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 no less than his eager ambition, his moderation, his uprightness, and his self-confidence, was his detestation of "red tape," and his sincere desire to avoid, as far as he could, unnecessary writing, and to go straight on in accomplishing needful business with all expedition and economy. It happened that, in the famous Commission of the 14th of June, a project was mooted for the irrigation of the fields in the government of Zaraï, which formed a part of Alekseï Aleksandrovitch's jurisdiction; and this project offered a striking example of the few results obtained by official correspondence and expenditure.

Alekseï Aleksandrovitch knew that it was a worthy object. The matter of the irrigation of the fields in the government of Zaraï had come to him by inheritance from his predecessor in the ministry, and, in fact, had already cost much money and brought no results. When Alekseï Aleksandrovitch entered the ministry, he had perceived this, and had wanted immediately to put his hand to this work; but at first he did not feel himself strong enough and perceived that it touched too many interests and was imprudent, and afterward, having become involved in other matters, he entirely forgot about it.

The fertilization of the Zaraï fields, like all things, went in its own way by force of inertia. Many people got their living through it, and one family in particular, a very agreeable and musical family—all of the daughters of which played on stringed instruments. Alekseï Aleksandrovitch knew this family, and had been nuptial godfather when one of the elder daughters was married.

The opposition to this affair, raised by his enemies in another branch of the ministry, was unjust, in the opinion of Alekseï Aleksandrovitch, because in every ministry there are similar cases which by a well-known rule of official etiquette no one ever bothers himself about. But now, since they had thrown down the gauntlet, he