As the saying goes, “Husars don’t take money.”

The sister of the famous Russian naturalist and messenger Pavel Georgievich Demidov, having married General Lavrov, could not find a simple family happiness. Cards, alcohol and cuddles fascinated her husband more than the charms of her own wife, who decided to look for affections on the side. The wealthy and beautiful Mrs. Lavrov quickly found comfort on the chest of three Hussars of the Regiment, who conquered her art, ingenuity and gallant manners.
Wishing to thank her friends for the incredible romantic adventures, Lavrov gave each of them a bill of 30,000 rubles. Soon to the general began to reach rumors about the betrayal of his wife and unreasonably large expenses. If the first fact did not confuse him, the second caused an attack of rage. Not understanding how it was possible to pay for flesh comforts such a fabulous amount, Lavrov concluded that most likely his wife gave each lover a bill of 3000 rubles, and the Hussars themselves attributed an extra zero to it, increasing in times their "regression".
Lavrov wrote a statement to the Senate, which, having considered the situation, recognized the Hussars as fraudsters, decided to dismiss them from officers and sentenced them to prison. Per the fate of the Hussars would have been sad if their defensive words had not sowed the seed of doubt in the minds of Emperor Paul I, who ordered a careful investigation of the case in the regimental court. The commander of the squadron offered to apply for explanations directly to Mrs. Lavrov, who confirmed the amount of remuneration issued to three officers of 30,000 rubles and accused her husband of lying.
The court decided to remove all charges against the Hussar with the restoration of military service. When the outcome of the case was to Paul I, he slightly changed the verdict, according to which the Hussar should be dismissed from the army, since officers are not in the face of taking money for amourful comforts.
This case became the subject of numerous anecdotes, which ended with the emperor's somewhat modified phrase, known to all as "the Hussars don't take money."