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

(c You are too satirical and discriminating for barbarians such as we."

Whereupon my old friend re-entered his carriage, and went off at full gallop.

I have already spoken of the care I take to conceal my papers, under a sense of the possibility of some secret, if not open means of discovering my thoughts being had recourse to. I place none of these papers in my éeritoire or portfolio ; hoping that, in the event of any such perquisitions, this might satisfy the inquisitors. I have, also, so arranged that the feld-jäger does not enter my room until having asked my permission through Antonio. An Italian may compete in finesse with even a Russian. The Italian in question has been for fifteen years my valet-de-chambre. He has the politic brain of the modern Romans, and the honourable heart of the ancient. Had I ventured in this land with an ordinary servant, I should have abstained from writing my thoughts; but Antonio, countermining the espionnage of the feldjäger, assures to me some degree of safety.

If it be necessary that I should offer excuses for repetition and monotony, it is equally necessary that I should apologise for travelling at all in Russia. The frequent recurrence of the same impressions is inevitable in all conscientious books of travels, and more especially of travels in this land. Wishing to give as exact an idea as possible of the country I survey, it is necessary that I should record precisely, and day by day, all that I am impressed with ; this is the only means of justifying my after-reflections.