nee and then on the shoulder,
and saying:

"Kompreney? Vwee? As _lord mayor_ and _municipalais_ I suggest that
you should take a little _promenage . . . kompreney? Promenage._"

Kutsyn pointed at Venice, and with two fingers represented walking
legs. Rahat-Helam who kept his eyes fixed on his medals, and was
apparently guessing that this was the most important person in the
town, understood the word _promenage_ and grinned politely. Then
they both put on their coats and went out of the room. Downstairs
near the door leading to the restaurant of the 'Japan,' Kutsyn
reflected that it would not be amiss to entertain the Persian. He
stopped and indicating the tables, said:

"By Russian custom it wouldn't be amiss . . . _puree, entrekot_,
champagne and so on, kompreney."

The illustrious visitor understood, and a little later they were
both sitting in the very best room of the restaurant, eating, and
drinking champagne.

"Let us drink to the prosperity of Persia!" said Kutsyn. "We Russians
love the Persians. Though we are of another faith, yet there are
common interests, mutual, so to say, sympathies . . . progress . . .
Asiatic markets. . . . The campaigns of peace so to say. . . ."

The illustrious Persian ate and drank with an excellent appetite,
he stuck his fork into a slice of smoked sturgeon, and wagging his
head, enthusiastically said: "_Goot, bien._"

"You like it?" said the mayor delighted. "_Bien_, that's capital."
And turning to the waiter he said: "Luka, my lad, see that two
pieces of smoked sturgeon, the best you have, are sent up to his
Highness's room!"

Then the mayor and the Persian magnate went to look at the menagerie.
The townspeople saw their Stepan Ivanovitch, flushed with champagne,
gay and very well pleased, leading the Persian about the principal
streets and the bazaar, showing him the points of interest of the
town, and even taking him to the fire tower.

Among other things the townspeople saw him stop near some stone
gates with lions on it, and point out to the Persian first the lion,
then the sun overhead, and then his own breast; then again he pointed
to the lion and to the sun while the Persian nodded his head as
though in sign of assent, and smiling showed his white teeth. In
the evening they were sitting in the London Hotel listening to the
harp-players, and where they spent the night is not known.

Next day the mayor was at the Town Hall in the morning; the officials
there appa