MOSCOW. 
214 
chap, other, placed himself above them. One was a 
General ; another a Lieutenant; a third an Ensign ; 
a fourth a Police-officer a fifth an Army Surgeon ; 
a sixth a Secretary ; and so on. AH this was very 
well; they consoled themselves with the pro- 
spect of a snug party at the bottom of the table, 
where they would be the farther removed from 
ceremony: but, lo! when the dishes came round, 
a first was empty ; a second contained the sauce 
without the meat ; a third, the rejected offals of 
the whole company; and at length they were 
compelled to make a scanty meal, upon the slice 
of black bread before them, and a little dirty 
broth from the humble tureen, behind whose 
compassionate veil they were happy to hide 
their confusion ; at the same time being more 
amused than mortified, at an adventure into 
which they now saw they had brought them- 
selves by their unassuming frankness. Had 
either of them said, as was really the case, that 
they were in the service of his Britannic Majesty’s 
Militia, or Members of the Associated Volunteers 
of London, they would never have encountered 
so unfavourable a reception. 
But more serious difficulties frequently follow 
a want of attention to these prejudices, in visit- 
rrecaution j n g ^he interior of Russia. When a poderosnoy, 
in Travel- or order for post-horses, is made out, it will 
ling. 
