- Project Runeberg -  Impressions of Russia /
40

(1889) [MARC] Author: Georg Brandes Translator: Samuel Coffin Eastman - Tema: Russia
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which lead to numerous villas in the Russian Swiss
style.

Even the promenade on the first of May, which was
meant as a sort of Corso, and for which it was necessary
to engage your carriage days before if you would have
a suitable conveyance, by a genuine Russian arrangement
lost its whole Corso character. All of these numerous
roads, for the whole distance from the city, were guarded
by Cossacks and gensdarmes on horseback, who were
stationed by the side of the road, about twenty yards
apart, so that there should be no riot, and for the sake of
good order it was decided at the last moment that the
lines of carriages should not cross each other in the
park, notwithstanding the fact that there was room
enough. Thus, instead of being able to enjoy the usually
varied scenes of a Corso, there was nothing to be seen
except the back of the driver, the tails of the horses, —
and your lady’s face, if you were fortunate enough to
have one with you.

In the park, on the great lawns, the common people
were collected in great swarms. But neither song nor
music was to be heard, nor a single shout or noise of
any kind. The people amused themselves in perfect
silence. Here were gravitating railways, which afford
a pleasure very much like that of the toboggan slide at
night: the combination of silence and furious speed
which answers for the enthusiastic phase of the national
character, and to the Russian favorite word, which is the
peculiar characteristic device of the passionate Russian
woman,—Avós, “Fire away,” the French vogue la galère.
In the next place, the second, also characteristic popular
amusement, which corresponds with the lymphatic
temperament of the nation, was supplied to the common
people in constantly used swings of all kinds. At the

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