"By this time I had grown conscious of the fact that I was wandering
about in a strange house, and that, apparently, I was alone in it. The
silence of the place began to try my nerves, and in a sudden,
unexplainable panic I started for the open street. But as I turned, I
saw a man sitting on a bench, which the curve of the balustrade had
hidden from me. His eyes were shut, and he was sleeping soundly.

"The moment before I had been bewildered because I could see no one,
but at sight of this man I was much more bewildered.

"He was a very large man, a giant in height, with long yellow hair
which hung below his shoulders. He was dressed in a red silk shirt
that was belted at the waist and hung outside black velvet trousers
which, in turn, were stuffed into high black boots. I recognized the
costume at once as that of a Russian servant, but what a Russian
servant in his native livery could be doing in a private house in
Knightsbridge was incomprehensible.

"I advanced and touched the man on the shoulder, and after an effort
he awoke, and, on seeing me, sprang to his feet and began bowing
rapidly and making deprecatory gestures. I had picked up enough
Russian in Petersburg to make out that the man was apologizing for
having fallen asleep, and I also was able to explain to him that I
desired to see his master.

"He nodded vigorously, and said, 'Will the Excellency come this way?
The Princess is here.'

"I distinctly made out the word 'princess,' and I was a good deal
embarrassed. I had thought it would be easy enough to explain my