LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2065, 6 October 1880, Page 3

LITERATURE.

VENALITY IN RUSSIAN OFFIUIALBUM. A recent French publication 11 la Russia et le Nihilisme,” whose author M. Pierre Prede claims to have resided a long time in Russia and to have closely studied the national character, relates the following story as a fair instance of the widely spread corruption in the official ranks of Holy Russia . Even yet the worst and most dangerous among robbers is the soldier. It is a sorry truth. When a man at night-time is on his way home from one of the more distant quarters of the capital, he will do well to be on his guard against soldiers, and if he should meet any of them in the streets never to take his eyes off him. On a winter evening a citizen passes the river News on the ice , a soldier watches him, cleaves his skull by a sword-cut, or strangles him rvith a lasso, takes his clothes, his watch, his pelisse, first of all the pelisse, which is a piece of clothing that is always worth at least 200 to 300 francs, very often double that amount, according to the quality of the furs. Then the soldier pushes the corpse down a hole, which he makes iu the ice at a few rods distance from the footpath. After having accomplished the robbery and concealed the murder—the waters are dumb during winter the soldier sells his victim’s pelisse at Tchukiudwore (the dog or rather vermin—market) before the eyes of everybody. A robbery is suspected, but none dares to inform against the robber a military man ! A dealer offers 50 francs ; he is not ignorant of the manner in which his bargain has been obtained, but a quarter of an hour afterwards the article is sent into the provinces, and can never be The receiver has immediately put himself out of all danger. The soldier returns to his barracks, ana invites some of his comrades to an entertainment, which invariably consists of whiakey,

tea, onion pies, pastry, and soar cr salted herring. In his boisterous drcn'seui e*s. he reveals the truth and raiaej the scs icions of his officers, who are watching for an opportunity to plunder the soldier in their turn. The officer sends for the soldier S"eior. robber and murderer, who with his righthand to his forehead and his left hand resting on the hem of his pantaloons, moves automatically towards his officer. ‘ You gave an entertainment this morning 1’

‘Yes, eir,’ 4 Where did you get the money from ?’ 4 I found a pelisse on the Jfewa * ‘ For how much did you sell is V ‘Fifty roubles.’ ‘ Where ia the balance of tbs money?’ 4 In my boots.’ The boots of the soldier and peasant fornatheir place of safe beeping ; in them everything is stowed away—onions, jotatoei», sugar, bread, tobacco, cheeae, &c., .be. ‘ Very good !’ says the officer, and searches the boots ; he takes what pleases him, and thereupon he sends the soldier to prison for a fortnight to amend his morals. In the course of the rlaj., the captain becomes aware of what h»s happened, and immediately summons the lieutenant, who presents himself in the saxe posture as Yegor did to him. * Lieutenant, this morning yon sent one of the grenadiers to prison ?’ * ye», captain.’ * Why ?’ ‘He had stolen a pelisse, and sold it in the market. ’ ‘And yon have possessed yourse’f of the money? Am I right or rot! Where is that money ?’ * In my pocket.’ 4 Step nearer. ’ And the captain searches the lieutenant's . pooket, where he finds about thirty francs, which he transfers to his own pocket. Then he retires saying inwardly: ‘I am going to stand a bottle of champagne for myself ’

He takes his long pipe, lights it, draws s few monthfnls of smoke and empties half ef the bottle, when suddenly the colonel enters without knocking at the door. ‘ Halloo, captain! what are you drinking there ?’ 1 Champagne, colonel, at your service 5 ‘ The devit I you are rolling in gold it appears. Have you perchance robbed the stage coach ? But by the way, what is it that has happened at the barracks 7 Eh ?’ ‘ Oh, nothing ! only a grenadier has stolen a pelisse.’ ‘ For how much did he sell it ‘ Twenty roubles or thereabout, I believe.’ ‘Which I hops his lientmant ins taken good care to take away from him. Is it not so ? To amend the soldier’s morals, captain ! to amend his morals.’ ‘ Yes, colonel.’ ‘ And of which you have dispossessed the lieutenant; is it not so ?’ 4 Of coarse! to amend his morals. I could by no meacs allow that officer to > beep money that had been so unrignteoualy gained. ’ * And you have treated you-self to abottia of champagne !’ ■ I could not invest the money in any better way. Your health, colonel!’ ‘Yours, captain! Where is now the ba- , lance, captain ?’ •Of the champagne?’ ‘ Ho; of the money.’ 4 In my waistcoat pocket,' The colonel with feverish haste di;s hie crooked fingers into the captain’s wa-'stcoat pocket, and brings forth fifteen roubles, which he without delay puts into his owa pocket. The colonel leaves and soliloquises : ' I am also going to treat myself to a bottle of champagne. 1 shall drink a glass to the health of this poor Yegor. That grenadier ia a brick; this is at least the sixth pel.sse that has passed through our hands since the beginning of this winter ; I am going to release him from prison ’ Scarcely has he had time to drink" one glass of champagne and emit three clouds cf tobacco smoke, before an orderly knocks &t the door and enters. 4 Colonel 1’ ‘ What is the matter?’ ‘ General Pochardoff asks yon to call and see him.’

