- Poprishchin reports that he walked incognito on Nevsky Prospect, the main avenue in Saint Petersburg.
- The emperor drives by, and Poprishchin, like everyone else, takes off his hat. He doesn't want to reveal his "true" identity in the crowd.
- He will instead present himself at court, but he can't do this because he doesn't have the royal attire.
- He says the tailors are fools these days, so he decides to cut up his new uniform and make royal attire out of it.