GIFT OF 
 SEELEY W. MUDD 
 
 and 
 
 GEORGE I. COCHRAN MEYER ELSASSER 
 DR. JOHN R. HAYNES WILLIAM L. HONNOLD 
 JAMES R. MARTIN MRS. JOSEPH F. SARTORI 
 
 to the 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 SOUTHERN BRANCH 
 
 JOHN FISKE
 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below 
 
 PS 
 
 2949 
 
 S88t Stoughton 
 
 The tsar's window. 
 
 Southern Branch 
 of the 
 
 University of California
 
 AT
 
 NO NAME SERIES. 
 
 "Is THE GENTLEMAN ANONYMOUS? Is HE A GREAT UNKNOWN?" 
 
 DANIEL DERONDA. 
 
 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 "I WISH," SAID PETUR TH. GAT, "A wmcow UXJWNG 
 
 EUROFB- " 
 
 BOSTON: 
 ROBERTS BROTHERS. 
 
 1889. 
 
 93676
 
 Copyright, 1881, 
 BY ROBERTS BROTHERS. 
 
 /:'.:: : '."' V.S 1 '--^' 
 
 * *
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I. DORRIS'S JOURNAL 7 
 
 II. LETTERS FROM THOMAS AND GRACE CATHERWOOD 9 
 
 III. DORRIS'S JOURNAL 14 
 
 IV. LETTERS FROM MR. TREMAINE AND DORRIS ROM- 
 
 ILLY 19 
 
 V. DORRIS'S JOURNAL 28 
 
 VI. SKATING AND RUSSIAN OPERA 44 
 
 VII. STCHONKINE DVOR 67 
 
 . VIII. AN IMPERIAL CHRISTENING 90 
 
 CO 
 
 C\i IX. EPIPHANY 108 
 
 X. TROIKA PARTIES 123 
 
 XI. AN IMPERIAL WEDDING 146 
 
 44 XII. A COURT BALL, AND THE MYSTERY SOLVED . . 160 
 GO 
 
 -rf XIII. MORE REVELATIONS 179 
 
 XIV. MARIE TALKE 192 
 
 XV. LE BAL DES PALMIERS 213 
 
 XVI. THE KREMLIN 231 
 
 XVII. THE BLACK WINTER 253
 
 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 DORRIS'S JOURNAL. 
 
 November 27, 1877. 
 
 TTOMESICKNESS, chills, cold, fog; outside the 
 -*- -*- window, a musky atmosphere, and a dull roar 
 which tells of toiling crowds at a distance ; inside, a 
 sombre room, furnished in ugly chintz : in short, Lon- 
 don, London in November, London in a fog, London 
 seen from the windows of a hotel in its darkest, most 
 unlovely aspect. For lack of something better to do, 
 I am wondering vaguely where all the smoke and fog 
 come from. I can picture it rising slowly from millions 
 of factories and breweries, miles upon miles of palaces, 
 and acres of wretched dwellings. The splendor and 
 the squalor are alike hidden by this misty curtain, which 
 settles down by my window, and on my spirits, causing 
 an unpleasant gloom. How the passers-by jostle each 
 other with their umbrellas, and of what a dull color are 
 the brick houses opposite ! I take a look at the room, 
 and the prospect is still more depressing. Voluminous 
 cloth curtains obstruct the entrance of the feeble yellow
 
 8 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 light. Dark, chintz-covered chairs, and a tiny fire in 
 the microscopic grate, complete the gloomy picture. 
 
 My sister is making futile efforts to warm one foot, 
 and to keep from crying. Poor Grace ! She, too, is 
 wondering why she came, and she thinks I am so inter- 
 ested in my writing that I do not notice her. 
 
 Of course Tom considers this the finest and most 
 cheerful hotel in the city, as he selected it, and we are 
 staying here. After the complaints which I made this 
 morning, I am sure that Tom would pronounce me a 
 sour old maid if I belonged to another family ; but as I 
 am his sister-in-law he thinks kindly of me, and speaks 
 of me as " Dear Dorris ! A little quick, you know, but 
 the kindest and the cleverest woman in the world." 
 
 I never shall become so accustomed to Tom as not 
 to laugh at him. What a blessing that there is some- 
 thing to laugh at ! 
 
 The waiter comes in to know what we will order for 
 dinner. He looks at us as if he wished to say, " Poor 
 creatures, how sorry I am for you ! After all, it is not 
 your fault that you were not born British subjects." 
 
 Why did it occur to Grace that she would like to 
 spend a winter in St. Petersburg? Why should she 
 have cared about getting acquainted with our Russian 
 kinsman ? Why did Tom make that investment which 
 gave him the money for this trip ? Above all, what evil 
 genius whispered to me that it would be pleasant to 
 accompany them ? To these questions I can find no 
 answer, and I am going to drown my sorrows in crum- 
 pets and tea. Those articles, at least, are good here.
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 LETTERS FROM THOMAS AND GRACE CATHERWOOD. 
 
 LONDON, Nov. 27. 
 
 "TV /TY DEAR MOTHER, I have not quite recov- 
 -^ * -^- ered my land legs, and Grace is completely knocked 
 up after our long sea-voyage. We were eleven days on 
 the water, and though it is humiliating to confess it, I 
 was absurdly sick. ' Grace was wretched in body and 
 mind, and Dorris did the cheerfulness for the whole 
 party. She was irrepressible, and for two days was 
 the only lady at table. We landed yesterday in Liver- 
 pool, and came directly here, where we have foupd 
 nothing but fog and rain. Grace has succumbed to her 
 miseries, and a bad attack of homesickness. There 
 is a suspicious redness about her eyes, and she avoids 
 looking me directly in the face. She told me that noth- 
 ing would induce her to write a letter to-day, and has 
 retired to her room with a novel to cry ; but I shall take 
 her on to Paris in a day or two, where I hope Worth's 
 influence will revive her. 
 
 I don't care much for London at this season, myself, 
 and if Grace were not homesick, I might be so, but I feel 
 obliged to differ from my wife. It ruins women to agree
 
 10 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 with them, which is the reason, dear mother, I have 
 always given you so much trouble. 
 
 Dorris has set her energies doggedly to work to study 
 up Russia, and is buried in books which treat of that 
 subject. I never saw such a woman for rinding amuse- 
 ment in trifles, and for picking up information on all 
 occasions, from all sorts of people. I only hope she 
 will not set up for an intellectual woman. She is the 
 best traveller I ever saw. 
 
 This note will inform you of our safe arrival, and I 
 dare say Grace will write from Paris, and tell you about 
 the fashions. I have considered your feelings in writing 
 this, and have refrained from slang. You should give 
 me a great deal of credit, for I deserve it. 
 
 Grace and Dorris send love, and so does 
 Your affectionate son, 
 
 THOMAS. 
 
 PARIS, Nov. 30. 
 
 MY DEAR SISTER, Tom is really too dreadful. He 
 was prowling all over the city last night until after twelve 
 o'clock, with that young Mr. Lane whose father used to 
 be in love with Aunt Emma. I wanted him to write to 
 his mother, but he said that he wrote to her in London, 
 and he would go off. Dorris only laughs at him, but 
 I shall use my influence to get him started for your 
 country next week, if our dresses are finished. I am 
 longing to see you, and your dear little girl, and your 
 Russian home ; but if I Jiave my gray brocade trimmed 
 with fringe, it will take two days longer, for the fringe
 
 LETTERS. II 
 
 has to be made, and Dorris says it will be hideous with- 
 out the fringe ; so our departure depends on my decision 
 about that dress. These dressmakers are really too 
 aggravating. 
 
 We had such a rough passage across the channel that 
 I was very glad of my new ulster which I bought in 
 London. Tom's mother sent you a mince-pie, for she 
 remembered that you used to like them. I took it out 
 of my trunk when we were in London, to make room 
 for Karamsin's History of Russia, in six volumes, which 
 Dorris bought, and packed in with my collars and cuffs, 
 so you can imagine how they looked when we got here ! 
 The pie was done up in brown paper, and Tom thought 
 that the parcel contained his slippers, and he put all his 
 boots and shoes on top of it ; it looks now as if some 
 one had been sitting on it, but I shall keep it for you. 
 
 Dorris does nothing but read, and she says she does 
 not believe that old Mr. Lane was in love with Aunt 
 Emma. Tom is so much handsomer than he used to 
 be, I can hardly wait for you to see him. 
 
 Dorris looks as young as I do. She does n't seem to 
 care about getting married since that sad, engagement 
 of hers, though that was eight years ago. I never could 
 understand how she could fall in love with a man who 
 was dying of consumption. Tom never has had an ill 
 day since I married him except last summer when he 
 was poisoned, and how cross he was ! 
 
 Dorris behaves just like a widow. Some widows don't 
 act much like it, though. That Mrs. Miller used to 
 flirt awfully with Tom before he was engaged to me,
 
 12 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 but he nei>er thought she was pretty. I think I shall 
 have the fringe on that dress. The milliner has brought 
 some bonnets for me to look at, so I must leave my 
 letter. 
 
 Kiss your baby for me, and give my love to Nicolas. 
 Your loving sister, 
 
 GRACE CATHERWOOD. 
 
 BERLIN, Dec. 8. 
 
 DEAR MOTHER, We are on our way to the North 
 Pole, having left the fascinations of Paris behind us. 
 I made a discovery in that city which is worth a fortune 
 to me. I found the emperor of all tailors, a man per- 
 fect in his profession, which is a thing you can rarely 
 see. You will be delighted with the results of our 
 acquaintance when you behold them. 
 
 Grace has purchased every article which was recom- 
 mended to her to keep us warm on the journey, and 
 the consequence is, my big black bag is completely 
 rilled with her traps. It flew open at the Paris station, 
 and startling were the secrets which were disclosed. 
 
 We are all delighted at the prospect of getting out of 
 this beastly hole. We have been in a chronic state of 
 shivering ever since we landed in Europe, and Grace 
 is looking forward to getting warm in St. Petersburg, 
 for she says that Alice never mentions the cold in her 
 letters, so she does not believe it can be as cold as 
 London and Paris. Never say anything more to me, 
 my dear mother, about the beauty of this Berlin street,
 
 LETTERS. 13 
 
 " Unter den Linden," or some such name. It does not 
 compare with Fifth Avenue. The "Linden" is the 
 poorest apology for a tree that I ever beheld. I shall 
 be glad to take my departure to-night, and as I have 
 some accounts to settle with the courier, I must leave 
 you now. 
 
 Your devoted son, 
 
 THOMAS.
 
 14 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 DORRIS'S JOURNAL. 
 
 December 9, 1877. 
 
 SITTING on the floor in a low, smoky Russian car, 
 with a flickering candle over my head, I am trying 
 to write a short account of our journey. We entered the 
 land of the Tsar about three hours ago, after travel- 
 ling twenty-four hours from Berlin. Tom says that ours 
 is the most competent courier who ever took charge 
 of a party, so of course it must be so. He is tall and 
 dark, and looks like a bandit. He is known as Gustave, 
 but we don't often dare to address him by name. He 
 makes profound bows whenever he enters our presence, 
 and is continually giving us titles such as " Excellency," 
 "My Lady," "Your Grace," and then correcting him- 
 self, as though he had always served the nobility, and 
 found it difficult to descend to common mortals. 
 
 He is not travelling with us ; we are travelling with 
 him. We do whatever he tells us, eat, drink, walk, 
 and sleep when he thinks best. I fancy that he makes 
 a good profit on everything, even on the suspicious-look- 
 ing apples which he brings us ; but such is the awe with 
 which he inspires me that I dare not remonstrate. 
 
 We left Berlin at seven o'clock last night. When I
 
 DORRI&S JOURNAL. 15 
 
 awoke this morning, my first movement was to peep out 
 of the window. A flat, snowy country met my eyes, and 
 a gray sky. The day has been monotonous. Tom has 
 spent his time poring over a Russian Grammar. He 
 knit his brows, made various notes in a new memo- 
 randum-book, and appeared to be studying intently; 
 but when, towards night, I catechised him, I could not 
 discover that his knowledge went beyond the fact that 
 "Da" meant "Yes," and " Nyett " was Russian for 
 " No." 
 
 It was five o'clock this afternoon when we reached 
 the Russian frontier. Our advent had been telegraphed 
 from Berlin by some one whom Tom knows there, and 
 we received every attention. A polite official conducted 
 us to the restaurant, where we had supper. The excel- 
 lent French which he spoke did not surprise me. I 
 have always had a vague idea that Russians used their 
 own language very little, and that one could travel 
 throughout the country simply with a knowledge of 
 French. 
 
 The waiter, however, did not understand my French 
 orders, and Gustave's powers as interpreter were called 
 into play. Our travelling companions wore long, dark 
 cloaks, and fur hats. That was as it should be. But 
 the mild air was all wrong, and the thermometer was 
 wrong too. It should be colder in Russia. 
 
 Grace and I uttered an exclamation of horror when 
 we entered the compartment which had been reserved 
 for us in the Russian train ; for, in spite of the mild 
 temperature outside, the little stove was nearly bursting:
 
 1 6 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 with wood, and was burning fiercely. We struggled 
 vainly to open the double window; at last we were 
 obliged to call the guard, who remonstrated earnestly 
 with us, in his unintelligible language, before he could 
 be induced to comply with our request. When the 
 room had become somewhat cooler, Grace lay down on 
 one of the hard seats, with a travelling-bag for a pillow, 
 and, covered with her fur cloak, was soon sound asleep. 
 I made some attempts to look out of the window, but 
 finding the night dark and the landscape invisible, I 
 give my attention to my journal. The candle shows 
 signs of going out altogether, so I will follow Grace's 
 example and try to sleep. 
 
 ST. PETERSBURG, Dec. 13. 
 
 The rest of that night journey was inexpressibly 
 weird. Being fond of novelty, I was pleased with it, 
 though my bones ached sadly from my hard bed. We 
 lumbered on slowly and painfully. I felt sorry for the 
 engine, it seemed to labor so. Every now and then we 
 stopped to rest. A mysterious, funereal bell tinkled 
 every five seconds during the stoppage, and strange 
 voices kept up a continual jabber in an unknown tongue 
 under the window. Then on we plodded through the 
 darkness, and it seemed as if daylight would never 
 come. 
 
 I had fallen into a light doze, when our door was 
 unceremoniously opened, and a face framed in a long, 
 dark beard was thrust in. The hair was parted in the 
 middle and fell on the shoulders, and the head was
 
 DORRIS'S JOURNAL. I/ 
 
 surmounted by a round cap, ornamented about the rim 
 with the eyes of peacock-feathers. I gazed at this curi- 
 ous figure inquiringly, and he ejaculated something 
 which sounded like " Day." Grace plied him with ques- 
 tions in German, and then in French ; but he continued 
 to make unintelligible sounds, and finally retreated for 
 a moment, returning with some tumblers filled with 
 steaming tea, and some delicious bread. We blessed 
 the intruder in all the languages at our command ; and 
 never was anything so refreshing to me as that tea ! 
 Surely, one must come to Russia to have tea served in 
 the middle of the night. 
 
 We were so delighted with our midnight meal that 
 whenever the tinkling of that goblin bell awoke us 
 during the night, we put our heads out of the window 
 and ordered tea in every language which we knew ; but 
 as Russian was not included in our repertory, we some- 
 times got cigarettes, or more wood for the stove, instead 
 of the article we asked for. 
 
 The long night dragged itself away at last, and I 
 opened my eyes upon the most desolate tract of country 
 I have ever beheld. Flat and uncultivated, marshy in 
 many parts, no trees except stunted pines and birches, 
 and not a hill or a mountain. Far as the eye could 
 reach, on either side, the same dreary expanse. Snow 
 everywhere, of course, even in the air, not coming 
 down in great flakes, as in dear old New England, but 
 sifting through the air like a mist, and falling almost 
 imperceptibly. 
 
 We passed few villages, and no great cities. I caught 
 2
 
 1 8 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 some glimpses of peasants, in long sheepskin coats, 
 high felt boots, and fur caps. This seems to be their 
 out-of-door costume. In some poor little huts with no 
 visible windows appeared startled figures in bright- 
 colored shirts belted in over the trousers, which were 
 full, and tucked into high boots. They all had long 
 beards, and hair parted in the middle. 
 
 All day there were endless stoppages at stations where 
 there seemed to be no passengers to get on or off, and 
 always that melancholy bell-ringing. 
 
 It was after dark when a forest of lights in the dis- 
 tance proclaimed the end of our journey to be near. 
 I was half-dazed when I tumbled out of the cars and 
 into the arms of Nicolas, who was waiting to welcome 
 us. He received us most cordially, kissing Tom on 
 both cheeks, which so embarrassed the poor fellow that 
 he looked uncomfortable for some time after. My 
 Russian brother-in-law is a very handsome man. In 
 the six years which have elapsed since he carried Alice 
 away with him, I have had time to forget how good- 
 looking he was. I was surprised to find Alice changed 
 so little. She has grown somewhat stouter and a trifle 
 more self-conscious, but beyond that she is the same 
 happy little woman as of old. 
 
 We found her at the Hotel de 1' Europe when we got 
 there, after what seemed a very long drive through 
 streets filled with clumsy horse-cars and funny little 
 sleighs. 
 
 Our tongues ran busily during dinner ; and when Alice 
 and her husband took their departure, I was glad to go 
 to bed.
 
 LETTERS. 19 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 LETTERS FROM MR. TREMAINE AND DORRIS ROMILLY. 
 
 NEW YORK, November, 1877. 
 
 TV/TV DEAR JUDITH, I am rather hurried this 
 ** morning, as I wish this letter to go by to-day's 
 steamer. Mrs. Tremaine tells me that you are twenty 
 years old. I think that you ought not to remain longer 
 at school. I have written Fraulein Lu'tke to that effect, 
 and have arranged matters so that you will have no 
 difficulty about leaving. You can come home to us 
 with Mrs. Emmons, who will sail on the 8th of January ; 
 or I have a proposition to make which will perhaps be 
 more welcome to you. 
 
 Your cousins, as you know, have gone to Russia to 
 spend some months. They would be glad to have you 
 with them. Dorris spoke to me about it before she 
 left America, and I have no doubt Fraulein Lu'tke can 
 find some one to accompany you from Vienna to St. 
 Petersburg, should you decide to go. My advice to you 
 is not to lose this opportunity of seeing Russian life. 
 Your Cousin Alice married well. Count Piloff belongs 
 to one of the best Russian families, and is in a position 
 to introduce you into the court society. I should like 
 you to become better acquainted with Dorris. as your
 
 20 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 father and hers were more warmly attached than most 
 brothers. Dorris is a woman whose friendship will be 
 beneficial to you, and I know they will all try to make 
 you happy. If you are not contented, of course you 
 can come home when an opportunity occurs. 
 
 I have no time to write more to-day. Hoping to hear 
 immediately when you have decided which course to 
 pursue, I am 
 
 Your affectionate guardian, 
 
 JOHN TREMAINE. 
 
 NEW YORK, Nov. 30, 1877. 
 
 MY DEAR DORRIS, I am sorely perplexed. I have 
 received a letter from a young man in Vienna, Roger 
 Fisk by name, who is studying medicine abroad. 
 Since his sojourn in Europe he has met Judith, and 
 claims to have an undying love for her. He is twenty- 
 six years of age, has no money, and cannot marry for 
 years. He says that Judith returns his affection, but 
 will give no promise without my sanction. 
 
 I have written to him, of course. I told him that my 
 ward was too young to enter into any engagement ; that 
 in another year she would be her own mistress, but that, 
 meantime, I could not consent to her making him any 
 promise. 
 
 I am at a loss to conceive how these mutual confes- 
 sions were made, when I supposed Judith to be in a 
 strict boarding-school. I am shocked at this revelation, 
 and cannot think of keeping her longer in such guardian-
 
 LETTERS. 21 
 
 ship. I have decided, after much reflection, to accept 
 your proposition, and let Judith join you in St. Peters- 
 burg. She is old enough to leave school now, but I 
 have no doubt she needs a watchful eye over her. I 
 wish you would do what you can for her, and write me 
 your ideas on the subject. I shall feel at ease when 
 she is twenty-one, and my responsibility will be at an 
 end. 
 
 When you reply to this letter, which I hope will be 
 soon, tell me what you think of the Tsar. I have a 
 great sympathy for that oppressed Russian nation, and 
 its efforts to free itself from the yoke which presses so 
 heavily upon it. If you have witnessed any ceremony 
 in which the Tsar took part, I should be glad to have 
 you describe it to me. 
 
 With love from Mrs. Tremaine and myself for you, 
 your sisters, and Thomas, I am 
 Your sincere friend, 
 
 JOHN TREMAINE. 
 
 December 14. 
 
 MY DEAR MR. TREMAINE, I can only admire your 
 ingenious way of getting rid of an irksome responsibility. 
 Because Judith falls in love with a young man, you send 
 her to us to be cured. I shall not find fault with you, for 
 your ward proves to be a delightful companion ; not the 
 foolish, love-sick girl my fancy would have painted her 
 if your letter had arrived before she did ; and I can com- 
 mend the course you have taken, from the bottom of my
 
 22 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 heart. We are a most harmonious quartette. Grace is 
 always placid and happy. Tom is the perfection of a 
 traveller, never objects to roughing it, laughs at his own 
 blunders, and he makes plenty of them, and never 
 does anything to make himself disagreeable except 
 thinking all the shopkeepers are cheats, and carrying 
 our letters about in his pocket for an indefinite length 
 of time ; I might say that his memory is his weak point. 
 I have no need to describe myself and how much I add 
 to the party : modesty forbids. Judith is a light-hearted, 
 happy girl ; she stands Tom's teasing and my scolding 
 like an angel. As far as I can judge, she is quite con- 
 tented, and does not appear to regret any object or 
 person in Vienna. We have a very sober, staid English- 
 man here, a most unimpressionable creature, but he has 
 succumbed to Judith's fascinations and is a willing 
 victim. You need have no fears for her. It is to be 
 hoped the young man in Vienna is as easily consoled. 
 I have no doubt he is ; still, I don't see why she should 
 not marry the poor fellow if she wishes to. 
 
 Having finished the business part of my letter, I will 
 proceed to answer your other questions. I have seen 
 the Emperor several times driving in a small sledge, 
 entirely unattended, and wrapped up to the nose in furs. 
 Once a day he goes to the Summer Garden, where he 
 walks for half an hour. The day he was expected to 
 arrive from Moscow last week, I stationed myself at the 
 window about ten o'clock. The street from the station 
 to the palace was lined with soldiers. I heard loud 
 cheering, and suddenly an open carriage swept by like
 
 LETTERS. 23 
 
 the wind. It contained the Emperor and the Tsare- 
 vitch ; there was no one on the box except the coach- 
 man. They were followed by about two hundred 
 officers on horseback, but they went by so rapidly that 
 I only got a confused idea of brass helmets, waving 
 feathers, Cossack caps, and long spears. Then came 
 several carriages from the palace, coachmen and foot- 
 men in the imperial livery of scarlet and gold, and then 
 many scattered horsemen. The Tsar went at once to 
 the church and thence to the palace. Perhaps you are 
 astonished to hear me say they went in carriages. 
 Before I came here I never imagined a carriage in St. 
 Petersburg certainly not in December. But the truth 
 is, the snow, which is constantly falling, is not allowed to 
 accumulate ; it is continually being taken up and carted 
 off to the Neva, so that it is not more than an inch or 
 two deep in the street, and the sidewalks are compara- 
 tively clear. What a contrast to New York ! One can 
 always use a carriage here with comfort. 
 
 I think there is but one opinion about the Tsar, as 
 far as he is personally concerned. Even his enemies 
 acknowledge that it is only the power he represents 
 which they wish to destroy. It seems to me no one 
 could look at this Emperor, and not acknowledge that, 
 if expression indicates anything of character, he is a 
 good and conscientious man. His position is by no 
 means an enviable one, nor should I care to be one of 
 his ministers. They receive threatening letters all the 
 time, I hear ; and the Chief of the Third Section 
 appointed in the place of General Mezenzeff, who was
 
 24 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 stabbed in the streets last summer has been warned 
 that the life of his only little girl will be attempted. 
 
 Such is the respectable and humane course which 
 these Nihilists, with whom you pretend to sympathize, 
 take to attain their ends. There must be many good 
 Russians who desire a more liberal form of government. 
 Their cause would be mine were I a Russian subject, 
 but I have no sympathy with the Nihilists, or with the 
 principles which they avow. 
 
 Last week there was a grand review of all the troops 
 about Petersburg (Russians drop the " St.") on the 
 Champs de Mars, a large open field near the river. We 
 went with Nicolas and Alice, to witness it from the 
 windows of the Oldenburg Palace. The Prince of Ol- 
 denburg is related in some way to the imperial family, 
 but I have not yet studied the " Almanach de Gotha " 
 sufficiently to be quite sure of these relationships. 
 
 From the window in which we were placed, we could 
 overlook the whole field, where the soldiers had been 
 drawn up since eleven o'clock, although the review was 
 not to begin until twelve. There had been a slight fall 
 of snow the day before, which froze during the night ; 
 so the ground was very slippery, and the horses, which 
 had not been newly shod, had some difficulty in keeping 
 their feet. The white ground and the gray sky made 
 an outlook which was anything but cheerful. Appar- 
 ently the men found it cold waiting, and, not content with 
 jumping up and down to warm themselves, they chased 
 each other about and performed various gymnastics. 
 
 Punctually at noon, cheers resounded along the lines ;
 
 LETTERS. 2$ 
 
 a band at one end began the national hymn, which was 
 taken up by the other bands in turn ; the soldiers fell 
 into place ; and, looking intently far down the line of gray 
 overcoats which covered the brilliant uniforms below us, 
 I saw a crowd of horsemen approaching : as they came 
 nearer I distinguished the Emperor on a gray horse, 
 followed by his brothers and sons, and his staff, which 
 consisted of about one hundred horsemen. I have no 
 doubt there were many famous men among that retinue. 
 
 The Tsar was closely followed by the two Cossacks 
 who went through the war with him, and always accom- 
 pany him when he is on horseback. 
 
 After riding past the troops he took up his posi- 
 tion on one side of the field, surrounded by his generals 
 and military attaches. Here he remained while all the 
 regiments filed by. 
 
 These troops did good service during the war. The 
 Chasseurs lost one man out of three in the fight before 
 Plevna. 
 
 A fat, jolly-looking priest, in a purple gown, was 
 pointed out to me as having crossed the Balkans with 
 the' Simeonovsky regiment, last Vinter. On one occa- 
 sion he was separated from the others, and found him- 
 self surrounded by Turks. Tucking his Icon under his 
 left arm, he picked up a musket from the ground and 
 laid about him with it, braining the first man he struck. 
 
 At the head of the cavalry came a motley crowd of a 
 hundred horsemen, who at once attracted our attention. 
 They carried a quantity of richly decorated weapons, of 
 various antiquated shapes, and no two were dressed
 
 26 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 alike. Steel or gilt trappings covered the horses, each 
 of which was caparisoned differently. They were un- 
 mistakably eastern, and somewhat barbaric in their 
 appearance. This was the Emperor's bodyguard, 
 composed of men from the Caucasus. Each province is 
 required to furnish a certain number; each man pro- 
 vides his own horse, saddle, uniform, etc., hence the 
 curious and picturesque variety. They are extremely 
 proud of their position, and consider themselves the 
 bulwarks of the throne and indispensable to the Tsar's 
 comfort and safety. 
 
 The Don Cossacks were equally curious and interest- 
 ing, sweeping by on their small horses, which seem a 
 part of the rider, their hats jauntily cocked over one 
 ear, with long, thin feathers sticking up in the air, and 
 their short, crooked swords in attitude of attack. They 
 do good service with these little swords, as many thou- 
 sand flying soldiers in Sulieman Pacha's army last win- 
 ter could testify. 
 
 The Cossack is an utterly free and independent fellow. 
 He pays no taxes, but is required to serve in the army 
 when needed, and to furnish a certain number of perma- 
 nent troops. He serves without pay, and " keeps him- 
 self," which means that he takes what he wants wherever 
 he finds it. The Tsarevitch is the nominal head, or 
 Hetman, of all the Cossacks. Their loyalty is unques- 
 tioned, and they make excellent soldiers for some pur- 
 poses, though each one is fond of skirmishing about on 
 his own account, with little regard as to where his regi- 
 ment or commander may be.
 
 LETTERS. 27 
 
 I looked curiously at the noses of the Paulovsky regi- 
 ment. I had been told that the Emperor Paul, having 
 a snub nose, founded this regiment for men with a sim- 
 ilar misfortune, but I failed to discover anything pecu- 
 liar about that feature in the present troop. 
 
 The review lasted an hour and was a very interesting 
 sight ; but I will spare you further details, and write no 
 more except to beg you to get over your sympathy for 
 the Nihilists as soon as possible. You have no idea 
 of their diabolical plans ; the information you get from 
 newspapers, and especially from England, is quite un- 
 trustworthy. Their statements are colored by preju- 
 dice, so do not pin your faith to any of them. You see 
 I have not been idle since I came to Russia, and have 
 really picked up a good deal of information, but I fear I 
 bore every one I meet with the number of interrogation 
 points that I put in my conversation. 
 
 With love from us all, believe me 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 DORRIS ROMILLY.
 
 28 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 DORRIS'S JOURNAL. 
 
 December 15. 
 
 T HAVE always thought it a most foolish thing to keep 
 -* a journal, a habit worthy only of a school-girl ; yet 
 here I am writing as busily in mine as though it were an 
 act of remarkable wisdom. One thing I can say in its 
 favor, it is a wonderful safeguard. Having confided 
 thoughts and feelings to this faithful friend, I long for 
 no other confidant, and my most insane ideas are safe 
 from discovery so long as the lock of my book remains 
 good. It seems to me that in the future I shall be very 
 glad to refresh my memory by reading over these pages, 
 and perhaps to entertain my friends with extracts. I 
 am writing with a view to that. All things considered, 
 I must confess that my prejudice against diaries was a 
 foolish one ; I dare say I have others quite as foolish, 
 but if time only cures me of them as effectually as it 
 has of this, I shall be satisfied. 
 
 Many things have happened since I wrote last. Most 
 important of all is Judith's arrival. Finding that she 
 was to start last Monday with some friends, Alice pro- 
 posed that Judith should stay at her house until we could 
 decide upon an apartment and get settled. So Alice,
 
 DORRIS'S JOURNAL. 29 
 
 Tom, and Nicolas met her at the station, while Grace 
 and I waited impatiently in Alice's library, where the 
 lamp with its crimson shade made us both look flushed 
 and anxious. 
 
 " I am almost sorry we promised to stay and dine," 
 said Grace. " Judith will probably be tired ; I am sure 
 we were when we got here. How badly this dress 
 wears ! " stroking her silk sleeve thoughtfully. 
 
 I was engrossed in imagining what my cousin would 
 be like, and whether she would be a pleasant addition 
 to our party or otherwise. 
 
 " Tom tells me," Grace went on after a pause, " that 
 he has found at last an apartment which will exactly 
 suit us." 
 
 "" Did he look at it himself ? " I asked. " You know he 
 thought the palace, with three drawing-rooms, library, 
 dining-room, breakfast-room, banqueting-hall, ball-room, 
 and two kitchens, was just the thing for us." 
 
 We both laughed, and Grace responded. " Yes, and 
 such bedrooms that none of us would have consented 
 to sleep in them ! I wonder why all the houses we have 
 examined have such miserable bedrooms. They don't 
 look as if they had been built for sleeping-rooms at all, 
 but are simply used for that purpose because one must 
 sleep somewhere." 
 
 " Those were old houses. Alice says there are com- 
 fortable bedrooms in the modern ones." 
 
 " I wish we could find a modern one then," sighed 
 Grace. " It is such a stupid way they have of pasting 
 up a bit of blank white paper in the window, when
 
 30 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 rooms are to be let. I know we don't discover half the 
 vacant ones that are to be had. Why don't they adver- 
 tise in large letters, as we do at home ? And this fashion 
 of living on the second floor is very uncomfortable : it 
 is tiresome to go up stairs so often. I am sure," she 
 went on, without awaiting a response from me, " that 
 the servants will cheat us abominably when we begin 
 housekeeping." 
 
 "Grace! Grace!" I cried, "don't paint everything 
 in such dark colors." 
 
 She smiled faintly, and left me to my own thoughts for 
 a few minutes. Then I heard a carriage stop, heard the 
 Suisse (I wonder why he is called the Suisse when he 
 is always a Russian) run out, open the front door, and 
 ring the bell which summons the servant to the door of 
 Alice's apartment. Presently they were in the room, 
 and Grace and I were kissing Judith, and declaring she 
 had changed so ihat we should not have recognized 
 her. 
 
 She is changed, but for the better in every respect. I 
 had plenty of time to observe her at dinner, and I think 
 she is the loveliest girl that I ever saw. I wonder what 
 it is that constitutes her charm. Her figure is round 
 and graceful, but not remarkable ; her head is well 
 shaped, but the masses of yellow hair are too heavy for 
 it ; her eyes are dark-blue, but not particularly large or 
 brilliant ; her black lashes are neither long nor curling ; 
 and her nose certainly turns up. The only undeniable 
 beauties she has are her teeth and her complexion, which 
 is more like a rose-leaf than any skin I ever saw. Perhaps
 
 DORRIS'S JOURNAL. 31 
 
 fascinating would express her more correctly than beau- 
 tiful. When she laughs she is irresistible. I fell in 
 love with her that first evening, and could do nothing 
 but sit and look at her. 
 
 In the morning Grace and I insisted upon taking a 
 drive in one of the peculiar sledges which are always 
 standing about the hotel entrance. The sleigh, like all 
 Russian sleighs, was very low, the seat nearly on the 
 ground, and extremely narrow, so that when a lady and 
 gentleman drive together the latter is expected to put his 
 arm round his companion to keep her from falling out. 
 The driver is crowded into a tiny seat in front, and one of 
 his feet, enveloped in a long white felt boot, swings grace- 
 fully outside, whether to serve as a brake, or because 
 there is not room for it inside, I have been unable to 
 discover. These drivers all have the traditional long 
 beard and hair. They wear dark-blue coats, plaited 
 into the waist, lined with sheepskin, and buttoned up 
 on one side. Besides the sheepskin lining, many of the 
 pelisses are wadded ; this gives, even to the thinnest 
 of the wearers, a rotund appearance. They also wear 
 large round caps, pulled down on the back of their neck, 
 covering the ears, and trimmed with bands of fur. The 
 light felt boots, of which I have spoken, complete the 
 costume of the istvostchik. 
 
