The Suite-Cossacks dashed up to Platoff and said: "Here they are themselves!"  
Platoff immediately addressed the artisans: "Ready?"
 
"Quite ready," they replied.
 
"Hand it over."
 
[Pg 45]
 
They gave it to him.
 
The carriage was already harnessed, and the coachman and the postillion were in their places. The Cossacks immediately seated themselves beside the coachman, and raised their whips over him, and, after executing a flourish, held them so.
 
Platoff tore off the green case, opened the casket, drew the golden snuff-box from the soft cotton, and from the snuff-box the diamond as big as a walnut, and beheld the English flea lying there exactly as before, and nothing else whatever.
 
Says Platoff: "What's this? And where is your work, wherewith you wished to solace the Emperor?"
 
The gunsmiths reply: "Our work is here, also."
 
Platoff inquires: "Wherein does it consist?"
 
And the gunsmiths reply: "Why[Pg 46] declare that? All is here, before your eyes—and you can look."
 
Platoff shrugged his shoulders and shouted: "Where is the key to the flea?"
 
"Here, also," they answered. "Where the flea is, there, also, is the key, in one and the same walnut."
 
Platoff tried to grasp the key, but his fingers were blunt; he fumbled and fumbled, but could not manage to get hold either of the flea, or of the key which projected from the machinery in its belly, and all at once he flew into a rage, and began to curse in words after the Cossack fashion. He shouted: "What do you mean, you rascals? You have made nothing, and have spoiled the whole thing, to boot! I'll cut your heads off!"
 
But the men of Tula made reply: "Without cause do you thus abuse us. We must suffer all insults from you, as[Pg 47] from the Emperor's emissary, but just............