." In place of any answer my 
 aunt kissed me. " Do you want any thing, Vanya," 
 asked she. " I am hungry, aunt." She rang the 
 bell, and a maid servant appeared, whom she ordered 
 to give me something to eat, telling her who I was, 
 and ordering her to shew me into a separate room, 
 where all was to be arranged for my comfort. 
 
 My aunt, Adelaida Petrovna, was a woman of 
 thirty years of age, but to appearance was much 
 younger. She was a beauty in the full sense of the
 
 96 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 word. Her black hair, which was soft as down, 
 gave a particular shading to her delicately white face. 
 A fresh rosy hue adorned her cheeks. The lines of 
 lier countenance were regular, and enlivened with a 
 sweet smile and expression of goodness of heart. Her 
 black eyes, rendered more expressive by long eye- 
 lashes and finely-arched eyebrows, drew upon them 
 the gaze of the by-stander, like the attraction of the 
 magnet for iron. Her full rosy lips, and teeth tlian 
 which nothing could be whiter, were an irresistible 
 temptation to kiss her charming little mouth. She 
 was of a tall form and elegant figure. In a word, my 
 aunt's exterior was enchanting ; but her affable and 
 agreeable behaviour added charms to lier beauty. She 
 spoke French and Italian, played exceedingly well on 
 the piano-forte, and sang like a nightingale. She 
 lived very genteelly. Her house was comfortable, and 
 well furnished. She had in her service two footmen, 
 two maid servants, a man-cook, a coaclunan, and a 
 porter for diity work. The stable contained a pair 
 of good horses. There was plenty of every thing in 
 the house, She had many visitors, but very few of 
 them females ; and they consisted only of some actress- 
 es and foreigners. Once a-week she had a musical 
 soiree, when there was an assembly of virtuosos and 
 connoisseurs, for the most part elderly gentlemen. 
 Middle-aged people and young men came only when 
 any of their relations brought them, and that was very 
 seldom. Besides this, my aunt had, every day, guests 
 at tea, and some to dinner and supper. Prince Tch- 
 vanoff was a daily visitor, and lield in a manner the
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 97 
 
 rank oi papa in the house. The servants were ruled 
 by him as if he were their master ; and my aunt obey- 
 ed him in every thing, though sometimes against her 
 will, as I observed. Sometimes the prince quarrelled 
 with my aunt when they were alone, and she always 
 shed tears upon such occasions, and would even at 
 times fall into fits. Then the prince would kiss her 
 hands, beg forgiveness ; and friendship would be re- 
 established on its fonner footing. Only, I observed 
 dearly and understood, that the prince's visits were 
 not agreeable to my aunt : she always made wry faces 
 when his caniage drew up at the door, and always 
 had a pleasant smile on her countenance ^'hen she 
 drove out along with the prince. 
 
 My aunt was one of those women who regard beauty 
 as of the greatest value, and dress as the most indis- 
 pensable requisite of life ; and her principal gi'atifica • 
 tion was derived from the admiration of the men, and 
 the envy of the women. The gi-eatest part of her 
 time was spent in contrivmg bow she might dress, and 
 appear in public, with all the splendour of beauty and 
 wealth. Besides, her favourite occupation, music, she 
 made use of only as a cover, to bring to her house 
 people who moved in good society, who merely, on 
 that account, passed themselves off for amateurs of 
 that art. She was the widow of an Italian named 
 Baritono, who had at one time been a teacher of music 
 and smging. I knew nothing of tlie origin of my 
 aunt, and she never spoke with any one either about 
 }ier ova\ relations, or about the place of her birth. 
 She called herself a Russian, and went occasionally 
 
 F
 
 98 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 to the Russian church to morning and afternoon praj'- 
 prs, * but only on the principal holidays. At the 
 time when I became an inmate of her house, she was 
 upon particularly friendly terms with a young gentle- 
 man of scanty fortune, who held some petty situation 
 under government, Semen Semenoveetch Plaiseereen. 
 He executed all my aunt's commissions, squired her to 
 the theatre, to concerts, and promenades, and would 
 pop into the house several times in the course of the 
 day, but always when old prince TchvanoflF was not 
 tliere. Plaiseereen would only sometimes on the mu- 
 sical soirees address himself to my aunt in the pre- 
 sence of the prince, and would then behave towards 
 her Avith a distant respect, as if there was no particular 
 intimacy between them, but only a musical acquain- 
 tance. My aunt's other confidant was a French abbot, 
 Pretatout, a man of about five-and-forty, of an agree- 
 al)le exterior, and very pleasant company. He was 
 the domestic friend of prince Tchvanoff, and lived with 
 liim in the capacity of toad-eater ; received a salary, or, 
 ])roperly speaking, a pension, for the education of his 
 son (who was already in the service at Petersburgh) ; 
 kept the prince's library in order, looked after the 
 pictures, and was his agent in all private transactions. 
 Abbe Pretatout was likewise almost every day with 
 
 * There are four services in tlie Russian Church every day in 
 
 tlie week, viz The Za-ootrenoy, at about four o'clock in the 
 
 morning ; the Rano-obeydny, at six ; the Pozdno-obeydny, at 
 nine; the Vetcherny, at three in the afternoon in winter, and 
 four in summer. In addition to tliese, wlicn next day is a holi- 
 day, and every Saturday evening, there is a fifth service, at seven 
 o'clock, called the Vsey-no'chny.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 99 
 
 my aunt, but never met witl) Plaiseereen. My aunt 
 observed the greatest order in all her affairs, and a par- 
 ticular time was fixed for every visit. Her house had 
 four entrances, each from a separate room and a sepa- 
 rate side : one from the street, anotlier beside the 
 gateway, a third from the backdoor, and a fourth from 
 the garden. The visitors could come and go, if my 
 aunt wished it, without meeting one another. All 
 who visited my aunt, appeared strongly attached to 
 her ; but I was much astonished that tlie very same 
 gentlemen who were so very friendly with her at home, 
 would not make a bow to her on the street or in the 
 theatre, when they were in company witli other fe- 
 males, but would always turn aside, as if they did not 
 observe her. The females would look at her with a 
 smile or a scowl, and on doing so would almost al- 
 ways whisper between themselves. But my aunt was 
 so good that nothing excited her anger. She was 
 very affable to her servants, and only sometimes got 
 into a passion with her chambermaid, when, in assist- 
 ing her to di'ess, she put any thing awry, either invo- 
 limtarily or intentionally. But she always made up 
 for any little crossness of temper with kind words and 
 presents after it Avas over, and, on that account, the 
 chambermaid was more attached to her than the other 
 servants were. In a word, my aunt was loved by all 
 who knew her ; and I, though I knew her last of all, 
 loved her more than all, and was myself the first ob- 
 ject of her tenderness and care. 
 
 I had a room for myself, with a clean b^d, and a 
 chest of drawers filled with clothes and livien. My 
 F 2
 
 100 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 aunt and liev maidservant fed nie and caressed me fi'oin 
 morning to night. Every day my aunt took me out 
 to walk along with her, and praised loudly my per- 
 sonal appearance. All her acquaintances and friends 
 caressed me, and made me presents of confections and 
 toys. Tln-ee montlis had elapsed since my change of 
 condition, and I had no remembrance of it. Some- 
 times I would dream of my former situation ; then I 
 would awake with a scream, and fall a crying bitterly, 
 dreading a return of the iron age of my childhood. 
 I would always repeat my frightful dreams to my 
 aimt, who comforted me witli the assurance that my 
 misfortunes would never be renewed. At last, I gra- 
 dually began to forget my former condition ; but that 
 is pardonal)le in the years of childhood. How many 
 grown-iip people forget in prosperity what they were 
 before ! and, what is worse than that, avoid people 
 who were the means of drawing them out of poverty ! 
 I was not like them, at least in that respect, for I 
 adored my aunt. 
 
 One day Plaiseei'een came very eaily in the morn- 
 ing, and not at his usual time. Coffee was served up, 
 and my aunt sent for me to come into the room. — 
 " ^"anya," she said, " it is time for you to be learning 
 something ; according to my calculation, you must now 
 be at least twelve years old. Semen Semenoveetch 
 lias sought out teachers for you. You will have to 
 learn French and German, to ])lay on the piano-forte 
 and dance. Do you wish that ?" " Why should not 
 I, aunt, if it is agreeable to you." " Recollect that, 
 if you learn ) onr lessons, you will be always as well
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. ^ 101 
 
 dressed as you are at present, and liave always a good 
 dinner ; but, if you leam nothino:, you may be again 
 unfortunate. " Trembling seized upon me at these 
 words, and I said with a tremulous voice — " I will be 
 very attentive to my lessons, aunt !" " Very well," 
 answered she, and turning to Plaiseereen, added, " I 
 have told you already that he must be provided with 
 a family name ;* tliis day must decide it ; consider." 
 Plaiseereen thought a little, walked several times up 
 and down the room, and said, " You told me, Ade- 
 laida Petrovna, that you recognized your nephew by 
 his astonishmg resemblance to his deceased father, and 
 that your conjectures were confirmed by a scar which 
 remained upon his shoulder from the cauterizing of a 
 wen in his infancy. " Exactly so," replied my aunt. 
 " And, therefore, your nephew, should be called 
 ' Vejeeghen' (the seared) ; this characteristic appella- 
 tion will keep up in his memory the fortunate change 
 
 in his life from that mark, and " My aunt 
 
 did not allow him to finish the sentence. " Excel- 
 lent, excellent," exclaimed she ; " henceforth Vanya 
 shall be called Ivan Ivanoveetch Vejeeghen. Do you 
 hear, Vanya ?" " I hear." " Now, what is your name ?" 
 " Ivan Ivanoveetch Vejeeghen." " Very well," said 
 my aunt, " but what are you ?" " The nepheAV of 
 Adelaida Petrovna Baritono." " Could not be better," 
 
 * There are two surnames used amongst people not in the very 
 lowest class of society; the patronymic endinj; in off ox vcctclt . 
 •which is the only surname usual amonj; the peasants, and the fa- 
 mily name which generally originates from the profession or some 
 peculiar quality or habit of the first of the family to which it has 
 been applied. 
 
 f 3
 
 102 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 said my aimt. " Now, recollect that your father was 
 a gentleman in an official situation, and that his name 
 was IvanoflF; besides, he amassed for himself a decent 
 fortune, but unfortunately ruined liimself and died in 
 the time of your infancy ; but your motlier, my sister, 
 also a lady by birth, who manied for love, died the 
 year after she brought you into the world. As your 
 father left no relations, it is all the same to you, 
 whether you call yourself Ivanoff or Vejeeghen." I 
 held my tongaie and listened. " Now, Vanya, go into 
 your own room," said my aunt ; " to-mon-ow your 
 lessons will begin." Plaiseereen, who loved a jest, 
 made a bow to me, adding, " A revoir, Ivan Ivano- 
 veetch Vejeeghen ; I beg you will love and reverence 
 your godfather." My aunt smiled and said, " I 
 allow you to love him, but I forbid you to follow his 
 example, otherwise you will desen'e the appellation of 
 a mauvais sujet." This French expression I knew 
 long ago, as GologordoflFsky's and Scotinko's children 
 were so called to their face by their teachers ; there- 
 fore, as in duty boimd, I without hesitation replied — 
 " Don't l)e afraid, aunt ; I shall endeavour not to re- 
 semble Semen Semenoveetch." 
 
 Next day, the teachers made their appearance. The 
 first, a German, Mr. Biersaufer, an old snuffy fellow, 
 with a pimpled face on which flourished the laurels of 
 Bacchus ; another, a young Frenchman, Monsieur Felix, 
 a ^idevant journeyman in a pomatum manufactory, who, 
 by teaching beginners, had tauglit himself to become a 
 teacher and governor. Mr, Schmiernoten, also a Ger- 
 man, teacher of music and singing, although he was
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 103 
 
 well acquainted with the theory of music, played so 
 wretchedly on the piano-forte, and squalled so loudly 
 and uiihai'inoniously, that all in the house stojjped their 
 ears whenever he took it into his head to sing or play 
 after a lesson. I learned to dance at a dancing-school 
 kept by a lame theatrical dancer who had broken liis 
 leg in performing the part of some prodigy in a grand 
 ballet. 
 
 My language -masters followed quite opposite 
 methods. When I had learned the letters, the Ger- 
 man applied himself to beat into my head the grammar 
 mles ; while the Frenchman, paying little attention to 
 the giammai", fell to work, tooth and nail, and en- 
 deavoiu-ed to cram me with as many words and phrases 
 as possible. As in om* house they jabbered French 
 continually, and almost all the visitors, vying with one 
 another, examined me touchmg my progress in the 
 French language, I very soon learned to chatter it my- 
 self, and completely to understand every thing that was 
 said, to the gi"eat delight of my aunt. When I already 
 understood what I read, Monsieur Felix began to teach 
 me the gi'ammar, that is to say, he told me the mean- 
 ing of genders, substantives, and atljectives ; and taught 
 me how to apply the articles, and conjugate active 
 verbs. In the course of a year, I had already learned 
 to talk French almost as Avell, and to say the least, 
 almost as boldly as any of om- acquaintances ; but in 
 the German language I had scarcely reached the de- 
 clensions. I played on the piano-forte much better 
 than my master, and sung so agi'eeably, that, on our 
 musical evenings, I would perform a solo. Dancing 
 F 4
 
 104 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 was a pleasure to me ; in the course of a year, I learn- 
 ed not only the waltz and quadrille, hut minuet, alle- 
 mande, matadore, and all the fashionahle hops of the 
 (lay. In the fourteenth year of my age, and after one 
 year's schooling, I liad become in the words of my 
 aunt, '■unjeime homme accompli — a chatterer, free and 
 easy, in my maimers and even forward : all these quali- 
 ties were called marks of genius. It was proposed in 
 a council of my aunt's friends, to send me to a first- 
 rate boarding-school, in order to make me a learned 
 man. Prince Tchvanoff took upon himself to defray 
 the expence of my education. But, as my amit wished 
 on no account to be separated from me, on my name's 
 day, * when, according to my aunt's computation I had 
 completed my fom'teenth year, I was enrolled as a day- 
 boarder in the didactic establishment of Monsieur Le- 
 brilliant, where children of the first Russian families 
 were sent to be educated. I had several books bought 
 for me, got a present of a rich portfolio, and began 
 seriously to apply to my studies, seeing that my pro- 
 
 * Christian names are universally given after that of some 
 saint in the Russian calendar, and the day of their patron-saint 
 is in general kept there with greater eclat than birth days are held 
 in this country : visits are paid and presents given by acquaintan- 
 ces and relations, and the person whose name's day is celebrated, 
 gives an entertainment if his or her means will afford it. The 
 police officers, especially, seldom forget to let all the houseliolders 
 in their ward know when their name's day occurs. Among the 
 country people, the priests follow the rules of the church, and 
 give the children the name of the saint who presides over the day 
 of their birth ; but among the other ranks who can afford to pay 
 a suitable fee, they will anticipate or go back to a holiday, in some 
 cases two or three months distant.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 105 
 
 gi'ess in the sciences was a source of gratification to 
 my aunt, and of presents to myself. 
 
 I had promised my aunt that I should be better than 
 the young Gologordoffskys and Scotinkos ; but, as the 
 same effects are the consequences of the same causes, 
 over-indulgence led me into the very same vices which 
 I had before hated : I acquired a haughty manner, and 
 fancied myself superior to every body. I was refused 
 nothing, and this acted as a whet to my wishes, illus- 
 trating a well known law of human nature. The 
 grown-up boys in our boarding-school, (copyuig the 
 domestic occupations of their parents,) played at cards 
 with one another, treated one another with breakfasts, 
 and he amongst us who could spend most, enjoyed the 
 greatest respect from his companions. When I had 
 not money enough for my diversions, I feigned indis- 
 pensable wants, not daring to reveal to my aunt what 
 we did by stealth ; asked money for books, paints, 
 compasses and paper, and thus learned to lie and cheat. 
 My aunt and her friend gratified my wishes without 
 contradiction, and thus I grew to regard it as an im- 
 pardonable sin in a servant, if he hesitated to execute 
 my orders, and by these means acquired a haughty 
 maimer of demeaning myself towards servants, and be- 
 came arrogant and capricious. With my poor school- 
 fellows I was rude ; with the rich, familiar — reckorung 
 myself richer than the former, and better than the lat- 
 ter. I neither feared nor respected my teachers and 
 governors, because the proprietor of tlie boarding- 
 school, fearing lest he might lose the patronage of 
 Prince Tchvanoff, and my aunt's presents, flattered me, 
 F 5
 
 106 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 looked througli liis fingers at my romping, and paid no 
 attention to the complaints of the teachers. I thus in- 
 voluntai'ily grew exactly like those childi'en who before 
 appeared to me so intolerable. Besides, I lost all in- 
 clination to learn, my head being always taken up with 
 something else. But fortunately my micommon me- 
 mory and ready comprehension supplied the place of 
 attention : hearing tlie lessons in the regular routine, 
 and never casting an eye upon them at any otlier time, 
 I knew better than all the rest, whatever tasks were 
 given out in the boarding-school, with the exception 
 of mathematics. To learn tliat, fixed application, re- 
 jietitions and copyings are necessary ; and as that was 
 not at all to my taste, I resolutely declared to my 
 aunt, that I had no inclination nor capacity for mathe- 
 matics. She, after consulting with I'laiseereen and 
 the Abbe Pretatout, witlidrew me fi'om the mathema- 
 tical lessons, and all my progress in this science was 
 confined to arithmetic.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Boarding-school Examination — A Tempter — New friend of my 
 Aunt — Symptoms of first Love — Departure from Moscow. 
 
 The age of cliild-hood passes away rapidly. I grew 
 up to be a stripling in my aunt's house, learned my 
 lessons, kicked up dusts in the boarding-school, and 
 had not time to observe what was passing at home : 
 therefore I shall say nothing about it. The time ap- 
 proached of the usual show-trial in the boarding-school, 
 and of dismission from the upper class in which I was 
 one of the best scholars. The oldest of us was not 
 more than seventeen years of age ; but we all thought 
 ourselves qualified to fill the first situations in the em- 
 pire, and lamented the time which we lost, not in 
 learning, but which might have been spent in serving 
 for an officer's rank.* With impatience we waited for 
 the examination, of wliich notices had been sent to the 
 parents for two weeks previous. The preparations 
 were begun. Each teacher had so many questions 
 and answers given him, in which he had to drill us 
 every day, and to accustom us, by certain conventional 
 marks, to know what answers to give, in case any 
 of the by-standers should put questions, for which 
 
 • In the Russian array no commissions are given till the can- 
 didate has served a certain time in the ranks ; unless he has pre- 
 viously held a commission in another service. 
 F 6
 
 108 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 ready-made answers were not at hand. For instance, 
 all the buttons on the coat and waist-coat of the teacher 
 of languages, denoted the parts of speech and the 
 grammar rules. All their motions had a particular 
 meaning. The nose of the professor of fortification was 
 equivalent to a bastion, his mouth to the ditch of a for- 
 tress, his teeth to palisades, his chin to the glacis, his 
 eyes to tlie fleches, his neck to a tete du pout, &c. — 
 The head of tlie teacher of geography represented the 
 universe. The crown of his head denoted the zenith, 
 his chin, the nadir ; his cheeks the polar circles, his 
 nose the ecliptic, his skin the first meridian, his mouth 
 the ocean, liis eyes the fixed stars, &c. &c. Besides the 
 teachers, the scholars were also taught how to assist 
 their comrades by means of signs. M. Lebrilliant pre- 
 pared certificates for every scliolar, to be presented to 
 then' parents, relations, and guardians. A good or 
 bad certificate of behaviour and acquirements did not 
 depend on the progi'ess and morals of the scholars, but 
 on the rank, wealth, liberality and degi*ee of attach- 
 ment shewn liy the parents and relations to the chil- 
 dren. He, from whom M. Lebrilliant liad the great- 
 est expectations, received the best certificate ; but, as 
 it was not to be supposed that there would be no trif- 
 lers and idlers, the bad certificates were allotted to those 
 children whose parents were absent, to oii>hans, for 
 whom their guardians, as usual, cared but little, and 
 to two poor boarders whom Monsieur Lebrilliant edu- 
 cated, out of charity as he said, though perhaps more 
 with a view to get a name for magnanimity and gene- 
 rosity. All the scholars wlio were to get rewards,
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 109 
 
 (bought, of course, with their own money), and those 
 who were to receive good certificates, were told be- 
 forehand, by way of secret, and instnicted to invite as 
 many of their relations and acquaintances as possible. 
 At length, when all the preparations were completed, 
 began the show. 
 
 The hall was crowded with visitors, public function- 
 aries, ladies, and people who were on friendly terms 
 with Monsieur Lebrilliant. The exhibition was open- 
 ed with a speech in the French language, delivered by 
 me with the greatest confidence. This oration was 
 composed by Abbe Pi'etatout, and coiTected and im- 
 proved by all the teachers of the school, inchiding even 
 the teacher of calligraphy. For the preference shewn 
 to me, my aunt presented Madame Lebrilliant with a 
 piece of silk stuff, and some arsheens* of lace which 
 she had got in a present from Prince Tchvanoff. The 
 trial of the gi'own-up scholars went on in a perfectly 
 satisfactory manner — thanks to the conventional signs. 
 Many of the visitors who were friends of our teachers, 
 gave us difficult questions, the answers to which we 
 knew before, and inexperienced parents were astonish- 
 ♦•d at our acquirements. But there were among us 
 some impenetrable blockheads, whom it was impossi- 
 ble to teach their exercise, or to beat uito then- thick 
 sculls either the ready-made questions and answers, or 
 the conventional signs, and this occasioned some veiy 
 strange misunderstandings and mistakes. For instance, 
 
 * The arsheen is the Russian yard, and measures about 28 
 inches.
 
 110 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 the son of a head-secretary* was asked — ' Wliat soit of 
 occupation or profession turns over the most ready 
 money in the empire ?' In vain the teacher of statis- 
 tics put his hand into his side-pocket, which, by pre- 
 vious agreement, denoted trade ; the youth, by havmg 
 heard from his parents reflections upon tlie same sub- 
 ject, and tliinking that he was giving a pertinent an- 
 swer, said — " Law-suits !" The company could not 
 help laugliing, and tlie father of the youth concealed 
 his face with his handkerchief, as if lie was wiping off 
 the perspiration. Another scholar, the son of a rich 
 and haughty lawyer was asked, ' What are active verbs 
 in the Russian language ?' He held his peace. His 
 father, getting out of humour, said to him : " Vanya, 
 you surely have not forgotten here what you learned 
 before you left home ?" Some one whispered into 
 Vanya's ear, and he answered — " Our active verbs are 
 Igat and hrat" (to lie and grasp). This again raised 
 a burst of laughter from all the comers of the room, 
 and the proud lawyer looked blue with vexation. Mr. 
 Lebrilliant, to avoid farther peq>lexities, took the ex- 
 amination into his own liands. He did the busmess so 
 neatly, that all answered admirably, to the gieat satis- 
 faction of the mammas and aiints. Here are some 
 
 * The person called the secretary^ who is always a profes- 
 sional lawyer, in most cases leads the judges by the nose. No- 
 minally his business is confined to theenj^rossing of the decisions 
 and drawing up the minutes, but suitors are so well aware of his 
 real influence, that prudent people take care to secure his good 
 opinion, cost what it may, when the matter in dispute is worth 
 contending for.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 1 1 1 
 
 specimens of MonsieurLebrilliant's pedag^os^ical talents. 
 " How do you call the principal city in Spain ?" asked 
 Monsieur Lebrilliant, " Isn't it Madrid ?" " Madrid," 
 answered the scholar. " Very well ; but on what 
 river does it lie ? Isn't it on the Mansanares ?" " Ma- 
 drid lies on the river Mansanares," answered the scho- 
 lar quickly and loudly. " Veiy well, very well, sit 
 down." " Now tell me, you Master M. M. is it with 
 justice that the Volga is called the largest river in Eu- 
 ropean Russia ?" " The largest river in European 
 Russia is the Volga," answered the scholar in a trice. 
 " Very well, excellent. Tell me master N. N. who 
 was the first Roman emperor, when Augustus took 
 upon liimself the fii'st imperial dignity ?" " Augustus," 
 answered the scholar. " Very well," said Monsieur 
 Lebrilliant. In this way all the scholars gave satis- 
 factory answers to Monsiem* Lebrilliant's questions, 
 and tender-loving parents agreed unanimously, that 
 their children were taught excellently at tlie boarding 
 school, and, if they fell sometimes into inaccuracies, it 
 was entirely owing to other people not laxowing how 
 to examine them with so much tact as the learned 
 Monsieur Lebrilliant. 
 
 The examination lasted two hours ; after this, the 
 rewards and certificates were distributed by sound of 
 trumpets and cymbals, and we went away with our 
 parents. The gentlemen, that is to say, friends of the 
 proprietor of the boai'ding-school and of the teachers, 
 who assisted them to examine us on the plan of con- 
 ventional signs, and the humble domestic friends of the 
 rich parents, remained to dine with Monsieur Lebril-
 
 112 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 liant, for wlilch, the day previous, baskets had been 
 sent with wine from several houses. For three suc- 
 cessive days there was no teaching in the boarding- 
 school, because the teachers needed repose after tlieir 
 exertions. Although I had already gone through the 
 course of studies pursued in the boarding-school, 
 yet, by the advice of Abbe Pretatout, I was to con- 
 tinue to take lessons till it should be considered Avhat 
 to do with me. I overheard from the other room the 
 reasons given by the Abbe for this measure. " Let 
 Vanya go to the boarding-school,'' said the Abbe. " It 
 will cost you nothing. You know the prince pays for 
 all. For the sciences he does not want it ; but, if kept 
 at home, he might leani what he should not know. — 
 Youth is full of curiosity and meddling, and our Vanya 
 was always knowhig and quick-sighted beyond his 
 years. Do you understand me ? We will soon find 
 some employment for him." " Be it so as you pro- 
 pose," answered my good aunt ; " I am ready to do any 
 thing, from love to him." 
 
 As soon as my class companions left the boarding- 
 school, I reckoned myself before all the rest, and en- 
 tirely left off learning. During school-hours I em- 
 ployed myself in reading books, which we procured 
 from a general acquaintance of the boarding-school, 
 Luke Ivanoveetch Vorovaateen, He was not ac- 
 quainted with my aunt, and my comrades introduced 
 me to him. Luke Ivanoveetch lived opposite to oiu' 
 boarding-school, and was on friendly terms not only 
 with M. Lebrilliant, but with all the teachers ; and 
 on that account, when the lessons were over, they
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 113 
 
 permitted the scholars to go to liis house, and to re- 
 maia there somethnes till midnight. Luke Ivano- 
 veetch taught us to play at all the different games of 
 cards, faro and slitoss ; * permitted us to smoke to- 
 bacco, treated us with wine, punch, and spirits, and 
 entertained us with stories of his love-adventures. He 
 had a small library of proliibited books ; and every 
 thing obscene which fell into his hands, both in prose 
 and verse, was copied into his small collection of ma- 
 nuscripts. Some portfolios were filled with engi-avings 
 and drawangs, which he certainly would never liave 
 ventured to shew to any body but to inexperienced 
 youths, and to friends who were as gi-eat reprobates 
 as himself. In his conversations with us, he never 
 failed to laugh at all the civil and rehgious duties of 
 mankuid, at the obligation of relative ties, and the re- 
 spect due to parents ; ui a word, at every tiling which 
 good people regard as sacred. Luke Ivanoveetch 
 kept a steady eye on ova' inclinations, gradually ex- 
 cited our passions, inflamed our desires, and unceas- 
 ingly insisted that the chief end of man is pleasure, 
 and that in aiming at any particular end, the shortest 
 and surest methods are always the best. According 
 to the rules of Mr. Vorovaateen, there was only one 
 duty of childi-en to parents, and that was, to person- 
 ate in their presence the character which pleased them 
 best. Sincerity towards parents and old people in 
 general, he treated as a fault and a folly. Vorovaateen 
 cloaked his hellish rules under tlie denomination of the 
 new philosophy ; and under the name of the laws of 
 
 * A species of faro.
 
 114 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 nature and the rights of man, he sowed the seeds of 
 unbelief in inexperienced minds, and made us think 
 that we were on a footing with the brutes. His 
 ideas pleased us exceedingly, because we found in 
 them every thing which flattered our selfish propensi- 
 ties, and shewed them off in a favourable point of 
 view. We regarded ourselves as philosophers of the 
 eighteenth century, and all who did not think like us 
 and Mr. Vorovaateen, we called barbarians and igno- 
 ramuses. — Vorovaateen knew all the scandalous anec- 
 dotes of the best families, and by exposing the naked- 
 ness of the parents before the eyes of their offspring, 
 he obliterated from their hearts every trace of attach- 
 ment and respect towards their elders. He lived 
 upon play and all sorts of manoeuvring ; lent money 
 to the heirs of rich people, gained it back from them 
 at cards, traded in bills, * and things which he bought 
 upon credit in the shops, and acted in the capacity of 
 pimp and general agent for intrigues, both to old and 
 young, men and women. 
 
 All the town knew Vorovaateen ; and although he 
 did not shew himself in decent families on days when 
 they had company, he was very frequently ap})lied to 
 for advice and assistance by people of rank and for- 
 tune. — Luke Ivanoveetch was about forty years of age, 
 
 * The bills of the different classes of the nobility and gentry 
 are a common article of speculation among monied people in 
 flloscow not engaged in trade, and are to be bought and sold at 
 all different prices, from ninety-nine 1^ cent, discount to five or 
 ten ^ cent, according to the credit of the accepter : they, in some 
 measure, makeup for the want of a stock exchange in that ancient 
 capital.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 115 
 
 of a small figure and thin habit of body. His hair was 
 reddish, his face pale, covered with wrinldes and car- 
 buncles, the primary consequences of debauchery. He 
 always winked with his eyes, and tliis suspicious man- 
 ner of his was apt to excite an unfavourable impression 
 against him. Vorovaateen boasted that lie had al- 
 ready initiated a whole generation in the rules of his 
 new philosophy ; and, ui reahty, tlie greatest scape- 
 graces and debauchees in the metropolis had been his 
 friends from their early years. But not one of them 
 escaped from under his wmg gratis ; he assisted them 
 to squander their money, and was the first to take ad- 
 vantage of their rain. Upright people called Voro- 
 vaateen a demon, yoimg people called liim a jolly fel- 
 low, and mexperienced youth, as already mentioned, 
 esteemed him a philosopher. In the jounials of the 
 police he was knowni under the names of Si false play- 
 er and 9. jobber. 
 
 Luke Ivanoveetch attached himself particularly to 
 me, prophecying that I would be a great philosopher, 
 and attain the highest degree of riches and renown. 
 He never in my presence spoke ill of my aunt, know- 
 ing my afi^ction for her ; oidy he forbade me to tell 
 her any thing about om- acquaintance, alleging that 
 he was a personal enemy of prince Tchvanoff and of 
 Plaiseereen, who might give her a bad character of 
 liim, and she, from female credulity, might put an end 
 to our intimacy. Vorovaateen, besides, gave me mo- 
 ney for play and for my other wants, and called me 
 by no other name than his younger brother. 1 was 
 a sort of second landlord in his lodgings ; came when-
 
 116 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 ever I liked, did whatever 1 chose, and, although he 
 was not at home, gave oi'ders to his servants. I 
 treated my companions at his expense, and disposed 
 of his property as if it was my own. Is it to be won- 
 dered that this behaviour on tlie part of Vorovaateen 
 made me believe that he loved me merely for my per- 
 sonal qualities ? This very idea attached me to him. 
 I even prided myself upon this preference. We had 
 no secrets between us, and, at his request, I told him 
 my adventures, the miseries of my childhood, my 
 meeting with my aunt, and at last shewed him the 
 lucky mark by which she was convinced that I was 
 her nephew. I thought that, at the time of my dis- 
 closure, Vorovaateen loved me still more tenderly. 
 He Avas the first to wliom I laid myself open in that 
 respect. 
 
 In the mean time, there appeared very frequently 
 among my aunt's visitors, a personage who had oc- 
 cupied an important situation in Petersburgh, which 
 having resigned, he had come to live in Moscow, in 
 order to enjoy the otium cum dignitate afforded him 
 by a fortune acquii-ed (no matter how) during his long 
 service. Mr. Grabeelen was about fifty years of age, 
 but was lusty and vigorous beyond his years. He 
 was proud, daring in his words and actions, capri- 
 cious, and by his behaviour frequently brought tears 
 into my aunt's eyes. He made himself completely 
 master of the house, stationed there his own servants, 
 and for])ade my aunt to receive any visitors without 
 his permission, except some elderly musicians. Gra- 
 beelen would not hear, nor turn about, nor make any
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 117 
 
 reply, if he was not styled ' your excellency.' Semen 
 Semenoveetch and Abbe Pretatout durst not shew 
 their faces in our house, and prince TchvanofF was 
 the only man wlio came on tlie old footing. My 
 aunt called him her godfather and benefactor, and 
 Grabeelen did not dare to oppose the prince, but, on 
 the contrary, seized tlie opportunity to esta]>lish a 
 close friendship witli him. The two old men would 
 spend a great deal of time in talking upon politics : 
 my aunt mean while would slip away to lier neigh- 
 bour's, a female friend, who lived in the otlier half 
 of the house, where she was sure to find Semen 
 Semenoveetch or some other of her former acquain- 
 tances. The affairs of tlie empire, in wliich the old 
 men had no longer any participation, would interest 
 their attention to such a degree, that, in the heat of 
 their disputes and arguments, they did not trouble 
 their heads about my aunt's absence. At any rate, 
 from the time of Grabeelen's appearance, eveiy thing 
 was turned topsy-turvy in the house : the musical 
 soirees were given up, and in genei'al a sort of mo- 
 notony reigned in place of the former cheerfulness. I 
 was particularly affected by the change. Grabeelen 
 behaved to me very superciliously, hardly deigned to 
 look upon me, quarrelled me for every immodest word 
 and for every free action, and did not like that, ac- 
 cording to my former practice, I should mingle in the 
 conversation. I accordingly shunned his presence, 
 and, under the pretence of occupation at tlie boarding- 
 school, almost lived with Vorovaateen. 
 
 Vorovaateen introduced me at the houses of some
 
 118 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 of his acquaintances, where, without farther ceremony, 
 I was in\'ited to dine, sup, and dance. I visited more 
 frequently than others, an intimate female acquaintance 
 of his, who had a pretty daughter. Matrena Ivan- 
 ovna Shtoseen, a widow of five and thirty, cheerful 
 and volatile, loved the amusements of society, gaiety 
 and card-playing. She had an extensive circle of ac- 
 quaintances among the clerks in public offices, and 
 the small country-gentry. Her husband, in his life- 
 time, had held a lucrative office, and after his death, 
 she succeeded to a house and considerable property. 
 Almost every evening, a number of visitors, both gentle- 
 men and ladies, used to assemble at her house, to play 
 at cards and talk about affairs in general. They began 
 Avith round games, but ended always with faro. — 
 Groonya,* her daughter, who was in her fifteenth year, 
 passed for a beauty. She was of a pensive tuni, spent 
 the gi'eater pai't of her time alone in her own room, 
 reading sentimental romances, and was profoundly 
 versed in the passion of the young Werter and la 
 nouvelle Eloise. I had an o])portunity of conversing 
 with her very frequently, when lier mother superin- 
 tended the marking at cards or was taken up at faro. 
 I very soon got upon friendly terms with Groonya, 
 and after some disputes upon morals and Philosophy, 
 we agreed to open a correspondence with one another 
 upon sundry philosophical subjects, in order to per- 
 fect ourselves in the French language and in wisdom. 
 But wisdom does not love to mingle in the affairs of 
 
 " A contraction for Agraphena.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 119 
 
 young gentlemen with young ladies. Our philoso- 
 phical letters soon assumed a tone similar to that of 
 the affectionate Saint Preux and the tender-heaited 
 Julia, and, witliout knowing the why or the where- 
 fore, we fell desperately in love with one another, and 
 meditated schemes of future bliss. Of course Voro- 
 vaateen was my confidant in this love-affair. He cir- 
 cumvented me, inflamed my xmexperienced heart with 
 hopes and descriptions of the happiness of being loved, 
 and advised me how to behave towards Groonya. 
 
