178 CAVALRY OFFICERS' RIDING SCHOOL 



enough to occupy my leisure, especially as at that time the 

 materials for two new books were demanding literary escape 

 from my brain with painful insistence. Besides, I had no 

 wish to remain in Russia beyond the period of my engage- 

 ment. But I wanted above all things to fulfil my part of the 

 contract by conscientious work, and I could not help cherish- 

 ing the hope of being able to interest the members of the 

 Officers' School in my way of breaking. During the whole of 

 my official stay in Russia, I neither saw the Grand Duke, nor 

 received the slightest intimation that he had deigned to make 

 any inquiries about what I was doing. No doubt he thought 

 that the best way to utilise me, was to hand me over to 

 Generals Strukof and Avscharof to do what they liked with 

 me ; but I feel certain that in this he did not consider that 

 my presence at the cadres and at the Officers' School, would 

 be regarded by these Generals as a grave reflection on the 

 efficiency of their respective establishments. 



When I first went to the Officers' School, I was told that 

 I would have to wait until the young horses had arrived from 

 the studs. When these animals made their appearance, I 

 was informed that I would not be allowed to break in any of 

 them ; because they were all quiet. I was however permitted 

 to demonstrate on a sixteen-year-old trooper which was a con- 

 firmed kicker. I represented that according to the instruc- 

 tions I had received (Circular Letter, p. 110), I was to be 

 given young horses ; but all to no purpose. My objection to 

 taking this old reprobate in hand was the not unreasonable 

 one, that this animal had been in the school ever since he was 

 a young remount, so it was hopeless for me to attempt to 

 cure him of a vice he had acquired and practised in surround- 

 ings to which he would return the moment my lesson was 

 over. Besides, as I pointed out to the Colonel who was 

 immediately under General Avscharof, my ability to break 

 in horses had been fully tested by the Grand Duke before he 