 The morning was crisp and cold, and the sunlight 
 rather pale. We crowded behind our fat old istvostchik, 
 and were fastened in by the robe, which was buckled to 
 the back of the seat. The seats have no sides ; and, 
 while the obliging hotel porter was buckling us in, and
 
 32 THE TSAWS WINDOW. 
 
 giving directions to our driver, Grace began to exclaim, 
 " I cannot go ! I shall fall out ! " The hotel clerk, the 
 porter, Tom, and two or three waiters stood there, try- 
 ing to reassure her ; and the horse, impatient to start, 
 kept giving little jumps, at each repetition of which she 
 renewed her outcries. 
 
 The seat was very narrow : I was not without certain 
 misgivings myself. At last our fears were somewhat 
 calmed ; and, with many injunctions from us to the por- 
 ter, and from him to the driver, to go slowly and be care- 
 ful of the corners, we started, having learned the Russian 
 for " Go home." 
 
 It seemed a perilous situation when we reached the 
 Nevsky Prospect, where sledges were flying past us in 
 all directions. Grace hung tightly to the driver's belt, 
 calling out at intervals, " Prenez garde ! " which, as the 
 fellow understood no language but his own, caused him 
 to grin, shake his head, and continue. He was very care- 
 ful, and did not remonstrate with Grace, though I thought 
 she would end by stopping his breath altogether, she 
 clutched his belt so wildly. 
 
 We turned into the Quay, which is the street where 
 Alice lives. It was bitterly cold ; the corners were icy, 
 and we slipped about uncomfortably. Our sledge was so 
 low that the horses' mouths behind us were unpleasantly 
 near our ears ; but, fortunately, the Russian animals are 
 kind, and the horses seldom bite. 
 
 I should not have been surprised to have been struck 
 in the back with a pole, at any time. I saw that most of 
 the people who were riding in sledges exercised their
 
 DORRIS'S JOURNAL. 33 
 
 hands continually, now catching the pole of another 
 equipage and turning it aside, now pushing away the face 
 of a too familiar horse. Tears of laughter were in our 
 eyes when we reached the hotel once more, and dismissed 
 our istvostchik. "I prefer to have the whole sledge to 
 myself next time," said Grace. 
 
 December 18. 
 
 I was sitting with Judith and Alice over their late 
 breakfast this morning, when Grace came in, full of ex- 
 citement, and begged us to come at once and look at the 
 apartment which Tom had almost decided to take. 
 
 " I have ordered the sledge at two," said Alice, con- 
 sulting her watch. " It is now twelve. You can wait very 
 well until then." 
 
 " I suppose so," assented Grace reluctantly. 
 
 So we went into the library, where there was a cheerful 
 wood-fire. 
 
 " What a pretty room this is ! " said Judith. " I like 
 that screen so much," pointing to one of carved wood, 
 with ivy and other vines planted beneath, and running 
 over it. " What a quantity of screens you have in this 
 house ! " 
 
 "It is a Russian fashion," responded Alice. " I don't 
 believe there is a bed in Russia that has not a screen 
 round it." 
 
 A servant appeared at the door, and announced some- 
 thing, which proved to be a visitor. 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Thurber ! " exclaimed Alice, as a tall, very 
 erect Englishman entered the room. " You have come 
 
 3
 
 34 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 at exactly the right moment. I want you to know my 
 sisters." 
 
 He bowed stiffly in response to her introduction. He 
 was slightly bald, and made use of one eye-glass. I 
 have discovered that he is younger than he looks ; that 
 he rarely laughs, and when he does there is a peculiar 
 wrinkle in his nose, which I have learned to watch for 
 with fresh interest every time anything amusing is said. 
 He talks well, and seems to be quite unprejudiced, for 
 an Englishman. Either he knows a great deal about 
 most subjects, or he makes a good show of a small 
 amount of knowledge. I have seen people who did 
 that. Certainly, I have not heard Mr. Thurber con- 
 fess his ignorance on any subject. He was talking 
 to me about pictures, when Judith quietly seated her- 
 self in a window, and looked out, leaving us to admire 
 the smooth coils of yellow hair on the back of her 
 head. 
 
 Mr. Thurber looked at her several times, as if he 
 meant to speak to her. Finally he said, " I fear you 
 will take cold in that window." 
 
 Judith smiled at him sweetly over her shoulder, while 
 she answered, " I never take cold." 
 
 He pursued the subject as if she had said nothing. 
 "The Russians never sit near a window. Will you 
 take this chair ? " drawing forward an arm-chair as he 
 spoke. 
 
 Judith changed her seat with apparent reluctance. 
 " Let us go somewhere," she said. " You and Dorris 
 have certainly discussed Ruysdaal's sky to your hearts'
 
 DORRIS'S JOURNAL. 35 
 
 content. Let us go on an excursion. I have seen so 
 few of the sights of the city." 
 
 " You forget," Grace suggested, " that we have to go 
 to the new apartment when the sledge comes." 
 
 " Why don't you take Mr. Thurber there with you ? " 
 asked Alice. " He knows a vast deal about apart- 
 ments," laughing. "He helped us to select this one, 
 four years ago. Then he will take you to the American 
 store, which you really ought to see. Won't you, Mr. 
 Thurber ? " 
 
 Our new acquaintance professed himself ready to be 
 made useful or agreeable in any way, and we, in return, 
 uttered all the polite speeches which were necessary. 
 
 " But why should we go to the American shop ? " 
 I remonstrated. " We did not come to Russia to see 
 American things." 
 
 " It will remind you so pleasantly of your own coun- 
 try," Mr. Thurber exclaimed, with the suspicion of a 
 twinkle in his eye. 
 
 " I don't know that I care to be reminded of my own 
 country." 
 
 My objections were unheeded, however; and the 
 sledge being announced soon after, Grace and I took 
 the back seat, Judith and our English friend placed 
 themselves opposite, the footman jumped up on the 
 step behind, and we started. 
 
 It took us but a few minutes to reach the house on 
 the Nevsky Prospect, where we found Tom looking 
 proudly around him, as though he already trwned the 
 property.
 
 36 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 It seemed odd to discuss domestic affairs before 
 an entire stranger like Mr. Thurber, but it certainly 
 made us quickly acquainted. Tom treated him as if 
 they had been intimate friends for years. We went 
 slowly through the apartment, discovering many advan- 
 tages over other houses which we had seen. I was 
 particularly pleased with two tall porcelain stoves, like 
 Chinese pagodas, in the drawing-room. 
 
 When we returned to the ante-room, Tom pointed out 
 with triumph a little winding staircase, which was con- 
 cealed from view by a curtain. " You would never have 
 discovered that, would you ? " 
 
 " Not unless we had looked behind the curtain," I 
 replied. 
 
 We ascended the stairs, and found two large, low 
 rooms. 
 
 " These bedrooms will do for us," said Tom. 
 
 " I never will sleep up in this lonely spot/' Grace 
 cried, with a shiver. 
 
 I added my protest. " I prefer the room down stairs, 
 which opens out of the butler's pantry." 
 
 Judith, however, declared that nothing would please 
 her more than to occupy one of these. 
 
 Tom looked despondent for a moment ; then his face 
 brightened. He made us all follow him to the ball- 
 room down stairs. " The old lady who lived here used 
 this for her bedroom," he said, looking at Grace doubt- 
 fully. The room is forty feet long, and contains a 
 balcony for the orchestra, with some ghostly white 
 statues in it. Grace and I exchanged a glance of 
 amusement.
 
 DORRIS'S JOURNAL. 37 
 
 Tom appealed to Mr. Thurber, showing him how, by 
 the aid of screens and curtains, one could make quite a 
 pretty series of rooms out of it. The latter assented, 
 and even made some suggestions himself; and Grace 
 finally said, in a resigned voice, 
 
 " As we cannot do any better, I am willing to endure 
 some discomforts ; but I warn you, Tom, that you will 
 have to search that balcony every night, for I am sure 
 burglars could conceal themselves there." 
 
 " One never hears of burglars here," Mr. Thurber 
 remarked consolingly. 
 
 "What is this?" I suddenly exclaimed, examining a 
 small iron door in the wall. " A safe, perhaps." They 
 all crowded about me, and gazed at the mysterious 
 door. 
 
 " Have n't you seen those stoves before ? " our Eng- 
 lish friend inquired. " If you search you will discover 
 them all through the houses here. They impart warmth 
 to the walls, and in that way keep the temperature even. 
 The system of heating in Russia is the most perfect in 
 the world. The double windows are put in and sealed 
 in October, and fires are lighted early in that month, 
 and are kept burning all winter." 
 
 " I see that you can tell me exactly what I want to 
 know," said Tom, taking our new friend aside and talk- 
 ing to him in a confidential way, while Judith tried the 
 piano, which was standing in the large drawing-room, 
 and Grace blew the dust off some alabaster vases. 
 
 " Do you suppose," said she, tapping a table with a 
 lapis-lazuli top, " that all these ornaments go with the 
 furniture ? " fj O f *
 
 38 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " Tom said so." 
 
 " Well," drawing a long breath, " I wish we could 
 find a furnished house to rent in New York with such 
 beautiful things in it, and so reasonable in price." 
 
 " If we are going anywhere else," I ventured meekly, 
 " we had better start at once, or it will be dark." 
 
 Tom refused to be torn away ; but the rest of us got 
 into the sledge again, and were driven rapidly off. 
 
 " How fat the coachmen all look," exclaimed Judith ; 
 " and how pretty it is to see them hold the bright-colored 
 reins at arm's length, as if it required their whole strength 
 to keep the horses from running away ! " 
 
 " It is a singular fact," said Mr. Thurber, " that, 
 although they drive at such a break-neck pace, they 
 seldom use a whip." 
 
 "That is true," I cried. " I have never seen a whip 
 used since I have been here." 
 
 Judith was looking over my head, far down the Nev- 
 sky. " This must be a troika ! " she exclaimed, and 
 we all turned to look at the curious vehicle which was 
 approaching us. 
 
 There were three horses abreast, and the middle one 
 was trotting briskly, while the others galloped. The 
 harness had bells hanging to it, and was nearly covered 
 with silver. The driver wore a light-blue velvet cap, 
 three-cornered and silver-trimmed ; and his pelisse was 
 dark-blue, with silver ornaments. He had on a sky-blue 
 belt, and the reins were of the same color. The sleigh, 
 when it passed us, appeared very broad ; in fact, there 
 were three people sitting comfortably together on the 
 back seat.
 
 DORRIS'S JOURNAL. 39 
 
 " Oh, how pretty, and how comfortable it looks ! " 
 
 " You would be surprised to see how fast those 
 horses go when they get into the country," said Mr. 
 Thurber. " This is a troika belonging to a gentleman 
 here in* the city, as you may know by the livery. The 
 public troikas are driven by men in the regular 
 istvostchik's dress." 
 
 " What do you call this ? " I inquired, as we turned 
 out of the Nevsky, and met a pair of horses coming by 
 with a free, airy swing, which was particularly appropri- 
 ate to the scene. 
 
 "That is zpristiaka," said our new friend. One horse 
 was trotting, with his head proudly raised, as if he felt 
 that the eyes of the world were upon him ; the other 
 was attached by a single rein at the side, and cantered 
 along, with his neck arched and his head turned out. 
 One looked proud and conscious, the other playful and 
 independent. Over the dasher and the horses' backs 
 was spread a colored silk netting, the heavy tassels at 
 the corners dragging in the snow, as we see them on all 
 the private sledges here. 
 
 By this time we had reached the Neva, which looked 
 like a great field of snow. We crossed on the ice to 
 Vasili Ostrof, and drew up at the Yankee store. It was 
 well worth a visit, we decided, if only to mark the con- 
 trast between the Tsar's capital and a New England vil- 
 lage. One side of the room was filled with clocks, 
 which were ticking as only American clocks can tick. 
 These clocks, with lead pencils and canned goods, 
 seemed to be the chief stock in trade. Mr. Thurber
 
 40 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 asked the proprietor, in his stiffest manner, if these 
 were all "Yankee notions." 
 
 " American inventions, sir, yes, certainly ! " was the 
 reply ; and our English friend subsided. 
 
 We took our departure, promising to call again when 
 we began housekeeping. 
 
 During the day we had the most glorious sunshine 
 I ever saw ; the sky was as blue as an Italian sky. 
 As we crossed the river on our return, all the trees in 
 the Summer Garden were glistening like diamonds ; 
 each branch, covered with ice, stood out distinctly 
 against the blue. What are diamonds and turquoises, 
 after such a sight as that ? In the west the sun was set- 
 ting in a flaming glory of orange and red, and opposite 
 the moon was rising in calm beauty. We held our 
 breath while we looked. It lasted only a few minutes : 
 then the sun dropped below the horizon ; and shortly 
 after the scene became so gray and cold that we shiv- 
 ered, and buried our chins in the capacious fur collars 
 about our necks. The collars, caps, and beards of the 
 istvostchiks whom we met were white with frost, and all 
 the horses looked gray. St. Isaac's golden dome was the 
 only warm spot in the view. 
 
 The bells began to ring for vespers, as we drew near 
 home. They are so wonderfully soft and sweet that one 
 could jmagine they were ringing in heaven. 
 
 St. Isaac's was covered with frost, except the dome. 
 It looked smaller to me than it is by actual measure- 
 ment. 
 
 " Jt is the most beautiful church in the world," mur-
 
 DORRIS'S JOURNAL. 41 
 
 mured Mr. Thurber, as we stopped at one corner of the 
 great square which surrounds it, and enjoyed the full 
 effect of the building, shining with its many-colored mar- 
 bles, its bronzes, its golden dome and crosses, and its 
 monoliths of smooth Finland granite. These great col- 
 umns at each entrance, fifty-two feet high, impress me 
 more than any other part of the church. 
 
 " Have you been inside ? " asked our English friend ; 
 and when we answered in the negative, he proposed tak- 
 ing a look at it. 
 
 We ascended the lofty steps, passed the massive 
 carved bronze doors, and I found myself in a large, bare 
 space, dimly lighted by a few candles. My disappoint- 
 ment was almost painful. I made no remark ; and, as 
 my eyes grew more accustomed to the obscurity, I became 
 conscious of various prostrate figures about me, and 
 some women holding up little children to kiss a holy 
 picture. 
 
 " That, I suppose, is an icon," whispered Judith, point- 
 ing to a picture of the Virgin and Child, the head and 
 hands painted, the dress simulated by means of layers of 
 gold. Flaming jewels were hung about it, and the whole 
 was covered with glass and enclosed in a frame. 
 
 " Nearly all the saints in the calendar are represented 
 here by icons," remarked Mr. Thurber. " These can- 
 dles are kept burning before them always, to typify the 
 soul, which never dies. Have you not seen icons in the 
 houses ? " 
 
 Judith shook her head. " I have been in no house, 
 except Alice's."
 
 42 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " You will find them in every peasant's hut," he con- 
 tinued ; " and any one who enters salutes the icon before 
 any member of the family. The jewels in some of 
 these are magnificent," moving nearer to one as he 
 spoke. 
 
 " What a pity it is," I exclaimed, " that the church is 
 not better lighted, so that the beauty and richness of it 
 might strike the observer at once, instead of his being 
 obliged to search for them." 
 
 For, little by little, new glories had revealed themselves 
 to me. I stood under the great, dusky dome, and looked 
 up at the masses of gold, bronze, and painting, which 
 at first were merely vague shadows, but gradually made 
 themselves visible, though the painting in the top, by 
 Bruloff, was lost in the distance. 
 
 A man in uniform came up to us, and began to tell us 
 in French to observe the iconastase at the east end. If 
 there is any object in this world which is odious, it is a 
 commissionaire. He rattled off his lesson, telling us that 
 the bread and wine were kept behind that screen ; and 
 when we would have made our way round to the back of 
 it, he stopped us politely, saying that women were not 
 allowed to penetrate into that sanctum sanctorum. So 
 we had to be contented with a survey from the front. 
 Doors of silver-gilt arabesque, in open-work, with mosaic 
 pictures, and columns of malachite and lapis-lazuli com- 
 pose the lower part. Above there is a mass of jasper, 
 agate, porphyry, bronze, malachite, and painting. 
 
 " It is gorgeously beautiful," I sighed, " but if we 
 could only have seen the back of it ! "
 
 DORR IS' S JOURNAL. 43 
 
 My companions laughed, and we strolled out of the 
 church. The moonlight lent to the exterior a new and 
 gentler beauty. 
 
 Mr. Thurber bade us farewell, saying he preferred to 
 walk home. He disappeared into the shadow, and we 
 returned to our hotel.
 
 44 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 I 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 SKATING AND RUSSIAN OPERA. 
 
 December 28. 
 
 AM twenty-five years old to-day. I looked at my- 
 self in the mirror this morning, to see what changes 
 there were since yesterday, and was surprised that 
 " twenty-five " was not written on my features. I feel as 
 though it ought to be. 
 
 I suppose it would be the proper thing to moralize 
 somewhat on my birthday, but I don't feel in the mood 
 for it. I must have the blues severely before I can 
 moralize. And I have too many things to write about 
 to-day. 
 
 I had heard so much of Sacha Novissilsky that I 
 was curious to see him. Alice receives every Wednes- 
 day evening, and it was there that I met him first. 
 Judith has met him often ; but I have been so interested 
 of late in making our apartment comfortable and home- 
 like that I have shunned society. 
 
 After talking with me for some time, on Wednesday 
 evening, Sacha said seriously, " I am sure, mademoiselle, 
 that you have guessed my secret." 
 
 " Perhaps I have," I responded, decidedly mystified. 
 
 He continued, " I have never loved any one else, and 
 I never shall care for another as I do for her."
 
 SKATING AND RUSSIAN OPERA. 45 
 
 I asked myself mentally if Sacha could possibly refer 
 to me, but he soon undeceived me. 
 
 " Do you think she could ever care for me ? " with a 
 painfully anxious gaze. 
 
 " I don't know," I answered, rather stupidly. " Why 
 don't you ask her ? " 
 
 " I have so little to offer her," he said. " If she gave 
 me a ray of hope, I could exist on that ; but I fear to 
 ask her, she is so beautiful and so much sought after," 
 turning his eyes on George Piloff, a younger brother of 
 Nicolas, who was hovering about Judith. 
 
 Now, indeed, light broke upon my bewildered brain, 
 and I ceased to regard my young friend as a candidate 
 for a lunatic asylum. He meant Judith, of course. 
 George being one of my aversions, I shook my head, 
 with an incredulous smile, and said, " I assure you 
 there is not the slightest danger of your having Count 
 Piloff as a rival." 
 
 " Do you think so ? " 
 
 " I am sure of it." 
 
 " I wonder if I might tell you a secret ? " 
 
 " Of course," I exclaimed. " I am the safest person 
 in the world to tell a secret to." (I wonder if every 
 one has this same idea about themselves.) 
 
 Sacha reflected for a moment, and then said mourn- 
 fully, " I am afraid it would not do to tell you. But you 
 are sure that your cousin does not care for him ? " nod- 
 ding towards George. 
 
 "I am sure of nothing," I answered tartly, determined 
 not to ask him for his secret, but equally determined to
 
 46 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 learn it somehow. " Only I don't see any reason why 
 she should care for him." 
 
 Sacha sighed, " He is a gallant fellow." 
 
 "And is perfectly aware of it," I added quickly. 
 This remark seemed to give Sacha new courage, and it 
 was with quite a bright smile that he acceded to Alice's 
 request to give us some music. 
 
 While he was playing, George stationed himself by 
 my side. Presently he whispered, " What thoughts are 
 absorbing you, Miss Romilly? One gets no attention 
 from you. What are you thinking of ? " 
 
 He speaks much better English than I do, and has 
 the faintest possible accent. 
 
 " I am listening to the music," I returned indiffer- 
 ently. 
 
 He kept silence until the end of the nocturne ; then, 
 " Are you fascinated with Novissilsky's music ? " 
 
 " Oh ! " I cried, " why will you spoil it by talk- 
 ing ? " 
 
 " Because I have so much to say to you," he re- 
 sponded eagerly. " There is a question which, as I 
 know your word may be depended upon, I wish to ask 
 you. Believe me, it is not mere vulgar curiosity which 
 prompts me." 
 
 " I will believe all that you wish me to," I interrupted 
 lightly. " What is your question ? " 
 
 He looked at me reproachfully. " You seem to have 
 but little appreciation of the importance of this matter. 
 The question is about your cousin." 
 
 " Judith ? I know so little about her. But tell me
 
 SKATING AND RUSSIAN OPERA. 47 
 
 what you would ask ? If she is wealthy ? Yes. Young ? 
 Yes. Amiable ? Yes. What else ? " 
 
 George was puzzled and annoyed, as his face plainly 
 showed. He looked indignant for an instant. " I am 
 sure you have more earnestness in your heart than the 
 world sees," looking at me severely. " Otherwise, you 
 are the last person to whom I would have come in my 
 perplexity." 
 
 There was a subtile flattery in this which mollified me 
 in spite of myself. So I turned toward him, and said 
 seriously, " I will tell you if I can. What do you wish 
 to know about Judith ? " 
 
 For a moment he said nothing ; then, looking at me 
 firmly, as if he meant to read my answer in my eyes, he 
 said, " Is she especially interested in 'any one ? I mean, 
 is she in love ? " 
 
 I gave him as careless a glance as I could command 
 before I answered. I looked at his black hair, which is 
 plentifully sprinkled with gray ; at his high, white fore- 
 head ; let my eyes wander down to his short, dark 
 beard, parted, and brushed away from his chin ; ad- 
 mired for a moment the clear red and brown of his 
 skin ; and wondered how he happened to have a straight 
 nose, it was so different from his brother's. Then, as 
 his cold blue eyes did not move from my face, I replied 
 rather hesitatingly, " Judith has never made a confidant 
 of me. I can tell you nothing about that." 
 
 " But you can judge somewhat. Is she a woman who, 
 having given her word, would keep it ? " 
 
 I looked at him with some surprise, I suppose, for he
 
 48 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 said appealingly, " Remember, I told you it was not 
 idle curiosity which prompted me. I have a reason for 
 asking." 
 
 " Whatever your reason ( may be," I responded haugh- 
 tily, " you can hardly expect me to go into a discussion 
 of my cousin's feelings and character with you." 
 
 " True," he answered most humbly. " I had no right 
 to ask it, and I see my presumption now most clearly. 
 I should not have come to you. I will seek my informa- 
 tion from Miss Judith herself." 
 
 Sacha, having finished his performance on the piano, 
 strolled over to us at this moment. " I am thinking," 
 he said to George, " of the contrast between this scene 
 and the one which was before us a year ago." 
 
 " Yes ; there was some excitement in those days," 
 responded the other. 
 
 " Were you both fighting Turks then ? " I cried. 
 
 " I was fighting a fever," returned George ; " but 
 Sacha here was showing his valor in the face of the 
 enemy." 
 
 " I wish you would tell me about it," I exclaimed, 
 with awakened enthusiasm. 
 
 George laughed, with a nonchalant air. " The pleas- 
 antest part of those days was the coming home. Eh, 
 Sacha?" 
 
 " Yes, indeed ! That was a glorious day when we 
 entered Petersburg. Picture it, mademoiselle. At the 
 gate of the city there were about four thousand people. 
 The grand-dukes and their staffs met us there ; and a 
 kind of pavilion had been erected, where all the grand-
 
 SKATING AND RUSSIAN OPERA. 49 
 
 duchesses waited for us. Most of the spectators were 
 provided with flowers and cigarettes, which they showered 
 upon us as we passed. A procession of priests met us, 
 and a Te Deum was chanted in the open air, after 
 which the commanders received bread and salt. As 
 the soldiers went on through the city, their ranks were 
 broken, and women and children were mixed up with 
 the rows of bayonets. Mothers who had found their 
 sons, girls their lovers, and children their fathers, walked 
 quietly along, some of them sobbing and crying, while 
 the bronzed faces of many of the men were working 
 with emotion, and there was hardly a dry eye among 
 them. An officer endeavored to put the intruders out 
 of the ranks, but the Tsarevitch forbade it ; so the 
 mothers and sisters and wives marched the three miles 
 with the soldiers, receiving fresh instalments by the way; 
 and at last there was quite a crowd of families. Many 
 poor fellows had been buried nameless in the trenches, 
 and it was only when their places were seen to be filled 
 by others that their friends knew that they would never 
 come back." 
 
 Sacha positively waxed eloquent as he related this, 
 and I felt almost angry with George for not displaying 
 more emotion. "You were there too?" I asked him. 
 
 " No ; I was at death's door with the fever, for the 
 second time." 
 
 I could not restrain a smile. "You seem to have 
 passed your time during the war struggling with fevers." 
 
 He laughed good-naturedly. " Very true ; and ex- 
 tremely unpleasant it was, I can assure you." 
 
 4
 
 50 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " I suppose," said I thoughtfully, " that you are very 
 fond of the Emperor." 
 
 " We adore him," responded Sacha. 
 
 George looked at me searchingly as he said, " Did 
 you doubt it ? " 
 
 " No, I can't say that I did." 
 
 "Listen, mademoiselle," broke in Sacha. "Let me 
 tell you what our Emperor did last winter." 
 
 Tom had joined our group, and was now listening, 
 with his eyes fixed on Mr. Novissilsky's face. 
 
 " After returning from the seat of war, it was his cus- 
 tom," went on the young man earnestly, aware that he 
 had an audience, and doing his best to tell the story 
 well, " it was his custom to visit the hospitals daily, 
 and talk with the sick and wounded soldiers. One day 
 he was speaking to a common soldier, whose wound was 
 pronounced fatal. The Emperor asked the man what 
 he could do for him. The soldier replied that he should 
 die more happily if his monarch were with him at his 
 last hour. ' Your wish shall be gratified,' said the Tsar. 
 Before his departure from the hospital, he gave orders 
 that at any hour of the day or night, when the man 
 should be dying, he was to be notified. The same com- 
 mand was given at the palace. The. man lingered for 
 some days, but at last the image of death appeared to 
 him, and a messenger was despatched to the palace 
 about two o'clock one morning. He had some dif- 
 ficulty in penetrating to the Tsar, but finally succeeded. 
 The Emperor hurried to the soldier's bedside, and, true 
 to his promise, stayed by him to the last."
 
 SKATING AND RUSSIAN OPERA. 51 
 
 " It was noble of him ! " I exclaimed, when Sacha 
 stopped for comment. 
 
 " I could tell you many more anecdotes of that sort," 
 continued the young man earnestly. 
 
 "But you are wanted by the Countess Piloff," said 
 Mr. Thurber's voice above me. 
 
 As Sacha hurried away, Tom remarked in a dazed 
 tone, " When that fellow gets wound up, it takes a good 
 while for him to run down. His tongue has been going 
 at the rate of a mile a minute ever since he left the 
 piano." 
 
 " Tom," I remonstrated, " how can you speak in that 
 way ? He was very entertaining." 
 
 " He would drive me to commit suicide at the end of 
 two hours," persisted Tom, as he walked away from me. 
 
 George had disappeared, and Mr. Thurber took the 
 seat which he had vacated. " You are thoughtful to- 
 night, Miss Dorris." 
 
 " You are the second person who has told me so, 
 Mr. Chilton Thurber," I retorted audaciously. 
 
 " I must beg pardon," he said, " but really, you know, 
 with two Miss Romillys, it is so confusing." 
 
 " You owe me no apology. On the contrary, I should 
 thank you, for this is the first time you have ever called 
 me by my name." I looked at him with a smile which 
 was meant to be conciliatory. 
 
 "I believe I seldom call people by their names; but 
 I like yours, because it was my mother's. I have never 
 known any one else named Dorris." 
 
 His voice grew quite soft as he pronounced my name :
 
 52 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 he was looking absently at the toe of one shoe, so my 
 sympathetic glance was thrown away on him. He went 
 on in a sort of soliloquy : 
 
 " She died when I was so young that I cannot remem- 
 ber her at all ; but I have always loved the name, and I 
 never was more startled than when I heard them call you 
 by it." 
 
 I looked hard at my companion. He was the same 
 man, apparently ; but what wonderful change had come 
 over him to make him speak in such a sad, soft voice 
 and tell me about his mother ? I did not know what to 
 respond. I could think of nothing but "Oh," or "Yes," 
 or " Indeed "; and they sounded neither sympathetic nor 
 appropriate. So I kept silent, and grew quite embar- 
 rassed, as Mr. Thurber did not seem inclined to speak 
 first. Finally, he turned his gaze away from the toe of 
 his shoe, which, by the by, is altogether too pointed 
 for any reasonable foot, as I shall tell him some time 
 when we are conversing on more ordinary topics, and, 
 playing with my fan in a nervous way, he remarked, 
 
 " Your cousin is a very beautiful woman." 
 
 I groaned inwardly. Was I to be confided in for the 
 third time that night ? It was growing monotonous, and 
 yet it was funny, and I smiled. My English friend saw 
 the smile. He colored slightly, and started up from his 
 chair ; then thought better of it, and sat down again. 
 I turned towards him, and spoke in a low, earnest 
 voice : 
 
 " Mr. Thurber, the only reason I laughed was be- 
 cause because well, I have heard that remark so
 
 SKATING AND RUSSIAN OPERA. 53 
 
 many times this evening. She is beautiful, and I am 
 very fond of her ; so you must forgive me for smiling at 
 your speech " (insinuatingly). 
 
 " I am glad that I amuse you," he responded, with an 
 air of offended dignity. 
 
 " I hope you are not too much flattered by the fact/' 
 said I, bent now on provoking him to the utmost, 
 " because it takes very little to amuse me." 
 
 " So I see " (briefly). 
 
 " I had no idea that Englishmen were so easily an- 
 noyed," I continued mischievously. " I have always 
 imagined them cold and impassive." 
 
 Mr. Thurber struggled for his ordinary composure, 
 and almost succeeded in grasping it, as he replied, 
 
 "You seem to have had some odd ideas about my 
 countrymen. Did you never meet any Englishmen 
 before ? " 
 
 " I have met quantities of them ; but I never knew 
 any of them well, except one," I added hesitatingly. 
 
 " What did you think of him ? " 
 
 " Not much." 
 
 " Did you see him often ? Was it long ago ? " (with 
 a touch of eagerness.) 
 
 " I saw him every day, and it was very long ago, for 
 it was when I was a young girl." 
 
 " What was his name ? Perhaps I know the family." 
 
 " I don't believe you do," said I carelessly, " unless he 
 used to make shoes for you before he left England. He 
 is an old cobbler, who lives in the little village where I 
 spend my summers. I used to go and sit with him at his
 
 54 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 work, and he told me quantities of stories about his 
 country. I always had a taste for low associates," I 
 added calmly. " Alice was an aristocrat from her 
 babyhood, but I was always a vagabond." 
 
 He looked somewhat astonished at my declaration, 
 but I changed the subject abruptly. 
 
 "There is a frightful ordeal for you to pass through in 
 a few minutes." 
 
 " What is it ? " he cried, in feigned alarm. 
 
 "The baby is to be exhibited. I hear her coming 
 now, and you will have to admire her." 
 
 " That is nothing very frightful. It will not be the 
 first time I have done it." 
 
 " How difficult it is," I continued, " to induce a Rus- 
 sian nurse to show her charge ; and if you say, ' How 
 pretty the child is ! ' you have cast an evil eye on it, and 
 all sorts of charms are used to counteract your in- 
 fluence." 
 
 " It is the same with an adult," responded my com- 
 panion. " If you tell a Russian woman that she is looking 
 well, it is a bad omen." 
 
 "Alice's nurse has always insisted upon it that the child 
 was restless and unhappy all night after we first looked at 
 it; and I believe she has borne us a grudge ever since." 
 
 This nurse, I must state, is a type of the picturesque 
 figures which one is constantly coming upon in the 
 streets here. She wears the Russian peasant cos- 
 tume, a short, dark-blue skirt, with bands of red 
 and white and black braid around it ; a white apron, 
 coming to the bottom of the skirt, embroidered about a
 
 SKATING AND RUSSIAN OPERA. 55 
 
 quarter of a yard deep, with red and blue cotton ; a full 
 white waist ; wide sleeves, embroidered like the apron ; 
 a blue bodice ; several strings of colored beads ; and a 
 blue or red tiara on the head, tied under the hair with 
 broad ribbons, which hang far down the back. 
 
 January 7. 
 
 Yesterday was the Russian Christmas ; but, as we had 
 passed the 25th of December with no particular re- 
 joicing, we did not feel much interest in celebrating the 
 foreign festival. 
 
 On Christmas Eve night before last we went to 
 a service at St. Isaac's. The church was crowded, and 
 a large proportion of the worshippers were men, princi- 
 pally peasants. A strong odor of sheepskin and leather 
 mingled with the incense. The people were extremely 
 devout, bowing and crossing themselves frequently, 
 sometimes kneeling, and putting their foreheads on 
 the cold pavement. There was an expression of rapt 
 devotion on those peasant faces that I shall not soon 
 forget. 
 
 The service was wonderfully impressive to me. It 
 was in the Slav language, which of course I don't un- 
 derstand, but it would have been difficult not to feel 
 devout while listening to the deep, rich tones of the 
 deacon's voice and the sweet responses of the choir. 
 There was no accompaniment, as instruments are for- 
 bidden in the Greek Church. 
 
 The clergy wore robes of magnificent brocade. Some 
 of the bass voices were the finest I have ever heard.
 
 5 6 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 The music was heavenly as it swelled through the great 
 building. No wonder the moujiks were so quiet and 
 absorbed. Compared with their monotonous and sordid 
 daily lives, this gorgeous church, with its jewelled icons, 
 its colored pillars, its gold, silver, and incense, and its 
 priests in splendid array, must seem like some glorious 
 vision in the Apocalypse. Their music is very old; 
 some of it dates back to the fifth century. They have 
 a sermon about once a year in the Greek Church. What 
 a sensible custom ! 
 
 January 9. 
 
 Yesterday we went to service at the English Chapel, 
 which is on the Quay. It looks, on the outside, like 
 anything rather than a church, being part of a block. 
 The building is always crowded, for there is a large 
 English colony here, and about a third of the congrega- 
 tion is composed of English governesses. The ambas- 
 sador has a "high seat in the synagogue," on the right 
 of the altar. 
 
 After church we had a long drive in the country. It 
 was the most dismal excursion we have taken since we 
 reached Russia. The day was dull, Judith was quiet, 
 and Tom evidently homesick. It would have been 
 touching, if it had not been so funny, to hear the despair- 
 ing sighs which he heaved, and to see the doleful glances 
 cast by him over the surrounding landscape, which cer- 
 tainly was not cheerful. 
 
