Dukes. We all dismounted and came inside the square, of which the royalty and staff formed one side, the musicians the opposite side, the other two sides being composed of officers of the various corps who had hurried to the spot. In the centre, on a mound, stood the conductor of the united bands of music, and near him one drummer-boy (or perhaps a lad of twenty), of whom more anon. We (the foreign missions) stood in line, and the Emperor came down from the pavilion and spoke to each of the generals. He was very gracious to me, and inquired about my service and the commands I had held. This over, he stood alone in the centre, and a detachment of sergeants in full marching order passed him one by one, each sergeant giving the evening report of his picket and of the usual "watch-setting" in a loud voice, the Czar thus fulfilling for the moment the rôle of camp-commandant. We (generals only) were then taken up, one by one, to the Empress, who talked to me about the Princess of Wales, Cowes, Osborne, &c.; and was altogether gracious and charming. Then tea was handed round, and the crowd of officers and of the troops generally kept closing round the square as the hour for "the retreat," or Zaira, drew nigh. Meanwhile heavy clouds had gathered in the horizon, and a storm seemed to threaten us, though the view down the slope and over the valley to Krasnoe. distant about a mile, was not rendered less beautiful by the combination of waning sunlight and threatening clouds. Eight o'clock sounds; each field-battery fires an evening gun; three rockets shoot into the air, and the drums and bands roll out, with a solemnity and volume of sound not easily forgotten, the evening hymn. As
the last notes die off, the drummer-boy steps forward, the bandmaster descends, and the little drummer, sole occupant of the square, repeats slowly but with perfect distinctness the Lord's Prayer. Every head is uncovered and bows, from the Emperor to the furthermost spectator; and I should from my heart pity the man who, as the little lad's "Amen" went up in its solitary simplicity, could scoff at or even be unimpressed by the silence which followed.
There was a total absence of all exaggeration or straining for increased effect. The bands then burst forth with the Russian national air, so well known to all of us, and the scene closed as night fell.
Our carriages came up, and we raced home; no, not home, for there was a gala performance at the theatre, and we were driven straight there, and sat three mortal hours listening to a Russian play. The Emperor and Empress and Grand-Dukes were all there, and remained for a ballet; after which we supped at the Emperor's pavilion, and I was placed next a nice little dame d'honneur, who was an enthusiastic admirer of George Eliot's works; and when I told her I had known Mrs George Henry Lewes, she seemed to look on me as a very privileged person indeed. I was starving, not having tasted food since our dinner in St Petersburg at twelve, except the Empress's tea at the "camp retreat."
It was 1.30 before I got to bed.
I was certainly tired, and hoped for a good night's rest before the great review which was to take place next day. I had been asleep about an hour and a half, when an orderly arrived who woke the servants, and bade us all turn out, as there was an alerte. Disbelieving my servant, I tried to court once more
