Moscow is said to have sixteen hundred churches, and I really think we did not skip one.  They are almost as magnificent as those in St. Petersburg, and they impressed—­overpowered us, in fact, with the same unspeakable riches of the Greek Church.

The name of our hotel was so curious that I cannot forbear repeating it, “The Slavansky Bazaar,” and they call their smartest restaurant “The Hermitage.”  I felt as if I could be sold at auction in “The Bazaar,” and as if I ought to fast and pray in “The Hermitage.”

“The Slavansky Bazaar” was one of the dirtiest hotels it ever was my lot to see.  The Russians of the middle class—­to say nothing of the peasants, who are simply unspeakable—­are not a clean set, so one cannot blame a hotel for not living above the demands of its clientele.  There were some antique specimens of cobwebs in our rooms, which made restful corner ornaments with dignified festoons, which swung slowly to and fro with such fascinating solemnity that I could not leave off looking at them.  The hotel is built up hill and down dale, and each corridor smells more musty than the other.  It has a curious arrangement for supplying water in the rooms which I never can recall with any degree of pleasure.  One evening after I had dressed I went to the wash-stand and discovered that there was no water.  I was madly ringing for the chambermaid when my companion called from her room, and said, “Put your foot on that brass thing.  There is plenty of water.”

I looked down, and near the floor was a brass pedal, like that of a piano.  Sure enough, there was a reservoir above and a faucet with the head of a dragon on it peering up into my face, which I never had noticed before.  Now, the pedal of my piano works hard, so I bent all my strength to this one, and lo! from that impudent dragon’s mouth I got a mighty stream of water straight in my unconscious face, and enough to put out a fire.  I fell back with a shriek of astonishment and indignation, and my companion laughed—­nay, she roared.  She laughs until she cries even now every time she thinks of it, although I had to change my gown.  How was I going to know that I was leaning over a waterspout, I should like to know!

In this same hotel when I asked for a blotter they brought me a box of sand.  I tried to use it, but my hand was not very steady, and none of it went on the letter.  Some got in my shoe, however.

But our environments were more than compensated for by the exceeding kindness that we received from the most delightful people that it ever was my good fortune to meet, and their attentions to us were so charming that we shall remember them as long as we live.