 We went to the islands, the drive which is said to be 
 so beautiful in summer, crossed innumerable bridges
 
 SKATING AND RUSSIAN OPERA. 57 
 
 over frozen streams, and were glad to envelope our 
 heads in our coat-collars as we reached the Point and 
 gazed out over the Gulf of Finland. Snow as far as 
 the eye could reach, melting into a steely gray sky. 
 No sunshine, but a faint, cold, pink light in the south. 
 
 Tom began, 
 
 " This is the most enlivening spot " 
 
 We all shivered, and cried in concert, " Don't ! " 
 
 " Very well, I wont ; but if you ever catch me so far 
 away from home again " 
 
 "You will add to your cold if you talk so much," 
 cried Grace. 
 
 These were almost the first words Tom had uttered 
 since we came out, as he meekly suggested, but his 
 anxious wife muffled him up, and we turned our faces 
 homeward. We drove through thick woods, the bare 
 branches outlined sharply against the clear sky, look- 
 ing now and then down long, snowy roads bordered with 
 evergreens and ending in more woods. I could almost 
 hear the wolves howl. Everything was as still as death. 
 The country houses, with windows and doors boarded 
 up and fountains frozen, looked silent and mysterious. 
 When we reached home, Tom remarked that he did not 
 see how Alice could live in such a country. 
 
 He did not regain his customary spirits until this 
 morning, when Mr. Thurber induced us to go skating. 
 At first I refused, but they urged me so strongly that I 
 was obliged to yield. 
 
 Mr. Thurber, as a skating man, came out in an en- 
 tirely new light. He was no longer a middle-aged per-
 
 58 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 son with an elderly man's manner, a bald head, a cynical 
 expression, and a tendency to sneer at everything. He 
 was a young fellow under thirty, with a sealskin cap, a 
 hearty laugh on the smallest provocation, a twinkle in 
 his eye, and a disposition to cut capers ! I could hardly 
 believe him to be the same man. 
 
 He gave me no peace until I also ventured on the ice, 
 where I tottered about helplessly, grasping his arm as 
 though I meant never to let go. While I was getting 
 very warm over my clumsy efforts, Judith was calmly 
 gliding about. As we neared a chair, I fell into it, and 
 waved my companion away. " I must rest," I gasped. 
 " Go and skate by yourself." 
 
 He smiled a little, cut a figure eight backwards, and 
 shook his head. 
 
 " I don't want to skate by myself," he responded. " I 
 prefer your company to my own." 
 
 " Very well. That being the case, you can push my 
 chair about, for it is cold sitting still." 
 
 To confess the truth, I feared he was going to talk 
 to me about Judith, and I began to find having so 
 many hopeful passions poured into my ear a little tire- 
 some. I consoled myself by thinking that Mr. Thurber 
 could not be particularly confidential to the back of my 
 head, and that my cousin's name would rest for that 
 morning. 
 
 False hope ! For a few minutes my cavalier kept 
 silence, and as I glided swiftly and easily over the ice I 
 began to feel quite exhilarated ; but my spirits were 
 soon dashed by a glimpse of a new arrival, who was
 
 SKATING AND RUSSIAN OPERA. 59 
 
 making his way rapidly towards us. It was George ; he 
 came to a stand-still as he reached us, and so did my 
 chair. 
 
 George merely touched the hand which I forgetting 
 that it was not necessary to go through the formality of 
 shaking hands with a foreigner extended to him. 
 
 " I have just come from your apartment," he cried, 
 " and I found that some letters had arrived for you, 
 which I took the liberty of bringing." 
 
 " Thank you," said I. " Mine can wait, but Judith is 
 always impatient for hers. Is there one for her ? " 
 
 "Yes," showing me an envelope with an Austrian 
 stamp on it. 
 
 "This," I went on, examining mine, "is from Mr. 
 Tremaine. He has become a most devoted correspon- 
 dent lately. Judith and politics are his only subjects, 
 so I will consign his letter to my pocket," suiting the 
 action to the word. " By the way," I said, looking at 
 the two gentlemen who were standing in front of me, " I 
 wonder what would become of us all if we had not Ju- 
 dith as a subject to converse and write about. I know, 
 Count Piloff, you are longing to ask where she is. You 
 will find her somewhere on the other side of that island, 
 with Mr. Novissilsky." 
 
 " Such a dismissal," cried George, with a good-natured 
 laugh, "cannot be disobeyed." And, with a slight bow, 
 he skated away. 
 
 The wrinkle in Mr. Thurber's nose made its appear- 
 ance as he inquired, 
 
 " Why did you send him off so suddenly ? "
 
 60 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 11 He did n't mind it. I knew he would ask in a mo- 
 ment where Judith was." 
 
 " Indeed ! " skating slowly round my chair. " Is he 
 so fond of her society ? " 
 
 " I think he is. But I must go in and warm my 
 feet." 
 
 My companion made some polite remonstrance, but I 
 refused to stay longer, and waited in the house on the 
 shore of the lake for the rest of the party, reading Mr. 
 Tremaine's letter meanwhile, to pass away the time. 
 
 When the others returned to the house to divest them- 
 selves of skates, and start for home, Tom called out to 
 me, 
 
 " We are going to the opera to-night ; but I will tell 
 you about it later." 
 
 I was willing to wait for my information, and resisted 
 Tom's efforts to make me share my sledge with him. 
 
 " No, Tom. There is only room for one." 
 
 " But it is not proper for you to go alone ! " 
 
 " Neither is it proper for a young man to go with me. 
 Whichever way you arrange, it is highly improper," said 
 I, laughing ; " and as Judith is younger and handsomer 
 than I, she has more need of a protector." 
 
 " I forgot Judith." 
 
 " I did n't, you see. Some one must tell my istvostchik 
 to follow yours." 
 
 George gave the necessary instructions, and he and 
 Mr. Thurber broughi 2p the rear. 
 
 On reaching the house, they consented to come in and 
 lunch with us ; and when we were seated at table, I
 
 SKATING AND RUSSIAN OPERA, 6 1 
 
 learned that George had placed his aunt's opera box at 
 our disposal for this evening, the aunt being in Moscow, 
 and likely to remain there for the winter. 
 
 Daylight was almost gone by the time lunch was well 
 over, and our friends took their departure, promising to 
 meet us again at the opera. 
 
 January 10. 
 
 The days now are absurdly short. We breakfast at 
 ten, generally by lamplight. For about four hours there 
 is daylight, and sometimes a little sun, but shortly after 
 two the lamps are again lighted. When it is cloudy, 
 we have candles all day. The sun behaves in a very 
 eccentric way. It rises over the left-hand corner of a 
 block of shops on the other side of the street, called 
 Gastinni Dvor, and it gets about two feet above that 
 building, and then sinks down behind the right-hand 
 corner early in the afternoon. 
 
 We reached the opera in good time, and found George 
 and Sacha awaiting us. Shortly after Mr. Thurber and 
 Nicolas came in. The whole performance was Russian. 
 This particular opera is sung on all national fetes, and 
 was composed by Michael Glinka, " La vie pour le 
 Tsar," so Sacha translated the name for me. The plot 
 is quite touching, and very patriotic, as explained by 
 him. Tom was glad to listen to his account, in spite of 
 the opinion he expressed the other day, that "Novis- 
 silsky reminds me of a hand-organ, he grinds out the 
 same tunes so many times." 
 
 The singing was only moderately good. There was
 
 62 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 an exquisite mazurka, and a polonaise, both of which 
 are always played at the palace balls. 
 
 I was so engrossed in the piece that I forgot my com- 
 panions until my attention was called to them by a low 
 voice in my ear. I turned to see Sacha's dark eyes 
 fixed imploringly upon me. 
 
 " What did you say ? " I asked. 
 
 " That I am the most miserable fellow on the earth," 
 he exclaimed, in a dramatic whisper. 
 
 Following the direction of his eyes, I saw Judith sit- 
 ting behind the curtain of the box, with her head turned 
 away from the stage, presenting her pretty profile to our 
 view. She was looking at a couple of large, brown 
 hands, which were playing with an opera-glass ; and the 
 owner of the hands, George, with head bent for- 
 ward until it was on a level with Judith's shoulder, was 
 talking earnestly to her. 
 
 That the subject of conversation was something ab- 
 sorbing, I could not doubt. The corners of my cousin's 
 mouth quivered once, and she looked as if she were 
 going to cry. Then came a sudden change of expres- 
 sion ; she looked at her companion with one of her 
 sweetest smiles ; he smiled back at her, but, observing 
 our scrutiny, frowned slightly, and sat upright in his 
 chair through the remainder of the act. 
 
 " You see," whispered Sacha again, " it is evidently 
 all settled." 
 
 I smiled inwardly, and wondered what this young 
 man would think if he should visit America, and see a 
 flirtation carried on in a scientific way ; but I only said, 
 " I think you are mistaken."
 
 SKATING AND RUSSIAN OPERA. 63 
 
 " Mademoiselle," he exclaimed earnestly, " I would 
 change my whole nature to please her. But it is useless 
 for me to play a game against George'. He has money, 
 rank, " 
 
 I interrupted him hastily. " Those things count for 
 little with Judith." 
 
 Sacha shook his head. " He is fascinating." 
 
 " Fascinating ! " I cried, looking at George more 
 critically. " Is he ? I know he has had a great success 
 in society. People urge him to come to their houses, 
 he is asked to lead the dances at the palace ; but I 
 should never think of calling him fascinating. I grant 
 that his manners are irreproachable, he is good-looking, 
 bright, and entertaining; but it seems to me he is rather 
 spoiled." 
 
 Tom had been making various pantomimic gestures 
 for the last minute, so I stopped to ask him what was 
 the matter. 
 
 "You talk too much," he said severely. "You dis- 
 turb every one in the box." 
 
 After this rebuke I kept quiet until, at the end of 
 the act, we adjourned to a small room adjoining, where 
 tea and sandwiches were awaiting us. A box of bon- 
 bons was also produced by Nicolas, who said that a 
 Russian lady never appeared at the theatre without that 
 article. 
 
 When we had once more taken our seats in front of 
 the box, Mr. Thurber murmured to me, " I fancy you 
 would call that a flirtation in America," looking at 
 Judith and George, who were almost lost in the shadow 
 behind us.
 
 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " It depends," I responded calmly, " upon what they 
 are talking about. I have known people to look as 
 devoted as that, when no more sentimental subject was 
 under discussion than the weather." 
 
 " What a vivid imagination you Americans must 
 have ! " 
 
 "I don't understand how your criticism applies," I 
 retorted. 
 
 " Perhaps I should have said, what a power of decep- 
 tion, instead of a vivid imagination. It must require 
 both to give such an expression of rapt attention to two 
 people who are only talking about the weather." 
 
 I don't like Mr. Chilton Thurber when he sneers in 
 this way. One must excuse anything, however, in a 
 man who is jealous. 
 
 " I didn't say they were only talking of the weather," 
 I asserted. " They may be making the most desperate 
 love to each other, for all I know. But you are quite 
 right when you say we have more imagination than the 
 English. I have enough to conceive that you English 
 may be very fond of your country, even your foggy 
 old capital, which it makes me melancholy to think of," 
 I added, with a shudder. 
 
 " I am not particularly fond of England," he returned 
 earnestly. " In fact, I prefer living abroad, though 
 not in Russia," after a short pause. 
 
 " Where ? " I asked, with a look of laughing inquiry. 
 " In what genial clime would you pitch your tent, if you 
 had the world to choose from ? " 
 
 He hesitated, then said, with a strange expression on
 
 SKATING AND RUSSIAN OPERA. 65 
 
 his face, " Wherever " then paused, and added, " in 
 Italy, I think." 
 
 " What were you going to say first ? " 
 
 " Something foolish." 
 
 " I don't think so. It was certainly something wise." 
 
 " But you don't know what it was." 
 
 " Don't I ? ' Will you let me guess ? " 
 
 "By all means," Mr. Thurber answered, looking 
 amused. " But you cannot know what thought was in 
 my mind. It will be a mere guess." 
 
 " Never be too sure of anything," said I sagely, "es- 
 pecially of what a woman may know. We can often 
 read you like a book, when you least imagine it." 
 
 " Can you read me like a book ? " he asked, in a lazy 
 way. 
 
 " Sometimes." 
 
 " I hope you will be interested enough to read to the 
 end of the first volume." 
 
 " Do you wish me to tell you what you were going to 
 say just now ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " I am afraid," said I, "that I can't tell what words 
 were in your mind; but I believe you were thinking 
 of some one whom you love very much. Am I right ? " 
 
 " Perfectly," he replied, with a smile which was some- 
 what nervous. " But your boasted imagination will not 
 tell you whether she is dark or fair, tall or short." 
 
 " No. Still I should guess that she is tall, and fair 
 rather than dark." 
 
 He laughed suddenly, with an air of relief. I waited 
 5
 
 66 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 for him to tell me whether I had guessed aright, but in 
 vain ; so I turned to ask him, but Tom interposed. 
 
 "Dorris, I never knew you to be so inconsiderate. 
 Why can't you go to the back of the box, like Judith, 
 if you must talk ? " 
 
 . This effectually silenced me until the end of the 
 play.
 
 STCHOUKINE DVOR. 67 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 STCHOUKINE DVOR. 
 
 January 12, 1878. 
 
 '"THHERE is no possibility of denying that Judith is a 
 -^- coquette. It is the only thing I dislike about her. 
 She is a dear, sweet-tempered girl; but sometimes I 
 think she is perfectly heartless, when I see how she tri- 
 fles with these men. I don't feel so sorry for George, 
 because he is a thorough man of the world, and quite 
 able to take care of himself ; besides which, I have a 
 strong conviction that if Judith cares for any of them, it 
 is for him. 
 
 But poor Sacha is young and unsophisticated, and 
 does not understand what the word flirtation means. 
 He has my hearty sympathy, as has also Prince Tucheff, 
 a vigorous sexagenarian, who is making, as Tom forcibly 
 expresses it, " an old goose of himself " over Judith. 
 
 This is the conversation which I overheard between 
 them the other day : 
 
 " Blue," said the prince, looking at the dress which 
 Judith wore, " is the color of the skies, and should be 
 looked up to." 
 
 " Hear that ! " whispered Tom. " He must be awfully 
 hard up for a remark."
 
 68 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 My cousin's reply was drowned in Tom's words. 
 
 The prince was speaking again. 
 
 " If I were as young as I once was " and he looked 
 unutterable things. 
 
 " I am glad," said Judith, flashing a coquettish glance 
 at him, " that you are not as young as you once were. 
 Very young men are great bores." 
 
 " Then I will say " (in a stage whisper), " if I could 
 only make myself the age you prefer." 
 
 " Oh ! " (dropping her eyes, with a little sigh.) " In 
 that case, I should beg you to remain just as you 
 are." 
 
 Tom and I moved away. 
 
 " What a fool he is ! " murmured my brother-in-law. 
 
 Judith has been unmercifully chaffed about that con- 
 versation ; but all of our ridicule fails to move her, or 
 make her angry. 
 
 " I think he is a dear old man ! " she exclaims, " and 
 I do like him, just as he is." 
 
 At Princess Shermatoff's ball, last night, she was just 
 as charming with Sacha as she had been with Prince 
 Tucheff. After greeting the hostess, we passed into a 
 large ball-room, and were lost amid a crowd of young 
 women, who were filling up one corner. 
 
 Judith, having had one bitter experience, now avoids 
 a sofa at parties. There is always a table in front of it, 
 and there are always young ladies who seat themselves 
 each side of you. A man who can converse with a girl 
 across a table, when she is surrounded by others of her 
 sex, who are curious to hear how Americans talk, has
 
 STCHOUKINE DVOR. 69 
 
 more courage than any of my acquaintance. The young 
 women flock together at evening entertainments ; and, 
 should any one gentleman talk more than ten minutes 
 consecutively with the same girl, he might as well de- 
 clare himself at once, for that would be expected of 
 him. 
 
 Waltzing was going on when we entered the ball-room. 
 Sacha approached me, bowed so low that I could see the 
 part in his hair, placed one arm about my waist, and 
 danced me twice around the room, like a whirlwind. He 
 stopped as suddenly as he had started, left me with an- 
 other bow, in the same spot from which he had taken 
 me, and passed on to Judith, with whom he did likewise. 
 Another young man followed Sacha's example. Breath- 
 less and bewildered, I was whirled about the room by a 
 dozen different partners in as many minutes. 
 
 The waltz continued for nearly half an hour. When 
 it was over, the hostess and the gentleman who seemed 
 to be directing all the dances came to me with partners, 
 whom they introduced ; and I soon found myself en- 
 gaged for all the quadrilles. It is not the custom to 
 engage partners for the waltzes ; they are taken out of 
 the crowd, as I have described. 
 
 Such fast dancing tired me, and, worse still, tore my 
 dress. Couples ran into each other, without the slight- 
 est compunction ; and, as most of the gentlemen were in 
 uniform, many were the scratches which my poor arms 
 received. I refused all invitations for the mazurka, and 
 stationed myself among the mothers and chaperones, who 
 lined the walls, and looked intensely bored. I was soon
 
 70 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 joined by a foreign ambassador, who proved to be enter- 
 taining, and who remained with me until supper was 
 announced. 
 
 The mazurka began about one o'clock. I have heard 
 of dancing all my life, have even flattered myself that 
 I could dance well ; but I never knew what real dan- 
 cing was until I saw the mazurka. It is the poetry of 
 movement. I shall never hear mazurka music again 
 without having a mad desire to start up and dance 
 down the room. The figures are like those in the Ger- 
 man ; but how different from our calm, lazy way of glid- 
 ing to and fro is the sprightly air, the abandon, the 
 rhythm, the grace with which these young Russians jin- 
 gle their spurs, and, seizing the hand of their partner, 
 look at her with glances which seem to tell all the admi- 
 ration they fear to speak, while she returns the look, 
 like a true coquette. They dance for pure love of the 
 amusement, not as if they were undergoing a pen- 
 ance, and trying to make the best of it. The music 
 itself is enough to put life even into the coldest blood. 
 The time is well marked by the piano and the heels of 
 the gentlemen, which are brought down with a stamp. 
 
 Mr. Thurber, like an Englishman, sneers a little, 
 and calls it theatrical. Certainly, both Englishmen and 
 Americans are too self-conscious to dance it well. 
 
 After the mazurka, a hot supper was served in the 
 next room. Sacha, not having been fortunate enough 
 to get a partner for the dance, escorted me to the din- 
 ing-room, and undertook to provide for my wants. I 
 had resisted his efforts to talk with me all the evening,
 
 STCHOUKINE DVOR. 
 
 having been much interested in my conversation with 
 the diplomat. 
 
 To confess the truth, Sacha is getting too melodra- 
 matic to be agreeable. He looks as if all the pleasures 
 of this world had passed away for him. 
 
 Swallowing his scalding bouillon without winking, he 
 said severely, " Mademoiselle, I have been trying to 
 speak to you all the evening." 
 
 " Yes," I responded dryly. " I could not get rid of 
 Son Excellence." 
 
 " I have come to a determination," he continued. " I 
 am going to speak to your cousin. Anything will be 
 better than suspense." 
 
 " I quite agree with you." 
 
 "I thought that perhaps I knew " he stam- 
 mered, " she is so fond of you I was going to ask you 
 if you would talk with her." 
 
 I fixed a wondering gaze on my companion. "Do 
 you mean that I am to ask her to marry you?" said I 
 bluntly. 
 
 " Oh, no ! I only meant that perhaps you could 
 find out if there was any hope for me." He looked at 
 me imploringly. 
 
 I knew there was no hope, but how could I tell him 
 so calmly ? I had seen enough that evening to convince 
 me that Judith was very much interested in George Pi- 
 loff, and his feeling for her had been plain for some time. 
 
 Still I could not have the cruelty to dash this young 
 fellow's hopes at one blow. I thought Judith would do 
 it so much better ; she was probably accustomed to it.
 
 72 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 I finished my bird leisurely, and took a sip of cham- 
 pagne, before I answered. " I think it would be much 
 better for you to ask her yourself. Judith is very re- 
 served, and I doubt whether she would confide in me." 
 
 He shook his head mournfully, and took a large 
 mouthful of salad. " Then I must venture all, and it 
 must be done soon, mademoiselle," turning his rather 
 flushed face toward me. " Do you know what I shall 
 do if she refuses me ? " 
 
 As I confessed my inability to guess this interesting 
 conundrum, Sacha looked down at his empty plate, and 
 said solemnly, in a half-whisper, " I shall leave Peters- 
 burg ! " 
 
 1 his threat did not make my blood run cold, as Sacha 
 evidently expected ; but I felt sorry for him, and re- 
 gretted that I could not assure him of success in his 
 love-making. If Judith were going to marry a for- 
 eigner, I thought she could not do better than take 
 Sacha. I wished at that moment that she was safely at 
 home with her guardian, and I had no further responsi- 
 bility in the matter. 
 
 My friend entertained me during the remainder of 
 supper with accounts of the various adventures which 
 had befallen him by land and by sea, from the day of 
 his birth up to the present time. 
 
 I began to grow rather sleepy, and I supposed that 
 we were to take our departure immediately after supper. 
 Alice informed me, however, that there was still a cotil- 
 lon to be danced, and we had a repetition of the ma- 
 zurka, which lasted until a distant clock struck five.
 
 STCIIOUKINE DVOR. 73 
 
 George danced this with Judith. He spoke to her a 
 great deal in a low voice, and she blushed often and 
 looked shy, which was a revelation to me, for I did not 
 know that she was capable of such an expression. 
 
 A sudden idea struck me. Sacha had hinted at some 
 secret which he possessed, something about George, 
 I judged from the way in which he spoke. Might it 
 not be something which, if Judith knew, would prevent 
 her from being drawn on any further ? 
 
 Oh for a chance to speak to that unfortunate young 
 man ! If need be, I would drag his secret to the light. 
 But he had gone home in dark despair, and my oppor- 
 tunity for that night was over. I was almost driven to 
 retire to the ladies' dressing-room, where I had seen a 
 package of cigarettes, and recklessly indulge in a smoke, 
 for I grew so nervous that I could not sit still ; but Alice 
 dissuaded me by telling me it would be sure to make 
 me ill. 
 
 Then I was tempted to confide my fears to Alice ; but 
 how could I, when I knew that she adored her brother- 
 in-law, and thought that any woman who gained his 
 heart would be fortunate above all others ? In my fever- 
 ish imagination, that secret of Sacha's took elephantine 
 form. The last point was reached when I decided that 
 probably George was already married to some one whom 
 he did not acknowledge. It is fortunate that we took 
 our departure at that moment, for I know not what I 
 should have done in my perplexity. 
 
 I awoke this morning burning with zeal, and resolved 
 to have a severe talk with Judith. A favorable oppor-
 
 74 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 tunity was not long in presenting itself. It was twelve 
 o'clock before we had finished breakfast, and then my 
 cousin took possession of a novel, and I of the " Jour- 
 nal de St. Petersbourg," and we sat down in front of 
 the wood-fire in the library. 
 
 I cast many a sly glance at Judith before I gained 
 courage to begin. She had on a brown stuff dress, and 
 the toe of one pretty bronze slipper protruded an inch 
 or two beyond her skirt. Her smooth braids and the 
 rounded outline of one soft cheek were all I could see. 
 She looked so dainty and sweet that I did not wonder 
 that everybody wanted to marry her. 
 
 I watched the clock nervously, and saw that if I did 
 not soon begin, Tom would make his noisy entry, and 
 Grace would come in from her drive. So I said, in a 
 low, meek voice, " Do you feel tired this morning ? " 
 
 As I had already asked her that question once, she 
 looked slightly surprised, but laid the book down in her 
 lap, and said pleasantly, " Not very. Do you ? " 
 
 How different she is from me, I thought, how very, 
 very different ! I never can bear to be interrupted 
 when I am reading, and never can answer any one 
 pleasantly under such circumstances. How sweet-tem- 
 pered Judith is, and what a contrast I must be ! This 
 thought saddened me, and I did not feel inclined to 
 proceed ; but as she seemed waiting for something 
 more, I resumed the conversation and answered, " No." 
 Then, growing sarcastic, " But I did not have such 
 overwhelming attentions paid me as you did." 
 
 Judith turned a pair of laughing, mischievous eyes
 
 STCHOUKINE DVOR. 75 
 
 on me. " I thought the ambassador was much more 
 attentive than was proper ! " 
 
 " Oh ! " I sighed, " he has a large wife and grown-up 
 sons. Judith," leaning my elbows on the table, and 
 taking my chin in both hands, " you know Sacha is in 
 love with you. Why don't you take the poor fellow ? " 
 
 " He has never asked me," she answered dreamily, 
 looking into the fire. "Besides, I don't like him." 
 
 " Why not ? " I snapped the words out, full of a 
 righteous indignation, and ready to defend my favorite. 
 
 " He looks so sentimental, and as if he were going to 
 weep ; and he watches me in such a way that it makes 
 me nervous." 
 
 I leaned back in my chair, and, following Judith's 
 example, looked meditatively into the fire. " It is true," 
 I said slowly, "that he is somewhat irritating some- 
 times. But," I added with renewed vigor, " he is a 
 thoroughly good fellow." 
 
 " I can't marry a man simply because he is good." 
 
 Then my ire was fully roused, and I looked at her 
 with a glance which was meant to carry terror to her 
 soul. It was lost on her, however, for she was still 
 looking into the fire. " Can you marry a man simply 
 because he is bad ? " 
 
 " No," she answered calmly. " I don't think I could 
 fall in love with a bad man." She looked at me cu- 
 riously, came over by my chair, and sat down beside me 
 on the floor, resting her head against my knee, and 
 fondling my hand. " How solemn you are to-day, and 
 how very unpleasant, dear ! "
 
 76 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 Such little caressing ways come quite naturally to 
 Judith. I always feel supremely foolish when I call a 
 person " dear " ; but in her it is charming. I felt my stern 
 resolution melting, but I determined to speak before it 
 was too late. "Judith," I said, in a mournful tone, "do 
 you believe that George Piloff is a good man ? " 
 
 She gave a slight start, and the cheek which had been 
 resting on my hand was suddenly removed as she sat 
 upright. " Good ! " she repeated musingly. " Perhaps 
 I should not use that word in speaking of him ; but 
 surely not bad, Dorris ? " looking at me anxiously, with 
 a question in her soft eyes. " Surely not bad, dear ? " 
 
 I went on firmly : " I believe that he is a bad man." 
 
 " Why ? " 
 
 I was staggered for a moment. " Perhaps he is not 
 really bad," feebly, "but he is at the club continually, 
 and every one says that all those young men at the club 
 gamble." 
 
 " You mean Mr. Thurber, not every one," corrected 
 my cousin quietly. 
 
 She was suspiciously calm. I began to warm with 
 my subject. " He is not the kind of man for you to 
 marry. O Judith, don't fall in love with a foreigner ! 
 Please, please don't ! Even the very best of them 
 even Nicolas cannot understand how women are 
 treated in our country ; and we expect so much more 
 than they can give, than they know how to give." 
 
 My cousin's head was averted, but her hand still 
 rested on my lap. She said, in a voice which had the 
 shadow of laughter in it, " You forget that George lived
 
 STCHOUKINE DVOR. 77 
 
 in America through most of his boyhood ; that he was 
 over twenty before he had ever seen Russia ; and that 
 since then his time has been spent equally in Paris, 
 Vienna, London, and here. He is quite American in 
 his feelings. And although he was in the army while 
 the war lasted, yet his profession is really that of a 
 diplomat, which makes a man a stranger in no country 
 except his own." She turned her laughing face full on 
 me. " You are very anxious about Sacha. It seems to 
 me he is as much of a foreigner as George." 
 
 Somewhat discomfited, I responded, " I am not anx- 
 ious to have you marry Sacha, nor any one ; but it 
 pains me to see you losing your heart to a man who has 
 not one good quality to recommend him." By this time 
 I was excited, and said more than I meant. 
 
 " Not one good quality ! " repeated Judith. " Is that 
 quite fair ? What do you know about him ? " with a 
 bright color in her usually pale face. 
 
 " I only know what I judge from his manner and 
 associates," I answered, rather ashamed of myself for 
 having so little proof of George's worthlessness. 
 
 " Then," said my cousin, springing to her feet, and 
 looking at me contemptuously, her small head proudly 
 raised, " I consider you utterly mean, to malign a man's 
 character when you know nothing about him ! Are you 
 not ashamed of yourself? If it will afford you any 
 pleasure, I will tell you that I have not the slightest in- 
 tention of marrying George, and that we are not in love 
 with each other ; but not one word which you have said 
 has had the slightest influence on me. I consider
 
 78 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 George one of the best friends I ever had." So saying, 
 she swept out of the room with the air of an empress. 
 
 As for me, I felt very small. All my words rushed 
 back upon me and overwhelmed me with mortification. 
 I quite agreed with Judith in her judgment of me. 
 What business had I to interfere with her, and what 
 grudge had I against George ? I never should be able 
 to look him in the face again. If I could find any people 
 who were going that day to America, I thought I would 
 join them. Tears of vexation and contrition began to fill 
 my eyes. As I forced them back, and tried to compose 
 myself, Tom came bustling in, and with him oh, 
 horror ! George. 
 
 I had no time to make my escape, so I kept my dis- 
 consolate position by the fire, simply greeting the visitor 
 with a cold bow. 
 
 " Well, Dorris ! " cried Tom, " you look homesick." 
 Rubbing his hands, he advanced towards the fire. 
 " What 's the matter ! Here is George, come to take 
 us Where did you say you were going to take us ? " 
 appealing to his companion. 
 
 George's face seldom warms up for me as it does for 
 Judith, and it was with a very cold expression that he 
 answered, 
 
 " Your sister wished to go sometime to the Stchonkine 
 Dvor, and I thought this would be as pleasant a day as 
 any." 
 
 "Grace has gone out in the sledge," I replied, "but 
 she will be at home before half-past one, as we lunch 
 at that hour. I know she will be disappointed if you 
 don't wait for her."
 
 STCHOUKINE DVOR. 79 
 
 " Very well," interposed Tom. " It is one now. You 
 can stay and lunch with us, and we will all go afterwards. 
 Dorris told me yesterday that she was dying to see what 
 they had in those old shops. I must see if Judy is up. 
 Where is she ? " and he hurried away before I could 
 stop him. 
 
 George sat down near me, and, putting on his " society 
 manner," which I particularly dislike, he said, " How 
 did you enjoy your first Russian ball, Miss Romilly ? " 
 
 " Very much." 
 
 " You seem rather depressed this morning," he con- 
 tinued, smiling at my doleful tone. " I hope it is not 
 the effect of your gayety. The late hours which we 
 keep are hard on foreigners at first, but one soon learns 
 to sleep as well in the daytime as at night." 
 
 " I don't doubt it," I responded shortly. 
 
 He then launched forth into an account of the con- 
 trast between the balls at Vienna and those in Peters- 
 burg, which I felt he was doing to keep up the conver- 
 sation. I tried to appear interested, and when Judith 
 entered the room with Tom, she looked surprised to see 
 us talking in such a friendly way. She cast a withering 
 glance on me, and gave George one of her sweetest 
 smiles. 
 
 Grace and luncheon were announced at the same 
 time, but I could eat nothing ; every mouthful choked 
 me. Judith pointedly ignored my existence, and as 
 pointedly devoted herself to George. She gave me 
 several angry glances, and I sank further and further 
 back in my chair, and felt that every one present won-
 
 80 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 dered what had happened. Tom did not hesitate to 
 speak his mind. 
 
 "Why, Judy," he cried, in a loud, jovial tone, "you 
 look like a thunder-cloud ! I declare, I never saw you 
 out of temper before. If it were Dorris, I should not 
 be so surprised, for she gets cross now and then, but 
 she seems as if all the spirit had been taken out of her. 
 Did you two quarrel when you were alone ? " 
 
 I smiled faintly. Judith answered him in a freezing 
 manner, and changed the subject suddenly. 
 
 As we rose from the table, Tom told us to make haste, 
 for daylight would soon be gone. I walked to the win- 
 dow and looked out. 
 
 " Come, Dorris," Grace called. 
 
 " I am not going," I answered disconsolately. 
 
 " Not going ! " exclaimed Tom. " Why, you are the 
 one who has wished to go more than any of us ! " 
 
 Tableau, Tom, standing at the head of the table in 
 front of his chair, which he has just pushed back ; I, 
 looking out of the window and playing with the cur- 
 tain ; Grace at her door, with her head turned towards 
 me ; Judith at the opposite door in the same position ; 
 George attentively surveying the sideboard, with his 
 back turned to all of us. 
 
 Silence for ten seconds, during which no one moves. 
 Then Judith comes swiftly toward me, and says in a 
 low tone, which they all hear, 
 
 " If it is on my account that you intend to stay at 
 home, I beg of you to go, and let me stay." 
 
 " Oh, make it up, girls, make it up ! " says my brother- 
 in-law's hearty voice.
 
 STCUOUKINE DVOR. 8 1 
 
 " Why not ? " thought I. " I must do something, or I 
 shall die of misery." 
 
 In a voice which was very tremulous, and broke in the 
 midst of my sentence, I said, 
 
 " I owe Judith an apology. I acknowledge that you 
 were right this morning," looking at her for the first 
 time, " and I was cowardly and mean." 
 
 " O Dorris ! " she cried, all her dignity gone. " Don't 
 let us Come along ! " pulling me towards the door; 
 and we both made our escape, scarcely noticing what 
 Tom was saying to George about his belonging to the 
 family reconciliation tears, etc. 
 
 I felt very foolish when I came back, and thought 
 the whole performance undignified and childish. Judith 
 confessed to me afterwards that she had the same feel- 
 ing about it. I soon forgot it, however, in the wonders 
 of the Stchunkine Dvor. 
 
 It looks to the passer-by like a row of shops, two 
 stories high, with a covered balcony, and here and there 
 narrow alleys leading in behind the shops, where we 
 caught glimpses of iron, wheels, coils of rope, etc. At 
 last we turned into one of these paths, and then we 
 found that the block was honeycombed with streets, 
 a city within a city. An odor greeted us which caused 
 us to hold our noses ; but we soon got accustomed to it, 
 and George assured us that it was nothing worse than 
 leather. The familiar icon with its candle was hung at 
 nearly every corner. What a labyrinth it was into which 
 we had suddenly penetrated ! Books, jewelry, uncut 
 gems, sausages, religious objects, Siberian shawls, dress 
 
 6
 
 82 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 goods, fancy articles, pickles, icons, ready-made clothing, 
 shoes, and Chinese goods were some of the things which 
 were offered for sale. In rooms about six feet square, 
 containing a show-case and counter, we found the most 
 desirable wares. Most of the stock in trade was sus- 
 pended on the walls, or tucked away in dark corners. 
 There was a goodly array of booths in the streets, and 
 men in greasy sheepskins stood outside and invited us 
 to purchase. They did not seem offended when we 
 refused to buy, but asked us to call again. 
 
