LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1003, 12 September 1877, Page 3

LITERATURE.

+ THE COST OF A TRAIN. At a time when the first open court of law was established in Bussia, a lady, dressed with the utmost elegance, was walking on the Moscow promenade leaning upon her husband's arm, and letting the long train of her rich dress sweep the dust and dirt of the street. A young officer, coming hastily from a side street, was so careless as to catch one of his spurs in the lady's train, an in aniustant a great piece was torn out of the costly but frail material of the dress. ' I beg a thousand pardons, madam,' said he, with a polite bow, and then was about passing on, when he was detained by the lady's husband. ' You have insulted my wife.' ' Nothing was further from my intention, sir. Your wife's long dress is to blame for the accident which J sincerely regret, and I beg you once more to receive my apologies for any carelessness on my part.' Thereupon he attempted to hasten on. 'You shall not escape so,' said the lady, with her head thrown hack in a spirited way. 'To-day is the first time I have worn this dress, and it cost two hundred roubles, which you must make good,' ' My dear madam, I beg you not to detain me. I am obliged to go on duty at once. As to the two hundred roubles —I really cannot help the length of your dress, yet I beg your pardon for not having been more cautious.' ' You shad not stir,~sir. That you are obliged to go on duty is nothing to up. My wife is right; the dress must be made good.' The young officer's face grow pale. ' You force me to break through the rules of the service, and J. shall receive punishment. ' ' Pay the two hundred roubles and you are free.' The quickly changing colour of the young man's face betrayed how inwardly disturbed he w r as ; but stepping up close to them both, he said with apparent self-command 'You will renounce your claim when I tell you that I am a—a poor man, who has nothing to live upon but his officer's pay, and the amount of that hardly reaches the sum of two hundred roubles in the whole year. I can, therefore, make no amends for the misfortune, except by again begging your pardon ' 'Oh! anybody could say that; but we'll see if it's true ; we'll find out if yen have nothing but your pay. I declare myself not satisii d with your excuses, and 1 demand my money,' persisted the lady, in the hard voice of a thoroughly uufeeUng woman ' i ' That is true—you are right",' the husband j ; added, dutifully supporting her. ' By good i I luck we have the open court just now in session. Go with us before a judge and he will decide the matter. j All further protestations on the officer's j part that he was poor, that he was expected i on duty, and so forth, did not help matters. ; Out of respect to his uniform, and to avoid I an open scene, he had to go to the courfc- | room, where the gallery was densely packed j with a crowd of people. After waiting some time, the lady had leave to bring her complaint. 'What have you to answer to this complaint ''. ' said the judge, turning to the officer, who seemed embarrassed and half in despair. ' On the whole, very little. As the lateness of the hour, and being required on duty, compelled me to hurry, I did not notice this lady's train, which was dragging on the ground. I caught one of my spurs in. it, and had the misfortune to tear the dress. Madam would not receive my excuses, but perhaps now she might find herself mote disposed to forgiveness, when 1 again declare that I committed this awkward blunder without any mischievous intention, and I earnestly beg that she will pardon me ' A murmur ran through the gallery, evidently from the people taking side with the defendant, and against long trains in general, and the lady in particular. The judge called to order, and asked, 'Are you satisfied with the defendant's explanation ':' 'Not at all satisfied. I demand two hundred roubles in payment for my torn dress.' ' Defendant, will you pay this sum?' 'I would have paid it long before this had I been in a position to do so. Unfortunately 1 am poor. My pay as an officer is all I have to Jive on.' ' You hear, complainant, that the defendant is not able to pay the sum that you demand of him. Do you wish the complaint to stand ?' An unbroken silence, rejgned throughout

the hall, and the young officer's breath, could be heard coming hard. ' I wish it to stand. The law shall give me my rights.' There ran through the rows of people a murmur of indignation that sounded like the rushing of water.

' Consider, complainant, the consequences of your demand. The defendant can be punished only through being deprived of h'S personal liberty, and by that you could obtain no satisfaction, while to the defendant it might prove the greatest injury in his rank and position as an officer, and espe cially as he is an officer who is poor and dependent on his pay. Do you still insist upon your complaint ?' ' I still insist upon it ' The course the affair was taking seemed to have become painful to the lady's husband. He spoke with his wife urgently, but, as could be seen by the way she held up her head, and the energy with which she shook it, quite uselessly. The judge was just going on to the further consideration of the case, when a loud voice was heard from the audience—- ' I will place the two hundred roubles at the service of the defendant.' There followed a silence, during which a gentleman forced his way through the crowd and placed himself by the young officer's side. ' Sir, I am Prince W , and beg you will oblige me by accepting the loan of the two hundred roubles in question.' 'Prince, I am not worthy of your kindness, for I don't know if I shall ever be able to pay the loan,' answered the young man, in a voice tremulous with emotion. ' Take the money, at all events. I can wait until you are able to return it.' Thereupon the Prince held out two notes of a hundred roubles each, and coming close up to him, whispered a few words very softly. There was a sudden lighting up of the officer's face. He immediately took the two notes, and, turning toward the lady, handed them to her with a polite bow. ' I hope, madam, you are satisfied.' ' Yes ; now I am satisfied.' With a scornful glance over the crowd of spectators, she prepared to leave the courtroom on her husband's arm. ' Stop, madam,' said the officer, who had suddenly become like another man, with a firm and confidential manner. ' What do you want ?' The look that the young woman cast upon him was as insulting as possible. ' I want my dress,' he answered with a slight but perfectly polite bow, ' Give me your address, and I will send it to you.' 'Oh, no, my dear madam, I am in the habit of taking my purchases with me at once. Favour me with the dres3 immediately. ' A shout of approbation came from the gallery. ' Order ;' cried the judge. ' What an insane demand !' said the husband. 'My wife cannot undress herself here.' ' 1 have nothing to do with you, air, in this matter, but only with the complainant. Be so good, madam, as to give me the dress immediately. I am in a great hurry ; my affairs are urgent, and I cannot wait a moment longer.' The pleasure of the audienc at the expense of the lady increased with every word, until it was hard to enforce any approach to quiet, so that either party could be heard. 'Do not jest any more about it. I will hurry, and send your dress as soon as possible.' ' 1 am not jesting. I demand from the representative of the law my own property — that dress,' said the officer, raising his voice. The judge, thus appealed to, decided promptly. ' The officer is right, madam. You are obliged to hand him over the dress on the spot.' ' I can't undress myself here before all those people, and go home without any dress on,' said the young woman, with anger and tears. 'You should have thought of that sooner. Now you have no time to lose. Either give up that dress of your own accord, or—' A nod that could not he misunderstood brought to the lady's side two officers of justice, who seemed about to take upon themselves the office of my lady's maid. ' Take your money back, and leave me my dress.' ' Oh, no, madam; that dress is worth more than two hundred roubles to me.' ' How much do you ask fot it ?' 'Two thousand roubles,' said the officer, firmly. ' I will pay the sum,' the weeping lady's | husband responded promptly. ' I have here ; live hundred roubles. Give me pen and ; paper and I will write an order upon my i banker for the remaining iifteen'hundred. I After lie had written the draft, the worthy ] pair withdrew, amid hisses from the | audience. j Query--Did the lady ever again let her j train sweep the street ?