 The elasticity of the young mind gathers fresh 
 strength under diflaculties, Avhich older and more ex- 
 perienced people give up all hopes of surmounting. 
 It is only amidst gratifications and indulgences that 
 the young mind loses its strength, and is induced to 
 rest on its leading-strings. But youth, left to its own 
 resources, either fails in the attempt or exerts all its 
 powers of action with uncommon vigour. I have al- 
 ready mentioned that I was regarded from my veiy 
 childhood as wise beyond my years. My physical 
 constitution was also developed at an extremely early 
 age, in the midst of all the comforts of life ; so that 
 at seventeen, I looked like a youth of twenty. The 
 passions boiled strongly within my breast, a thousand 
 desires agitated my thoughts, but no one passion ruled 
 me exclusively. Sometimes by looking at a grandee 
 of state with his stars and ribbands, or at a general 
 with a splendid imifonn, I was filled for some days 
 Avith ambition, and formed plans for attaining honours. 
 Another time, a brilliant eqiiipage, rich dress and ele- 
 gant house, extinguished all sparks of ambition, and
 
 1-20 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 begat a desire of wealth. I was buried in contem- 
 plating how I might acquire an immense fortune in 
 the shortest space of time. Sometimes the desire of 
 fame domineered in my soul, and then I would de- 
 vise projects how I would have myself spoken about 
 and written about, in the face of the world. At last 
 the sight of a charming woman going about, arm in 
 arm, with a gentleman, would excite in my breast a 
 wish to be in the same predicament, and I would think 
 of love and marriage. My passions shifted about with 
 t!ie impressions which I received, without leaving any 
 traces of those which they succeeded in my heart. I 
 endeavoured to convince myself that I was in love ; 
 to think that I ought to be in love ; that it was im- 
 possible for me not to be in love. Groonya was 
 beautiful and wise, or at least engaging for me in her 
 conversation, which displayed a considerable acquain- 
 tance with French romances. She loved me, and, in 
 my imagination, I added to her real good qualities all 
 possible perfections, and formed in my mind a beaic 
 ideal which I was pleased to call Groonya. Con- 
 straining myself to think of love, I continually mused 
 upon Groonya, and, on all occasions, sought food for 
 my passion. If, in the course of my walks, I heard 
 a peasant, on horseback or in a cart, singmg the song, 
 "■ Otchee, moye otchee, vwee yasneya otchee!" ("Eyes, 
 my eyes, ye bright eyes,") I immediately recalled to 
 my memory the deep azure eyes of my Groonya. If 
 I heard any body saying of a woman ; " All, what a 
 ilear creature !" I would say to myself; " But my 
 Groonya is much dearer !" If it was said of any
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 121 
 
 one that he was foitunate in his wife, I woukl think : 
 " and I shall be much more fortunate with my dear 
 Groonya." In a word, Groonya was continually in 
 my heart and soul, and I endeavoured to make her 
 equally so in my eyes and mouth : for this purpose, 
 if I was not able to be at her house, I would go to 
 Vorovaateen's, to whom I could speak boldly of my 
 love. 
 
 But, in their fifteenth year, city-bred girls are no 
 longer children : Groonya loved me more in her heart 
 than in her imagination. She taxed her ingenuity in 
 applying to me the names of the heroes, and expres- 
 sions of tenderness, which made a conspicuous figure 
 in romances. Her heart was fully occupied with me. 
 She would spend the night without sleeping and in 
 tears, if she did not see me for a whole day. When 
 I could not be with her, I was obliged, at least, to 
 pass the window, and make the usual signal with my 
 hand, that I was satisfied witli Iter, and had received 
 Iier letter. When we were alone, our greatest plea- 
 sure consisted in looking one another in the face, 
 squeezing one another's hands, and repeating a thou- 
 sand times previously rej)eated expressions of endear- 
 ment, which appeared novelties to us, or at least to 
 her. Groonya loved to stroke my chubby, rosy cheeks, 
 with her hand, while I played with her soft arms. It 
 is to be understood, as a matter of course, that I bound 
 myself a thousand times to marry no one but her ; 
 while she took the same obligation on her part towards 
 me. But u-Jien and ho?v, we did not take into con- 
 sideration. It appeared to us to be a very common
 
 122 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 affair, to many, and live like singing birds. I impa- 
 tiently waited for permission to give up my visits to 
 the boarding-school, and get rid of the name of school- 
 boy : accordingly I resolved to petition my aunt to 
 that effect. 
 
 One day after dinner, when my aunt appeared more 
 cheerful than usual, I proceeded to fulfil my intention. 
 " My dear aimt," said I, " it is of no use to continue 
 paying for me at the boarding-school. I have at my 
 fingei'-ends every thing which is taught there, and am 
 only losing my time to no purpose, hearing over and 
 over again what I knew long ago. I speak French 
 like a native, understand German very tolerably, dance 
 with ease, and of liistory, geography, and other sciences 
 I know as much as my masters : besides, by your 
 kindness, I liave become a tolerable musician. What 
 more do I want ? I am neither able nor willing to 
 become a teacher, and for a man of the world I am 
 already too learned. You know a great many people 
 of rank and consequence : call them all over in your 
 mind, and tell me which of them knows more than 
 I do ? Would it not be better for me to employ my- 
 self at home, in the improvement of my mind by read- 
 ing, and at the same time seek my fortune in the ser- 
 vice, or in any way agreeable to you? Consider of it, 
 aunt ; and I beg you will not listen to that bear, Gra- 
 beelen, who only counsels you to send me to the 
 boarding-school, in order to get rid of my presence." 
 I noticed that my aunt's face grew red at these last 
 words. " Do as you like, Vanushka," said she : " I 
 do not wish you to be under constraint. I myself
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 123 
 
 see that you are wiser than all my acquaintance." 
 " Therefore to-moiTow is to be the last day that I 
 shall go to the boarding-school." " The last day," 
 repeated my aunt ; " only you need not mention it to 
 Grabeelen. You can keep to your own apartment 
 when he is with me, or go out." " Excellent !" With 
 grateful feelings I embraced my aunt, and the same 
 day, gave notice to M. Lebrilliant that I was not to 
 continue any longer at his boarding-school. As he 
 had a half-year's advance for my board, and we did 
 not ask the money back, he was quite satisfied, and 
 gave me such a splendid certificate on a large sheet 
 of parchment, that, if credit were to be given to the 
 half of what was written on it, I might be reckoned 
 on a par with the seven sages of Greece. My aunt 
 and I sincerely believed every thing that was written 
 in the certificate : she, because she loved me to dis- 
 traction, and I, because I had not hitherto met with 
 a man who merited my respect for his knowledge and 
 abilities. 
 
 My readers probably have already observed, that 
 no mention has hitherto been made of any one em- 
 ployed in giving me lessons in religion, morality, or 
 the improvement of the heart. To account for this, 
 they must recollect, that I was at first in the veiy 
 lowest rank of society, from whence I was raised, all 
 at once, to a level with the children of people of rank 
 and wealth. In the first-mentioned condition, the im- 
 provement of man's moral nature is never thought of, 
 people being content with having their servants taught 
 the mechanical use of their corporal functions, as dogs 
 G 2
 
 124 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 are taught to carry a burden ; in the other conditioi; 
 alluded to, they are entirely taken up with making a 
 boy a man, exactly similar to those who by birth or 
 riches have a right to live in what is called the great 
 world. l?ut, as in the higher circles neither religion 
 nor philosophy is ever talked of, as no attention is 
 paid either to learned people, or the sciences or moral 
 conduct ; the French language, dancing, and a know- 
 ledge of the practices of high life, are all that consti- 
 tute the standard of excellence. For this alone money 
 is paid to the French teachers, and they do no more 
 than what is required of them. I must candidly con- 
 fess that M. Lebrilliant was not in the least to blame 
 during the time that I spent in his boarding-school, for 
 not giving me the smallest idea of the duties of a man 
 and a citizen ; for nobody asked him to do it, and it 
 is not the business of a well-bred person to incumber 
 himself with attending to what nobody asks him. To 
 fulfil one's duty conscientiously, is a practice confined 
 to the middle classes, who in the gi'eat world are .called 
 la mauvaise compagnie ! * 
 
 I had scarcely enjoyed a montli of liberty, when 
 grief broke in upon my sweet inactivity. One even- 
 ing, when Mrs. Shtoseen was playing at cards, and I, 
 as usual, sought an ojiportunity of speaking with 
 Groonya alone, a maid-servant whispered in my ear 
 to go straight into the young lady's bed-room. I found 
 Groonya in tears. She told me that her mother was 
 going with her to Orenburg, in order to succeed to 
 
 • La maiivaise coiiqiignlc answering to tliis description is very 
 rare in Russia.
 
 IVAN VE.TEEGHEN. 125 
 
 some property left by a cousin-german of lier husbaiid. 
 This respectable cousin was at first Secretary for tlie 
 salt-department, * and after that superintendant of the 
 market for bartering with tlie Kirgheez-Tartars. He 
 passed for a very poor man all his life, and had re- 
 ceived, on several occasions, pecuniary assistance from 
 government, on account of his insufficient income ; but 
 after his death, when his property was sealed up,-|- 
 bank-receipts and bills were found for more than half 
 a million of rovibles. In his life-time he never heard 
 of or from any of his relations, and indeed Mr. Slitoseen 
 on several occasions kept out of his way, when he 
 wanted assistance : but no sooner was there any scent 
 of this inheritance, than up started some dozens of 
 relations, who, in honour of the memory of the de- 
 ceased, went to law with one another. The depar- 
 ture of Mrs. Shtoseen was fixed to take place within 
 a Aveek, and her return at an indefinite time. After 
 weeping together, we renewed our bonds of eternal 
 love and fidelity, and agreed to write one another 
 every post, till I should find an opportunity for setting 
 off to Orenburg. I made that promise to Groonya 
 without thinking how I sliould perform it. Next day, 
 I related every thing to my friend Vorovaateen, who 
 immediately promised to assist me throughout, and 
 even to take me to Orenburg, where, according to 
 
 * There are salt-works belonging to the Russian Government 
 not far from Orenburg. 
 
 ■f On the death of any person, the police come and seal up 
 whatever moveable property lie leaves; and these seals are not 
 taken off till it is ascertained who is the legal heir. 
 G 3
 
 126 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 his advice, it behoved me to follow up my addresses 
 to Groonya, to marry her, and in quality of heir to 
 the rich Kirgheezian superintendant, to sue for ray 
 share in a court of law, if Mrs. Shtoseen would not 
 give up the inheritance by fair means ; Groonya, ac- 
 cording to law, being nearest of kin to her father. 
 
 In the meantime, Grabeelen learned somehow that 
 I had left the boarding-school ; and, as he had for- 
 merly driven me out of the house to scliool, so he 
 now fell to work to drive me into the service. I re- 
 solved to convert his dislike for me to my own use. 
 
 It would be in vain to describe the tears, sighs, 
 sobbings, and faintings, at parting with Groonya. 
 These are disagreeable affairs known to every body. 
 She had scarcely set off for Orenburg, when I began 
 to look out for means to hasten after her. Vorovaateen 
 condoled with me amidst my grief, and resolved im- 
 mediately to conduct me to my beloved, and even ad- 
 vised me to set off without my aunt's permission. 
 But I would not agree to that, and in a month after 
 Groonya's departure, I succeeded in getting my aunt's 
 permission by the following contrivance. 
 
 " Aunt !" said I to her, " I have been promised a 
 good situation in the Mint at Moscow : but, as some 
 experience is necessary in the first place, to qualify 
 me for it, one of my acquaintances, who serves in the 
 mining department, wishes to take me with him to 
 Orenburg. He will not be there for more than four 
 months, for the revision of business, and I will be 
 with him in the capacity of letter- writer. On ray 
 return to Moscow, I shall have a fair claim for a
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 127 
 
 situation in the public service, and my protector 
 vouches for my immediate reception into the service, 
 upon his representation, and as a reward for my previ- 
 ous labours. Give me your consent, aunt ! Is it not 
 better that I sliould be obliged to myself and my own 
 labour for my fortune, than to your friends, who, I 
 suspect, do not love me over much ? You know that, 
 without an officer's rank, I cannot appear in good com- 
 pany. It was long before my aunt would consent to 
 pai't with me; but when I told Mr. Grabeelen this story, 
 which was invented by Vorovaateen, he obliged my 
 aunt to let me go. One of Vorovaateen's friends un- 
 dertook to play the part of the officer of the mining- 
 department at my aunt's house, and gave her the fullest 
 assurance that he would take me under his special pro- 
 tection, promising at the same time all possible ad- 
 vantages in the service. My aunt equipped me for 
 the road, and filled my pocket-book pretty handsomely. 
 Even Grabeelen made me a present of fifty silver 
 roubles. The good old gentleman, prince Tchvanoff, 
 who had never broken off from his old practice of 
 visiting my aunt daily, also gave me money, and a let- 
 ter of recommendation to the Governor. After bidding: 
 adieu to my aunt, I seated myself in the carriage with 
 Vorovaateen's friend, and he himself waited us beyond 
 the barrier. I was just like a man in a fever, from 
 the ebullition of opposite feelings — love to my aunt, 
 commiseration and grief that I was leaving her, on 
 the one hand ; and on the other, the joyful hope of 
 meeting again with Groonya, of marrying her, and 
 the delightful idea of acquiring wealth and envy. 
 g4
 
 128 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 The scattering of the attention by the variety ot 
 objects on the road, quieted my spirits a little, but 
 involuntarily I always thouglit more of my aunt than 
 of Groonya,
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 I get better acquainted witli Vorovaateeii's character — Conversa- 
 tion overheard — Presentiments — A provincial dealer injustice. 
 
 " How much money have you ?" said Vorovaateen to 
 me at the first stage. " A hundred and fifty silver 
 roubles." " A goodly capital," answered Vorovaa- 
 teen. " There are few at your time of life that liave 
 so much money in their hands : you are riclier than I, 
 Vanya. Justice requires that you shoultl pay the half 
 of the travelling expences." " I never intended other- 
 wise," replied I, " and resolved to settle with you on 
 our arrival at the place." " It is all the same,"' said 
 V^orovaateen ; " but, as you are not yet accustomed 
 to handle money, give it to my care." " I think it 
 lies quite safe in my own portmanteau." " It will be 
 better in my trunk, which has a lock to it," returned 
 Vorovaateen. " Just as you please," said I, and im- 
 mediately gave him the money, retaining only a few 
 silver roubles for my own petty expences. For some 
 stages, Vorovaateen was in a silent and thoughtful 
 mood, and at last he renewed the conversation in a 
 very grave and cold tone of voice. " Is it possible 
 that your aunt should never have said anything to 
 you about your father ?" asked Vorovaateen, dart- 
 ing at me a penetrating look. " Nothing but what I 
 told you." " It is strange, very strange," retorted 
 G 5
 
 130 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 Vorovaateen. " I do not see the smallest strangeness," 
 said I. " If there had been any thing particularly 
 curious in my late father's life, my aunt would cer- 
 tainly liave told me of it. But, perhaps, you know 
 something ?" added J, looking again at Vorovaateen : 
 " you will oblige me greatly, if you can tell me any 
 thing on that head." " How should I know ?" an- 
 swered Vorovaateen dryly. " If it gives you so little 
 conceiTi, why that scepticism ?" " You do not know 
 yet all the turnings and windings of the female charac- 
 ter," said Vorovaateen. " When you suft'er for your 
 inexperience, your faith in their good qualities will not 
 be so strong." " I have not the smallest cause for not 
 putting confidence in my aunt, who loves me as if 
 I were her own son, has done every thing in her 
 power for me, and is ready to sacrifice every thing on 
 my account." " That is the very thing," replied Vo- 
 I'ovaateen, " which makes it difficult to believe that 
 your aunt, who loves you so well, never said any thing 
 to you about your father's condition, about your future 
 hopes, and so forth." " Although you have given me 
 many lectures in praise of insincerity, I have not yet 
 learned implicitly to follow your instructions," said 
 I, with some chagrin. " I repeat what I have already 
 said, that with regard to my father's condition and 
 origin, my aunt told me every thing which she deemed 
 necessary ; his adventures, I suppose, were not inte- 
 resting, as she said nothing about them. For the rest, 
 on my return to Moscow, I shall question her more 
 particularly upon that head, which, till this moment, 
 I conceived to be of little importance." " It is too
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 131 
 
 late now," said Vorovaateen, with a constrained smile. 
 " Why should it be too late," asked I. Vorovaateen 
 all at once got into a strange fit of laughing, and said, 
 " We shall see by and by !" He turned the attention 
 to other subjects, and endeavoured to amuse me ; but 
 grief had got possession of my lieart, and I remained 
 sad and silent. From henceforth my confidence in 
 Vorovaateen ceased, and I began to dread his ill-offices 
 with Groonya, and to fear that he might make her ac- 
 quainted with my previous condition. However, he 
 began to caress me in his former manner, and to puff 
 me up with hopes on the score of marriage and fortune. 
 We stopped to pass the night in the post-house of a 
 small town. Towards evening there arrived in a post- 
 cart a middle-aged man, who also stopped there for 
 the night. I observed from the window, that Voro- 
 vaateen accosted the new comer in a familiar tone, but 
 he, on his part, behaved towards Vorovaateen with a 
 distant respect, and did not put on his cap till he told 
 him to be covered. They stepped aside to the gable 
 of the house, against a wall where there was no win- 
 dow, and entered into conversation together ; but as 
 the wind happened to blow from that side, by stepping 
 into the innermost room,* I overheard part of their 
 discourse. " You have been in too great a huny, Paph- 
 nooteetch," said Vorovaateen ; " you should have wait* 
 ed till I had lived some time in the place, and thought 
 upon the means. You know we cannot tie a stone 
 about his neck, and throv/ him into the water without 
 
 * The rooms in Rustiati houses open into one another. 
 G 6
 
 132 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 more ado." " It is not my business to contrive how 
 to get him off your hands," replied the new-comer ; 
 *' but the Countess gave me no rest, and obliged me to 
 go, whether I would or not. It is said that the Count 
 is on his return to Moscow." * * * * On this, 
 the wind blew open the gate, and from the creaking 
 and rapping, I did not hear the end of the sentence. 
 " Am I to blame that the Countess does not wish to 
 have him dispatched ? Whenever conscience interferes 
 in a business," * * * * A carter who was in 
 the court-yard, bawled out loudly to his comrade, and 
 again I did not liear the end of Vorovaateen's speech. 
 After that, the stranger said, " I was ordered to re- 
 main with you till the end of the business, to assist 
 you throughout, and after it is finished, to return to 
 the Countess, to her country seat near Moscow, at" 
 * # * * ^t these words, Vorovaateen and the 
 stranger went out at the gate, and I remained at the 
 window in a state of stupefaction and uneasiness on 
 account of what I had heard. There could be no 
 doubt but that Vorovaateen was brewing some mischief, 
 and I, knowing the looseness of his principles, was con- 
 vinced, that neither the fear of God nor the voice of 
 conscience would keep him from the commission of 
 crime. But who could that unfortunate victim be, for 
 whose destruction this plot was contrived ? Who 
 could that Countess be, wlio impatiently waited for 
 the news of her fellovv-creatiu-e's misfortune ? Who, 
 that Count ? WHio, the new-comer ? That dreadful 
 secret, boding destruction to some one, made me 
 shudder. I felt that it would be to no purpose to in-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 133 
 
 quire of Vorovaateen, and to tell him that I had over- 
 heard part of his discourse with the unknown stranger. 
 Besides, I dreaded, lest by discovering his intentions, I 
 might draw down upon myself his anger and even ven- 
 geance ; so I resolved to be silent, to have all my eyes 
 about me, and, if it should be possible, to prevent the 
 execution of this wicked project. Tormented with 
 these thoughts, I paced up and down the room, agitated 
 with violent emotions. My lieart beat strongly, my 
 head felt lieavy, my mouth was dry. I went into the 
 post-master's sitting room, in order to get a draught of 
 water, and by chance saw the unknown stranger's j)o- 
 doroajney. From it I learned, that Vorovaateen 's con- 
 federate was a meshtchaneen * of Kolomna, called 
 Prokhor NojofF, and that he was travelling from Mos- 
 cow to Orenburg. 
 
 To divert my attention, I went to take a walk 
 through the town. But in our country-towns there 
 are few attractions for a traveller. All that I saw from 
 one end of the town to the other, as I walked along 
 the streets, was — ragged boys, hungry dogs, honied 
 cattle and fowls, clieek by jowl, grubbing amongst the 
 dirt in the middle of the street ; old women with their 
 arms akimbo standing at the gates of log-houses, 
 talking with theii' neighbours, or scolding one ano- 
 ther ; grown-up men standing in crowds before the 
 cabarets where the old men were seated ; and youths 
 pacing to and fro before windows, from which now 
 and then some sweet little female visages would peep 
 
 * The lowest class of freemen, for which there is no corres- 
 ponding term in English ; the French hourgcois is nearest to it.
 
 134 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 out. In some places the mouniers' songs were heard ; 
 and to complete the picture, in two places, peaceable 
 c'.tizens were pulling each other by the hair in a circle 
 of good neighbours and friends, while some respected 
 fathers of families, inebriated with the gifts of the hy- 
 perborean Bacchus, joined arm in arm with some 
 dozens of boys, and were singing a dancing song. It 
 was the evening of a holiday. 
 
 The town was nothing but a large square space of 
 ground surrounded with a broken railing ; three-fourths 
 of the enclosed ground were occupied as pasture. — 
 A broad street, or properly speaking, the post-road, 
 went through tiie middle of this enclosure. On both 
 sides of this road, across the gutters, were built small 
 wooden houses and huts. On the right and left were 
 some lanes, with huts half sunk in the ground, and large 
 empty spaces of land inclosed with broken rails and 
 pailings. In the centre of the town was a square, in 
 which was erected a brick church, and a half-ruined 
 structure of the same materials, which had at one time 
 been destined for the government buildings. On paper 
 this town occupied a great deal of space, and all the 
 streets marked out in nature by the digging away of 
 earth and the remains of gutters, formed a beautiful 
 perspective on the plan. It was only a pity that heaps 
 of dung and rubbish of all sorts, thrown together con- 
 fusedly, occupied the place of the greater part of the 
 houses so finely planned by the government architects. 
 My readers, * in fine, have seen many such towns ; 
 
 * i. e. Pvussian Readers.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 135 
 
 but as their names exist on maps and plans, kept in the 
 public archives, and as the places for the constnxction 
 of the houses are marked out, and even the ornaments 
 contrived, it would appear that the half of the business 
 was already done. For the rest, no one is to blame : 
 man proposes and God disposes ! So it is as impos- 
 sible to make a town populous without local advan- 
 tages, as it is to fix the course of exchange. 
 
 On returning to the post-house, I found Vorovaateen 
 in a very merry mood. He was waiting me to sup- 
 per, and, in the meantime, while he treated the post- 
 master with spirits, was asking him questions concerning 
 the ways of living of all the neighbouring gentry, con- 
 cerning the provincial magistrates, and all the news of 
 the district. This was a practice of Vorovaateen's at 
 every stage ; and by comparing the information of the 
 post-masters with the evidence of the postillions and 
 the keepers of the cabarets and baiting-houses on the 
 road, he made his own deductions, and noted them 
 down in his memorandum-book. When I one day in- 
 quired of him the reason for this curiosity, Voro- 
 vaateen coolly replied — " How can we know before 
 hand, with whom we may have to do in the course of 
 our life ? But when one knows many people's habits 
 of thinking and acting, occasions may happen when 
 this knowledge may be of service. I regard men as 
 apothecaries' dnigs, the peculiarities of which must be 
 known in order to make use of them. In human inter- 
 course as well as in the economy of inanimate nature 
 nothing falls to the ground, if a wise man knows how to 
 employ men's tempers and passions. The common
 
 136 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 articles of diet in tlie hands of a skilful man may serve 
 for the cure of diseases, and the greatest rogue or fool 
 may also be sometimes of service to a wise man in his 
 affairs." Vorovaateen, on telling me this, ended with 
 his usual smile, adding — " Write down that psycho- 
 logical lesson in your calendar, Vanya. It is one of 
 the principal rules of my philosophical school." Before 
 this, I would have taken it up as a jest, but after the 
 conversation which I had overheard, Vorovaateen's 
 avowals made a disagreeable impression upon me ; now 
 that I knew they might have some fatal object in view. 
 There are people who think that it is possible to 
 drown grief iiv liquor. I never experienced that, in the 
 course of my life. For the first time, I attempted to 
 eat and drink against my will, but the wine went down 
 like gall, and the meat seemed to be tasteless, and 
 heavy as a stone. The penetrating Vorovaateen per- 
 ceived that I had lost my spirits, but did not guess the 
 cause. "You appear to be angry with me, Vejeeghen ?" 
 said he. I held my peace. " It is not surely my 
 questions about your father which have produced such 
 an effect upon you ?" added he. " Your questions 
 were nothing, but your distrust of my word was very 
 unpleasant to me," answered I. " Forgive me then, 
 my dear fellow I" exclaimed Vorovaateen, embracing 
 me ; " believe me that my object was merely love to 
 you. I heard a report in Moscow, as if your father had 
 left some property behind him, and as if your aunt had 
 appropriated it to herself, and God knows what else ; 
 and I merely wished to find out whether you Iviiew 
 any thing of it." " In such a case, why did not you
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 137 
 
 communicate your doubts to me directly, in place ot 
 beating about the bush ? After revolving the matter 
 well in my mind, I am sensible myself that there has 
 been much Avhich I cannot comprehend during my short 
 existence. Can there be any thing stranger, for in- 
 stance, than for the son of a gentleman to be thrown 
 away, like a kitten, at the mercy of fate, on Gologor- 
 doffsky's property, and that no one should have sought 
 after him, or troubled themselves about him, till the 
 accidental meeting with his aunt ? But how that could 
 be done to deprive me of my inheritance, I cannot be- 
 lieve, after receiving so many proofs of aflPection from 
 my aunt. She is ready to give up not only all tliat she 
 possesses, but even her life for me, and if her advan- 
 tage consisted in my not knowing my relations, she 
 would never have owned me." " You argue like a 
 book," returned Vorovaateen ; " but I have experi- 
 enced so much in my life-time, that I am accustomed 
 to believe nothing but what is bad." " I pity you," 
 said I, " and pray to God, that an epoch of such bit- 
 ter experience may be far from me. ' " You must 
 agree however," added Vorovaateen, " that it is very 
 astonishing, I may rather say incomprehensible, that 
 your aunt should recognize you in the shop, without 
 having seen you since your infancy !" " I do not dis- 
 pute but that may a])pear to you astonishing, merely 
 because I never explained to you all the circumstances 
 of the case. My aunt has two very striking likenesses 
 of my father ; one of them painted in his childhood, 
 when he was about the same time of life as I was when 
 she met me in the shop ; the other in the twenty-fifth
 
 138 IVAN VEJEEGHEN, 
 
 year of his age, when he was married to my deceased 
 mother. I have seen these portraits, and declare that 
 it would not be easy to find in the whole world so 
 striking a resemblance as there is between me and my 
 father ; while here even two drops of water are not 
 alike. My aunt says, that, besides this, my voice, 
 my gait, my smile, and all my movements, become 
 from day to day more like my father's, and that who- 
 ever has seen my father once in his life, either in his 
 youth or on the picture, at the first glance will see 
 that I am his son. And so you see that it was quite 
 natural for my aunt, Avho keeps the two miniatures al- 
 ways in her toilette, and looks at them every day, to 
 be struck at first sight with my resemblance to my fa- 
 ther, and knowing the mark which was upon me, to 
 be convinced that I was exactly her nephew. My own 
 carelessness and indifference is more to be wondered 
 at, that it never should come into my head to question 
 my aunt about my parents." Vorovaateen heard me 
 attentively, looked me full in the face, and became 
 absorbed in thought. At last he rose from the table 
 and said — " We have spoken enough about that : you 
 have sufficiently explained it. It is now time to go 
 to sleep." 
 
 It was long before I could shut my eyes. For the 
 first time I began to repent that 1 had deceived my 
 aunt, that I had thoughtlessly taken it into my head 
 to fall in love with Groonya, that I had set oflF for a 
 distant place in quest of love-adventures, and had 
 connected myself with an unprincipled man. Reason 
 may be compared to the sun, and passion to a confla-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 139 
 
 gration. A man who should be in a house surrounded 
 ^vith flames and filled with smoke, does not see the sun. 
 But when the fire abates, then is the re-appearance of 
 the luminary of day hailed as the harbinger of safety 
 and consolation. Reason spoke out Avithin me, and I 
 felt that the steps which I had taken would bring me 
 into some unpleasant dilemma, particularly in Voro- 
 vaateen's company. I then resolved to embrace the 
 first opportunity of returning to Moscow, to enter into 
 the service, to be more cautious in the choice of my 
 acquaintances, never more to fall in love, and decidedly 
 to disengage myself from Vorovaateen. It is thus 
 that in adversity we form wise projects, which are for- 
 gotten as soon as the calamity or danger is passed. 
 
 I am not superstitious, but some prejudices, if they 
 deserve that name, have taken strong root within me, 
 and neither age nor experience, nor reason, can loosen 
 them. The chief of them are, a belief in presenti- 
 ments and in physiognomy. This day was the first in 
 my life, in which I began to give credit to these pre- 
 sentiments as they are called. I shall here describe 
 how I always felt when any misfortune threatened me. 
 My heart beat more strongly than usual, and ached as 
 if there was a wound in it : tlie circulation of my 
 blood was interrupted, and, on reaching the heart, oc- 
 casioned an unpleasant feeling. All the miseries 
 which I had seen and experienced in my life recurred 
 to my imagination, and were grouped together in a 
 dismal picture of the future. In that picture I always 
 drew myself in the most unfortunate point of view. 
 My sleep was restless, and disturbed with the most
 
 140 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 frightful dreams. Bodily weakness attended this pro- 
 stration of spirits, and every time that I was looked in 
 the face or asked any question, some suspicion was 
 excited in my mind : every noise or loud bawling, every 
 appearance of any stranger Avho Was unexpected, con- 
 jured up a crowd of fears within me. People who 
 were nearest to my heart in love and friendship, wliom 
 I had never doubted, became then intolerable to me. 
 On the occurrence of every paroxysm, I expected the 
 stroke of fate like a doomed malefactor ; and I confess, 
 it rarely happened that after such a condition of mind, 
 I did not fall into some misfortune, or at least meet 
 with sometliing disagreeable. With regard to phy- 
 siognomy, I took my first lesson in Vorovaateen's fea- 
 tm-es, which from that day I began to study with the 
 greatest attention, to weigh all his words and actions, 
 and observe the corresponding changes in his coun- 
 tenance. From that time forward, I could never re- 
 frain from judging people from the impression excited 
 in my mind at the first interview. I afterwards read 
 the compositions of Lavater and Delaporta on phy- 
 siognomy, but always maintain my own system, and 
 form my judgment not from the lines of the coun- 
 tenance, but, so to say, from the play of the phy- 
 siognomy and the accuell of the individual. If a man 
 looks at me through his eye-lashes, or does not look 
 me fair in the face when he speaks ; if he minces his 
 words through his teeth, and studiously composes his 
 speech during the conversation ; if he discourses with 
 me in questions, always asking my opinion, implicitly 
 agrees with me, or only contradicts me in order to
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 141 
 
 draw out a fuller explanatiou from me ; I declare, I 
 would not trust such a man. An artificial smile and 
 a constrained laugh serve me for evidences of insin- 
 cerity. Grimaces made involuntarily with the mouth, 
 a continual moving of the lips, and biting them, are 
 with me bad omens. An unequal gait in which a cer- 
 tain sort of foxish turns are visible, a wrenching of the 
 whole body upon one centre, or crouching similar to 
 that of a cat before a mouse, and a stretching of the 
 head forward like a serpent preparing to throw itself 
 upon its prey, are in my eyes infallible marks of a bad 
 man. A loud manifestation of joy, and greeting of 
 every acquaintance on meeting, appear to me very 
 suspicious. I shall conclude my short digression, by 
 declaring that I was sometimes under a mistake in 
 ray presentiments, but never made any in physiog- 
 nomy. There are many of my physiognomical ob- 
 servations which I do not describe now : my readers 
 may see them afterwards in the portraits of many of 
 the persons whom I met with in the course of my 
 life. With regard to presentiments, I ought to men- 
 tion that they always occurred with me after some 
 transgression or rash action, when I might expect de- 
 served or undeserved enmity on the part of my ene- 
 mies. It was not a cause but a consequence ; not a 
 forwarning genius like that of Socrates, but a foretel- 
 ling one like that of Brutus. In short, whoever has 
 to do with human selfishness and passions, niTxst very 
 frequently expect calamities, although he has done 
 nothing bad, even though on the contrary, he may 
 have merited praise and reward. This is the way of
 
 142 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 the world : lie who does no mischief himself, must 
 have his trials, and must suffer from the wickedness of 
 others. What constitutes the difference between a 
 good and a had man in this case, is, that a good man 
 amidst the greatest misfortunes, finds consolation in his 
 own conscience, and in the opinions of honest people, 
 while a bad man has neither haven nor hope in that 
 world where the strong cannot oppress the weak. — 
 But to return to the thread of my story. 
 
 Not knowing how to disguise my feelings, I could 
 not look cheerful, but in order to avert all suspicion, 
 I told Vorovaateen that I was unwell. I do not 
 know whether he believed me, but he redoubled his 
 caresses and attention, and behaved towards me with 
 all the tenderness of a father, which in some measure 
 reconciled me to him. To give me time to recmit 
 my health, he stopped for some days in a small dis- 
 trict-tov/xi which lay in a beautiful situation on the 
 banks of the Volga. Vorovaateen had here an old 
 friend who held the office of Sheriff,* (capitan-ees- 
 pravneek,) to whom he opened his mind freely. In 
 their company I heard things of which I had no idea 
 before. As they, at tJiat time, made a strong im- 
 
 * The office of Capitan Eespravneek, chief district or county- 
 magistrate, corresponds more with that of a Scotch Sheriff than 
 of an Enjjlish one. The office of Sheriff'in England comprehends 
 both that of Sheriff and Convener of the county in Scotland, 
 which are also distinct offices in Russia. The convener of the 
 county f^oes under the name of Dvoraynsky Prcdvodcctl in 
 Kussian. Both oflices are elective and triennial, the landholders 
 have tlie appointment, but the crown-advocate must sanction the 
 election before it is final.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 143 
 
 presslon upon me, I shall communicate some of the 
 particulars to my readers. 
 
 Sava Saveetch was reckoned one of the cleverest 
 Sheriffs in the whole province. He was of a full 
 figure, and, from having served some time in the 
 police-dragoons, still retained his military attitudes 
 and manner, kept himself always as straight as a rush, 
 and in turning, made avai^idjcice-about with his whole 
 body. Years and the fumes of his potations had 
 Aveakened the roots of his hair, so that he had lost 
 it almost entirely, except some tufts on his whiskers 
 and chin. His long nose and the extremities of his 
 meagre face were covered with livid carbuncles : from 
 under his bushy, hoary eyebrows, glared a pair of 
 small, grey, cattish eyes. He always went about in 
 his official uniform surtout, and wore in his waist a 
 cossack porte-epee. He never put on his sword but 
 when he went upon any official business ; his usual 
 weapon was a cossack whip, with a leaden bullet plaited 
 into the end of it. His head was generally covered 
 with a stiff-crowned leathern cap, Avhich added to his 
 military appearance. His voice was like the growl- 
 ing of a bear. His %vTiting-department was managed 
 by an old clerk who spent three fourths of his time 
 with his leg tethered to a writing-table.* In addition 
 to this, by Sava Saveetch's orders, his boots were 
 taken off, to prevent him from decamping to the ca- 
 bai'et. But the supple clerk found the road to the 
 
 * In Russia, desks are seldom used in public offxes : in their 
 place they have long tables generally covered with red cloth.
 
 144 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 bottle witliout rising from his chair. Some of his 
 cronies among the understrappers would fetch him 
 vodhi) in apothecaries' phials, several doses of which 
 he would dispatch every hour, from the time that 
 Sava Saveetch had, in quest of his bottles and cans, 
 ransacked the stove, chimney, and even behind the 
 casks and tubs. On holidays only he had liberty to 
 get drunk, and then he was usually brought home at 
 night, as stiff as a stock, laid in the lock-up room, and 
 water poured upon him. In his journeys through the 
 district, Phomeetch (this was his name) had also full 
 permission to drink a settling bowlful, but only after 
 he had finished his business ; for after his drinking 
 bouts, his hand shook so as to render him luifit for 
 work. Sava Saveetch called Phomeetch a golden man, 
 a)id his inclination to drunkenness he attributed to his 
 uncommon talents, which, in the opinion of old-fashion- 
 ed people, cannot flourish unless they are moistened 
 TA'ith spiritual dew. According to this maxim, Sava 
 Saveetch was himself a genius : however to give him 
 his due, Sava Saveetch was thoroughly versed in bu- 
 siness, particularly in conducting examinations,* fol- 
 lowing up proofs, and general investigations ; only he 
 did not know how to put his thoughts on paper so 
 easily as he could pour ardent spirits down his throat ; 
 could not pick ont for himself in both capitals such a 
 pair of spectacles as would enable him to read hasty- 
 written papers even by syllables, the same as if they 
 
 * The sort of questioning; licre iilluJed to, is used in a fuller 
 sense than tlie English word expresses, corresponding more with 
 a synonymous term in Latin.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 145 
 
 were printed, and owing to his multiplicity of busi- 
 ness, did not recollect the dates of tlie Ukazes.* In 
 this Phomeetch was his mentor. The inhabitants of 
 the district, as a tribute of justice to Sava Saveetch, 
 called him the grey wolf, and his faithful coadjutor 
 Phomeetch was called the trap. The sheriff came to 
 spend the evening with us, and when the tea-um was 
 brought in, he wetted his throat with punch made 
 with Kizlarsky brandy, f and shewed a disposition to 
 open his mind to us. He began in his usual way with 
 his favourite exclamation : " Bad times ! Bad times ! 
 Education — legislation ! hut no money ! There's 
 the rub !" J " Have done with your complaints upon 
 the times, Sava Saveetch :" returned Vorovaateen. 
 "Do you think I don't know that the government-berths 
 pay well : the devil himself could not keep you sitting 
 here, if you did not make a livelihood of it." " All 
 very fine, but what would you have me to do with 
 myself? ' said the sheriff with an air of chagiin. "We 
 have nothing to live upon but our former savings ;|| 
 for all the jobs which we have now-a-days will not 
 keep us in pocket-money. Consider that we have to 
 
 • The ukazes are the same to Russia as acts of Parliament are 
 to England, and are the only written laws. 
 
