St. Petersburg: Theatres, Carnival, Easter, The…

I was present at the ball in the year 1837. The entertainment was to begin at eleven, and the play lasted till half-past nine. I was cm'ious to see how the Russians, with their acknowledged quickness of execution, would change the theatre into a ball-room in so short a time. As soon as the last spectator had left (I was the onl person who remained, leaning against a pillar of the imperial box), the great chandelier was raised, and darkness fell over the vnde space. By degrees some hundred workmen appeared with lights, and, while one party began to clear out the pit and orchestra, another directly followed with beams and planks over the stage, and began with saws and axes to raise a din through which only now and then an order and directing voice could be heard. This wide dark space, this rasping and hammering, this carpentering, calling, bawling, and commanding, seemed like another chaos under me, whence some great birth was to proceed. As fast as the platform from the stage to the pit advanced, the carpenters were followed by a crowd of chattering women with brooms, sweeping aside the shavings and dust. On the stage a cloud seemed to descend from the air. It was a bale of silk and woollen stuffs, which was received beneath by creative hands. These, partly dra)ing and partly sewing, quickly transformed the stage into a beautiful Turkish tent, open in front. A gallery for the musicians was no less quickly reared at the back of the tent, and at the sides benches for the spectators. In the front, as if by magic, the platform proceeded meanwhile to completion ; and stairs were made to ascend to the boxes on either side of the imperial grand box, which, by taking away the doors, seats, and balustrades, were changed into passages. The clock struck ten, a quarter past, half-past, and at e^'ery quarter the workmen had evidently accomplished a part of their task ; at a quarter to eleven the last sounds of the hammer and saw were heard. The floor was made, the supports firm, the cloud of dust cleared away, the ceiUng opened, and the magnificent chandelier descended over the young creation of the decorated ball-room. At the same time, round the balustrades twinkled forth the thousand stars of waxlights ; a lackey passed over the floor, scattering perfumes from a large vessel, as if he, the first man, were offering insense to the new sun of this young world ; wliich was peopled as rapidly as it was created. At eleven the people came streaming in, and not only men and women, but animals too, frogs, birds, &c., and none of the customary characters of a masquerade were wanting. At half-past eleven the emperor entered, and the first music thundered forth. It was a chorus, accompanied by the whole orchestra. It is usual to open balls which have any claim to nationality with such a chorus, accompanied by the orchestra. The usual piece is the Russian national hymn, " For the Emperor and sacred Russia." As soon as the emperor appeared, all my thoughts of chaos and a new creation vanished ; I had no longer eye or sense for any thing else than this representative of a power that has not its like on earth. Wherever the emperor placed himself, he seemed to regulate the movements of all around him, as a strong magnet does the iron. Every where a respectful circle of staring spectators formed round him, but were kept within their own orbit by some invisible power. Wherever he could, his imperial majesty mingled with his subjects, and went diligently up stairs and down stairs. The young ladies in dominoes flocked curiously about liim, and those he took goodnaturedly on his arm and walked about with them, exciting them to jest with him. Many ladies who cannot in any other way approach him attend this ball, merely for the sake of hanging for once upon the emperor's arm. He never was at a loss for an answer, but replied very graciously to all that was said to him. As I passed him once I heard the mask upon his arm say, " Ah ! comme tu es beau !" " Oh, oui," answered the emperor, " but if you had seen what I was formerly !" Another mask said to him, " II y a peu de dames aujourdTiui." " Oui, mais quant a moi, je suis content, je te prends pour cent." One fair lady, however, seemed to weary him with her obtrusiveness, and as he caugiit sight of one of his nobles he fastened her upon his arm, saying " Voila, T , une jolie petite dame pour toi." The nobleman walked about with her for a while, and then took an opportunity of civilly getting rid of her. I was glad, for the poor belle's sake, that she was so closely masked.