folded and their eyes on the inlaid devices at their
feet.

"When this first act was over and I was locked
in for the night and felt myself able to kick my way
through the flimsy walls, yet as completely a pris-
oner as if they had been of stone, I will confess
that I fell into a most undiplomatical rage; and
when I found myself played with from month to
month by a people I scorned as a grotesque mix-
ture of barbarian and mannikin, I was alternately
infuriated, and consumed with laughter at the van-
ity of men and nations."

His voice dropped from its light ironical note,
and became harsh and abrupt with reminiscent dis-
gust. "And the end of it all was failure. The
superb presents of the Tsar were rejected. These
presents: coats of black fox and ermine, vases of
fossil ivory and of marble, muskets, pistols, sabers,
magnificent lustres, table services of crystal and
porcelain, tapestries and carpets, immense mirrors,
a clock in the form of an elephant, and set with
precious stones, a portrait of the Tsar by Madame
le Brun, damasks, furs, velvets, printed cotton,
cloths, brocades of gold and silver, microscopes,
gold and silver watches, a complete electrical ma-
chine--presents in all, of the value of three hundred
thousand roubles, were returned with scant cere-
mony to the Nadeshda and I was politely told to