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

THE ENGINEER AND HIS WIFE.183

engineer, who introduced me himself into a parlour, where he offered me a light collation, and presented me, with a kind of conjugal pride, to a young and handsome person, his wife. She sat all alone, upon a sofa from which she did not rise on my entering. Not understanding French, she remained silent, and also motionless, I cannot tell why, unless she mistook immovability for good breeding, and starched airs for taste. Her object seemed to be to represent before me the statue of hospitality clothed in white muslin over a pink petticoat. I ate and warmed myself in silence : she watched me without daring to turn away her eyes, for this would be to move them, and immobility was the part she had to perform. If I had suspected there could be timidity at the bottom of this singular reception, I should have experienced sympathy, and felt only surprise ; but I could, hardly be deceived in such a case, for I am familiar with timidity.

My host suffered me to contemplate at leisure this curious image of rosy wax-work, dressed up in order to dazzle the stranger, though it confirmed him only in his opinion that the women of the North are seldom natural. The worthy engineer seemed flattered with the effect that his wife produced on me. He took my wonder for admiration ; nevertheless, desirous of conscientiously acquitting himself of his duty, he at length said, " I regret to disturb you, lint wTe have scarcely sufficient time to visit the works which I have received an order to show to you in detail."

I had foreseen the blow without being able to parry it. I therefore submitted with resignation, and suffered myself to be led from sluice to sluice, my mind still dwelling with useless regret upon