- Project Runeberg -  Impressions of Russia /
112

(1889) [MARC] Author: Georg Brandes Translator: Samuel Coffin Eastman - Tema: Russia
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the finest ladies are taken out in basket sleighs drawn
by officers. The sport is that the officers at a certain
time upset the sleighs, with all their contents, in the
snow. They laugh at the result.

In certain higher circles of the court, where a different
spirit rules, there is no other amusement than dancing.
They dance continually, on all occasions, with a real
mania. They make up for their detention for many
months at Gátshina by whirling away in an endless
round dance. Where they do not dance, the tediousness
is overwhelming. Tea-parties in these upper circles are
described as tiresome. The guests arrive; after a while
the grand persons appear, and take their places in silence.
Evidently no one dares to ask so exalted ladies about
anything. Then from their side drops a question as to
the state of the health of one of the ladies present. As
a rule she answers briefly, and therewith the conversation
dies away. If she is very ingenious or very
good-natured in relation to the embarrassment of the grand
company, she shapes her answer so that it makes a new
question almost necessary; but when the little series of
questions and answers having intimate connection with
this subject is exhausted, — as trustworthy eye-witnesses
assure me, — twenty or twenty-five minutes may elapse
in a pause of complete and painful silence, during
which the guests look smilingly on the exalted visitors,
who, in turn, distribute their smiles upon those about
them.

Even if there is a little more noise, the impression
may sometimes be not less painful. Eye-witnesses
have described the following scene: the old courtier,
Count A., fell while waltzing, and remained sitting
on the floor. This evoked a laugh from the Tsar.
Stimulated by having been the occasion of such a burst

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