The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-29
BIsMARCK'S FEAT.
He Learned Russian Rapidly, But
Abused 1t Heartily.
NJ. Alexeieff in ST. Petersburg Revue-His-
tOrioue

NJ. Alexeieff in st. Petersburg Revue-TIis-
tOrique.
Bismarck was Prussian ambassador to
St. Petersburg in 1859 and lived in the
house Of Count Stimbock-Fermor NJ
Alexeieff was a law student at this time,
and it was on the recommendation of the
consul of Hamburg that Bismarck select
ed him as his tutor
by appointment" says Alexeieff, II
went to the mansion at 10 o'clock in the
morning. Bismarck was then at break
fast. One Of the lac6eys showed me into
the grand parlor, which was deliberately
furnished. A few minutes later Bismarck
came in, dressed in a dark blue morning
gown and wearing a black silk cap. Al
though he was only 45 years old, he was
already bald I told him that l was a
questions. while he was interrogating
me had a good chance to examine him.
He was tall of stature, with broad, square
shoulders, and thick eyebrows and mus
tache over the mustache on the upper
lip there was a cicatrice, the result OF
wound received in a. duel when he was a
You are a law student? Then you are my
confrere, for 1 also have studied law
He pointed to a chair, named his con-
ditions, and fixed the hours of his les
II determined to learn your beautiful
language said he, although know that
a stranger gets a hold of it with a great
deal of difficulty, and l know, TOO, the
diabolical obstacles in its pronunciation.
but / must get rid of those plaguey inter-
prefers that are always at my heels wher-
ever / go, spying all my movements. 1
have had already too much Of them.
M AleXeieff began to teach his Illus
trious pupil the Russian alphabet and the
pronunciation of each letter. Some OF the
Russian letters made the future chancel-
Tor rage. He swore and stamped, but at
last be managed to pronounce them toler-
ably we'll In order to facilitate the pro-
nunciation of the difficult syllables in the
Russian language, NJ. AleXeiem MADE MN
repeat several times the following phrase:
rot topota kopyit pyil Pc poliou lellt.
bismarck few into rage. VINO the
devil could pronounce stuff like thatF he
roared "I wonder if there is any fellow
on earth except Russian Ihat could pro-
nounce those wordsY what damnaple
svllables those Moujks have invented,
Nevertheless, Bismarck worked haru,
and in a few months was able TO translate
into German one of the works of Turge-
niev. He also read 1.-THE Clock" by Hert-
zen. and 1.-The Future" by Prince Dol
eoronki, which We're suppressed publica-
tions in Russia; but the suppression dldn
reach the ambassadors. The professor
and his pupil got along together very
nicely. and in political matters they were
agreed. Discord only began when Alex
cleft presented his bill to Bismarck when
the latter was about TO leave RUSSIA. NJ.
Alexeieff says that Bismarck agreed TO
pay him rouble and halI a lesson, Dut
bismarck insisted that rouble was quite
suficient for the acquisition OF the par
barous syllables which caused MN 50
much embarrassment. he carefully con-
ceaIed his knowledge of Russian in the
imDerial court but one day at the winter
palace, at an official dinner, Emperor Al
exander II and Prince Gortchakoff We're
spea<ing in Russian. The emperor MOTTO
"a that Bismarck seemed very much in
ferested in their conversation. Turning
10 him he said: do you understand Rus
sian2'' "a. -.
How long have you been learning our
language?" ,-
this time in perfectly good Russian.
Alexander II complimented him upon
his ability as a linguist, and told the Grand
Duke Constantine Nicolaiovitzh to put
him through a sort of civil service eXami-
nation in Russian. Bismarck passed the
examination gloriously. but he a1terward
regretted that he had allowed the en-
peror to make the discovery Of his knoWl-
edge of the Russian tongue.