author. I thought he might be able to tell me at once, as the town is
not densely populated, especially with authors;--and for other
reasons. He did not know.

"Then where is the police office or the address office?" I asked. (There
is no such thing as a directory in Russian cities, even in St.
Petersburg. But there is an address office where the names and
residences on passports are filed, and where one can obtain the address
wanted by paying a small fee, and filling out a form. But he must know
the baptismal name and the patronymic as well as the surname, and, if
the person wanted be not "noble," his profession or trade in addition!)

"There is no address office," he answered, "and the police office is
closed. It is after four o'clock. Besides, if it were open, you could
not find out there. We keep no record here, except of soldiers and
strangers."

I thought the man was jesting, but after questioning him further, I was
forced to conclude that it might be true, thought it certainly was
amazing. As the author in question had been sent to Siberia once or
twice, on the charge of complicity in some revolutionary proceedings, it
did seem as though the police ought to be able to give his address, if
Russia meant to live up to the reputation for strict surveillance of
every soul within her borders which foreigners have kindly bestowed upon
her.

As a house-to-house visitation was impossible, I abandoned the quest,
and drove to a photographer's to buy some views of the town. The
photographer proved to be a chatty, vivacious man, and full of
information. I mentioned my dilemma to him. He said that the policeman
had told the exact truth, but that my author, to his positive knowledge,
was in the Crimea, "looking up material." Then he questioned me as to
what we had seen at the Fair, mentioning one or two places of evening
entertainment. I replied that we had not been to those places. I had
understood that they were not likely to suit my taste. Had I been
rightly informed, or ought I to have gone to them in spite of warning?

"No," he replied frankly, after a momentary hesitation, "you ought not
to see them. But all the American women do go to them. There was a party
here last year. O-o-o-oh, how they went on! They were told, as you have
been, that they ought not to go to certain places; so of course they
went, and took the men in the party with them,--which was just as
well. I'd have given something to see their faces at t