ABSTRACT
The caravan consisted of eight wagons, with the horses harnessed Russian fashion, and far too heavily loaded, as soon appeared. Of living creatures, there were, besides myself, eleven restive horses and a sweet little foal. I was soon to be swearing at that foal from morning till night and a great deal of the night besides. Never before nor since have I lived through a series of days in such constant rage, as during the fortnight that the “picnic” lasted. And never have I possessed so brilliant a virtuosity with oaths in various languages as on the fourteenth day, when I staggered with my whole “circus” into the yard of that decent Russian, Boldikov at Van Kure, and found Tot, who bade me a smiling welcome and expressed his astonishment at the lateness of my arrival. He had been there six days, eagerly expecting me all the time.
