. All the Russias: travels and studies in contemporary European Russia, Finland, Siberia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. shouldersto increase the pressure, and slowly, with skilful appreciationof the lie of every muscle, his feet grind up and down yourback—they encircle your neck—they are on your head! Thenhe vaults lightly off, and in a moment, from a linen bag filledwith soap, he has squeezed clouds of perfumed bubbles, andyou are hidden in them from head to feet, as completely asif you had fallen into a snow-drift. 212 ALL THE RUSSIAS So far, all is tolerable, if rather startling, but when
. All the Russias: travels and studies in contemporary European Russia, Finland, Siberia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. shouldersto increase the pressure, and slowly, with skilful appreciationof the lie of every muscle, his feet grind up and down yourback—they encircle your neck—they are on your head! Thenhe vaults lightly off, and in a moment, from a linen bag filledwith soap, he has squeezed clouds of perfumed bubbles, andyou are hidden in them from head to feet, as completely asif you had fallen into a snow-drift. 212 ALL THE RUSSIAS So far, all is tolerable, if rather startling, but when, wrappedin linen and beturbanned, you call for a cigarette and he bringsone, lights it between his own lips and would put it betweenyours, the prejudices of the West arise, and you repulse thewell-meant intention of that orange-footed Oriental. The bathcosts you six shillings, but cleanliness is always a luxury in theEast. It will occur to many readers, no doubt, to ask what is thepolitical condition of these strangely mingled and once vigorousnationalities, and how they are affected toward their great A Chat at the Wine-shop. In Spite of the enthusiasm they evoke, the small nationahties al-most disappear poHtically in the face of the colossal interests ofthe Great Powers which control them directly or indirectly, andthe Caucasus is no exception to this rule. Before the Russo-
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjecttolstoy, bookyear1902
