As he rose
now and then, impatiently, and sat upon his hind legs, he formed a
curious contrast to the Prince's other supporter, the idiot, who
sat also in his tow-shirt, with a large pewter basin in his hand.
It was difficult to say whether the beast was most man or the man
most beast. They eyed each other and watched the motions of their
lord with equal jealousy; and the dismal whine of the bear found an
echo in the drawling, slavering laugh of the idiot. The Prince
glanced form one to the other; they put him in a capital humor,
which was not lessened as he perceived an expression of envy pass
over the face of Prince Paul.
The dinner commenced with a botvinia--something between a soup
and a salad--of wonderful composition. It contained cucumbers,
cherries, salt fish, melons, bread, salt, pepper, and wine.
While it was being served, four huge fishermen, dressed to
represent mermen of the Volga, naked to the waist, with hair
crowned with reeds, legs finned with silver tissue from the knees
downward, and preposterous scaly tails, which dragged helplessly
upon the floor, entered the hall, bearing a broad, shallow tank of
silver.
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