198 PETERSBURG IN WINTER 



be fashionable, must have a European coachman. The one- 

 eyed Notto is the Italian whip, and an excellent one, to H.I.M. 

 the Tzar ; and his brother, who I believe began life as a con- 

 fectioner, drives for the Grand Duke Paul. There are a few 

 English coachmen, among whom Hall figures. Old Etches, 

 who held the ribbons for several years in the service of Prince 

 Galitzin, is a regular John Bull, although he has been away 

 from his native land for more than fifty years. He, like 

 many other emigrants brought up his sons in Russia, and 

 despises them because they are not English as if it was their 

 fault! Many of the non-Russian coachmen, when out with 

 their master or mistress, confine their duties to those of foot- 

 man or carriage groom and have a native to drive for them ; 

 because they don't know Russian sufficiently well to use the 

 strong language necessary to clear a way for themselves in 

 busy traffic. What that very dreadful "language" is, I 

 haven't the faintest idea ; because, while making up my 

 collection of Russian words and phrases for future need, I 

 carefully abstained from learning a single term of abuse. 

 This omission was in no way due to conscientious scruples ; 

 but knowing that I would have a good deal to try my temper 

 among the Russians, I thought it safest not to indulge in the 

 swear-words of their language, which I could insure myself 

 from not doing, only by not learning any of them. The 

 owner of the largest horse-shoeing establishment in Petersburg 

 is an Englishman of the name of Moss. Many of these men 

 have committed the folly of marrying Russian women. I am 

 fully aware that a Russian would be equally misguided to 

 marry an Englishwoman. An experience of eighteen years 

 in India, where mixed marriages are as unhappy as they are 

 common, has proved to me that a wise man or prudent 

 woman would abstain from marrying a foreigner. The idea 

 of an Englishwoman marrying a black man and breeding 

 black and tan children, is too repulsive for words. 



