474 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-II 



said; " there is no misunderstanding; you have only 

 treated me as you have treated other Americans. The 

 American minister has ordered me to wait here and inform 

 him, and all that I have now to ask you is that you give 

 me the name of a hotel." At this be begged me to listen 

 to him, and presently was pleading most piteously ; indeed, 

 he would have readily knelt and kissed my feet to secure 

 my forgiveness. He became utterly abject. All were 

 waiting, the coach stood open, the eyes of the whole party 

 were fastened upon us. My comrades besought me to 

 let the rascal go ; and at last, after a most earnest warning 

 to him, I gave my gracious permission to have the bag- 

 gage placed on the coach. He was certainly at that mo- 

 ment one of the happiest men I have ever seen ; and, as we 

 drove off from the station, he lingered long, hat in hand, 

 profuse with ^bows and good wishes. 



One other occurrence during those seven days and 

 nights of coaching may throw some light upon the feeling 

 which has recently produced, in that same region, the 

 Kishineff massacres. 



One pleasant Saturday evening, at a Polish village, our 

 coach passed into the little green inclosure in front of 

 the post-house, and there stopped for a change of horses. 

 While waiting, I noticed, from my sentry-box on the top 

 of the coach, several well-dressed people by the cut of 

 their beards and hair, Jews standing at some distance 

 outside the inclosure, and looking at us. Presently two 

 of them clearly, by their bearing and dress, men of 

 mark entered the inclosure, came near the coach, and 

 stood quietly and respectfully. In a few moments my 

 attention was attracted by a movement on the other side 

 of the coach: our coachman, a young serf, was skulking 

 rapidly toward the stables, and presently emerged with 

 his long horsewhip, skulked swiftly back again until he 

 came suddenly on these two grave and reverend men, 

 each of them doubtless wealthy enough to have bought 

 a dozen like him, began lashing them, and finally drove 

 them out of the inclosure like dogs, the assembled crowd 

 jeering and hooting after them. 



