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

244A MAX SICK AMONG HIS FRIENDS.

in the country. There was quite a contest who should do him most honour: dinners, balls, excursions, hunting matches—nothing was wanting, and the stranger was enchanted : he boasted to all comers of the hospitality and elegance of these calumniated barbarians of the North !

A short time after, the young enthusiast fell ill in the neighbouring town. So long as the malady continued, and grew worse, his most intimate friends were invisible and silent as the grave. Two months thus passed ; scarcely did any one during that time send to make an inquiry after him: at length youth triumphed, and, notwithstanding the doctor of the place, the traveller became convalescent. As soon as he was perfectly restored, every body resorted to him to celebrate his recovery, as though they had been thinking only of him during the whole time of his illness: to have seen the delight of his former hosts, you would have said it was they who had been raised again to life. He was loaded with protestations of friendship; he was overwhelmed with new projects of diversion; he was caressed with feline tenderness: capriciousness, egotism, and inconstancy are velvet paws: visitors came to play at cards by his armchair; they proposed to send him a sofa, sweetmeats, and wine ; — now that he had no longer need of any thing, every thing was at his disposal. However, he did not allow himself to be a second time caught by this bait; he profited by the lesson, and, rich in experience, entered his carriage in all haste, impatient, he said, to fly from a country which is hospitable onlv to those who are fortunate, useful, or amusing!

An intellectual, elderly French woman, an émigrée¡