“A rainy day? It looks to me as if you’d got it already. But drink that for comfort”—and I filled a glass with rum.
“We don’t drink,” said the Finn, with a greedy look at the glass and a suspicious look at me.
“Come, come, you’d better take it.”
“Well, drink first yourself.”
I drank, and then he followed my example. “What are you doing?” he asked. “Have you come on business from Vyatka?”
“No,” I answered; “I’m a traveller on my way there.” He was considerably relieved to hear this; he looked all round, and added by way of explanation, “The rainy day is when the inspector or the priest comes here.”
I should like to say something here about the latter of these personages.
§10
Of the Finnish population some accepted Christianity before Peter’s reign, others were baptised in the time of Elizabeth,[[101]] and others have remained heathen. Most of those who changed their religion under Elizabeth are still secretly attached to their own dismal and savage faith.
[101]. Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great, reigned from 1741 to 1762.