the grand dining saloon waiting dinner for me.
The guests consisted of six Russian gentlemen
who had been in the hunt; the card-playing
priest and a fellow broadbrim; Monsieur
Defour, a French gentleman who rented the
count's sugar works; Pins, Sanderson, Harry,
and four ladies, besides the countess and her
mother.

A genuine Russian dinner on a great occasion
is not quite copied by the English dîner à la
Russe. On a side-table were placed decanters
containing doppel, keppel, cognac, and other
spirits, and beside these lay plates of raw
herrings, caviare, sardines, and small hard pieces of
black bread and white. Those who desired an
appetiser swallowed one or two small glasses of
spirits and ate herring, caviare, or sardine. The
ladies do this as well as the gentlemen. After
this necessary and important preliminary, which
was executed standing, fork in hand, we were
all seated, and the real business commenced.
Smart lacqueys in drab liveries and blue facings,
with white cravats and gloves, served in
successive dishes a dinner, of which, for the sake
of those interested in such matters, I will give
the menu:

Isschee, a soup made from sour cabbage, and
very good when well made; beef-tea; mushroom
pie, cut in slices; teegee, a fish nearly equal to
salmon; cold veal, with sauce; roast beef;
venison; deviled turkey; chickens; all these
meats with sauces; wild fowl-game; iced cream,
strawberries and cream, confectionary of many
kinds, kissell (a sort of jelly), in various colours;
apples and jargonelle pears (these pears are in
Russia three shillings apiece), raisins, nuts,
sweets, coffee, and cigars. The wines were
numerous and superb. Black bread and white,
baked and roasted potatoes, Dublin and
Allsopp's ales, and the favourite London porter
at six shillings a bottle. The silver plate was
profuse, the crockery fine china; the cookery
faultless. The conversation was kept up with
spirit, but only between the courses, and each
course appeared ready cut up, to be served by
the footmen carrying it round.

After dinner there were toasts, accompanied
by speeches of a few words each, all but one
from the Scotchman, a yard long, in proposing
the Count and Countess Pomerin. When the
company was in a good humour for anything,
the count rose, and said:

"My friends, I have designed a little
performance, which 1 shall now introduce. It is
the settlement of a small affair between me and
my good friend and tenant Monsieur Defour,
now present. I bet him, certain terms, that I
should in six weeks tame a wild horse of his.
This is the last day of the time specified, and we
are within a few hours of its entire expiration.
You shall judge between us. Ladies, I beg you
will be so kind as to keep your seats, and let
no one be in the smallest degree alarmed at
what will now take place. Timossy, tell John
we are all ready."

We were all sitting in the centre of the hall,
with a clear space round us of considerable
extent. The door opened, and a magnificent jet-
black charger, of the Arabian breed, bounced
into the room, blowing clouds of smoke from his
nostrils. He had no bridle nor saddle, nor any
attendant. His flowing mane waved in rich
masses half way down, and his tail swept the
floor.

Some of the gentlemen sprang up from their
seats, and the ladies screamed.

"I implore you all to sit quiet; there is no
danger in the least," cried the count. "Do
sit down." When we were all seated again, he
said, "Come here, Nereckta, and kiss me;" and
he held his arms out. The horse went straight
to the head of the table and held up his great
lips to be kissed. "There, now," and the count
stamped on the floor twice, "go round the room
and make your bow to the ladies." The horse
immediately obeyed, and approaching the ladies
(who all sat together), bowed four times. But
there were six ladies. The count said "Again;"
but the horse refused. "In the rehearsal,"
said the count, "we had only four lady
dummies. I must pass that part." He then gave
him some sweet cake, and stamping three times,
told him to go down on his knees and beg
pardon for intruding on the company. The
animal went gently down on one knee, and
bent his head twice to the ground, in great
humility.

"Now, then, get up and drink to the health
of all here." A tin can was handed to the
count, who emptied two bottles of champagne
into it, close to the horse's head. He held
up his head before drinking, gave a polite
neigh to the company, and leisurely drank off
the champagne. The count then jumped on
his back, and was carried quietly twice round
the room.

"The remaining part of the play," said the
count, coming off the horse, and laughing,
"must be seen elsewhere. Those who have the
curiosity, will follow." He passed out by the
door, the horse following him. We were all led
through a passage to the other end of the building,
where there was a broad flight of steps
leading to the servants' rooms.

The count pointed to the steps, clapped the
horse on the head, and said, "Go, Nereckta."
Nereckta obeyed at once, climbed about fifteen
steps, turned on the landing, and came down
again, carefully picking his way.

"Are you satisfied, my friend," said the count,
turning to the Frenchman, "or must I appeal to
the judges?"

"There is no occasion; I am satisfied. It is
wonderful! I have lost. Take the papers."
And he pulled out a bundle of papers and handed
them to the count.

No sooner had the count received them,
then he tore them up into shreds and scattered
them in the lobby. Then, taking from his
pocket a sealed packet, he handed it to the
Frenchman, saying:

"Here is a new contract on more just and
equitable terms. Do you take it, or must I
destroy it also?"