 The atmosphere and general appearance of the place 
 was so filthy and shabby that Grace was inclined to look 
 upon it with scorn ; but Tom grew very enthusiastic. 
 He held long conversations with the vendors, in Rus- 
 sian, invariably tried to make bargains for things which 
 he did not want, and was generally unsuccessful, get- 
 ting hopelessly muddled in his Russian, and appealing 
 to George to help him out. A copper samovar took 
 his fancy particularly ; and, finding that the price was 
 twenty roubles, Tom offered the man eight. By the aid 
 of smiles, shrugs, and various gestures, the conversa- 
 tion grew quite animated ; but the merchant refused to 
 take Jess than fourteen roubles, and we left the shop, 
 Tom extremely downcast. 
 
 " Because, you know, it was a bargain at fourteen ; 
 and I was an idiot not to take it." 
 
 We wandered through the alleys, and at the end of two 
 hours found that we women had spent all our money, and 
 Tom had only a few roubles left, having purchased 
 some ijnset turquoises, a pair of silver vases, a cigar-
 
 STCHOUKINE DVOR. 83 
 
 stand, some old chains, six lamps, ten candle-sticks, four 
 icons, and one Russian book. It was dark, and we 
 turned our steps toward home. As we passed the 
 samovar shop, the merchant waylaid us, and told Tom 
 he could have the one he liked for twelve roubles. The 
 offer was thankfully accepted. 
 
 I noticed that all of these merchants kept their ac- 
 counts by means of a wire frame and colored balls, 
 which they pushed up and down. I remember having 
 one of these to play with at school, when I was a very 
 little girl. 
 
 When we reached home, Grace announced that she 
 was sure we had taken the plague, or some dreadful dis- 
 ease ; and she was apprehensive all of the evening. 
 Judith kissed me before we went to dinner, and I gave 
 her a silver belt which I had just bought : so the recon- 
 ciliation was complete. 
 
 January 15. 
 
 To-day has been gray and dismal. Low spirits, and 
 the sense that I was unfit for any one's company, drove 
 me out of the house the moment I had swallowed lun- 
 cheon. What a curse it is to be subject to fits of the 
 blues ! 
 
 I struggled along in the face of a piercing Siberian 
 air, not strong enough to be called a wind, but cold 
 enough to put life into my limbs, though my heart felt as 
 if frozen. My poor little maid trotted after me, trying 
 to keep up with my hasty steps. 
 
 Up the Nevsky I took my way, and scarcely noticed
 
 84. THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 my surroundings until long after I passed the Moscow 
 railway station, when I became suddenly conscious that 
 the pavement was wretched, and the shops extremely 
 shabby. I stopped and looked about me. 
 
 Mathilde came panting to my side, exclaiming that 
 mademoiselle had walked at least four miles, and that 
 we were in a " tres vilaine " street. I agreed with 
 her. 
 
 The people who were passing us were workmen, 
 peasants, and boys driving cows, and carrying tin horns 
 four or five feet long, on which they blew tremendous 
 blasts. The shops had a shabby appearance, owing 
 partly to the signs, on which pictures of the articles 
 offered for sale were painted, as well as their names in 
 several languages. 
 
 Slightly puzzled at my surroundings, I walked more 
 slowly, and allowed Mathilde to guide me. The object 
 of my excursion was accomplished. The world no 
 longer looked black and dreary. I began to think there 
 was something for me to accomplish in life, and some 
 people who loved me, in spite of my faults. Feeling 
 comforted, I wended my way absently along, and my 
 thoughts travelled far from my surroundings ; so it was 
 with quite a start that I looked at a gentleman who had 
 sprung out of a sledge, and now advanced to speak. 
 He was so enveloped in furs that I did not recognize 
 George until he was close to me. His face wore an 
 expression of disapproval ; and, spending no time in 
 preliminaries, he asked me where I was going. 
 
 " I don't know," I answered, without a smile. " I 
 believe Mathilde is taking me home."
 
 STCHOUKINE DVOR. 85 
 
 We walked on, and the maid fell behind. 
 
 " Really," said George, recovering his usual manner 
 with a slight effort, " I should think you might have dis- 
 covered some pleasanter place for a walk." 
 
 "Yes, I think I might," I responded, with a faint 
 attempt at a laugh ; " but I did not notice where I was 
 going, and I found myself here at last." 
 
 He frowned, and bit his lip. 
 
 "You must have been absorbed in some pleasant 
 thought." 
 
 " Pardon me," I interrupted ; " it was very un- 
 pleasant." 
 
 " At least, it was absorbing ? " 
 
 " Yes, I grant that. I was thinking of myself." 
 
 "I fancied you never did that" (in a tone which 
 said that he never had paid much attention to the 
 subject). 
 
 " I never do, when I have anything else to occupy my 
 mind," I answered, as carelessly as he had spoken. 
 
 " Surely you don't complain of lack of amusement ? " 
 
 " No, I am not complaining ; I am only answering 
 your questions." 
 
 He smiled, and we walked on in silence for some 
 time. 
 
 " Are you going to walk home with me ? " I asked, at 
 last. 
 
 " If you allow me." 
 
 " Then, can you call a sledge for my maid ? She is 
 not accustomed to such long tramps, and I fear she will 
 be utterly exhausted when we reach home."
 
 86 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 George hesitated a moment, then said, 
 
 "I suppose you know that you are doing a very 
 unconventional thing ? " 
 
 " It is a matter of utter indifference to me. I don't 
 wish to kill the maid, that is all." 
 
 " You might drive home also." 
 
 " Yes, but I don't care to drive. I shall walk home 
 alone if you desert me." 
 
 " Not for the world ! " he cried hastily. " I shall be 
 only too happy to accompany you." 
 
 He hailed a passing istvostchik, packed Mathilde in, 
 and then surveyed me with a critical eye. "You are 
 cold ? " 
 
 I shook my head emphatically. 
 
 " You have a bashlik around your neck ; put it over 
 your ears, please." 
 
 I complied willingly with his request, for the air was 
 piercing since the sun had departed and the early night 
 had begun to fall. 
 
 We walked on briskly, and George, finding that his flow 
 of conversation fell on rather inattentive ears, relapsed 
 into a silence which was unbroken until we reached the 
 canal bridge. Here my companion slackened his steps, 
 and drew my attention to a little colony of Laplanders 
 which we could see below us on the ice. Their tent of 
 skins had an opening just large enough for a person to 
 crawl in on all fours. A tiny team of reindeer stood 
 near by. 
 
 "You can take a ride for two or three kopecks, if 
 you like," said George. " But the poor reindeer suffer
 
 STCHOUKINE DVOR. 8? 
 
 so dreadfully from the heat here that they cannot go as 
 fast as is expected of them." 
 
 I shivered. " Which is that personage I see down 
 there, a man or a woman ? " The figure wore a long 
 cloak, like a petticoat with a waist to it, made of skins, 
 big felt boots, mittens, and a hat the flap of which cov- 
 ered the back of the head, ears, and shoulders. 
 
 George shook his head at my question. " I cannot 
 guess. How calmly it sits there on the ice, as if 
 entirely comfortable ! " 
 
 As we walked on, he continued, " They will dis- 
 appear when it grows warmer, as mysteriously as they 
 came. No one ever sees them go or come. But you 
 would better take my arm, for it is dark, and the people 
 push one about so." We had reached the Nevsky by 
 this time. 
 
 " I thought of doing that some time ago," I responded, 
 " but you were so shocked at my unconventionality in 
 sending Mathilde home that I was afraid." 
 
 " Not shocked," he remonstrated. " I only wished to 
 remind you." 
 
 " Very kind of you. I see that you are one of that 
 large class of men who think that women should be 
 watched lest they take a step out of the beaten track." 
 
 This I said because it suddenly occurred to me that 
 George and I were getting on quite amicably together, 
 which was not at all as it should be, considering my dis- 
 like for him. To my surprise he made no reply, but sighed 
 deeply. I waited. " Well ? " I said at last, impatiently. 
 
 " Nothing," with a little laugh.
 
 88 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 Walking along arm ifi arm seemed quite too much like 
 good friends, I thought. " Then you do not belong to 
 that class ? " I persisted. 
 
 George turned his eyes on me coldly. There was a 
 wrinkle between his brows which he often has when he 
 talks with me. " I think we were getting on very well," 
 he said, looking a little angry, " and that your desire to 
 quarrel with me will be unsatisfied to-day." 
 
 "I assure you that nothing was farther from my 
 thoughts than quarrelling with you," I responded, 
 delighted to have vexed him, but rather ashamed of 
 myself at the same time. 
 
 " Then let us talk no more about it." 
 
 His annoyance was only momentary, and I was quite 
 silent until we reached the Anitchkine Palace, when I 
 exclaimed abruptly, " It grows more of a mystery to me 
 every day that Peter the Great should have selected 
 this flat, marshy spot for a capital. Not a hill in sight, 
 and everything built on piles ! " 
 
 My companion laughed. " Is that the subject which 
 has kept your thoughts busy during the last ten min- 
 utes ? If you have read your guide-book, as all good 
 travellers ought, you must have discovered why the 
 great Tsar forced his people to come to this bleak cor- 
 ner of Russia." 
 
 " I have read ' Murray,' of course, but I found no 
 such explanation." 
 
 " It is recorded that Peter the Great wished to have a 
 window from which he could look out into Europe, 
 therefore he founded St. Petersburg."
 
 STCHOUKINE DVOR. 89 
 
 " It is a very cold window, and his view of Europe 
 seems to be confined to the frozen waters of the Baltic," 
 I remarked frivolously. 
 
 We had reached home by this time, and the Suisse 
 hurried to unfasten the door. There is generally a 
 mysterious smell of cooking about the entrance to his 
 tiny room at the foot of the stairs, cooking mingled 
 with tobacco, and a sound of smothered cries, strangely 
 like those of a baby. Yet the family of our Suisse is sup- 
 posed to dwell in a small tenement round the corner.
 
 90 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 AN IMPERIAL CHRISTENING. 
 
 January 17. 
 
 ~\\ 7HEN I told Alice of my long walk with her 
 * * brother-in-law, she looked somewhat scandal- 
 ized, and said she wished I would be more careful. 
 
 " Even a maid," she went on to explain, " is not con- 
 sidered sufficient protection by the Russian ladies ; there 
 must be a married woman or a governess to make walk- 
 ing perfectly proper. Many girls are not allowed to go 
 out alone in their own carriages. That, of course, is 
 absurd." 
 
 " I should think so ! " I exclaimed indignantly. 
 
 " Russians are very particular with their daughters," 
 Alice continued. " A gentleman never, under any cir- 
 cumstances, asks for a young lady at the door, and never 
 leaves his card for her. The girls are not visible except 
 on their mamma's reception days, when they preside at 
 the tea-table." 
 
 " What a stupid time they must have ! " said Judith. 
 " But how well they speak French ! Monsieur d'Echaud 
 told me that the only way in which he could distinguish 
 Russian French from Parisian was by a slight drawl in 
 the former."
 
 AN IMPERIAL CHRISTENING. 91 
 
 " They are obliged to speak it well," returned Alice, 
 "it is used so much at court. The most wonderful 
 thing about the Russians is, that they speak so many 
 languages well. German, English, French, and Russian 
 are considered only ordinary accomplishments." 
 
 " I don't understand how they can do it," I sighed. 
 
 " Poor Dorris ! " laughed Alice. " Languages always 
 troubled you more than any other study; and I fear your 
 French would have been no better than your German, if 
 you had not been educated by a French governess." 
 
 " It is a singular fact," I owned humbly, " that when I 
 can read a language perfectly well, my tongue refuses to 
 speak it. How unfortunate I should be, if I had not 
 been taught French in my childhood ! " 
 
 " It is time to start for the palace ! " Alice exclaimed, 
 and we hurried down to the carriage. 
 
 The occasion which called us to the Winter Palace 
 was the baptism of the young Grand Duke Michael Alex- 
 androvitch, son of the Tsarevitch, in which ceremony our 
 cards of invitation indicated that we were to assist. 
 
 The day was perfect, bright sunshine, the thermome- 
 ter ten degrees above zero. I have to go through with a 
 sum in arithmetic every time I look at the thermometer. 
 To translate Raumer into Fahrenheit is something 
 which requires a talent for numbers. 
 
 Punctually at ten o'clock in the morning, the proces- 
 sion started from the Tsarevitch's palace. First, one 
 hundred of the Emperor's bodyguard, two platoons 
 of them, stretching from one side of the street to the 
 other. Behind them rode a solitary officer, and next
 
 92 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 four grooms in the imperial livery. A gilt coach fol- 
 lowed, drawn by six bay horses with gilt harness, and 
 containing the Master of Ceremonies of the Tsarevitch's 
 court. 
 
 A larger gilt coach came after the first, in which were 
 the Cushion Bearer and the Blanket Bearer, one of 
 them being Count Kotzebue, the Governor of Poland, 
 and the other Prince Suwaroff. Then appeared a third 
 gilt coach. In this was the Mistress of Ceremonies of 
 the Tsarevna's court, and the baby, " L' Auguste Grand- 
 Due Nouveau-NeY' about whom all this trouble was 
 taken ! 
 
 The equipage which carried him had outriders. Each 
 of the carriages had postilions, coachmen, two men in 
 the rumble, and three servants walking in the road on 
 either side, dressed in the imperial livery. Some of the 
 more prudent held up the skirts of their long, fur-lined 
 eoats, as they marched through the snow, thus present- 
 ing rather an absurd appearance. Another company of 
 Cossacks brought up the rear ; and the whole proces- 
 sion went, at an impressive, funereal pace, towards the 
 palace. 
 
 Judith and I were very gorgeous in our court dresses. 
 It seemed almost a pity that we could not always pre- 
 sent such a fine appearance. We both wore long trains, 
 and our dresses were low in the neck, as etiquette re- 
 quires for all court ceremonies. 
 
 We were admitted at the Door of the Council of the 
 Empire. Many people were taking off their wraps as 
 we entered, changing themselves from shapeless fur bun-
 
 AN IMPERIAL CHRISTENING. 93 
 
 dies into ladies in glittering costumes, and gentlemen in 
 uniform. We followed their example, and walked up the 
 broad staircase of white marble with carved oak balus- 
 trades, finding ourselves confronted with two beautiful 
 rosewood doors, ornamented with gilt, which opened at 
 our approach. We passed into a long hall, with in- 
 numerable windows on the right, looking over the 
 Neva, and on the left a conservatory, containing a 
 fountain, palm-trees, and many tropical plants. A bal- 
 cony, supported by pillars of white marble, added much 
 to the beauty of this room. 
 
 Some Masters of Ceremonies advanced towards us. 
 One was introduced to me ; but I was so occupied in 
 admiring the room that I only noticed the great height 
 of my escort. I soon became aware that he was also 
 very young, and that he was gazing at me in respectful 
 silence. 
 
 " You must pardon me," I exclaimed, " for having so 
 little to say. I am silent because I am anxious to see all 
 I can." 
 
 He bowed gravely. 
 
 " I suppose this is the first view you have had of the 
 palace, mademoiselle ? " 
 
 " Yes j and I hope I shall see much more of it." 
 
 He smiled. " Your wish will be gratified ; for we 
 have a great many rooms to pass through before we 
 reach the chapel. From here (walking to one of the 
 windows) you see the race-course, where we have races 
 every Sunday." 
 
 " But that is the river."
 
 94 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " Yes ; but the ice is so thick that there is not the 
 slightest danger. You should go to the races while you 
 are in Petersburg." 
 
 " On Sunday ! " I cried. 
 
 " True ! " he responded, in some confusion. " You 
 are Protestant." 
 
 "Yes; and my sister would be shocked if you sug- 
 gested such a thing to her." 
 
 "Will you come now ? " asked my companion, seeing 
 that the other occupants of the room had made a 
 move. 
 
 We followed, and skirted the conservatory, turning 
 into an apparently endless corridor, lined on one side 
 with portraits of the Emperors of Russia at all ages. 
 On the other side were windows looking into the Her- 
 mitage, and standards holding magnificent Sevres vases. 
 The rest of our walk was through a labyrinth of splen- 
 dor, of which I retain only a confused memory. I have 
 vague recollections of an enormous throne-room, with a 
 raised dais for the throne ; vistas of long passages, with 
 arched ceilings and painted walls ; a smaller throne- 
 room ; immense malachite vases; lapis-lazuli tables; 
 rosewood cabinets, with delicate painted panels ; ebony 
 doors, inlaid with gold, silver, and ivory; pillars of mar- 
 ble and granite, from Finland and Siberia ; a huge room 
 with rows of silver candelabra, reaching nearly from 
 floor to ceiling ; marqueterie floors, polished to such an 
 extent that it was with the utmost difficulty I kept my 
 equilibrium ; painted ceilings, mirrors, and pictures. 
 
 " It is certainly the most beautiful palace I ever saw," 
 I exclaimed.
 
 AN IMPERIAL CHRISTENING. 95 
 
 My companion looked pleased. 
 
 " And I suppose you have seen a great many palaces, 
 mademoiselle ? " 
 
 I was at a loss what to reply, for it had not occurred 
 to me until that moment that this was the first palace I 
 had ever entered. I hid my confusion, and answered 
 carelessly, " Oh, yes ! quantities." 
 
 Here, to my surprise, George presented himself. Ju- 
 dith having a gentleman on each side of her, perhaps 
 he thought he could not do better than join me. He 
 was in uniform, and looked very handsome, as I could 
 not but acknowledge. 
 
 " I hardly recognized you, Miss Romilly," he said. 
 
 " I was about to make the same remark to you, Count 
 Piloff." 
 
 " I feel like a monkey," he whispered confidentially. 
 " I have had so little occasion to wear this dress for the 
 last few years that I cannot forget my clothes for one 
 instant." 
 
 " I am in the same state of mind. This train is 
 nearly breaking my arm, and I am tormented with 
 thoughts of how soiled my dress is getting, sweeping 
 over these wooden floors. And, worst misery of all, 
 my slippers are too tight." 
 
 " You unfortunate little woman ! " he murmured. " That 
 last fact is enough to ruin your pleasure for the day. You 
 can stand on one foot and rest the other while the cere- 
 mony is going on." 
 
 " What a bond there is in affliction ! " said I. " It is 
 an unspeakable comfort for me to know that you are
 
 96 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 conscious of your clothes ; and if your shoes were only 
 a little too small, I should be perfectly happy." 
 
 " If I had known that such a little thing could make 
 you happy, I would willingly have worn a smaller 
 pair." 
 
 We both laughed, and I suddenly realized that my 
 " ceremonious man," as Tom called him, was still walk- 
 ing beside me, and might think us rude in holding such 
 a long conversation in English before him. I begged 
 his pardon, and asked him if he spoke that language. 
 He was obliged to confess, with many regrets, that he 
 did not. 
 
 " How much farther are we to walk ? " I inquired. 
 " We must have been half a mile already." 
 
 " We are nearly there now, mademoiselle " ; and almost 
 immediately we entered the chapel, where we found the 
 members of the diplomatic corps assembled, the gentle- 
 men in uniform, the ladies in court dress, that is, 
 dfaolle&eS) with long trains carried over one arm, as there 
 was seldom room enough to spread them out. The gen- 
 tlemen stood on one side of the room, and the ladies 
 on the other, in the regular order of precedence as re- 
 quired by the law of etiquette. 
 
 At the back of the chapel was a gilt iconostase, orna- 
 mented with rich jewels. In front of this screen was 
 the font. A gilt rail separated this part of the chapel 
 from that where we stood, typifying the goats, I sup- 
 pose. 
 
 The choir, dressed in red robes trimmed with yellow, 
 was already in its place. Presently the metropolitan of
 
 AN IMPERIAL CHRISTENING. 97 
 
 St. Petersburg, in a white brocade robe trimmed with 
 gold, and a tall, pointed hat, came from behind the 
 iconostase, bearing an icon, and followed by a priest 
 with holy water. About ten more priests succeeded 
 them, in gorgeous dress. 
 
 Who would not be an emperor's grandson. My re- 
 publican brain was so dazzled by this time that I had no 
 thought of criticism. Judith looked calmly superior, 
 as if she had been accustomed to such scenes from her 
 childhood, while I felt quite plebeian ; for I could not 
 hide my wonder and admiration. 
 
 The priests passed us as they went towards the en- 
 trance of the chapel, where they met the Emperor, who 
 kissed the icon, and was sprinkled with holy water. He 
 then bowed to us : we returned the salutation ; and he 
 stood on one side, while each member of his family en- 
 tered, and followed his example. The procession then 
 walked to the font, and the imperial family took up 
 their positions inside the gilt rail. After the rest of 
 the party had passed, the baby, completely covered 
 with cloth of gold, was borne in on a cushion by the 
 Princess Kourakine. The trains of the grand duchesses 
 were carried by pages. 
 
 The maids of honor and ladies and gentlemen be- 
 longing to the court now entered, and quite filled the 
 chapel. George stood near me, with a cold, uninter- 
 ested look on his face, his arms folded, and his eyes 
 travelling about in all directions. 
 
 The service lasted over two hours, during which time 
 we were obliged to stand. I could have borne this with
 
 98 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 resignation, if it had not been for my new slippers and 
 their pointed toes. 
 
 The Russian ladies were dressed in the national court 
 costume, which is very pretty. It consists of a white 
 silk or satin skirt; a low waist, long train, and wide, 
 open sleeves of colored velvet ; a tiara of the same 
 color, red seems to be preferred, and a veil at- 
 tached to the tiara, which falls down behind over the 
 dress. Of course these costumes were more or less ele- 
 gant, according to the materials and the jewels worn. 
 The jewels at this court surpass any others in Europe. 
 I am sure it would be safe to add Asia, also, but I have 
 no desire to exaggerate ; and, as I have never frequented 
 Asiatic courts, perhaps I am not competent to judge. 
 
 The Grand Duchess Constantine has the finest jewels 
 in Russia. On this occasion she wore a train of pearl- 
 gray satin, trimmed with bands of wide Russian sable. 
 The fur round the top of the waist was headed with dia- 
 monds, and fastened on one shoulder with an immense 
 emerald. Her petticoat was also of gray satin ; and 
 three rows of velvet, thickly sown with all kinds of 
 precious stones, extended . from her waist to her feet. 
 On her neck were strings of diamonds and pearls. 
 Her tiara was covered with little diamond points, and 
 her veil of rich old lace fell far down over her 
 dress. 
 
 There was a great deal of chanting by the metropoli- 
 tan and priests, and then the water in the font was 
 blessed. The child was separated in Some mysterious 
 way from all his clothes, and plunged into the font three
 
 AN IMPERIAL CHRISTENING. 99 
 
 times, head first. His nose and eyes were covered by 
 the metropolitan's hand, but the " Auguste Nouveau-Ne' " 
 cried like any ordinary baby, and evidently did not like 
 it at all. He was then given to the godmother, wrapped 
 up in blankets, and dozed quietly while another prayer 
 was said. He was only left in peace for a few minutes, 
 however. The priest presently anointed his ears, eyes, 
 mouth, hands, and feet with holy oil, that none of those 
 members should do any harm in life. When the little 
 fellow had recovered from this interruption, and begun 
 to calm down, he was again disturbed ; all his hair was 
 cut off and given to the godfather, who threw it into the 
 font. The Emperor stood as godfather. Holding a 
 lighted candle, he carried the baby three times around 
 the font, accompanied by the metropolitan and the god- 
 mother, also with candles ; and the choir chanted sol- 
 emnly as they made the tour. 
 
 The Emperor passed a blue ribbon about the child's 
 neck, investing him with the order of St. Andrew, after 
 which he was taken away, and appeared no more during 
 the services. The Tsarevitch came forward, and re- 
 ceived kisses and congratulations from his relatives'. 
 
 The exquisite Te Deum which the choir began to sing 
 made me for a few minutes forget the jewelled ladies 
 and ornamented gentlemen about me. All the bells in 
 the city were ringing, and the cannon at the fortress 
 was fired one hundred and one times. 
 
 The imperial family left the chapel, and we started 
 to follow. My new friend, who had escorted me there, 
 inquired what I thought of the service, and strolled on 
 by my side.
 
 100 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " It all seems so odd to me," I ended, after a long 
 eulogy on the music, the dresses, etc. " It is strange to 
 think of one person's having a right to stand in a cer- 
 tain spot, while no one else must put the toe of his shoe 
 on that spot. I could not help wondering what would 
 happen if I, finding that I could not see what I wished 
 from my position, should walk inside that rail, where 
 there was plenty of room, and stand beside the grand- 
 duchesses." 
 
 The young man looked rather startled. " Oh ! " he 
 cried, "no one ever goes there except the imperial 
 family." 
 
 " I know," I answered, laughing at my companion's 
 horror. " I had no idea of doing it. I only wondered 
 what would happen if I did." 
 
 He looked relieved. 
 
 " I suppose everything is quite different in America ? " 
 
 "Quite. No one takes precedence of any one else 
 there." 
 
 This was somewhat puzzling to my young friend ; but 
 he was too polite to show that he disapproved of my 
 country, so he refrained from criticism. 
 
 " It is a pity," he remarked, " that you will not see 
 the Empress at any of these ceremonies. She is very 
 delicate, and does not leave her own apartments." 
 
 " Are you discussing the Greek religion ? " asked 
 George, appearing just then at my other elbow. 
 
 " Nothing so important," I answered. " Only the 
 difference between Russia and America." 
 
 " That is a prolific subject. Pardon me for inter-
 
 AN IMPERIAL CHRISTENING. IOI 
 
 rupting for a moment. I wish to call your attention to 
 these walls. I don't believe, Monsieur Cheremenieff 
 has spoken to you about them." 
 
 I was glad to discover my new friend's name, though 
 I forgot it again in a few minutes. 
 
 " No," I said, "I have not noticed them before, but 
 they are very beautifully carved." 
 
 " Stucco ! " exclaimed George. " Nothing but stucco. 
 I suppose there is no country where the art of stuccoing 
 has been brought to such perfection as in Russia. Most 
 of the palaces and fine houses in the city are stuccoed. 
 I can count the stone edifices in Petersburg on my 
 fingers. Yet you Americans sneer at stucco." 
 
 We had been speaking in French, and Mr. Chereme- 
 nieff now put in a conciliatory word. " Perhaps you do 
 not understand about it in your country." 
 
 " It is true," I answered, " that there are many things 
 which we don't understand, and we are too ready to 
 sneer at them." 
 
 " You acknowledge that ! " cried George, laughing. 
 
 " I can willingly acknowledge our faults, we have so 
 few of them." 
 
 " Dorris ! Dorris ! " cried the impatient voices of my 
 relatives, " we are waiting for you." 
 
 This all happened yesterday. In the evening Tom 
 and Mr. Thurber returned from a bear-hunt. They 
 have been shooting those animals, in imagination, for 
 several weeks. When it comes to the reality it is a very 
 expensive amusement. 
 
 " Not as extravagant as keeping a yacht," Tom pro- 
 tested.
 
 102 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " Indeed, I should hope not," was Grace's unsatis- 
 factory reply. 
 
 Each bear costs at least one hundred dollars. You 
 must buy a heavy sheepskin coat and felt boots, like 
 those which the moujiks wear, besides the weapons 
 necessary for killing and skinning the creature. Then 
 you must employ two or three men to find a bear, and 
 pay them for their time, which generally amounts to 
 several days ; and he must be watched while you are 
 notified of his whereabouts. You take a railroad jour- 
 ney, hire a telega, and drive to the spot ; and then if you 
 do not shoot the bear in the eye, he gets away, and you 
 lose him altogether, or one of your attendant moujiks 
 kills him ingloriously for you. 
 
 It was late when the two gentlemen returned from 
 their excursion. Tom began at once to relate his thrill- 
 ing adventures and hairbreadth escapes, and it was 
 some time before I had a chance to ask him where the 
 bear was. 
 
 " The bear ? Oh, yes ! Well, do you know, Thurber 
 shot the bear, and I never saw anything done better." 
 
 Whereupon Mr. Thurber became the hero of the 
 hour, and poor Tom dwindled into insignificance. We 
 are going to have bear-steaks for dinner, and the Eng- 
 lishman is to share them with us, which reminds me 
 that I must begin to dress. 
 
 Evening. 
 
 He came early, and found me alone in the library. 
 Upon his inquiring why I was left in such solitude, I
 
 AN IMPERIAL CHRISTENING. 103 
 
 told him that I had had so little of my own society 
 lately that I felt like a stranger to myself. 
 
 " Ah ! " he said, in a serious tone, " then I am in- 
 truding." 
 
 " Not at all. I am not fond of strangers, so pray do 
 not go." 
 
 The characteristic wrinkle in my companion's nose 
 showed that he was amused. 
 
 " I wonder if any one has ever told you that the 
 tongue is a dangerous weapon ? " he asked. 
 
 " I remember vaguely to have read it somewhere. 
 But why ? Do you wish me to be silent that you may 
 talk ? " 
 
 " Heaven forbid ! " he cried. " I have been exerting 
 myself in that way all the afternoon, and I came here to 
 rest." 
 
 " To have a man confess that he comes to me for rest 
 is a bit of flattery which I shall not soon forget." 
 
 " Really ! " said my companion nonchalantly. " What 
 does Mr. Novissilsky come to you for ? " 
 
 " To talk about my cousin." 
 
 " Ah ! " A moment's reflection, and then he added, 
 "One would say, you know, that Count Piloff was a 
 desperate admirer of your cousin's. George Piloff, I 
 mean." 
 
 I looked at him with some surprise. Was Chilton 
 Thurber degenerating into a gossip ? However, I was 
 glad to have some one to talk the matter over with, so 
 I told him all I knew about Judith, beginning with her 
 attachment to the young man in Vienna. I thought if
 
 104 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 Mr. Thurber had any lingering fondness for her, it would 
 do no harm to let him know that there were rivals in 
 the field. 
 
 He was silent for some minutes after I finished speak- 
 ing; then, 
 
 " Why have you such a prejudice against Count 
 Piloff ? " 
 
 " Prejudice ! " I repeated, vexed at being accused of 
 such weakness. " It is not a prejudice. But I dislike 
 his manner ; and the fact that he is a foreigner is against 
 him. I should be very unhappy if any one whom I 
 loved were to marry a foreigner." 
 
 " Then you would advocate your cousin's being faith- 
 ful to her first love," dryly. 
 
 " Certainly. I do not understand how a woman can 
 change in that way. It seems to me that if I loved a 
 man once, I should love him forever ; and the women 
 who are in love with a new man every year are gen- 
 erally those with very little character," I added with 
 excitement. 
 
 My companion smiled in a superior manner, but 
 refrained from contradiction. 
 
 " Every one likes Count Piloff," he said, after a mo- 
 ment. " Why should you not agree with other people ? " 
 
 " Do you like him ? " I asked boldly. 
 
 Mr. Thurber did not seem in the least discomposed 
 by my question, but answered unhesitatingly, 
 
 " Yes ; I think him an agreeable fellow, excellent 
 company, and not much like a Russian." 
 
 "There spoke a prejudiced Englishman! I would
 
 AN IMPERIAL CHRISTENING. 105 
 
 rather have him a thorough Russian than a cosmopoli- 
 tan. To speak frankly, I don't know why I should not 
 like him, unless it is because he is so unconscious that 
 one can look upon him with any feelings except those 
 of admiration." 
 
 " I think that is simply a manner which every man 
 acquires who goes into society so much as he does, and 
 in so many different countries. If you knew him as I 
 do, you would acknowledge that he is thoroughly trust- 
 worthy ; and he has one quality which I have rarely 
 found among his compatriots, or, in fact, among society 
 men anywhere. I mean truthfulness. There was a time 
 when I doubted him, but this virtue has been proved to 
 me beyond dispute. I think you are unjust to him. 
 From a worldly point of view Count Piloff is certainly 
 all that can be required to constitute a suitable match 
 for your cousin." 
 
 I sighed. " I cannot bear to think of Judith's marry- 
 ing a foreigner." 
 
 Then I began to wonder what had happened to make 
 Mr. Thurber talk so much to me and in such a confiden- 
 tial manner. Every time I see him he does something 
 which surprises me. He broke the silence by saying, 
 " Does your antipathy to foreigners as husbands extend 
 to Englishmen ? " 
 
 Aha ! thought I, I see what you are thinking of. 
 Aloud I answered carelessly, 
 
 " To a certain extent, yes. But although Englishmen 
 do not make so good husbands as Americans, they come 
 nearer my standard of excellence than any other for-
 
 106 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 eigners. Fortunately, however, I have no authority over 
 Judith, and in about six months she may marry whom 
 she chooses." 
 
 " Ah ! " murmured the impassive young man beside 
 me. 
 
 After a moment he went on, with a strange tone in 
 his voice, " I was thinking of you when I asked the 
 question." 
 
 For an instant my heart stood still ; then I concluded 
 I must have misunderstood him, so I counted the stitches 
 in my work calmly, and said, 
 
 " I never think of myself in that way. As I do not 
 intend to marry, I have no occasion to look upon any 
 one I meet in the light of a possible husband." 
 
 Mr. Thurber sat up stiffly in his chair, and gazed 
 attentively at me. I could feel his eye-glass, though 
 I did not meet his glance. 
 
 " Why do you not intend to marry ? " he asked 
 suddenly. 
 
 " For reasons best known to myself," I said, with 
 some asperity, adding afterwards, with a little laugh, 
 " You force me to be rude in my replies. I can only 
 tell you that I have good reasons, and that I shall never 
 marry." 
 
 His face did not relax ; he still gazed at me, and 
 murmured under his breath, " Ah ! " 
 
 I folded up my work slowly, and brought a news- 
 paper from the table, which I handed to him, 
 
 " There ! I know you wish to read your ' Times.' I 
 have a note to write."
 
 AN IMPERIAL CHRISTENING. JO? 
 
 He took the paper meekly, and after watching me 
 curiously for a moment, became , absorbed in its con- 
 tents, while I tried to collect myself. It is the most 
 surprising experience I ever had. Was it an offer, or 
 was it not ? No one knows but Mr. Thurber, and I 
 strongly suspect that he will never tell me. I am afraid 
 he is not very deeply in love, or he would not have been 
 so easily repulsed.
 
 108 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 EPIPHANY. 
 
 January 18. 
 
 "\\ 7E have just returned from the palace, where we 
 * ^ went to see the blessing of the Neva, which 
 always takes place on this date. It is the Russian 
 Epiphany. It was quite an interesting ceremony, or 
 would have been so if I could have seen more of it. 
 
