an police, who put one through
the Inquisition as to one's self and one's ancestors as soon as one
arrives, and who prove themselves lineal descendants of Ananias or Baron
Munchausen when a traveler asks for information.

When we wished to leave the country, I again usurped the _dvornik's_
duties, and paid another visit to the passport office, to inspect its
workings. Our Russian passports were clipped out, and little books were
given us, which constituted our permission to leave Russia at any time
within the next three months, by any route we pleased, without further
ceremony. These booklets contained information relating to the tax
imposed on Russians for absenting themselves from their country for
various periods, the custom-house regulations which forbid the entry,
duty free, of more than one fur cloak, cap, and muff to each person,
etc., since these books form return passports for Russians, though we
surrendered ours at the frontier. As the hotel clerk or porter attends
to all passport details, few foreigners see the inside of the office, or
hear the catechisms which are conducted there, as I did. It is vulgar,
it smacks of commercial life, to go one's self. Apathy and lack of
interest can always be relied upon to brand one as aristocratic. In this
case, however, as in many others, I considered myself repaid for
following Poor Richard's advice: "If you want a thing done, do it
yourself; if not, send!"

To sum up the passport question: If his passport is in order, the
traveler need never entertain the slightest apprehension for a single
moment, despite sensational tales to the contrary, and it will serve as
a safeguard. If, for any good reason, his passport cannot be put in
order, the traveler will do well to keep out of Russia, or any other
country which requires such documents. In truth, although we do not
require them in this country, America would be better off if all people
who cannot undergo a passport scrutiny, and a German, not a Russian,
passport examination, were excluded from it.

I have mentioned the post-office in connection with our passports.
Subsequently, I had several entertaining interviews with the police and
others on that point. One Sunday afternoon, in Moscow, we went to the
police station of our quarter to get our change-of-address petition to
the post-office authorities signed. There was nothing of interest about
the shabby building or the rooms, on this occasion. The single officer
on dut