MOSCOW
A STORY OF THE FRENCH INVASION OF 1812
BY FRED WHISHAW
AUTHOR OF "LOVERS AT FAULT," "THE TIGER OF MUSCOVY," "A GRAND DUKE OFRUSSIA," ETC.
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON
NEW YORK AND BOMBAY
1905
MOSCOW.
CHAPTER I.
With a great jangling of sleigh-bells and much shouting from hisdriver, who addressed the three horses by every epithet both endearingand abusive that his vocabulary could provide, Count Maximof droveinto the yard of his nearest neighbour, the Boyar Demidof. The visitwas expected, for Maximof had sent a messenger to give warning of hisapproach and to notify the boyar of the object of his coming. The Countwas accompanied by his wife, Avdotia, and his son, a child of tenyears, as well as by the priest of the district who had been picked upen route at his own village. The child Alexander, commonly calledSasha, sat by the driver, a young serf of surly appearance and manners,while the three elders occupied—as best they could—the cushioned seatbehind. This was designed to hold two with moderate comfort, so thatthe two outside passengers now fared indifferently, but the middle one,who was the Count, was comfortable enough.
Demidof, with his wife, met the party at the threshold of his house,greeting them with voluble and exaggerated expressions of welcome, afterthe manner of Russian hosts of his day, which was about one hundredyears ago.
"You see I have brought him," said Maximof; "make your bow, Sasha, andask after the health of your nevyesta (bride)."
Sasha advanced shyly. "I hope Mademoiselle Vera Danilovna is well?" hesaid, glibly enough.
"She is well and waiting anxiously to embrace her fiancé," said Demidof,laughing. "Go into the salon on the right and you will find her—what?You have a present for her—a doll—that is delightful; she will loveyou from the very beginning. That is the door."
Sasha disappeared in the direction indicated.
"The notary is here," continued Demidof. "We can complete the legalpart of the matter immediately; after which you, Father Nicholas, shallperform your share of the ceremony."
Parents, priest and notary now proceeded to the business of theoccasion, which was the betrothal of Alexander Maximof, aged ten,to Vera Demidof, who numbered seven summers, and the signing of thecontract of betrothal. When this latter document had been read over andapproved and signed by all present, the two persons chiefly concerned inthe matter were summoned for the religious ceremony; little Vera camehugging her doll, while Sasha was arrayed in a tiny Lancer uniform, thegift of his bride-to-be.
The priest recited certain prayers and injunctions to which theprincipals paid scant attention; and, the ceremony ended, all sat downto dinner. At this function there were many servants, serfs of theestate, to wait upon the feasters; the food was good and plentiful,but badly cooked, the wine plentiful also, but indifferent, and theplates and dishes were filthy. Civilisation had not as yet reached ahigh standard in the Russia of that day, when, even in the best houses,though the furniture might be gorgeously gilt, it stood in dust anddirt; where men- and women-servants slept in the passages which werenot aired during the day; where there were no arrangements for personalablutions, and ventilation and sanitation were arts as yet undiscoveredand undreamed of.
The two mothers gushed over their children, who chattered andplayed together quite unconcerned to think of the serious nature ofthe function in which they had this day