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[Illustration: Decoration]

The Steel Flea

_Translated from the Russian of_

NIKOLAI SEMYONOVITCH LYESKOFF

BY

ISABEL F. HAPGOOD

[Illustration: Decoration]

_Privately printed for the_
COMPANY OF GENTLEMEN ADVENTURERS
at The Merrymount Press, Boston
1916

[Illustration: Decoration]




_Copyright, November 22, 1890, by Isabel F. Hapgood_




Preface


I cannot tell precisely where the first germ of the Legend concerning
the Steel Flea had its birth--that is to say, whether it originated in
Tula, the Izhma, or Sestroryetzk; but, evidently, it came from one of
these places.

In any case, the tale of the Steel Flea is a legend which distinctly
belongs to the Armorers' Guild and expresses the pride of Russian
gunsmiths. It depicts a contest between our workmen and English
workmen, from wh