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

174VERMIN IN ST. PETERSBURG.

numerous. Man is their property and their luxury. The moment the valets are left alone in the apartments of their masters, they squat themselves, in oriental fashion, on the seats and couches, which they fill with vermin. These creatures pass into the walls and flooi`s, and in a few days the house becomes infested past all remedy ; for the impossibility of airing the houses in winter perpetuates the evil from year to year.

The new imperial palace, built at such cost of life and money, is already full of these vermin. It might be said, that the wretched workmen who were killed in order to ornament with greater celerity the habitation of their master, have avenged their own death by inoculating with their vermin those homicidal walls. If the palace is infected by these nocturnal foes, how should I be able to sleep at Coulons ? I have given up the idea; but the clearness of the night consoles me for every thing.

On returning from the islands about midnight, I again went out on foot, and occupied my mind with reviewing the scenes and conversations which had most interested me during the day ; of these I will presently give the summary.

My solitary walk led me to the beautiful street called the Perspective Newski. I saw in the twilight, shining from afar, the little pillars of the tower of the Admiralty, surmounted with its lofty metallic spire. The spire of this Christian minaret is more taper than any Gothic steeple. It is gilded all over with the gold of the ducats sent as a present to the emperor Peter I. by the States of the Netherlands.

The revolting dirtiness of this inn-chamber, and