gh, whose attentions to me
were unremitting, put a finely embossed card into my hands, on which was
printed, in Russian characters, the following invitation, literally
translated:--

"Ivan Ivanovitch and Prascovia Constantinova Ivanoff humbly request
the favour of your attendance on the marriage ceremony of their
daughter Anna Ivanowna with Nicholai Demetrivich Borissow, and to the
dinner-table, this November the 13th day, in the year 1827, at two
o'clock in the afternoon."

On the embossed border of the card, delicately edged with rose colour,
the emblematic figure of Hymen was represented on the one side, standing
under a palm-tree, between the sleeping dogs of fidelity, and inviting
from the other side the figures of the bride and bridegroom. I learned
that the parties were wealthy Russian hemp-commission agents, and most
excellent people; and as such an invitation promised to afford me an
opportunity of witnessing the church marriage ceremony, of which I had
read so many dissimilar accounts, I gladly accepted it. At two, the
friends of the parties assembled from all quarters in the winter
church of the _Annunciation_, in the Vassileiostrow, where a great
concourse of people had already collected round the choristers or
chanters, who, in the most delightful manner imaginable, and in the fuga
style, were singing hymns, mixing with skilful combination the sopranos
and bass voices. We beguiled half an hour in listening to their strains,
waiting for the arrival of the bride. In the meantime I surveyed the
picturesque groups of people that kept gradually forming in various
parts of the church, where the kaftaned Russian, with his well-caressed
beard, mixed with the throng of young and good-looking females. Some of
the latter, dressed in the fashion of the country, their heads profusely
ornamented with gold and embroidered veils; and others, according to the
more attractive garb of the French, presented a striking contrast to
many of the assembled men, whom I understood to belong to the class of
Russian merchants, but who wore neither the kaftan nor the beard. Their
smooth and shaven faces, with the general style of dress common to most
of the European nations, scarcely permitted their being distinguished
from several English merchants present, who had been invited on the
occasion. The officiating priest, decked in his rich church vestments,
accompanied by the deacon advanced from the sanctuary towards the door
of entran