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

232PUNISHMENT OF A POSTILLION.

him as towards one who might at any moment receive an order to become my gaoler.

I have already spoken of the mingled interchanges of politeness and brutality, of the bows and blows which the Russians practise among each other; here, among a thousand, is another example. The postillion who brought me to the post-house from whence I write, had incurred at the stage where he set out, by I know not what fault, the wrath of his comrade, the head hostler. The latter trampled him, child as he is, under his feet, and struck him with blows which must have been severe, for I heard them at some distance resounding against the breast of the sufferer. When the executioner was weary of his task, the victim rose, breathless and trembling, and without proffering a word, readjusted his hair, saluted his superior, and, encouraged by the treatment he had received, mounted lightly the box to drive me at a hard gallop four and a half or five leagues in one hour. The Emperor travels at the rate of seven. The trains on the railways would have to do their best to keep up with his carriage. What numbers of men must be beaten and horses killed, in order to render possible so amazing a velocity, and that for one hundred and eighty leagues in succession ! Some pretend that the incredible rapidity of these journeys in an open carriage is injurious to the health ; and that few lungs can stand the practice of cleaving the air so rapidly. The Emperor is so constituted that he can support every thing ; but his son, who is less robust, suffers from the demands made upon his frame, under the pretext of fortifying it. With the character which his manners, expression, and language convey the