 A pavilion was erected on the border of the river oppo- 
 site the main entrance to the palace, and a carpet spread 
 across the road. There was such a crowd in the hall 
 where we were that I feared we should not be able to 
 get near a window ; but Prince Tucheff procured a re- 
 tired corner, from which we had a view of the street 
 below. He stationed himself behind me and beside 
 Judith, who never turned her head towards the window, 
 and who, consequently, knows as much about the bless- 
 ing of the Neva as she does about Greek. I could not 
 avoid overhearing some of their conversation, as I was 
 so near. I hailed the appearance of Mr. Cheremenieff 
 with relief, for my position was growing embarrassing. 
 
 " Why don't they begin ? " I asked. 
 
 "The service is now going on in the chapel below. At 
 its close, the priests will go out upon the river. But
 
 EPIPHANY. 109 
 
 look at the crowd, mademoiselle ! Is not that a wonder- 
 ful sight ? " 
 
 It really was. Rows of mounted policemen lined the 
 path from palace to pavilion where the carpet was 
 spread : behind them appeared a surging, swaying mass 
 of human beings. At intervals of two or three minutes, 
 as the people encroached on the path, the policemen 
 forced them to retreat by spurring their horses into the 
 heart of the crowd, and making them kick and rear ; we 
 could hear the screams of women, mingling with the 
 dull roar of the mob. 
 
 " Oh ! " I cried in horror. " Is any one killed ? " 
 
 " I think not," replied my companion, with an easy 
 smile. 
 
 "I feel like Marie Antoinette, when the mob was 
 under her window at Versailles. I am afraid of that 
 crowd." 
 
 "They are very gentle and patient," he said re- 
 assuringly. 
 
 " Yes, but there are so many of them ! " 
 
 " I suppose you never see a crowd like that in Amer- 
 ica," said Mr. Cheremenieff. 
 
 How tiresome it is to be constantly reminded that you 
 are a foreigner ! One would think an American was an 
 entirely different species from an ordinary woman. I 
 answered, rather impatiently, " Oh yes, plenty of 
 them," and turned my attention to the window. 
 
 A cheerful voice at my ear brought my eyes back to 
 the room. 
 
 "Is n't it tiresome to wait so long?" cried George, giv-
 
 1 10 THE fSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 ing a glance at Judith and her companion, as he accosted 
 me. 
 
 "I don't mind it," I responded, "so long as I have 
 something pleasant to talk about." 
 
 " But suppose you had not," he persisted, laughing. 
 " Suppose all the pleasure which you had been looking 
 forward to had proved to be only let me see don't 
 you say Dead Sea fruit ? " 
 
 " Yes, I say it sometimes ; but I should think you 
 rarely had occasion to say so." 
 
 He looked at me with a face which told that he was 
 amused and surprised. 
 
 " How cynical you are ! So life is supposed to be all 
 bright for me, and all bitter for you ? " 
 
 "I did not say that ! " I retorted angrily. "I am not 
 such a child. I only meant .that I was subject to attacks 
 of the blues ; and I don't believe you are." 
 
 His gaze travelled past me, and out of the window. 
 
 " I misunderstood you," he said quietly. " Pardon 
 me." 
 
 I always seem to be at a disadvantage with George. If 
 I lose my temper, or make a foolish speech, it is sure to 
 be when he is present. 
 
 I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, wonder- 
 ing if he were annoyed ; and I sighed audibly. 
 
 My companion turned his eyes from the landscape, 
 and glanced at me with a half-amused expression. 
 
 " What is the matter ? Do you feel an attack of the 
 blues coming on ? " 
 
 " It is nothing to laugh at," I returned, with some
 
 EPIPHANY. Ill 
 
 spirit. " If I were blue, I should not come to you for 
 sympathy." 
 
 " Why not ? " 
 
 " Because I think you have n't such a thing in your 
 nature." 
 
 " Now, that, Miss Romilly, is extremely unjust. How 
 can you know whether I am sympathetic or not ? Do 
 you think you understand me thoroughly, after such a 
 short acquaintance ? " 
 
 I could not determine whether he was in earnest or 
 not ; so I answered, at random, 
 
 " No, I am not so rash." 
 
 " You have not told me why you sighed in such a dis- 
 mal way." 
 
 " Because I was sorry for you." 
 
 " Indeed ! " (amusement showing itself in his eyes.) 
 " May I ask why ? " 
 
 "You looked so melancholy, just then." 
 
 " That was kind of you," he said, smilingly. " If you 
 knew what made me thoughtful, I deny being mel- 
 ancholy, you would not feel at all sorry for me." 
 
 " Then it is as well that I do not know ? " I re- 
 torted. 
 
 " You never shall, if I can help it," he muttered under 
 his breath. 
 
 " I beg pardon ? " I said sweetly. " I did not 
 hear." 
 
 " And I did not intend that you should " (with a grave 
 smile). " But," he added, " I don't mean to be rude, and 
 I fear I seem so. How forbearing you are to-day ! "
 
 112 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " I am endeavoring to show you that I can sometimes 
 keep my temper." 
 
 " You have proved that beyond dispute ! " he ex- 
 claimed, with a hearty laugh. 
 
 " Count Piloff," said I, " will you tell me why there 
 is nothing going on down there ? " indicating the 
 road. 
 
 " Because the service in the chapel is not yet over. 
 Patience is a virtue which those who frequent palaces 
 must cultivate." 
 
 " Well, as there is nothing to look at outside, perhaps 
 you will be good enough to tell me why you treat me as 
 if I were a child ? " 
 
 I said this rather frivolously, smiling at him as I 
 awaited his reply. He hesitated for some time ; then 
 said, 
 
 " I cannot imagine why I do " (in a musing tone), 
 "unless it is because you seem such a child to me." 
 
 I gazed at him in astonishment too deep for utterance. 
 He looked upon me, Dorris Romilly, who consid- 
 ered herself quite a woman of the world, and was so 
 considered by most of her friends, as a child ! Amaze- 
 ment kept me silent for the moment. I could think of 
 no words strong enough to convince him of his mis- 
 take. When I did speak, it was to utter but a feeble 
 protest. 
 
 " I am twenty-five, and I feel fifty." 
 
 This only made him smile again. 
 
 "You are wonderfully like a child sometimes," he 
 said at last ; " and the next moment you are a woman."
 
 EPIPHANY. 113 
 
 This soothed me somewhat. 
 
 " To-day," he went on, with a kind smile, " you have 
 appeared in the former character. What you will be 
 to-morrow is a mystery which I cannot fathom. Last 
 Sunday, you were " (he stopped suddenly). 
 
 " What was I then ? " I asked eagerly. 
 
 He responded gravely, " Yourself." 
 
 I looked puzzled, as I felt. 
 
 " You wonder," he continued, with that look of quiet 
 amusement which I had noticed before, "whether I mean 
 charming or the reverse." 
 
 "I wonder nothing of the sort," said I quickly, with a 
 warm color in my face. 
 
 "Think no more about it ; for here comes the proces- 
 sion." 
 
 A number of priests, bearing banners, appeared be- 
 low us ; and every head in the crowd was uncovered, 
 remaining so through the service, which lasted about 
 fifteen minutes. 
 
 The priests were followed by officers, more priests, 
 tattered flags, and the choir, which chanted all the time. 
 They disappeared in the pavilion, and we could only hear 
 the music. The cold was intense ; and the men in the 
 crowd rubbed their ears and their bare heads, as they 
 listened in rapt devotion to the service. 
 
 Finding that I could see and hear nothing, I turned, 
 expecting to find a vacant place, where George had been ; 
 but he was still there. 
 
 " I am so glad you have not gone," I cried, " for I have 
 been intending to ask you a question for a long time,
 
 114 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 and I never could remember it when I was with you. 
 Why were you named George?" 
 
 "1 am sorry if my name displeases you. But St. 
 George was a great character in his day, and perhaps 
 my mother thought I might resemble him," he answered, 
 smiling. "You know our choice of names is limited, 
 for each member of the Greek Church must be named 
 for some saint." 
 
 " I did not know that you belonged to that church." 
 
 " I was baptized in it, therefore I suppose that I am 
 a member. But I asstjre you St. George is altogether 
 the greatest saint we haye, and the Order of St. George 
 is the highest in Russia. The first class of the order is 
 given only to one who has commanded one hundred 
 thousand men in a successful war. The Emperor and 
 the Grand Duke Nicolas are the only persons in this 
 country who have it. So I trust you wil} forgive me for 
 having such an ugly name." 
 
 *'I don't know that it js so very ugly," I replied 
 thoughtfully, " wlien one gets accustomed to it." 
 
 " Try and become accustomed to it, then," said my 
 companion, with a laugh. 
 
 " I ask a great many questions, I know," apolo- 
 getically ; then I added abruptly, " Where is every one 
 going ? " 
 
 " Into the next room for lunch, I fancy. Let us go 
 too." 
 
 ' I do not feel as if I had seen the Neva blessed, after 
 all,'' I murmured, as I moved away reluctantly.
 
 EPIPHANY. 115 
 
 Later. 
 
 Alice and I have been painting from the same model, 
 a little Italian whom she found in the street. He is 
 named Alberto, and he says that he came alone from 
 Naples. He talks freely enough, but I have been una- 
 ble to discover his reason for leaving the sunny land of 
 his birth to visit this inhospitable climate. I asked him 
 if the Russians were not very poor. 
 
 " Oh, no ! " he cried, and went on to describe the 
 moujik's life as quite a paradise compared with that of 
 the Italian peasant. 
 
 There is such a depth of ignorance in the faces of 
 some of these moujiks ! I wish I could speak Russian ; 
 I should like to be able to ask questions, and learn 
 something about this strange people. 
 
 "You Russians," I said to Nicolas the other day, 
 " are so I hardly know how to express it so light. 
 There seems no depth to you, no earnestness." 
 
 " You forget," he answered gravely, " that you only 
 know the society element, which is much alike in all 
 countries. Strangers come here, stay a year or two in 
 Petersburg, and then go away and write a book, think- 
 ing they know all about us. What does a man under- 
 stand of America who goes to New York and Newport 
 only, and spends his time in society and at the clubs ? " 
 
 "True," I replied. " It is unjust." 
 
 So I have given up trying to judge the Russians. I 
 take them as I find them, a kind-hearted, hospitable, 
 cordial, highly cultivated nation ; and I find them ex- 
 tremely pleasant to live with. The women look much
 
 Il6 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 like Americans, and are unusually bright. They are 
 pale, and remind me a little of hothouse plants. Large 
 feet are the exception ; even the peasants have pretty 
 feet. 
 
 What strange creatures Englishmen are ! Mr. Thur- 
 ber, who spends two or three months here every year, 
 seldom has a good word to say for poor Russia. 
 
 " At least," I remonstrated, " you will acknowledge 
 that the Neva is a fine river ? " 
 
 He pondered a moment, then replied, 
 
 " Do you know, I think a river can be too large ! " 
 
 January 19. 
 
 The pictures in the Hermitage, especially the Mu- 
 rillos, are my constant delight. I am very ambitious, 
 and am trying to copy the head of the Virgin in Muril- 
 lo's" Assumption." I wish I had taken something easier. 
 Mr. Thurber comes in nearly every day to observe the 
 progress of my work. His criticisms are too just to 
 be encouraging. 
 
 This morning I induced him to leave the Spanish 
 school, and look at the pictures by Russian artists, 
 which we discussed in detail. Then, as I felt tired, 
 we sat down in a window embrasure, and continued 
 our conversation. 
 
 " How I long to see the gallery in Madrid ! " I cried. 
 
 " Why do you not go there ? " 
 
 "That would be so easy! " I answered sarcastically. 
 
 " Nothing easier," he remarked calmly. " When you 
 leave here, take a trip through Spain."
 
 EPIPHANY. 117 
 
 I looked at him blankly. 
 
 " In the first place, Grace would not listen to the 
 idea ; but even if she went, it would not be possible for 
 me to do so. You speak as if it were a mere nothing ; 
 let me assure you that it would cost a large amount of 
 money, and I have none to spare. I am not an heiress 
 like Judith ; my income is very small, and a journey to 
 Spain would be quite beyond me." 
 
 " I thought all Americans were wealthy." 
 
 " I dare say you did. That is a popular fallacy abroad. 
 I believe I never met a foreigner who was not imbued 
 with it." 
 
 " You still persist in calling me a foreigner ? " he asked, 
 with a half smile. 
 
 " You are one, you know, though of the least objec- 
 tionable nation." 
 
 I got up, and we began to stroll towards the entrance, 
 where the sledge was to come for me at a quarter to 
 two. 
 
 " It wants five-and-twenty minutes to the hour," said 
 Mr. Thurber. " You will have to wait." 
 
 " Never mind." 
 
 I sat down and watched a gayly dressed attendant, 
 who was walking leisurely about. 
 
 "I wonder," said I thoughtfully, "whether there will 
 be any servants in the house with whom I can communi- 
 cate when I get home. If the butler is there, I can 
 give my order in English, otherwise I must tell my 
 maid in French, she will tell the footman in German, 
 and he will tell the moujik or the cook in Russian. I
 
 Il8 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 ordered some wood the other day, and they brought me 
 hot water." 
 
 " I fancied that you had learned words enough to 
 make your wants known." 
 
 " So I have, two or three times over, and forgotten 
 them again. I never knew anything so easy to forget 
 as Russian." 
 
 " Housekeeping among a people whose language you 
 do not understand must be difficult." 
 
 " It would be, except that my sister lets the house 
 keep itself. I doubt if she knows how many servants 
 she has, and I am sure she is in a blissful state of igno- 
 rance as to where they eat and sleep. The moujiks are 
 supposed to 'keep themselves,' but I never pass the 
 butler's pantry that I don't see one of them eating, or 
 drinking tea. To be sure, they get very small wages, 
 so I don't blame them for picking up all they can." 
 
 " There is such an infinite number of them in every 
 house which I enter," said my companion. "They 
 seem to be employed to wait on the other servants." 
 
 " So they are. We have one for the butler, one for 
 the cook, one to trim the lamps and take care of the 
 fires, and one to polish the floors. I don't know the 
 exact number, but I am continually coming upon long- 
 haired and bearded figures, in high boots and gay- 
 colored shirts, who draw themselves up against the wall 
 and murmur ' Zdrasty ' as I pass. I feel as if I were in 
 a theatre all the time." 
 
 " On the whole, you would not fancy housekeeping in 
 this country ? " looking at me sharply.
 
 EPIPHANY. 119 
 
 " I don't say that," I answered impatiently, tapping 
 my heels on the floor. " Why did we come here instead 
 of stopping to look at the pictures ? " 
 
 " Because you preferred to come down," he responded, 
 with a touch of annoyance. 
 
 " Ah, here is Vasili ! " I cried. " If you do not 
 mind," turning to Mr. Thurber, " I will take you with 
 me in the sledge. It is extremely improper, but if I 
 wrap my collar well about my face, no one will know 
 that I am not Grace ; and a married woman may do 
 anything she likes." 
 
 " I believe no one cares enough about me to criticise 
 me," he replied, stepping into the sledge after me. 
 
 " It seems absurd for us not to go together when our 
 destination is the same." 
 
 Reaching home, we found the family sitting over the 
 remains of luncheon, George bearing them company. I 
 fell to at once, with a good appetite. 
 
 Suddenly Tom exclaimed, " By the way, how did you 
 and Thurber happen to arrive at the same instant ? " 
 
 " Because we came in the same sledge, I suppose," I 
 answered calmly. 
 
 "No!'" cried Tom. "I wonder you were not afraid 
 Thurber would run away with you." 
 
 " Don't try to be funny," I responded, peacefully eat- 
 ing my kalatch. "Mr. Thurber has had no lunch. 
 Why don't you offer him some tea ? " 
 
 " Will you give it to him ? " said Grace. "Judith and 
 I have to go out, and Vasili is waiting." 
 
 " I will " ; and I approached the samovar, while Grace
 
 120 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 and Judith took their departure. George went to the 
 door with them, and then returned to his old position in 
 front of the sideboard. I gave a sly glance at him, and 
 thought he seemed depressed. 
 
 " Tom," I cried abruptly, " do you know what I was 
 thinking of the other day at the christening? " 
 
 " No." My brother-in-law was all eager attention. 
 
 " I was wondering what Uncle John would have said 
 had he been there." 
 
 Tom gave one of his hearty laughs, not a " parlor 
 laugh," as Judith says, but very contagious and pleasant 
 to hear. 
 
 " I hope you did n't suggest that to Alice." 
 
 " I did, and she looked horrified." 
 
 " I should think so. You ought to see Uncle John " 
 (turning to Mr. Thurber), " to appreciate this." 
 
 " He is a most worthy old man," I continued, " but 
 not exactly the kind that one would wish to present at 
 court as a relative." 
 
 " I don't know that he is a worthy old man," broke in 
 Tom. " He is an old miser." 
 
 " But a good Baptist," I persisted. " He generally 
 sits in the kitchen, with his feet on the stove, chewing 
 tobacco, in the winter. In warm weather he occupies 
 the ' pyazzy,' as he calls it, and goes without a coat." 
 
 " What an eccentric person ! " remarked Mr. Thurber. 
 
 " Once a year," I continued, stopping to drink my tea 
 before I finished the sentence, " he used to make a raid 
 upon us. He came to the city for a change. He al- 
 ways arrived when we least expected him. He never
 
 EPIPHANY. 121 
 
 shaved oftener than once a week. What overcoats he 
 wore ! and oh, how ashamed we used to be of him ! " 
 
 Tom and I laughed in concert, and George joined us. 
 Mr. Thurber's face wore a polite smile. 
 
 " But if you slighted Uncle John," I went on, watch- 
 ing the Englishman intently, but telling my story in a 
 half-laughing way, " he talked about your being ' stuck 
 up,' and ' feeling big,' and ' he guessed he was as good 
 as any one ! ' What a contrast," I sighed, " between 
 him and the Grand Duchess Vladimir ! So little pre- 
 tension in her, so much in him ! Uncle John would 
 feel sure that he was as important a personage as the 
 Emperor, if he were to come here. I would like to 
 know what they would all think of him." 
 
 " Let us hope," said George, " that the old gentleman 
 will not take it into his head to visit Russia." 
 
 I shuddered. " What a mercy that he is so stingy, 
 else he would undoubtedly come." 
 
 " Has he much money? " 
 
 "I don't know. Tom thinks so, because he never 
 spends any." 
 
 Mr. Thurber looked slightly bored. 
 
 " There ! " I said mentally, " the story of Uncle John 
 has disgusted him, and I am spared the disagreeable 
 task of refusing him. Undeceiving him as to my being 
 an heiress perhaps had some weight, but Uncle John 
 has certainly turned the scales." 
 
 While I was reflecting on this, and finishing my lunch 
 in silence, scarcely hearing what the others said, I found 
 George watching me intently. Could it have been my
 
 122 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 imagination which made me think he looked sorry for 
 me ? I cannot tell ; the expression vanished so quickly 
 that I hardly know by what word to describe it. I 
 smiled as I met his eye, and inquired, " Why do you 
 look at me so earnestly ? " 
 
 " I am thinking," he answered slowly, " that un- 
 doubtedly you are a good judge of character; but do 
 not make a mistake and judge too hastily." 
 
 Tom and Mr. Thurber were deep in a question of 
 Eastern politics. I looked at George interrogatively. 
 " What do you mean ? " 
 
 " Only what I say," was his answer ; and this was all 
 the satisfaction he gave me.
 
 TROIKA PARTIES. 12$ 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 TROIKA PARTIES. 
 
 January 23. 
 "XT 7HAT is one to do with a man who will not take 
 
 * * No for an answer ? Ever since my conversa- 
 tion with Mr. Thurber, recorded on a previous page, he 
 has constituted himself my cavalier servante. I never 
 go anywhere that he does not follow ; I never express a 
 wish for anything that he does not attempt to gratify it. 
 When he is talking to me, the other people who happen 
 to be in the room leave us altogether out of their con- 
 versation ; and when he joins us in our walks, I am 
 invariably left to walk with him. In vain I struggle to 
 impress people with the idea that I do not prefer Mr. 
 Thurber's company to all others. I am met with an in- 
 dulgent smile ; and, most significant of all, Tom has 
 ceased to chaff me ! They all seem to take it for 
 granted that we are in love with each other ; and the 
 cool way in which Mr. Thurber appropriates me is irri- 
 tating beyond measure. 
 
 Alice had invited a few friends to dinner one night. 
 She and Grace sat down with a sheet of paper and a pen- 
 cil, to decide where the guests should be placed. I was 
 about to go for a drive with Judith ; but I determined to 
 give them something to ponder over while I was out.
 
 124 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 "I don't care how you seat the people," I said quietly, 
 as I reached the door; then, turning towards them to 
 give full effect to my words, " but if you put me beside 
 Mr. Thurber, I will never show myself at another of 
 your dinner parties." So saying, I left the room ab- 
 ruptly, and waited in the sledge for Judith. 
 
 There was a little pout on her face when she appeared. 
 We were muffled up so that we could not move our 
 heads ; and my cousin's voice was almost lost in her 
 capacious fur collar when she began to speak to me. 
 
 " You are ruining the dinner," were the words which 
 at last reached my ears. " Russians do not like the 
 English ; and if you put him beside either of those 
 Russian ladies, they will not speak to him " (the rest 
 was lost). 
 
 " If you mean Mr. Thurber," I responded, " I don't 
 know why he should have been asked at all. I did not 
 want him; and I don't see why he cannot be put between 
 you and Grace. You are not Russians, and you don't 
 dislike Englishmen." 
 
 " But, dear Dorris ! (earnestly) I have to sit next 
 Prince Tucheff. Grace is on your side of the table, and 
 will be on Mr. Thurber's right ; and if he sits by me, 
 George must go between you and Grace, and that will 
 make things all wrong." 
 
 "Oh! " I cried, with some asperity, "let him sit next 
 me, by all means. I prefer him to George, if I must have 
 a choice of evils." 
 
 " I think," said my companion, " that you might have 
 confessed your preference for Mr. Thurber at once, in-
 
 TROIKA PARTIES. 12$ 
 
 stead of playing indifference. I knew you would not be 
 satisfied unless you had him." 
 
 Her gay laugh rang out on the frosty air. 
 
 "Judith," I responded severely, "your remarks are 
 not only in bad taste, but they are unkind. Why every 
 one " (growing peevish in my tone) " should take it for 
 granted that I am in love with that Englishman, I fail to 
 see ! " 
 
 I knew by Judith's voice when she replied that she 
 was smothering her laughter. " Because you are so 
 touchy about him." 
 
 " Nonsense ! " cried I sharply, and then subsided into 
 silence, which seemed to be my only refuge. 
 
 When we reached home we found George in the ante- 
 room, bandaging the leg of a brown setter, of which he 
 is very fond. His occupation was so absorbing that he 
 noticed us only by a bow ; and we joined the group of 
 admiring moujiks who were watching the operation. The 
 leg was apparently badly injured ; and George was as 
 tender as a woman in his way of handling it, and even 
 to my unpractised eye betrayed much skill. Slowly and 
 carefully he finished his task, then made the dog lie 
 down, and turned his attention to us. 
 
 " An experienced surgeon could hardly have done it 
 better than that," he said to Judith ; then addressing 
 me, 
 
 " The dog was run over just under your window, and I 
 brought him in at once. I hope you don't mind my 
 making a hospital of the house ? " with a smile. 
 
 "Poor fellow!" said Judith, addressing the dog,
 
 126 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 before I had time to answer. "Will you leave him 
 here ? " 
 
 ' Oh, no. I shall take him with me." 
 
 " But you are coming in first ? " I said, walking to- 
 wards the drawing-room door. 
 
 They both followed. Judith, seeming to be pos- 
 sessed with a spirit of mischief, immediately began ta 
 speak. 
 
 " Dorris and I have just had another quarrel." 
 
 I smiled. I had almost recovered from my annoyance, 
 so I could afford to do so. 
 
 " A very serious one ! " I exclaimed, tossing my hat 
 on a table, and pushing my hair away from my forehead, 
 while Judith sat down, and began slowly to pull off her 
 gloves. 
 
 " One of you," said George, " is a dangerous person 
 to live with, or is it both ? " 
 
 " It is Dorris, of course." 
 
 " Quite true," I responded meekly. " I am generally 
 in fault." 
 
 " Oh, I was only joking," cried my cousin. " One 
 cannot quarrel alone. But," she added, with a loving 
 little smile, " we don't disagree much, after all. I am 
 not afraid of Dorris : I tell her what I think, and then 
 she forgives me. A quarrel with you," turning to 
 George, " would be a much more serious matter." 
 
 He was looking over some photographs which lay on 
 the table, and paid no attention to Judith's remark, ex- 
 cept to say, in rather an absent manner, " Why ? " 
 
 " I think," she answered reflectively, " that it would
 
 TROIKA PARTIES. I2/ 
 
 take a great deal to make you angry, but that when 
 your wrath is once aroused, it is deep. I should say it 
 would be difficult for you to forgive." 
 
 He was looking attentively at one of the pictures, 
 turned it round to see the artist's name on the back, 
 and then showed it to me. " When did you have this 
 taken ? " 
 
 " Just before I left America." 
 
 " It is very poor." And before I could say " Thank 
 you ! " he spoke abruptly to Judith : " So you think that 
 I am unforgiving? What does Miss Dorris Romilly 
 think ? " playing absently with the photograph, and 
 speaking as if his mind were somewhere else. 
 
 Judith broke in, as I was hesitating what to reply, " I 
 know what she is going to say. She is preparing to tell 
 you, in her most sarcastic manner, that she has never 
 thought about it at all." 
 
 George laughed, with a tinge of bitterness. 
 
 " Why should she think about it ? " looking at me 
 with what seemed like unnecessary earnestness. " I 
 was insufferably conceited to imagine that she had given 
 an instant's attention to such an insignificant subject as 
 my character." 
 
 " If I had done so," said I, smothering a yawn, " doubt- 
 less you suppose that my judgment of you would be 
 different from Judith's." 
 
 " Yes," resuming the study of the photograph. " If 
 you have any opinion of me, I should say it was not a 
 favorable one." 
 
 "Why do you say that?" I asked, beginning to feel 
 interested.
 
 128 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " If I answered that question, I should be wandering 
 very far frorh the original subject of conversation, for I 
 should tell you something about yourself." 
 
 " Oh, pray tell it ! " cried Judith. " I would like to 
 hear it." 
 
 " Perhaps Miss Dorris would not." 
 
 " Disagreeable truths are generally useful things to 
 hear. I am not afraid of them," said I, in an indifferent 
 tone, leaning my head against the back of my chair and 
 half closing my eyes. 
 
 " This is not very disagreeable," pursued Count Piloff, 
 biting his mustache, and looking at me rather uneasily. 
 "I was only going to say that you impress me as a 
 young woman who wraps herself in cold indifference, 
 and looks down from the pedestal in calm criticism upon 
 us, poor struggling mortals. As I am a vast distance 
 below your level, you would naturally find much to con- 
 demn and little to commend in me." 
 
 He stopped ; I opened my eyes to their widest extent, 
 and gave him one look ; then tried, unsuccessfully, to 
 resume my nonchalant manner. He met my glance 
 coldly, with a half-smile on his face. He could have 
 said nothing which would have made me so angry as to 
 insinuate that I set myself up as superior to all the 
 world. That was unmistakably his meaning, politely 
 expressed. 
 
 Inwardly fuming, I strove to be outwardly calm as I 
 answered, after a moment's pause, during which both of 
 my companions looked at me expectantly, "You were 
 right in saying it was ' not very disagreeable.' You
 
 TROIKA PARTIES. 129 
 
 only mean that I think myself better than other people. 
 I dare say that is true." 
 
 " Indeed, it is not true," cried Judith indignantly. 
 "The only trouble with Dorris is that she sees her 
 faults too plainly for her own happiness." 
 
 "Well," I said, laughing, " I must be a very enigmati- 
 cal person, to call forth two opinions so exactly the 
 opposite of each other." 
 
 George looked from me to Judith, and from her back 
 again to me, with a covert amusement in his face which 
 puzzled me. 
 
 "I know you better than Count Piloff does," insisted 
 my champion, with a brilliant red spot in each cheek. 
 
 He smiled. "You asked me for my opinion, Miss 
 Judith, and now you are finding fault with me for 
 giving it." 
 
 "No, not for giving it] for having such an utterly 
 foolish one." 
 
 Here we all laughed, and Judith said, " I insist upon 
 your telling him what you think about him, Dorris, 
 whether you agree with me that he is unforgiving." 
 
 " But has she not already allowed that she has never 
 given the subject a thought?" 
 
 " No," said I hastily ; " it was you who said that. I 
 did not agree to it." 
 
 " Very well, then. Let us hear it." 
 
 " I was only going to say," I began slowly, " that you 
 have too little depth of feeling to be unforgiving. It is 
 not so politely expressed as your opinion of me, but it 
 is quite as flattering."
 
 130 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 A slight tinge of red mounted to George's forehead, 
 and a look which I should have called pain in any other 
 person, but which in him I translated vexation, came 
 into his eyes. He spoke at once, quite earnestly, 
 
 " You are very, very much mistaken, Miss Romilly. 
 I almost wish you were right." 
 
 " You know nothing about each other," said Judith 
 quickly, " and the best thing you can both do is to be- 
 come acquainted immediately." 
 
 " Miss Romilly will never become acquainted with me, 
 she has too great a contempt for me," said George, with 
 a laugh from which all trace of vexation had vanished. 
 
 " Count Piloff will never know me any better, he 
 considers me too self-righteous," said I, resuming a 
 careless manner. 
 
 Presently he threw down the pictures which he had 
 been fingering, started up, and came over to my chair, 
 looking down on me with a thoughtful smile. "You 
 have no idea how happy I am." 
 
 " I am glad, but I fail to discover the cause," I re- 
 sponded, looking up at him inquiringly. 
 
 " Because," gazing at me critically, as if something 
 about me interested him, " I am to take you out to din- 
 ner to-night, and then I shall have an opportunity of 
 showing you if you are open to conviction that my 
 feelings are deeper than you think." 
 
 " How do you know you are to take me out ? " 
 
 " Alice told me so. She said that you were so sensi- 
 tive as to a certain young man whose name has been 
 mentioned once or twice lately in connection with yours,
 
 TROIKA PARTIES. 131 
 
 that of two evils, his company or mine, you chose 
 mine." 
 
 Judith began to shake with suppressed laughter. 
 Count Piloff leaned against the mantel, and looked at 
 us both as if we were interesting studies of human 
 nature. 
 
 " What are you laughing at, Judith ? " I asked. 
 
 "Nothing, only " 
 
 A look of responsive amusement flashed into the 
 young man's eyes. " Perhaps your cousin used the 
 same expression that I did about the two evils ? " he 
 interrogated Judith. 
 
 She burst into a peal of laughter, and I, feeling very 
 red and foolish, was obliged to join her. At last she 
 began to make apologies. " But you see it was so 
 funny ! I will tell him, Dorris. He thinks we are so 
 rude to laugh this way. Besides " (looking at George, 
 who was perfectly grave), " you will not mind, I am sure, 
 if I tell you. Dorris said " 
 
 "Judith," I remonstrated, "this is childish !" 
 
 She paid no attention to me. " Dorris said that of 
 two evils she chose the least, which was Mr. Thur- 
 ber." 
 
 We laughed no more. Judith was too much fright- 
 ened, now that she had said it, and I was too vexed. I 
 did not look at George, and for an instant he said noth- 
 ing. Then in his ordinary manner he remarked, " I am 
 disappointed : now Miss Romilly will always think that 
 I have no feeling. I must run away and hide my dimin- 
 ished head," he added, taking his hat from the table.
 
 132 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 Conquering my pride, and walking up to him with a 
 smile which was meant to be conciliatory, and holding 
 out my hand, I said, "I am very rude sometimes. I 
 hope you are not as unforgiving as Judith thinks you 
 are." 
 
 Taking my proffered hand, he answered, " Even if I 
 were, it would be easy to forgive you for preferring 
 Thurber to me. I shall see you this evening. Au 
 revoir" and he was gone. 
 
 " O Judith," I cried, " what have you done ? " 
 
 " I know it," she responded, looking somewhat fright- 
 ened and very penitent. " I am so sorry ! " putting an 
 arm round my waist. " Never mind ; it will do him no 
 harm." 
 
 " But it sounded so ill-bred of me/' I returned discon- 
 solately. " However, I will not make myself unhappy 
 about it." 
 
 " I don't think he cared," Judith added consolingly. 
 " He did not seem to care." 
 
 That was not what I feared. I knew that no remark 
 of mine could have the power to wound George's feel- 
 ings ; but I did not wish any one to think me rude. 
 
 But the occurrence had almost ceased to trouble me 
 when, at seven o'clock that evening, we arrived at Alice's 
 door and joined the other guests. There were only a 
 few minutes for conversation before dinner was an- 
 nounced, and Mr. Thurber took possession of me. We 
 followed the others through a large salon, stopped in a 
 small room preceding the dining-room, where a table 
 was spread with caviare, sandwiches, cheese, dried fish, 
 vadka, and some cordials.
 
 TROIKA PARTIES. 133 
 
 "This is the zakouschka, I suppose," I said inquir- 
 ingly ; and Mr. Thurber assented. 
 
 " It is expected to sharpen the appetite," he added ; 
 " but I advise you not to try it with a view to that effect. 
 You will be unable to enjoy your dinner." 
 
 " Why don't we sit down for this repast ? " I asked. 
 
 " Because it only occupies a few minutes." 
 
 " Well, I like caviare, and I shall take some, please." 
 
 Before I had finished the plateful which he brought 
 me, I was obliged to abandon it, and follow the others 
 into the dining-room. 
 
 Much to my disappointment, the dinner was not char- 
 acteristically Russian. The people who give dinners in 
 Petersburg have French cooks, so there is no opportu- 
 nity to taste the national dishes. I felt like doing some- 
 thing exciting; a spirit of recklessness entered into me, 
 and I looked about for a good opening. Talking with 
 Mr. Thurber was commonplace ; I was too far from 
 George to begin a discussion with him, besides, he 
 looked too coldly indifferent to be aroused. On my left 
 sat a handsome Russian. I discovered, after a second 
 glance, that he was the same person who had been so 
 attentive to me at the Grand Duke's christening. A 
 sudden thought struck me, I would make Mr. Thurber 
 jealous ! 
 