 -f- Brandy made at Kizlar, a town on the Terek which runs into 
 the Caspian sea. 
 
 :J: It is difficult to translate this passage into English with the 
 same point as it has in the original. The word kg'islalion is here 
 inserted for insiitia which, in Russian, does not mean literally 
 justice^ but the juridical department of the state. 
 
 II The salary attached to offices such as these is a mere trifle, 
 unless the landholders subscribe among themselves to augment 
 it ; a thing which rarely happens. 
 H
 
 146 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 feed the good folks in the government-town as children 
 have to feed their old daddy. What signifies my hav- 
 ing nine thousand two hundred and eighteen souls, 
 if these souls are in an empty body I" " How !" ex- 
 claimed I : " you have nine thousand two hundred and 
 eighteen souls, and you complain of yoiu* poverty !" 
 The sheriff smiled and replied : " These souls, bro- 
 ther, please to observe, are not mine but the em- 
 peror's, lying under my management ; but he who 
 milks the cow has a right to drink milk, and it can- 
 not be otherwise, but when the emperor has his fill, 
 there must be some scrapings left by accidences,* as 
 it is called : but now, bad times ! bad times ! educa- 
 tion — legislation ! but 7io money ! there s the rub ! 
 Something, it is tnie, is to be made if there should be 
 a hue and cry after deserters and vagabonds in our 
 district, but unfortunately that is a rare occun-ence ; 
 and it is difficult to trace them on any person's pro- 
 perty. It is easy to see that the day of judgment is 
 nigh at hand ! for theft is become rare, and murders 
 are scarcely heard of. It is changed times for our 
 brethren the lawyers, whose purses now are in a gal- 
 loping consumption ! No business, no liveldiood. In 
 the meantime they write us from the liigher courts ; 
 aye, they writes us, that prisons were not made for 
 nightingales ; that coats cannot be stitched with com- 
 pliments, and the like. Misery, nothing but misery ! 
 On all sides we are invaded by what is called the 
 march of intellect : they have got a substitute for law- 
 
 * Extra-dues, extra-fees, and some sorts of fines go under the 
 name of accidentia or accidence, in the government offices.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 147 
 
 yers in the shape of books which they can cairy in their 
 pockets : decent people like us are now a standing jest 
 and laughing-stock in the two capitals, and that not 
 only on the stage, but in the newspapers ; and for 
 what ? Wliy, because forsooth, we, poor devils, want 
 to eat dry bread for oui- labour. Even our country 
 gentry are grown wise now-a-days. They are not 
 content with the theory, but they must try tlieir hands 
 at the practice of law, and hardly any mischief hap- 
 pens, but off they post direct to the higher provincial 
 courts, and even to head-quarters. It is better, say 
 they, to feed the wolf than the wolf's whelps. It is 
 true I tease them properly, and handle them with iron 
 gloves. If I find but one deserter in the district, I 
 make him confess that he has been harboured by all 
 the rich proprietors and even peasants, (their masters 
 bemg answerable,) and immediately I tTirn the whole 
 district upside down. If a dead body should chance 
 to be found, I toss it about to thirty different place's, 
 in order to implicate every body. A stolen horse I 
 trace on paper, in one night, to twenty different stables. 
 But all that is sad fagging, a hard-eanied kopeek ! 
 drive about, ran about, here and there, write, examine, 
 cross-examine, and knock about like a fish among the 
 ice, a hundred times in one place, fifty times in ano- 
 ther, and ten times in a third ! Bad times, brother ! 
 Education — legislation !" Sava Saveetch here washed 
 down his grief, and knocking his glass upon the table, 
 ceased to give utterance to his thoughts. Vorovaateen 
 was pleased with his friend's openness, and endeavour- 
 ed to renew the conversation. " But the fairs, Sava
 
 148 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 Saveetch, and passports, and prosecutions for govern- 
 ment-debts, and private debts, the registering of pro- 
 perty, rich guardianships, and besides that, the repair- 
 ing of the roads, conveying of government-stores, &c. 
 &c. ?" " Tlie devil has skimmed off the cream of all 
 this," angrily replied Sava Saveetch. " Few game- 
 sters come to the fairs, and they who do come are as 
 poor as church-mice, and have not the wherewithal to 
 pay the usual fees for permission to fleece the country- 
 gentry, with whom it is now the fashion to go to one 
 of the two capitals to be ruined. There is little to be 
 got from passports : little work in the capitals : trade 
 goes on badly, and few peasants leave the district in 
 quest of work, either for themselves or their horses. 
 It is true that we are paid well for our trouble in pro- 
 secuting government-defaulters and private debtors ; 
 but the orders are very strict now, and the governors 
 and procureurs bear hard on our fraternity if we lose 
 sight of the govenmient-interests. Of private busi- 
 ness not a word. In my opinion, though debts were 
 as common as dung, they would rather let them stand 
 over, than put the business into our hands. It is an 
 age since we have had a prosecution for debt, or any 
 thing to register or copy : the provincial and district- 
 courts con-espond with one another in a friendly man- 
 ner, and let the money-lender read, if he please, the 
 I'egulations respecting prosecutions for debt, and amuse 
 himself with the fair and legible hands of the clerks 
 of the court. That is an object, thank God, which 
 they leave as it is, without picking any holes. The 
 roads, brother, and conveyance of stores are mere
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 149 
 
 trifles ! For it is only tlie post-roads which we re- 
 pair, and them only when any important personage is 
 about to travel that way : as for the other roads, though 
 the devil himself break his neck, that is not our bu- 
 siness ! The troops are now quartered on the fron- 
 tiers, so that loads are scarce. With regard to guar- 
 dianships, you are mistaken, my friend, in assigning 
 us a revenue from that source. To be sure, every 
 body may make sometliing by the property of a ward, 
 if he gets it into his hands ; but now the gentry keep 
 these sweet morsels to themselves, and can manage 
 the business in as masterly a style as any of us. If 
 any person is placed under our inspection for bad ma- 
 nagement ; in a case like that, a rat might die of hun- 
 ger on such an estate. No, bi'other, bad times, bad 
 times ! Education — legislation ! but no money ! 
 there s the rub !"' " No, Sava Saveetch !" said Vo- 
 I'ovaateen : " things are not changed so much as you 
 would make us believe : the difference is only in this, 
 that you must now do every thing under the rose : 
 there was a time when you laid hold of your booty as 
 an experienced marksman does the game which he has 
 brought down ; but now — " " But now," said the 
 sheriff, " we must have all our eyes about us : honesty 
 is the order of the day," added he, and again repeat- 
 ed his favourite expression : " Bad times, bad times ! 
 Education — legislation ! hut no money ! there s the 
 rub !" Vorovaateen went out of the room, and the 
 sheriff addressed himself to me : " You are, I under- 
 stand, a relation of Mr. Vorovaateen ?" " Yes, Sir." 
 " You have not yet entered the service ?" " No." 
 H 3
 
 150 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 " It is time, Sir ; high time ; especially if you think 
 of entering the civil service. The grammar of the 
 law, Sir, is an ocean ! You will not drink it all, but 
 you must do what you can at the water's edge. To 
 speak the truth, the only people wlio understand the 
 business are those who have begun at the lowest gra- 
 dations. I advise you to lose no time." Meanwhile, 
 Vorovaateen returned into the room, and the talkative 
 sheriff, observing that his friend had put on a taciturn 
 and serious air, began on his part to torment him with 
 questions. I let them go on with their conversation 
 about their common acquaintances without attending 
 to the particulars, but a topic at length occurred which 
 aroused me. " I say, friend : I believe you are in 
 my debt," said the sheriff to Vorovaateen. " For 
 what ?" asked Vorovaateen. " How ! You surely 
 have not forgotten, that, in virtue of your letter, I al- 
 lowed the Meshtchaneen, Nojoff, to escape from prison, 
 who was accused of having run away from Siberia to 
 which he had been banished ? You sent only three 
 hundred roubles, and promised me as much more : in 
 the meantime Nojoff stalks about at liberty, and I 
 have not so much as heard the clink of your money. 
 Aha, brother ! that is not acting like a man of lionour." 
 " My dear Sava Saveetch," said Vorovaateen, " is it 
 for us to reckon up trifles like that ? You did a good 
 action. Nojoff was unjustly sentenced, and I, from 
 mere humanity, sacrificed my own money for his de- 
 liverance. I thought that on his return to Moscow he 
 would repay mo, and give me still more for you ; but 
 he fell ill hi the course of a month after, and died
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 151 
 
 from the effects of fear, a victim to Imman malice." 
 " That is not exactly gospel," said the sheriff coolly. 
 " Nojoff has, since that time, been long known to the 
 police for various offences ; he is still a public cha- 
 racter, and I learned lately that some of our merchants 
 had seen him in Moscow last winter. No, friend, that 
 will not do : I must have the money. Perhaps you 
 don't know that I had myself a nari'ow escape, owing 
 to that damn'd affair : had to encounter two examina- 
 tions, three reprimands, and, in addition to all the 
 expences, had a fine to pay. And after all, I would 
 not have got off as I did, if the Procureur's lady, 
 thank God, had not taken a fancy to my new Moscow- 
 made sledge." " Very well, very well ; we shall make 
 it up with you,'' said Vorovaateen : " but go to bed 
 now, for my head aches." Sava Saveetch made a 
 wry face, but, to console himself, emptied the bottle 
 and went home. We immediately lay down ;* but I 
 coTild not sleep the whole night for thinking of Voro- 
 vaateen's connection with such an infamous villain as 
 Nojoff. At break of day, when I fell asleep, a shock- 
 ing dream represented to me Nojoff in the act of cutt- 
 ing off my head with an axe. I screamed out, leaped 
 out of bed as if the dream was a reality, and awaken- 
 ed Vorovaateen. He was frightened, and concluded 
 from my restless sleep, that I was in a fever. He 
 
 " There are no bed-rooms in the houses upon the road, but if the 
 traveller should have a bed or pillow with him, he gets it spread 
 out at night on the floor of the sitting-room ; if he have no bed, 
 he can generally find either a sofa or a piece of felt to stretch 
 himself out upon for the night, at least in the post-houses. 
 ^ H 4
 
 152 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 undertook to cure me, and would force me to drink 
 some sort of tincture : I refused to follow his prescrip- 
 tion, and he desisted from taldng any farther charge 
 of my health. 
 
 After this, in order to escape from the importuni- 
 ties of his friend, the Sheriff, he resolved to leave the 
 town immediately. On learning that Sava Saveetch 
 had gone out some distance upon business, for a few 
 hours, he sent for horses, and before mid-day, we 
 posted for Orenburg.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 The Freedman — Lunatic — Love's labour lost. 
 
 We an-ived at Orenburg at about ten o'clock in the 
 morning, and put up in the suburbs, at the house of 
 the Meshtchaneen, Ivan Kai^poff, who kept a sort of 
 Postoyaalee dvor * for acquaintances and people re- 
 commended to him. We were shewn into two clean 
 rooms hung with coloured paper, while Vorovaateen's 
 servant, a species of automaton, or machine for taking 
 off boots and brushing clothes, was lodged opposite, 
 in the landlord's apartments. Vorovaateen, after 
 changing his clothes, immediately went into the city, 
 saying that he would return late in the evening, and 
 advised me to dine at home and rest after the jom7iey. 
 Being left alone, I called upon the landlord, in order 
 to learn, in the course of conversation, something of 
 Matrena Ivanovna Shtoseen, and her daughter my dear 
 Groonya, on whose account the journey had been un- 
 dertaken. Our landlord was a man about fifty years 
 of age, good-looking, tall, broad-shouldered and ruddy- 
 faced, who might have stood as a model for a Hercu- 
 les. He was of a cheerful and talkative temperament, 
 as full-blooded and lively people generally are. On 
 my asking him the question whether he was a native of 
 
 * A place of ' entertaiiwient for men and horses.'' 
 H 5
 
 154 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 the place or a settler, he related his history in a few 
 words. " I was born, Sir, in the neighbourhood of 
 Moscow, and was a serf of Generalsha* Volokeeten, 
 a rich widow who possessed a great deal of landed pro- 
 perty. They say that I was not ugly in my younger 
 days ; this was the source of all my misfortimes, 
 which, by the Lord's mercy, have had a happy termi- 
 nation. The Generalsha coming one summer to our 
 village, saw me at work, and immediately took me 
 into her household. I was then sixteen years of age 
 and my mother's only son. My liair they cropped in 
 the German fashion, dressed me in a laced coat, and 
 put me under the tuition of an old footman and the 
 housekeeper, to be initiated into the mysteries of the 
 sei-vice. With tears I exchanged my sheep-skin coat 
 for an embroidered livery. Household servants always 
 appeared to me to be tied-up dogs, and I never envied 
 then- condition. In other respects, I lived very well 
 in the manoi'-house. The lady used to caress me, 
 pat my cheeks, and stroke my liead, and even send 
 me dainties fi-om her table. The maid-servants looked 
 kindly upon me, and even the house-steward behaved 
 towards me as if I was a nobleman's son. I did not 
 understand the meaning of all tJiese marks of kindness 
 and distinction, till the old housekeeper, under whose 
 orders I was, gave me to understand that I would 
 soon be called to fill an office not at all to my mind. 
 This duty consisted in being always about the lady, 
 and this appeared to me to be more ten-ible than the 
 
 * The title of a General's wife.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 153 
 
 king of terrors. An icy chill ran through my veins at 
 these tidings. A single look at the lady made me 
 shudder from top to toe ! Figure to yourself a short, 
 thick, fifty-year-old goody, with her face smeared all 
 over with white and red paint, like a horse-car- 
 pet, with goats' eyes and red hair mLxed with gi-ey ; 
 who, in place of teeth, clattered a parcel of loose yellow 
 bones in her mouth. Her voice was like the creaking 
 of an ungreased cart, and she was continually scolding 
 or screaming at the servants, or caressmg and calling 
 to her lapdogs. Having heard the story of Baba 
 (Goody) Eega,* it appeared to me that she could 
 have been neither better nor worse than my Generalsha. 
 The housekeeper let me know that the former valet 
 Pheelkaf would set off next day for Moscow, to live 
 under a passport, and the same day I would step into 
 his shoes. This Pheelka was a yoimg man of two- 
 and-twenty. He had held his situation for six yeai's, 
 (for the lady always chose for herself valets of that 
 time of life), and though he had been a good-looking 
 lad, his features were so altered, probably from grief 
 and vexation, that he had all the appearance of a 
 corpse. He was quite rejoiced at his deliverance, and 
 waited wdth impatience for the day of his departure. 
 But I anticipated him. As soon as it was dark, I 
 
 * Baba Eega is the heroine of a Russian nursery tale, in which 
 her person is described by alliterations conveying not the most de- 
 licate ideas ; but the upshot of the story is that she eats her own 
 god-child. The tale has some resemblance to the old English one 
 of Little Red Riding-hood.^ 
 
 -f- Pheelka is a diminutive for Philip. 
 H 6
 
 156 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 quietly took a horse out of the stable, leaped upon his 
 back without a saddle, and rode to the high way at full 
 gallop without knowing whither and wherefore. — 
 Every time that my lady's charms recurred to my 
 mind, I gave a kick extraordinary to the horse, as if 
 she were behind me. Never man fled with such 
 eagerness from bad treatment, as I fi'om an opposite 
 motive. At last, by day-break, I rode into the dis- 
 trict-town to the Eespravneek whom I knew person- 
 ally, as he frequently came to our village to collect 
 money, I know not whether for himself or the govern- 
 ment. I honestly told the Eespravneek what the 
 housekeeper had said to me, and resolutely declared 
 my intention to enlist as a soldier * rather than return 
 to my mistress. The Eespravneek and his wife laugh- 
 ed till the tears came into their eyes, at my story, but 
 to assist me was impossible, seeing that I made a mere 
 verbal complaint without any proofs. My_ horse was 
 put into tlie stable, and I myself into the lock-up room, 
 and my mistress was informed of what had happened. 
 I afterwards learned that the Eespravneek got a 
 good round sum for quashing the information ; while 
 I, for running away and stealing the horse, was whip- 
 ped in the court and banished to an estate of my lady's 
 in the government of Saratoff, where there was a vod- 
 ky-distillery ; orders at the same time were given to 
 treat me with the utmost rigour, and punish me as 
 often as possible. Fortunately my lady did not know 
 tliat the manager of the distillery who was also one of 
 
 * The next to the lowest point of human misery, according 
 to the ideas of a Russian peasant, is to enter the army.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 157 
 
 her serfs, was my second uncle. He pitied my unfor- 
 tunate condition, ordered his clerk to teach me read- 
 ing, writing, and arithmetic, and after that, employed 
 me to assist him in keeping the accomits. Nobody in 
 the distillery except my uncle knew of my adventures, 
 and as he kept the people under strict controul, I was 
 looked up to, being his assistant. At the end of ten 
 years, my lady went to the other world, and with 
 her ended my misfortimes. She was succeeded by 
 her son whom she would not suffer near her eyes in 
 her lifetime, because on one occasion, when at home 
 from the regiment on a furlough, he took it into his 
 head to make love to one of her elevees* or, properly 
 speaking, maid-servants, that is to say, orphans of 
 people not exactly in the lowest condition. My young 
 master knew the reason of my banislmient, and on his 
 aiTival at the distillery, called me to him, spoke to me 
 in terms of kindness, and, at my uncle's recommenda- 
 tion, made me manager of the distillery, while he gave 
 him the management of the whole estate and his free- 
 tlom at the same time. As I knew the busmess and 
 was guided by the fear of God, I gamed my master's 
 favour. At last, in the course of twelve years, our 
 good master died childless, and in his will gave me my 
 freedom, along with other old household servants. By 
 economy and industry, joined to the generosity of my 
 good master, I amassed a small capital, and resolved to 
 
 " JMost people in good circumstances in Russia who have no 
 legitimate or illegitimate offspring of their own, adopt and bring 
 up children of others, and the law grants great facilities to the 
 bequeathing of property in such cases.
 
 158 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 settle in Orenburg-, where, chancing to be on a former 
 occasion, I had looked out a bride for myself. It is 
 now fifteen years since I came here and man-ied, built 
 this small house, and have, under God's protection, 
 carried on a little traffic with the Kirgheez Tartars. 
 God has blessed me with good children ; my oldest 
 daughter is already fourteen years of age ; my second, 
 twelve, and my youngest child, my son, in his tenth 
 year. This is the way, Sir, in which I chanced to 
 come here ! No one can foresee what is to happen 
 from his birth, and God alone knows where we may 
 leave our bones. But do you please to eat any thing ? 
 This is a holiday and we can give you a pie* made 
 with buck-wheat and Ural fish." I did not wish to 
 part from my worthy landlord, and asked permission 
 to dine along with his family, which he readily granted, 
 adding — " If you are not upon ceremony, just do as 
 you please." 
 
 It is a happy thing that nature and fortime distri- 
 bute their gifts without regard to birth or pretensions. 
 How many rich people would think themselves fortu- 
 nate, if, in place of their yellow-faced or pale-look- 
 ing children, they had such a healthy, rosy-cheeked 
 offspring as my landlord's ! His wife, a woman of 
 five-and-thirty, fresh, active, and industrious, was 
 
 • Pies are a favourite dish of the lower sort of Russians who 
 are in good circumstances, particularly on holidays. They are 
 usually baked of second flour with butter and suet, or stuffed 
 with buck-wheat grits along with turned milk and carrots; dur- 
 ing the fasts, the flour is baked with hemp-oil, and the buck- 
 wheat usually mixed with mashed mushrooms.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 159 
 
 of as cheerful a frame of mind as her husband. My 
 good host and hostess took a liking for me when we 
 first met, and behaved like old acquaintances, while 
 their oldest daughter cast some stolen looks at me, 
 blushed and held down her lai-ge black eyes whenever 
 they encountered mine. This girl appeared to me to 
 be much prettier than Groonya ; but, as I had come 
 expressly on Groonya's accomit, I resolved at last to 
 question my landlord about her mother : — " Mrs. 
 Shtoseen lives in our city," replied my landlord, " and 
 keeps a full house. She has a daughter young and 
 giddy, who attracts the gentlemen of the army as honey 
 allures flies. It is two months ago that a young officer 
 who lived with me, wanted to marry her ; but, having 
 lost his money at cards, he took a second thought, and 
 guessed rightly that Mrs. Shtoseen's house is nothing 
 but a trap where people are daily plundered, and that 
 her daughter is nothing but a decoy for simpletons. 
 This officer told me a great deal of the proceedings, 
 both of mother and daughter, but I do not like to re- 
 peat what is bad, and it is better for you, Sir, not to 
 know." Dinner was over, and I did not dare to ask 
 the landlord any further particulars. Witli a heavy 
 heart I went into my room and lay down in bed. It 
 was long before I could get any sleep for thinking of 
 my bitter lot and woeful disappointment in my first 
 friendship and my first-love. I comforted myself how- 
 ever with the reflection, that perhaps the stories of the 
 officer to my landlord might not be true, and might be 
 the ravings of a man who had ruined himself by play.
 
 160 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 I resolved accordingly to believe nothing till I should 
 see it with my own eyes. 
 
 Vorovaateen returned earlier than I expected. He 
 was grave and serious. After a light supper, he went 
 to bed, saying that he was indisposed. From vexation 
 I followed his example, though I felt no inclination to 
 sleep. About midnight, when I began to slumber, a 
 strange noise in the adjoining room alarmed me. I 
 rose out of bed, took hold of the handles of the door, 
 and opening one half, I saw Vorovaateen sitting at the 
 Avindow, with nothing on him but his shirt, and his 
 breast bare. His face was overcast with a deadly pale- 
 ness ; the red spots assumed a violet colour ; his eyes 
 were open, and it seemed as if they sucked in witJi 
 greediness tlie rays of the moon : his hair was clotted 
 together and stood on end. His lips quivered as if he 
 
 attempted to speak, and on a sudden he began 
 
 to beat his breast and tear his hair, gnashing with his 
 teeth. I trembled for fear and durst not speak a single 
 word, but could not leave the spot. Vorovaateen 
 bawled out in a terrible, unearthly voice, and, on a 
 sudden, began to speak loudly but very fast and un- 
 intelligibly. At last he grew calmer and spoke dis- 
 tinctly and comprehensibly : — " Wliat right liave you 
 to warn me, to tlu'eaten, to counsel ? You a priest 
 
 God be with you ! Counsel him who seeks 
 
 your instructions. I had recourse to you in time of 
 sickness, and you, from knowing some of the secrets 
 of my soul, have presumed to hector me at first meet- 
 ing : no, father Peter, no ; your preaching is all wast-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 151 
 
 ed upon me. I am well, I am well, and may live 
 twenty or thirty years yet." After a slight pause, 
 Vorovaateen continued — " True : it is time to call 
 that to my recollection. How many credulous youths 
 have I been the means of ruining I I, like a fallen 
 angel, teach the thoughtless ungodliness, and am my- 
 self afraid to appear before a righteous God ! Is it 
 possible that I, who have reciiiited the ranks of hell, 
 should save myself from the same fate ? No. Think 
 again. Ruining the inexperienced by false play, be- 
 traying them into the hands of sharpers, instilling into 
 the minds of those whom I led astray, a hatred for all 
 the moral and civil obligations of mankind, for lucre's 
 sake, I have up to this hour never yet attained riches 
 which have been the object of ray pursuit for a whole 
 age. I have hardly fifty thousand roubles* ready 
 money. That is little, very little. Look ye, father 
 Peter ! As soon as I have made up the siim of a 
 hundred thousand, I give you my word that I will 
 become an honest man, will settle in a distant country 
 where I am not known, and will live quietly and will 
 cheat or ruin no one. I will keep all the fasts, go to 
 church and pray regularly, and at my death will 
 leave my money to build a monastery. I have three 
 affairs at present on hand ; once they are finished, 
 there will be little wanting to make up the hundred 
 thousand. If I could but get that d — d Vejeeghen oft' 
 my hands. But that is not my business ; I wash my 
 liands of it. Let NojofF proceed as he thinks proper. 
 
 • Rather more than £2000 Sterling.
 
 162 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 It is his affair. I have fulfilled my part of the com- 
 mission, have led him on a wild-goose chase to the 
 frontiers of the empire. Oh father Peter, why do you 
 stare on me so horribly ? Cease preaching upon hell 
 and the last judgment and everlasting fire ! It is 
 frightful, very frightful ! I teach others to disbelieve 
 it, and cannot hear of it myself without trembling. 
 Avaunt, begone, father Peter ! Hon-ible I homble ! 
 Here is fire, here is blood, blood !" At these words 
 Vorovaateen trembled all over, and fell from the window 
 on the floor : his breathing ceased, as if his soul had left 
 its earthly tenement. On a sudden he screamed out 
 and shut his eyes. I myself grew almost insensible, 
 and shook like an aspen leaf. Not daring to disturb 
 Voi-ovaateen, and fearing I might awaken him, I sum- 
 moned all my strength, reached my bed, and threw 
 myself on it with exhaustion, as if it were after an at- 
 tack of the ague. I was now confirmed in my suspi- 
 cions that some conspiracy was on foot against me, 
 and that the conversation overheard between Nojoff 
 and Vorovaateen related to me. But who was that 
 Nojoff ? What had I done to him ? What had I 
 done to Vorovaateen ? What countess wants my de- 
 struction ? I never offended any woman in my life 
 time. It must be some scheme of Grabeelen's. Of 
 all the vistors at my aunt's house, Grabeelen was the 
 only one who did not like me. But a Countess ! 
 
 Incomprehensible ! With such and similar 
 
 reflections I fell asleep at day-break from mere ex- 
 haustion. Thiidving tliat Vorovaateen was in a fever, 
 I resolved to employ the time of his illness for my
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 163 
 
 owTi deliverance, and to conceal myself from liim and 
 his friend Nojoff, who was also, no doubt, at this 
 time in Orenburg. 
 
 To my astonishment, Vorovaateen next day arose 
 from liis bed in perfect health and spirits : I, on the 
 contrary, felt a numbness through all my members, 
 and found myself upon the whole quite out of order. 
 At tea, Vorovaateen proposed to me to go a hunting 
 next day, wliich I declined, fearing that he might on 
 that occasion put his plot into execution. He told 
 me that Mrs. Shtoseen was not in town, but would 
 return in a few days, and advised me in the mean 
 time to keep the house, adding, that he saw from my 
 face that I was not well. I promised not to go out, 
 but he had scarcely left the house when I dressed my- 
 self, and resolved to get authentic information about 
 Mrs. Shtoseen, as I did not believe Vorovaateen. I 
 \vished at least to bid adieu to Groonya, and after 
 that, to look out for ways and means to return to 
 Moscow. I relied upon the assistance of my worthy 
 landlord. 
 
 At ten o'clock in the morning, I was already in the 
 neighbourhood of the house occupied by Mrs. Shto- 
 seen, and learned from the neighbours that she had 
 not left the town. There was a wicket from her gar- 
 den to the street, and I entered that way in order to 
 take breath and prepare myself for meeting with 
 Groonya, against whom I had been so sadly prepos- 
 sessed. Passing gently through a dark alley, I per- 
 ceived a summer house at the end of it. Through 
 the branches of trees and the trellis-work which com-
 
 164 IVAN VEJEEGHEN, 
 
 posed the Avails of the summer house, I observed 
 something white. Advancing on tiptoe nearer to the 
 summer house, I overheard Groonya's voice convers- 
 ing with a person of the other sex. 
 
 " I congi-atulate you, Groonya", said the gentleman, 
 " on the arrival of an admirer from Moscow, and a 
 successful admirer, Vorovaateen says : this youth, in 
 reliance on your love and hand, has run away from 
 his relations to see his sweetheart, a distance of some 
 thousand versts. That is no joke, my dear Groonya '• 
 he certainly must have strong cause to expect a reci- 
 procal affection on your part." Have done with your 
 foolery, mo7i cher Alexandre, i*eplied Groonya : 
 " Vorovaateen intentionally stirs up your jealousy 
 by silly stories. It is true that I knew this same Ve- 
 jeeghen in Moscow, and perceiving his foolish passion 
 for me, relieved myself from ennui at his expense. 
 But do you seriously think, that such a little, un- 
 fledged scape-gTace, who in the seventeenth year of 
 his age, before he had finished his schooling, gave 
 himself the airs of a gamester and a gallant ; in a word, 
 a hopeful disciple of that infamous rascal Vorovaateen ; 
 do you think that such a creature could engage my 
 affections ? My mother ordered me to pay him some 
 little attention, because he always lost money at her 
 card-table — and this is all our comiexion. It gi'ieves 
 me that you should even in jest be jealous of such a 
 school-boy." " But it is said," continued he, " that 
 this Vejeeghen has very good features, is clever be- 
 yond his years, easy in his address, sings and plays 
 on the piano and guitar excellently ; in a word that he
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 165 
 
 is capable of turning the head" — "of some silly coun- 
 try fool, " replied Groonya. " How could I think of 
 preferring his washy-washy, half-girlish face, to such a 
 masculine countenance, such dear little whiskers, such 
 martial eyes." — The gentleman did not allow Groonya 
 to finish her sentence, and I heard the sounds of kiss- 
 ing. 
 
 Woimded self-love, anger and vexation, here got the 
 better of me. I sprang like a madman out of the 
 bushes, and appeared before the astonished lovers. 
 Groonya sighed and covered her face with her hands. 
 The officer of hussai's leaped from his seat, knocked 
 upon the ground with his sword, and exclaimed loidely; 
 " Who ai'e you, and how dare you come here without 
 asking permission ? " I did not answer a word to the 
 officer, but, turning to Groonya, said; " You deceiver; 
 you cheat ! You call me a school-boy, a scape-grace : 
 you say that you never loved me, and that you played 
 upon my sincerity. But I have in my hands proofs, 
 if not of your love, at least of your falsehood and 
 coquetry\ Here, do you see your hair, your letters 
 in which you assured me of your eternal, your bound- 
 less attachment ; and boimd yourself to be mine for 
 ever. I am now undeceived with regard to your 
 worthless character, will exclaim against you every 
 where, and read your letters to every body. Have 
 you any curiosity Mr. Officer ?" Groonya with eyes 
 full of tears, thi'owing herself about the officer's neck, 
 exclaimed, " Screen me from that blackguard, or I 
 shall die of vexation ! The impudent liar ! If you 
 love me, protect me ! " It appeared that the officer
 
 166 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 was not over much concerned for the delicacy of 
 Groonya's feelings, and that in the enjoyment of the 
 present, he did not trouble his head either about the 
 past or the future. He tlu-ew himself on me like a 
 madman, plucl;:ed out of my hands my letters and 
 Groonya's hair, and, seizing me by the collar, he 
 dragged me out of the summer house. Resistance 
 on my part only drew down upon myself additional 
 blows : the brawny officer tossed me out at the wicket, 
 and giving me a kick, locked the door. I became in- 
 sensible ; shame and confusion completely overpowered 
 me. I ran home, wanted to shoot myself, to shoot 
 the officer, and Groonya. A thousand shocking 
 thoughts succeeded one another : but, on an-iving at 
 my lodgings, I felt a weakness creeping all over me. 
 It appeared as if my skin was being seared with a red 
 hot iron, and as if all my blood was blazing into flame. 
 I soon lost my senses, and except a dreadful heat in 
 my head, and thirst, I had no consciousness of being 
 ^n the land of the living.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 A prisoner with the Kirgheez — Philosophic chieftain — I learn 
 the art of horsemanship. 
 
 I do not recollect how long I continued insensible, 
 but I came to myself in a dream. I dreamed that I 
 fell into water, and lay in the bottom of a deep river. 
 Cold made me awake. I opened my eyes and at- 
 tempted to stir, but felt that I was wrapped up in 
 something wet, and that I was bound. A sound like 
 that which arises fi-om playing the goodka,* fell up- 
 on my ears. With the greatest labour I turned my 
 head from the wall to the light, and every thing 
 which appeared before my eyes excited my amaze- 
 ment. I lay in a tent on a heap of felt, and saw I 
 was wrapped up quite naked in a sheep-skin with the 
 wool outwards. Beside my bed there sat a man in a 
 striped khalaat, with a high, black, sheep-skm cap : 
 he was playing on a goodka and singing with a plain- 
 tive voice, making a regular movement with his head 
 and frightful grimaces. From this man's oblong eyes, 
 dingy face, prominent cheek-bones and thin hair on 
 the whiskers and beard, I recognised him as a Kirgheez. 
 He was uncommoidy glad when he perceived that I 
 had opened my eyes, and exerting himself to relieve 
 
 • Russian guitar.
 
 168 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 ine from my captivity, leaped from his seat, turned 
 about several times on his hands, and cried with all 
 liis strength, beating a dram which hung from liis sash. 
 At his cry several Kirgheez came in, and with them 
 three women. One Kirglieez of a tall figure, dressed 
 in a silk Mialaat and small scull-cap embroidered with 
 gold, approached my bed, and addressed me in pretty 
 good Russian : " Wliat do you want ? Are you 
 better?" " I am cold," replied I ; " and want to 
 eat or drink something hot. Order me to be unbound 
 and dressed in some warm clothing." " Now you are 
 surely well, when you want to eat," said the tall 
 Kirgheez. He sent away the females, and ordered 
 two Kirgheez to take off the sheep-skin, to wash me 
 and rub me with some strong ointment resemblinar 
 gall, and cover me with khalaats, which was imme- 
 diately executed. I wished to stand upon my legs, 
 but from weakness fell down on my bed. In the 
 meantime a young woman brought me a bowl of soup 
 made with rice, and after drinking the strengthening 
 liquid, I felt that my blood took a regular course, and 
 that my strength returned. After I had satisfied my 
 hunger, I fell asleep, and the tall Kirgheez perceiv- 
 ing this, ordered all to go out of the tent, saying : 
 " Don't distm-b yourself, but grow well. God is gi-eat 
 in the clouds, and the steppe is not without good 
 people ! " 
 
 I fell asleep at sunset, and awoke at sunrise ; raised 
 my head fii'st, then stood up, and was very glad that I 
 was able to stand on my feet. With difficulty I ma- 
 naged to get out of the tent. On seeing the sun and
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 169 
 
 the cloudless sky, I tlirew myself on my knees, and, 
 with tears in my eyes, thanked God for delivermg me 
 from such a dangerous illness, and preserving my life. 
 A strange scene appeared before me. The tents were 
 erected on the shore of a lake ; all around was seen 
 the boundless steppe, and, in the midst of some few 
 bushes, a numerous herd of sheep, horses, camels, and 
 homed cattle was feeding. Men and women were 
 occupied in working : some were milking cows and 
 mares, — others were spreading out felt, — a third party 
 was lighting fires and carrying water, — others were 
 slaughtering sheep and horses. The talking and cry- 
 ing of people was mingled with the neighing of horses, 
 the lowing of cows, and the bleating of sheep. I 
 guessed that I was in a Kirgheezian encampment, but 
 could not conjecture how I had come there. My last 
 recollection was confined to my meeting with Groon- 
 ya, and arrival at my lodgings. After that, I thought 
 that I was not alive, and that I had risen from the 
 dead in a Kirgheezian tent. The tall Kirgheez in the 
 silk khalaat was standing beside his tent, which was 
 larger and handsomer than the rest. He was smok- 
 ing tobacco, and looking all around him. On seeing 
 me, he ordered one of his attendants to bring me to 
 him. Guessing that he must be the chief, I made a 
 bow to him, and begged permission to sit on the 
 gi'ound on account of my weakness. The chief or- 
 dered felt to be brought and placed under me ; and he 
 himself, sitting on a carpet opposite to me, said, " You 
 must know, Ivan, that you are my slave. I am the 
 chief of a renowned division of the Kirgheezian horde.
 
