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to the principal bookseller in St。 Petersburg； and was told that；
by virtue of my diplomatic position； I could have them； but that；
in order to do so； I must write an application； signing it with
my own name； and that then he would sell them to me within a few
days。 This took place several times。
Still another difficulty is that； owing to lack of publicity； the
truth can rarely be found as regards any burning question： in the
prevailing atmosphere of secrecy and repression the simplest
facts are often completely shut from the foreign observer。
Owing to the lack of public discussion； Russia is the classic
ground of myth and legend。 One sees myths and legends growing day
by day。 The legend regarding the cure of the Archbishop of St。
Petersburg by Father Ivan of Cronstadt； which I have given in a
previous chapter； is an example。 The same growth of legend is
seen with regard to every…day matters。 For example； one meets
half a dozen people at five…o'clock tea in a Russian house； and
one of them says： 〃How badly the Emperor looked at court last
night。〃 Another says： 〃Yes； his liver is evidently out of order；
he ought to go to Carlsbad。〃 Another says： 〃I think that special
pains ought to be taken with his food；〃 etc。； etc。 People then
scatter from this tea…table； and in a day or two one hears that
sufficient precaution is not taken with the Emperor's food； that
it would not be strange if some nihilist should seek to poison
him。 A day or two afterward one hears that a nihilist HAS
endeavored to poison the Emperor。 The legend grows； details
appear here and there； and finally there come in the newspapers
of Western Europe full and careful particulars of a thwarted plot
to poison his Majesty。
Not the least of the embarrassments which beset an American
minister in Russia is one which arose at various times during my
stay； its source being the generous promptness of our people to
take as gospel any story regarding Russian infringement of human
rights。 One or two cases will illustrate this。
During my second winter； despatches by mail and wire came to me
thick and fast regarding the alleged banishment of an American
citizen to Siberia for political reasons； and with these came
petitions and remonstrances signed by hundreds of Americans of
light and leading； also newspaper articles； many and bitter。
On making inquiries through the Russian departments of foreign
affairs and of justice； I found the fact to be that this injured
American had been； twenty years before； a Russian police agent in
Poland； that he had stolen funds intrusted to him and had taken
refuge in America； that； relying on the amnesty proclaimed at the
accession of the late Emperor； he had returned to his old haunts；
that he had been seized； because the amnesty did not apply to the
category of criminals to which he belonged； that he had not been
sent to Siberia； that there was no thought of sending him there；
but that the authorities proposed to recover the money he had
stolen if they could。 Another case was typical： One day an
excellent English clergyman came to me in great distress； stating
that an American citizen was imprisoned in the city。 I
immediately had the man brought before a justice； heard his
testimony and questioned him； publicly and privately。 He swore
before the court； and insisted to me in private； that he had
never before been in Russia； that he was an American citizen born
of a Swedish father and an Alaskan mother upon one of the Alaskan
islands； and he showed a passport which he had obtained at
Washington by making oath to that effect。 On the other hand
appeared certain officers of the Russian navy； in excellent
standing； who swore that they knew the man perfectly to be a
former employee of their engineering department and a deserter
from a Russian ship of war in the port of St。 Petersburg。 It was
also a somewhat significant fact that he spoke Russian much
better than English； and that he seemed to have a knowledge of
Russian affairs very remarkable for a man who had never been in
Russia； but to account for this he insisted upon the statement as
to his birth in Alaska。 Appearances were certainly very strongly
against him； and he was remanded to await more testimony in his
favor； but the next thing I heard was that he had escaped； had
arrived in New York； was posing as a martyr； had graciously
granted interviews to various representatives of the press； and
had thereby stimulated some very lurid editorials against the
Russian Government。
Another case was that of a Russian who； having reached the United
States； burdened the files of the State Department and of the
legation with complaints against the American minister because
that official did not send out the man's wife to him。 The
minister had； indeed； forwarded the necessary passports； but the
difficulty was that the German authorities would not allow the
woman to enter Germany without showing herself to be in
possession of means sufficient to prevent her becoming a public
charge； and these her husband could not； or would not； send；
insisting that now that he was naturalized he had a right to have
his wife brought to America。
I have no apology to make for the Russian systemfar from it；
but I would state； in the interest of international comity； that
it is best for Americans not to be too prompt in believing all
the stories of alleged sufferers from Russian despotism； and
especially of those who wish to use their American citizenship
simply in order to return to Russia and enjoy business advantages
superior to those of their neighbors。
That there are many meritorious refugees cannot be denied； but
any one who has looked over extradition papers； as I have been
obliged to do； and seen people posing as Russian martyrs who are
comfortably carrying on in New York the business of
counterfeiting bank…notes； and unctuously thanking God in their
letters for their success in the business； will be slow to join
in the outcries of refugees of doubtful standing claiming to be
suffering persecution on account of race； religion； or political
opinion。
Nor are Russian…Americans the only persons who weary an American
representative。 One morning a card was brought in bearing an
undoubted American name； and presently there followed it a tall
raw…boned man with long flaxen hair； who began orating to me as
follows： 〃Sir； you are an ambassador from the President of the
United States； I am an ambassador from God Almighty。 I am sent
here to save the Emperor。 He is a good man； he is followed up by
bad men who seek his life； I can save him； I will be his
cup…bearer； I WILL DRIVE HIS TEAM。〃 This latter conception of the
Emperor's means of locomotion struck me as naive； especially in
view of the fact that near my house was an immense structure
filled with magnificent horses for the Emperor and courta
veritable equine palace。 〃Yes；〃 said my visitor； 〃I will drive
the Emperor's team。 I want you to introduce me to him
immediately。〃 My answer was that it was not so easy to secure a
presentation to the Emperor； offhand； that considerable time
would be necessary in any case。 To this my visitor answered： 〃I
must see him at once； I am invited to come by the Empress。〃 On my
asking when he received this invitation； he said that it was
given him on board the steamer between New York and Hamburg； her
Majesty and her children being the only other passengers besides
himself in the second…class cabin。 To this I said that there must
certainly be some mistake； that her Majesty rarely； if ever；
traveled on public lines of steamers； that if she had done so；
she certainly would not have been a passenger in the second
cabin。 To this he answered that he was absolutely certain that it
was the Empress who had given him the invitation and urged him to
come and save the Emperor's life。 On my asking him the date of
this invitation； he looked through his diary and found it。 At
this； sending for a file of the official newspaper of St。
Petersburg； I showed him that on the day named her Majesty was
receiving certain officials at the palace in St。 Petersburg；
whereat he made an answer which for the moment threw me
completely off my balance。 He said； 〃Sir； I have lived long
enough not to believe everything I see in the newspapers。〃
I quieted him as best I could； but on re