His masterpiece (in his third and most developed period), the work which foreigners can comprehend almost equally well with Russians, is "Gospoda Golovlevy" ("The Messrs. Golovleff"[39]). It contains that element of the universal in humanity which his national satires lack, and it alone would suffice to render him immortal. The type of Iudiushka (little Judas) has no superior in all European literature, for its cold, calculating, cynical hypocrisy, its miserly ferocity. The book is a presentment of old ante-reform manners among the landed gentry at their worst. The following favorite little story furnishes an excellent example of Saltykoff's (Shtchedrin's) caustic wit and satire: THE STORY OF HOW ONE PEASANT MAINTAINED TWO GENERALS. Once upon a time there lived and flourished two Generals; and as both were giddy-pated, by jesting command, at my desire, they were speedily transported to an uninhabited island. The Generals had served all their lives in some registry office or other; they had been born there, reared there, had grown old there, and consequently they understood nothing whatever. They did not even know any words except, "accept the assurance of my complete respect and devotion." The registry was abolished as superfluous, and the Generals were set at liberty. Being thus on the retired list, they settled in Petersburg, in Podyatchesky (Pettifoggers) Street, in separate quarters; each had his own cook, and received a pension. But all of a sudden, they found themselves on an uninhabited island, and when they awoke, they saw that they were lying under one coverlet. Of course, at first they could not understand it at all, and they began to talk as though nothing whatever had happened to them. "'Tis strange, your Excellency, I had a dream to-day," said one General; "I seemed to be living on a desert island." No sooner had he said this than he sprang to his feet. The other General did the same. "Heavens! What's the meaning of this? Where are we?" cried both, with one voice. Then they began to feel each other, to discover whether this extraordinary thing had happened to them not in a dream, but in their waking hours. But try as they might to convince themselves that all this was nothing but a vision of their sleep, they were forced to the conviction of its sad reality. On one side of them stretched the sea, on the other side lay a small plot of land, and beyond it again stretched the same boundless sea. The Generals began to weep, for the first time since the registry office had been closed. They began to gaze at each other, and they then perceived that they were clad only in their night-shirts, and on the neck of each hung an order.