Her tresses of ruddy gold, intertwined with bright ribbons, flow rippling down her shoulders, and kiss her white bosom.

She was born in a merchant's family.

Her name is Alyona[15] Dmitrievna." He describes how he has fallen in love with her at first sight, and cares no more for anything in all the world save her, and begs that he may be sent away to the steppes along the Volga, to live a free kazak life, where he may lay his "turbulent head" on a Mussulman's spear (in the fights with the Tatars of Kazan is what is meant), where the vultures may claw out his tearful eyes, and his gray bones be washed by the rain, and his wretched dust, without burial, may be scattered to the four quarters of the compass.

Tzar Ivan Vasilievitch laughs, advises him to send gifts to his Alyona, and celebrate the wedding.

The lifeguardsman then confesses that he has not told the whole truth; that the beauty is already the wife of a young merchant.
In Part II., the young merchant is represented as seated at his shop-board, a stately, dashing young fellow, Stepan Paramonovitch Kalashnikoff, spreading out his silken wares, beguiling his patrons (or "guests") with flattering speech, counting out gold and silver.