VII
A COMMON DOMESTIC OCCURRENCE, SIGNIFICANT OF THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY
An occurrence, in itself insignificant, that took place yesterday evening, gave me a sudden insight into the position of that part of the population which the Russians wish to humiliate, and at the same time into the relations of the different classes in various districts.
We went over to Piasecznica, where we had been invited to supper. We were fourteen at table—members of the family and a few friends. When one of the servants was changing the plates he did it in so noisy a way that the conversation was interrupted. Some of us thought that he was drunk, others that he had been clumsily anxious to turn the plates in such a manner that the gilt monogram might come straight before each person, which he succeeded in doing. However, we soon forgot this little incident and continued our conversation; but no sooner had we risen from the table and entered the saloon than we heard loud cries. The servant had evidently been seized with a fit of alcoholic mania, and in the kitchen he had seized a long knife with which he had attacked the doorkeeper. They took the knife from him, but he continued to rave, cry, and scream, rushing up and down the great entrance hall. Now and then he stopped to light a cigarette, screamed and menaced anew, and began to abuse the company in Russian. (He had formerly been a servant in a Russian house.) His demeanour was so alarming that it appeared unreasonable to allow him to pass the night in the manor, and we all agreed it would be well to send for the police. Of course the nearest police station in the country is often far away, and even at full trot it is impossible to reach this one in less
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