 170 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 My name is Arsalan Sultan. Serve me faitlifully if 
 you wish to live happily. If I observe in you any de- 
 sire to run away, I will sell you, or have you slaugh- 
 tered like a sheep." — This unanswerable speech did 
 not afford ovei'-much consolation to me on my reco- 
 very, but I had no alternative, and replied, with 
 feigned equanimity, " I will serve you faithfully, and, 
 though I liave not yet been able to be of any service 
 to you, I make free to ask you one favour, as a pledge 
 of what may follow: tell me in what manner I fell into 
 your hands ? I was so unwell that I do not recollect 
 what has happened to me." — " As it is your wish, I 
 shall tell you. I was in Orenburg upon business 
 three weeks ago. On leaving town in the evening, I 
 turned from the main road in order to regain the 
 .steppe by a by-way known to us, and saw two armed 
 men who were taking something out of a cart. There 
 ^vere only four of my countrymen with me to lead my 
 camels ; the rest had gone on before us. Fearhig that 
 the Cossacks of the frontier might hear the report of 
 our fire-arms, I did not chiise to fall upon the robbers, 
 who were quanelling with one another what was to be 
 (lone with you. A tall flatfaced man with cropped 
 liair wished to cut oft" your head ; another palefaced 
 thin man advised liim to throw you on the ground, to 
 avoid the shedding of blood, saying that without their 
 aid you would soon give up the ghost. I heard their 
 conversation at a distance, owing to the wind. They 
 were fi'ightened when I made up to them, and very 
 glad when I declared that I did not wisli to raise any 
 brawl with them so near the town, and designed to
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 171 
 
 free them from farther trouble, by taking with me the 
 person about whose fate they were quaiTelHng. The 
 rascals consented, and gave you up to me on condi- 
 tion that I should not permit you to wiite to Russia 
 to procure yom* ransom. J promised to do so, and 
 they returned to the town. You lay in the heat of 
 a fever, without feeling, wrapped up in a blanket. I 
 immediately ordered two of our spare sheep to be 
 slaughtered, wrapped * you up naked in their wet 
 hides, and packed you up amongst the baggage on a 
 camel. The wet skins, and a powder made from the 
 dried legs of the bh-d Teelegoose, f which I always 
 cany about with me, because it is also a remedy for 
 the bite of mad dogs, kept alive the vital spark in 
 your body. On our airival in the camp, at my wives' 
 request, I called in the most skilful Baxa, '\ ordered 
 him to try his skill upon you, and play upon the Ko- 
 beez, II as long as your disease continued, changing 
 the skins always for fresh ones of other animals, some- 
 times twice or thrice a-day. My wives fed you with 
 gruel made of rice, and a decoction of the herb shee- 
 raz ; § and at length it pleased God and his prophet 
 to spare you, for the honour and glory of sei-ving me, 
 Sultan Arsalan ! I pitied your youth ; your life now 
 
 " This is a Kirgheezian remedy, 
 -f- A bird resembling a partridge. 
 J Baxa is the same as the Siberian Shamaiin, a prophet and 
 surgeon. 
 
 II A sort of guitar or fiddle, without an upper board. They 
 play on it with a bow as on a violoncello. The Baxas make use 
 of this instrument while engaged in prophesying. 
 
 § A plant growing io the steppe, made use of for exciting per- 
 spiration. 
 
 I 2
 
 17-2 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 belongs to me, and you must for ever give up all 
 hopes of seeing again your native land. But tell me, 
 who were those robbers who wished to murder you, 
 and what was the reason of their enmity ?" — After 
 first thanking Arsalan Sultan for the care which he 
 had taken of me, and renewing the assurances of my 
 fidelity, I related to him in what manner I had left 
 Moscow with Vorovaateen, in order to meet with 
 Groonya ; how I fell in with Nojoff, and overheard his 
 conversation ; and at last, how I learned Groonya's 
 treacheiy, and after that fell into a fever from mental 
 distraction. I declared to my new master that I sus- 
 pected no one of a design to murder me, except Vorovaa- 
 teen and Nojoff; but what tempted them to plot my 
 destruction I could not tell, because I could not un- 
 riddle it myself. I could not believe that those ras- 
 cals would have thought it worth their while to mur- 
 der me for the sake of the few hundred roubles of 
 mine which Vorovaateen had with him, on pretence of 
 taking charge of them. — " It is a pity," said Arsalan 
 Sultan, " that I did not cut off from the face of the 
 earth such heartless villains, who could employ their 
 strength and courage against a poor sick youth : if they 
 fall within my grasp another time, I shall leave their 
 bones to dry on the steppe, and give their carcases for 
 a nest to serpents, which are much better than they. 
 Look ye, Ivan, till you gather strength I do not ask 
 you to work. My wives will give you meat and 
 drink, and then we shall see what you are fit for." — 
 Arsalan Sultan's family consisted of three wives and 
 four children, — three daughters, from five to seven
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 173 
 
 years of age, and one son about my time of life. All 
 the three wives were young and pretty. If the rule 
 were to be admitted that nan-ow eyes and prominent 
 cheek-bones are no deformity, then Arsalan Sultan's 
 wives would have been beauties, even in an European 
 capital ; and he himself, although he was beyond forty, 
 might deserve the name of the Kirgheezian Apollo. 
 His son was born of his fourth wife, who no longer 
 existed : but the young Gaynik experienced kindness 
 and attention from all his three stepmothers, — a hap- 
 piness of which step-sons cannot always boast in more 
 polished communities. My master was fortunate in 
 his family. His wives lived on friendly terms with 
 one another, had cheerful tempers, and endeavoured to 
 please their husband as fai* as they could. He was 
 very aiFable in his demeanour towai'ds his servants, 
 and they loved me like their own brother. I was in- 
 debted to them indeed for my recovery. 
 
 Autumn came on, and we prepared to break up 
 our encampment in search of winter quarters. Arsalan 
 Sultan dispatched messengers to such of the neighbour- 
 ing aools* as were inhabited by his friends, to give 
 notice of his shifting his quarters, and of the direction 
 which he meant to take in the steppe. On tlie return 
 of the messengers, all the baggage was packed up 
 into diffei'ent bales, the tents were struck, and the 
 loads were put upon the backs of camels and baggage- 
 horses, and on a given signal they formed into order 
 for marcliing. Eveiy family formed a separate divi- 
 
 * Aool is the Tartar name for an encampment, 
 I 3
 
 174 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 sion. The children, old women, young girls, old men 
 and sick, were seated on camels ; and all the men capa- 
 ble of bearing arms, and all the yoxmg women, were on 
 horse-back, in their best apparel, as if it were an ex- 
 traordinary holiday. The front, rear, and flanks of 
 the caravan were covered by troops of horsemen armed 
 with pikes, spears, sabres, and match-locks. The 
 flocks and herds formed a separate detachment within 
 sight of the caravan. When all was ready for march- 
 ing, Arsalan Sultan ordered the Baoca to begin his di- 
 vination on the success of their undertaking. The 
 Baxa advanced in front, took a knife out of his belt, 
 drew a circle round about him, with a stick, in the 
 sand, and then, holding his knife to his throat, began 
 to sing loudly. His singing was accompanied with 
 outrageous screams and roars, which soon exhausted 
 all his strength. He fell down like a lifeless coqise, 
 his breathing was hardly discernible, and he apparently 
 slept. The whole nool looked upon this prophetical 
 farce, with silence and devotion. In a quarter of an 
 hour the Baxa began to move, and to speak as if in 
 his sleep. Arsalan Sultan and the other elders atten- 
 tively listened to his words, and concluded from them 
 that we should have a prosperous journey. The ex- 
 hausted Baxa was seated on a camel, and on a signal 
 being given, we advanced. I was stationed beside 
 Arsalan Sultan on an unbroken horse, and was dressed 
 in the Kirgheezian fashion. By particular favour, and 
 in compliance with the request of his wives, he made 
 me his annour-be<arer, or properly speaking, his mili- 
 taiy attendant. My duty consisted in liolding his
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 175 
 
 liorse, when he dismounted, handing him Kumeez,* 
 filling his pipe, cleaning his musket, waiting at dinner, 
 and amusing him with stories and songs. During the 
 time of our first mai'ch, Arsalan moved to some dis- 
 tance from his people, and calling me to him, said : 
 " You have seen something of our manner of life, 
 Ivan, and I hope that you do not wish now to exchange 
 our steppes for your own smoky towns, where people 
 collect together to cheat one another, and contrive 
 necessities whicli make them the slaves of all possible 
 follies, and set them a crawling and faAvning before 
 every one who has it in his power to elevate them in 
 the eyes of fools, and invest them with riches of which 
 they know not either the value or the measm'e ? What 
 does man want ? — To have his fill of meat and drink, 
 to be clothed and comfortable. All this you will 
 find with us. Without labour and trouble, you 
 have your food and clothing from our flocks and 
 herds, we ■ do not bother our heads about the future, 
 and we are always ready to repel force by force if 
 molested by any enemy or false friend among our 
 neighbours : we prefer our arms to stratagems, lying 
 and cheating, the weapons used by your inhabitants of 
 towns. You value the beauty of your towns by the 
 breadth of the streets, by their extent, by the gi-eatness 
 of the buildings. Our temple is the open heaven, our 
 city the boundless steppe where there is no want of 
 room, and where neither wall nor fence controuls our 
 liberty. I have been in Moscow and Petersburg!), 
 
 • Strong drink made from fermented Mare's milk. 
 1 4
 
 176 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 have seen all your wonders, and have been astonished 
 to see wise people occupied with play-things and 
 baubles, and sacrificing their health and peace merely 
 in order to be always shut up in a splendid cage, 
 whether in rest or motion, and to fill their stomachs 
 with exotic dainties. I have taken a liking for you, 
 Ivan, I wish to make you an experienced horseman, 
 and shall teach you to manage a horse and a musket. 
 If you should fancy any Kirgheezian girl, I shall be 
 your spokesman, and shall do my endeavour to fur- 
 nish your establishment." I thanked lum for his kind 
 disposition towards me, and added : " In my condition 
 there is no choice left, and at all events I would 
 rather be a wan^ior than a slave." After this, Arsalan 
 Sultan ordered his horsemen to shew me their ait. 
 
 He threw small pieces of Russian money on the 
 ground, and his vaulters picked it up while at the full 
 gallop : they rode with their feet on the saddle, stood 
 upon it on their head, hit with their lances in the air 
 stones thrown over their heads, wi'apped up in dry 
 grass ; they took off one another's caps and wrestled 
 on horseback. The art and address of the Kirgheez 
 in the management of horses, and in all military exer- 
 cises enraptured me, and I begged Arsalan Sultan to 
 have me taught as soon as possible the trade of a 
 horseman. " Confess, Ivan," said he to me, " that 
 that accomplishment is much more suitable for a man, 
 than your melancholy movements of tlie legs to music, 
 your hopping and whirling about, in which your youth 
 shew off at what you call balls. I have seen your 
 amusements, and have fallen asleep at them from ennui.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN, 177 
 
 I observed, brother, that at first you unwillingly con- 
 sented to become a Kirgheezian wan-ior, but I am 
 persuaded that in time, when once your head gets 
 cleared of the town-smoke, you will not part from 
 us." In the meantime we arrived at our night-quar- 
 ters. Before a lazy driver would have finished un- 
 harnessing his horses, our camels were ah-eady un- 
 loaded, the tents pitched, a fire made of dried bushes, 
 and our kettles boiling. The women were employed 
 in making ready om- repast and milking cows and 
 mares ; the men formed a stationary guard and patrole 
 for our outposts. At the fires, joyous songs were 
 going on, and piping on the Kobeez and Tclieheezga.* 
 The sky was clear and studded with stars, and the 
 air mild. Arsalan, wliile waiting for supper, was 
 sitting before his tent on his saddle, and calling me 
 to him, " Ivan," said he, " you speak in many 
 tongues, therefore you know better than I, how to 
 learn them. But, as we have neither books, nor 
 schools, nor school-masters, I would advise you to 
 learn Ku'gheezian, and that cleverly. Ask the name 
 of every thing, and chatter boldly what you know, 
 without thiidving of being laughed at. Necessity 
 teaches more quickly than a master for money. To 
 learn the language, I advise you to fall in love. That 
 is the very best and most successful method. It was 
 love which was my best schoolmaster in learning- 
 Russian. I shall tell you about that sometime. But 
 know that in order to be a complete horseman, it is 
 
 * Pipes or flutes made of wood or reed, about 28 inches long. 
 1 5
 
 178 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 Tiot sufficient to know how to manage a horse and fire- 
 arms, and to understand the language of our people : 
 it is necessaiy also to know how to read on the heavens 
 like a book. I myself will undertake that branch of 
 your education." At these words I intermpted Ar- 
 salan's speech, and said to him : " How ! you surely 
 do not wish to make a Baxa or prophet of me ?" 
 Arsalan smiled. " I believe the predictions of the 
 Baxa no more than you do," said he ; " but we have 
 nothing to do with that : living in the steppes where 
 fortunately people are not tied to one place like trees, 
 we ought to know the marks by which we can wend 
 our way day and night. By day our guides are the 
 Koorgans,* the tombs erected above our deceased 
 brethren, and bushes, lakes, rivers, elevations, and 
 also the colour of the steppe ; and in the night-time, 
 the sky. Do you see tliat clear star ? That is Temeer 
 kcizeek (the polar star,) the iron pole. It is always 
 seen in the quarter whence winter and cold winds 
 come. There the sun rests. On the right fi'om Z(?m^ei" 
 kazeek tlie sun rises : opposite it stands at mid-day, 
 and sets on the left. That stai' sei'ves us in place of 
 the case with the dart which you call the compass. 
 There is Tclioohan DgooIdoos,j- (the sliepherd's star,) 
 wliich shews the time for di-iving the cattle from the 
 pasture to the encampment, and for driving them back 
 again. Tliere is Arcar,X (the wild sheep :) these stars 
 are hid in winter, and their return in spring coitcs- 
 ponds witli the reappearance of tlie fi-esh vegetation. 
 
 * Cairns or barrows. -t- \'enus. ± The Pleiades.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 179 
 
 But I do not wish to peqjlex you at present with a 
 muhitude of names. Leani to know the heavens and 
 the earth, that you may stand in need of nothmg but 
 your own manhood." The night passed on favom-ably, 
 and we by sunrise struck our tents and continued our 
 mai-ch. After continuing our march in the same order 
 for about ten days, we halted at the foot of a hill, 
 Avhicli separates the rest of the steppe from the north, 
 and we took up our quarters in the neighbourliood of 
 a rivulet. As the old men, from different signs, fore- 
 told a hard winter, we began earlier than usual to con- 
 struct double-felted tents, and to prepare a quantity of 
 wood, reeds, and chy bushes. Of provisions we pro- 
 vided mostly dried flesh, and a drink made of soured 
 rye-flour, similar to the wort used in distilleries. 
 
 In the meantime, by Arsalan Sultan's orders, I was 
 daily taught the military business and horsemanship. 
 They began by tying me to an unbroken horse, and 
 launchmg me into the steppe, in order to di'ive out 
 of me as they said my town-tameness. They would 
 not give me any meat but what they placed on the 
 ground ; and I was obliged to procure my dinner 
 by lifting it while sitting on my horse, first at a pace, 
 then at the trot, and lastly at full gallop. Flour 
 cakes baked on the coals, which are with them the 
 gi'eatest delicacy, I had to pick up on the point of 
 my lance, at full gallop ; and they would not allow 
 me to partake of game till I was myself able to 
 hunt the antelope on horseback, and loiock it down 
 with my whip. They would not allow me to ride 
 except at full speed. In this way, by the time that 
 I 6
 
 ]80 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 the frosts came on, I had become a tolerable horse- 
 man, by following the simple rule, ' necessity forms 
 a stone.'
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Arsalan Sultan's relation of his adventures in Russia. 
 
 Snow fell, and the Kirgheez spent the greater part 
 of their time in their tents, sitting around their fires, 
 and listening to story-tellers. Our flocks and herds 
 were all this time in the open plaui, and fed upon 
 the herbage under the snow. Except the driving of 
 ca,ttle from place to place, watching them, and the 
 making ready of the victuals which consisted more 
 of flesh during the winter season, we had no other 
 work. The Ku-gheez duruig their inactivity give 
 themselves up to the pleasures of imagination. Their 
 tales are full of the marvellous and supernatural, and 
 have always for then* subject some horseman, who 
 in his wanderings through the steppe, fights with 
 tyrants and oppressors of the fair sex, and with ma- 
 gicians, hunts after beauties, robs rich caravans, and 
 at last returns to his aoul, and reposes on his laurels. 
 Love is always the chief topic of these stories : their 
 songs also breathe the tender passion and heroism. 
 Understanding enough of the Kirgheezian language to 
 be sensible of the monotonous nature of these tales, 
 I grew soon wearied of them, and one evening begged 
 Arsalan Sultan to relate his real adventures. He made 
 good his promise. In the following narrative, the 
 thoughts alone belong to Arsalan Sultan, as it is ob-
 
 182 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 vious that, after such a lapse of time, it would be im- 
 possible for me to retain the originality of the Kirg- 
 heezian idiom. Arsalan spoke Russian with some 
 few mistakes, but not more than we frequently meet 
 with in the conversation of such of our grandees as 
 have received from their cradle a foreigii education. 
 He related as follows : — 
 
 " It is so ordained, that man, gifted as he is with 
 an immortal soul, should exceed in wickedness and 
 obduracy all irrational creatures ; and, not content with 
 treading and feeding upon other animals, should di- 
 rect his incessant endeavours towards the oppression 
 of his fellows. You see, Ivan, that we in our aool 
 live in peace and concord like brethren of the same 
 family ; but do not suppose that this friendship and 
 this love extends to all our race. No ! every branch, 
 every horde are at enmity amongst themselves : an 
 injury done in another aool, or another horde, to a 
 single Kirgheez, creates a breach between all his 
 aool or horde. That is a general case or haranta, 
 although only a common custom, but it is stronger 
 than any law : for you may remark, that people are 
 readier in calling into use their wicked propensities 
 or personal advantages than the rules of wisdom. 
 
 " My father, besides being a favoiu'ite of the Khan, 
 was also one of his relations ; but oui* Khans are 
 powei'less, and my father could not by means of his 
 protection shield himself from the vengeance of a 
 powerful Sultan who commanded the tribes of Tcheez- 
 leck and Dertkarik, who are the bitterest enemies of 
 Russia. The pretence for this quarrel was my fa-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 183 
 
 ther's having received presents from the Russian 
 Court ; but the enmity was in reality occasioned by 
 the preference sliewn by my mother to my father, 
 when she had been courted by the two suitors. Fre- 
 quent inroads and pillagings on the part of his ene- 
 mies obUged my father to retire from the heart of the 
 steppe to the Russian frontiers, and beg assistance in 
 powder and fire-anns from the Russians. As a pledge 
 of his fidelity and devotion to Russia, my father de- 
 livered me with several other young people as hostages, 
 wishmg me to see the world, and observe the arrange- 
 ments of civilized countries, and be at the same time 
 useful to my countrymen by my acquired knowledge. 
 
 " I was then about your yeai's, Ivan. We were sent 
 to Moscow, where a superintendant was set over us, 
 that is, a government officer, whose duty consisted in 
 providing for our maintenance at the expense of the 
 crown, m accompanying me everywhere, shewing me 
 what was curious, and looking after our behaviour. 
 This officer, who had lived long on the Orenburg line, 
 knew something of our language. From Moscow we 
 were sent to Petersburgh, where the govenunent gave 
 us a Tartar mterpreter and a Russian teacher. 
 
 " I confess to you, that the splendour of luxury, the 
 display and appearance of universal contentment, had 
 at first a powerful effect upon me, and excited a de- 
 sire either to remain for the rest of my days an inha- 
 bitant of that city, or to build a town on my own ter- 
 ritories, and follow the same arrangement. 
 
 " My curiosity could not be sated. I wished to see 
 and know every thing, and cried from vexation if I
 
 184 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 could not reach what I saw, or understand what I 
 heard. 
 
 " The Empress, Catherhie the Second, was pleased 
 to express a wish to see me. I was elegantly dressed, 
 and brought in a coach and six to tlie palace. With 
 pride I surveyed the mob from the carriage windows 
 and fancied that tlie eyes of the whole metroj)olis were 
 upon me, because all who were passiug at the time 
 made a stand, and from curiosity stared at me. On 
 proceeding tlnough one street, we could not get on 
 for the immense crowd which blocked up the street, 
 and put questions about me to the superintendant. 
 On a sudden we heard the sounds of music, and mon- 
 keys were seen at the open windows of a neighbour- 
 ing house. The mol), without waituig to hear what 
 the su})erinteiidant had to say, ran to the monkeys, 
 and we went on quietly. Tliis was the first shock to 
 my self-esteem, and I formed a very low opinion of a 
 mob wliich preferred monkeys to the son of a sultan. 
 I did not at that time find out that it is as difficult to 
 keep steady the attention of any mob as it is to fix the 
 wind, and that fear is their only never-failing remem- 
 brancer. 
 
 * 
 
 " The Empress received me very graciously, caressed 
 me, gave me presents, and ^ent me home, giving the 
 grandees of her court jiarticular charge concerning me, 
 with orders to take me into society, in order that I 
 might form a better judgment of the advantages of 
 civilization The Empress's notice brought me into 
 fashion, like a new ari-angenient of the hair or a new 
 cut of a coat. In tlie city there was no ball, great
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 185 
 
 dinner, or rout, where the handsome Kirgheez was 
 not present. This name was given me by the leaders 
 of the ton, because it had been said at court, " This 
 little prince is not so ugly as the Kirgheez are gene- 
 rally represented." Gentlemen and ladies of quality 
 were amused with my simplicity, and I was amused 
 with their talkativeness, and the stupidity with which 
 they took great things for small, and small things for 
 great. One day I fomid a worthy family in teai's and 
 grief; all were weeping, from the father to the child 
 at the breast. " What has happened to you ?" I 
 asked the landlady. — " Ah ! my deai- prince, you 
 knew om* uncle." — " What of him ? Is he dead ?" — 
 " If he were only dead it would not be half so bad, 
 because he has already liegun to squander his pro- 
 perty, which my childi-en should inherit ; but he — 
 ah ! — he has lost the good graces of his powerful 
 patron !" — " What was the cause of this disaster ?" — 
 " The indiscreet use of his tongue. Our uncle's pa- 
 tron prided liimself on having invented a new fish- 
 sauce ; my uncle told his fiiends in a secret that it 
 was his invention, and after tliat, good-bj^e to friend- 
 ship and patronage." — I could not refrain from laugh- 
 ing, and this laugh was ascribed to my ignorance and 
 wildness. — Another time,*I found, in despair, a friend 
 of mine, a well-educated youth. He wanted to shoot 
 himself, — wanted to run away to the Kirgheezian 
 steppe, to liide himself from the world. — " What mis- 
 fortiuie preys upon your mind, my worthy fiiend ?" 
 I asked. — " My dear prince, my fatJier has cursed 
 me !" — " How ! your father cursed you I you have
 
 186 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 surely committed some crime to disgrace your father." 
 " I did not play into his hand at boston." — " How ? 
 and for that he has cursed you." — " Cursed me, and 
 banished me from his favour !" — I laughed heartily. 
 " Be consoled, my worthy friend : that damnation will 
 not go up to heaven, but will remain at tbe card-table 
 till some clever fellow turn the tables upon him, that 
 good people may have a laugh at the expense of a 
 conceited papa." — *' The affair in question is not in 
 lieaven but on earth," returned my friend ; " the con- 
 sequences of that damnation are — I am cut off from 
 all pecuniary aid. My father is glad now that he has 
 found an opportmiity to deny me money." — " WTiy 
 does your father take such care of his money ?" — 
 " To give meat and ch-ink to a crowd of interlopers, 
 who laugh in his face at his folly ; prize his exotic 
 wines and rich dishes, as if they were proofs of wis- 
 dom and beneficent qualities — in fine, of eveiy thing 
 worthy of a gentleman." — " As you like it ; but you 
 appear to me quite laughable with your unreasonable 
 customs," said I to my friend. — " What is fun to one 
 is gi-ief to another," replied he. 
 
 " Wliat appeared to me the strangest of all, was the 
 estimation of people received into the higher circles. 
 There, neither wit nor mental endowments nor beha- 
 viour were of any consideration. 
 
 " The first question regularly was, " How many 
 souls has he?" The second, "Wliatrank?" The 
 third, " Of what family ?" The fouith, " Of what 
 connections ?" If all these points answered the expec- 
 tations formed, or if only one point was sufficiently
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 187 
 
 powerful to overbalance the deficiency of the others — 
 no matter whether the man should be a rogue, a cheat, 
 a robber, an oppresser — the doors of all houses were 
 open to liim, a smile was always on the face on meet- 
 ing him, and a fresh invitation when he went away. 
 But money — oh I for money ! An unbnished, unioib- 
 bed boor, who some years before has been retailing 
 vodky to footmen and coachmen, and gi-own rich by 
 cheating, is received in the houses of these gentry 
 better than a poor waiTior who has no other recom 
 mendation than his services. But your dinners ! your 
 dinners put me beside myself: like dogs, who fawn 
 upon those who feed them, your enlightened people, 
 for a savomy dish or a bottle of wine which they 
 otherwise might have at home, crowd the house of 
 every rascal, every robber, and not only pardon his 
 want of conscience but screen him from justice. In 
 your courts of law, some play at blindman's buif, and 
 in their eagerness lay hold of right or wrong ; others 
 sell justice by the weight, like physic in the apothe- 
 caries' shops, according to the recipes of secretaries 
 and lawyers. In a word, I was convinced that your 
 civilization consists in the art of speaking and writing 
 what is useful to others, and of doing what is useful 
 to self. Words and actions with you stand so con- 
 trasted, that if any one say of himself, " I am an ho- 
 nest man," that denotes that he is a rogue : whoever 
 says, " I am rich," means that he is poor, that is, in 
 debt ; but when one declares himself, and cries out 
 eveiywhere that he is poor, that denotes that he is rich, 
 but wishes to be still richer. Whenever a man cries
 
 188 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 out about the public welfare, it is a sign that he is 
 seeking private advantages to himself; and he who 
 preaches up freedom, shews that he wants to subject 
 others. On considermg all these contradictions for 
 the course of four years, I compared your civilization 
 and advantages of a city life with our independence 
 and ignorance, and felt a strong desire to return to the 
 steppe, and forget, like a dream, every thing which I 
 had seen and heard. I had already made up my mind 
 to ask for permission, when I was on a sudden kept 
 back by an unforeseen obstacle, — that is to say, love. 
 
 " As is the usual custom m Russia, the lodgmgs 
 hired for us wild Asiatics, were in a distant part of 
 the town, in order that we might more freely cai'ry on 
 our religious exercises and make ready our victuals 
 according to our fashion, without exciting the attention 
 of the curious. One day, as I was passing on foot 
 thi-ough a quiet laiie, ) heard in a poor looking dwel- 
 ing the sighs and ])itiful cries of some female. By an 
 involuntary emotion I ran into the house. A mourn- 
 ful spectacle appeared l)efore my eyes. A young wo- 
 man, beautiful as an angel, held in her arms an old 
 woman who was in a fit of fainting, and wept in des- 
 pair, not knowing how to assist lier. I, without speak- 
 ing a word, ran into the passage, and finding a bucket 
 of water, returned into the room with a mugful, sprink- 
 led the sick woman's face, and rubbed her temples, and 
 the veins of her arms, and at last brought her to her 
 senses, laid her on a bed, and asked leave of the fair 
 maid to ran immediately for a doctor. I thought that 
 the girl at first did not perceive me, being so absorbed
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 189 
 
 with the thoughts of her mother's distress, but at last 
 she turned towards me her beautiful azure eyes in 
 which the tears were still visible, and blushing, thanli- 
 ed me in a soft tone of voice. My Kirgheeziaii dress 
 put the fair maid into confusion ; she looked at me 
 with stolen glimpses from head to foot, and did not 
 know what to say. " Don't be frightened, madam," 
 said I. " I am a Kirgheez, a native of the wild 
 steppes ; but the Kirgheez have also hearts, and they 
 know what compassion is for a neighbour's misfortune. 
 Be open with me as with a man who regards as a rich 
 prize every opportunity of being useful to the suffering 
 and unfortunate. I see that you are in want ; that is 
 expressed in your dwelling. Oblige me by taking this 
 small help for your sick mother." Without waiting 
 for the fair maid's answer, I threw on the table a purse 
 of ducats and went away in haste. The girl wished 
 to keep me by the hand, begged me to take back the 
 money ; but without listening to her, I plucked my- 
 self away by force, and ran home instantly. I had 
 seen many Russian beauties, yet they never had made 
 any powerful impression upon me. But the unage of 
 that poor girl was imprinted on my heart and memory. 
 She was day and night present in my imagination, and 
 I was tormented more than a week, not knowing what 
 to do with myself, and not daring to return to her house, 
 dreading that she might return me the money, and thus 
 deprive herself of what she stood so much in need. In 
 vain I endeavoured to forget the fair maid : she how- 
 ever kept possession of me like life or soul, and my 
 Asiatic blood boiled as if a flame burned within my
 
 190 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 heart. Neither the amusements of the great world, 
 nor reading, of which I was very fond, nor solitude, 
 could quiet me. At last, I resolved to see her again. 
 I went thither in the evening. An incomprehensible 
 shyness kept me back at the door. I stopped beside the 
 wmdow which was closed and the shutters on, and 
 overheard a dispute in the room, and a voice which I 
 did not know. " Be ashamed of yourself, be ashamed 
 of yourself !" said the woman. " How dare you pro- 
 pose dishonour to me in barter for youi" protection 
 which I despise. Look at my daughter ; she cannot 
 pronounce a word from excess of indignation, and does 
 not wish to debase herself by ignominy. We are poor, 
 and unprotected, and destitute, and that is the reason 
 why you are so presumptuous ; but if my husband 
 had been alive, he would, notwithstanding your 
 riches and rank, know how to make you think again." 
 " Have done, have done, mother, don't be offend- 
 ed," replied a tremulous voice ; " it would be much 
 better for you to give me your daughter to be brought 
 up under my protection, tlian to marry her to any 
 petty-fogging clerk or non-commissioned officer. And 
 you, my little beauty, don't be shy : come liither, 
 and allow me to kiss those rosy checks." " Leave me in 
 peace !" screamed the fair maid, and I heard the noise 
 of a table upset. The thoughts of oppressed inno- 
 cence excited my wrath ; like a madman I flew into 
 the room, and saw a shabby-looking old man, dressed 
 like a fop, pulling about the girl, and attemptuig to 
 kiss her against her inclination. I took hold of him by 
 the waist, carried him like a bag of straw into the yard,
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 191 
 
 and thi'ew him on the dui;. Two footmen standing at 
 the comer of the house, ran on their master's caUing 
 for assistance, and fell upon me. But despair and fury 
 redoubled my stren^h. I took a billet of wood in 
 each arm, fell upon my antagonists, and drove them 
 out at the gate. The old debauchee fled to his carriage 
 which stood at the corner of the street, and called his 
 sei-vants to him. I soon heard the somid of the car- 
 riage moving along the street at full speed ; I shut 
 the wicket and returned to the room. The tears 
 of gratitude were my recompense. The mother 
 thanked me for the kindness and protection which I 
 had shewn them ; the daughter was silent, but her 
 silence was more eloquent than the words of the old 
 woman. The old lady told me her history. Her 
 husband had served as a commissary in the fleet, and 
 was an honest man. After his death he left his family 
 no other property but the right to receive a small sum 
 fi-om the treasury for a prize which had been taken by 
 the crew of the vessel in which he sei-ved. His succes- 
 sor presented some claims against the deceased, in il- 
 lustration of the proverb, that ' the dead and absent are 
 always to blame.' The business at this time was 
 brought before that baneful old man, who, on seeing 
 Sophia, proposed to her to purchase by her dishonour 
 a favourable decision and his protection for the future. 
 Of course, his offer was rejected with a disdain pecu- 
 liar to noble mmds ; but the old man did not put an 
 end to his persecutions, and even began to threaten 
 the unfortunate mother, that he would imprison her for 
 spending property belongmg to government, if her
 
 192 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 daughter did not comply with his wishes. When I 
 found the mother in a fit, it was in consequence of 
 these tidings. The mother and daughter lived by their 
 manual industry, doing work for the magazms de 
 •modes; but the stubborn old creature, to reduce them 
 to extremities, deprived the poor unfortunate family 
 even of this means of subsistence, by paying the 
 shop-keepers expressly not to buy any thing from 
 Sophia, or give her any work. Poverty, one of the 
 greatest misfortunes, the general object of dislike 
 amongst civilized nations, soon visited the worthy 
 family ; and, if I had not come to their assistance, 
 Sophia would have hired herself to weed in a garden, 
 in order to procure subsistence for her sick and weak- 
 ly mother : for except the clothes which she had on, 
 every thing was sold. I never in my life had shed 
 tears, and for the first time wept at the relation of the 
 old woman's miseries. " Allow me to interfere in this 
 business," said I. " If I do not find justice amongst 
 the grandees, I shall find it at a higher source." 
 " Do not think of that, my good Prince," replied the 
 old lady. ' Before the sun is up, the dew con-odes 
 the eyes.'* We intend not to pursue the business far- 
 ther, but to retire to some relations of ours who live in 
 a distant town. If you have any acquaintances, beg 
 them only to prevent that gentleman whom you saw 
 here, from persecuting us. His name is Pheroolken, 
 and he has the rank of general. But I beseech you, 
 do not go to him, for he may make you repent your 
 
 * Russian proverb.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 193 
 
 rashness. In the meantime, take your money back ; 
 we cannot receive in a present such a large sum." 
 " You may give the money back when you receive 
 from the treasuiy what is due you : as to what regards 
 Mr. Pheroolken, don't be apprehensive ; I do not fear 
 him." After remaining some time with these unfor- 
 tunate people, I returned home, more in love with 
 Sophia than before. Next morning, I went to the 
 court where Pheroolken sat, and waited him on tlie 
 stair-case. He was astonished to see me, and pro- 
 bably would have changed countenance if he had been 
 able. But he had not a drop of blood in his whole 
 body. " What do you please, my dear prince ?" said 
 he nodding. " To speak alone with you." " Shall 
 be very glad, but this is not the proper place. Please 
 to call upon me to-morrow morning at nine o'clock. 
 I shall receive you with pleasure." Next day, I 
 was at the appointed hoiu" in Pheroolken's lobby. The 
 footmen had orders to admit me ; but as there were 
 several petitioners in the hall, and the secretary was 
 busy in the cabinet, the valet took me to an inner 
 room through Pheroolken's dressing room. On pass- 
 ing through, I involuntarily stopped to look at things 
 which I had not seen before. " What is the use of 
 those two stitched bags with strings ?" asked I. — 
 " These ai-e the calves of my master's legs," replied 
 the footman. " But what bird's nest is that ?" — 
 " That is his hair !" " But those bones ?" " That is 
 his teeth." " But what are those paints on the table 
 amongst the brushes, powder and pomatixm ?" " That 
 is the colouring of my master's face." " Good I" said 
 
 K
 
 194 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 I, laughing : " In liim there is neither body nor soul !" 
 " I beg your pardon," answered the valet. " He has 
 three thousand souls ; these are of more weight than 
 one of his own." I understood the drift of the wily 
 valet's jest, and concluded from that, that Pheroolken 
 must be a disagi'eeable man in all points of view when 
 his own servants have no respect for him. I was 
 called into the closet ; Pheroolken took me by the 
 hand, and very kindly begged me to be seated. " Let 
 us forget the past," said he ; " you behaved very rudely 
 towards me, but I forgive you, as you are not ac- 
 quainted with the rales of civil society. In our coun- 
 try you may murder or shoot a man, but you must 
 not touch him with your naked hands. Besides, you 
 liad no reason for being angry with me. I was in quest 
 of game the same as you, and did not know that the 
 pigeon had been first brought down by you." " I beg 
 you will speak without circumlocution," said I raising 
 my voice. " I have only seen twice in my life the poor 
 girl whom you are persecuting, and am resolved to 
 protect her from mere sympathy." " Sympathy in 
 the Kirgheezian steppe /" archly replied Pheroolken. 
 " There is more of it there, than in your gilded palaces 
 and courts of law," replied I seriously. " But liow- 
 ever that may be, if you do not give up persecuting 
 Sophia, and decide in the affair concerning her deceas- 
 ed father according to law, I swear to you by my life 
 and fortune, that I shall fall at the feet of our just 
 Empress, and will lodge a complaint against you ; and 
 in the meantime I will inform all the grandees and 
 people about the court of our meeting at Sophia's."
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 195 
 
 " Be quiet, be quiet, and don't get into a passion !" 
 said Pheroolken. " Even without that, it would be a 
 pleasure to me to oblige the Kirgheezian prince. I give 
 you my word of honour, that I shall think no more of 
 your Sophia, and to-mon'ow shall subscribe the de- 
 cision in favour of her mother, as the business is al- 
 ready gone through. Let it be a bargain between us. 
 Not a whisper to any one." " Here is my hand to you!" 
 Pheroolken embraced me, and with haste conducted me 
 out of the closet. I flew to Sophia with the joyful 
 news, and was again overloaded with caresses and 
 thankfulness. Next day the decision was subscribed, 
 and in a week the money was paid. Pheroolken no 
 more appeared in that quarter of the town where So- 
 phia lived. He kept his word — I suppose for the first 
 time in his life. I ceased to think of returning to 
 the steppe. Sophia loved me and was happy, and 
 lived a new life. We concealed om- love from her mo- 
 ther, because she would never have consented on any 
 consideration to let her daughter maiTy a Mahomedan. 
 I did not know what to resolve upon. The death of 
 her mother gave Sophia full libeity to dispose of her- 
 self. The good old woman, weighed down with years 
 and griefs, died, half a year after our first acquaintance. 
 Sophia remained an orjjhan, and declared to me that 
 she was ready to follow me not only to the steppe but 
 to the world's end, to an unpeopled wilderness. 
 
