fellow-travellers whom we met at the
hotel.

"The landlord took our part, and declared it was hard enough on simple
travellers like ourselves to be stopped in such a way, and that Russia
was the only country in Europe which was rigid in that respect. Happily,
our passports were back in twenty-four hours, and we started again; our
trunks had been registered for St. Petersburg, and to St. Petersburg
they had gone, ahead of us; and of the small heap of things thrown down
promiscuously at the custom-house, the whole had not come back to us--it
was not very important. I learned how to wear one glove instead of two,
or to go without.

"We had the ordeal of the custom-house to pass again; but once passed,
and told that we were free to go on, it was like going into a clear
atmosphere from a fog. We crossed the custom-house threshold into
another room, and we found ourselves in Russia, and in an excellent,
well-furnished, and cheery restaurant. We lost the German smoke and the
German beer; we found hot coffee and clean table-cloths.

"We did not return to our dusty, red-velvet palace, but we entered a
clean, comfortable compartment, with easy sofas, for the night. We
started again for St. Petersburg; we were now four days from London. I
will omit the details of a break-down that night, and another change of
cars. We had some sleep, and awoke in the morning to enjoy Russia.

"And, first, of Russian railroads. When the railroads of Russia were
planned, the Emperor Nicholas allowed a large sum of money for the
building. The engineer showed him his plan. The road wound by slight
curves from one town to another. This did not suit the emperor at all.
He took his ruler, put it down upon the table, and said: 'I choose to
have my roads run so.' Of course the engineer assented--he had his large
fund granted; a straight road was much cheaper to build than a curved
one. As a consequence, he built and furnished an excellent road.

"At every 'verst,' which is not quite a mile, a small house is placed at
the roadside, on which, in very large figures, the number of versts from
St. Petersburg is told. The train runs very smoothly and very slowly;
twenty miles an hour is about the rate. Of course the journey seemed
long. For a large part of the way it was an uninhabited, level plain; so
green, however, that it seemed like travelling on prairies. Occasionally
we passed a dreary little village of small huts, and as we neared St.
Petersburg we