"It is necessary," says he, "to bring only one of its feet, in detail,
under the melkoscope, and to scrutinize separately every heel wherewith
it walks."
"Really, you don't say so," says the Emperor. "That is very powerfully
small."
"It cannot be helped," replies the left-handed man, "if our work
is only to be observed thus; and then all the marvel of it will be
displayed."
They placed it as the left-handed man directed, and no sooner had the
Emperor peeped through the upper glass, than he fairly beamed all over,
took the left-handed man just as he was--unkempt, dusty, unwashed--into
his arms, embraced him, and kissed him, and then turned to all the
courtiers and said: "Do you see? I knew better than any one else that
my Russians would not fail me. Please to look, for these rascals have
shod the English flea with horse-shoes!"