Evening star., 1952-02-24

bpeut tno ulBnL IN o mooefn MOTEL
The writer. Q director ~ coutts Dank n
London. went 10 Russo 90 Q privoss
tourist, "soIsly out Of curiosity" without
on "ox 10 grind" A former naval cir.
men, he speoks and reeds Russlon.
~-~-~->----~--~~- ~--~~-->-~---~---~~~~~~~
full OF aspidistras, cut velvet and
plush. and set of next morning by
car for the imperial palace at
Tsarkoe Selo. now renamed Push.
kino.
II was 0 curious day, OF bright,
cold sun. spent amongst the ruins,
real and artificial, OF Catherine
the Greats palace and park. Silt
trenches from the German war
still ran among the pavilions.
All day ] was followed by O cou.
plo In ordinary clothes; ] cot out
on foot. they followed on foot; II
] rounded on my heel, they
plunged into the bushes: II ] en-.
barked IN O car, another car slid
out OF 0 side turning and brought
them after me.
on one occasion, Q grade.cross.
ing gate closed behind me, and
In front OF them--but their car
was not even forced TO O halt;
they swerved in toward the gate
Keepers box, exchanged some sign,
and the gates were raised In front
OF the oncoming train.
Takes Trip By Train.
The next day--aftef an evening
In 0 cellar, during which I was
mistaken for a Latvian, I decided
to visit Peterhof, by train. I took
0 taxi TO the Baltic station.
AZ I mounted the steps, d car
swing into the station yard with
O face pressed At me through d
side window. / Joined the Queue
for tickets.
Al reached the head OF the
queue, q lady IN theF thiFties=I
the sort OF e6Vefhess one W6uld
ei1saGe for f6wdy ehildFeh=With
Ail if6hse6l6fed bun and weaFihs
q sfay squafeseut e6at and SHIFT,
sauhtefed uB and paused Ifas
Ifledlately behind nae, She i6ls
loved me "a | left The WlhdHw
Ahd read The ticket ever my
shoulder
A train was Just leaving, 4
eBPlnted ~ years In even time,
ana leABt ab0ardi In nv leneFanee
M WhAt women can del | felt
convinced the a0VeFneSs must have
missed II,
accordingly, Just befeFe FeRphs
!Ae tha station at old Fetephet
! aeeldea not 10 get out, but 10
10 on TO 0FanlenhaUnl,I Whape
] yeFy much wanted to Soc the |
palace FL
Showed on on Platform, 4
The train stepped at old PeteFv
hes, After o few seeeRds-wthat
" 70 say, as soon as q Vlgilant
observer could have seen that
] did not intend 10 get out-a
military policeman entered the
carriage and announced In q loud
voice that the train was about
TO proceed into q forbidden zone.
and that all those without passes
must descend,
The passengers were surprised.
and shufied toward the exit,
grumbling that this never had
happened to them on this line
before. The militiamen then came
straight up to me, demanded
papers-and the passengers. In.
stantly spotting what was afoot
returned quietly TO their places
pretended not TO understand
the milttiamen (though any Gre
tin could have done so), and by
the Time ] hao registered surprise
Indignation and stubbornness, the
train had moved on. The militia.
man stooo beside me, AID, after
nve embarrassing minutes, the
train stopped--not. to my disap.
pointment, at Oranienbaum, but
at o tiny wayside halt.
The militiaman showed me off
the train with quite unnecessary
vigor. and stood with me on the
platform. No one else got out
and the train went on its way.
Mystery Woman FaIIn,Vs.
After 20 minutes or 90 a train
appeared from Oranienbaum toI
take me back the way I had come
the Fnilitiai1an saw me into II, and
waited until II left. Five minutes
later was back at old Peterhof,
Two people got out OF the train
myself and the governess. II
was astounded and impressed at
this conjuring trick: how she had
contrived, after missing one train,
TO be on another coming from the
opposite direction nj q station toI
which had not bought q ticket,
cannot 10 this day conjecture.
II was some way 10 the palace
Of Peterhof, and I wondered III
perhaps I might not walk her
of her feet, II was d fihs day
With d fresh bfeeSe. and I stepped
out With viHUf down d l0ha,
stfaight read The R6vefhbss
dwlhdled 10 h DOT ana diSabs
beafed
Presently ! eatHe u ths b6uhd.