bly not more
than two or three minutes, but it seemed a long time. At last a light
was procured, and the whole affair was explained. The guardians, not
expecting the visit of an inspector at so late an hour, had retired for
the night much earlier than usual, and the old porter had put us into
the nearest ward until he could fetch a light--locking the door behind
us lest any of the lunatics should escape. The noise had awakened one
of the unfortunate inmates of the ward, and her hysterical scream had
terrified the others.

By the influence of asylums, hospitals, and similar institutions, the
old conceptions of disease, as I have said, are gradually dying out, but
the znakharka still finds practice. The fact that the znakharka is to be
found side by side not only with the feldsher, but also with the highly
trained bacteriologist, is very characteristic of Russian civilisation,
which is a strange conglomeration of products belonging to very
different periods. The enquirer who undertakes the study of it will
sometimes be scarcely less surprised than would be the naturalist
who should unexpectedly stumble upon antediluvian megatheria grazing
tranquilly in the same field with prize Southdowns. He will discover
the most primitive institutions side by side with the latest products
of French doctrinairism, and the most childish superstitions in close
proximity with the most advanced free-thinking.

CHAPTER VI

A PEASANT FAMILY OF THE OLD TYPE

Ivan Petroff--His Past Life--Co-operative Associations--Constitution of
a Peasant's Household--Predominance of Economic Conceptions over those
of Blood-relationship--Peasant Marriages--Advantages of Living in Large
Families--Its Defects--Family Disruptions and their Consequences.

My illness had at least one good result. It brought me into contact
with the feldsher, and through him, after my recovery, I made the
acquaintance of several peasants living in the village. Of these by far
the most interesting was an old man called Ivan Petroff.

Ivan must have been about sixty years of age, but was still robust and
strong, and had the reputation of being able to mow more hay in a given
time than any other peasant in the village. His head would have made a
line study for a portrait-painter. Like Russian peasants in general,
he wore his hair parted in the middle--a custom which perhaps owes its
origin to the religious pictures. The reverend appearance given to his
face by his long f