 " It was necessary to take some precautions. So- 
 phia went before me to Orenburg, and after obtaining 
 leave from the Empress, I set oiF aftei-wards. Not 
 knowing whether my father would allow me to marry 
 k2
 
 196 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 a poor orphan, I left Sophia in a neighbouring aool, 
 with a friend, and appeared before my father alone. 
 " Father," said I, " you have experienced what love 
 is, and siu'ely will not condemn your son if he chooses 
 a wife for himself according to his heai*t's desire, and 
 not according to calcidation." " I would liave wished 
 you to maiTy a daughter of tlie Sultan, my benefactor," 
 said my father to me ; " but if you have already fixed 
 yom* eyes upon a bride, and do not wish any more 
 wives, do as you please. You know it is not I, but 
 yourself that have to live with your wife !" I related 
 my adventure to him, and the same day Sophia was in 
 his arms. Our old women were angry, because I had 
 married a foreigner. The young girls were not pleased ; 
 but my brave horsemen agreed that Sophia was worthy 
 of being a Kirgheez. The Khan himself was desirous 
 
 of seeing my wife, and applauded my choice " 
 
 Arsalan ceased speaking, and covered his face with 
 his hands. I saw his tears. At last he said : " I was 
 happy ten years with Sophia. Gayuk is the fruit of 
 our love. She died ! According to the custom of 
 our nation, and by order of the Khan, I was obliged to 
 marry again. I have now tlu-ee wives ; they are good 
 women ; you know them. But I loved Soj)hia alone, 
 and have never consoled myself for her loss. Ivan ! 
 believe me, in the Kirgheezian steppe love and friend- 
 ship are known, although tliey cannot tell fine stories 
 about them. Now you know wliy I love the Russians. 
 Sophia unites me with you. Tliis is why, in spite of 
 our usual custom, I behave to you my slave as if you 
 were my equal. I was happy with a Russian. Rus-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 197 
 
 sian blood runs in the veins of my Gajiik; ami, although 
 I saw many follies in your country, tliat is the gene- 
 ral lot of all civilized nations, as I learned from books ; 
 and you are only to blame, because you import foreign 
 follies. I found many good people in Russia, worthy 
 to live with us in these steppes, and their memory is 
 dear to me. Now go to sleep, Ivan I I am sick at 
 heart ; I shall sit on my hoi'se and dissipate my gi-ief in 
 the steppe. The recollection of past miseries consoles 
 a man ; but the remembrance of bygone joys never to 
 return, fills the heait with anguish — adieu ! Hey ! 
 my horse I" Arsalan leaped upon his stallion, and 
 I'ode off in the moonlight at full gallop. I grew me- 
 lancholy myself. I loved the wortliy Sultan with all 
 m\ heart. 
 
 K 3
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Consequences of a hard "Winter in the Steppe — Attack — Joyftil 
 Meeting with my first benefactor. 
 
 We live in a continual illusion, and see objects only as 
 they appear in the magic mirror of the passions. But 
 if illusion is pardonable in a man, it is only so when 
 he does not see tlie faults of his parents and his fa- 
 ther-land. For as much as the noble Arsalan en- 
 deavoured to convince me of the superior excellence of 
 his own steppe, neither the eloquence of his polished 
 mind nor the simplicity of the wild children of nature 
 could make me forget Russia. The winter redoubled 
 my melancholy : living in 9.yoort with Gayuk and seve- 
 ral of his companions, and finding no relief but in the 
 conversation of Arsalan, I grew weary in the long even- 
 ings, and thought about my country and my good 
 aunt, who would be no doubt in despair when she 
 learned that I had disappeared without any accounts 
 of me. The coarse diet, dirtiness, and smoke in the 
 yoorts, and the hard frost in the steppe where we had 
 to patrole and to look after the cattle, were vexatious 
 to me, and made me feel more powerfully what I had 
 left. At last the frost increased to an incredible de- 
 gree. Our cattle could not get from under the 
 snow the herbage, wliidi, on this occasion, lost its 
 nourishing quality. The drift covered tlie cattle
 
 VAN VEJEEGHEN. 199 
 
 with snow, and the piercing cold winds stopped the 
 breath of every living thing. 
 
 At last misery made its appearance, the greatest of 
 all to a pastoral tribe — the distemper amongst the 
 cattle. In vain the Baxas employed their divinations 
 and nostrums : our flocks and herds diminished con- 
 tmually, and there was no means to put a stop to the 
 distemper. Besides, the healthy animals stumbling 
 amongst the snow-hillocks, and not having strength to 
 grub up the deep and hard snow, fell from exhaustion. 
 This was accompanied with a deficiency of provision 
 and fire-wood. Despair pervaded all om* hearts. In 
 place of merry songs, were heard the whistling of 
 winds and the moans of dying animals. The women 
 and children concealed their tears before their husbands 
 and fathers, but an artificial equanimity could not con- 
 ceal the general grief. Arsalan displayed more courage 
 than all the rest. He induced us to work by liis ex- 
 ample. He himself presided at our common labours 
 and roused up the desponding ; he himself dug for 
 food for the riding horses from under the heaps of 
 snow ; he himself rode with us for reeds and the twigs 
 of young trees ; he himself looked after the cattle, and 
 assigned new places of pasture for them. Fearing 
 lest the distemper should deprive us of all our live 
 stock, we slaughtered the gi'eater part of our sheep, 
 and buried the flesh in the ground, using our dry pro- 
 visions with the greatest economy. Fortunately the 
 rich Kirgheez had laid in a stock of brick-tea,* which 
 
 " The commonest and cheapest sort of tea, which is used 
 K 4
 
 200 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 we drank several times in the day, preparing it at first 
 like soup with milk, butter, and salt, and afterwards 
 when there was not enough of milk and butter, simply 
 with salt and sheep's fat. This beverage kept up my 
 strength. The rye-flour which Arsalan Sultan had 
 provided at Orenburg, served only for a dainty. — 
 The Kirgheez do not make use of bread, but boil a 
 sort of pomdge with flour, and bake cakes on the 
 coals. Only one Sultan had rice and that in small 
 quantity. Wheat was kept for the women and un- 
 well persons. Although we did not as yet experience 
 real famine, with the loss of our cattle, that misery 
 tlneatened us in spring. 
 
 At last, Avinter passed away, the snow thawed, 
 verdure again appeared upon the eartli, the distem- 
 per ceased, but we remained poor. Without external 
 aid, famine would steal upon us before the end of the 
 spring. All this was foi'eseen, but nobody knew what 
 to resolve upon. Some advised to enter into the Rus- 
 sian service, for pay ; others wished to ask assistance 
 from the Khan. Arsalan intended to conquer our 
 misfortune by force of arms. One day he called an 
 assembly of the elders ; and wlien all were seated on 
 the ground and were smoking their pipes, he pro- 
 nounced the following speech: — " It is my duty to care 
 for you. I do what I can ; but in all this, it was out 
 of my power to shorten the frost or put a stop to the 
 
 mostly in Siberia by the IVIongolian tribes. It is sold in pieces 
 of a form similar to bricks, and in the frontier towns of China is 
 used as a substitute for money. Goods are valued by the num- 
 ber of these pieces of tea.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 201 
 
 ilistemper. I do not wish to conceal from you that a 
 still gi'eater misfortune tlireatens us. Our enemies, 
 learning our weakness and wants, will fall upon \is, 
 and cut us all off, or make us their slaves. It is only 
 desperate courage which can save us. It is l)etter to 
 prevent misery by combating evident dangers, than 
 with littleness of mmd to wait the shock.* I have re- 
 ceived intelligence that a rich caravan is on its way 
 through the steppe, and that the enemy of our tribe, 
 Sultan Alteen, escorts the caravan with his best horse- 
 men. Let us mount our horses and go to meet them, 
 beat them, take the caravan, and, by one hardy move- 
 ment, deliver oui'selves both from the enemy and from 
 famme. This is my design. Make it known to my 
 horsemen. Let linn who does not fear death, and who 
 wishes to save his race fi'om destruction and misery, 
 follow me : I will take none but volunteers." Some of 
 the elders wished to prevent him, but Arsalan rose 
 from his seat and said : — " I force no one to go with 
 me. He who is not pleased with my design, may re- 
 main in the aool, and after my departure talk as he 
 thinks proper. At present I beg you merely to repeat 
 my words in your families, without any observations ; 
 but if I learn that any of you dares to sow discord, re- 
 collect that Arsalan Sultan has a keenjal,-\ an arkan^\ 
 and a nagaika.^ Adieu !" All departed without 
 any further remarks, and Arsalan ordered me to re- 
 
 • Better to sink beneath the shock, 
 Than crumble piece-meal on the rock. 
 
 Byron. 
 t A dagger. :|: A hi.ltdr. § A whip. 
 
 K 5
 
 202 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 main. " Well, Ivan, will you go with me, or remain 
 with the women ?" " To be sure I will go with you 
 through fire and water," exclaimed I. Arsalan sat 
 down upon the gi'ound, considering ; and, after a short 
 silence, said, " Reflect well, Ivan : we are going to 
 almost certain death. In our desperate condition I 
 do not see any other means of deliverance but an at- 
 tack. We will have to fight with brave and powerful 
 antagonists ; they will be probably double our num- 
 ber, and if we do not conquer, we must die. I, being 
 commander, will have to shew an example in my own 
 person, and to conceal the danger in the presence of 
 my people. But with you I wish to be open. I am 
 sorry for you. I give you your liberty. Take my 
 horse and go to your own country. Why should you 
 be a partaker of my bitter lot !" I threw my arms 
 about the good Sultan, and witli tears in my eyes re- 
 plied — " No, Arsalan Sultan, I will not leave you 
 in danger ! A Kirgheez does not excel a Russian in 
 magnanimity. You saved my life ; you liave treated 
 me, not like a slave, but like a son, like a friend : you 
 have taught me the use of fire-arms, and I would be un- 
 worthy of my freedom if I were so little-minded as to 
 flee from you, when you are going to meet death. I 
 will go with you, will fight beside you, shield you 
 with my arms, and we sliall either fall together, or I 
 will celebrate the victory along with you." Arsalan 
 embraced me, and in tears said — '• Be it so !" 
 
 Next day, at dawn, a hundred excellent horsemen 
 were in all readiness for action. In addition to them, 
 there were about twenty men with baggage-horses, and
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 203 
 
 some camels loaded with provisions. To my astonish- 
 ment I saw no signs of lamentation among the women, 
 and heard no sighing when they took leave of their 
 husbands and lovers. Those who were not able to 
 conceal their grief, did not show their faces. Others, 
 folding their arras, in silence regarded our preparations 
 for advancing. That silent gi-ief and melancholy had 
 a more powerful impression upon the hearts of the 
 warriors than a loud demonstration of son-ow. Arsa- 
 lan appeared in a rich shooh,* mounted on horseback. 
 He turned towards the crowd of women, old men and 
 warriors who remained for the protection of the aool, 
 and saying, " Adieu," galloped away into the steppe. 
 The liorsemen followed him, bidding farewell to their 
 dears in dumb-show. After we had gone such a dis- 
 tance from the aool, that we could see nothing but its 
 smoke, we halted to allow the baggage-cattle to get 
 up with us, which Ave had always to keep within sight. 
 In oiu- first bivouac on the steppe, we took up a po- 
 sition beside a koorgan (cairn) ; the horses were let 
 loose into the steppe, sentinels were posted round, and 
 fires being lighted, we arranged ourselves in a circle 
 upon om* felts. Next day, we took the direction of 
 the river Seer-Derya, and continued to move in 
 a single column, guided by the koorgans and the 
 course of the sun, and attesting the correctness of our 
 movements in the night time by the position of the stars. 
 We went a long way without meeting a living soul in 
 the steppe; and at last, on the seventh day in the even- 
 
 * Fur cnat. 
 K 6
 
 1204 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 ing, we saw a smoke from afar ; but the horsemen 
 who were sent forward informed us that it was the bi- 
 vouac of a caravan. We lialted, and Arsalan resolved 
 in the night-time to reconnoitre and inform himself ex- 
 actly if this caravan were the same which was the 
 object of our expedition, to fall upon it in the morning 
 and finish the affair. Eight of our best horsemen were 
 detached towards the caravan in three directions. — 
 Four of them made haste and crept in amongst the reeds 
 on the banks of a small lake, at such a distance tliat 
 they could hear the voices of the guard, and see the 
 faces of the enemy. We in the meantime stood ready 
 for action, and resolved to set out on the first alarm, 
 to rescue our reconnoitrers : but they returned safe, 
 and informed us that it was covered by a numerous 
 body, and that to fall upon it in the night-time would 
 be dangerous, because a sort of fortification was made 
 of the bales of goods, and the guai'd armed with 
 match-locks kept a sharp look out. We retired some 
 versts to a side, and took uj) our night's quartei-s be- 
 yond a hill, that our fires might not be seen. Arsa- 
 lan collected his warriors into a circle, and made the 
 following disposition. Oiu- forces were formed into 
 three divisions. He himself with fifty horsemen was 
 to remain in the centre. One detachment of five-and- 
 twenty men had to make a false attack on the front of 
 the caravan, and another detachment of equal strength 
 on the flank. When this sliould be executed, then 
 onr main body was to fall upon the centre of the cara- 
 Aan, and endeavour to cut out a part of it, and protect 
 their booty by covering it with the horsemen of the
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 205 
 
 two smaller detacbments, who were then to endeavour 
 to unite with the main body, retiring from both flanks 
 of the caravan, and drawing oft' the enemy's horsemen 
 farther from it. I, with Arsalan's son, Gayuk, was 
 included in the main body. Before day-break, our 
 two small detachments set off", and we remained behind 
 tJiem and extinguished tlie fire«, in order that the 
 smoke might not be seen with the day-light. About 
 mid-day we heard fi'om a distance the tramping of 
 horses and the cries of the camel-drivers. Ai'salan, 
 wrapped in a horse-coverlet, climbed up the hill, in 
 order to observe the caravan. When he was out of 
 sight, we momited our horses, and set off" immediately 
 after him. As soon as we heard the reports of fire- 
 arms, we galloped towards the caiavan, and on get- 
 ting up to it, commenced the attack with loud cries. 
 The enemy not choosing to waste their powder upon 
 our two detachments, and seeing their numerical in- 
 feriority, fell upon them with pikes, and left the cara- 
 van at a distance. We availed ourselves of this oppor- 
 tunity, encountered those who remained behind, beat 
 them, took possession of the greater part of the cara- 
 van, drove all the loaded camels into one body, and 
 resolved to defend our booty to the last extremity. — 
 Sultan Alteen observing our success, gave up the 
 pursuit of our small detachments wlio made a feint as 
 if they would save themselves by flight, and had en- 
 ticed him farther into the steppe. On returning to the 
 caravan, Alteen fell upon us with fury, perceivingin the 
 crowd his personal enemy Arsalan Sultan. Arsalan 
 also could not restrain his rage, and, seizing a lance,
 
 206 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 left his own people and threw himself upon Alteen. 
 Rising upon his horse, Arsalan closed upon his anta- 
 gonist, and was already prepared to give him a blow, 
 but in that very moment a shot was fired. Arsalan's 
 horse fell and knocked his rider under him. 
 
 With hellish joy, Alteen leaped from his horse, and 
 unsheathing a Turkish yataghan, threw himself upon 
 the prostrate Arsalan, with an intention to cut off his 
 head. I was within a few paces of Arsalan, and on 
 seeing his danger, took a loaded pistol out of my belt, 
 cocked it and fired, and Alteen fell dead beside his 
 enemy, who in the meantime succeeded in extricating 
 himself from under his horse. Arsalan seized upon 
 Alteen's yataghan, and with that weapon cut off his 
 head, put it on the end of a pike, and rode towards 
 his people. Alteen's horsemen had scarcely seen 
 their commander's head upon the pike, when their 
 brutal courage sunk into dismay, and they had no 
 more strength than children. They immediately took 
 to flight with doleful lamentations, leaving in our pos- 
 session the whole caravan, which consisted of a hun- 
 dred camels loaded with valuable Asiatic merchandise, 
 a numerous flock of sheep, and a number of baggage 
 and provision horses. Besides, we took prisoners ten 
 Bukharian merchants, with fifty drivers and twenty 
 slaves. 
 
 Our antagonists had hardly gone out of sight, when 
 we proceeded on our march, directing our way to 
 some friendly aools to avoid pursuit. Arsalan had no 
 opportunity to speak with me during the affray ; but 
 on the march he took me by the hand, and turning to
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 207 
 
 his horsemen, said, — " Here is the man to whom I am 
 indebted for my life, and you for your victoiy and 
 booty I He is now free, but his services are above all 
 reward." My comrades sun-ounded me, and over- 
 loaded me with thanks and caresses. One of our ci- 
 devant poets, of whom there are a number among the 
 Kirgheez, immediately composed a song in my praise. 
 My comrades got it by heart, and sang it in chorus 
 during the time of our march. We went at a very 
 quick rate, and frequently changed our direction, in 
 order to avoid pursuit. In ten days time we returned 
 to our aool, exhausted with fatigue after our splendid 
 victory. The whole aool came out to meet us, and 
 received us with loud acclamations of joy. Arsalan 
 related my prowess to the whole assembly. The 
 elated Kirgheez took me from off my horse, and car- 
 ried me in their arms roimd om* encampment, with 
 songs and music, singing impromptu verses and songs 
 in my honour. Tlrree yoorts were allotted to me, 
 and I was allowed the privilege of selecting for my 
 Avives the first Kirgheezian beauties. I did not avail 
 myself of this particular favour ; but I confess I was 
 so well pleased with the honours shewn me, that I 
 thought of remaining altogether among the Kirgheez. 
 
 In a few days they began to divide the booty. All 
 the silk stuffs, peai'ls, and other valuables, were laid 
 aside to be sold m Russia ; but the money Avas to be 
 applied to the common use of the aool, except some 
 things which were divided amongst a family, as well 
 as such things as cattle, horses, and camels. Ready- 
 money and the prisoners were divided only amongst
 
 '208 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 the horsemen who were in the expedition. Tlie Buk- 
 harian merchants were allowed the privilege of ran- 
 soming themselves. By the general consent, I was 
 allowed four shares of the booty, and granted the pri- 
 vilege of choosing four prisoners for my service. In 
 the number of the prisoners taken by us, who were 
 mostly Persians and Afghauns, there were two Rus- 
 sians. Of course, I took them for my share, in order 
 to grant them their liberty on the first opportunity. 
 
 Amidst the cares of our humed march, I liad not 
 an opportunity of attending much to my countrymen ; 
 and even had not time to question them particularly 
 about their condition. I learned only tliat one of them 
 was a gentleman, and the other a disbanded soldier. 
 Wlien they came into my hands, I lodged them in my 
 tent, and the same evening invited them to sup witli 
 me, to learn pai'ticularly every thing which related to 
 them. One of them was a man of about five and 
 thirty, of a manly appearance, and handsome features. 
 Notwithstanding his long beard and hair, his face 
 seemed familiar to me. The disbanded soldier, a man 
 of five and forty, was easy in his manner, and active. 
 " Who are you, my dear countryman?" enquired I of 
 the first. " I am a gentleman and retired officer." 
 " What is your family name ?" " Meloveeden. ' 
 " Alexander Ivanoveetch Meloveeden," exclaimed I, 
 leaping from my seat and clasping him in my arms. 
 " How do you know me," asked he in amazement. 
 " Do I know you ! I am astonished that I did not re- 
 cognise you at first sight. But you are grown older 
 and altered in your appearance?, and you are thinner.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 209 
 
 and besides, that beard, those rags ! Alexander Ivano- 
 veetch, look at me. Do you not know your oi-phan, 
 youi" Vanky, whom you took with you from Gologor- 
 doffsky's house, and left with the Jew at Sloneem ? 
 What a strange fate !" We wept for joy, and em- 
 braced one another in silence. The disbanded soldier 
 stood at some paces from us, and wiped off his tears 
 with the back of his hand. At last we grew com- 
 posed, and, after sending the soldier to the other tent, 
 I remamed alone with Meloveeden in order to tell 
 him my adventures. 
 
 Meloveeden, after hearing me to an end, was glad 
 that I had been so well brought up, and so situated 
 in the world that I might now be his friend and com- 
 panion. The same evening we mutually bound our- 
 selves not to sepai'ate, but that the one should be par- 
 taker of the other's fortune whatever it might be. 
 From that minute we agi'eed to thee and thoti one 
 another, and call ourselves brethren. As it was al- 
 ready late, we lay down to sleep, and Meloveeden 
 promised me next day to relate his adventures. We 
 rose at break of day, and Meloveeden began his nar- 
 rative. Here I ought to let my readers know that 
 every thing formerly detailed concerning Gologor- 
 doffsky and his family, every thing that was said about 
 love, marriage, and Meloveeden's connection with 
 this family, was drawn by me from this narrative, and 
 thrown back according to its natural arrangement into 
 the first chapters of my auto-biography. It must of 
 course be understood that I was so little and simple 
 while in Gologordoffsky's house, that I was not ca-
 
 210 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 pable of understanding all that I have there detailed 
 so particularly. And so I shall here begin with Me- 
 loveeden's departure from Sloneem to Moscow with 
 his young wife.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Meloveeden's narrative. — A liying automaton and his house- 
 keeper. — An old maid's family. — Panorama of Moscow society. 
 
 A friendly quadrille Russian foreigner. — Company at the 
 
 watering places — Glance at Venice. 
 
 "On arriving at Moscow with an intention to make my 
 peace with my uncle, and procure assistance from him, 
 I for some days kept out of sight of my acquaintances, 
 and by means of an old friend of my father, endea- 
 voured to come to terms with my former benefactor. 
 But my imcle sternly refused to see me. All the 
 exertions of my friend to bring us together proved 
 unsuccessful. The reason of this unaccountable mis- 
 understanding was this. My uncle who was a cold- 
 blooded man, easy-tempered towards every body, 
 heavy and lazy, was a slave to his habits. He had 
 served thirty years on end in one of the courts of 
 law, where his only employment consisted in writing 
 at the bottom of papers — " Faithfully copied from the 
 original, Stephen Meloveeden." Almost every even- 
 ing he spent at the English club-house, where his 
 greatest delight consisted in drinking cranbeiTy le- 
 monade, playing at wliist, and hearing scandal, which 
 he, on his return home, repeated to his house-direc- 
 tress, Avdotya Ivanovna. This woman, the widow
 
 212 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 of a retired College-registrar,* had hired twenty years 
 before this, lodgings in the same house with my uncle ; 
 and learning at one time that he was dangerously ill, 
 and that there was nobody to attend to him but his 
 servants, took forcible possession of his apartments, with 
 the assistance of the Kvartalny NadzeeratI, (Police- 
 Inspector,) reduced to submission his servants, quar- 
 relled with the sick man and the doctor, and in tlie 
 meantime did not leave my uncle's bedside — poured 
 medicine down his tlu^oat, and plagued him till he grew 
 well. Either from gratitude or pusillanimity, he had 
 not the spirit to expel Avdotya Ivauovna fi'om his 
 lodgings ; and seeing her blustering attachment to 
 liimself, and her bustling activity in the management 
 of tlie house, he left at her disposal every thing which 
 related to domestic affairs. My uncle became soon 
 sensible of the superior excellence of female house- 
 wifery, in comparison with the domestic economy of 
 an old bachelor. His linen was all in order, liis tea 
 and coffee tasted better, and at the end of every meal, 
 there was always one of his favourite dishes. Habit 
 soon had such a powerful influence over my uncle, that 
 lie could do nothing without Avdotya Ivanovna, and 
 every thing which was not made ready by her, or 
 came not through her hands appeared to him disagree- 
 able. The broad, Calmuck, pock-pitted face of Avdotya 
 Ivanovna, could certainly have no charms for my uncle, 
 but it had worn so into his good graces, that lie could 
 uot help every day starhig in her cat's eyes, like a mag 
 
 • The lowest rank in the civil service.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 213 
 
 pie in a mirror. His ears were as accustomed to her 
 shrill voice, as those of an old soldier to the beat of 
 the dnim : and he would not sleep comfortably if he 
 did not hear her in the course of the day, scolding 
 the servants, neighbours, and pedlars.* The laziness 
 and supineness of my uncle had need of some excite- 
 ment, and Avdotya Ivanovna had soon such a domi- 
 nion over him, that he was in her hands a complete 
 automaton, and did not dare even to arrange his night- 
 cap without her advice, patiently heard her abusive 
 harang-ues, and did every thing with her permission, 
 except subscribing, " faithfully copied from the ori- 
 ginal." My uncle thought himself fortunate in having 
 found a being, who thought for him, wished for him, 
 feared for him, and hoped for him. He with plea- 
 sure committed his property to the disposal of Avdotya 
 Ivanovna, merely to avoid the trouble of having to do 
 with starosts, -|- stewards, and creditors, who always 
 wheedled something out of him, besides cheating him. 
 He thanked his stars that Avdotya Ivanovna allowed 
 him to visit the English club, on condition however 
 of bringing her all the scandal ; and it was with fear 
 and trembling that he returned home, when, by at- 
 tending too closely to cards, he lost the thread of 
 any amusing story, and came home newsless. Ano- 
 ther in his place would have invented something to 
 quiet the plaguy vixen ; but my imcle was so unac- 
 
 • All the common articles of food and clothing are hawked 
 about in Russia by pedlars, (raznoshtcbeeks.) 
 
 ■f Heads of villages, who when the landlord has no steward on 
 the estate, are employed to collect the revenues.
 
 214 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 customed to the exercise of his mental faculties, that 
 he would have taken a three days fit of the meagrum, 
 if he liad thought three minutes about any thing else 
 than filling his belly, trumps at whist, and his own 
 " faithfully copied from the original." 
 
 " Avdotya Ivanovna had a daughter by her husband, 
 the late College Registrar. She was in her third yeai* 
 when her mother took up her abode in the same house 
 with my uncle. After this it was a matter of course 
 that she should be educated at my uncle's expense, and 
 that Avdotya Ivanovna should immediately require her 
 Leeza to speak French, play German airs upon the 
 harpsicord, sing Italian, and dance all manner of fo- 
 reign dances. Eliza was taught all this for money, 
 but as foreigners do not import wit for sale to us, but 
 merely for home-consumption, Leeza remained a 
 blockhead as God created her. 
 
 " My father being a General m actual service, was 
 always with the army. I lost my mother in my in- 
 fancy, and therefore was brought up till I was ten 
 years of age by a relation of my mother, an old maid, 
 along with a couple of dozens of monkies, parrots, 
 lap-dogs, dwarfs, and all other sorts of rarities. The 
 greatest justice reigned in this menagerie : we were all, 
 that is to say, people and beasts, equally pelted, 
 crammed as much as we could hold, caressed and 
 beaten according to our benefactress's humour. In 
 general her merry fits came on when she heard of the 
 brealdng up of any proposed match, no matter who 
 were the parties, or any piece of scandal about manied 
 eople. On the other hand, her fits of ill-nature
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 215 
 
 came on when she heard about marriages, and happy- 
 wedlock. Of course the best season for us was in 
 the time of the fasts, when there are no marriages. 
 In her mirthful days, all of us, viz., lap-dogs, monkies, 
 dwarfs, dwarfesses, and myself, were fed upon sweet 
 biscuits and almonds, and in the days of wrath, we 
 were all whipt with one bunch of rods. We were 
 taken in our turns an airing with her in her caiTiage, 
 one day myself, another day the monkey, and so 
 on. It is not a foolish saying that ' equality of con- 
 dition unites hearts.' Our man-and-beast society lived 
 in the greatest friendship and concord, except a spite- 
 ful Siberian tom-cat,* and an obstinate old monkey, 
 who disturbed the peace of our domestic circle, and 
 for that reason got thumpings from me and the dwarfs, 
 for which we were whipped by our benefactress. I 
 think I would have got upon a friendly footing with 
 tlie Siberian cat or the monkey, if I had lived longer in 
 that house. But fortunately my father, on his arrival 
 in Moscow, took me from it, having quarrelled with 
 my benefactress, because he had praised before her the 
 connubial state, and had affirmed that he lived happy 
 with my mother. My father spent in the military ser- 
 vice a part of his paternal inheritance, but my uncle, 
 while he subscribed, " Faithfully copied from the ori- 
 ginal," had increased his property tenfold. He mider- 
 took to pay for my education, and to maintain me in 
 the service. I Avas sent to a French boarding-school 
 in course, and on holidays my uncle permitted me to 
 
 • The Siberian cat is of a dark-purple colour, and is much 
 prized in Moscow.
 
 216 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 come to dimiei" with him. Avdotya Ivanovna, to the 
 astonishment of all, not only was not jealous because 
 my uncle divided his benefits between me and her 
 daughter ; but, on the contrary, loved me much, ca- 
 ressed me, gave me presents, and behaved towards 
 me as if I was her son. 
 
 " On my entering the service after my father's death, 
 Avdotya Ivanovna, besides obliging my uncle to pro- 
 vide me with every thing which I wanted, made him 
 even give me more than he had intended. At last tlie 
 secret cause of this kindness came out. Avdotya 
 Ivano^Tia wanted to marry me to her daughter Leeza ; 
 and as soon as I had married another, she made my 
 uncle believe that I had been guilty of the greatest de- 
 linquency, sheTNTi myself ungrateful, and at last, by 
 representing me as vicious and ill-principled, got him 
 to disinherit me in legal form. A friend of my father 
 procured me a copy of this ill-fated paper with my 
 uncle's subscription of " Faithfully copied from the 
 original." It was the destination of fate ; for my 
 imcle would sooner have allowed the sun to be extin- 
 guished, than his scribbling to be cancelled, ashealways 
 regarded tlie copy to be more important than the 
 original. 
 
 *' On hearing of my arrival in Moscow, and my mis- 
 fortune, some friends of my father united to change 
 my uncles resolution. They had recourse to Avdotya 
 Ivanovna, and, by threatening her with Hell and the 
 Ugolovnnya Paldta,* succeeded at last in getting 
 
 * A criminal court.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 217 
 
 Avdotya Ivanovna, before my uncle's face, to agree 
 to give me twenty-five thousand roubles, on condition 
 however that I should make a voluntary renunciation 
 of the whole inheritance, which amounted to a mil- 
 lion of roubles, f As I was reduced to extremities, 
 I agreed to every thing, being persuaded that I would 
 make notliiug by holding out. The money was told 
 over to me, and I left my uncle in peace, to think 
 with the head and feel with tlie heart of Avdotya 
 Ivanovna, play at whist, drink cranbeny lemonade in 
 the English club, listen to scandal, and subscribe 
 " Faithfully copied from the original." 
 
 " You were educated in Moscow, my dearVejeeghen, 
 but you are not acquainted with that ancient metropolis 
 of our nation; besides, you were young and inexperien- 
 ced. The rascally perverter of youth Vorovaateen, 
 and the rendezvous for antiquated admirers of the fair 
 sex at your aunt's, are two imperceptible points in the 
 Moscow horizon. With regard to the French board- 
 ing-school at which you were, these establishments 
 are as like each other through the whole of Russia, as 
 two sheets of white paper. Petersburgh may be com- 
 pared to a pretty young coquette of the great world, 
 seeking gratification with all the attractions and with 
 all the calculations of refinement. Old mother Moscow, 
 on the contrary, is like a decrepit rich widow, who, 
 after having lived in the great world, has retired to a 
 coimtry town in the interior of Russia, which lies in 
 the centre of her property, in order to play the first 
 
 f Upwards of £40,000 sterling. 
 L
 
 218 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 role ill lier own neighbourhood, without breaking off 
 however her connexions with the metropolis. Mos- 
 cow, my dear friend, has out of all manner of exotic 
 fancies and rarities, succeeded in weaving for her own 
 shroud a really original article, in which foreigners 
 may distinguish the yarn of their own spinning, but 
 the body of the tissue and the patterns can be claimed 
 by none but our own dearly beloved Moscow. 
 
 " The best Moscow society is composed in the first 
 place of the old men, as they are called, who have 
 overlived their time, and from ennui or other causes 
 have settled in Moscow for a temporary rest, in ex- 
 pectation of an eternal. This respected rank consti- 
 tutes a living chronicle for the last half century, or 
 rather living quotations from the contemporary history 
 of Russia. The members of this body form also an 
 Areopagus or supreme court for judging of all contem- 
 porary occurrences. They hold their sittings at the 
 English club, and at the houses of respectable elderly 
 ladies of the first three classes. The distinction of 
 ranks is observed by them with as great strictness as 
 in a well (h-illed regiment under arms. Politics, war, 
 the internal administration of the empire, the appoint- 
 ment to public offices, the decisions of courts of law, 
 and particularly the distribution of ranks and orders, are 
 all subject to the review of this croaking Areopagus. 
 It is this class which gives balls, dinners, suppers, and 
 soirees, to persons of distinction passing through Mos- 
 cow, to public functionaries of the first class, and to 
 the first-rate nobility. 
 
 " In the second place — gentlemen in actual service
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 219 
 
 iu the Moscow courts of law, who differ iu this only 
 from the public functionaries of Petersburg!! and other 
 places, that they live more luxuriously, liave more in- 
 cUnation for business, and do not take up their time 
 with collateral objects, such as literature and the 
 sciences, as some of our young civilians do in Peters- 
 burgh. 
 
 " In the third place, sinecurists, or mothers' dar- 
 lings ; that is to say the rear-rank of the phalanx cover- 
 ed by blmd fortmie. Of these lucky people, the greater 
 part cannot read the Psalter printed in the Slavonic 
 character, although they are all included in the list of 
 Russian antiquaries. They go under the name of ' the 
 youth of the Archives.' They form om- petites maitTes, 
 fashionables, husbands of all brides, lovers of all women 
 whose nose is not situated on their chin, and who 
 know to pronounce oui and non. They are the law- 
 givers of the ton amongst the Moscow youth, on the 
 promenades, in the theatres and drawing rooms. This 
 rank also furnishes Moscow with philosophers of the 
 last hatch, who are full of every thing to the brim ex- 
 cept wholesome thought — cognoscenti in rhyming, and 
 desperate judges of rhetoric and the sciences. 
 
 " In the fourth place, an immense di'ove of all 
 sorts of public men retired from the service, be- 
 longing to old families who have attained distinguished 
 ranks, in hunting for which they have spent their pro- 
 perty ; some who, with little ti-ouble, live upon cards 
 and their shifts, and some who merely live from hand 
 to mouth upon Moscow hospitality. 
 
 " In the fifth place, provincial landholders who come 
 L 2
 
 220 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 to spend the winter in Moscow, to eat up their farm- 
 stock and to have the pleasure of seeing their daugli- 
 ters dance at the assembly of the noblesse, or at evening 
 parties, till some bridegroom, attracted by the dowery, 
 (the scent of which talkative aunts know well how to 
 spread,) demands their charming hand, which has 
 known no sort of work from the day of its creation. 
 
 " In the sixth place, gentlemen travellers from 
 Petersburgh and the army, in quest of rich brides for 
 Avhich Moscow has been famed from time immemorial. 
 These gentry begin usually at the very top of the lad- 
 der, but alight upon elevees, or merchants' daughters, 
 who are surer bargains. 
 
 " These ai'e the chiefdivisionsof our Moscow society, 
 which, notwithstanding their motley nature, constitute 
 a tout ensemble like an everlasting masquerade or a Ve- 
 netian carnival. It would be needless for me to point 
 out to you at present all that is good or bad in this 
 medley. You will see that yourself in time. I may 
 tell you, however, that there are probably no where so 
 many good people, notwithstanding their singularities, 
 as in Moscow. 
 
 " The most prominent feature ofMoscow is hospita- 
 lity, or the propensity for keeping open table. My dear 
 Vejeeghen ! if our planet by any particular misfor- 
 tune should be subject to a ten year's scarcity, and 
 supposing provisions were sold for their weight in gold, 
 even then nobody would be starved in Moscow except 
 the c??;oroafe?/-servants, * who at other times, amidst 
 
 * Household serfs. It would require a separate chapter to de-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 221 
 
 the general abundance, are not over well fed, pro- 
 bably that they may be the lighter for work. Although 
 I am no statistical man, I may affirm without hesita- 
 tion, that more is eaten and dninken in Moscow, during 
 one year, than in the whole of Italy in twice the time. 
 To make their guests eat and drink to excess is esteem- 
 ed in Moscow the first characteristic of a good acciieil. 
 To gTizzle and swill to a ne plus ultra is a sort of plea- 
 sure which even well bred people do not deny them- 
 selves. But I have entered into too long discussion 
 about our dearly beloved Moscow, and must return 
 to the thread of my story. 
 
