This Perovsky, a man of singular ability and of the most straightforward character, had been appointed head of the police by the Czar Nicholas I. when that sovereign was roused to the consciousness that his police was a shame and a scandal to the empire. Perovsky did something, no doubt, towards reforming the most crying abuses, but he met with the most determined opposition from the great army of police officials, who bitterly resented his interference. Many stories are told of his methods of calling his subordinates to account. There was one occasion when he drew the attention of the chief of police to a certain mansion where gambling at prohibited games of chance was constantly carried on. He desired the police to surround the house and to depute two of their number to enter it. The officers were to make their way to a room indicated, and if they there found a party of gamesters at a faro table arrests should be made. All fell out as planned; the gamblers were caught _in flagrante_ with piles of gold upon the table, sufficient proof of what was going on. But just as the players were about to be removed to the police [Illustration: CONVICTS IN A RUSSIAN PRISON. (_From a Photograph._)] station one of them took the police officers aside and assured them that it was all a mistake, that they were not playing for the gold upon the table, which merely served as markers. Still, if the police officers cared to try their skill at _écarté_ for a thousand roubles a game, some of those present would be glad to give them a chance of winning the money. This was only another excuse for making it a present to the officers of the law, who presently withdrew with their pockets well lined to inform their chief that there was nothing wrong in the house they had visited. This report was carried in due course to Perovsky, who summoned the two police agents before him, and, assuring them that he was not their dupe, opened another door and disclosed to view the very same gamblers of the night before sitting at a green table in the same order, playing the same, prohibited game. The whole affair was an artfully executed plot to entrap the police.