[33] Evidently, an Imperial Messenger. [34] Apparently, a slate. The point is, that Russians still perform all their calculations on the ancient abacus, with marvellous rapidity, and look upon pen-and-paper or slate-and-pencil as a slow, cumbrous process. [35] By this twist of pronunciation the word becomes "storm-meter." [36] The North Sea. The Mediterranean, literally translated, is "Sredizemnoe"--Midland. Therefore the old gunsmith twists this into "Tverdezemnoe." [37] The old gunsmith uses a word which sounds fairly right, but means "a disturber." [38] By substituting an _l_ for a _d_ the old gunsmith turns "under-skipper" into "half-skipper." XVII Their wager began on the Dryland Sea, and they drank until they came to Dunamund on the Gulf of Riga, but they always kept even, and did not yield to each other; and they kept so accurately even that when one of them, gazing at the sea, beheld an imp crawling out of the water, the same thing instantly revealed itself to the other. Only, the half-skipper beheld a red-headed imp, whereas the left-handed man declared that he was as swarthy as a Moor. The left-handed man said: "Cross yourself and turn away--here is a friend from the Abyss;" and the Englishman disputed, and declared that it was a "sea-puss." "If you like," says he, "I'll toss you into the sea, and be not afraid--it will give you back to me immediately." And the left-handed man replied: "If that is so, then throw me." The half-skipper took him by the slack of the breeches, and carried him to the rail. The sailors saw this, stopped them, and reported to the Captain, and he ordered them both to be locked up downstairs, and that they should be given rum and liquor and cold food, so that they might eat and drink and carry out their wager; but hot studing with fire[39] was not to be given to them because it might set fire to the spirits inside them. And thus they were brought, in confinement, to Petrograd, and neither had won the wager from the other; and there they were placed on separate carts, and the Englishman was carried to the house of the Ambassador, on the English Quay, while the left-handed man was taken to the police station. And from that time on their fates began to differ greatly. FOOTNOTE: [39] "Studen" means "cold." The gunsmith converts it into hot plum-pudding with blazing brandy. XVIII