If they had been poked previously at all, they had just lain still when the rough men of their sections were working on them. They did not understand yet how there can be a great difference between an expert courtesan and a peasant girl who just holds her legs open. They should know better soon. When Grushenka felt that she was ready, she held the great and boisterous opening of her establishment.
According to the custom of her time, she had an invitation printed which was quite a document, prettily lithographed and adorned with vignettes displaying love scenes. Here you could read that the famous Madame Grushenka Pawlovsk, just returned from an extensive tour over Europe in search of new and never-dreamed-of sex excitements, was inviting the Honorable Dukes, Counts and Barons for the great opening of her establishment. Here the customer, from the moment that he passed the threshold, would be drowned in an ocean of pleasure, etc., etc., followed by the most startling announcement, namely, that for the opening gala banquet, no charge would be made! On this night, every one-of-the famous beauties would satisfy every whim free of charge and a free lottery would be played, the prizes being five virgins to be raped by the winners! Here-according to the style of the time-a special specification also was made: that the winners could deflower their prizes either in private chambers or “in state.”
It must be known that most marriages of that time started with deflowering “in state,” which means that the bridegroom put his bird into the little nest in the presence of all the near relatives, often all the wedding guests, in order to give a proof by witness that the marriage had been consummated. This habit flourished in the families of reigning houses of Russia right through the better part of the 19th century. The opening party turned out to be a riotous bacchanal.
It lasted not only one day and one night, but more than-three days and nights, until it was finally disbanded by the discreet and quiet interference of the police. Grushenka received the guests in a gorgeous gown, very audacious, as was becoming for this occasion. From the waist down she wore a purple brocade skirt with a long train which encircled her in gracious swirls wherever she went. From the waist up she had on only a thin silver veil, which left her magnificent breasts and full rounded back bare to the view of the admiring men. She wore a large white wig with many curls which, because she had no diamonds at that time, was adorned with dark red roses. Her girls wore smart evening gowns which just left the nipple free and which were close-fitting in-the waist but wide around the hips and buttocks. They had no undergarments on whatsoever, and, while the men were eating, Grushenka introduced them on a platform, one after the other, lifting their gowns up in front and in the back, displaying and covering up their undercarriages from every angle. Grushenka had counted on about seventy visitors. Over two hundred came. Two oxen had been slaughtered and been roasted in the garden over an open fire, but she soon had to send out for more food. The battalion of bottles of wine and vodka drunk during those days will never be known. A small army of lackeys were busy opening bottles and piling empty ones in the corners. The first feature after the dinner was the lottery for the virgins. After long and more-rowdy-than-witty speeches, the men decided among themselves that anyone who should not “poke in state” should be excluded from participation. The men all were from the aristocratic class, mostly landowners or their offspring, officers of regiments, government officials, and so on. But they were drunk and found that this was one occasion to break down barriers. They cleared a space in the middle of the great dining hall and herded the five young girls into the middle, where they stood sheepishly. Numbers were hung around their necks, and every man received a numbered card, the winners being those who held numbers corresponding with those of the girls. The girls now were told to slip out of their dresses, while the winners proudly stood next to them. The rest of the crowd lay, sat or stood all around the room in a circle. Some had climbed to the window sills to see better. The girls were frightened and began to cry. The crowd answered with cheers and boos. Grushenka stepped into the circle and got her wards close together. She spoke to them with quiet determination, but threatening them if they did not cheerfully obey. They slipped out of their gowns and lay meekly down on the carpet, closed their eyes and kept a hand on their love-nests.