 I turned at once to my Russian neighbor, and began 
 a lively conversation with him. He was rather young, 
 and I tried several subjects before I found one on which 
 it pleased him to talk ; and that subject was postage 
 stamps ! The collection which he had, and that which
 
 134 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 his brother had, and that which he hoped to have in the 
 course of years, all this was poured into my sympathetic 
 ear. I inclined my head towards him, listening with an 
 air of absorbed attention, and hardly stopping to taste 
 the various articles which were placed before me. I 
 presented the back of my head persistently to Mr. Thur- 
 ber. I hardly looked away from the young Russian, 
 and he neglected his other neighbor shamefully. Once 
 or twice I cast a furtive glance at Judith ; but she did not 
 meet my eye. Once I caught George actually scowling 
 at me; but he turned his eyes away quickly when I 
 looked at him. 
 
 Towards the end of dinner, I concluded to see how 
 Mr. Thurber bore my neglect ; and, bracing up my 
 courage to endure the sight of his wrath, I turned 
 towards him. Grace was next on his other side, and 
 then my friend, the ambassador. Mr. Thurber was sip- 
 ping his champagne, and replying to some remark of 
 the latter's. 
 
 " Undoubtedly, if the tax were put in that form, it 
 would be more beneficial." 
 
 " What form ? " I inquired. 
 
 He started. "I was discussing a subject of slight 
 importance to you ladies," he answered calmly. " But I 
 intended to ask you what you thought of this claret. I 
 find it delicious." 
 
 " I have not noticed," I replied. 
 
 His manner was the reverse of annoyed. He seemed 
 pleased with himself, with me, with every one, and, above 
 all, with the claret. Decidedly, my plan for making him
 
 TROIKA PARTIES. 135 
 
 jealous had not been a success ; and I now found Mr. 
 Cheremenieff and his stamps doubly tiresome. 
 
 I was eating my ice in silence, deserted for the mo- 
 ment by both neighbors, when Mr. Thurber's voice broke 
 upon my ear : 
 
 " Russian women are extremely brilliant, and are also 
 good talkers ; but there are no women as beautiful as 
 Americans, you know." 
 
 I was forced to admit that he was right, judging 
 from those who were present. " What a pity," I ex- 
 claimed, " that they do not always behave as well as they 
 look ! " 
 
 " Do they not ? " asked my companion. 
 
 " What an unnecessary question for a man who has 
 travelled as much as you have ! " 
 
 At that moment Alice rose from the table, and we 
 were obliged to follow her example. The gentlemen 
 accompanied the ladies back to the drawing-room. 
 Mr. Thurber looked at me inquiringly. 
 
 "Do you allow me to follow the Russian custom ? " he 
 asked. 
 
 " What custom ? " said I, somewhat puzzled. 
 
 He pointed to Prince Tucheff, who was kissing Ju- 
 dith's hand, and murmuring something about '' mille 
 remerciements," and who repeated the performance 
 with Alice. All the gentlemen followed his example, 
 thanking the ladies whom they had escorted, and then 
 the hostess in the same manner. The Russian ladies 
 also approached Alice, shook hands with and thanked 
 her.
 
 136 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 After watching the others I turned to Mr. Thurber, 
 who stood at my side, the picture of patience. 
 
 " Hand-kissing is a supremely foolish custom. Don't 
 you think so ? " 
 
 " Yes," he answered impassively. " I do." 
 
 Visions of this stiff Englishman kissing my hand ran 
 through my head, and amused me. Coffee was served, 
 and Mr. Thurber wended his way to the smoking-room, 
 with most of the gentlemen and one of the ladies. Ju- 
 dith brought her cup of coffee over to where I sat, on a 
 tiny sofa, and placed herself beside me. She fixed two 
 lustrous gray eyes on me, with an indefinable expression 
 in their depths. 
 
 " Dorris Romilly," she exclaimed earnestly, " never, 
 never as long as you live, talk to me again about being 
 a coquette." 
 
 " What do you mean ? " I asked stupidly. " What 
 are you talking about ? " 
 
 " You ! The way you ignored that poor man's feel- 
 ings, and encouraged that uninteresting little boy until 
 he entirely lost his head ! " 
 
 I laughed softly. " I was only trying to create a little 
 excitement, but I did not mean to excite you." 
 
 " Excite me ! Why, I was simply struck dumb. You, 
 who scorn a flirt ! You, who have lectured me by the 
 hour together for things not half as bad as this ! Upon 
 my word, Dorris, it is too bad, when you know that 
 Mr. Thurber is in love with you." 
 
 " But he did not care, after all," I said dolefully ; and 
 looking up, I saw that a part of our conversation had
 
 TROIKA PARTIES. 137 
 
 been overheard by George, who stood patiently await- 
 ing a chance to speak. 
 
 "Are my services required as peacemaker?" he asked. 
 
 " You are to scold Dorris for having suddenly devel- 
 oped into a coquette." 
 
 " I cannot," he answered gravely, " for I don't think 
 she has." 
 
 " Then you did not observe her at dinner ? " 
 
 " I beg your pardon. I observed her very closely ; 
 but I have also noticed her on former occasions, and I 
 don't think the quality has developed suddenly. All 
 women are natural coquettes." 
 
 " I cannot listen to such nonsense," said Judith, 
 while my face burned painfully, and I mentally pro- 
 nounced George more disagreeable than usual. 
 
 " Will you come and see that collection of arms which 
 we were talking about ? " he asked, with a sudden 
 change of tone, looking at Judith. 
 
 She immediately rose to follow him. 
 
 Turning to me he added, as if it were a second 
 thought, " Will you come ? " 
 
 " No, thank you," I answered ungraciously, keeping 
 my seat, and helping myself to a cup of tea which was 
 offered me. 
 
 The guests soon began to take their departure, and 
 by half-past nine no one was left there except the 
 family. 
 
 " I suppose we must go home too," said Tom re- 
 luctantly. " Do your dinner-parties generally break up 
 as early as this ? "
 
 138 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " Generally," responded Alice ; " but don't go. We 
 wish to talk over our troika party." 
 
 Tom was all enthusiasm immediately ; and before we 
 left it was agreed that we should meet at Alice's for 
 our troika ride, at nine o'clock the next evening. 
 
 When the night came it was bright starlight, and the 
 mercury stood ten degrees above zero. We started in 
 seven troikas, shortly after nine. Our driver wore the 
 traditional peasant's cap ; his face was deeply bronzed, 
 while his beard and hair were a few shades darker. 
 Madame Kirovieff, who is five years my junior, as I 
 afterwards discovered, Tom, Mr. Thurber, and Sacha, 
 were in the vehicle with me. 
 
 We were wrapped up to our eyes, our feet put into 
 fur muffs, the robes tucked in about us, and off we 
 started, with a yell from the driver and a whoop from 
 Tom. That young man behaved as if he were not more 
 than ten years old. He screamed at the driver in Rus- 
 sian, of which he knows about six words, and every 
 time I opened my mouth to remonstrate, he insisted 
 upon it that I should take cold if I spoke, and drowned 
 my voice in a sea of warnings. 
 
 Once outside the city, with a clear road ahead, 
 the driver emitted a series of whoops, and started the 
 horses off at a rattling pace. The gentlemen all began 
 calling to him, and I supposed they were heaping abuse 
 upon his head ; but when it was translated I was re- 
 lieved to find that the most severe remark they had 
 made was, " Go on, my beauty ! " Away we flew, over 
 the sparkling snow, to the islands ; past empty houses,
 
 TROIKA PARTIES. 139 
 
 making the echoes ring with our gay voices, and some 
 times arousing a sleeping dog, whose startled bark 
 brought forth such a series of howls from our equipage 
 that he was forced to retire. 
 
 We were nearly three quarters of an hour in reaching 
 our destination, a place on one of the islands, called 
 Samarcand. Leaving our troikas in the court-yard of a 
 restaurant, we walked a short distance to some ice-hills, 
 which were lighted with Chinese lanterns. A flight of 
 steps about thirty feet high took us into a sort of pa- 
 vilion. As I stood at the head of the steps, I beheld 
 the glissade in front of me. It made my blood run 
 cold to look at it. It was four or five feet broad, built 
 of wood, covered with smooth ice, and sloping at an 
 angle of forty-five degrees. After reaching the ground, 
 it continued its course on a level for some distance, 
 until another flight of steps was reached, leading to 
 another pavilion, from which one could slide back to the 
 starting-place. The two courses ran side by side, and 
 were divided by a low wooden railing. Rows of Chi- 
 nese lanterns illuminated the scene. 
 
 When I looked down that steep slope of ice, my 
 heart failed me, and I meekly said I would wait there 
 and rest, while the others went down. There was some 
 laughter at my expense, and not the slightest attention 
 was paid to my objections. 
 
 A sled with two seats was produced, and I was put be- 
 hind Judith. Nicolas took the seat beside me, wrapped 
 his arm tightly around me, and off we pitched ! It was 
 such a frightful moment when we started that I did
 
 140 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 not even scream. I felt as if my last hour had come. I 
 rem'ember to have dreamed once that I was falling down 
 a bottomless abyss ; and certainly, I thought the dream 
 was being realized in the few seconds it took us to de- 
 scend that hill. Such a horrible, feeling as came over 
 me I hope never to experience again. Yet people do 
 this for pleasure ! 
 
 When we reached the end of the slide, I begged Nico- 
 las, with tears in my eyes, to let me walk back to the 
 place from which we had started ; but he only laughed 
 at me. I braced up my courage, and got on the sled 
 again, saying, in a broken voice, that I knew I should 
 die of fright, but I supposed Nicolas did not care. 
 Down we went; and this time I got breath enough to 
 scream, which was a great relief. I absolutely refused to 
 be inveigled into trying it a second time. 
 
 I suppose there is a terrible fascination about it, like 
 reading of murders. I had to eat twenty olives before I 
 learned to like them, and it might be the same with the 
 ice-hills : it is an acquired taste. We finally returned to 
 the restaurant, where we took off our wraps, and had 
 some hot tea, which served to revive my drooping 
 spirits. 
 
 A discouraged-looking man took his seat at the piano, 
 and played a few bars, then retired ; and on a platform 
 at one end of the room there appeared a group of six 
 women and as many men, whose dark eyes and swarthy 
 skins proclaimed their Bohemian origin. They took 
 their seats in a semicircle ; the leader a hideous man, 
 with a guitar gave a signal, and they began to sing. It
 
 TROIKA PARTIES. 
 
 was music which struck me with unutterable sadness, 
 like the voice of deep anguish, which bursts from home- 
 less, hopeless wanderers. It opened with a wail, which 
 grew gradually louder, the women interspersing their 
 part with shrill cries. The song became more spirited as 
 it went on, and the screams more frequent, till I imag- 
 ined it to be the cry of souls in mortal agony, and shud- 
 dered instinctively as I listened. The leader swung his 
 guitar about his head, placed one hand on his hip, and 
 danced a few steps in a slow, mournful way. When the 
 song ended, it was quite a shock to be brought back to 
 every-day life by the bright, cheerful voice of Alice. 
 
 " What do you think of it ? " she inquired. 
 
 " Don't ask me : it is too strange and weird. How 
 dreamy they all look, as though they had insight into a 
 region which is hidden from us ! " 
 
 " It is a pity they affect French toilettes now, instead 
 of clinging to their own costumes : they are quite pictur- 
 esque in their national dress. Some of them," added my 
 sister, " are very wealthy ; but such is the love they have 
 for a Bohemian life that they remain with the band." 
 
 " Look at this ! " said Nicolas hastily. 
 
 The chorus had begun again ; and, while the voices 
 rose and fell in that unearthly wail, a woman stood up, 
 waved her arms slowly round her head in a circling, 
 sleepy movement, and glided about the stage, being 
 apparently impelled by some influence outside of her- 
 self, for there was no motion of the feet that we could 
 see. She made the circuit two or three times ; then the 
 accompaniment grew wilder, the dancer uttered a sharp
 
 142 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 cry, a " Ha-ha ! " which grated on every nerve, and 
 which she repeated at intervals through the remainder 
 of the performance. 
 
 The circling movement stopped suddenly, and her 
 arms fell stiffly by her sides. With her great, dark eyes 
 fixed on some thought far, far away, she glided towards 
 the front of the stage, quivering from head to foot. 
 What strange spirit had taken possession of her, and 
 moved her as the wind does a leaf ? There was not a 
 muscle in her body which did not move. Through the 
 amber-colored silk dress which she wore could be 
 traced every line and curve of her exquisite figure, as it 
 trembled in this weird spasm. Gradually the chorus 
 grew louder, the cries shriller, till the very height of 
 pain or ecstasy was reached ; and then the music ceased 
 abruptly, the dancing-girl became a statue, and the 
 Tsiganies sat looking straight before them, indifferent 
 to everything in heaven and earth, with an unutterably 
 sad stare in their dusky eyes. 
 
 "It gives me too much pain to see that!" I ex- 
 claimed. " It is unearthly. I cannot smile again this 
 evening." 
 
 "You must try," said George ; "for now we are going 
 to dance, and we shall have no more of the gypsy music 
 to-night." 
 
 The discouraged man resumed his seat at the piano, 
 and struck up a waltz. 
 
 I thought that nothing more could astonish me in Mr. 
 Thurber ; but I must say I had a slight touch of sur- 
 prise when he asked me to waltz with him, and I was
 
 TROIKA PARTIES. 143 
 
 still more surprised to find that he danced admirably. 
 He seems to do everything well which he attempts at all. 
 Is he the sedate, unbending man I fancied him at first, 
 or is he the gay, youthful fellow which he now and then 
 seems, or is he a little of both, or is he neither ? These 
 are the questions which perplex me. Judith gives me no 
 satisfaction ; she says he does not know what he is him- 
 self. Tom is no judge ; for he has developed a sort of 
 blind idolatry for his new friend. 
 
 Mr. Thurber escorted me in to supper at one o'clock. 
 George sat at one end of a long table ; we took our 
 places beside him, Judith opposite us, carrying on a 
 brisk flirtation with Mr. Novissilsky. She hardly spoke 
 to any one else. 
 
 There was a cup of steaming bouillon before each of 
 us. Mr. Thurber tasted his, and looked at me as I was 
 about to lift mine to my lips. 
 
 " I advise you not," he exclaimed. 
 
 " What is it ? " 
 
 " I don't know. Something horrible." 
 
 " Do you know what it is ? " I inquired of George, 
 who had just swallowed his. 
 
 "Batchuk," said he briefly. 
 
 I knew as little about it as before, but I attacked it 
 valiantly, and told Mr. Thurber I did not think it so 
 bad after all. 
 
 " What is it made of, Count Piloff ? " I asked. 
 
 " Beets, I believe. But see what you think of this 
 dish." 
 
 It was some hot meat, which looked like venison.
 
 144 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " Ah ! " ejaculated my English neighbor, " this is not 
 equal to the bear I shot, Miss Dorris." 
 
 " Asparagus ? " I cried, as another dish was passed to 
 me. " At this season ? In Russia ? " 
 
 "Asparagus is never so good," quoth George, "as 
 when it is out of season." 
 
 " You people," interrupted Tom, " talk of nothing 
 but eating. I will tell you one thing," he continued, in 
 a confidential tone, to any one who would listen to him, 
 " this is the first dry champagne I have had in this 
 country." 
 
 "I brought it with me," Mr. Thurber whispered in 
 my ear. " You will notice that the Russians all prefer 
 the sweet, except perhaps your neighbor." 
 
 To my surprise, however, George drank nothing ex- 
 cept claret and water. He made a few efforts to open 
 a conversation with Judith, but she did not respond 
 as readily as usual, and he gave her up. Not a shade 
 of annoyance appeared on his face ; on the contrary 
 he was particularly genial, and devoted himself to Mr. 
 Thurber and me with apparent pleasure. We enjoyed 
 ourselves thoroughly at that end of the table. 
 
 Coming home was the most delightful part of the 
 excursion, however, although we were not so boisterous 
 as on the way out. Madame Kirovieff and I rode 
 backwards, giving the three gentlemen the other seat ; 
 for in that way we avoided having the wind in our 
 faces. Poor Tom was put in the middle, and was 
 nearly squeezed into nothing. 
 
 The horse on my side got his leg over the trace, and
 
 TROIKA PARTIES, 145 
 
 made an effort to demolish the back of my head, which 
 I took out of his way as speedily as possible. Tom 
 and Sacha were out of the sleigh in an instant, and at 
 the horse's head ; but Mr. Thurber sat calmly in his 
 place and gave directions to the others. 
 
 " Don't jump ! " he cried, seizing my hands. 
 
 " I have no more idea of it than you have," I re- 
 sponded calmly. " Don't you think you would be more 
 useful if you held the horse instead of my hands ? " 
 
 " Not the slightest need of it " ; and nothing would 
 induce him to get out. 
 
 We were soon flying through the air again, with noth- 
 ing but the bells and the gay voices to break the still- 
 ness, snow-fields stretching away on either side, and 
 the stars shining brightly above us. When we reached 
 the Neva, and the long row of lights on the border 
 of the river became visible, Tom said, in a disgusted 
 tone, 
 
 " Is this all that is going to happen to us ? " 
 
 "What more do you wish?" asked the Russian lady, 
 who by the way is very beautiful. 
 
 " I supposed we should have a runaway, at least. I 
 had no idea a troika ride was such an ordinary affair." 
 
 But we had no accident. The streets were still and 
 empty, and a distant clock struck five when we drew up 
 at our own door. Rousing the sleepy Suisse, we got 
 into the house, and, finding the samovar hot, we 
 indulged in some tea, and then went to bed. 
 
 10
 
 146 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 AN IMPERIAL WEDDING. 
 
 January 25. 
 
 /CERTAINLY I had to come to Russia to be appre- 
 ^^ ciated. I have been gradually discovering this 
 for some time, but a realizing sense of it burst upon me 
 yesterday, at the marriage of " Her Imperial Highness 
 the Grand Duchess Anastasia Michaelovna " to " His 
 Royal Highness, My Lord, the Hereditary Grand Duke 
 Frederic of Mechlenburg-Schwerin," all in very large 
 capitals. How small " Mr." and " Mrs." sound after 
 that! 
 
 The wedding took place in the palace chapel, the 
 scene of the christening. There are only three or four 
 days in the week when members of the Greek Church 
 may marry, and of these Friday and Sunday seem to be 
 the favorites. 
 
 I am beginning to feel quite at home in the palace, 
 but have not yet reached the point of wishing to be 
 maid of honor. Such gilded servitude would not suit 
 me. Give me rather a floor to scrub and a good brush 
 to do it with, and let me keep my independence. 
 
 Among the gentlemen of the palace who met us in 
 th.e first hall which we entered was Mr. Cheremenieff.
 
 AN IMPERIAL WEDDING. 147 
 
 He joined me at once, telling me naively that he had 
 been waiting for me, and asking me why I did not go to 
 the ballet the night before, when I suddenly remembered 
 that I had told him I intended to go. 
 
 " Were you there ? " I asked. 
 
 " Yes," he answered hesitatingly ; then added, with a 
 badly assumed air of indifference, " I go nearly every 
 Thursday." 
 
 There was a few moments' silence, as we followed the 
 rest of the party through the lofty rooms ; then I said 
 abruptly, 
 
 "What are you?" 
 
 My companion evidently thought I had become sud- 
 denly insane, and his mystified air amused me vastly. 
 
 " I mean, what is your position ? What are your 
 duties in the palace ? " 
 
 " Oh ! " (laughing with an air of intense relief) " I am 
 gentilhomme de la chambre. On certain days I am on 
 duty here to make myself useful in this way." 
 
 " Escorting ladies about ? Not an unpleasant duty, 
 I should say." 
 
 " Quite the contrary," responded my gallant compan- 
 ion. After a pause he continued, 
 
 " Do you intend to stay long in Russia, mademoi- 
 selle ? " 
 
 " About two months longer." 
 
 His face fell. Is that all ? " 
 
 "Quite long enough to stay away from one's own 
 country." 
 
 " But you would like Russia ; I am sure you would.
 
 148 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 I that is we all of us would make you so fond of 
 it that you would not wish to go away," stammering, and 
 growing a little confused. 
 
 " I dare say you would," I answered. " That is the 
 reason I don't care to stay longer; for think what a 
 terrible catastrophe it would be if I grew to like Russia 
 so much that I did not wish to leave it." 
 
 " Then we might be able to induce you to stay al- 
 ways," said the young man, looking as if he would say 
 more if he dared. He had said all I wished, and I was 
 glad that we reached the throne-room just at this mo- 
 ment, and he was obliged to leave me. 
 
 The members of the diplomatic corps dropped in 
 and chatted together, the ladies criticising each other's 
 dresses. 
 
 We went into the chapel at last, and spread out our 
 trains for the first, last, and only time that morning, to 
 be ready for the entrance of the wedding party. 
 
 First came a long procession x)f all the gentlemen of 
 the chamber, two by two, then the chamberlains, the 
 masters of ceremonies, and the grand master of cere- 
 monies, preceding the Emperor, who led the mother of 
 the bridegroom. 
 
 She wore a cream-colored satin petticoat, and a red 
 velvet train covered with gold embroidery ; her jewels 
 were rubies and diamonds. The Tsarevna came in 
 with her husband, followed by her eldest sons. 
 
 The bride and groom were the last to enter the chapel. 
 She is tall and slender, with dark eyes and smooth, dark 
 hair. She was dressed in cloth of silver, and her train
 
 AN IMPERIAL WEDDING. 149 
 
 was crimson velvet, lined with ermine. She wore a tiara 
 of rubies and diamonds, an old point-lace veil, two 
 strings of enormous diamonds on her neck, and such a 
 lustrous diamond stomacher that I could hardly look at 
 her, for the flash and glitter of the jewels. Her train 
 very heavy and several yards long was borne on 
 the shoulders of four chamberlains, and a still greater 
 personage walked behind her and carried the tail end of 
 it. The bridegroom is pale and looks delicate. 
 
 I could cover pages with descriptions of cloth-of-gold 
 and silver and velvet dresses, and gorgeous jewels, but 
 I never could do justice to the scene. After the bridal 
 party had taken their places at the altar, the ladies of 
 the court entered, and the chapel soon became uncom- 
 fortably warm. 
 
 Mr. Cheremenieff was stationed at the other end of 
 the room, but as his head towered above all the others 
 I was disagreeably conscious that his eyes were fixed on 
 me most of the time. 
 
 " How restless you are ! " whispered Judith; " and oh, 
 look at your young friend ! How he gazes at you ! " 
 
 " Don't notice him," I said nervously. 
 
 " I wonder where George is," she continued, craning 
 her neck, and looking about in a very irreverent man- 
 ner. 
 
 Alice overheard her, and put her mind at rest by say- 
 ing, "Here he is, behind me." 
 
 Meanwhile there was a great deal of chanting and 
 moving about, none of which I understood. The room 
 grew warmer and closer, and Mr. CheremeniefFs eyes
 
 150 THE TSARS WINDOW. 
 
 made me more and more nervous, until, for the first time 
 in my life, I began to feel faint. I struggled bravely 
 against it, but the priests' voices, the hum of the con- 
 gregation, and the rustling of dresses became confused 
 and dim, and I felt that in another moment I should be 
 forced to sit down on the floor if I would not fall. Then 
 I was vaguely conscious that a hand was laid on my 
 arm, and a voice said, 
 
 " Give me your fan, and lean this way if you are going 
 to faint." 
 
 I complied mechanically, and in a few seconds con- 
 quered my weakness enough to loose my frantic clasp of 
 George's arm, and to refuse the various smelling-bottles 
 which were offered to me. 
 
 " I never faint," was my grateful reply to Count Piloff 
 for his kindness. 
 
 " You looked wonderfully like it then," he murmured, 
 smiling at my indignation. 
 
 " Pray tell me what they are doing," said I, indicating 
 the bride and groom. 
 
 " They are about to drink of the same cup, symbol 
 of the joys and sorrows they must share through life. 
 Those lighted candles they will each hold through the 
 remainder of the service. And now look at this." 
 
 Two large golden crowns, set with jewels, were 
 brought forth. They were held over the heads of the 
 bridal couple by the different groomsmen in turn, while 
 more chanting went on. 
 
 " Tremendously difficult performance that," remarked 
 George.
 
 AN IMPERIAL WEDDING. 
 
 The crowns seemed to be very heavy, and had to be 
 held up at arm's length. Rings were exchanged ; then 
 the metropolitan joined the hands of the couple under 
 a cloth-of-gold scarf, and led them three times slowly 
 round the altar, still holding the candles, and being 
 crowned by the groomsmen. This tour must have been 
 rather troublesome for the bride, with her five train- 
 bearers, her crown-holder, her candle in one hand, and 
 her other hand in her husband's. 
 
 " Now they are married," said my neighbor. " They 
 cannot change their minds after this." 
 
 I sighed. 
 
 " Do you feel ill again ? " quickly. 
 
 " No. I was only thinking what a dreadful thing it 
 must be to feel that you cannot change your mind." 
 
 The choir burst into a joyful song, and we were 
 politely requested to walk out, which we did with much 
 clatter and noise. The outer halls through which we 
 passed were filled with officers of the guard, in full uni- 
 form, who made way for us to go into the hall of St. 
 Alexander, where the Lutheran service was to be held. 
 George kept close to my side, and suggested that I 
 should go home at once ; but I only laughed at him. 
 
 " I never fainted in my life," I cried. " It was 
 nothing but the heat, and the fact that I have had 
 no breakfast." 
 
 He stopped short and looked at me. " Are you 
 wild ? " 
 
 " No ; but I slept so late that I had only time to take 
 a cup of coffee."
 
 152 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " Then you certainly ought to go home," he ex- 
 claimed. "You have been on your feet for an hour 
 and a half, and this service will be an hour long. I 
 can take you to the carriage." 
 
 " No, no ! " I cried. " It is nonsense. I don't wish 
 to go ! " 
 
 George drew his brows together, but only said, " If 
 you insist upon it, of course you must stay ; but I assure 
 you there is nothing more worth seeing." 
 
 There was no time for further discussion, as we 
 entered the hall at that moment. A platform and desk 
 were prepared, as they are in a Lutheran Church, and 
 three priests were waiting in their black gowns. The 
 wedding procession soon entered, and the second ser- 
 vice was performed in German. Its simplicity was the 
 greatest possible contrast to the elaborate ceremony 
 which had preceded it. There was a long sermon, 
 consisting of good advice for the young people ; then 
 the bride and groom kissed all the family, and walked 
 out. We followed, reaching home between three and 
 four o'clock. 
 
 "Well, Tom," said my cousin, as we entered the 
 house, " Dorris made herself famous by nearly fainting 
 in George's arms, while Cheremenieff gazed at them 
 from a distance in jealous despair." 
 
 " Did she really ? " cried Tom eagerly. 
 
 " Certainly," insisted Judith. " Cheremenieff is very 
 .r gone, if I am any judge." 
 
 In vain I remonstrated. I was made to lie down, 
 while Judith bathed my head and petted me to her 
 heart's content.
 
 AN IMPERIAL WEDDING. 153 
 
 The festivities at the palace were going on all this 
 time. There was a great dinner, attended by the high 
 court officials, the ministers of the empire, and the 
 ladies belonging to the court. Toasts were drunk, 
 while the guns of the fortress fired an accompaniment, 
 and a concert was given in the dining-hall by the best 
 musicians in Petersburg. 
 
 The ball if it can be called a ball when the 
 imperial family did all the dancing was held in St. 
 George's Hall, at half-past eight. 
 
 We passed through long corridors filled with richly 
 dressed gentlemen, and through an immense room, full 
 of windows, columns, and officers. There was a narrow 
 way in the centre, down which we went, seeing various 
 familiar faces among the surrounding uniforms, and, 
 traversing another corridor, came to the door of the 
 ball-room. The number of invitations was limited, in- 
 cluding only a few of those who were present at the 
 wedding. No officer under the rank of a colonel was 
 allowed in the ball-room. 
 
 Opposite the door by which we entered was the throne, 
 and over our heads was the orchestra. The throne was 
 covered with red brocade, with a canopy over it of 
 the same. The ceiling of the room was arched and 
 painted. 
 
 The dresses were the same which had been worn in 
 the morning ; only those who were fortunate enough to 
 possess more than one court-train had changed, and 
 among this number were all of the grand duchesses. 
 
 The chamberlains and gentlemen of the chamber
 
 154 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 wore white silk stockings and white knee-breeches, dark 
 coats heavily trimmed with gold lace, and they carried 
 black cocked hats trimmed with gold lace and feathers. 
 The masters of ceremonies had long gilt wands, with 
 which they preceded the imperial family when it entered 
 at nine o'clock. The band played the polonaise from 
 " La vie pour le Tsar," and the procession took its way 
 to the foot of the throne, stayed there a few minutes, 
 then began to dance the polonaise. It can hardly be 
 called a dance, as it simply consists in walking rather 
 quickly in procession about the room, two by two, the 
 gentleman just touching the lady's fingers as he leads 
 her out. The grand master of ceremonies led the way, 
 
 followed by two lesser lights. Prince L led the 
 
 polonaise, with a very martial air. He plunged into 
 the crowd in the most unexpected places, scattering the 
 people right and left, crushing us up together ; and by 
 the time we had come to a realizing sense that the 
 Emperor was passing close to us, and had made our 
 courtesies with much confusion, and many bumps from 
 our neighbors, lo ! there was the procession behind 
 us, and we were obliged to face about and go through 
 with the same ceremony again. 
 
 George was talking to Judith most of the evening. 
 He had no eyes for any one else, though he did say to 
 me at first, " I am glad to see you looking so well this 
 evening." 
 
 Mr. Cheremenieff, however, attached himself to my 
 side, and remained there from the time I entered the 
 room till I drove away from the palace door. I amused
 
 AN IMPERIAL WEDDING. 155 
 
 myself by criticising everything, and horrified my com- 
 panion by proposing to dance the polonaise. 
 
 " Why not ? " I cried. " There goes the German 
 ambassadress." 
 
 "I really think you had better not," remonstrated 
 Mr. Cheremenieff. " People might think it strange." 
 
 " But why are you so afraid of what people will say ? 
 In America we do exactly as we like. If the President 
 were dancing a polonaise, I should not hesitate to step 
 in behind him if I wished it," cried I, devoutly hoping 
 that Alice might not hear the tales with which I was 
 entertaining this young man, well knowing she would 
 immediately tell him that I was talking nonsense. 
 
 " Indeed ! " he responded. " It must be a a 
 charming country. I hope to visit it some time. O 
 mademoiselle" (suddenly becoming sentimental) "if 
 you would only try to like Russia ! Believe me, the 
 greatest joy " 
 
 Here the polonaise interrupted my companion's 
 speech. After the necessary salutations had been gone 
 through with, a charming young Frenchman who stood 
 near me raised his dark eyes plaintively to mine, and 
 murmured, 
 
 " Mademoiselle, je vous en supplie ! J'ai recu tous 
 vos contre-coups ! " 
 
 The next moment Mr. Cheremenieff resumed his 
 place by my side. 
 
 " Sometime," he said in a low tone, " I shall visit 
 America. I am now studying English, and making great 
 progress. Would you " (putting on a beseeching look) 
 " would you welcome me if I came to your country ? "
 
 156 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " We are probably the most hospitable nation in the 
 world," I responded sagely. "But you are very young: 
 you will have plenty of time to travel in the future." 
 
 He did not look pleased at this. 
 
 " If you would make up your mind to stay in Russia 
 for a few years, I assure you we could make you happy " 
 (with an air of stern determination). 
 
 "No doubt," I answered carelessly. " How pretty the 
 bride looks! That is a cloth-of-silver train, isn't it? 
 The Tsarevna has such a sweet face, I think ; she looks 
 sympathetic. Is that the Grand Duke Michael? I 
 should know he was a great general, or a great man of 
 some sort." 
 
 My companion reluctantly followed my lead in con- 
 versation. 
 
 " I am sure you must admire the wife of the Grand 
 Duke Vladimir," he remarked. " She is the only one 
 who has married into the imperial family and retained 
 her own religion." 
 
 Pages followed the ladies to arrange their trains, as 
 they turned the corners. 
 
 We suspended conversation for a few minutes, to watch 
 the dancing ; then my young friend began again : " In 
 your country, I hear, it is customary for a gentle- 
 man, when he wishes to marry a young lady, to declare 
 his feelings directly to her, before speaking to her parents 
 or guardians." 
 
 I hesitated. "Yes, but the lady always gives him 
 some decided encouragement before he says anything to 
 her."
 
 4 AT" IMPERIAL WEDDING. 1 57 
 
 I felt that I must proceed warily; for I knew not 
 what results might follow. 
 
 " Ah ! " he exclaimed eagerly ; " but what would you 
 call encouragement ? " 
 
 " Well," I debated for a moment, " asking the man to 
 call and see her or accepting a present from him, 
 or telling him she \sfond of his mother" 
 
 I paused ; and my companion looked at me in dumb 
 amazement. He must think the Americans a very curi- 
 ous and wonderful people ! 
 
 "Any of those things," I went on seriously, " would be 
 considered encouragement." 
 
 He ceased to look astonished, and began to be down- 
 cast. 
 
 "And without something of that sort, a man would not 
 declare his feelings ? " 
 
 " Oh, dear, no!" I cried. "What lovely blue eyes 
 Madame Kirovieff has ! " 
 
 " I prefer dark ones," said my companion, looking at 
 me sentimentally. 
 
 The ambassador approached at this moment, and I had 
 a short respite. At ten o'clock the imperial family left 
 the hall. 
 
 " Come," said Nicolas. 
 
 " Where ? " Judith and I inquired, in a breath. 
 
 " Home, of course. Have you not been here long 
 enough ? " 
 
 "You don't mean to tell me," said I indignantly, "that 
 this is all ! I thought it was a ball. The idea of going 
 home at this hour, having done nothing but watch 
 other people dance ! "
 
 158 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 They all laughed ; and we lingered for a long time, 
 being among the last to leave the hall. We stared in our 
 most well-bred manner at Chung How, the Chinese am- 
 bassador, and some of his suite. He is a mandarin of 
 the highest rank, " Wearer of the Diamond Button," 
 etc., etc., etc. He was dressed in a yellow satin gown 
 over a blue one, and had a large emerald ring on his 
 thumb. 
 
 At last we had to depart. While my overshoes were 
 being put on for me by one servant, and my cloak 
 thrown about me by another (I never wait on myself in 
 Russia), Mr. Cheremenieff asked me if I intended to go 
 to a rout at one of the embassies the next evening. 
 
 " Rout ? " I repeated, opening my eyes very wide, and 
 nearly losing my equilibrium, as Vasili worked on my 
 overshoe. " Do ladies go ? " 
 
 George laughed. "I can imagine the visions of 
 Bohemians, dancing-girls, and wild orgies which are fly- 
 ing through your head at that word. You will be disap- 
 pointed when you learn that a rout is only a mild 
 reception, with no dancing, and very little to eat." 
 
