These imps had
been instructed to stick out their tongues in derision, and howl,
as the carriage passed between them. At the entrance of the long
main street of Kinesma, they were obliged to pass under a mock
triumphal arch, hung with dead dogs and drowned cats; and from this
point the reception assumed an outrageous character. Howls,
hootings, and hisses were heard on all sides; bouquets of nettles
and vile weeds were flung to them; even wreaths of spoiled fish
dropped from the windows. The women were the most eager and
uproarious in this carnival of insult: they beat their saucepans,
threw pails of dirty water upon the horses, pelted the coachman
with rotten cabbages, and filled the air with screeching and foul
words.
It was impossible to pass through this ordeal with indifference.
Boris, finding that his kindly greetings were thrown away,--that
even his old acquaintances in the bazaar howled like the rest,--sat
with head bowed and despair in his heart. The beautiful eyes
of Helena were heavy with tears; but she no longer trembled, for
she knew the crisis was yet to come.
Pages:
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92