72 RUSSIA THEN AND NOW 



from a high and well-posted source was: 'There is 

 absolutely no truth in it. ' My informant added that 

 the Count did give the Government concern occasion- 

 ally on account of his peculiar notions about many 

 things, but this story about his arrest and imprison- 

 ment was not true. Count Tolstoy is at present, as 

 stated in yesterday's St. Petersburg Gazette, not on his 

 estate, ; 'Iassnaja Poljana, " in the Government of 

 Rjasan, but in the Busuluk district of Samara, 500 

 miles east of his home. It would really be well not to 

 be in a hurry to accept as authentic all the news 

 we receive about Russia through the channels above 

 indicated. The ill-feeling of these countries towards 

 Russia prejudices them to the extent that they magnify 

 the dark sides and scarcely mention the bright ones. 



The London Daily Mail, January 17, 1901, 

 printed the following despatch from Odessa : 



While journeying north from Livadia, Emperor 

 Nicholas, during a breakfast luncheon at Tula, capital 

 of the Government of the same name in Central Russia, 

 sent a delicately worded message expressing his desire 

 to see Count Leo Tolstoy. Contrary to expectation 

 Tolstoy accepted the invitation and soon appeared at 

 the railway station. 



In his peasant's garb he presented a striking contrast 

 to the richly dressed entourage of the Czar. Emperor 

 Nicholas kissed him on the mouth and both cheeks, 

 and Tolstoy readily responded. 



Then a conversation commenced, the Czar asking 



