Our Russian ladies have admitted into their little circle a French merchant, who is among the passengers. He is a man rather past the middle age, full of great schemes connected with steam-boats and railroads, but still exhibiting all his former youthful pretensions: agreeable smiles, gracious mien, winning grimaces, plebeian gestures, narrow ideas, and studied language. He is, notwithstanding, a good fellow, speaking willingly, and even well, when he speaks on subjects with which he is conversant, amusing also, though self-sufficient, and sometimes rather prosy.
He is going to Russia to electrify certain minds in favour of some great industrial undertakings. He
90MAUVAIS TON OF A FRENCHMAN,
travels as agent for several French commercial houses who have associated, he says, to carry into effect these important objects ; but his head, although full of grave commercial ideas, finds place, nevertheless, for all the songs and bon mots that have been popular in Paris for the last twenty years- Before turning merchant he had been a lancer, and he has preserved, in his air and attitudes, some amusing traces of Iris former profession. He never speaks to the Russians without alluding to French superiority in matters of every description; but his vanity is too palpable to become offensive, or to excite anything beyond a laugh.
When singing he casts tender glances upon the ladies; when declaiming the Parisienne and the Marseillaise) he folds his cloak around liim with a theatrical air : Iris store of songs and sayings, although rather jovial in character, much amuses our fair strangers. In listening to him they seem to believe they are on a visit to Paris. The mauvais ton of this specimen of French manners by no means strikes them, because they do not comprehend its source or its scope; a language which they cannot understand cannot disgust them; besides, persons belonging to really good society are always the last to be annoyed or alarmed. The fear of being lowered in position does not oblige them to take offence at everything that is said.
The old Prince Кand myself laugh between
ourselves at the language to which they listen; they laugh on their part with the innocence of an ignorance unacquainted with the point where good taste ceases, and where French vulgarity begins.
Vulgarity commences so soon as the individual
RUSSIAN GYPSIES.
91
thinks of avoiding it: such a thought never occurs to persons perfectly sure of their own good breeding.
"When the gaiety of the ex-lancer becomes rather too exuberant, the Russian ladies moderate it by singing, in their turn, some of those national airs of which the melancholy and originality greatly charm me.
The Princess L has sung to us some airs of
the Russian gypsies which, to my great surprise, bring the Spanish boleros to my mind. The Gitanos of Andalusia are of the same race as the Russian gypsies. This population dispersed, one knows not by what agency, throughout all Europe, has preserved in every region, its manners, its traditions and its national songs.
The sea voyage, so much dreaded in prospect, has proved so agreeable, that I look forward to its termination with real regret. Besides, who does not feel some sense of desolation in arriving in a large city, where one has no business and no friends. My passion for travel cools when I consider that it consists entirely of departures and arrivals. But what pleasures and advantages does not man purchase by this pain ! Were it only that he can by this means obtain information without laborious study, it would be well thus to turn over, as the leaves of a book, the different countries of the earth.
When I feel myself discouraged in the midst of my pilgrimages, I say to myself, " If I wish for the result, I must take the means," and under this thought I persevere. I do more, — scarcely am I again in my own abode, than I think of recommencing my travels. Perpetual travel would be a delightful way of passing
92 AGREEABLE SOCIETY ON THE STEAM-BOAT.
life, especially for one who cannot conform to the ideas which govern the world in the age in which he lives. To change one's country is tantamount to changing one's century. It is a long by-gone age which I полу hope to study in Russia.
Never do I recollect having met in travelling, wi th
society so agreeable and amusing as in this passage.
Our life here, is like life in the country in wTet
weather ; we cannot get out, but each tasks him
self to amuse the others, so that the effort of each
turns to the benefit of the whole. This however
must be ascribed to the perfect sociability of some
of our passengers, and more especially to the amia
ble authority of Prince К. Had it not been
for the part he took at the commencement of our voyage, no one would have broken the ice, and we should have continued observing each other in silence during the whole passage. Instead of such a melancholy isolation, we talk and chatter night and day. The light, lasting during the whole twenty-four hours, has the effect of so deranging habits, that there are always some ready for conversation at any hour. It is now past three o'clock, and as I write, I hear my companions laughing and talking in the cabin; if I were to go down, they would ask me to recite some French verses, or to tell some story about Paris. They never tire of asking about Mademoiselle Rachel or Duprez, the two great dramatic stars of the day. They long to draw to their own country the celebrated talents which they cannot obtain permission to come and see among us.
When the French lancer, the mercantile militaire, joins in the conversation, it is generally to interrupt
TWO AMERICANS.
93
it. There is then sure to be laughter, singing, and Russian dance*.
This gaiety, innocent as it is, has proved offensive to two Americans o;0in2; to Petersburg on business. These inhabitants of the New World do not permit themselves even a smile at the foolish pleasures of the young European women. They do not perceive that liberty and carelessness are the safeguards of youthful hearts. Their puritamsin rebels not only against licence, but against mirth; they are Jan-senists of the Protestant school; to please them, life must be made one protracted funeral. Happily, the ladies we have on board do not trouble themselves to render any reason to these pedantic merchants. Their manners are more simple than most of the women of the north, who, when they come to Paris, believe themselves obliged to distort their whole nature in order to seduce us. Our fair fellow-passengers please without seeming to think of pleasing ; their French accent also appears to me better than that of most of the Polish women whom I have met in Saxony and Bohemia. In speaking our language they do not pretend to correct it, but endeavour to speak as we speak, and very nearly succeed.
Yesterday a slight accident which happened to our engine served to exhibit some of the secret traits of character in those on board.
The recollection of the former accident that befell to our boat has served to render the passengers rather timid and distrustful, though the weather has remained throughout extremely fine.
Yesterday after dinner, we were seated reading, when suddenly the motion of the paddles stopped,
94
STEAM-BOAT ACCIDENT.