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THE STEEL FLEA
thumb; and with the other forefinger and thumb he gripped the flea. And no sooner had he applied the little key than it began to move its feelers; next it began to wriggle its legs, and at last it gave a sudden skip, and in one bound it made a straight dance and two variations to one side, then to the other, and thus danced out an entire quadrille in three figures.
The Emperor immediately commanded that a million be given to the artisans, in any money they preferred—in silver five-kopek pieces, if they liked, or in small bank-bills, if they liked that.
The Englishmen requested that silver money be issued to them because they did not understand paper money;[1] and then they immediately exhibited
- ↑ There was a very great difference in the value of silver and paper money in Russia at that date, and the Englishmen chose wisely.
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