 " On receiving the twenty-five thousand roubles, I 
 proceeded with it in exactly the same way as with all 
 the money which ever passed tlu-ough my hands ; that 
 is to say, I looked only at the beginning of my capital, 
 and would not let my eyes see the other end, for fear 
 I should vex myself at its diminution. I hired a good 
 house, and can'iage with four horses, engaged an ex- 
 cellent cook, fixed a particular day in the week for 
 receiving my acquaintances to dine, and spend the 
 evening, and went through the town a visiting. My 
 wife gained in her favour a great party amongst the 
 gentlemen, and I among the ladies. The former 
 found my wife wonderfully charming, and the latter 
 called me amazingly amiable, and we soon formed 
 acquaintances with the best houses in Moscow, lived 
 like decent people, that is to say, we filled others with 
 
 scribe the condition of this ill-treated class, many of whom are re- 
 lated to their masters and mistresses by other ties than those of 
 servitude. 
 
 L 3
 
 222 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 meat and drink, and they returned the compliment to 
 us ; we danced when we were asked, dressed, played 
 deep at cards, and consequently contracted debts 
 which we could not pay, &c. &c. &c. ! 
 
 "Every capital in the hands of a spendthrift has two 
 ends. One end is filled up with pleasures and gratifi- 
 cations, the other, if repentance does not intervene, 
 is characterized by embarrassments which frequently 
 lead to crime. I recollected myself at my last hun- 
 dred rouble-note, and awoke as it were from a trance at 
 t!ie importunate clamour of my creditors. A ruined 
 man like a troop of horse is always suiTOunded with a 
 swarm of vermin and bloodsuckers. I was addressed 
 by a number of false gamblers, swindlers, and all sorts 
 of people living on their wits, whose object was to 
 lead me into the snares of iniquity. They proposed to 
 convert my house into a whirlpool of play, expecting 
 that I would be the means of bringing under their 
 clutches people of the higher circles, wliile my wife 
 being a beauty, would console the losers with tender 
 glances. Others wished to obtain my permission by 
 a consideration of a certain percentage, to make use of 
 my name for dishonest purposes, and the like. I con- 
 fess I frequently transgressed the rules of strict mo- 
 rality, from thoughtlessness and a propensity for ex- 
 travagance, but never debased myself by fraud or vio- 
 lating any of the rules of honour. I drove away all 
 my tempters, and resolved I resolved upon no- 
 thing; only declining to receive company at my house, 
 and pa^vning my carriage with a coachmaker, I drove 
 about Moscow more than ever, in hopes of stumblmg
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 223 
 
 upon good luck. I begged for time from my creditors, 
 promising to pay them what I was owing whenever 
 my circumstances shoukl mend ; and they, seeing they 
 could make nothing of me, consented. Fortunately 
 there was no one amongst them, who, to console him- 
 self for the loss of his money, chose to put me into 
 prison, and have the pleasure of boarding me at his own 
 expence. 
 
 " Although my ruin made no gi-eat noise, there are 
 however no secrets in Moscow, and the news were soon 
 whispered through all the capital. I have already said 
 that there ai'e in Moscow more good or at least con- 
 descending people than any where else. They talked, 
 tittered, criticised, abused, and held their peace. — 
 One of the rich elderly ladies who found me amazing- 
 ly agreeable, made me an offer of her friendship and 
 assistance ; while her husband, who reckoned my wife 
 wonderfully charming, notwithstanding his age and 
 gout, liad a very tender heart, and could not endm-e 
 with indifference that the fair Petronella should be in 
 want of dress. We accepted of their friendly offer, 
 formed one harmonious family, and again lived like 
 singing birds. My wife dressed finer than ever, and 
 I gave more and better entertainments, played high, 
 and after paying my old debts contracted new ones 
 with much more confidence. 
 
 " The relations of Count and Countess Tzeetereen 
 were much displeased at our intimate friendship, and, 
 in order to draw the old gentleman and lady away 
 from us, begged the doctors to advise them to go to 
 the mineral waters across the frontier, both together, 
 l4
 
 224 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 and to one celebrated spa, thinking that I and my 
 wife, from attachment, would remain in Moscow. But 
 where passion or necessity interferes, the customs of 
 the world lose their power. The old gentleman and 
 lady agreed to go to the mineral waters from a love of 
 life, but proposed to us to go along with them. We 
 gladly accepted their offer. In order to be freed from 
 the annoying friendship of the old Countess on the 
 road, I feigned myself unwell, and in the meantime, 
 while I groaned and limped at home, I sang and jump- 
 ed about in other places. In Cai'lsbad we spent the 
 time pretty agreeably. The company at the waters 
 consisted of faded coquettes looking in tlie waters for 
 their lost freshness ; of gamblers ; of ministers, and 
 grandees of different courts retired from place and 
 power, who in the beginning of their disgrace usually 
 resort to the mineral waters as a Lethe to obliterate the 
 remembrance of their former consequence ; of young 
 married beauties, who in gi'atitude to a benefactor seek 
 relief from the pangs of conjugal fidelity, at a distance 
 from their home ; of young and old mad-caps in quest 
 of adventures through the wide world ; and lastly of a 
 multitude of nervous, consumptive, Avorn-out, sickly 
 people of both sexes, who according to the fashionable 
 way, esteemed dissipation and pleasure the best regi- 
 men for the waters, and consequently all, both sick 
 and sound, tried who would play the fool best, for the 
 benefit of the doctors, innkeepers, gamblers, and 
 nymphs. 
 
 " I fell into my element, and wearying of tlie com- 
 pany of my friends, the Count and Coimtess, made
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 225 
 
 up to myself out of doors for what I suffered at home. 
 My wife, with whom I in other respects Uved very 
 amicably, sought her own amusements, and between 
 us there was neither jealousy nor discontent. But, my 
 dear Vejeeghen, a thoughtless and disgraceful life 
 sooner or later leads to misery — listen and be con- 
 vinced ! 
 
 " Amongst the fair visitors of Carlsbad, I was most 
 captivated with the Countess Sensibili, who had come 
 from Vienna with her two young- children to dispel a 
 hypochondria at the mineral waters. Her husband, 
 an Italian nobleman, held a distmguished post in the 
 Austrian possessions in Italy, and could not accom- 
 pany her. A certain melancholy was diffused over the 
 charming features of the Countess ; deep sensibility 
 was expressed in her looks, and communicated to the 
 hearts of those on whom she darted her large black 
 eyes. Having seen her occasionally at the house of an 
 old Austrian Baroness, I sought her acquaintance and 
 received permission to visit her. I considered her an 
 Italian, but fancy my astonishment when I learned she 
 was a Russian Princess, although she did not loiow a 
 a word of her mother tongue. Educated in Peters- 
 burgh by a Frenchwoman, she, in the house of her 
 parents, who were native Russians, never heard it 
 spoken. In that house a preference was alway shewn 
 to foreigners, and the young Princess from her child- 
 hood was accustomed to hear that the Russians were 
 barbarians, and imfit for anything except to be peasants 
 and pedlars, and that foreigners were the only people 
 L 5
 
 22G IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 from whom the Russians should take an example how 
 to live in the world. The Princess was told that the 
 Russian language was only of use amongst the swinish 
 multitude, and that it was so harsh that a well educat- 
 ed lady might catch a sore throat by pronouncing the 
 shaq) Russian terminations. The Princess's gouver- 
 nante assured her that she suffered a whole week from 
 the toothache and swelled tongue, inconsequence of her 
 exertions in pronouncing the word ' Poschtchetcheena,' 
 notwithstanding that it is pronounced so easily by the 
 Russian maid-servants. The unfortunate Princess (for 
 I call her unfortunate, as I reckon all those so who do 
 not know and do not love their native country), was 
 extremely glad when her mother on her husband's death 
 left Russia, and after traversing Europe in all direc- 
 tions, settled in Florence. The old lady married there 
 a young French bourgeois, for whom she bought the 
 title of Count, where it is a marketable article. In 
 her fifteenth year the Princess Malania was also mar- 
 ried to Count Sensibili, and our country-woman soon 
 inured to Italian customs, forgot even the existence of 
 Russia. Ten years after her marriage, she was seized 
 with a hypochondria, arising, it would appear, from a 
 sm'feit of the conjugal state ; she went to dispel it to 
 Vienna, and from thence to Carlsbad, where I paid 
 her particular attention, and did all 1 could to con- 
 vince her that the Russians are capable of loving as 
 tenderly, powerfully, and passionately as the Italians 
 and French, and succeeded in i-econciling her to her 
 country. She even began to learn Russian, and found
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 227 
 
 that the word " looblyoo'* was extremely tender and 
 agreeable to the ear. 
 
 " The Countess Sensibili was obliged to go and join 
 her Imsband at Venice. I begged the Countess and 
 Count Tzeetereen to go and winter there. In that city I 
 passed the time very agreeably, visiting every day the 
 dear Countess Sensibili under the nom de guerre of a 
 teacher of the Russian language. I did not choose to 
 pass in her house under my own name, for in that case 
 I would have had to introduce Count Sensibili to our 
 family circle, and bring the Countess thither, which 
 might have broken up our friendly quadrille. I was 
 also in the practice of meeting with the Countess Sen- 
 sibili at the house of an old female friend of hers and 
 at all the public amusements, which, in Venice, are 
 numerous. I shall say a few words about that city. 
 
 " The once proud Venice no longer infested with the 
 politics and caprices of its aristocracy, after losing its 
 strength and riches, has not given up its passion for 
 amusements : on the contrary it has become the rally- 
 ing point of dissipation and pleasure. In Paris and Lon- 
 don a man is diverted from the pleasures of sense, by 
 politics and the sciences, which are practically illustrat- 
 ed and form the subjects of common conversation. In 
 Venice, with the exception of music which disposes 
 the mind for receiving tender impressions, other plea- 
 sures are not known, but coquetry and love intrigues. 
 Love is the atmosphere of Venice, and foreigners come 
 thither from distant shores and inhale the air of that 
 
 * I love. 
 L 6
 
 228 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 modem Paphos. Nowhere do the females enjoy so 
 mucli freedom as in Venice. With a slight coveiing 
 they issue boldly forth into the coffee-houses and the 
 Casino, and mingle amongst the crowd in the square 
 of St. Mark, in the garden of St. George's Monastery, 
 or on the new Quay. Women are not attended by their 
 husbands but by their cavalieri serventi, who perform 
 the same duty to the Venetian ladies as an active ad- 
 jutant to the young wives of old generals ; that is to 
 say, a serving cavalier must be in constant attendance 
 upon his lady from morning to night, if she does not 
 think proper to take another companion for part of the 
 time. You know that Venice is built on lagoons of the 
 sea and that there canals serve instead of streets, and 
 covered boats or gondolas in place of carriages. These 
 gondolas are floating temples of love, and coffins of 
 conjugal fidelity. The famed jealousy of the Italians 
 vanishes before Hymen's torch, and changes into 
 smoke and vapour, which only forms into hail when a 
 wife's conduct tlireatens to empty lier husband's pocket. 
 In Venice tliere is no idea of hospitality. There all 
 the inhabitants meet together only in the Casino, in 
 the coffee-houses, squares, or theatre : they treat one 
 another only to ice, chocolate, and very rarely to a din- 
 ner, and leave visiting cards at one another's doors. — 
 In general the Italians are not created either for soft 
 converse or for modest domestic life. The greatest 
 happiness of life is with tliem far niente, * and their 
 very pleasures and promenadings they call work. It 
 
 • To do nothing.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 229 
 
 is unnecessary to tell you that there are no rules with- 
 out exceptions. I lived in Venice as if I were in para- 
 dise for about a year, when one day ." The 
 
 voice of Arsalan Sultan was suddenly heard, calling 
 me to him, and Meloveeden's narrative was intenoipted 
 in the meantime.
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 The resolution of the Kirgheezian elders, with reference to my 
 
 reward The continuation of Meloveedeu's story. — Duel 
 
 Flight The renegade Jew. — Residence in Constantinople. — 
 
 What is Pera ? — Deceit. — Slavery Deliverance. 
 
 " My dear Ivan !" said Arsalan Sultan to me, " we 
 have decided your fate in a council of the elders. I 
 know you are melancholy about your country, and, if 
 you remain with us it is only from love to me. Go, in 
 God's name, Ivan ! Here is what we have resolved 
 upon with regard to you." Arsalan took out of his 
 bosom a little scrap of paper, which was wi'apped up in 
 several handkerchiefs, as if it were the greatest rarity, 
 and read as follows : — " 1. The prisoner of the invin- 
 cible, free, and famous Kirgheez nation, Ivan Vejee- 
 ghen, is set at liberty for liis great services to the dis- 
 tinguished tribe of Baganalee Keeptchak, and for sav- 
 ing the valuable life of Arsalan Sultan. — 2. The free 
 Ivan Vejeeghen is declared a son of the noble and ex- 
 cellent branch of Baganalee Keeptchak. If the said 
 Ivan Vejeeghen, looking with the eyes of wisdom, 
 should think of returning to the blessed and best coun- 
 try in the world, the Kirglieezian steppe, in that case 
 every father of a family must receive him into his yoort 
 as if he were his own son, and every Kirgheezian war- 
 rior as his brother, and every Kirgheezian maid as her
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 231 
 
 bridegroom or husband, according to the pleasure of 
 the said Ivan Vejeeghen. — 3. The whole excellent 
 tribe of Bagandlee Keeptcliak is bound to feed and 
 clothe Ivan Vejeeghen and heat his yoort, till such 
 time as he shall have grown-up children of his own, or 
 shall himself, of bis own accord, give up the privilege 
 granted to him. — 4. All the booty belonging to Ivan 
 Vejeeghen as well as his horses and camels, the elders 
 take upon them to sell on the first opportunity either 
 at Orenburg or at some of the Russian fortresses on 
 the frontier, and to remit him the money whithersoever 
 he shall order it. In the meantime they have collected 
 a thousand ducats for his present use, and given him 
 twelve bales of the most valuable merchandise, which 
 shall be delivered to him immediately. — 5. Ivan Ve- 
 jeeghen has a right to take out of the steppe with him 
 his Russian slaves, and shall receive a convoy and mi- 
 litary escort to the frontiers." 
 
 " Are you satisfied with our award ?" said Arsalan. 
 In place of an answer I threw myself about his neck, 
 and burst into tears. At the mei'e remembrance of my 
 native Russia all my vain glory evaporated like smoke, 
 and I resolved immediately to set off. " When do 
 you think of leaving us ?" enquired Arsalan. " To- 
 morrow," replied I, holding down my eyes, as if I 
 were ashamed of my ingratitude. " Then I shall make 
 every thing ready for your departure," said Arsalan, 
 and immediately called to him some of the elders. — 
 Not to interrupt them I went away to my yoort. 
 
 Wlien I made known to Meloveeden that we were 
 to set off next day for Russia, he could haidly contain
 
 232 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 himself for joy ; he wept, laughed, leaped, sang, and 
 at last composed himself, thanked God with tears for 
 his deliverance, and called me liis benefactor. " Ve- 
 jeeghen !" said Meloveeden clasping me to his 
 breast, " you have restored me to my country and to 
 freedom ; but this heait will be always devoted to you. 
 I am yours for ever I" The disbanded soldier was 
 no less rejoiced for his deliverance from infidels, and 
 begged me to retain him in my service, seeing that 
 he had neither a hole nor corner of his own in all 
 Russia. 
 
 After breakfasting upon mutton roasted on the coals, 
 and drinking brag,* I begged Meloveeden to finish his 
 narrative. 
 
 " One day," continued Meloveeden, " when I left 
 the house accompanied by my servant, in order to 
 take an airing in a gondola along the shore, a boy gave 
 me a note and hid himself. I supposed that it was a 
 billet donx, and made haste to read it. But for once 
 I was disappomted. The note was written in Russian, 
 and these were the contents : — 
 
 " If you have but a di"op of Russian noble blood re- 
 maining in you, and if your honoui* is not completely 
 tarnished in the career of debauchery, shew your face 
 to-morrow morning at twelve o'clock, on terra Jirma 
 at the Sun Tavern, on the banks of the Brenta with 
 a pair of pistols, without letting any one at home know 
 of this. You will know who I am, on the spot, where 
 one of us must fall." 
 
 * A sweetish half-fermented liquor made from rye-malt, of the 
 colour and consistence of porter.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 233 
 
 " Unable to guess from wliom this challenge miglit 
 be, I however resolved to appear at the appointed 
 hour, and immediately went to a friend of mine an 
 Englishman to ask him to be my second. Crossing in 
 my gondola to St. Mark's Square, I entered a coffee- 
 house under the arcade, hoping to find my friend there, 
 and at tlie door received another letter in the Frencli 
 language of the following contents : — " One of us must 
 fall that the other may be happy. To-moiTow, at 
 three o'clock in the afternoon, I shall wait you with 
 a sword on terra firma at the Swan Tavern on the 
 banks of the Brenta. We are acquaintances, and I 
 have no occasion to subscribe my name, as when we 
 meet, you will know whom you have to do with." 
 
 " Two duels in one day is no joke ! Notwithstand- 
 ing that I knew how to handle a sword, and that I was 
 reckoned a pretty good marksman when in the army, 
 I could not help being agitated on receiving of a sudden 
 two challenges. People may think as they please, yet 
 it is any thing but agreeable to be either killed or a 
 killer. I conjectured that it was my gallantry which 
 had brought me into this disagreeable predicament, 
 but could not make out what occasion could ann an 
 unknown fellow-countryman against me. The Eng- 
 lishman not only consented to be my second, but was 
 glad with the thoughts of being a spectator of two 
 deadly encoimters. He confessed to me that the na- 
 tional distemper, the spleen, had begun to torment 
 him, and that he had merely on that account under- 
 taken his travels through Europe, in order to meet
 
 234 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 with more opportunities of becoming acquainted with 
 death and spurning at life. 
 
 " I spent the whole day with the Englishman. He 
 endeavoured to check his spleen, and I to drown my 
 son'ows, in wine : we returned home very late. Next 
 morning I went to the Englishman's with my weapons, 
 and we set oft" immediately to the place of rendezvous, 
 in order that we might have time to breakfast before 
 death. 
 
 "About twelve o'clock in the morning we sallied foilh 
 into the main road, expecting to see our antagonist. 
 An Italian of a friendly exterior came up to us, and 
 asked which of us was called Meloveeden. After that, 
 he proposed to us to take a walk in the park where 
 my adversary awaited me. 
 
 " At the extreinity of a thicket I found my country- 
 man, who was walking backwards and fonvards with 
 hasty paces on a small plot of sward. I made up to 
 him, and raising my hat, said : " My good Sir ! I 
 have not the honour of knowing you, and consequent- 
 ly could not intentionally offiend you. It seems to 
 me that it would be but reasonable that we should 
 come to some explanation before engaging." " That 
 is not at all necessary," replied my countryman : " the 
 injuiy done me by you is of such a sort that it is im- 
 possible to efface it. You have also no occasion to loiow 
 my name. It is sufficient to say that I am a Russian 
 nobleman, and an officer, and have come here purposely 
 to fight you. Please to take your station and fire. 
 But recollect that, if you wish to act a magnanimous
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 235 
 
 part, you will save me the trouble of shooting you, 
 by doing it yourself. The terms of the duel are to 
 be, that our seconds are to measure out fifteen paces, 
 and we on the signal being given, shall be free either 
 to fire at once from our stance, or one of us allowing 
 his adversaiy to fire, may approach a pace nearer and 
 fire upon the other, presenting the pistol to his head." 
 " That is not duelling, but murdering," exclaimed I. 
 " WTiat ! Are you become a poltroon already, you 
 rascal," said my antagonist roughly. " If you attempt 
 to avoid your fate by cowardice, I will immediately 
 blow out your brains." He followed up the word by 
 the deed, and fell upon me like a madman, pistol in 
 hand ; and if the Englishman had not succeeded in 
 wresting it from him, he would probably have shot 
 me dead on the spot. My blood boiled witlun me. " I 
 will shew you my poltroonery," exclaimed I, and im- 
 mediately took my post. The signal was given, I 
 cocked, drew the trigger, and my adversary fell wel- 
 tering in his blood before he got time to fire. I flew 
 to his assistance, and to learn his name, and the cause 
 of his hatred towards me. But he screamed out 
 roughly for me to be off, and not pollute by my pre- 
 sence the last minutes of his life. His second, also, 
 did not chuse to answer my questions, and begged us 
 to retire. I retiimed with the Englishman to the 
 tavern, confounded at this incomprehensible occun-ence, 
 and resolved to wait for the other appointment with- 
 out returning to the city. About the time already 
 fixed, we went to the other tavern where we also 
 found a second. He conducted me into a room,
 
 236 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 where, to my gi-eatest astonishment, I found Count 
 Sensibili. " Your lessons in the Russian language, 
 said he, addressing himself to me, have had such an 
 eflfect upon my wife, that she has taken a fancy to 
 uplift her share of our property, and along with our 
 childi-en to set off for Russia. I therefore have re- 
 solved, Mr. Professor, to give you a lesson of another 
 sort. I might arm against you mercenary assassins, as 
 other husbands are wont to do here ; but being in the 
 military service, I follow other i-ules : so I wisli to do 
 myself the pleasure of dispatching you in person, for 
 the injury you have done me — I know all." " I shall 
 not say a word of the injury," said I ; " but if you 
 suppose that I have instigated your wife to leave you 
 and set off for Russia, I assure you that you ai"e com- 
 pletely mistaken, and that this is the first time I have 
 heard such a report." " Enough Sir, enough," replied 
 the Count. " Do not set off with a lie your double 
 
 deceit, with your wife and - - - but I 
 
 came not here to explain. Let us go into the garden." 
 There was no alternative, and I was obliged to fight, 
 sword in hand, with the unfortunate liusband. 
 
 " At first I endeavoured merely to i)arry my oppo- 
 nent's thrusts or give him a slight wound to put a stop 
 to the fray ; but the Count closed so violently upon me, 
 and made such furious attempts to dispatch me, that 
 I grew heated myself, and fell upon my antagonist 
 in good earnest. In desperation he attempted to get 
 hold of my sword, and fastened upon me. But the 
 point of my sword penetrated his breast, and he fell 
 insensible on the ground.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 237 
 
 " With the Englishman's assistance, I carried the 
 wounded man to the tavern, sent for a doctor, and, 
 leaving the Count to the care of his second, hastened 
 into the city. On arriving at home, I met my wife, 
 who gave me to imderstaad that the Count and Countess 
 Tzeetereen had shut themselves up in their rooms and 
 were in the gi'eatest distress ; that the Count had re- 
 fused to see the charming Petronella, and the Countess 
 had given orders not to admit me into her apailment, 
 and wished us to remove into other lodgings. My 
 Avife learned from the valet, that the Count's son, for- 
 merly a Captain in a hussar regiment, of whom we 
 knew nothing before this time, had come privately to 
 Venice, was mortally wounded in a duel, and in the 
 agonies of death had written liis parents such a letter, 
 that the Countess fainted three times, fell into hyste- 
 rics and a nervous paroxysm, while the Count expe- 
 rienced a violent attack of the gout and a sort of pa- 
 ralysis. I immediately guessed that my uTeconcileable 
 countryman was the Count's son, but concealed my 
 suspicions from my wife. In half an hour I received 
 a letter from the Countess Sensibili, in which she re- 
 proached me for the death of the father of her chil- 
 dren, called me a monster and a murderer, and for- 
 bade me to appear before her eyes. In despair I flew 
 to my friend the Englishman, and there learned that 
 the authorities were in search of the murderers of 
 Count Sensibili and of a foreign traveller, and that, if 
 I should not get across the frontiers before evening, 
 I would be arrested and shut up in prison. I returned 
 home, collected all my ready money and valuables.
 
 ^38 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 wrote a letter to my wife In which I informed her of 
 every thing that had happened, and advised her to re- 
 turn home to her father's and wait me there. After 
 that, I hired a gondola and rowed out to the roads. 
 
 " A Genoese vessel was unmooring in order to take 
 advantage of the favourable wind, to sail for Constan- 
 tinople. The captain whom I had treated the day be- 
 fore in the coffee-house, agreed to take me with him 
 without asking for my passport. At nine o'clock in the 
 evenmg I was already on the open sea. The tears 
 flowed from my eyes at the thoughts of my unhappy 
 wife whom I had never ceased to love, and whom I, 
 by my own giddiness, and to speak the truth, liberti- 
 nism, had led into temptation. But now there was no 
 remedy, and though my heart was ready to burst, I 
 resolved to bear my misfortunes with firmness. Re- 
 pentance harrowed up my soul, and I swoi-e I would 
 reform. 
 
 " Amongst the passengers there was a Turk. He 
 spoke French and Italian very well, and perceiving my 
 melancholy, endeavoured to divert me with his con- 
 versation. He was about fifty years of age, liad tra- 
 velled much in Europe and Asia, had been in Egypt, 
 and liad acquired much experience by reading and ob- 
 servation. He acquainted me that he was a Hamburgh 
 Jew, had studied medicine at Leyden, and in the 
 thirteenth year of his age, being at Constantinople, 
 had resolved to change his persuasion for the Maho- 
 medan, from pure conviction, without any interested 
 motives. Not being accustomed to dispute about re- 
 ligion, I paid no attention to his reasonings upon that
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 239 
 
 subject ; but observing that he entered upon it more 
 frequently, and sang loudly the praises of Islamism, 
 I declared to him resolutely, that, if he wished to con- 
 tinue on friendly terms with me, he should never speak 
 upon that subject. The renegade complied with my 
 wishes, and confined his panegyrics after this to the 
 Turkish government, to which I listened with patience, 
 merely in order to get some knowledge of the manners 
 and customs of the Turks. Above all, he extolled the 
 honesty of the followers of Mahomet, their adhesive- 
 ness to their word, and affirmed that Islamism had 
 cured himself of the natm-al propensities of the Israel- 
 ites, who, in his opinion, have never ceased to wor- 
 ship the golden calf, though in a different form. 
 
 " We had a prosperous voyage, and soon arrived at 
 the harbour of Constantinople. I removed to Pera, 
 to an Italian who kept a sort of lodging-house. On 
 unpacking my portmanteau, I almost fainted when I 
 found that my money and valuables were gone. I flew 
 in despair to the master of the vessel, and told liim of 
 the robber)^ He vouched for the honesty of liis crew, 
 but would not answer for the passengers. " If you 
 had committed the money and things to my keeping, 
 that misfortune would not have happened to you," said 
 he. " At present you have only yom-self to blame. I 
 am not a rich man myself, and can give you but little 
 assistance. But here are ten ducats for you ; you will 
 repay me when you are able." With a sore heart I 
 returned to the lodging-house, and on the way met 
 with my acquaintance the renegade, to whom I related 
 my misfortune — " Mahomet commands us to succour
 
 240 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 the needy, not only of our own faitli, but all good 
 people," said he. " I reckon you to be so, and offer 
 you board and lodging at my house gratis : otherwise, 
 if you should be in funds at any future time, I shall 
 not refuse to accept of payment. But at present there 
 is no occasion to enlarge upon that. Take your baggage 
 out of the tavern, and I will conduct you to my house." 
 I did not know how to thank the renegade for his ge- 
 nerous offer, and immediately availed myself of it. 
 The Porte was then at war with Russia, and there- 
 fore we had no ambassador. I told no one that I was 
 a Russian, but called myself a Slavonian from Bocca 
 di cataro. In the coffee-houses of Pera, I formed 
 some acquaintances among the christian inhabitants of 
 Constantinople, which contributed to my diversion and 
 even to my subsistence. In the renegade's house I 
 scarcely saw any body, and he rarely spoke to me, being 
 continually occupied witli business. I had my victuals 
 brought me into my own little room ; but the bread of 
 charity was not only bitter but very deficient in weight. 
 My daily allowance of jjillav was not more than a 
 physician would have prescribed to keep me from 
 dying of famishment ; and if I had not got assistance 
 from the Greeks, I would certainly have pined away 
 for want of nourishment. 
 
 " How can living in Constantinople please a man of 
 education and sensibility ? The Europeans have 
 liardly any direct intercourse with the Turks, who in 
 their pride and ignorance despise all Christians, and 
 only vouchsafe to receive them into their company, 
 when they anticipate some advantage from their ac-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 241 
 
 quaintance. In addition to this, the routine of Turkish 
 life keeps them at a distance from Europeans. The 
 Mahomedan, if not ens^aged in the service of go- 
 vernment, spends the greater part of liis life in his 
 harem, and knows no other pleasure than that of 
 smoking his pipe and drinking coffee in a cofl'ee-house, 
 lookmg at the end of his nose, and listening to the hi- 
 cubrations of the coffee-house babblers or story-tellers 
 who constitute a class of themselves. The Turks are 
 very sparing of words, and only voluble when they 
 abuse the Franks, that is Eui-opeans, and all Giaours 
 particidarly Rayas or the Christian subjects of the 
 Porte. Sometimes the Sultan himself gets a share of 
 it, particularly when he undertakes any reform, which 
 is always regarded as an encroachment on Islam. In 
 the coffee-houses, under the very gates of the Seraglio, 
 they abuse the Sultan, who could at a nod cut off 
 their heads, with as great boldness as in Europe our 
 opposition Journals attack the ministry. In other re- 
 spects, the monotonous life of the Turks and tlieir ig- 
 norance can afford the European no pleasure in their 
 company, and, if travellers occasionally seek to form 
 their acquaintance, it is from mere curiosity, to fill 
 their note-books with semifictitious stories. 
 
 " All the business both political and commercial of 
 Constantinople is managed by the Perotes or inhabi- 
 tants of the suburb called Pera, which forms not only 
 a division of the town, but a sejiarate kingdom, a se- 
 parate people ! Here live the descendants of Euro- 
 peans, Italians, (mostly Venetians,) Illyrians, and 
 other southern Slavonians, Catholic Armenians, a small 
 
 M
 
 242 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 number of French, and still less English and Germans. 
 The Perotes may pride themselves upon the circum- 
 stance of their ancestors being on an equal footing 
 with the first founders of Rome in the time of Ro- 
 mulus, with this difference, that the founders of Rome 
 gained a subsistence by force of arms, and openly 
 robbed on the high-way, while the ancestors of the 
 Perotes attained the same end by less violent means. 
 " The Perotes can claim this distinction before the 
 Romans, that they have not changed the customs of 
 their ancestors. 
 
 The carelessness of the Turkish police in look- 
 ing after Europeans, has brought to Constantinople 
 knights of industry, and bankrupts of all nations, 
 who have taken up their residence in Pera, under 
 the protection of the standard of Mahomet. The 
 language of the Perotes is an Italian made up of all 
 the dialects of Italy, with a mixture of Turkish, Greek, 
 and Slavonian words pronounced in a peculiar way. 
 Their ignorance of every thing regarding the arts and 
 sciences is on a parallel with that of the Turks; but their 
 finesse makes up for all their deficiencies, and a know- 
 ledge of languages constitutes alltheirwisdom. Thechil- 
 dren, while they are hardly able to lisp, are taught to 
 speak Turkish, Greek, French, and Italian. This is the 
 means of conducting the Perotes to riches and honours, 
 putting into their hands all the diplomatic affairs of 
 the Porte ; for it is from them that the Dragomans or 
 Tolmatches are selected for the European missions. 
 It may be easily conjectured with what fidelity they 
 serve the Europeans, when it is plain as day-light that 
 a Perote knows nothing in the world more excellent
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 243 
 
 than his own dirty Pera, nothinc; more majestic than 
 a Turk, nothing wiser or mightier tlian tlie Sultan, 
 and nothing worse than all nations and all people who 
 do not profess the Roman Catholic faith, or have not 
 the honour of being Mussulmen. The ambition of a 
 Perote does not go farther than the place of Dragoman, 
 and the only object of his life is the accumulation of 
 money. They also take up the calling of trading- 
 consuls and brokers, and after gi'owing ricli by the 
 help of commerce and roguery, set up for bankers. 
 The Perotes hate the Greeks, and do them all the 
 harm they can when they have it in their power, being 
 afraid lest they should take the trade out of their 
 hands. The Greeks hate the Roman Catholics, merely 
 because they are of the same persuasion as the Perotes. 
 Among the Greeks, to call any one a Perote is syno- 
 nymous with the term Jesuit among us. The Euro- 
 pean travellers and oflicial people belonging to the dif- 
 ferent embassies, have more intercourse with the Pe- 
 rotes owing to the similarity of their mode of living 
 to the European, and to the facility of communication 
 without the use of the Eastern languages. The wo- 
 men act a leading part in the Perote community. Their 
 whole occupation consists in sitting, during summer, 
 the whole day on a sofa, and in winter at a tandoor. 
 This tandoor is a sort of low square table, covered 
 with a wadded quilt, and on the top with green cloth. 
 Under the table there is a brazier with burning char- 
 coal, which gives heat to the honourable company who 
 are seated on small sofas around the tandoor, hiding 
 their feet under the table, and covering themselves up 
 M 2
 
 244 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 to the waist with the coverlet. There are no stoves 
 or chimneys, as you may be aware, in Constantinople. 
 At these tandoors, they play cards, talk scandal, praise 
 the Sultan when he cuts off the heads and confiscates 
 the property of his subjects who have not the honour 
 to be Perotes, and carry on love intrigues by handing 
 billets don.f under the coverlets. The Perote females 
 are distinguished for their propensity to love-adven- 
 tures, and most of them assist their husbands, brothers, 
 and fathers in their struggles for preferment and wealth, 
 and in the discovery of political secrets. Owing to the 
 ^vant of a polished European community, tlie foreign 
 envoys invite the Perote ladies to tlieir balls and routes, 
 and these ladies constitute the great world of Constan- 
 tinople, in proportion to their means and connections. 
 " A Greek acquaintance introduced me anjong the 
 Perotes ; but as I liad no money, and did not wish to 
 try more experim<>nts in love, I met with but a dry re- 
 ception. I had myself but little ])leasure in a society 
 where I found no food either for the mind or the heait. 
 Among the Greeks I found more sincerity, more in- 
 tellect, and more politeness, llian among the Perotes. 
 The Grecian females are almost all beauties, while, 
 on the contrary, among the Perotes beauty is very rare. 
 The wives and daughters of tlie Greek Boyars or des- 
 cendants of the ancient Greek families, are distinguish- 
 oA for their personal and mental charms ; but they 
 <lo not appear in Evn-opean society, as the Perotes do 
 all they can to keep them out of the way. The Ar- 
 menians, being entirely occupied in trade and the ex- 
 change and transfer of money, live according to their
 
 IV^AN VEJEEGHEN. 245 
 
 own fashions. The Jews, as they are everywhere, 
 are rag-dealers, l)arbers, retail shopkeepers, errand- 
 nmners, and rogues, except some ridi jewellers who 
 are distinguished for cheating in the wholesale way. — 
 The Turkish police keeps a sliarp look out upon every 
 thing relating to trade and civil order, as far as they 
 contribute to the peace and exigencies of a Mussul- 
 man's life. To the affau's and proceedings of the Franks 
 it does not pay the smallest attention, till a complaint 
 be lodged for roguery or murder ; but even then it 
 allows the guilty to buy themselves off. Owing to 
 this, there is not in the ^^'hole world such a rendezvous 
 for rocues as at Constantinople. It is their mother- 
 country, and more astonishing than all that, with the 
 exception of the officers of the pjuropean embassies 
 and casual travellers, the honestest people in Constan- 
 tinople are the infidels, that is to say, the Turks. 
 
