and that we knew perfectly well how to behave towards them. Feeling reassured on this point, Khainúief proceeded to consider the probable attitude of the Grand Lama towards us, and the statements that should be made to that high dignitary concerning us.
"How are you magnified?" he asked me suddenly, after a short reflective pause. He might as well have asked me, "How are you electrified?" or "How are you galvanized?" so far as the conveyance of any definite idea to my mind was concerned. I made no reply.
"What are you called in addition to your name?" he repeated, varying the form of his question. "What is your chin [rank]?" "We have no chin in our country," said Mr. Frost; "we are simply private American citizens."
"Then you are not nobles?"
"No."
"You have no titles?"
"Not a title."
"You are not in the service of your Government?"
"No."
"Then for what purpose are you traveling in Siberia?"
"Merely for our own amusement."
"Then you must be rich?"
"No; we are not rich."
Khainúief was disappointed. He could not get any glory out of introducing to the Grand Lama two insignificant foreigners who had neither rank, title, nor position, who were confessedly poor, and who were not even traveling in the service of their Government.
"Well," he said, after a few moments' consideration, "when the Grand Lama asks you who you are and what your business is in Siberia, you may say to him whatever you like; but I shall translate that you are high chinóvniks — deputies, if not ambassadors — sent out by the Government of the great American — what did you say it was,
