e day, after dining
at Court, General Korf proposed that we should go and see the LIT DE
PARADE" (Parade-bed) of the late Czarina, which is in another Palace,
not far off. "Count Schuwalof [NOT her old lover, who has DIED since
her, poor old creature; but his Son, a cultivated man, afterwards
Voltaire's friend] accompanied us; and, his rooms being contiguous to
those of the dead Lady, he asked us to take coffee with him afterwards.
The Imperial Bier stood in the Grand Saloon, which was hung all round
with black, festooned and garlanded with cloth-of-silver; the glare of
wax-lights quite blinding. Bier, covered with cloth-of-gold trimmed with
silver lace, was raised upon steps. A rich Crown was on the head of the
dead Czarina. Beside the bier stood Four Ladies, two on each hand, in
grand mourning; immense crape training on the ground behind them. Two
Officers of the Life-Guard occupied the lowest steps: on the topmost, at
the foot of the bier, was an Archimandrite (superior kind of ABBOT),
who had a Bible before him, from which he read aloud,--continuously till
relieved by another. This went on day and night without interruption.
All round the bier, on stools (TABOURETS), were placed different Crowns,
and the insignia of various Orders,--those of Prussia, among others. It
being established usage, I had, to my great repugnance, to kiss the hand
of the corpse! We then talked a little to the Ladies in attendance (with
their crape trains), joking about the article of hand-kissing; finally
we adjourned for coffee to Count Schuwalof's apartments, which were of
an incredible magnificence." That same evening, farther on,--

"I supped with the Czar in his PETIT APPARTEMENT, Private Rooms [a
fine free-and-easy nook of space!]. The company there consisted of the
Countess Woronzow, a creature without any graces, bodily or mental, whom
the Czar had chosen for his Mistress [snub-nosed, pock-marked, fat, and
with a pert tongue at times], whom I liked the less, as there were
one or two other very handsome women there. Some Courtiers too; and no
Foreigners but the English Envoy and myself. The supper was very gay,
and was prolonged late into the night. These late orgies, however, did
not prevent his Majesty from attending to business in good time next
morning. He would appear unexpectedly, at an early hour, at the Senate,
at the Synod [Head CONSISTORY], making them stand to their duties,"--or
pretend to do it. His Majesty is not understoo