Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

108THE HISTORY OF THELENEF.

close behind; whilst a band, in the form of a diadem, was fastened across the white forehead of the young labourer, keeping his hair close and smooth on the crown of his head, which shone, in the sun, like a Christ of Guido.

He wore a species of shirt of finely-striped coloured stuíf, cut close to the neck, with an opening at the side, only just large enough for the head to pass through, and which was fastened by two buttons, between the shoulder and collar-bone. This garb of the Russian peasant, which reminds one of the Greek tunic, falls outside the pantaloon, and conceals it above the knee. It wTould somewhat resemble the French blouse, if it were not so infinitely more graceful, both as regards the manner in which it is cut, and the unstudied taste with which it is worn. Fedor possessed a naturally-elegant figure, his movements were easy, his head, finely placed on shoulders modelled like those of ancient statues, would have naturally assumed the most noble bearing, but the young man held it almost always sunk upon his breast. A secret mental dejection was painted on his beautiful countenance. With a Grecian profile, eyes of a bright blue, but sparkling with youth and natural intelligence, a curled and haughty mouth (like those seen on ancient medals) surmounted with a small brightly-golden moustache; with a youth-fid beard of the same colour, short curled, silky, and already thick, though scarcely changed from the down of boyhood ; with the muscular power of the gladiator combined with the agility of the Spanish matador and the fair complexion of the north — with all these and every other external endowment that could render a man proud and self-confident, Fedor, humbled by an