g Livonian girl had any baggage.
The rapidity with which one wished to make the journey, and the more
than modest resources of the other, prevented them from embarrassing
themselves with packages. It was a fortunate thing, under the
circumstances, for the tarantass could not have carried both baggage
and travelers. It was only made for two persons, without counting the
iemschik, who kept his equilibrium on his narrow seat in a marvelous
manner.

The iemschik is changed at every relay. The man who drove the tarantass
during the first stage was, like his horses, a Siberian, and no less
shaggy than they; long hair, cut square on the forehead, hat with a
turned-up brim, red belt, coat with crossed facings and buttons stamped
with the imperial cipher. The iemschik, on coming up with his team,
threw an inquisitive glance at the passengers of the tarantass. No
luggage!--and had there been, where in the world could he have stowed
it? Rather shabby in appearance too. He looked contemptuous.

"Crows," said he, without caring whether he was overheard or not;
"crows, at six copecks a verst!"

"No, eagles!" said Michael, who understood the iemschik's slang
perfectly; "eagles, do you hear, at nine copecks a verst, and a tip
besides."

He was answered by a merry crack of the whip.

In the language of the Russian postillions the "crow" is the stingy or
poor traveler, who at the post-houses only pays two or three copecks
a verst for the horses. The "eagle" is the traveler who does not mind
expense, to say nothing of liberal tips. Therefore the crow could not
claim to fly as rapidly as the imperial bird.

Nadia and Michael immediately took their places in the tarantass. A
small store of provisions was put in the box, in case at any time they
were delayed in reaching the post-houses, which are very comfortably
provided under direction of the State. The hood was pulled up, as it was
insupport-ably hot, and at twelve o'clock the tarantass left Perm in a
cloud of dust.

The way in which the iemschik kept up the pace of his team would
have certainly astonished travelers who, being neither Russians nor
Siberians, were not accustomed to this sort of thing. The leader, rather
larger than the others, kept to a steady long trot, perfectly regular,
whether up or down hill. The two other horses seemed to know no other
pace than the gallop, though they performed many an eccentric curvette
as they went along. The iemschik, however, never touc