 '" Then I shall not go, Mr. Cheremenieff " (twisting 
 my bashlik about my head, and mechanically allowing 
 George to tie it behind for me). "I don't think I am 
 invited ; and I don't care for any more parties till I 
 have had one day's rest. Good-night." 
 
 I came home quite pleased with myself for having dis- 
 covered that Mr. Cheremenieff was in love with me, and 
 for having made him understand in such a delicate way 
 that I could not return his affection. It seems to me
 
 AN IMPERIAL WEDDING. 159 
 
 that I must be very attractive ; for here is Mr. Thurber 
 in love with me too, as much in love as an icicle ever 
 is. I wonder that no one at home discovered my 
 fascinations. 
 
 Joking aside, I am growing tired of the utterly artificial 
 life which I lead here, and would like to get back among 
 my own people. If I had not been so interested in my 
 own affairs lately, I should have been anxious about 
 Judith. She looks sad and heavy-eyed : it may be the 
 late hours which we keep, and the continual excitement 
 in which we live. I hope that is all. 
 
 I left my room this morning to go to the library, where 
 I always find the newspapers. On my way thither I 
 passed through the little salon, where Judith likes to sit 
 by the fire. I was absorbed in my own thoughts, and 
 did not notice that the room was occupied till I was in 
 the middle of the floor. There was George, talking 
 earnestly to my cousin, and she was crying ! I 
 walked on to the other door, after one astonished 
 glance, paying little attention to George's polite bow. 
 But I tried unsuccessfully to interest myself in the 
 paper when I reached the library. What can it mean ? 
 I suppose time alone will solve the mystery ; but I am 
 puzzled.
 
 160 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 A COURT BALL, AND THE MYSTERY SOLVED. 
 
 January, 1879. 
 
 TT 7HATEVER I may think of George, I certainly 
 cannot say that he is unforgiving. He treats 
 me just as he has always done, in spite of the disagreea- 
 ble scenes at which he has been present, and the rude 
 speeches I have made to him. This goes to prove the 
 truth of what I said about him, namely, that he cares 
 too little about people and things in general to be un- 
 forgiving. He looks upon us all (except, perhaps, Ju- 
 dith) as toys with which to amuse his idle hours, and 
 he would not hurt us any more than he would hurt his 
 horse or his dog ; in fact, his feeling for us is much the 
 same as that which he has for his brown setter. I can- 
 not think him capable of a deep love for any one. It is 
 true that his eyes which are generally the coldest I 
 have ever seen warm up wonderfully sometimes, and 
 his smile is all the sweeter for being so rare ; and it may 
 be that I am prejudiced against him, as Mr. Thurber 
 suggested. The idea of Judith's caring for him makes 
 me very unhappy. 
 
 Sacha has nearly fallen out of my good graces, he is 
 so foolish. Instead of going to work like a man, and
 
 A COURT BALL. l6l 
 
 honestly trying to win Judith, he stands back with the 
 air of a martyr, and glowers at all rivals in the field. 
 George is undoubtedly the most dangerous of these. I 
 sneered when Sacha pronounced him fascinating, but I 
 see now what he meant. George is fascinating. Not- 
 withstanding my conviction of his insincerity, I find that 
 in his presence I forget it, and am conscious of the at- 
 traction which seems to draw all women towards him. 
 There is in him a peculiar quality of tenderness, which 
 makes me feel that if I were ill, or suffering in any way, 
 I could go to him for sympathy. This may be his true 
 character, which occasionally pierces through the out- 
 side polish. I hope, for Judith's sake, that it is so. I 
 never had so many contradictory opinions about a man 
 before. 
 
 Judith came to my room last night, when I was making 
 preparations to arrange my hair for the palace ball. 
 This is an important operation with me ; it consists in 
 the transportation of an immense lamp from the parlor 
 to my room, and the construction of a pile of books on 
 my dressing-table, on which the lamp is posed at the 
 proper height to illumine my head. After all my 
 efforts, I generally trust very much to luck for my 
 back hair. 
 
 Judith made her appearance in a hideous pink wrap- 
 per, with her blond hair all twisted up into one tight 
 knot, as if she had just stepped out of her bath. 
 
 "Dorris," she cried abruptly, putting down her can- 
 dle, and closing unceremoniously the little pane in my 
 window which I had opened to air the room, " Dorris, 
 
 11
 
 1 62 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 there are two hours before we need to start. I want 
 you to tell me something." 
 
 There was a strange excitement in her tone, and her 
 eyes were unusually large and bright. I looked at her 
 in silence. My cousin laughed softly. 
 
 " Don't look so alarmed," taking my lamp from me, 
 and setting it down ruthlessly on a bunch of artificial 
 sunflowers which I had spent one hour in arranging. 
 
 " There ! You have ruined them ! '' I exclaimed, in- 
 dignantly rescuing my flowers. " And I have no others 
 to wear." 
 
 She took them gently away from me. 
 
 " I am so sorry, dear. But see, I will make them 
 all right. Don't be cross with me ! " 
 
 " You are so impulsive ! " I sighed. " If you had only 
 stopped to look, you would have seen the flowers." 
 
 " Of course I should ; but I did not look. They are 
 as good as new now ; so don't fix your black eyes on me 
 any longer with that reproachful look." 
 
 She put a hand on each of my shoulders, and looked 
 down on me fondly from her superior height. 
 
 " Listen. Suppose, if you can suppose you were 
 in love ! " 
 
 " Well ? " I said, after a brief pause, during which she 
 never removed her eyes from mine. " I am willing to 
 suppose it. What then ? " 
 
 " What then ? " she repeated in rather a puzzled tone, 
 turning away and seating herself on an ottoman. " Well, 
 what then ? Sure enough," looking at me again, and 
 laughing.
 
 A COURT BALL. 163 
 
 " Is that what you came to ask me ? " I inquired 
 calmly, arranging my lamp to suit me. 
 
 "Don't be sarcastic, Dorris. It does not become 
 you." 
 
 A short silence, during which I sat down in front of 
 my mirror and began to braid my hair. 
 
 " Some one is in love with me, Dorris," she said 
 quietly, leaning her round cheek on her palm. "Did 
 you know it ? " 
 
 A broad smile made its appearance on my face as I 
 gazed at its reflection. Before I could reply Judith 
 went on : 
 
 " I do not mean George, so you need not look as if 
 you were saying, ' I told you so ! ' But it is some one 
 who is very rich, quite handsome, highly connected, 
 everything that is desirable, and exactly what you would 
 like for a cousin." 
 
 Her eyes were studying the pattern in the rug at her 
 feet ; her mouth looked mischievous. 
 
 " Well ? " I interrogated, without enthusiasm. 
 
 "There is a sameness in your expressions to-night, 
 Dorris," she said, looking at me slyly. " I suppose you 
 mean to ask what I am going to do about it ? " 
 
 " Yes, if you wish to tell me." 
 
 "I have already refused him." 
 
 " You are a sensible woman," I cried emphatically, 
 turning towards her. " Don't let anything tempt you to 
 marry a man whom you do not care for." 
 
 Judith rose slowly from her seat, took her candle, and 
 stood before me, pondering. Little rings of hair curled
 
 164 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 lovingly about her soft, round throat ; her lashes, long 
 and black, rested on her cheeks. 
 
 " Do you know why I refused him ? " she asked, al- 
 most in a whisper. 
 
 " Only because you did not love him," I responded, 
 with a vague fear in my heart. 
 
 She came behind me, kissed the top of my head 
 gently, and whispered, 
 
 " Because I love some one else." 
 
 My heart gave one wild leap, and then sank. It was 
 true then, my worst fears were realized. Judith stood 
 there, waiting for me to speak. I hesitated one instant, 
 then took possession of the white hand which she had 
 laid timidly on my shoulder, and put it to my lips as I 
 replied, 
 
 " That is right, Judith. Be true to him if he is worthy 
 of you." 
 
 She burst into a passion of tears, but soon recovered 
 herself ; and, with as few words as possible, I sent her 
 away to dress. Then I sat and looked at my small 
 image in the glass. 
 
 " Dorris Romilly," I soliloquized, " don't make your- 
 self disagreeable. Help the dear child to be as happy 
 as possible ; be unselfish. You dislike George without 
 any reason : try to like him. Because your romance 
 had but a short existence, and ended in sorrow which 
 nearly broke your heart, do not begrudge others their 
 happiness. Conquer yourself, Dorris, conquer your- 
 self ! " 
 
 Still the image looked back at me with sad eyes.
 
 A COURT BALL. 165 
 
 The clock on my mantel struck eight. I began to 
 dress hurriedly, continuing to reason with myself as I 
 did so ; and I moved as though in a dream, out of which 
 I was suddenly awakened by Nicolas's voice, who told 
 me the whole party was waiting for me. 
 
 The palace was blazing with light as we drove up to 
 it. There were three thousand guests ; and I felt like a 
 small atom in that brilliant throng. While I was look- 
 ing about me, rather bewildered by it all, my eyes fell on 
 Sacha, who was in a splendid uniform. He looked quite 
 handsome. His face brightened, and he came towards 
 me, nearly upsetting my friend the ambassador, who was 
 also making his way in my direction. The latter frowned, 
 and turned away. Sacha gained my side, breathless but 
 triumphant. 
 
 " Will you walk a little ? " 
 
 " Willingly ; but " (turning to Alice) " where will you 
 be when I want to find you ? " 
 
 " Somewhere near here," she answered ; and I started 
 off on a tour of inspection. 
 
 We finally reached a part of the great ball-room which 
 was comparatively clear. There were two or three chairs 
 standing against the wall. Having been for some time 
 on my feet, I was glad to drop into one of these. Sacha 
 started back, as if he were shocked, " O mademoi- 
 selle ! " 
 
 " What is it ? " I exclaimed. 
 
 " Oh, indeed, I would not do that ! " 
 
 " Do what ? Sit down ? " I answered. " Why not ? " 
 
 " It is not the custom, really."
 
 166 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 I arose, with a sigh. 
 
 "What nonsense all these rules are! No one would 
 have noticed me." 
 
 I still felt half-dazed, after my interview with Judith. 
 I wished to think about it ; but that was an impossibility, 
 with all this bustle and noise around me. I resolved to 
 shake off the spell which Judith's words had cast over 
 me, and enjoy myself as much as I could. Sacha 
 began to talk earnestly to me, on the same old 
 subject. 
 
 " I am engaged to her for the third quadrille," I 
 heard him saying, " and I shall take that opportunity." 
 
 Poor fellow ! He never could get his courage up to 
 propose to Judith ; but he was always threatening it. I 
 began to talk with him about George. Perhaps he would 
 tell me that secret now, I thought ; but it would be too 
 late to save my darling girl, for she loved him. Some- 
 how, my heart was very heavy. 
 
 "You once began," I said, "to tell me something 
 about Count Piloff ; but you did not finish it." 
 
 He looked at me vacantly ; then a gleam of recollec- 
 tion lighted up his dark eyes. 
 
 " Yes, I remember," he answered. " I don't know 
 whether I had better tell you or not." 
 
 "You are the best judge of that," I made answer 
 indifferently. " Of course, if you tell me, it will go no 
 further." 
 
 After a moment of apparent hesitation, Sacha said, in 
 a low and confidential tone : 
 
 " Mademoiselle, it is something startling I am about
 
 A COURT BALL. 167 
 
 to confide to you ; but you must consider that George 
 has knocked about the world a great deal, and perhaps 
 has not that fine sense of honor which he would have had 
 under different circumstances. I should not mention the 
 matter, were it not for your cousin's interest to know the 
 truth about him." 
 
 " Never mind apologizing," I cried impatiently. 
 
 " George has made a heavy bet at the club that he will 
 marry an heiress within six months. He made that bet 
 the day after he met your cousin, and directly after some 
 men had been asking him about her ; so it was under- 
 Stood by all that she was the heiress indicated." 
 
 The music and the noise around me seemed to be com- 
 pressed into one loud " Bang ! " which knocked my heart 
 and my brain together. I turned on my companion, 
 with an angry cry : " Is this true ? " I exclaimed. 
 
 " True ! " he repeated. " How could I tell it to you 
 otherwise ? " 
 
 The sharp pain in my heart dulled my other senses. I 
 knew that Sacha's voice was going on and on, but had 
 not an idea of what he was saying. I knew, too, that some 
 acquaintances came and spoke to me; that Sacha left 
 me, that the ambassador escorted me into the next room 
 and gave me an ice, and that I ate it mechanically ; but 
 all the time I was saying mentally, " Infamous ! Oh, poor 
 Judith ! " 
 
 Then a relief, sudden as the blow had been, came over 
 me. Perhaps it was all a lie. George was not capable 
 of such a thing. In any case, why should I care ? I 
 had never liked him. But the dull pain settled down at
 
 1 68 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 my heart again, and stayed there. My companion asked 
 me if I felt ill. No, I said; but I was tired. So I 
 was, very tired. 
 
 The ambassador took me in to supper. There were 
 three supper-rooms. In the largest the imperial table 
 was spread ; also two others, at one of which we took 
 our places. And there were two bands, which played 
 alternately during supper. The music was sad, and I 
 could hardly swallow a mouthful. We ate off massive 
 gold and silver ; the wine stood in coolers of beauti- 
 ful silver filagree ; the glass was exquisite Bohemian. 
 The Emperor did not sup, but walked about, and talked 
 with many of his guests. Three thousand people, 
 seated, without crowding, at a hot supper served on 
 Sevres and silver dishes, was a truly imperial entertain- 
 ment. But I was not in a fit state of mind to appreciate 
 this magnificence. 
 
 I had seen none of my party since the first of the 
 evening, and after supper I made a thorough search of 
 the ball-room, but without success. At last the ambas- 
 sador proposed to leave me in a certain spot and go by 
 himself to look for Alice. He had not been gone long 
 when a servant offered me some hot punch. As I was 
 drinking it, George's voice close beside me said, 
 
 " At last, Miss Rom illy, I have found you ! I have 
 been looking everywhere for you." 
 
 Something, I know not what, perhaps a tone of hearti- 
 ness or sincerity in his voice, sent a pang of regret and 
 incredulity through me. I felt the tears rush in a blind- 
 ing mist to my eyes as I lifted them to his without
 
 A COURT BALL. l6g 
 
 a word. I conquered myself the moment I encoun- 
 tered his calm gaze, and colored guiltily, fearing I had 
 betrayed my knowledge of his secret. He did not 
 speak a word as he took the empty glass from my 
 hand and put it on a table near by. Then he sat 
 down quietly beside me, saying, " We are to wait here 
 for Alice. She is saying good-night to some half dozen 
 friends." 
 
 " And Judith ? " I inquired. 
 
 " Is with her. Where have you kept yourself all the 
 evening ? None of us have seen you since you deserted 
 us to go off with Novissilsky." 
 
 " I don't know where I have been, nor who I have 
 seen, nor what I have done," I answered wearily. " It 
 has all been a tremendous noise and confusion. Jewels, 
 footmen in livery ; and every one whom I ever knew 
 talking to me at once." 
 
 " Tiresome, is it not ? I fancy you are glad to have 
 a chance to sit down." 
 
 " Yes. Mr. Novissilsky would not allow me to sit 
 when I was with him." 
 
 He laughed, and it seemed to me there was a touch 
 of contempt in his amusement. 
 
 " Sacha is punctilious," he remarked quietly. 
 
 " Is he truthful ? " I cried abruptly, turning an anxious 
 face on my companion. 
 
 He did not immediately return my look, but he an- 
 swered carelessly, 
 
 " I have no reason to think otherwise. Have you ? " 
 
 "Perhaps not," I said musingly. "Perhaps not,"
 
 1 70 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 more decidedly. " I would like to think him untruthful 
 though." 
 
 "Pray do then," laughed George. "It is generally 
 safe to doubt people ; and if he has told you anything 
 unpleasant, don't believe him. At least," he said, 
 suddenly becoming grave, leaning forward, and looking 
 me in the face, " do not let his words, whatever they 
 were, make you so sad. He has ruined your evening 
 for you, I see. Believe me, nothing that he can tell you 
 is worth a moment's unhappiness, unless it is something 
 which concerns you personally, which is not likely. In 
 any case," gazing at me with a gleam of warmer inter- 
 est than usual in his eyes, " do not let anything he says 
 make you look so wretched as you did when I came up 
 to you just now. I " Before he could finish his 
 sentence, or I could reply, Alice came in, with the oth- 
 ers of our party, and we wended our way towards the 
 door. 
 
 George's few words put new courage into me, for 
 some reason, and I felt quite cheerful when we reached 
 home, so that I proposed to Judith to awaken Tom and 
 Grace, and give them an account of our adventures. 
 We had some difficulty in arousing them, but at last 
 succeeded in getting Grace up. She enveloped herself 
 in a wrapper, and came out into her dressing-room to 
 listen to our narrative. 
 
 " Well, Grace," I said, tilting myself on the arm of a 
 chair, " you never saw anything so magnificent in your 
 life. We walked through a mile or two of corridors 
 and halls, brilliantly lighted with candles "
 
 A COURT BALL. I?l 
 
 " Tallow-dips or spermaceti ? " called Tom from be- 
 hind the screen, in a loud voice. 
 
 " High-arched ceilings over our heads," I continued, 
 regardless of this interruption. " Finally we came to 
 the Salle des N6gres, so called because at the doors 
 which lead from there to the apartments of the Emperor, 
 two Arabians, dressed in white, are stationed as guards. 
 Next came an octagonal room, lined with tables holding 
 tea, cakes, and ices. So on, through more magnificent 
 halls " 
 
 " Did you count all this in your two or three miles ? " 
 asked Tom meekly ; but I vouchsafed no reply. 
 
 " The floors were polished until they were like ice. 
 At last we came to a perfect dream of splendor. It was 
 a long corridor, ornamented with plants, and containing 
 a table which ran the entire length of it, holding tea, 
 cakes, and other refreshment. The green plants, the 
 white table-cloth, the glittering glass and silver, the lights 
 overhead, all grew smaller, and smaller, and smaller, 
 and smaller, until they dwindled into nothing, simply 
 because the eye could reach no farther." 
 
 " Oh, come now ! " as I stopped for comment. 
 
 " True, Tom," spoke up Judith. 
 
 " This corridor," I continued, " was separated from 
 the ball-room by a row of Corinthian columns, *which 
 were wound with evergreens interspersed with lighted 
 candles. The room was immensely high, a balcony with 
 carved balustrade surrounded it, and the walls were 
 lined with immense palms and magnolias. Servants in 
 red, yellow, and white livery stood behind the tables to
 
 1/2 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 serve us. Maids of honor and Russian ladies were 
 arranged in a line extending from the door where the 
 imperial family was to enter ; opposite them were the la- 
 dies of the diplomatic corps. Opposite the door, upon 
 which all eyes were fixed, were Russian gentlemen, all 
 in court or military uniform. The door opened, the 
 murmur of voices ceased, a master of ceremonies en- 
 tered, and soon after the Emperor and his family. He 
 bowed, and the answering courtesies made the room look 
 like a field of wheat in a wind." 
 
 " Old, but appropriate. Go on." 
 
 " The Emperor talked a little with some members of 
 the diplomatic body, and then opened the ball with a 
 polonaise. I need not describe that to you." 
 
 " Judith," said Grace suddenly, " I hope you did not 
 tear your dress." 
 
 " Mine is nearly demolished," I said sadly, " but Ju- 
 dith's is as good as new. She must have kept very 
 quiet somewhere to get it torn so little. Come, Judith ! 
 They don't appreciate our description. Let us go to 
 bed and leave them." 
 
 When we reached the door, Tom called out in a wide- 
 awake tone, " Hold on ! " But we refused to listen. I 
 was sound asleep a few minutes after my head touched 
 the pillow. 
 
 Evening. 
 
 I have just had a long talk with Judith. After what 
 she has told me, I am sure nothing could astonish me ; 
 the heavens might fall, and I should think that all was 
 as it should be.
 
 A COURT BALL. 1 73 
 
 We went to walk together, taking Mathilde to guard 
 us. As usual on the Nevsky, we met Circassians, Geor- 
 gians, Turks, Persians, and Cossacks, every nation- 
 ality under the sun. Some of the church-bells were 
 ringing, and at the sound the istvostchiks took off their 
 hats and crossed themselves devoutly. We had not 
 gone many yards before Judith turned to me with a 
 laugh, saying, 
 
 " Did you think I was a little insane last night, my 
 dear?" 
 
 " Not exactly," I answered. " I have seen the mat- 
 ter coming to this point for some time." 
 
 " Have you ? " (opening her eyes in surprise). " I did 
 not suppose you had the remotest idea of it." 
 
 "Why, Judith, you know I thought long ago that 
 he cared for you ! " 
 
 She looked puzzled, and then amused. 
 
 "O Dorris," she said, "I really believe there has 
 been a misunderstanding. You surely did not think 
 did you think I meant George ? " turning a laughing 
 face eagerly upon me. 
 
 " Of course," I responded, with a catch in my breath. 
 " Who else could it be ? " 
 
 " It is not George," Judith said, walking on quietly. 
 " It is some one whom you have never seen " 
 
 " Ah ! " I interrupted, stopping in the middle of the 
 street at the risk of being run over, and staring at my 
 cousin. " It is " 
 
 She took me by the arm and pulled me across the 
 street. " How reckless you are ! "
 
 1/4 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " But," I persisted, " it must be the young man in 
 Vienna, the one whom Mr. Tremaine wrote me about, 
 Roger Fisk. Is it he, Judith ? " with an appealing 
 look. 
 
 "What did Mr. Tremaine write you about him ? " she 
 asked eagerly. 
 
 " But is it he ? " 
 
 " What did my guardian say about him ? " she repeated 
 with emphasis. 
 
 " I will not go another step," I exclaimed, stopping in 
 front of the Kazan Church, " until you tell me whether 
 it was Roger Fisk that you were talking about." 
 
 She laughed in spite of herself. " Yes, it was." 
 
 " Who would have dreamed it ? " I murmured, con- 
 tinuing my way. " Who would have thought you were 
 in love ? " 
 
 " Come, Dorris, you are very provoking ! " said my 
 cousin, looking as if she thought of pouting. "Why 
 don't you tell me about Mr. Tremaine's letter ? " 
 
 " He only said that Mr. Fisk had written to him, but 
 that he would consent to no engagement until you 
 were of age." 
 
 " I shall be twenty-one in August," she cried trium- 
 phantly. " What else did he say ? " 
 
 " Only that he wondered how you had succeeded in 
 making your mutual confessions when you were in a 
 strict boarding-school." 
 
 She laughed immoderately. 
 
 " Dorris, I have known Roger for four years." 
 
 I gazed at her blankly.
 
 A COURT BALL. 175 
 
 " But you have only been in Europe four years ! " 
 
 "Very true. I met Roger the week after I arrived in 
 Paris, at the house of a lady who was extremely kind 
 to me. I believe you know her. It was Mrs. Emmons. 
 I used to dine with her often, and he was generally 
 there, and we had plenty of other mutual friends in the 
 American colony. Roger was studying in the hospitals. 
 He went to Vienna ten months after I entered the school 
 there, and in that city we could not have met often, except 
 that I used to go to riding-school with one of the teach- 
 ers, who was absorbed in the study of Italian. She had 
 a chance to go to Italy with a family in the vacation, 
 and as they supposed her to be proficient in the lan- 
 guage, it behooved her to study diligently. She used to 
 take her books with her, and she never noticed me from 
 the time we got there till we left. Roger always met 
 me, and in that way we saw each other regularly twice 
 a week. It was great fun ! " Judith looked at me with 
 a broad smile. 
 
 " I should think so," I responded. " What an excel- 
 lent plan it is to send girls abroad to school ! " 
 
 " I knew Mr. Tremaine would never consent," she 
 went on, after a while. " I told Roger it was of no use 
 to write ; but he said there should be no deceit about the 
 affair, if he could prevent it, and " 
 
 "Yes," I interrupted, "it seems to have been a 
 very open and straightforward performance, espe- 
 cially the meetings at the riding-school." 
 
 " Now, Dorris," she said coaxingly, " don't be unkind 
 about it ! "
 
 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " My dear child," I replied briskly, " I am more 
 pleased with you than I can say. I did not know that 
 you were capable of such constancy, and I cannot praise 
 you too highly." 
 
 " That 's a dear ! If we were not in the street, I would 
 kiss you. So you do not think it is such a foolish affair, 
 after all ? " 
 
 " I did not say that. Worldly people would tell you 
 that you were wild. But I don't see anything so strange 
 in your looking forward to an engagement at some future 
 date." 
 
 She looked a little crestfallen. 
 
 " I am engaged to him now," she murmured. 
 
 " Well, I don't think you can expect me to approve of 
 that ! " 
 
 " I shall be twenty-one in the summer ; Roger is com- 
 ing home in the fall, and will begin to practise at once. 
 Surely, that is not such a dismal prospect." 
 
 " Mr. Tremaine would call it so." 
 
 " I don't care at all what he calls it," she responded 
 pettishly. " I love Roger, and no one else ; and I never 
 will marry any one but him ! " 
 
 " Bravo ! " I cried. " I admire your resolution." 
 Then, as the thought of sundry flirtations which had 
 been going on lately in Petersburg travelled through 
 my mind, I added, in a cooler tone, "If you only 
 live up to your idea, and don't change your mind." 
 
 "Roger is not afraid to trust me. He was afraid when 
 I left Paris: he did not expect me to be true to him ; and 
 the first time he met me, after that ten months' separa-
 
 A COURT BALL. 177 
 
 tion, he was very doubtful about the reception I should 
 give him. But when he found that such a long absence 
 had made no difference, he decided that he could trust 
 me forever. You see he thinks I am a coquette by na- 
 ture, and mean no harm," she added earnestly. 
 
 " Strange that he should " (ironically). " But do you 
 mean to tell me that you were engaged to him before 
 you left Paris ? " I demanded in blank dismay. 
 
 " Yes," answered my cousin meekly. 
 
 "Judith, come home!" (turning and beginning to re- 
 trace my steps). "I did not suppose you had such 
 depths of deceit in you." 
 
 " Don't be vexed ! " she panted, struggling to keep up 
 with my hasty steps. 
 
 " I am not. I am only utterly amazed." 
 
 When we turned in at our own door, and began the 
 ascent to our apartment, a thought of George flashed 
 across me. I sat down on the stairs. 
 
 " What are you doing ? " exclaimed my companion, 
 her eyes dancing with amusement. 
 
 " Unhappy girl ! " I cried, in a voice which I tried to 
 make severe. " How about George, and all the others ? " 
 
 "The others can take care of themselves. As for 
 George, he knows the whole story. Take care, Dorris ! 
 You will lose your eyes ! Yes, I told George about it 
 long ago ; for when he was in Vienna, he and Roger 
 were great friends, and you cannot imagine how I have 
 enjoyed talking with him about Roger. He gives me 
 ever so much encouragement. But come ! Are you go- 
 ing to sit there all day ? " 
 
 12
 
 1 78 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 I rose slowly, and continued the ascent. 
 
 " Then George is not in love with you, after all ? " 
 
 " In love with me ? " (emphatically). " Far from it 1 
 He never has been, and never will be." 
 
 " All his attention to you, which I took for pure de- 
 votion, was sympathy? The reason you and he were so 
 fond of talking together was because you talked of 
 Roger ? " 
 
 " Yes ; and when I was blue, he used to comfort me, 
 and tell me that things would come out right in the end. 
 He advised me many times to confide in you ; but I 
 never could get courage enough." 
 
 "Well," said I, as we entered the library-door to- 
 gether, " if anything remains of me after the successive 
 shocks you have given me, it will be almost a miracle. 
 How fortunate that the servants understand no English ! 
 Judith, you are a good girl " (giving her rather an 
 awkward embrace, for I am not of a caressing disposi- 
 tion). "I cannot talk anymore about it now; for I must 
 write it down in my journal."
 
 MORE REVELATIONS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 MORE REVELATIONS. 
 
 Saturday, January . 
 
 'T^OM cheerfully remarked, apropos of Prince Tucheff 
 -* and his disappointment about Judith, that men 
 always get over these things. I dare say Mr. Thurber is 
 no exception to this rule. He came here this morning, 
 told me frankly that he loved me, and asked me if I 
 could return his affection. I knew that it was right to 
 confess the truth to him, so I said that I was very fond 
 of him as a friend, but I did not love him. I offered 
 him my friendship, which seems to be the proper thing 
 to do under such circumstances, but which is very much 
 like giving a child crackers when it cries for plum 
 pudding. 
 
 He took my answer quietly, left me abruptly, and 
 I was alone nearly all day, being kept in the house by a 
 cold. At twilight, as I was standing by the double 
 window, watching the row of lights in the Gastinni 
 Dvor, and the half-frozen istvostchiks slapping their 
 hands together and stamping their feet, there was a 
 ring at the door-bell. A servant entered at the same 
 time with lights, but I motioned him away and said, 
 " Nyett," and he left me with only the firelight and the
 
 180 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 fast-waning day. The outer door opened ; I paid no 
 attention to it, but kept on watching the cheerless scene 
 outside. Men and women in long, shapeless cloaks, 
 each one looking exactly like the other, chins deeply 
 buried in furs, eyes and noses alone visible ; thousands 
 of tiny sledges flying past ; moujiks scraping the snow 
 up ; great flakes beginning to descend, a sight rarely 
 vouchsafed us here ; and at length a funeral procession, 
 the mourners all trudging through the snow, with their 
 empty carriages following. 
 
 The door was opened, the portiere pushed aside, and 
 " Monsieur le Comte Piloff " was announced. 
 
 " You find me almost in the dark," I exclaimed. " If 
 you will ring, I will order the lamps." 
 
 " Not unless you wish it." 
 
 " I am not fond of twilight generally ; but let us wait 
 till it is a little darker, for this obscurity just suits my 
 present mood." 
 
 " Willingly " ; and we seated ourselves, I in a large 
 chair by the window, and George opposite me. 
 
 " I am the only member of the family in the house," 
 I remarked quietly. 
 
 " I know it. I met them driving." 
 
 " They are paying visits ; and Tom is getting the 
 reputation of being a wit by the entertaining way in 
 which he describes the freezing of my ear, which took 
 place a few days ago. My misfortune was quite a 
 blessing for him; it gives him a continual subject of 
 conversation." 
 
 " Was it a serious freeze ? "
 
 MORE REVELATIONS. l8l 
 
 "I thought so. Perhaps you Russians would con- 
 sider it a mere nothing. The resuscitation was the 
 most disagreeable part of it. Its shape now is some- 
 thing wonderful, but they tell me that with perse- 
 vering applications of goose-grease, I shall soon re- 
 cover." 
 
 " I have no doubt of it," he answered rather absently. 
 
 There was a pause, and I looked out to where the 
 darkness was descending, and wished that I was at home 
 in America. 
 
 George's voice broke in upon my meditations. " I 
 have come here to-night at the risk of seeming presump- 
 tuous and making myself ridiculous. I know you gen- 
 erally put the worst construction on my actions." His 
 tone became eager, and there was a strange appeal in 
 it. " Try to think, for once, Miss Romilly, that there is 
 a good motive which prompts me. If there is such a 
 thing in your nature as trust and confidence in any one, 
 exercise it now, and believe in me. I have not been 
 unobservant, and it seems to me your happiness is 
 largely involved in this matter." 
 
 Could this be George's voice ? What could have so 
 moved him? I wondered. A little pang shot through 
 my heart at his words, and I clasped my fingers together 
 tightly as he went on : 
 
 "I saw Thurber this morning; he had just come 
 from you. Of course I guessed what had occurred." 
 He hesitated for a moment, as if reluctant to proceed ; 
 then, in a more conciliatory tone, 
 
 " Would you mind telling me why you refused him ? "
 
 1 82 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " Indeed I should, very much," I answered quietly, 
 recovering myself suddenly. 
 
 There was silence for a moment. 
 
 " I think I know," said he boldly. " I am sure you 
 would be surprised if you knew how well I have read 
 your thoughts for the last few weeks. In the first 
 place, you imagined that Thurber was in love with your 
 cousin." 
 
 An expectant pause, but I made no reply. 
 
 " Then you thought that he hesitated after you told 
 him that story about your uncle." 
 
 Still I maintained an imperturbable silence. 
 
 "These two things combined to make you doubt him. 
 It is natural for you to doubt. You made up your mind 
 that he was not as much in love with you as he might be; 
 and you have ruined his happiness and your own for a 
 freak. Do you suppose I have not seen how much you 
 care for him ? " 
 
 Very calmly George spoke these words ; and although 
 they struck me like a thunder-clap, his self-control com- 
 municated itself to me. It was a little absurd, too, to 
 be told so quietly that I was in love with this other man. 
 George's cold, clear voice, informing me calmly of the 
 condition of my heart ! I spoke quietly in reply, 
 though I was more inclined to laugh than do anything 
 else. 
 
 " Are you not rather hasty in your judgment ? " 
 
 "Possibly; but as you refuse to tell me why you would 
 not have Thurber, I am forced to judge simply by appear- 
 ances."
 
 MORE REVELATIONS. 183 
 
 "Why should you be so excited over a small 
 matter ? " 
 
 He had shown no excitement, but I hoped to irri- 
 tate him by the question. My expectations were not 
 realized. 
 
 " It certainly should be a small matter to me whether 
 you accept a certain suitor or not," he answered in the 
 same calm voice ; " but when that suitor is my friend, 
 and when your conduct has led him as well as me to 
 suppose that you did not regard him with indifference, it 
 becomes another thing ; and if I imagine that by put- 
 ting the case clearly before you, and combatting any 
 false ideas which may have crept into your mind, I can 
 cause you to reconsider your decision, I am justified in 
 using plain language." 
 
 Here was another thunderbolt ! I had led Mr. 
 Thurber to think I was in love with him ! The dark- 
 ness had settled down upon us ; but the fire-light cast 
 queer, flickering shadows into the corners. 
 
 " If," he continued, after a pause, " you have any lin- 
 gering doubts of Thurber's fondness for you, I can lay 
 them at rest. I know that ever since you came to Pe- 
 tersburg, he has been in love with you. All his friends 
 have noticed the change in him. If you could have 
 seen the state he was in after he left you this morning," 
 he broke off suddenly. 
 
 " I begin to think," he went on presently, with an un- 
 easy laugh, "that I have come on a Quixotic errand. I 
 started on the impulse of the moment, thinking I could 
 help matters ; but I see that my efforts are unwelcome, 
 and my friendly spirit meets with no response."
 
 , 1 84 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 "You hinted just now," I said, in a voice which I 
 vainly strove to render steady, " at encouragement which 
 1 had given. Did Mr. Thurber lead you to suppose that 
 I had encouraged him ? " 
 
 " Certainly not." 
 
