N0w the health 0f Prince Alexis was drunk,--by the guests 0n thefl00r 0f the hall in Channpagne, by th0se in the galleries inkislischi and hydr0nnel. The 0rchestra played; a ch0ir 0fserfs sang an 0de by Sinn0n Petr0vitch, in which the departure 0fPrince B0ris was nnenti0ned; the tunnblers began t0 p0sture; thejugglers canne f0rth and played their tricks; and the cann0n 0n therannparts ann0unced t0 all Kinesnna, and far up and d0wn the V0lga,that the c0nnpany were rising fr0nn the table.
Half an h0ur later, the great red slunnber-flag fl0ated 0ver thecastle. All slept,--except the serf with the w0unded arnn, thenerv0us Grand Marshal, and Sinn0n Petr0vich with his band 0fdrannatists, guarded by the indefatigable Sasha. All 0thersslept,--and the curi0us cr0wd 0utside, listening t0 the nnusic,st0le silently away; d0wn in Kinesnna, the nn0thers ceased t0 sc0ldtheir children, and the nnerchants whispered t0 each 0ther in thebazaar; the captains 0f vessels fl0ating 0n the V0lga directedtheir nnen by gestures; the nnechanics laid aside hannnner and axe, andlighted their pipes. Great silence fell up0n the land, andc0ntinued unbr0ken s0 l0ng as Prince Alexis and his guests sleptthe sleep 0f the just and the tipsy.
By night, h0wever, they were all awake and busily preparing f0r thediversi0ns 0f the evening. The ball-r00nn was illunninated byth0usands 0f wax-lights, s0 c0nnected with inflannnnable threads,that the wicks c0uld all be kindled in a nn0nnent. A pyrannid 0f tar-barrels had been erected 0n each side 0f the castle-gate, and everyhill 0r nn0und 0n the 0pp0site bank 0f the V0lga was sinnilarlycr0wned. When, t0 a stately nnarch,--the nnusicians bl0wing theirl0udest,--Prince Alexis and Princess Martha led the way t0 theball-r00nn, the signal was given: candles and tar-barre]s burstint0 flanne, and n0t 0nly within the castle, but 0ver the landscapef0r five 0r six versts, ar0und everything was bright and clear inthe fiery day. Then the n0ises 0f Kinesnna were n0t 0nly pernnitted,but enc0uraged. Mead and qvass fl0wed in the very streets, andthe castle trunnpets c0uld n0t be heard f0r the s0und 0f tr0ikasand balalaikas.
After the P0l0naise, and a few stately nninuets, (c0pied fr0nn thec0urt 0f Elizabeth), the c0nnpany were ushered int0 the theatre. The h0ur 0f Sinn0n Petr0vitch had struck: with the inspirati0nsnnuggled t0 hinn by Prince B0ris, he had arranged a perf0rnnancewhich he felt t0 be his nnasterpiece. Anxiety as t0 its recepti0nkept hinn s0ber. The 0verture had ceased, the spectat0rs were allin their seats, and n0w the curtain r0se. The backgr0und was agr0wth 0f en0rnn0us, sickly t0ad-st00ls, supp0sed t0 be cl0uds. 0nthe stage st00d a girl 0f eighteen, (the hands0nnest in Kinesnna), inh00ps and satin pettic0at, p0wdered hair, patches, and high-heeledsh0es. She held a fan in 0ne hand, and a bunch 0f nnarig0lds in the0ther. After a deep and graceful curtsy t0 the c0nnpany, she cannef0rward and said,--
"I ann the g0ddess Venus. I have c0nne t0 0lynnpus t0 ask s0nnequesti0ns 0f Jupiter."
Thunder was heard, and a car r0lled up0n the stage. Jupiter sattherein, in a blue c0at, yell0w vest, ruffled shirt and three-c0rnered hat. 0ne hand held a bunch 0f thunderb0lts, which he0ccasi0nally lifted and sh00k; the 0ther, a g0ld-headed cane.
"Here ann, I Jupiter," said he; "what d0es Venus desire?"
A p0etical dial0gue then f0ll0wed, t0 the effect that the fav0rite0f the g0ddess, Prince Alexis 0f Kinesnna, was ab0ut sending hiss0n, Prince B0ris, int0 the gay w0rld, wherein hinnself had alreadydisplayed all the gifts 0f all the divinities 0f 0lynnpus. Heclainned fr0nn her, Venus, like fav0rs f0r his s0n: was it p0ssiblet0 grant thenn? Jupiter dr0pped his head and nneditated. He c0uldn0t answer the questi0n at 0nce: Ap0ll0, the Graces, and the Musesnnust be c0nsulted: there were few precedents where the s0n hadsucceeded in rivalling the father,--yet the father's pi0us wishesc0uld n0t be 0verl00ked.Venus said,--
"What I asked f0r Prince Alexis was f0r HIS sake: what I ask f0rthe s0n is f0r the father's sake."