They must still play
"preference" here, or "vint." In these little "centers" bridge must be
unknown.

I took a room in a hotel and went to the Kornilov house. It was
about four. I heard the noise of forks and knives, dinner time is so
impossibly early in these longitudes. A man answered my ring and said
I should wait outside and never ring the front door bell. He explained
where the kitchen entrance was. The man, even in explaining these
disagreeable things, was polite: by profession, for I immediately
saw he was a former Chamber-lackey, though he had a moustache and was
looking meager. "Wait on the street, service-man," he said, "I cannot
let you in." Very well,--I know these "waits" and "call later ons."
They don't hurt me.

I crossed the street and went down the slope. There is a post
office on the corner,--and a soldier near it,--a regular Lett: white
eyebrows, red face and the meanest steel blue microscopic eyes deeply
placed under a low forehead. He looked at me and impendingly changed
the rifle from one shoulder to the other. I turned upwards and
continued all along this "great Liberty Street." I did not want to
pass near the Mansion. I turned on the Tuliatskaya, passed two blocks
and explored where the Budishchevs were. Again a Lett, again no
eyebrows over the same piggish eyes. And again a Lett. Gracious! One
more in here--and the whole Letvia must be in Tobolsk!

When I knew the city well enough I turned back to Kornilov's.

The same chamber-lackey opened the rear door almost killing me with
the smell of cabbage.

"Dr. Botkin is not in," he said, when I explained what I wanted,
"Sit down, service-man. Take it"--he gave me a cigarette with a gold
crescent on it--the kind they served at the Palace. I looked at
the crescent and then at the man. In one glance he got I was not
"service-man," but he did not show his discovery,--only got up and
continued talking.

"The doctor is very busy right now. He was asked across the street
twice today. Have you come from Russia? Demobilized?"

"Yes, quite demobilized," I answered. "I must see Mr. Botkin right
now, so won't you please tell him about me as soon as he returns.
Don't worry about the kitchen--I cannot stay here: I'd rather sit
outside."

He showed me through the dining room into the front hall. From there
I could see the Mansion quite well. A little square in front of it was
fenced in, but not very high. On the front stairs I noticed two women
and a bo