text:  The place which I had left filled with trembling clusters of people whole families clinging to each other in terror loud or mute but all in the deepest dread of their next summons I found in a state of the most extravagant festivity--the chapel lighted up from floor to root--bouquets planted wherever it was possible to fix an artificial flower--gaudy wreaths depending from the galleries--and all the genius of this country of extremes lavished on attempts at decoration