ii 4 THE CADRES 



three days for each cadre) how to give wild horses good 

 manners and mouths, and that a fortnight was the shortest 

 time I could complete such a task. He said that if I did 

 not hurry through the brigades, all the wild horses would be 

 broken before I would arrive at the last two or three on the 

 list. I then asked him if he would permit me to pay a 

 second visit to each of the brigades on my return trip ? Yes, 

 I could do that ; I could stay as long as I liked at each 

 brigade ; in fact, 1 could do what I wished. Seeing that 

 he was "kidding" me, I dropped the subject, made my 

 bow and retired. As I had to see General Palitzyne before 

 leaving, I called on him the following day and explained my 

 troubles. He was kind and sympathetic, but could do 

 nothing. He and General Strukof are so close to the 

 Grand Duke, that they are naturally rivals for the favour 

 of their chief; and it is a fundamental principle in the 

 conduct of Russian public affairs, that the heads of depart- 

 ments have full liberty to run their own show in their own 

 way. General Palitzyne told me that I would meet much 

 difficulty and jealousy, but hoped that I would manage 

 to get on well. I saw that he was sorry for me, and I 

 was sorry for myself for having been delivered over to the 

 head of the Remount Department, who, instead of furthering 

 the Grand Duke's wishes as regards my instruction in 

 horse-breaking, appeared determined to oppose them by 

 passive resistance, which history tells us has been the 

 favourite weapon used by reactionary officials against 

 reforms instituted by their rulers. I hate being beaten ; 

 but as I was in the pit, it was a case of fight on, no matter 

 what were the odds against winning. Besides, I wanted 

 to have a turn with the steppe horses, and to learn all I 

 could about them and from them. 



Much to my regret, it was decided that I was not to visit 

 Sysran and Armavir. 



