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

66POLITENESS AND BRUTALITY.

I have seen in the same street two drivers of drowskas ceremoniously lift their hats in passing each other: —this is a common custom: if acquainted, they lift their hand to their mouth with an amicable smile, and kiss it, making at the same time a little expressive and intelligent sign with the eyes: so much for politeness.

A little farther on I have seen a courier, a feld-jäger, or some other government servant, descend from his vehicle, and, running to one of these well-bred coachmen, strike him brutally and unmercifully with whip, stick, or fist, in the breast, the face, or on the head, which punishment the unlucky wight, who had not made way in sufficient haste, received without the least complaint or resistance, out of respect to the uniform and the caste of his tormenter, whose anger, however, is not always in such cases promptly disarmed by the submission of the delincµient.

Have I not seen one of these carriers of dispatches, courier of some minister, or valet-de-chamhre of some aide-de-camp of the emperor's, drag from his seat a young coachman, and never cease striking him until he had covered his face with blood. The victim submitted to the torture like a real lamb, without the least resistance, and in the same manner as one would yield to some commotion of nature. The passers-by were in no degree moved or excited by the cruelty, and one of the comrades of the sufferer, who was watering his horses a few steps off, obedient to a sign of the enraged feld-jäger, approached to hold his horse's bridle during the time that he was pleased to prolong the punishment. In what other country could a man of the lower orders be found who would assist in