him to redouble, but he contented himself with scoring what points
he could under the circumstances."

"You English are always so frivolous," said the Princess. "In
Russia we have too many troubles to permit of our being
lighthearted."

Reginald gave a delicate shiver, such as an Italian greyhound might
give in contemplating the approach of an ice age of which he
personally disapproved, and resigned himself to the inevitable
political discussion.

"Nothing that you hear about us in England is true," was the
Princess's hopeful beginning.

"I always refused to learn Russian geography at school," observed
Reginald; "I was certain some of the names must be wrong."

"Everything is wrong with our system of government," continued the
Princess placidly. "The Bureaucrats think only of their pockets,
and the people are exploited and plundered in every direction, and
everything is mismanaged."

"With us," said Reginald, "a Cabinet usually gets the credit of
being depraved and worthless beyond the bounds of human conception
by the time it has been in office about four years."

"But if it is a bad Government you can turn it out at the
elections," argued the Princess.