TIFLIS. 227 



scarcely live without perfume and cosmetics ; yet in 

 travelling, if not at home, they wash their faces much 

 as an elephant washes his, by drawing water into their 

 mouth and then squirting it out into their hands, 

 whence they transfer it to their faces. Many of them 

 despise pocket-handkerchiefs, except as a means 

 of conveying perfume about with them. All of 

 them will meet a male acquaintance with the bow 

 of a courtier of Louis XV., and spit on the carpet 

 of a lady's boudoir. 



But meanwhile I have arrived at the office for 

 the sale of ' podorojnas', or travelling tickets ; and as 

 I am in need of one for the journey to Lenkoran, 

 to be commenced on the morrow, I enter. At the 

 desk are two clerks in uniform, with a counting- 

 board before them. I state what I want ; and 

 after ten minutes spent in referring to a book of 

 fares, and wrangling and reckoning over the abacus, 

 they tell me the charge is nine roubles, but suggest 

 that perhaps I would like a return pass. 'Well, if I 

 did, what would that come to ? ' More reasoning, and 

 a hotter dispute than ever. At last the answer is 

 arrived at, nineteen roubles ten copecks. Now, 

 according to all preconceived ideas, it seems absurd 

 that a return fare should cost more than twice the 

 single fare, so I declined, and asked for a single. 

 Here a consultation ensues, which results in my 

 being told with many smiling apologies that they 

 had made a slight mistake : the single pass would 



