AN ACCEPTABLE REPAST. 13" 



stone hovels and tower. Here our friend got 

 us a couple of boulders and a bit of a sledge, 

 and made a seat for us. Then he went to 

 ground in one of the stone heaps. As he 

 didn't come out for some time, I suggested to 

 Platon that as it was excessively cold, we had 

 better follow him indoors, but was mformed 

 that such a course would give great offence, 

 as we were already in what constituted the 

 reception-room, and when you came to look 

 at a Svan's house it was, as a rule, only the 

 outside that you saw. I didn't see much to 

 admire in the outside, but when our friend 

 reappeared with three large bowls full of 

 fragments of cream cheese, a handful of salt, 

 and half a dozen hot maize cakes, I felt that 

 there were compensations in this world for 

 most things. By-and-bye ajar of sour spirit 

 made from rye was added, and then our host 

 and Platon talked as only Caucasians can 

 talk over a square meal, while I thanked 



