A TROIKA 63 



subject he really understood a good deal about, although 

 he did not care to discuss it with me. Colonel Ismailof on 

 the contrary was very cheery, and when we approached 

 Kharkof, which is about 800 miles from St. Petersburg, he 

 insisted that we should all go with him to the Doubrovka 

 stud. Having the Shandrovka trial in front of me, I 



Photo by\ 



[L. C. Gorodetzsky, Tzarskoe Selo. 



FIG. 1 6. A Troika. 



did not at all relish the proposed delay, much as I would 

 have enjoyed the visit another time. The Colonel in 

 his hearty, pleasant manner would brook no refusal, and 

 .said that we would travel and be put up at the expense 

 of the Grand Duke, who had evidently inspired the 

 Colonel. We got out at Kharkof, which is a large old 

 Russian city, then branched off to the west, and after a 



