Until his valet brings his tray.
What? Invitations? Yes, three houses
Have asked him to a grand soire.
There'll be a ball, a children's party;
Where will he dash to, my good hearty?
Where will he make the night's first call?
Oh, never mindhe'll make them all.
But meanwhile, dressed for morning pleasure,
Bedecked in broad-brimmed
He drives to Nevsky Boulevard,
To stroll about at total leisure,
Until Brguet's* unsleeping chime
Reminds him that it's dinner time.
16
He calls a sleigh as daylight's dimming;
The cry resounds: 'Make way! Let's go!'
His collar with its beaver trimming
Is silver bright with frosted snow.
He's off to Talon's,* late, and racing,
Quite sure he'll find Kavrin* pacing;
He enterscork and bottle spout!
The comet wine* comes gushing out,
A bloody roastbeef's on the table,
And truffles, youth's delight so keen,
The very flower of French cuisine,
And Strasbourg pie,* that deathless fable;
While next to Limburg's lively mould
Sits ananas in splendid gold.
17
Another round would hardly hurt them,
To wash those sizzling cutlets down;
But now the chime and watch alert them:
The brand new ballet's on in town!
He's off!this critic most exacting
Of all that touches art or acting,
This fickel swain of every star,
And honoured patron of the
To join the crowd, where each is ready
To greet an
Or Cleopatra with his jeers,
To hiss at Phdreso unsteady,
Recall Moi'na* . . . and rejoice
That everyone has heard his voice.
18
Enchanted land! There for a season,
That friend of freedom ruled the scene,
The daring satirist Fonvizin,
As did derivative Knyazhnin;
There Ozerov received the nation's