 " I spent four months in Constantinople very miser- 
 ably, not knowing what to resolve upon, when, on a 
 sudden, it was reported that the plague had apj^eared 
 in some quai"ters of the town. Knowing that it is a 
 difficult matter for a poor man, and especially a Chris- 
 tian to take precautions against infection, and not wish- 
 ing to be its victim, I intended to leave Constantinople 
 for the islands of the Archipelago or for Russia. A 
 friend of mine assured me that I, being a son of the 
 eastern chuixh, would be received with open arms in 
 the islands which follow the Greek persuasion, but dis- 
 suaded me from seeking an asylum among the Roman 
 Catholic Greeks. I mentioned this intention to my 
 landlord ; but he opposed it strongly. " You do not 
 M 3
 
 246 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 know the Greeks," said he to me. " Self interest is 
 their only God, which they continually worship, and 
 bickerings and disagreements are their only occupa- 
 tion. Without money you will be received like a 
 beggar, though gifted with all the talents in the world. 
 Listen to me — I have been long thinking of your con- 
 dition, and have at last succeeded in finding a situation 
 for you. There is a Persian merchant here, one of 
 the richest capitalists in the East. He wants an Eu- 
 ro])ean clerk for his trade. Throw aside your nobility 
 for a season, and serve with a merchant. In five or six 
 years, you will have become a millionaire yourself : 
 return to your native countiy, throw your mantle of 
 noblesse again about your shoulders, and live after the 
 manner of ) our caste, pouring emptiness into vacuity." 
 After thinking a little, I agi'eed to the renegade's pro- 
 posal, and next day we arranged to go to the Persian. 
 " The Persian spoke a little Russian, and had been on 
 some occasions in Moscow and Petersburgh. " I want 
 a man who knows the French and Italian languages," 
 said the Persian ; " but so much the better that in addi- 
 tion to that, you understand the Russian. Make 
 ready to-morrow for setting off with my caravan. If 
 you l>ehave yourself well, you will have a good life of 
 it with me." I wished to know upon what terms the 
 merchant was to receive me into his service ; but the 
 renegade dissuaded me by the insinuation that I Avoidd 
 spoil all the business by an appearance of selfishness. 
 " In all countries not civilized like Em-opeans," added 
 he in French, " the merchants do not pay a fixed yearly 
 salary to their clerks, but give them a share of the
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 247 
 
 l)rofit. You should not shew yourself avaricious ; 
 on the contrary, you should rejoice only in your em- 
 ployer's advantages, as if you did not think of your 
 own. Then the merchant will give you a share, and 
 you will become his partner. But till such time as he 
 knows you and loves you, you should go to work assi- 
 duously, as is the way in the east between masters and 
 servants. Ilesolve, my dear fiiend, to put up with 
 some little temporary disgusts, in order to insure your 
 happiness for the remahider of your days. You told 
 me yourself, that you had no means of subsistence in 
 your own country, and that, besides, you had no hope 
 of ever attaining riches there. It does not answer to 
 live for ever at another man's expence, and it is best 
 of all to be indebted only to yourself for yom* income." 
 Tlie words of the renegade, " It does not answer to 
 live at another man's expence," made me decide, 
 whatever it should cost. The same evening I removed 
 to the Persian's quarters at a caravanserai, and next 
 day we set off. I shall not describe to you either the 
 towns or the countries through which we passed, nor 
 the customs of the various Asiatic tribes whom I saw 
 on my jom-ney : that would take up too much time. 
 I may describe all that I saw in a few words — igno- 
 rance, roughness, rudeness of manners, constitute the 
 leading qualities of those nations, with the only dif- 
 ference, that in the Asiatic towns where trade floui-islies, 
 effeminacy and pusillanimity occupy the place of love 
 to acquaintance, and the arts and refinements of luxury, 
 and that the nomade tribes of Asia, on the contrary, 
 are distinguished for their wild bravery and open robbe- 
 M 4
 
 248 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 ry. My dear friend, among Europeans there are peo- 
 ple who exclaim against civilization ! let them look at 
 Asia-Minor, and compare its present state with what 
 it was under the rule of the wise caliphs, the lovers 
 and protectors of civilization. Ignorance degrades 
 humanity to the condition of an irrational animal, and 
 the most ravenous creatures on the face of the earth 
 are a half civilized people, who, having advanced only 
 one step beyond savages, have learned only one letter 
 in the great book of civilization, and take words for 
 things, and things for words. It is only selfish culprits 
 who can wish for ignorance, in order to take advantage 
 of the obscurity, to get rid of their vamped-up wares 
 and base money. But, my dear friend, I cannot give 
 you a better illustration of the advantage of civilization, 
 than the following anecdote which has been impressed 
 on my memory since my childhood. 
 
 " For what end do you set a-going academies and 
 schools, and disseminate the sciences ?" said the Vizier 
 Moozafer to the Caliph Harouu al Raschid. " Don't 
 you think that tlie people, once they are instructed, 
 will more easily get the better of you ?" " Certainly ;" 
 replied the Caliph, " the instructed people will be 
 better able to judge of the justice of my laws and the 
 purity of my intentions." " But will they pay the 
 taxes better ?" " Certainly ; tliey will find more means 
 in their enliglitened state to attain riches, and will, 
 besides, comprehend that I do not ask more tlian what 
 is absolutely necessary." " Will they fight your wars 
 better ?" " Much better, when they comprehend 
 that the happiness of every family depends upon the
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 249 
 
 welfare and glory of their country ; and, besides, they 
 Avill fight more successfully under the guidance of able 
 commanders." " But will not your wise men, your 
 l)hilosophers, think of meddling in the affairs of go- 
 vernment ? Will they not venture to notice the eiTors 
 of your administration ?" " Let them seek for them, 
 find them, and tell me of them ; I will be more upon 
 ray guard in the future, and govern tliem all the better." 
 " How, would you, oh light of the world ! allow your 
 wise-acres to speak boldly every thing which might 
 come into their head ?" " If I did not, they could 
 not enlighten us." " But cannot the wisest man fall 
 into mistakes ; may they not set up error for tnith ?" 
 " One will fall into a mistake, and the other will per- 
 ceive it and correct it." "My Lord! I must at last warn 
 you of the consequences of all this ; as soon as your 
 people are instnicted, some daring spirits will venture 
 to criticize the proceedings of your favomites, of those 
 who enjoy your confidence, and withal of me, even of 
 me myself r " I understand you," said the Caliph, 
 and left the room. This allegory I would have written 
 up in letters of gold on some public monument, for the 
 conviction of bigols and rogues who wish for the in- 
 crease of ignorance, in order that they may catch fish 
 in muddy water. It were to be wished that all legis- 
 lators had before their eyes the example of Haroun al 
 Raschid, Avho, by spreading education among the 
 rude people of Asia, gained strength, riches, and glory. 
 Civilization departed from Asia, antl the empire de- 
 parted from the Caliphs ! 
 
 " A number of merchants and travellers united them-
 
 250 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 selves with us in order that they might proceed with 
 greater safety ; for, in the countries of ignorance, there 
 is no possibiHty of travelling without an escort of arm- 
 ed men. We hired a guard from town to to^ATi. My 
 employer appointed me to superintend the caravan, 
 and behaved toAvards me veiy civilly, and quite on a 
 footing of equality. But as soon as we an-ived within 
 the Persian dominions, he informed me that I was his 
 slave, andthat he had bought me from the renegade Jew. 
 It was to no puqjose that I told him, the renegade had 
 no right to sell me, because I was never taken prisoner, 
 but came to Constantinople of my own accord, as a 
 traveller, under the jirotection of the laws and rights 
 of nations. Tlie Persian explained to me, that ,there 
 Avas now war between the Turks and Ilixsslans ; that 
 the renegade knew that I was a Russian, consequently 
 it was lawful for every Turk to take a Russian captive 
 wherevei it might be ; and besides that, I was owing 
 the renegade for board and lodging, more than I would 
 be able to discharge all my life. " You made no bar- 
 gain with the renegade," added the Persian ; " conse- 
 quently he was at liberty to demand as much as he 
 pleased from you, though it should be a thousand 
 sequins !" To persuade me fully of my slavery, the 
 Persian shewed me a paper which he called the deed 
 of purchase, witnessed by a Cadi in Constantinople. 
 I was obliged to be silent aiul take the blame to myself ! 
 After passing through the famous Persian cities of Ta- 
 breez and Teheran, we arrived at last at the town of 
 Astrabad, wliere my master had liis regular residence, 
 and cariiod on an extensive trade with Bukliaria, Kliee-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 251 
 
 va, and Russia. He had no occasion for my assistance 
 in business, but appointed me to instiiict his son, a 
 boy of twelve years of age, in languages ; letting me 
 know at the sametime, that any attempt of mine to 
 escape from my servitude, would be punished with 
 death, while submission without murmuring would be 
 rewai'ded by good entertainment and civil usage. In 
 reality, I was treated in his house with sufficient hu- 
 manity, as our country gentlemen who Jiave good 
 tempers behave to their sons' governors or the parish 
 schoolmasters. * One day I was in my master's apart- 
 ment, when a merchant came to him to buy some 
 articles of gallantry. My master spread out upon the 
 table a number of precious stones, ear-rings and neck- 
 laces of European workmanship, and I was quite as- 
 tonished when I saw among them those very things 
 which liad been stolen from me on board the ship. — 
 When the merchant, after having cheapened and ex- 
 amined the things, left the room, I said to the Persian, 
 " Master ! among those valuables I see the things 
 wliich belonged to me. I cannot suspect you of any 
 dishonesty, seeing you were not on board the vessel in 
 which my property was stolen from me. But tell me, 
 if you please, in what way you procured these things ?"' 
 " I bought them at Constantinople of your old landlord, 
 the renegade Jew," replied the Pei'sian. " And this 
 is the honesty which the Jew has learned in the Ma- 
 
 * The deacon of every parish is the schoohiiaster c.r officio in 
 the Russian C^hurch, and poor people can attain, at his school, a 
 knowledge of reading, writing, and arithmetic, for a very mode- 
 rate fee. 
 
 M G
 
 252 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 homedan faith, " exclaimed I involuntarily. " Friend !" 
 replied the Persian, " the faith was not to blame, but 
 the man. Take this advice from me. Be on your 
 guard always against a home-bred wolf, and a man 
 whose religious conversion has risen from low mo- 
 tives of self-interest." 
 
 " I was more than three years in slavery, and at last 
 resolved to flee, notwithstanding the threats of capital 
 punishment. I formed an acquaintance with a Bukh- 
 arian merchant, and promised him a high ransom if 
 he would take me to Russia. Fortunately the Bukli- 
 arian had been in Moscow, and knew my uncle, 
 liaving sold him some shawls for his housekeeper. — 
 The Bukharian took me with him from Astrabad, and 
 united with the caravan which was on its wayto Russia, 
 through the Kirgheezian steppe. The remainder you 
 know. I am indebted to you for my freedom. On 
 my return to Moscow I am determined to seek for 
 my wife, and to rid myself completely of two unfortu- 
 nate weaknesses — raking and extravagance — to return 
 to the service, and gain by my labours, though a poor, 
 yet an honest livelihood." " Amen !" said I ; I com- 
 mend your resolution, and in the meantime we must 
 make ready for our joumey."
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 I quit tlie Steppe — Another provincial magistrate — Custom-house 
 officers — A lawyer's dinner. 
 
 I shall not describe how .^e took leave of Arsalan 
 Sultan, his family, and the whole aool. I shall merely 
 say that from the oblong grey eyes of the Kirgheez 
 teai's dropped much more sincere than those tears 
 which are set off by our mourning-apparel, with 
 tveepers;^ and although neither the fai-ewell of Abelard 
 and Eloisa, nor of Hector and Andromache, nor the 
 friendly expressions of Orestes and Pylades have been 
 translated into the Kirgheezian language, yet the simple 
 expression of adieu by the worthy Arsalan and my 
 companions his horsemen, moved me to the quick. To 
 speak the truth, the Kirgheezian beauties were not a 
 little displeased with me for resolving to leave the 
 steppe which was adorned with their charms ; but at 
 the last moment, all was forgotten. The old men con- 
 soled the rest by repeating, " He will return back to 
 us : you will see that he will return. It is impossible 
 that such a fine youth should like any other place better 
 than the Kirgheezian steppe." 
 
 I with Meloveeden went foremost. The old sol- 
 dier, Niketas Petroff, whom I took into ray service, 
 
 * Narrow facings of white cambric, attached to the black coats 
 of mourners.
 
 254 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 led three camels with our baggage. Thirty light horse- 
 men formed our escort, and followed us at a short dis- 
 tance. The weather was warm, and our ride was very 
 pleasant. 
 
 A man of the world witli a good heart and sound 
 mind, ordy Icnows his real value at a distance from 
 society. Trifling cares, connections, acquaintances, 
 and temptations, withdraw his mind from important 
 objects ; and it is only the stroke of misfortune or so- 
 litude, which tears aAvay the sorcerous blind from his 
 eyes. " I now feel in full measure the nothingness of 
 all that I formerly reckoned blessings," said Melo- 
 veeden one day to me ; " and thank Providence that he 
 has rescued me from the snares of vice by means of 
 misfortunes which I deserved for my giddiness, or, 
 properly speaking, bad behaviour. Here am I, a so- 
 litary man on the face of the earth, Avithout wife, with- 
 out relations, without friends, without any thing to 
 subsist upon ; and, besides, I have no right to excite 
 pity by my condition, and console myself by the re- 
 membrance of my innocence. Bitter fate ! what might 
 I now have been, if I had continued in the service, 
 employed my talents for the public benefit, and en- 
 deavoured to gain the attention and respect of reput- 
 able people, true sons of their father-land ? I sought 
 in life nothing but pleasure and dissipation, never 
 troubling myself about the future, and not caring about 
 the present. Wliat liave I got by those foolish ac- 
 quaintances, connections founded on profligacy! Empti- 
 ness of heart, and repentance of soul. I ruined my 
 wife, whose only fault was thoughtlessness. I might
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 25o 
 
 have made of lier a good and happy companion, the 
 ornament of her sex. My dear friend ! Let my ex- 
 ample serve yon for a lesson. In my youth I had no 
 guide to be depended upon : this was the cause of all 
 my misfortimes ! My lively imagination and hot tem- 
 per, were allowed full reins. No one thought of giv- 
 ing me any rules for my guidance through the journey 
 of life. In my youth I regarded as synonymous, mo- 
 rality and ennui. Vejeeghen, you are at present in 
 exactly such a predicament as I was at your years. 
 You have also been taught every thing except that 
 which is mdispensably necessary for you to know. Be- 
 ware of people who seek your friendship merely for 
 the sake of pursuing pleasure in company. Never 
 obey first emotions, and consider the means well be- 
 fore you set about the attainment of your ends. You 
 are a handsome lad ! Take care of the women. - 
 But you are yawning, Vejeeghen ! I see that moral 
 philosophy will act upon you moi"e by example than 
 by precept." And in reality, not being accustomed to 
 hear lectures on morality, I could hardly keep from 
 j^leeping on my saddle, when Meloveeden gave vent 
 to his feelings from the bottom of his soul. " My 
 dear friend," added he, " whether you will or not, I 
 must be yoiir guide in tlie world. If not my past mo- 
 rality, at least my past experience and present wish to 
 reform, as well as my affection for you, give me a title 
 to it." I gave him my hand, and he clasping it in his 
 own, said : " For ever." 
 
 Within an hour's march of the first Russian fore- 
 post, we took leave of our Kirgheezian, escort. When
 
 256 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 we saw the Russian sentinel, our hearts beat quicker, 
 and we sent up our prayers in tears, with blessings on 
 our dear country. One must be absent from it to feel 
 the pleasure of returning to the land of his nativity. 
 The first minute after crossing the frontiers is quite 
 enchanting. The future presents itself in its most 
 attractive form ; all its shadings disappear from the 
 picture, and every man who speaks his mother-tongue 
 is hailed as a friend, as a brother ! 
 
 The commander of the forepost, a Cossack officer, 
 received us very civilly, but at the sametime signified 
 to us, that, as we had no passports, and Avere return- 
 ing to Russia with things not yet used, he must pre- 
 sent us in the first place to the local authorities, where 
 we would receive tickets of residence ; in the second 
 place to the custom-house, where our goods would be 
 examined, the duty paid, and stamps affixed. Next 
 day we set off thither, escorted by an orderly and six 
 Cossacks. 
 
 On arriving at the district-town we waited upon 
 the Sheriff. Michael Ivanoveetch Shtweekofi' had been 
 Major in an infantry regiment, had retired on account 
 of his wounds, and accepted of the appointment of 
 Capitan Eespravnik of his native place, at the request 
 of the landholders. He was a man of about forty 
 years of age, and had rather an air of moroseness and 
 importance about him. It was also observable, that, 
 from his habits of command and subordination, he ex- 
 pected submission from those whom he reckoned Iiis 
 inferiors. When we waited upon him, he hardly rose 
 from his chair, and in return to our bows only nodded
 
 IVAN VEJEEGIIEN. 257 
 
 his head. Then lie took the paper from the orderly, 
 and as soon as he read in it, that Meloveeden was a 
 retired lieutenant, and I a minor of a noble family, he 
 rose a second time, made a respectful bow, although 
 very drily, and, as it is called, from on high ; then 
 he sat down, and pointing to a row of chairs beside 
 the opposite wall, said with a drawling voice : " We 
 beg you will please to be seated." In the meantime 
 his clerk appeared, who, stretcliing himself like a 
 fiddle-string, and with his arm bent like a tailor, Avaited 
 the word of command. " Gentlemen," said Shtweekoft', 
 " there liave been cases of Russian vagrants, and even 
 criminals concealing themselves in the Kirghecziau 
 steppes, returning from thence under other names, and 
 even calling themselves people of rank. To put a 
 stop to this mischief, the orders at present are, not to 
 give passports to Russian travellers till we have proofs 
 of their statements being correct. And so you must 
 excuse me if I detain you iu oiu* town till answers 
 come from Moscow, and the government-town, to my 
 papers, which I shall send off by this post. I know that 
 if I should wait till I received a decision from a court 
 of law, before I gave you your passports, your hairs- 
 would grow gi'ey with grief and old age ; but I per- 
 mit myself some liberties for the common good. 1 
 have written to the governor direct with my own hand, 
 and to Moscow to a friend of mine. If I am convinc- 
 ed of the veracity of your statements, I will storm all 
 forms. I now beg one of you will retire to the other 
 room, till we take the other's verbal statement." An 
 attendant conducted me into another room tlu-oucfh the
 
 258 IVAN VEJEEGHEN, 
 
 passage, and from ennui I employed myself in ex- 
 amining- the pictures which hung on the walls in 
 wooden frames, stained with black oil paint. Above 
 all, my attention was attracted to an inscription under 
 a glass, wi-itten on parchment in letters, composed of 
 human figures in various positions, heels uppemnost, 
 on their knees, crawling, &c. The inscription was 
 to this effect : " Such is the world now-a-days !" 
 Farther on hung some copperplates painted with the 
 finger, and engraved with a nail ; the four seasons of 
 the year ; the four quarters of the globe; the adven- 
 tures of Genevieve of Brabant ; and in the most ho- 
 nourable place, above a large elbow-chair, tlie portrait 
 of Peter the Great. In a small cupboard with a glass 
 door, there stood some dozens of books, amongst 
 which I observed. The Bible and Neio Testament ; 
 the Ball of Bussian History, by Kheelkoff ; Tatis- 
 tcheffs Bussian History ; the Law Memorandum 
 Book ; the Woo'ks of Lomonosojf; and the Address- 
 calendar. In a quarter of an hour I was called into 
 the Eespravnik's sitting room, and had to give answers 
 to the questions put. I merely mentioned that I had 
 quitted my aunt in Moscow in company with Vorovaa- 
 teen for Orenburg ; that I was taken ill in that town, 
 and on coming to my senses, found myself a prisoner 
 among the Kirgheez, not knowing how. I did not 
 wish to state my conjectures concerning Vorovaateen 
 and NojofF, and that Arsalan Sultan had saved me from 
 the hands of monsters who wished to take away my life. 
 That would have carried me too far, and might have 
 involved me in a criminal suit. Meloveeden advised
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 259 
 
 me to keep silent about it, till we should make some 
 further discoveries, or should meet with Voravaateeii. 
 When the examination was finished, the sheriflf required 
 me to give up into his custody all my money, and sig- 
 nified that he would seek out for us reasonable and 
 comfortable lodgings, where they would give us credit. 
 " Your money I shall return you," added he, " when- 
 ever I get answers from Moscow and the Governor !" 
 At these words Meloveeden could not contain his in- 
 dignation, but exclaimed : " How do you dare to plun- 
 der us ?" " To plunder," repeated the Eespravnik, 
 growing red with chagrin. " Sir, I have taken a town 
 by storm, I have niled provinces, but never plundered. 
 You may thank your stars that your situation and my 
 office do not allow us to settle the affair in another 
 way. I act according to law ; do you understand me, 
 according to law! you are passportless individuals. I 
 do not know who you are, and my reason for not leav- 
 ing money in your hands is, to prevent you from over- 
 leaping all the precautions which I have taken ou your 
 account. If I left it with you, it would be all the 
 same as if I left with Tui'kish prisoners the keys of my 
 powder-magazine. Please to depart to your lodgings !" 
 Recollecting Sava Saveetch, and thinking all Eesprav- 
 niks were birds of a feather, I said to him : "I say 
 Mr. Major, let us settle the business amicably ; take 
 for youi'self a couple of hundred ducats, and let us oft" 
 to day for Moscow without further trouble." The Ees- 
 prarnik's face again glowed like a coal ; he darted his 
 large eyes in my face and held his peace. " If that is 
 too little," added I, " take another hundred, and free
 
 260 IVAN VEJCEGHEN. 
 
 us from farther claims." At this the Eespravnik 
 heaved a groan, blustered forth two or three dozen 
 abusive expressions, which, however, had no direct 
 reference to any one, and wliich were repeated by us 
 unconsciously in a sort of wliisper, and exclaimed in a 
 fury ; " Young man ! hold your tongue, or I shall 
 not be able to contain myself ! How do you dare to 
 offer me money ? You have certainly spent your 
 
 youth among rogues or" He cbidd not 
 
 finish his speech for passion. I answered cooly ; " Ex- 
 cuse me, I have known sheriffs, judges, and even 
 procureurs." " Devil take them and you," exclaimed 
 the Eespravnile ; " deliver up your money, and be off 
 with you." Here was no alternative, and I gave up 
 my bagful of ducats. The Eespravnik counted over the 
 money in silence, gave me an acknowledgment that 
 he had received it into his custody, and ordered an in- 
 valid to conduct us to our lodgings, saying that that 
 attendant would remain with us for a guard of honour. 
 When we got into the street, Meloveeden said, " \A'hat 
 do you think now, brother ; we have fallen out of tlie 
 frying pan into the fire ! Iliis Eespravnik has no more 
 ceremony about him than the Kirglieezian troopers. 
 We shall see our ducats as soon as we see our ears, I 
 am afraid ! Gold melts like butter when it passes 
 through the hands of these law-mongers. What a 
 cursed Capitan Eespravnik ?" " Do not get into a 
 })assion, my dear friend, and do not judge too hastily, 
 replied I ; " it is true that this Capitan Eespraimik 
 is as rough as a wild horse; ; but you perceived wliat a 
 passion he got into when we suspected him of bribery."
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 261 
 
 " That is all a fetch," returned Meloveeden; " it is long 
 since I gave up trusting in the integrity of people in 
 office, and I am ready to pledge you any thing that 
 we shall never see more of our ducats. You will not 
 knock money out of that fellow's pocket with a cannon 
 shot : why should he liave been content with a part, 
 when he had the whole in his power ? You surely know 
 the mathematical axiom that a part cannot be equal to 
 the whole." "But the receipt?" "What is that 
 scrap of paper worth, when even a regular stamp in 
 the hands of a lawyer turns into tinder as if it were on 
 the coals. They will pluck you so, that you will be 
 glad to leave them all your property in their hands for 
 the sake of preserving your body and soul." " We 
 shall see !" " W^e shall see !" 
 
 There were two clean rooms hired for us in the 
 house of a merchant who traded in wine, sugar, tea, 
 and groceries. We found waiting us the gentlemen of 
 the custom-house, who were circumambulating our bales 
 of goods as a fox does a hen-house ; but our old soldier, 
 like a real mastiff, was guarding our property, seated ou 
 a bale, and squinting about on every side. We had 
 hardly entered the room, when the custom-house offi- 
 cers came up to us, one of them with leaden stamps, 
 a hammer, and strings, another with writing paper, 
 and a third with a large book under his arm. " Ex- 
 cuse us, gentlemen, for disturbing you," said one of 
 them, with a gentleman-like air ; " But we shall soon 
 finish the business," returned the second. " And we 
 shall arrange it as is most agreeable to yourselves, re- 
 iving upon your word," added the third. " Our duty
 
 262 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 is encumbered with many unpleasantnesses," said the 
 first; " but between men of honour and breeding, there 
 are ways and means to soften and shorten the tedious 
 and disagreeable part of the business ; particularly in 
 the present case, we must be indulgent ; you are not 
 merchants, and do not know that you must give a de- 
 claration, make out a list of the merchandize, put 
 down the value, and write and subscribe a great variety 
 of different papers !" " I will take all that upon my- 
 self," said the second, rolling up the paper and making 
 a respectful bow. " Then the stamping and valuation," 
 added the first : " That is my affair," said the third, 
 " making a bow. And, lastly, the payment of the 
 duties. I shall take upon myself," said the first, raising 
 his voice and looking knowingly at the two others. — 
 " Gentlemen," said I, " follow the proper course. We 
 understand nothing of this business, but seeing your 
 civility, hope that you will not injure us." " Injure 
 you ! God forbid !" exclaimed all the three together ; 
 " Allow us now to proceed with the business," said the 
 first, " and I beg you to be present, seeing that we 
 have no underhand work, and do not wish to raise 
 suspicions on honourable people." 
 
 We went all together into the court-yard where the 
 bales were lying ; some of their attendants fell to work 
 to unpack them, and I, not knowing what was in them, 
 was very glad when I saw a wliole heap of silk-stuffs, 
 Bukharian shawls, and a bale of Cashmere shawls of 
 excellent quality. I observed that the colour went into 
 the cheeks of the custom-house officers at the sight of 
 these goods. The first of them took me andMeloveeden
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 263 
 
 by the arm, led us aside and said, "The duties on these 
 goods will be very high, almost the half of the whole 
 value. But we shall airange all that so that the wolf 
 may be filled and the sheep remain entire. However, 
 to fix the value, allow us to take home with us some 
 odd pieces of all these goods ; for if we value them in 
 the presence of others, you understand, we cannot do 
 any thing for yoiu- advantage." 1 looked at Melovee- 
 den — he smiled and shiiigged his shoulders. " Do what 
 you please, only have done with it as soon as possible," 
 said I. The officer made a respectful bow, and turn- 
 ing to the bales, whispered a few words to his com- 
 panions, and began to lay some of the goods to one 
 side. In the meantime, the other wrote, and the third 
 affixed the stamps : the affair went on flamingly. At 
 last the light began to leave us, and the gentlemen of 
 the custom-house went away, leaving their own senti- 
 nels beside the goods. When it was completely dark, 
 a carter came in at the back-gate, put into his cart the 
 goods that had been laid aside, and went away with 
 them for valuation. Next day by dawn, one of the 
 officers made his appearance with a multitude of papers 
 to which I had to affix my name. At last he present- 
 ed the valuation of the goods and the account of the 
 duties which I had to pay. I wrote a note to the 
 Eespravnik begging him to satisfy the custom-house ; 
 which he immediately did, locked up all the goods in 
 a warehouse and put his seal to it, saying, " Your 
 goods are subject to the same lot as your ducats. 
 You will have a right to dispose of them as soon as I 
 receive an answer."
 
 264 rVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 When all these operations were performed, our 
 landlord, a respectable old man with a white beard, 
 came into our room and intimated to us, that if we 
 wanted anything we should apply to him. I begged 
 him to go to the gentlemen of the custom-house, and 
 request them to deliver us back the goods which they 
 had taken home to value. ' What falls among dung, 
 you will never find again !'* added the old man smil- 
 ing. " Notwithstanding all that, they charged you 
 double the regular duty. These gentlemen forgot 
 neither themselves nor the exchequer." " That may 
 be called the knowledge how to unite the useful with 
 the agi'eeable !" said Meloveeden. I would have got 
 into a passion and lodged a complaint against them, 
 but the merchant quieted me and restrained me from 
 any such attempts, by representing that it would be all 
 to no purpose, as I had signed tlie quittances. " We 
 must submit patiently to circumstances which we can- 
 not avoid, worthy sirs !" said the merchant. " For in- 
 stance, if the doors of the house are low, all that would 
 enter, must stoop to avoid knocking their heads. If one 
 spar on a bridge is higher than the rest, every carriage 
 must be jolted on crossing it Exactly so in some af- 
 fairs of common life, there are continual abuses which 
 arise from the facility of committing them : neither 
 time, nor laws, nor force, can altogeth"ir eradicate 
 them. Even in the days of the apostles, the occupa- 
 tion of revenue-officers was notorious for procuring 
 tijeni riches with the imprecations of the multitude. — 
 
 " A Russian proverb.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 265 
 
 Up to this time the collectors of taxes in all countries 
 of the world maintain the splendour of their ancient 
 name, and like worthy descendants, do not fall be- 
 hind the fame of their predecessors. You have to day, 
 gentlemen, had experience of that trath yourselves ; 
 while I experience it my whole life. Besides, gentle- 
 men, you should not judge of the whole by a part. 
 Every thing has its right side and its wrong, and 
 among the revenue officers of the present day, you will 
 find people who are worthy of every respect. But 
 unfortunately such is the way of the world, that where- 
 ever there are most opportunities to transgress, there 
 will be most transgression. A blacksmith cannot 
 easily avoid burning his fingers, nor a fisher avoid 
 wetting himself. You understand me, gentlemen !" 
 
 Our first exertions were directed to dress ourselves 
 in the European fashion ; for we had no other ap- 
 parel but the Kirgheezian. Having money, I wished 
 to get a suit of fashionable clothes. Till the landlord 
 procured cloth for us, we spent some days within 
 doors, looking out from the windows at the passers by. 
 The house was in a square where there was also a Ger- 
 man tavern. This was the place of resort for the magis- 
 trates and gentry who were in town upon business or 
 idleness. We wished to find out the fashions, but we 
 could make neither head nor tail of tliem : in a district 
 town, ' every man to his mind,' in the full sense of that 
 proverb. Young people wore immense whiskers and 
 mustachios bedizened with tobacco-smoke and Spa- 
 nish brown. The bristly head was covered with a 
 chapeau tie voyage, or foraging-cap. The vengerka, 
 
 N
 
 266 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 that is to say surtout, adorned with strings in the hus- 
 sar fashion, or Cossacktchekmen, long velveteen or 
 nankeen trowsers, and a black stock, composed the 
 dress of the district-dandy. Coats were reserved for 
 important occasions, balls, marriages, and formal din- 
 ner-parties. Every comitiy gentleman was in the ha- 
 bit of providing himself with a suit of clothes in the 
 capital, when he happened to be there upon any busi- 
 ness, such as borrowing money from the Opekoonshy 
 Sovyet,* or of ordering clothes through his friends in 
 the government-town. Owing to this there was no 
 prevailing fashion in this district-toww, and it was im- 
 possible to learn which of the old fashions was the lat- 
 est. Besides this, fashionable coats and waistcoats 
 were very frequently transfeiTed from hand to hand by 
 way of barter, by the help of fifty-two painted pieces of 
 pasteboard, and owing to that a man's clothes did not 
 always fit him. In a word, we were so unfortunate as 
 not to be able in the com-se of six days to see one man 
 <lressed according to fashion ; while the three chief 
 tailors of the place, whom we invited to take a part in 
 our consultations, differed essentially in their opinions. 
 At last the bailiff of a grandee, just anit'ed from Mos- 
 cow, relieved us from our perplexity. We, taking 
 him for a model, got our clothes made, equipped our- 
 selves as it might happen, and began to sally forth out 
 of the house. 
 
 The principal personages in the town were the 
 
 • The bank connected with the Foundling Hospital, which 
 lends money upon pledge of serfs and immoveable property.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 267 
 
 Mayor, (Gorodneetchy) the lawyer of the district, and 
 the treasurer and members of the district-court : the 
 last mentioned persons, however, had no strong ties on 
 the community, as they lived on their estates, and 
 came to town only during the terms of the court's sit- 
 ting. Their representative was the secretaiy, who, 
 in his own person, united all the importance of a court 
 of law in its juridical and political capacity. The 
 Capitan Eespravnik, although he enjoyed great con- 
 sideration through the district, had not so much power 
 in the city as the mayor, and was therefore neither the 
 first nor the second person there, but equal with the 
 Gorodneetchy — consequently his actual rival. In this 
 small circle, the great world, (with all its intrigues, 
 caprices, and suigularities,) was reflected, " like the 
 sun in a little drop of water /" 
 
 At the end of a fortnight, the Capitan Eespravnik 
 being satisfied with our modest demeanour, quenched 
 his wrath, and moved his sister, the lawyer's wife, to 
 invite us to her name's-day feast. We went to din- 
 ner, and found already assembled a numerous society. 
 The married ladies arrayed in blond caps, rich dresses, 
 cashmere shawls, adonied with pearls and brilliants, sat 
 by themselves, talking loudly all the time. The young 
 ladies formed a separate knot, and whispered to each 
 other, with downcast eyes. The lady of the house did 
 not remain among her guests, but ran about the rooms 
 sweating and bustling. Her blond cap was blackened 
 a little Aviththe kitchen smoke, and her curls wereloos- 
 ened by the heat. As soon as any fresh guest came into 
 the room, the landlady's little daughter immediately ran 
 N 2
 
 268 IVAN VEJEEGIIEN. 
 
 to tell her, and she flew into the room in a flurry, with 
 her face as red as a coal; then, after paying her compli- 
 ments to her guest and shewing him a seat, she again 
 hastened to the caresof her household. The other guests 
 examined with an eager gaze every new-comer from 
 top to toe, and appeared to dissect the stranger's dress 
 with their eyes. The gentlemen, who were mostly 
 people in official situations, were all in uniform : they 
 strutted up and down the rooms, and stopped fre- 
 quently at a little table, on which stood spirits and 
 whets. All knew our adventures, and as I had money 
 and merchandize, they all behaved civilly to us, only 
 with a patronising air ; for they did not know yet 
 whether I might not be in court as a petitioner, or 
 whether I was free from any legal proceedings. 
 
 I wished to hear something of the conversation which 
 passed among the ladies of these provincial potentates, 
 and standing at the door of a small drawing-room, 
 overheard what follows : — " Ah, mother, * what a 
 superb cap you have got ! Have you really brought 
 it from the fair ?" " No, mother ; direct from Mos- 
 cow from the Kooznetzki/ mo.st.,\ from a French ma- 
 dame." " But your dress, ma'am, is it sewed here ?" 
 " Lord have mercy upon us I I have already got those 
 home-bred sempstresses of the lady of the Dvorensky 
 PredvodeetUX They can shape and sew ; but, mother, 
 
 • Rlother is used anioriff acciuaintances and among the lower 
 orders in plate oC ' madam,' in conversation. 
 
 ■\- Literally ' the blacksmith's bridge,' a fashionable street ; in 
 a word, the Bond Street of iMoscow. 
 
 X Marshal of the noblesse, the same office as that of con- 
 vener of the county in Scotland.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 269 
 
 they cannot take the fashion from the fashionable en- 
 gravings." " You really have the Journals written 
 in French !" " Where is the liarin ; there is Matrena 
 Ivanovna does nothing but sits reading French books 
 from moniing to night. If she had but the rumgumption 
 to give directions to her sempstresses." - - - '• You 
 are right ; there ai'e tailors who write for the use of 
 sempstresses, but every one cannot understand what 
 an artizan writes in his own language." " That is 
 true ; there is Andrew Koosmeetch's son read me not 
 long ago a description of a fashionable dress, but the 
 deuce take it if I could understand a word of it." " It 
 i« no wonder ; they are a cunning people those French, 
 who have words for expressing every stitch, every 
 hook and every hem !" " But you, my dear, you 
 have not yet shown off your new shawl ; magnificent!" 
 " And where did you buy it ?" " My Seedor Yer- 
 molayeveetch brought it with him from his out-post." 
 " God save him !" " But your fermoir, where was 
 it bought, my dear gossip ?" " In Petersburgh." — 
 " Yes, I saw it on the contractor's wife." " My 
 Karp Karpeetch got it from him in payment of a debt, 
 and at a dear price, mother." " How can a contrac- 
 tor be in debt ?" " You would not have an advocate to 
 be indebted to a contractor." " That is true, mother." 
 " By the bye, has Aquilina Semenovna Padtchereet- 
 zen been with you ? From her husband's affairs 
 there hangs a tale." " She has been." " And she was 
 Avith me :" " And with me." " Ah, mother, what 
 a woman ! She seems to be bom for the laAv ; for she 
 scatters Ukazes about at no allowance ! always sigli- 
 n3
 
 270 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 ing and complaining of poverty and straitened circum- 
 stances; but what shawls, what pearls !" " It is said 
 that she did not forget herself when her husband was 
 in place." " Why should she, she was surely no 
 fool !" " Both heart and head were engaged in the 
 cause ?" " Did you hear the anecdote of the big 
 pearls which hang on her neck like a pad ; God forgive 
 me !" " No I" " Ah, tell us, tell us !" " Wlien 
 her husband was in power, the secretary durst not en- 
 gross a decision without asking Aquilina Semenovna, 
 and the petitioners were obliged to address themselves 
 to her before tliey appeared in court with their peti- 
 tions. One day there came to her an old woman with 
 a handkerchief about her head and a strange looking 
 shooh,* to petition in favour of her grandson whom 
 the community had marked out for a recruit. After 
 falling down at her feet, the old woman gave Aquilina 
 Semenovna a little box, adding, " Take this, ma'am ; 
 if it does not suit you, it will do for your daughter." 
 Aquilina Semenovna thinking that the old woman was 
 giving her a snuff-box, fell into a passion, screamed 
 out with all her might in order that the country gentle- 
 men who were in the adjoining room might hear of lier 
 disinterestedness, and gave the old woman a box of 
 another sort in return. The box fell on the ground, 
 and the pearls were scattered on the floor. What a 
 pucker she was in ! There was Aqulina Semenovna 
 s])rawling on the floor, gathering up the pearls, and 
 bawling out to her daugliter Ashenka to come to her 
 assistance. Ashenka flew to her from the other room, 
 * Fur coat.
 
