PLANNING THE RIDE. 55 



mint to manufacture mountains of paper rubles. In 

 money matters he was an understudy of the old race 

 of Russian nobles, who used to ruin their serfs and 

 estates at home in order that they might squander 

 thousands of pounds ostentatiously on the green cloth 

 tables at Monaco, and fling handfuls of Napoleons at 

 waiters' heads in Paris. From all this, it will be seen 

 that though fortunate in my horse, I was a great deal 

 more fortunate in my companion. 



