228 TIFLIS. 



cost ten roubles. ' All right,' is my answer, ' only 

 give it me.' Here some one else's business intervenes, 

 and the second clerk turns to have a chat and a 

 cigarette with a friend who has wandered in, 

 probably from some other office, in an absent way. 

 Whilst these two shock-headed counter-jumpers 

 are exchanging elaborate bows and grandiloquent 

 speeches, I have to wait in sad disgust. At last, 

 when the farewell bow has been performed, and the 

 gentleman with the dirty white shirt-front and 

 prison crop has had the honour of saluting his 

 friend and wishing him good- day, clerk number 

 one induces clerk number two to return to my 

 ' podorojna.' Then they make a fourth calculation, 

 going over all the old ground again, and discover 

 with a fine smile and bow that they have made 

 another slight mistake the real sum should have 

 been ten roubles fourteen copecks. To prevent 

 further calculations I hand in a hundred-rouble 

 note, and here follows another problem. How much 

 change ought they to give me ? Anxious to get 

 away I solve the problem for them, and am met 

 merely by an incredulous stare, while the beads on 

 the abacus are rattled up and down harder than 

 ever. At length they make it out eighty-nine 

 roubles eighty-six copecks, and with a sigh of 

 relief hand me ninety roubles, adding, as they turn 

 to the small cash drawer, ' Now we owe you eighty- 

 six copecks.' I am weak enough to set them right, 



