A CITY ON FIRE. 159 



that there were no lodgings to be had in any of the few 

 houses on that side of the river ; ' but,' said she, l pray come 

 into my little house, where you are welcome to remain at 

 least during the day.' I was only too glad to do so ; and, 

 seeing that there was a small yard adjoining, I asked per- 

 mission to put therein our two vehicles, in which we might 

 sleep until some better place could be found. We soon 

 found that our hostess was of good family, and an exile, 

 though not a political, but a criminal one. On arriving at 

 Irkutsk, the Governor-General had shown her kindness in 

 allowing her to remain in the city, where she partly sup 

 ported herself by giving lessons, and was living for the sum- 

 mer in this quasi country-house with a young man whom she 

 called her brother, her little girl she had brought from Rus- 

 sia, and a small servant whom she spoke of as ' ma petite 

 femme de chambre.' There was one tolerably spacious 

 dwelling-room in the house, and in this were sundry tokens 

 of refinement brought from a better home. On the wall 

 hung a photograph of herself, as a bride leaning on the arm 

 of her husband in officer's uniform, whilst several other 

 photographs and ornaments spoke also of a better past. 



u The. conflagration was increasing, and I offered to ac- 

 company Madame to her friends residing in the town, to see 

 if we could be of use, whilst my interpreter stayed with the 

 tarantasses and the little girl to guard the promises. We 

 accordingly set out, accompanied by her maid. At the ferry 

 we met a crowd of persons fleeing from the city, and carry- 

 ing with them what was most valuable or most dear. An 

 old lady tottering under a heavy load of valuable furs, piled 

 on her head ; a poor half-blind nun, hugging an ikon, evi- 

 dently the most precious of her possessions ; a delicate young 

 lady in tears, with her kitten in her arms ; and boys tugging 

 along that first requisite of a Russian home, the brazen 

 samovar. Terror was written on every countenance. 



" Before long we came to the wide street in which were 

 situated the best shops and warehouses, and where the fire 

 was raging on either side and spreading. Those who were 



