or crowded to the turnings, eager to see the sight. There they
stood, devoutly bowing and crossing themselves, though it was difficult
to say what particular object claimed this respect. Altogether the
procession, from the wild look of the priests, their loud voices, and
the gaudy banners waving in the air, had much more of a heathen than a
Christian character.

Vast preparations were at this time making for the expected coronation.
The spires and domes and walls of all the churches and public buildings
were being covered with laths, on which to hang the lamps for the
illumination of the city.

Magnificent arches were being erected all round the large square
opposite the Imperial Theatre; but they were of wood, and, though
painted to look like stone, here and there bits of the pine peeped
forth, showing the unsubstantial nature of the highly-pretentious
fabric. Workmen also crowded the churches, furbishing up gilt
candlesticks, refreshing the features of saints, adding rubies to their
faded lips and lustre to their eyes, cleaning and polishing in all
directions. Cousin Giles said it put him in mind of being behind the
scenes of a theatre,--carpenters, painters, and gilders were everywhere
to be seen; their saws and axes, their trowels and brushes seemed to
have no rest; nor could they afford it, for they were evidently much
behindhand with their preparations. Such furbishing, and painting, and
washing, Moscow never before enjoyed. The whole circuit of the walls of
the Kremlin, and its numerous towers, as well as the buildings in the
interior, were covered, from pinnacle and parapet to the base, with a
network of laths; so was the Cathedral of Saint Basil, and, indeed,
every edifice in the neighbourhood. When the whole was lighted up, they
agreed that the spectacle would be very fine, but they began to doubt
whether it would be worth while to return to the city for the play
itself after having witnessed all the preparations.

Cousin Giles told his companions that it is said that, when the Empress
Catherine used to make a progress through her dominions, the peasants
were driven up from all quarters towards the high road, and that wooden
houses were run up just before her to represent thriving villages. As
soon as she had passed they were pulled down again and carried on ahead
to do duty a second time, the mujicks, meanwhile, being compelled to
pace up and down before their pretended abodes, as Swiss peasants do