 IV^AN VEJEEGHEN. 271 
 
 but forgot to shut the door, so that the gentlemen saw 
 the whole farce. One of them questioned the old wo- 
 man on the street, and spread the news tlu-ough all the 
 govenmient." "Ha, ha, ha!" " That was a lesson 
 not to despise trifles. It is not for nought that Seedor 
 Karpeetch always repeats : — ' What is good to give is 
 good to keep, and every gift is complete.' '" 
 
 At this moment, we were called to dinner. The 
 ladies were seated on one side at the upper end of the 
 table and the gentlemen apart. I occupied a seat be- 
 side the sheriff. The dimier began with an immense 
 fish-pye, which would have been large enough to hold 
 our worthy hostess herself at full length. Cordials of all 
 colours and denominations were summoned to assist the 
 digestion of the pye, and were gulped down the throats 
 of the guests in large draughts, to prevent any preju- 
 dicial eflFects from the unbaked crust and lialf-raw fisli. 
 A cold course followed the pye, consisting of pig with 
 horse radish, calf's-foot jelly, ham, &c. The cold 
 portion behoved to be warmed, and the cordials were 
 again called in, along with Madeira, which sparkled 
 beautifully in beer-glasses. Highly seasoned Russian 
 shtchee * had also to be dissolved in the stomach with 
 Madeira; and thus by the time that we arrived at the 
 first dish after the shtchee, there was already a fine 
 colour on the foreheads of our worthy company, and 
 their noses blushed like cran-berries. It was here that 
 I first understood the real meaning of the Russian pro- 
 verb : — ' The first glass like a stick, the second like a 
 
 * Cabbage soup, usually seasoned with sour cream. 
 
 N 4
 
 272 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 hawk.' The only difference with us consisted in their 
 swallowing like hawks not glassfuls but tumblerfuls 
 and bottlefuls. By the time that some dishes with 
 sauces went round, before the appearance of the roast, 
 all the guests, (except the Capitan Eespravnik, my- 
 self, and Meloveeden), were in a disposition of mind 
 fit for climbing a battery. Wine soaked the hard 
 hearts of law, and openness arose with its fumes and 
 settled upon their tongues. " Marteeneetch," bawled 
 the secretary of the Zemsky Dood,* so loudly that 
 tlie windows shook ; " Marteeneetch ! - - - you 
 deceived me, you wretch, and let the bear out of my 
 toils. I would not forgive you for an age, if your wife 
 were not my gossip." " Don't get into a passion ; you 
 have given us c uite enough of that ; if you liad had 
 the skinning of the bear, you would not have left us a 
 lock of the fleece. You cannot deny that you are a first- 
 rate hand at giitting petitioners, Karp Karpeetch ; at 
 the same time you must not forget that I have also a 
 wife and children to provide for." All the company 
 laughed ; " Nobody can deny Karp Karpeetch's skill 
 in gutting," was echoed from all corners. The Secre- 
 tary proudly turned about in his chair, stroked his 
 head and jiaunc'), and said, with an air of impor- 
 tance, " Wl»y should an experienced tradesman flinch 
 from liis business." — " Respectable gentlemen !" cried 
 out from the end of the table a thin bald-headed sallow- 
 complexioned lawyer with a weak shrill voice, " The 
 sum total of human wisdom is inscribed on a Dutch 
 
 • The clistrict-court.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. '273 
 
 ducat. All the Latin which I learned at school is not 
 worth that single inscription : ' Concordia res jjarvte 
 crescunt/ that is to say, ' Property is kept together by 
 good agreement.' It follows fi-om that, that if the 
 gentlemen of the bench wish to have ducats, they 
 must live in peace and concord, be of one mind in their 
 decisions, and listen to their secretary. It may also 
 be affirmed, that the knight whose figure is upon the 
 ducat, is no other than a Secretary, and the bmidle of 
 arrows in his hand, denotes that he ought to hold all 
 the business of all the judges in his hands !" " Bravo, 
 Cleemeetch, bravo !" exclaimed the lawyers in extacy. 
 " Hold in his hands" added the Secretary ; " yes, if he 
 has iron gloves !" 
 
 In the meantime, a hamper of Champaigne was 
 brought into the room, and toasts were circulated. 
 After drinldng the health of the lady of the house, 
 her husband, and at last of every guest and his wife 
 separately, his children, his man-servants and maid- 
 servants, they fell a drinking in good earnest, for the 
 purpose of discussing the contents of the bottles. 
 When they had finished the hamper, they then rose 
 from the table, and made a shift to get into the draw- 
 ing-room. 
 
 I have made no mention hitherto of my neigh- 
 bour the Capitan Eespravnik. He took no part either 
 in the driidcing or the conversation of the honourable 
 company, and kept silence till dinner was over. The 
 guests also did not address themselves to him ; for, 
 knowing his ways, they were afraid lest he should tell 
 them to their face any blunt tnith usually styled rude- 
 n5
 
 274 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 ness. After dinner tlie Capitan Eespraimik Invited 
 me and Meloveeden into the garden which lay oppo- 
 site the dining-room, where, among fruit-trees planted 
 without any regularity, there were gi'owing, sun-flowers, 
 poppies, and pseonias. We sat down on a turf-seat, 
 and the Capitan Eespravnik said : — " It is with plea- 
 sure I observe, that you have no propensity to empty 
 glasses after the example of my worthy colleagues. 
 You may easily judge of my melancholy condition," 
 added he, turning to Meloveeden, " on seeing with 
 what people an old officer has to spend his life. But 
 necessity wears a stone. These leeches of law would 
 have long since stopped my breath, if I had not for- 
 tunately or unfortunately been connected by my sis- 
 ter's man-iage with one of their chosen vessels, and 
 had not been in favour with the Governor, my former 
 General. It is difficult to swim against the cun-ent ; 
 and it is the utmost that I can do to fence off my part 
 of tlie government from their inroads. The noblesse 
 elected me, and allowed me as a maintenance hardly a 
 sufficiency to live upon. If you remain longer here, you 
 will hear more of Shtweekoff, and I beg you will not 
 form an opinion of the whole district from what you 
 have hitherto seen and heard. There are here lio- 
 nourable and noble people among the landholders and 
 officers chosen by them ; but as our gentry unfortu- 
 nately do not study the practice of Russian law, and 
 few of them are accustomed to put their thoughts on 
 paper, those who have been brought up in the civil 
 service decline being elected, as they prefer to live 
 at ease on their estates : hence it follows as a matter
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 275 
 
 of course, that the lawyers have the ball at their foot. 
 This is a particular breed in old Russia, which lives, 
 like the moth, on the dust of Ukazes. I advise you 
 to go home, if you do not wish to have your feelings 
 still more shocked. Perhaps it may come to pass that 
 the guardians of justice will pull one another by the 
 hair when they bring matters to a further explanation." 
 The Eespravnik rose, and we followed his advice. In 
 the meantime several of the guests entered the gar- 
 den, arm-in-arm, and singing songs. On returning to 
 the house in order to find our caps, we observed that 
 several of them were seated at a card-table, playing 
 at faro, and at another table, at gorJca, and pocket- 
 fuls of bank-notes began to pass from hand to hand. 
 
 On arriving at home, we called for the landlord 
 that he might explain to us some things which were 
 to us incomprehensible. " Explain to us, we beseech 
 you," said I, " what sort of a lusus naturog that 
 Eespravnik of yours is ?" 
 
 " He goes under the name of Tchudak* among us," 
 replied the landlord. " In reality, Michael Ivanoveetch 
 Shtweekoff is not in the least like his comrades, 
 and, owing to that, appears singular to all. He springs 
 from the small gentry of tliis district. He entered the 
 military service when he was quite young, and at his 
 parents' death, gave his share of the iidieritance to 
 the orphan daughters of his deceased sister who had 
 manied an honest but poor civilian. His other sister 
 vou know. On his obtaining a majority and retiring 
 
 • A prodiijy.
 
 276 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 from the service on account of his wounds, lie lived 
 here in my house upon his small pension, till the free- 
 holders offered him the situation of Sheriff. Michael 
 Ivanoveetch declared resolutely that he could not take 
 a bribe, and would not learn to do so, and therefore 
 did not wish to accept a situation which was attend- 
 ed Avith additional expenses. The freeholders at last 
 prevailed on him to accept of it, and assigned him a 
 certain sum of money for his chancery and travelling 
 expences, with the knowledge of government. He 
 has been already ten years Eespravnik, and all the 
 honest people bless him. All the assessments, the 
 repairs of roads, carriage of stores and billets, are 
 levied among us with the greatest exactness, by rota- 
 tion, and according to the number of souls. 
 
 " The collection of taxes and arrears is managed 
 without any remission, but with the gi'eatest condes- 
 cension to the poor. Deserters and vagabonds dare 
 not shew their faces in our district : the country people, 
 l^nowing that their apprehension is agi'eeable to the 
 u'ishes of their worthy Eespravnik, whom they call 
 their father, have entii'ely given up harboiu'ing them, 
 and immediately bring them to justice. Judicial in- 
 vestigations are carried on without threatening or 
 flogging, but with rigid justice. At the fairs, Michael 
 Ivanoveetch does not take money from the merchants 
 for permission to sell smuggled goods, or to deceive 
 the unwary by l)ad articles, l)ut looks after order, and 
 the weights, measures, and (jualities of tlie merchan- 
 dize. At the levies of recruits, the starosts and de- 
 legates of the crown-villages do not dare to go out of
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 277 
 
 tlie regular order, and deprive of their last support 
 unprotected parents. The bailiffs of private estates, 
 the proprietors of which live in the capitals, cannot 
 oppress the peasants and deceive their masters. Even 
 the vicious and wicked masters, who, thank God, are 
 very rare, camiot use their own serfs m an illegal 
 manner. In a word, Michael Ivanoveetch, day and 
 night, labours to eradicate mischief, to mcrease truth, 
 and fulfil the laws. It is true that he is rough in his 
 demeanour, does not like to waste words to no pur- 
 pose, does not know how to soften down a bitter 
 tnith with fine speeches, and fulfil his duty witli com- 
 pliments. He is strict with culprits, implacable to- 
 Avards the wicked, and condescending merely to weak- 
 ness, in deed, thougli not in words. He would have 
 long smce fallen a prey to the artifices of the lawyers 
 and the devices of the abusers of power, if he had 
 not been supported by our Governor, who is an honest, 
 well-meaning man, likewise a soldier,* with whom he 
 Jiad been acquainted in the army. 
 
 " All honest men love and respect Michael Ivano- 
 veetch : wicked men hate him, and fear him like the 
 pestilence. In other respects, he does not meddle 
 with what does not belong to him, and only requu'es 
 that other people should not interfere with his busi- 
 ness. Such a man is our Tchudak I He has treated 
 you rather strictly, but it is according to law, and al- 
 though he behaved nidely, however he did not insult 
 you, or help himself to any of your property, like the 
 
 * General Von Essen.
 
 278 IVAxN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 custom-house gentry." " I am quite of a mind," added 
 Meloveeden, " that sour medicine is better than sweet 
 })oison."
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Conversation upon business with a Russian Merchant. — A turbu- 
 lent man. — End of a Malefactor. 
 
 Our landlord invited us to drink tea with bim. We 
 found with him the parish clergyman, and a decently 
 dressed man of the middle age, whose behaviour and 
 address shewed that he had been accustomed to live 
 in good society. Our landlord introduced his guest 
 to us, calling him Peter Petroveetch Veertooteen. We 
 seated ourselves around an oaken table, drank tea, and 
 entered into a discussion concerning subjects which ap- 
 peared to me extremely important, as this was the first 
 time that I ever heard any conversation upon public 
 affairs. 
 
 " Would not you think it strange, even incompre- 
 hensible, gentlemen !" said the merchant, '' if in all 
 the ports of France there were none but Dutch and 
 Germans, or in the ports of England none but Spa- 
 niards, and Italians, who carried on the foreign trade, 
 and if the French and English were merely occupied 
 like camels in carrying merchandise from the interior 
 to the sea-shore, for the sole purpose that foreigners 
 might reap incredible profits, without labour, with- 
 out trouble, without responsibility, with nothing to 
 begin with, but the brass-plate engraved, ' Kontora,^
 
 280 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 (counting-liouse) on their doors ?" " I would say 
 decidedly," replied Peter Petroveetch, that if the na- 
 tives of the country work like oxen, allowing foreign- 
 ers to cut beef-steaks out of their carcases, that is to 
 say, if the natives work for the enrichment oi par- 
 venus, wlio trade upon their labour, these indigenes 
 must certainly Iiave either an insufficiency of mother- 
 wit, or money, or honesty, to be themselves mer- 
 chants." 
 
 " That is too harsh a judgment," replied the priest : 
 " I would say that probably some other ruling passion 
 withdraws the natives from foreign trade, and puts all 
 its advantages into the hands of interlopers." 
 
 " You would both have gi'ounds for these opinions," 
 said the merchant ; " but fortunately you are in the 
 right, father. I shall endeavour to explain the matter. 
 I speak of our dear country. Is it not strange, is it 
 not humiliating to national pride, that in Russia almost 
 all the foreign trade is carried on by aliens, in their 
 counting-houses and factories, which are established 
 in the ports, and even in the capitals, as if Russia 
 were another China or Japan ? Foreign merchants 
 and manufacturers carry on their business entirely with 
 these counting-houses ; and we Russians must lift up 
 our eyes to these counting-house gentlemen, to be al- 
 lowed to furnish them with what they want for expor- 
 tation, or to buy from them foreign produce at what- 
 ever prices they please to fix in their common council. 
 These foreign counting-house gentry, to whom we give 
 the title of negociants, pay no more regard to the Rus- 
 sian mei'chants than they do to their own warehouse-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 281 
 
 porters, as if it were a charity to give us the hun- 
 dredth part of their profits. Tell me, gentlemen, do 
 you think this course of events will continue for ever, 
 and that we shall always remain in the same hackward 
 state, as we were when Richard Chancellor discovered 
 Archangel in the reign of the Tzar Ivan Vasilyeveetch ? 
 It appears to me, that we have all the means to con- 
 stitute a respectable commercial class. The capacity, 
 penetration, and pnidence of our people gets its due 
 from foreigners themselves. Our honesty in trade is 
 really not less than that of our benefactors the foreign 
 countmg-house gentlemen ; and as to capital, we will 
 always have the superiority, as we hold in our hands 
 the raw produce of om- soil and native manufactures. 
 On the contrary, the counting-house men have often 
 nothing to begin with, as I said before, but the brass- 
 plate with the inscription, ' Kontora upon their door, 
 and some bankers' letters of recommendation." 
 
 " Some bankers' letters of recommendation ! There 
 you have it," exclaimed Peter Petroveetch. " Tell 
 me, my dear Seedor Yennolayeveetch, whom would 
 you tnist most ; an old townsman whose good cha- 
 racter you have long known, or a strange merchant of 
 whom you know nothmg ?" " Of course I would 
 sooner trast my to\\Tismau," replied the merchant. 
 " But with your leave, Peter Petroveetch, if this com- 
 parison is applicable to our discussion, I think that 
 the Russian merchants should with more reason be 
 compared to the old townsman." 
 
 " To appearance but not in reality," returned Peter 
 Petroveetch, " You, Seedor Yermolayeveetch, have
 
 282 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 traded for fifty years, and know all the principal mer- 
 chants in Moscow and Petersburgh. Count over 
 to me, if you please, half a dozen Russian families 
 which have been known in trade since the days of 
 theii' great grandfathers ?" 
 
 " I confess I do not know one," replied Seedor 
 Yermolayeveetch. " Among us, as soon as a mer- 
 chant grows rich, he either becomes banknipt from 
 ceasing to live like his brethren, throwing up his bu- 
 siness, assuming the style of a nobleman, and many- 
 ing his daughters to beggarly Princes and Counts, or 
 gets drunk with ostentation and joy, and leaves liis 
 property to be plundered by rogues of clerks, and 
 spendthrifts of children, who are ashamed of follow- 
 ing their fatlier's profession, and hunt after ranks ; or 
 lastly, he may himself attain personal nobility by dif- 
 ferent by-ways, under the mask of his zeal and ser- 
 vices to the state. It is true we have no old com- 
 mercial houses, and there is hardly one distinguished 
 Russian firm in the empire, which can go farther back 
 than the reign of the Empress Catherine the Second." 
 
 " Trade is supported by credit, and credit by the 
 renown and antiquity of a family," said Peter Pe- 
 troveetch. " In England, in France, in the Gennan 
 Hanseatic towns, in Holland, in Sweden, and hi Den- 
 mark, you will find mercantile houses whose firm 
 has been known for the course of centuries, and is 
 more to be depended upon than the escutcheons of 
 Princes. But amongst us, merchants are mere birds 
 of passage in trade ! One of our merchants appears 
 on tlie stage, grows fat, climbs the hill, and then either
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 283 
 
 descends or takes his pleasure, powdering himself 
 with the dust of heraldry." 
 
 " It is true, really time I" added the merchant, 
 stroking his beard. " I shall mention another cir- 
 cumstance," said Peter Petroveetch. " Among us, 
 there are few merchants who make fortunes in the 
 way of ordinary trade ; but it is mostly in government 
 contracts that they make their money. The contrac- 
 tors and fanners of the revenue cannot, in my opi- 
 nion, be called either merchants or negociants. For 
 he only confers a real benefit on the trade of his na- 
 tive coimtry, who extends it beyond its frontiers, and 
 favours the consumption of our produce abroad.* It 
 is thus that the wealthy foreign houses and manufac- 
 turers are obliged involuntarily to carry on theii- bu- 
 siness in Russia by means of counting-houses, the 
 occupiers of which are recommended to them by old 
 established mercantile families of respectability with 
 whom the persons recommended have been formerly 
 clerks. How is it possible to have extensive trans- 
 actions with people who come, God knows from 
 whence, and disappear, God knows how and whither, 
 from the scene of action." 
 
 " That is true," said the clergyman. " But do not 
 attach too much blame to the merchants. There are 
 very many circumstances which oblige them to leave 
 their professioii at the first favourable opportimity. 
 In the first place." — — — On a sudden there was 
 a noise raised in the passage. The landlord was on 
 
 • 'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.'
 
 284 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 his way thither ; but he had scarcely risen from his 
 chair, when the door opened with a bounce, and into 
 the room with a howl ran a huge mastiff-dog. Then 
 appeared a gentleman in a travelling dress, with a pipe 
 between his teeth, and behind him a footman and an 
 luiderstrapper of the Police. In the meantime, as the 
 dog was smelling about all the corners of the room, 
 and his master was undressing himself without more 
 ado, the policeman said : " Here is a lodger for yoii, 
 Seedor Yermolayeveetch : — his High-well-horn-sJiip* 
 is come from Petersburgh on government business, and 
 you are so fortunate, that your house has taken his 
 fancy." " Have mercy upon us ; there are already six 
 men in the government -service quartered upon me," 
 replied the landlord : " besides that, the Capitan 
 EespravniJc ordered me to take m these two gentle- 
 men." " Hokl your tongue, long beai'd I" said the 
 man of office, casting a grim look at the respectable 
 old man. " I wish to have no further acquaintance 
 either with thee or thy Capitan Eespravnik, and will 
 remain here because it pleases myself." The landlord 
 turned to the policeman, and said : " But the neigh- 
 bouring houses are quite unoccupied." " How can you 
 compare your house with your neighbour's houses ?" 
 replied the policeman. " They are gentlemen in of- 
 fice, people of rank ; you know that with them lodges 
 
 the Governor, the Procureur. — — Enough, 
 
 enough, Seedor Yermolayeveetch, if we have not 
 
 * As this compound forms one word in Russian, it is here 
 translated literally, in order to give the reader an idea of Russian 
 titles of honour.
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 285 
 
 merchants to answer all pui-poses, what order would 
 there be ? It is strong men who should carry bur- 
 dens, and you are the richest of them all." The police- 
 man went out, and the man of office said ; *' Move 
 about now, old one ; your brotherhood here seem to 
 have a fine time of it, when you dare to be so contu- 
 macious !" " I make no objections," replied the mer- 
 chant ; " but I and my family have only three small 
 rooms remaining, and I do not know where to lodge 
 you." " I shall take two, and you can occupy the 
 third," said the man of office : " and if you are too 
 crowded, you can betake yourself to the pantry. Ob- 
 serve what airs this boor gives himself!" " I am no 
 boor. Sir, but a merchant." " But do you think that 
 is not all the same ?" replied the man of office, with a 
 laugh. " He who is not a nobleman, what can he be 
 but a boor ?" We left the room, and the landlord 
 followed us. " Gentlemen !" said he, " we have 
 found out the reasons why merchants do not like to 
 remain in their profession. This is a small sample of 
 the respect which the other classes pay us. But you 
 have not yet seen the thousandth part of our vexa- 
 tions, and when you see them, recollect the good fea- 
 tures in our character, and do not lay the blame where 
 it is not due !" The clergyman shrugged up his 
 shoulders, and without saying one word, went home. 
 The landlord had to remain to make room for his new 
 lodger, Avhile we Avith Peter Petroveetch went to take 
 a walk in the outskuts of the town. 
 
 " It is amongst us here as it is every where ; every 
 thing will go its own course," said Peter Petro-
 
 286 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 veetch, " till civilization circulates through all classes 
 of the community. It is only the man of education 
 and refinement who can in full measure be sensible of 
 his duties to others, and can respect all his fellow- 
 creatures. The well educated man knows that in 
 a properly regulated empire, every profession is re- 
 spectable, and as necessaiy as all the strings of an 
 instrument to produce harmony. Ignorance erects 
 a barrier between them, and it is from exactly the 
 same motives as a Turk when he regards a Chris- 
 tian subject of the Porte as no man, that our haughty 
 ignoramuses despise all who are not related to them, 
 and who cannot give tliem ranks and orders. For 
 example, is not your landlord a respectable man 
 in every point of view ? Whence is that ? Because 
 he is sensible and well informed : it is a pity that he 
 did not receive a systematic education in his youth ; in 
 that case he would have been a hundred times more 
 useful to his country. SeedorYermolayeveetch draws 
 liis origin from the sooty crown-serfs. He was left 
 an oii)han by the death of his parents, engaged as a 
 shopman with a merchant who was a distant relation of 
 his own; and by his industry, attention, and good be- 
 haviour, has scraped together a little property, im- 
 proved himself by reading, intercourse with well-in- 
 formed people, reflection and experience. He is edu- 
 cating his sons at the university, putting himself to 
 straits in order that they may enjoy the first of earthly 
 benefits — the first requisite of an immortal soul. You 
 have seen that worthy clergyman, father Eugenius. — 
 He may also serve as an example that education does
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 287 
 
 not interfere with the performance of the clerical duties 
 of his profession. On the contrary, by raising liis 
 spiritual character in the eyes of the people, he con- 
 firms tliem more in faith and morality, eloquently il- 
 lustrated by the pastors of our church, and strengthen- 
 ed by the example of their blameless lives." In the 
 course of our conversation upon various subjects, we 
 could not avoid touching upon the circumstances of 
 Peter Petroveetch Veertooteen's own life. We were 
 quite astonished when he told us that he was not a na- 
 tive of the place, but lived there a prisoner at large. — 
 We begged him to explain to us the cause of this singu- 
 lar occurrence, and Peter Petroveetch related to us as 
 follows : — " My father was a poor nobleman, and had 
 no means for liis subsistence, liut his small salary. He 
 married tlie daughter of a merchant well in the world, 
 and received a dowry of about fifty thousand roubles.* 
 My mother died in bringing me into the world. My 
 father then quitted the service and employed himself 
 in my education. I had masters to instruct me in the 
 sciences, but my fatliev was himself my superinten- 
 dent in the moral department. He imbued my mind 
 with an tmlimited devotion to the throne, under the 
 persuasion that such an extensive empu'e as ours, com- 
 posed of so many various tribes, can neitlier be happy 
 nor powerful except imder the rule of an absolute mo- 
 narch. From my tender years my father inoculated 
 my mind with the wholesome truth that there is no 
 more elevated morality than what is contained in the 
 
 £2000 sterling.
 
 288 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 precepts of the gospel. He allowed me to read all 
 sorts of philosophical compositions, but would fre- 
 quently repeat : — " My son, the apostle Paul says in 
 liis Epistle to the Thessalonians, " Prove all things ; 
 hold fast that which is good." In the works of philo- 
 sophers you will find much sense and still more sa- 
 gacity, but nowhere will you find such rules for life 
 as in the Gospel. In the works of philosophers you 
 ^vill also find many virtuous lessons, but nowhere 
 Avill you find such elevated morality, such consola- 
 tory tiTiths as in the Apostolic precepts. All the 
 morality which is diffused through a thousand books 
 of philosophy is included in the few words addres- 
 sed to the Apostles ; " And as ye would that men 
 should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.' 
 (Luke chap, vi.) And again, " But I say unto you 
 wliich hear, love your enemies, do good to them 
 which hate you," (ibidem.) My dear son, fulfil these 
 two rules, and you will fulfil all your duty.'* My 
 father was neither a bigot nor a hypocrite, but a real 
 Christian, and by his living example confirmed me in 
 the rules which he prescribed for me. After finishing 
 my education, I entered the militaiy service, On 
 setting out for my regiment, my father blessed me 
 after the manner of our Saviour, in the words of the 
 Apostle : " Wherefore, putting away lying, speak every 
 man truth with his neighbour." (Paul's Epistle to 
 Ephesians, chap, iv.) 
 
 " As I gi'ew up in years I grew more confirmed in the 
 rules which had been sown in my heart by my worthy 
 parent, and became the more persuaded of the tnith
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 289 
 
 tliat every man should assist his neighbour by all the 
 moans in his power. Every act of injustice clone to any 
 one by any one, made a strong impression upon me ; 
 unfortunately I could not restrain my tongue, but ex- 
 claimed loudly against all abuses. We were quartei'- 
 ed in the exuberant Ukraine, and the rich farmers 
 shared their food with our gallant soldiers, who, dur- 
 ing their vacant hours, assisted them in field-work. — 
 The farmers did not wish to receive the government 
 allowance, and I was the means of its being regularly 
 sold for the benefit of the soldiers. At the settling of 
 the ammunition and company-money, and on the pay- 
 days, I always took the soldier's part. It is difficult 
 always to squeeze the tnith into delicate, soft forms, 
 and I found myself frequently obliged to speak bitter 
 troths, to quarrel and complain when they did not at- 
 tend to me. I consequently got the name of a turbu- 
 lent man, and was obliged to leave the regiment. 
 
 " My father, who was now old and weakly, wished 
 me to remain at home with him. I entered the civil 
 service in the capital, in the judicatory department, to 
 lose no opportunity of doing good to my country. — 
 Here was an extensive field for my activity. My fa- 
 ther was not a little vexed that I had been obliged to 
 leave the military service against my inclination. — 
 " You fulfilled your duty ; this is your reward and 
 consolation," said he embracing me. When in due 
 course I had to enter upon my new occupation, he 
 called me into his closet, and pointing to the New 
 Testament, which was lying open before him, re- 
 quested me to read in the Epistle of Paul to Timothy, 
 O
 
 290 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 chapter v. verse 20, ' Them that sin, rebuke before all, 
 that others also may fear !' He then pressed me to 
 his heart, blessed me and said, " Go, in God's name, 
 and fight for truth !" 
 
 " I was like a watch-dog in the Temple of Justice, 
 bai'ked on the unconscientious abusers of the laws, did 
 not allow the strong hand of villainy to profane the 
 interior of the sanctuary, and shielded the unfortunate 
 A\'idow and orphan from their oppressors. Chicanery 
 and usury directed all their forces against me. Men 
 of business, Avho are indispensable to their superiors, 
 as they do not know business themselves, declared that 
 they could not live with such a turbulent man as I was, 
 so I was ordered to retire. 
 
 "In the meantime my father died, and I was left in the 
 world a solitary individual, with a moderate property. 
 My father made no attempts to increase his capital, 
 supposing that my mother's dowry would be enough 
 for me, and employed his overplus revenue in assist- 
 ing the poor. I followed his example, and, sharing it 
 in a brotherly manner with the poor and needy, I pro- 
 tected them at the same time from the oppression of the 
 powerful. I could not refuse my advice to the unfor- 
 tunate, and even assisted to write petitions for those 
 who had no protector, and who did not know how to 
 repel chicanery and persecution by the power of elo- 
 quence and juridical skill. I interfered personally in 
 behalf of the poor, and sometimes frightened the most 
 inveterate usurers by my presence. I had to bear 
 daily with a thousand disgusts ; but I spent my time 
 laboriously. I consoled myself with the thought that
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 291 
 
 I obeyed the wishes of my father, and that the bitter- 
 ness of disgust was more than counterbalanced by the 
 sweet consolation which I procured for the suffering. 
 I was happy ! A few good friends, with the pleasures 
 arising from the sciences and literature, kept up my 
 spirits, which malicious people wished to poison by 
 their slander. 
 
 " Clouds are formed from vapours ; rain is compos- 
 ed of drops ; calamity arises from slander, allegations, 
 and instigations ; and malicious expressions, taken in 
 connection, form the thunder storm in the moral world, 
 which darts its bolts on the innocent. I gave no din- 
 ners, supposing that it was better to feed the poor with 
 my superfuities than to saturate gourmands ; lent no 
 money to spendthrifts, and was called a niggard. I 
 went to the ordinary places of worship along with the 
 people, and did not appear in uniform in the domestic 
 chapels of grandees, and was called a godless man. 
 Knowing that a monarchical government can have no 
 other end consistent with its interests but the welfare 
 of the governed, I never murmured against govern- 
 ment, but exclaimed loudly against the abusers of 
 power, who, regarding their places as farms on lease, 
 thinking on nothing but theu- own enrichment, and the 
 placing of their relations, raised a hue and cry against 
 me as a seditious man. I praised with a sincere heart 
 such of the grandees as deserved it, and such of the 
 people in public situations as were honest, and set 
 them up for an example in contrast to the wicked and 
 selfish ; therefore, I was called an intrigaier and a par- 
 tizan. Frequently from inability to keep my indigna-
 
 292 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 tiori within bounds, I set forth the truth in strong- 
 terms, in petitions written by me for others, and call- 
 ed things by their real names ; therefore, I was called 
 a wrangler. From all the qualities ascribed to me, 
 they formed one aggregate term — a turbulent man, 
 and banished me to this town under the surveillance of 
 the police. I confess, I was at first melancholy ; but 
 the worthy clergyman Eugenius consoled me and com- 
 forted me. " You have laboured not for the world, but 
 for your immortal soul," said father Eugenius ; " conse- 
 quently your reward will be spiritual. Recollect what 
 the Apostle Luke says : ' But love your enemies and 
 do good and lend, hoping for nothing again ; and 
 your reward shall he great, and ye shall he the chil- 
 dren of the Highest ; for lie is kind to the unthank- 
 ful and to the evil !' Be not disquieted imder your 
 misfortune, and do not slacken in the path to bliss, 
 recollecting the words of the Apostle Paul, ' It is 
 true that no chastening for the present seemeth joyous 
 but grievous ; nevertheless it afterwards yieldeth the 
 ])eaceable fraits of righteousness unto them which are 
 exercised thereby.' I am now quieted and happy, for 
 happiness is in the power of every one, and there is no 
 place on the face of the earth without worthy people. 
 I find pleasure in the friendshij) of the \m\\9.^xEesprav- 
 nik, the reverend clergyman Eugenius, and the mer- 
 chant your landlord ; I spend my time in reading aiul 
 walking, and do as much good as my means permit. 
 Do not take this narrative of mine for self-commenda- 
 tion. No ! I am free from that vice, and have de- 
 clared to you the tnith, for your instruction, in order
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 293 
 
 that you may profit by it. There will come a time 
 when the truth shall prevail, and sooner or later, but 
 with undoubted certainty, shall triumph over malice 
 and falsehood." 
 
 On returning to the town on our way home, and 
 passing by the town-prison, Peter Petroveetch pro- 
 posed to us to enter and scatter the seeds of consola- 
 tion in that abode of misery, as he called it. I had a 
 few ducats in my purse, and cheerfully agi'eed to visit 
 the ostrog, in order to alleviate in some degree the lot 
 of the unfortunates. This ostrog was nothing more 
 than a common eezha,* surrounded with a fence. On 
 account of the smallness of accommodation, it was 
 impossible to separate the people in custody according 
 to the nature of their offences ; and thence it happened, 
 that the little thoughtless boy who had run away from 
 his master in a frolic, was placed beside the veteran 
 thief or robber, and became insensibly a proficient in 
 the arts of iniquity. For want of room, there was 
 also no possibility of maintaining cleanliness. The 
 soldiers on guaixl were posted in the passages, and on 
 both sides of the two eezbas : the prisoners were pent 
 up like heiTings in a barrel. I grew sick from the of- 
 fensiveness of the air, and the impression made upon 
 me by the sight of a pair of wild eyes. I beseeched 
 my companions to take me into the fresh aii'. On a 
 sudden we heard, in a little cell, piercing gi'oans and 
 strange cries. Curiosity led us thither, and a shock- 
 ing spectacle presented itself before my sight. In a 
 
 " Peasant's loij-house.
 
 294 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 dark corner, on straw, there lay a half naked man, 
 thin as a skeleton, and with his arms and legs in 
 fetters. The light had scarcely penetrated his den, 
 when he rose and seated hmiself, casting upon us a 
 hideous gaze. Our eyes met, and I trembled all over 
 as at the look of a basilisk. The black hair and eyes 
 of the wi'etch were dishevelled ; his face was over- 
 cast with a deadly paleness, and his eyes which were 
 red with sleeplessness and suft'ering, looked like glow- 
 ing coals. 
 
 After a short silence, the unfortunate wretch raised 
 his fettered arms, first to his forehead, and then to his 
 heart, and said in a low tone : — " Fire ! fire !" then 
 opening his mouth wide, whispered, " Water !" A 
 sergeant gave him a wooden pitcher, and he, after 
 drinking it, tossed it from him, and called out loudly, 
 " Away, away ! blood, blood !" On a sudden his 
 hair stood on end ; the features of his face moved con- 
 vulsively, his eyes became fixed in their sockets, and 
 the foam issued from his mouth : he gnashed with his 
 teeth, rose up rapidly and cried out, " I am Nojoff !" 
 " Nojoff!" exclaimed I simultaneously with Melovee- 
 den. It really was the malefactor, whom I did not 
 at first recognize from his altered situation ; but when 
 lie pronounced his name, I immediately recollected 
 his features. 
 
 In the meantime the poor wretch again fell on his 
 litter, and called out Avith a tremendous voice. " Do 
 not burn me, do not burn me : but kill me at one 
 blow !" My legs could hardly support me ; I was so 
 agitated, the blood ran to my heart, and my head be-
 
 IVAN VEJEEGHEN. 295 
 
 came dizzy; but I remained in the place, expecting 
 tliat NojofF would recover from the fit, and would tell 
 me the name of the Countess who was my enemy. 
 The culprit was again silent and shut his eyes. Me- 
 loveeden called him by name. NojofF opened his eyes 
 as if lie heard him. " NojofF!" said Meloveeden, 
 " Vejeeghen forgives you for all the ill that you have 
 done him." NojofF again sat up upon the straw, and 
 looking around him, said : " Where is Vejeeghen ? 
 He died in the steppe. I myself threw him into a pit. 
 
 The countess did not wish him to be murdered." 
 
 At these words NojofF again fell into a fit, shut his 
 eyes, and snored ten-ibly. I could no longer endure 
 this shocking spectacle, and left the ostrog. 
 
 " You know that malefactor ?" inquired Peter Pe- 
 troveetch. " Unfortunately," replied I. " To-morrow 
 I shall relate to you the particulars of my acquain- 
 tance with him : but at present I am so distracted 
 that I cannot aiTange my thoughts." Peter Petro- 
 veetch accompanied us home : I spent the whole even- 
 ing, without leaving the room, and passed a sleepless 
 night, impatient to learn from NojofF the secret of my 
 persecution. Next morning I sent to the ostrog to 
 enquire how the unfortunate man was, but Avas told 
 that he had given up the ghost in extreme agony soon 
 after our departure. 
 
 Peter Petroveetch, to whom I related part of my 
 adventures, and who had heard of Vorovaateen, ad- 
 vised me to be verj' careful to whom I mentioned 
 my secret, for fear of falling into any greater cfila- 
 mity. " In a court of law you will make nothing of
 
 296 IV^AN VEJEEGHEN. 
 
 Vorovaateen : as you have no witnesses, Vorovaateen 
 may say that the Kirgheez took you prisoner by force. 
 Besides, if you mix up your afikir with any family 
 of rank, you will get into trouble. It will be best of 
 all to get what information you can by circuitous 
 means ; and if you only learn the name of your fe- 
 male persecutor, the secret will come out of itself. 
 You have seen, by Nojoft's exam])le, that hardiness and 
 fearlessness in crime end in the horrors of disease : 
 at the same time that a virtuous sufferer has all the 
 enjoyment arising from the hope of a better life to 
 console him in his last moments, a wicked man is as- 
 sailed with the remorse of conscience, the most fright- 
 ful of the tortures of hell. Vorovaateen at the first 
 attack of violent illness, or the first danger, will shew 
 as much pusillanimity as all malefactors, and will re- 
 veal the tmth to you. Crime unrepented of ends in 
 despair ; but immoveable firmness is peculiar to virtue 
 alone !" 
 
 END OF VOLUME I. 
 
 D. Chalmers S: Co. HrinttTa, 
 
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