Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

150THE MICHAEL PALACES.

cany about with them legions of insects, sleep on these articles of furniture. To tranquillise me he further stated, that the vermin would not follow me if I kept at a proper distance from the furniture in which they had fixed their abode.

The inns of Petersburg resemble caravanserais, where the traveller is simply housed, but not waited upon, unless by his own servants. Mine, not understanding the Eussian language, is not only useless to me but troublesome, for I have to take care of him as well as myself!

However, his Italian quickness soon discovered in one of the dark corridors of this walled desert, called L'Hôíel Coulon, a footman, out of place, who speaks German, and whom the keeper of the hotel recommended. I engaged him, and told him of my distress. He immediately procured me a light iron bedstead, the mattrass for which, I had stuffed with the freshest straw that could be obtained, and caused the four feet to be placed in as many jars of water, in the middle of the el\amber, the furniture of which I also had removed. Thus intrenched for the night, I dressed, and attended by the footman, whom I had desired to forbear directing me, I issued from this magnificent hotel — a palace without, and an ornamented stable within.

The hotel Coulon opens on a kind of " square^' which is tolerably lively for this city. On one side of the square stands the new Michael Palace, the stately abode of the Grand Duke Michael, brother of the emperor. It was built for the Emperor Alexander, who never inhabited it. The other sides of the square are inclosed by fine ranges of buildings with noble