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

and, after some delay, I was sent to Toula, where I obtained the situation of tutor in the family of the governor. I passed two years under his roof."

" How did you live during that time ? "

" My pupil was a boy of twelve years, whom I loved, and who also became very fond of me. He told me that his father was a widower, and that he had bought, at Moscow, a female peasant, whom he had made his concubine; and that this woman rendered their household very uncomfortable."

" What kind of man was this governor ? "

" A tyrant of the melo-dramatic order. He made dignity consist in silence. During the two ý%ars that I dined at his table we never once talked together. He had a blind man for a fool, whom he caused to sing during the whole repast, and encouraged to talk before me against the French, the army, and the prisoners. I knew enough Russian to understand some of these brutal and indecent jests., of which my pupil explained to me the rest when we returned to our chamber."

" What a want of delicacy !— and yet they praise Russian hospitality. You just spoke of cruel noblemen who aggravated the fate of the prisoners : did you fall in with any ? "

" Before reaching Toula, I made one of a small party of prisoners confided to a serjeant, an old soldier, who bebaved well to us. One evening we halted on the domains of a baron dreaded all around for his cruelty. This ruffian wished to kill ns with his own hand ; and the serjeant had difficulty in defending our lives against the patriotic rage of the old boyard."

u These men are, indeed, sons of the servants of Ivan IV.! Am I wrong in exclaiming against their inhumanity ? Did the father of your pupil give you much money `í "

" When I arrived under his roof, I was stript of everything : to clothe me, he generously ordered his tailor to return one of his old coats : he was not ashamed to dress the preceptor of his son in a garment which an Italian lacquey would not have put on."

" And yet the Russians are said to be munificent."

" Yes ; but they are shabby in the extreme in their private family arrangements. An Englishman once came to Toula. on which occasion everything was turned upside-down in the

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