and many of the old and most obnoxious ones were
altered. Till now, a Russian, if he wished to move from one town to
another, could not do so without giving several days' notice to the
police; and if he wished to leave the country he was compelled to beg
permission to do so three months beforehand. Now, by getting any
well-known person to be responsible for any debt he might leave unpaid,
he was able to travel abroad at the notice of a day or two--indeed, as
soon as the governor of his district would issue his passport. Of
course it was a question how long this improved system was likely to
last. Even now, both foreigners and natives could only get passports
from one city to another; and thus Cousin Giles had taken out one for
Moscow, but would be obliged then to take another to go farther into the
interior. All the passport arrangements having been made, the
travellers agreed to leave their letters of introduction, as a drizzling
rain had come on, and would prevent them from enjoying the views
presented by the city. When, however, Cousin Giles came to examine the
paper of directions given by the banker, he found that they were written
in the Russian character. Now as the Russian letters, although some of
the capitals are somewhat alike in shape, have a totally different sound
to the English, or indeed to any other European language, he could not
read a word.

"Never mind," said he; "perhaps our drosky drivers, our ishvoshtsticks,
can read it."

He showed it to the two men, who bent their heads with profound sagacity
over the paper, letting the drops of rain from their shovel hats fall
down on the document, nearly obliterating the writing; and then they
called another of their profession to their council, but the united
wisdom of all three apparently could make nothing of the inscription;
for, at last returning it, they shook their heads very gravely, and
shrugged their shoulders in a most significant manner.

"I daresay we shall fall in with some one or other who can speak English
before long," said Cousin Giles, who was never long at a loss on an
emergency.

He accordingly stopped one or two people, whom he addressed with a
polite bow in English and French, but they shrugged their shoulders and
passed on. At last they met a German who spoke English, and he very
willingly directed the ishvoshtsticks where to drive.

While Cousin Giles was paying one of his visits, and as it was near the
luncheon hour at t