‘All right; lam coming.’ And inwardly ha says . —‘ I know what that means, but I shall at least put a portion in safety for myself.’ Ha then places five roubles in his boots in company with several old cigar-stumps. One does never know what may happen. He puts on his uniform, tightens his scarf, takes his cocked hat, which is ornamented with many-colcnred plumage, and hastens aP double quick to his chief. ‘ Good morning, Andre Feodorowiteh’ (thus the colonel is called) ! ‘Good morning, general! How is your Excellency’s health ? * So, so ; I am very mnoh bothered by what I have just heard. It appears that last night there was some noise and scandal in the barrack room, No. 23 ; what was it colonel ? Bo you know? ‘A grenadier named Yegor treated his cotnradaa.’ * Where did he steal the money ?’ *lt is said that he found a pelisse on the • Newa.’ ‘ And has tho owner not claimed it 3’ ‘I believe that he is at this moment travelling through the water. He ! he ! he I ’ * Thousand sapperment ! Yon laugh, colonel ! bat do yon know that this is very grave. Such an attempt against the Muscovite army’s discipline and honesty can not be allowed to pass unpunished. For how much did he sell the pelisse ?’ ‘ I believe about fifteen roubles ?’ 1 What has become of those fifteen * roubles ?’ ‘ They have passed through the hands cl the lieutenant, and then through the captain’s hands.’ * And then through yours, co’onel ? says the general. The colonel bows : ‘Yes, general.’ * Very well; hand me that money; I have use for it.’ The colonel hands five roubles to the general, who puts them in bis own pocket and then says. ‘ Colonel 1' ‘ General !’ ‘ln future yon must look out that such things do not happen again. It is truly a shame if a soldier robs a pekin and I do not receive more than miserable five roubles. What do you mean, colonel ? I say, what do you mean ? Thousand millions of wooden swords!’ The colonel retires, and General Pochardoli sends his orderly for a bottle of Clicquot. In the evening there is a reception at the residence of the minister of war ; the general proceeds thither in all the glory of his glided uniform. ... ‘ Good evening, general 1 cries the minister. ‘ Let us have a little talk together. I have just heard that there has been some excitement in one of the rooms of the Preoprajensky barracks.’ ‘ Yes, your Excellency ! one of the soldiers treated his fiiende.’ ‘ He had of course stolen the money.’ ‘lt appears that he had stripped a peki-., who passed the Newa during the night ’ ‘And he has sold the booty? What has he done with the prkin V 4 1 don’t know ; I believe ho travels under the ice. If he is still journeying, he must l«a far oft'.’ ‘That is alto my opinion. And in ttxt> name of morality you have of course demanded that the proceeds - f tho robbery be handed to you. How much have yon received V ‘I am ashamed to tell. Seventeen kopeas wan all that was left. Hero they are !’ * Thousand sapperment ! That colonel is a rascal! Pat him to morrow in p-isan for a fortnight. This is disgraceful, general. So yon understand me? If the Fraperor should hoar of it, what would he think of you and me? Yes, what would he think ? That we are two blockheads.’ •That would be better, your Excellency, than to pass in the opinion of his Majesty tor two rogues.’ < ‘ I am not of your opinion, general 3_ It is always better to pass in your superior's opinion for a rogue. The blockheads neves succeed!’ Si none veto e ben trovato. Although tho details of the above grotesque scene may not he literally true, the substance is correctly rendeied. It is a sketch of the corruption and depravity that pervade the administration of this country, a deep cancer wh.ch, since the times of Peter the Groat, preys on the vitale of Russia,