"Well, I have heard of such a thing, but I didn't suppose any nation was insane enough to use it."
"The Russians are, and consequently are just twelve days behind the times."
"More than that."
"Pope Gregory reformed the calendar, and for this reason the Russians will not adopt the Gregorian system, but use the Julian, or Greek calendar."
"I say, commodore, don't your head ache?"
"No; why should it?"
"Because it is so full. I couldn't carry so much useful knowledge around with me, unless I had a basket to tote it in."
"I have looked the matter up since I came here. Have you drawn any money in St. Petersburg."
"Unfortunately, I have before me the melancholy duty of spending nearly two hundred of these yellow paper rubles. Sad—isn't it?"
"Have you your bordereau?" asked the commodore.