a present for a lady to whom he was going to be married. He was immediately shown a number of very costly and splendid rings, which he examined attentively, seeming much puzzled in his choice. While this was going on, a beggar opened the shop-door, and the jeweller told him to go away; but the General, observing, in a compassionate tone, that he chanced to have a few copecks in his pocket, beckoned the man to him and dropped them into his hat. The beggar began with the usual whine of the class to thank him, but the General cut him short very gruffly and bade the man be off. He then resumed his examination of the rings, and at last said that they were all so handsome that he could not make up his mind which to select, but that he must bring the lady to choose for herself. The jeweller, as he replaced the box, counting over the rings, perceived that one was missing. He asked the General if he had put one in his pocket by mistake. This was denied, but after some further search the tradesman at last taxed his customer with having stolen a ring. The General was highly indignant at the charge, but the jeweller persisted, saying that he should send for the police to search him; which at last he actually did, though warned by his Excellency of the danger of making a groundless accusation against a man of his rank.

The General was searched, but the ring was not found, and it was now his turn to become the accuser, by charging the shopkeeper with a false attack upon his character. In the end this affair cost the poor jeweller two or three thousand roubles before it was compromised; besides which he lost a ring worth perhaps as much more. The person whom he was accused of defaming was in truth no impostor as regarded his rank, but was really a General, though his conduct, on this occasion, was somewhat "unbecoming an officer and a gentleman." He had stolen the ring, though it was not about his person when he was searched, as he had dropped it with the copecks into the hat of his confederate, the pretended beggar.

The following story records the prowess of a Polish lady, who not long ago honoured Moscow with her residence, and who seems to have been a most accomplished swindler. It is

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said that by the exercise of her talents in this way she realised, in the course of one year, between three and four thousand pounds; all of which she spent in the same period, economy not being one of her virtues. Light come, light gone," says the adage. This lady on one occasion, being in the occupation of a house at Moscow, obtained on credit a quantity of firewood, to the value of five hundred roubles. Of the best of this she had a considerable quantity piled in her ante-room, apparently for use. She had indeed a use for it, though she did not intend it for the fire, as you will see. She sent for a wholesale dealer, not her creditor, as may be supposed, and asked him if he would like to purchase some wood, as she had an estate about forty versts from Moscow, on which she meant to cut down a large quantity. The man said that he should have no objection to become the purchaser of all she had for sale, if they could agree about the price. 'Well," said she, "you had better go down to my property and look at the wood as it stands." "I will go to-morrow," said the tradesman, "but I should like first to know whether we are likely to come to terms."

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The lady then named the acreage which she meant to clear, and, describing the wood as of most excellent quality, she said that the price she expected was forty thousand roubles. Well," said the tradesman, "that is rather too much, but, if I find that the article answers your description, I shall not mind offering something like five-and-thirty thousand." The lady said that, as she wanted a sum of money, she was not inclined to dispute about a trifle, though the price she at first named was little enough. She, however, pressed strongly for an immediate conclusion to the business, and offered to take the tradesman in her carriage that evening down into the country to see the wood. He declared that it was impossible for him to leave home at that moment, but that he would go the next day; to which the lady replied that she could not wait, and that she must try to deal with some one else. At length the man, considering, from the terms proposed and the description he had received of the wood, that the purchase was likely to turn out extremely profitable, said that, as they were so nearly agreed, he would conclude the bargain at once, going

M

down the following day to satisfy himself and to examine the wood, and he begged the lady, in the mean time, to take, as is usual, some hand-money as an earnest. To this proposal she refused to accede, insisting that the man should accompany her into the country that evening if he intended to deal with her.

The conversation went on in this manner for some time, the tradesman assuring her that he could not leave his business that day, and the lady urging the point, till at length a happy idea appeared to strike her. "After all," said she, " perhaps it is unnecessary for you to go down at once to my estate, for you can judge of the wood by this sample in the ante-room; though it is but some inferior stuff which I have been cutting for my present use."

The dealer was delighted with the specimen she pointed out; and the bulk of the wood for sale being, as he was assured, of very much better quality that what was shown him, he determined not to let so good a bargain slip. He said, therefore, that he felt quite satisfied, and would close at once with the lady's offer if she would accept hand-money, according to the Russian custom, and would consider the business as settled. "No," said she, "I am in need of money certainly, and that is the reason why I take so low a price for my wood, but the sum I want is a considerable one, and two or three hundred roubles will be of no use to me." 'Well, madam," said the dealer, "I shall not be easy unless the bargain is struck, so pray take this on account," handing her notes to the amount of six thousand roubles. The money was with some difficulty received, and the tradesman departed well satisfied. Another dealer was immediately sent for, who bought for three hundred roubles ready money the unpaid-for stock of wood which had played so useful a part; and the lady lost no time in shifting her quarters.

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Long before this affair the police had been in search of her for similar exploits, and at length, a superior officer having discovered her residence, determined that she should not escape, and went himself with the constables to apprehend her. He was received at the door of the house by a maid-servant, who said her mistress was at home, begging the gentleman to walk in. The police-officer desired his men to wait at the door, and

was himself shown into a room, where he waited for some time, but no lady made her appearance. Growing suspicious, he determined to search the house at once; but, on reaching the door of the room, he found himself locked in. On making this discovery, he kicked and called loudly, until not only his own assistants but some of the lodgers in the house came to see what was the matter. As soon as the officer was released from durance, he began to inquire for Madame the woman of whom Why," said the people of the house, “did She spoke to you herself at the door, and Whether Madame

he was in search.

not you see her?

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showed you into this very room."

has

ever been brought up at the Moscow Bow Street, or whether she is still wanted, I have not heard.

Bleenies

LETTER XIX.

Ice-hills- A sledge promenade - A masquerade

- A Russian dance - A public dinner.

Tamboff, February 24th, 1838.

We are now arrived nearly at the conclusion of the carnival, which ends to-morrow (Sunday) at midnight, Lent in the Greek church beginning, not on Ash-Wednesday, but on the previous Monday. Indeed, the carnival-week itself is, strictly speaking, a commencement of the fast, or at least a preparation for it; the use of meat being forbidden at this time, though eggs, milk, and butter are allowed.* This, however, is a distinction seldom or never observed by the higher classes, who generally content themselves with abstaining from animal food during a single week of Lent, usually the first or the last. The traders and peasants are, as I have already told you, extremely rigid in observing this and all the other rules of the Greek church. One of the great amusements of the carnival is eating bleenies; a bleeny being a kind of cake somewhat like an English crumpet or a thick pancake, and eaten with butter. The carnival is the season in which ice-hills are chiefly in use in Russia, but unfortunately none on a considerable scale have been erected here this winter, and the only specimen I have seen is a very small one made in the court-yard of a private house for the amusement of the children. For the three last days, as well as on Sunday, there have been grand promenades in the principal street, at which nearly all the inhabitants of the town have appeared, parading up and down in sledges of every description, at a foot's-pace, in two rows like the lines of carriages in Hyde-park. Order is maintained by a number of policemen, aided by a few mounted gendarmes, and the middle space between the two ranks is

*The week before Lent is called butter-week in Russ.