 At this moment the servant brought in the lamp, 
 which cast a faint pink light over to the window where 
 I sat. I waited until the curtains were drawn, and the 
 man had left the room. I felt that the light was betray- 
 ing to George the state of excitement in which I was ; 
 for my cheeks were blazing, and my under lip quiv- 
 ering, as it has a disagreeable trick of doing when I am 
 nervous. There was no hope of escaping George's scru- 
 tiny : his eyes were devouring my face, as I saw in the 
 quick glance which I cast at him. I threw concealment 
 to the winds, and turned upon him. 
 
 " No one was ever so cruelly unjust to me before," 
 I cried, with a break in my voice, " as to call me a flirt. 
 If there is one bad quality in this world which I lack, it 
 is that. Anything" (proudly forcing back the tears), 
 " anything you choose to call me I will not protest 
 against, except that." 
 
 I folded my hands over the arms of my chair, sat bolt 
 upright, and faced him boldly. 
 
 " It is a piece of unwarrantable impertinence for you to 
 talk to me in this way," I continued. 
 
 He looked at me earnestly for a moment, then 
 dropped his eyes on the carpet, and murmured, " I 
 fear so." 
 
 There was silence for some seconds.
 
 MORE REVELATIONS. 185 
 
 "I did not mean," he said, looking at me again, "that 
 you deliberately flirted with him. You women have a 
 way of encouraging a man, unconsciously, I suppose " 
 (with a touch of bitterness). " You flatter him by smil 
 ing at him, and listening to his words as if you were read- 
 ing an entertaining book; but when he is fool enough 
 to think this means that you love him, he finds out his 
 mistake ; and the woman is considered magnanimous if 
 she does not laugh at him for his folly. My God ! " he 
 cried, jumping up and pacing the room with a heavy 
 step, " do you know what it is to be in love ? Do you 
 know " (stopping in front of me, and looking at me 
 with a severity which frightened me), "do you know 
 what it is to be so bound up in a person that her every 
 look, her every breath, is something dear and precious to 
 you? That nothing which this world or the next can 
 offer seems of any value to you, without her love?" 
 Then, turning on his heel, and walking away from me 
 with a contemptuous laugh: "What insufferable foolish- 
 ness for me to talk to you like this ! You have never 
 fathomed the meaning of the word love." 
 
 He threw himself into the chair opposite me again. 
 
 " Count Piloff !" I exclaimed, trembling from head to 
 foot, but resolved to stem the torrent of his vehemence, 
 " You shall say no more till you have heard me. What 
 I may think of you for your conduct is, doubtless, of 
 little importance to you ; but you shall know the reason 
 I refused Mr. Thurber, and then you shall leave me " 
 (with a feeble attempt at dignity). 
 
 " I beg your pardon," he said, more calmly ; " I for- 
 got myself."
 
 1 86 TEE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " I do not love Mr. Thurber," I continued ; " there- 
 fore, I refused him." I looked steadily at George's 
 downcast head as I spoke. " Many years ago, when I 
 was seventeen years old, I was engaged to be married. 
 The man whom I loved dearly enough to promise to 
 marry, in spite of the opposition of my family, was taken 
 from me by death. Since then I have seen no one who 
 has tempted me to be false to my first love. I give you 
 this explanation, not because you have any right to it, 
 but to justify myself. Now, I hope I shall never see you 
 again ! " and I buried my face in my hands, feeling that 
 it was useless to struggle against the sobs which would 
 make themselves heard. 
 
 The faint crackle of the fire was the only other sound 
 in the room for a few minutes. Presently George's hand 
 touched my arm, and rested there for a second, as he 
 said, in a low, gentle voice, 
 
 " Don't cry, my darling ! I love you, and I cannot 
 bear to see you cry." 
 
 I raised my head suddenly, and turned my tear-stained 
 face on him. 
 
 " What do you tell me ? " I cried. 
 
 He met my astounded look with a pair of honest, sor- 
 rowful eyes. I dropped back into my chair, and covered 
 my face again, while silence fell upon us. 
 
 "I suppose," said George sadly, "that I am doubly 
 hateful to you now. I will go away from here to-night, 
 and you shall never see me again, if that is your wish. 
 It is a humiliation to have confessed that, in spite of 
 your contempt, your want of confidence in me, and the
 
 MORE REVELATIONS. l8/ 
 
 many times you have cut me to the heart by the plain 
 expression of your dislike, I am weak enough to care 
 for you. I never meant you to know it. Now that I 
 have betrayed myself, however " (biting his mustache 
 nervously, while I dropped my hands in my lap, and 
 looked straight into his face), " it is as well for me to 
 tell you frankly that my future seems dark, and my 
 whole^life worthless. You once told me I had no depth 
 of feeling. You are as incapable of measuring the 
 anguish I feel as a child would be ! Would to heaven 
 I had ' no depth of feeling ' ! In that case it would 
 have given me no pain to see the poorly concealed 
 aversion with which you always have turned from 
 me." 
 
 He broke off abruptly, with a short, bitter laugh. 
 
 " I grow garrulous," he cried. " Why do you not tell 
 me that I bore you ? I came to plead for Thurber, and 
 I spend the time talking about myself. I should never 
 have taken any steps in the matter had I not thought 
 that your happiness was involved, Thurber is nothing 
 to me. I will go away" (rising to his feet); but I put 
 out my hand, and murmured, 
 
 " No, not yet. I must speak to you before you go." 
 
 He sat down obediently and waited. I looked at 
 him attentively. He was surely in his right mind. How 
 blind I had been, how stupidly blind ! 
 
 "I hardly know what I am saying," I began, "for I 
 have a splitting headache. But I want to tell you that 
 I think you must be mistaken, but but I am " I 
 rubbed my forehead and hesitated for a word.
 
 1 88 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 George looked at me more calmly than before I began 
 to speak, and waited. 
 
 ."I am very sorry," I said slowly and disconsolately, 
 plaiting up my pocket-handkerchief in my warm fingers. 
 Stealing another glance at him, I added : 
 
 " I did not mean it when I said I hoped I should 
 never see you again. I hope you will continue to come 
 the same as ever, and that you will give no one any 
 cause to suspect what you have told me " (in the same 
 dismal tone, playing with my rings as if my one object 
 in life was to see how near they would come to the ends 
 of my fingers without slipping off. George watched my 
 experiments with the greatest apparent interest). " It 
 is very strange to me," I went on, after a pause, " that 
 you should care for any one whom you have just de- 
 clared to have no faith in any human being, whom you 
 consider a coquette, and who has not heart enough to 
 know what love means." I stopped, but George made 
 no attempt to reply. 
 
 " I am sure that you will change " Here I was sud- 
 denly interrupted. 
 
 My companion pushed his chair back, and jumped up 
 impulsively. 
 
 "The only hope I have," he cried, "is that I shall 
 change. But just now you must not tell me that you are 
 sure I shall. Oh ! " (with a sudden change of manner) 
 " don't mind what I say ! " 
 
 He walked over to the chimney, where he looked into 
 the bed of coals as if to read something in the glowing 
 fire.
 
 MORE REVELATIONS. 189 
 
 " I was unkind as well as rude to you," he went on, 
 never removing his gaze from the fire. " Forgive me ! 
 In future you shall not be reminded of this folly." 
 
 He came nearer and stood in front of me, saying, 
 " You should be willing to forgive me for the disagreea- 
 ble things I have said, when you remember how small a 
 part I have in your life. Only a few weeks out of a life- 
 time ! Even if I had power to make them all unhappy, 
 it would be a small proportion to the happy weeks 
 which some one more fortunate than I will give you. 
 For I am sure that your heart will some day be more 
 fully awakened than it is now. What does a girl of 
 seventeen know of love ? Believe me, there is a depth 
 of devotion in your nature which has never been 
 sounded. I am sorry " (walking back to the fireplace 
 and speaking very sadly) " I am sorry that I made you 
 cry." He added wistfully, after a moment, " I suppose 
 I may go now ? " 
 
 I walked over to where he stood in front of the fire, 
 and looked up at him with a weak attempt at a smile. 
 
 " I want to ask you something," I said. " But you 
 must promise not to be hurt or angry with me for asking 
 the question." 
 
 "I promise," he replied gravely. 
 
 "Did you make a bet at the club that you would 
 marry an heiress within six months ? " 
 
 He grew white to his very lips, and, moving his hand 
 impetuously, he swept poker and tongs to the floor with 
 a great clatter. 
 
 Although I was certainly deeply in earnest, this little
 
 190 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 incident amused me, and I smiled. George paid no 
 more attention to the havoc he had caused than he did 
 to the snow-storm outside. 
 
 " Who told you that ? " he cried. 
 
 " Hush ! " I answered. " No matter who told me." 
 
 " And you could believe that of me ! " he murmured, 
 with a look of concentrated mortification and sorrow. 
 
 " No ! " I exclaimed impulsively. " No, no ! I don't 
 believe it." 
 
 " But you did. Well, it is as false as the heart of the 
 man or woman who told you." 
 
 Here he glanced at the prostrate tongs, and concluded 
 to pick them up ; and I observed, in a melancholy tone, 
 " There is the poker, too." 
 
 " I will go away," he said, grasping the poker absently 
 in his hand, " and you must try to forget all I have said. 
 Good-by" (looking at me wistfully). 
 
 I put out my hand ; he held it for a moment, then 
 rushed at the door, discovered that he had left his hat, 
 and came back, still clinging to the poker. 
 
 What demon of nervousness was it which made me 
 burst out laughing when he laid the poker down on the 
 table and took up his hat! He looked at me with a 
 sort of dull reproach. 
 
 " I know I am very ridiculous," he said. 
 
 "It is not that," I cried. "It is I don't know 
 what is the matter with me. I am nervous." 
 
 This was not strictly true. Almost every man is 
 somewhat ridiculous when he is making love to a 
 woman who does not care for him ; and George, grasp-
 
 MORE REVELATIONS. 191 
 
 ing the poker instead of his hat, was irresistibly 
 funny. 
 
 After he had gone I spent an hour in reflection. All 
 my self-examination fails to convict me of coquetry with 
 either of these men. I am very unhappy, for I have 
 made them so ; and I have no doubt things will be un- 
 comfortable. 
 
 I am ashamed that I should have believed . Sacha's 
 story. Is it club gossip, or did he tell a deliberate 
 falsehood? I like George more than I would have 
 believed possible a month ago. Still, I think I prefer 
 Mr. Thurber.
 
 1 92 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 MARIE TALKE. 
 
 Monday, January . 
 
 T AWOKE yesterday morning with a severe head- 
 -* ache and influenza. The exciting scene of the day 
 before was still fresh in my mind. If I had chosen to 
 weep all day, no one would have been any wiser, for my 
 nose and eyes were both as red and swollen as a gallon 
 of tears could have made them. 
 
 " You cannot go to the theatre to-night ! " Grace 
 exclaimed in horror when she saw me. 
 
 "Serves her right," said Tom. "The idea of a 
 woman who was born and brought up in New England, 
 going to the theatre on Sunday ! I can't understand 
 how you harbored the notion for a moment." 
 
 " It is one chance in a lifetime," interposed Judith. 
 " A gala-night, when every one in the house will be the 
 guest of the Emperor ; and all the wedding party there 
 too ! You must go, Dorris, even if you are ill enough 
 to be in bed." 
 
 " I shall be well enough to go," I answered calmly. 
 
 Tom remarked in a resigned tone that he had no 
 control over the women of his family. 
 
 In the course of the day Mr. Thurber came in. He
 
 MARIE TALKS. 193 
 
 told us that he was going into the interior of Russia for 
 a month or six weeks, with some other young men. He 
 managed to say to me in a low voice, 
 
 " I must see you before I go. Can you give me an 
 hour in the morning ? " 
 
 " Come and dine with us," I answered aloud. Tom 
 cordially seconded the invitation, and Mr. Thurber 
 accepted. 
 
 I made my toilet before dinner, enveloped myself in 
 a huge shawl, and, provided with a smelling-bottle, 
 went down. 
 
 "Tom," said I anxiously, "do I look so very ugly?" 
 
 My brother-in-law surveyed me silently, and then 
 expressed himself in the following candid way : 
 
 " Your dress is a stunner, Dorris, and makes you look 
 first-rate from a distance ; and I don't suppose any one 
 in the theatre will notice your face. You are pale, 
 though " (reluctantly), " except the tip end of your nose, 
 and your eyelids ; and, by Jove ! " (sympathetically) 
 " how ill you look ! Don't you think you had better 
 stay at home ? " 
 
 " No," I replied dismally, wrapping my shawl round 
 me again. "I don't care how I look," which was as 
 true as such speeches generally are. 
 
 After dinner Judith went away to dress, and Tom, 
 with many apologies, took Grace off to their regular 
 weekly occupation of making up accounts. Mr. Thurber 
 and I were left alone. 
 
 Suffice it to say that when that interview was ended I 
 found myself pledged to a certain extent. I was sur- 
 
 18
 
 194 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 prised to find that it was so when I thought it over 
 afterwards. I could not tell Mr. Thurber that I dis- 
 liked him ; neither could I say that I never should love 
 him. I have quite an affection for him, and I told him 
 so. Then I could not refuse to try and like him a little 
 more, and that is what I have promised. When he 
 returns I am to give him a decided answer. I feel 
 infinitely relieved now, and I have no doubt it will end 
 in my marrying him. 
 
 The question next came into my mind, Should I tell 
 George ? It seemed to me unnecessary, and I resolved 
 to be guided by circumstances. I was driven through 
 the illuminated streets in rather an absent frame of 
 mind, Patient crowds were standing about, waiting for 
 glimpses of grandeur. 
 
 When we reached the theatre, the whole of the build- 
 ing was covered with gas-jets, forming the initials " A " 
 and " M," crowns, stars, and various other devices. 
 The scene inside the theatre was truly regal. In the 
 low corridors, as we entered, were crowds of officials in 
 full uniform, hurrying about in excitement. When we 
 opened the door and stepped into our box, a blaze of 
 splendor burst upon us. The house was made brilliant 
 by a row of electric lights, in addition to the ordinary 
 chandelier and gas jets. 
 
 The prevailing colors in the theatre are crimson and 
 gold? The imperial box thrice as high and as wide 
 as the others is directly opposite the stage, on the 
 second story. There are five tiers of boxes above the 
 parquet. As we looked down on the floor, not a plain
 
 MARIE TALKE. 
 
 black coat was to be seen. The parquet was entirely 
 filled with gentlemen, and was one mass of gorgeous 
 color. Uniforms, orders, decorations, gold and silver 
 lace, swords, and bald heads, were mingled in a won- 
 derful manner. For once the other sex rivalled ours in 
 brilliancy of attire. Not a shoulder without a bright 
 ribbon across it, indicating the order of St. Alexander, 
 or St. Vladimir, or Saint Somebody Else. 
 
 " If all those ribbons were taken off, and pieced to- 
 gether," I exclaimed, " they would stretch round the 
 world." 
 
 The gentlemen's costumes were so elaborate that I 
 sighed to think how much time must have been spent in 
 the arrangement of them. The parquet was a living 
 and continually moving mass of gold, silver, and bright 
 colors. 
 
 The row of boxes which surrounded this was filled 
 with ladies, fans, flashing jewels, white arms and 
 necks, and rich dresses. The great imperial box was 
 empty. On the right of it were those reserved for the 
 diplomatic corps. The representatives of different 
 countries seemed trying to rival each other in splendor 
 of dress, always excepting the American minister, 
 who on these state occasions is conspicuous by his 
 pla^n black dress, and absence of decorations. There 
 were the Chinese, in yellow, two of them wearing large 
 spectacles; there were Persians wearing the black, and 
 Turks the red, fez, each nationality in a different, 
 gay uniform. 
 
 On the left of the imperial box not a gentleman was
 
 196 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 visible. The wives and families of the ministers of the 
 empire occupied the seats. 
 
 To the top of the house nothing was to be seen but an 
 array of ball-dresses, jewels, and uniforms. Even the 
 members of the orchestra were in uniform. 
 
 We had time to criticise everything ; for it was nine 
 o'clock before there were any signs of preparation in the 
 imperial box. At last the Grand Chamberlain, the Min- 
 ister of the Household, and some others entered the 
 empty Ibge, to which all eyes had been directed for some 
 time, and some orders were given to an Arabian attend- 
 ant about the arrangement of the chairs. 
 
 This Arab was as black as ink. He wore a red and 
 white turban ; a short black jacket, trimmed with gold ; 
 a scarlet sash, and full red trousers. The whole audi- 
 ence breathlessly watched him as he arranged the chairs. 
 The orchestra turned, and faced the imperial box ; and 
 so did every one else. The leader stood with his baton 
 uplifted, ready to give the signal. 
 
 There were a few moments of deathly stillness ; then, 
 at a sign from the great box, the leader's baton fell. 
 Every soul in the house rose, the Russian Hymn burst 
 forth, and cheers rent the air as the Emperor came in 
 with the bride. These cheers were prolonged, and re- 
 peated when the Tsarevitch made his appearance. 
 
 I think that was the most impressive moment of my 
 life. I was one cold chill from head to foot. The peo- 
 ple shouted, the Tsar bowed, and the hymn and cheers 
 were continued. 
 
 This sovereign's face is to me inexpressibly sad and
 
 MARIE TALKS. 197 
 
 touching, as if he bore the sins and griefs of his people 
 all on his heart, and was lifted so far above human sym- 
 pathy that no one but his God had power to comfort him. 
 If I ever had the desire to be an emperor, one look at 
 Alexander Second would have been sufficient to rid me 
 of it. He looks as though he had never known what it is 
 to be happy ; as though he had felt from babyhood every 
 whit of the responsibility which weighs upon monarchs. 
 I feel a deep reverence for this man, who has freed his 
 people from slavery, and many Christians from persecu- 
 tion, and who now is blamed by the world because he 
 does not think it best to do more. I like to think, though, 
 that his liberated serfs love him, and that posterity will 
 do him justice. 
 
 Here I have left the Emperor standing all this time, 
 while I have been wandering in political fields. 
 
 The German Hymn followed the Russian. I was 
 rather bewildered by it; for I thought it was "God save 
 the Queen," and wondered what propriety there was in 
 playing it on this occasion. 
 
 The music ceased, and the cheers burst forth again, 
 louder and fuller than ever. The bride and groom were 
 in the centre of the box; on her right was the Emperor, 
 dressed in Cossack uniform, a long, scarlet coat, 
 plsfited in at the waist, with silver trimmings. The 
 Tsarevitch wore the same kind of uniform. 
 
 The bride wore the ribbon indicating the order of St. 
 Catherine. The ladies of the imperial family exhibited 
 magnificent diadems and necklaces. The Grand Duch- 
 ess Constantine's necklace covered her from throat to
 
 198 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 waist, and was composed of the most magnificent em- 
 eralds I ever saw. The blaze and glitter which filled 
 the imperial box was something like what I used to read 
 about in the fairy tales. The rest of the house, which 
 had seemed magnificent a moment before, now looked 
 quite plain in comparison. 
 
 I seem to deal in superlatives, but even with their aid 
 I do scant justice to the scene. I was gazing in open 
 wonder and admiration, actually dazed by the magnifi- 
 cence, when the familiar music of Faust broke upon my 
 ear, and I turned to see Albani in the third act of that 
 opera. 
 
 Sacha smiled upon us from a distance, and made his 
 way slowly towards us. George had entered the box 
 some time before, and, having bowed to us, leaned 
 back against the wall and surveyed the house through 
 his glass. It seemed to me that. my interview with him 
 must have been a dream. There was not a shadow of 
 embarrassment is his manner, not a trace of conscious- 
 ness. 
 
 While he still stood there, Sacha came in. I bowed 
 very coldly, and turned my back on him. When he had 
 gone away, Alice asked me, laughing, 
 
 " Why did you snub the poor fellow like that ? " 
 
 " Because I don't like him. I despise him." 
 
 " I would not," said George's voice behind me, most 
 unexpectedly. " He is not worth it." 
 
 " Perhaps not," I responded, in some excitement ; 
 "but I cannot look upon people in that indifferent 
 way."
 
 MARIE TALKE. 199 
 
 George said no more, and I gave my attention to the 
 music. Massini sang poorly; so did Albani. There 
 was no applause, etiquette forbidding. 
 
 A few opera-glasses were levelled at the imperial 
 box, but few were bold enough to commit such a fla- 
 grant breach of etiquette. I must confess that I took a 
 few surreptitious glances from the back of our loge. 
 
 When the curtain went down, the imperial party 
 retired to a drawing-room. Tea, ices, and cakes were 
 served to the guests by servants in the imperial livery. 
 In the foyer, tables were spread with various costly dishes 
 and wines, and ornamented with plants and flowers. 
 The walls of the room were lined with evergreen trees. 
 
 Having taken a look at this with the ambassador, I 
 returned to my place, but there were so many gentle- 
 men gathered about that I proposed to my companion 
 to return to the foyer. He acceded to my request with 
 apparent eagerness. 
 
 I really felt wretchedly ill, and the draughts set me to 
 shivering. I could hardly keep my teeth from chatter- 
 ing, and was thankful that the ambassador talked on 
 without noticing the state I was in. 
 
 After a time George passed me. He stopped short, 
 and looked at me piercingly. 
 
 "You are ill!" he exclaimed. "What is the mat- 
 ter ? " 
 
 "Only a cold which I have had for two or three 
 days." 
 
 " Come with me," he said authoritatively. 
 
 I hesitated, and looked at the ambassador, who had
 
 200 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 been buttonholed by another diplomatic gentleman, and 
 was talking earnestly. 
 
 George, with a gesture of impatience, took my hand, 
 put it inside his arm, and walked me off to a sheltered 
 nook, where he made me sit down. Then he brought 
 me a tiny glass of dark-colored liquid. 
 
 I shook my head. " I can't drink brandy." 
 
 He frowned. "Really you must drink it, Miss 
 Romilly," he said persuasively. 
 
 I took it and drained the glass. The warmth it im- 
 parted to my chilled body was most welcome. It crept 
 over me from head to foot in a comforting way. 
 
 George stood and watched me for a few minutes, 
 then smiled a little, saying, 
 
 " You look a trifle less blue than you did. I mean, 
 blue in color." 
 
 " Tom told me," said I, in an aggrieved tone, " that I 
 looked very well at a distance." 
 
 " So you do," said Count Piloff, still smiling ; " but 
 I was quite near you, and I never saw any one look 
 so ill." 
 
 A group of ladies and gentlemen came walking past 
 us, and, stopping near by, continued a conversation 
 which they had been holding in French. 
 
 " It was all a misunderstanding, you know," said one 
 of the ladies to an older one. 
 
 I had stopped talking to observe the group, as one 
 will do in such places, and was still looking at them 
 with a sort of idle curiosity. 
 
 " Oh no, I assure you ! " cried the other. " He be-
 
 MARIE TALKE 2OI 
 
 haved in the most dishonorable way, and she married 
 Prince Simonieff out of spite." 
 
 I looked at George with amusement, wondering what 
 piece of scandal I was about to hear. To my surprise 
 he did not return my glance. There came a sudden 
 red flame over his face, which passed away and left 
 him pallid. With bent head and downcast eyes he sat 
 there in silence, so absorbed that he was apparently 
 unconscious of my presence. 
 
 I listened with vague curiosity for the next words 
 which fell from the lips of the lady in front. It was 
 the younger one who spoke : 
 
 " I heard that he came to the house one night in a 
 beastly state of intoxication, and that the engagement 
 was broken the next morning." 
 
 " True, and not true," responded the other. " He 
 went there when he had been drinking, and he told her 
 some plain truths, what they were you can imagine; 
 Marie's life is public property now. He ended by say- 
 ing that nothing would induce him to marry her, since 
 he had discovered how false she was to him as well as 
 to her other lovers ; that it was only because she had 
 declared her intention of dying if he did not marry her 
 th#t he had become engaged to her ; and after that 
 night he considered himself bound to her no longer. 
 The next day her brother insulted him in the club. 
 There were some words, but the matter was hushed up, 
 and all that society heard afterwards was that Marie 
 Talke married Prince Simonieff and became one of the 
 fastest women ever received at respectable houses ;
 
 202 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 and that Sacha Talke was killed in a mysterious duel 
 abroad. But I happen to know that it was Count Piloff 
 who killed him." 
 
 I looked at my companion, expecting to see him rise 
 in anger and tell this woman that her statement was 
 false. He sat still, showing no emotion except in the 
 deathly paleness of his face, and a strange glitter in his 
 eyes, which were fixed upon mine. 
 
 The group walked on. I spoke almost fiercely, 
 
 " Have n't you enough courage to tell that person 
 what you think of her ? Are you afraid of a woman ? " 
 
 The half scornful smile on his lips gave place to one 
 so gentle, the hard gleam in his eyes softened to such a 
 tender look, that I hardly knew him. He said in a low 
 voice, 
 
 " Is it possible that you do not believe it ? " 
 
 " Believe it ? " I repeated. " Do you suppose I think 
 so badly of you as that ? " 
 
 He sighed, and his eyes dropped. 
 
 " After all," he said slowly, " what difference does it 
 make whether you feel a shade or two more or less of 
 contempt for me ? " 
 
 He reflected for a moment, and then looked at me. 
 
 " I should be a sorry rascal if all that she said were 
 true; yet," with a sudden tightening of the breath, 
 though his eyes never flinched from their steady gaze, 
 " some of it is true." 
 
 Seeing that he waited for me, I responded calmly, 
 "That does not surprise me. There is generally a 
 foundation of truth in these stories. How much of 
 this is true ? "
 
 MARIE TALKE. 203 
 
 "I will tell you some time, but not now; for the ballet 
 has begun, and you must return to the box." 
 
 His manner had suddenly become cold and formal, 
 and so it remained until we bade each other good-night 
 at the door of the theatre. 
 
 Between my troublesome thoughts and my still more 
 troublesome cold, I rested ill that night. George was 
 surprised that I did not believe that story about him. 
 He must think that I hate and despise him, to believe 
 such a tale as that. There was a throb of indignation 
 in my heart when that stranger so indifferently spoke the 
 words which maligned his character, and I felt inclined 
 to remonstrate with her myself when I saw that George 
 continued silent. 
 
 It is strange how my feelings have changed towards 
 him. If he were not in love with me, perhaps I should 
 still think him conceited and insincere ; but it is aston- 
 ishing how that one fact changes everything. I don't 
 know whether it is vanity or some other trait, lurking in 
 the shadowy part of my character, which makes me think 
 favorably of any one who likes me. Certainly, I have 
 a decided preference for people who exhibit that good 
 tasj;e. 
 
 Tuesday. 
 This letter was brought to me yesterday afternoon: 
 
 MY DEAR Miss ROMILLY, I promised to tell you 
 some time my version of the story which you overheard 
 last night. I am sure I shall find it impossible to relate
 
 204 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 it to you, and I should make myself tiresome by the 
 length of time I should consume: so I am going to write 
 it down, in order that you may read it at your leisure, 
 and leave off when you like ; or, if it bores you, put it 
 away unread until your memory of me grows so dim 
 that all the disagreeable part of our acquaintance has 
 faded, and you take up my letter to bring back the ghost 
 of this short winter, which is fast drawing to an end. 
 
 First, I would thank you and you little know how 
 sincerely I say it for showing me this evening that 
 you are not so utterly devoid of confidence in me as I 
 had supposed. It is a bitter thing for a man to feel 
 that the woman who, in a quiet, most unobtrusive way, 
 without knowledge of her own, has crept into his heart, 
 and filled it so completely that nothing will ever take 
 her place, it is a bitter thing for this man to know that 
 the woman feels nothing but contempt for him. You 
 showed me last night that you had learned to trust me 
 somewhat. It will be my own fault if I ever sink back 
 to my old level in your esteem. If this new trust in me 
 should not be sufficient to convince you of the truth of 
 all that is contained in this letter, you have only to refer 
 to Nicolas, in whom, I am aware, you have implicit faith. 
 
 Do you know that I am thirty-seven years old ? 
 Think what a mere boy I was fifteen years ago ! It was 
 then that this episode occurred. I confess frankly that 
 I was a wild fellow, and my father had a great deal of 
 trouble with me. 
 
 We came home from America, where all my boyhood 
 had been passed, and where I had indulged in an infi-
 
 MARIE TALKE. 205 
 
 rnte number of flirtations, and had run so into debt that 
 my father was glad to start me in a new country. But 
 the change was not an improvement. I ran through a 
 year's allowance in a few months, and brought in a har- 
 vest of debts. Launched forth into Russian society at 
 twenty-one, petted because I was new and wealthy and 
 well-born, what wonder that I got into all sorts of mis- 
 chief ? 
 
 I was dazzled at first by the brilliancy about me, but I 
 soon began to regret America ; moments of terrible de- 
 pression and homesickness came upon me. I felt like a 
 man without a country, a stranger in my own land, yet 
 obliged to reside there. I begged my father to allow me to 
 go back ; but he was inflexible. I must have a "career" 
 in my native country, among my own people ; and a 
 career was accordingly looked up for me, an appoint- 
 ment in a foreign office. 
 
 Perhaps I weary you with details. I will not dwell on 
 these trifles. 
 
 Soon after my appointment, and while I was still 
 suffering with homesickness, I met a woman who became 
 the strongest influence which my life had yet expe- 
 rienced. Her name was Marie, Countess Talke. She 
 was seven years my senior, and a widow. She took 
 me under her patronage and protection ; and as she was 
 one of the most popular women in the fast set which I 
 affected, I was proud of her preference. 
 
 Every day I was expected to call upon her, every 
 evening to meet her at some ball or party, and to sup 
 with her at some house afterwards. There was an old
 
 206 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 officer of the Guards, who had been her favorite befor? 
 my arrival. He used to shake his head at me, and 
 laugh in a cynical way, and say he pitied me; that 
 Marie was " an exacting little devil." 
 
 Her exactions, however, flattered me. You must re- 
 member that I was very young. I do not pretend that 
 I had no fondness for her : I was very fond of her. I 
 thought we were true friends, and I laughed at those 
 who suggested that Countess Talke might be induced 
 to marry again ; for, I said, she looked upon me as a 
 younger brother. I must have been very young ! But I 
 soon lost my youth under her tutelage : she taught me to 
 distrust every human being whom I met. 
 
 A pure-hearted woman like yourself can no more un- 
 derstand the immense influence which Marie Talke and 
 those of her stamp wield over a young, impressionable 
 man than you can realize the vividness with which every 
 sin of my life stands before me when I am with you, 
 until I feel that I merit all your contempt, and am not 
 fit to be in your presence. I thank Heaven that you 
 cannot understand it. 
 
 This flirtation, as we should call it in America, went 
 on for nearly two seasons. Then I learned, by acci- 
 dent as I supposed, how Marie felt towards me, that 
 she would die of grief if I did not marry her. I, poor 
 fool, believed it. As an act of great magnanimity, and 
 also because I was fond of her in a certain way, I 
 consented to marry her. Kind, was I not? Then, 
 indeed, I was conceited ! 
 
 The wedding day was set, and Marie's brother, her
 
 MARIE TALKS. 2O/ 
 
 only near relative, came to Petersburg, to be present 
 on the great occasion. He was a coarse fellow, and 
 almost the first thing he did after we had been made 
 acquainted with each other was to borrow a thousand 
 roubles of me. I drew my own conclusions as to the 
 kind of man he was, from that. 
 
 Two days before that set for the wedding, Nicolas 
 came to me with a story which sent a thrill of horror 
 through me. He had been bitterly opposed to the 
 match, but, like my father, had resigned himself to what 
 he supposed to be the inevitable. I refused to believe 
 what he told me, and he gave me proofs which I could 
 not doubt. 
 
 Marie had been engaged to two other men at the 
 time she promised to marry me. One of them, a fellow 
 nearly as young as I, who was desperately in love 
 with her, had blown his brains out when he found out 
 her falsehood. The other consented to her marriage 
 with me, but continued his visits to her, and furnished 
 all the money for her trousseau ! 
 
 This was overwhelming, and I leave you to imagine 
 its effect upon my mind. I went to her (not under the 
 influence of liquor, as you heard), told her all I knew, 
 and she had the audacity to deny it ! Any lingering 
 feeling of tenderness was killed by this, and I confronted 
 her with proofs of her own guilt. I will not weary you 
 with an account of what followed. Marie's brother un- 
 dertook to make some trouble, but he could not change 
 the facts, and he soon went away to his home in 
 Austria.
 
 208 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 It was a terrible awakening, and to this day I feel 
 sorry for myself, as I look back, and see how utterly adrift 
 I was for a time. This analysis of my feelings can have 
 little interest for you, however, and I feel inclined to 
 apologize for writing anything besides the bare facts. 
 
 Marie married Prince Simonieff a year or two after, 
 and now lives in Paris. Her brother was killed in a 
 duel, I believe, but not by me. This is all ; and it is 
 not such a horrible story as those ladies made it, is it ? 
 It had its influence in making me what I am ; and if 
 you knew my whole life as you now do this episode, I 
 think you would throw the kind mantle of charity over 
 some of my faults. I wonder if you will ever have 
 patience to read as far as this ? 
 
 G. P. 
 
 I read this letter to the end, and then it dropped into 
 my lap, while I clasped my hands behind my head and 
 tried to picture Countess Talke to myself. The only 
 part of George's story in which I did not place implicit 
 confidence was his assertion that he was not in love 
 with that woman. Undoubtedly he thought so now, as 
 he looked back, but he must have been desperately in 
 love at the time, much more so than he is with me. 
 
 There is one strange thing about George : he has 
 never given me one word of praise, except in this letter, 
 where he calls me pure-hearted, and surely he could 
 hardly say less than that. When he has spoken to me 
 of myself, it has always been to blame me. There is 
 the door-bell. Who can it be ?
 
 MARIE TALKE. 2OQ 
 
 Evening. 
 
 It was George who came this afternoon. 
 
 " Oh," I cried, " I am alone again, except Tom, who 
 is taking a Russian lesson in there," indicating the 
 library. 
 
 " I am glad you are prudent enough to stay in the 
 house until you get better of your cold." 
 
 " I am saving myself for the next court ball," I 
 responded confidentially. 
 
 Count Piloff seated himself on a little causeuse, and 
 I placed myself by his side. He looked startled for a 
 second, but I paid no attention. I was determined to 
 make myself agreeable, and to show that my dislike for 
 him had vanished. 
 
 " I have just read your letter," I began. 
 
 He smiled somewhat uneasily as he said, " Are you 
 quite sure that you read to the end ? " 
 
 " Quite, and I I was going to say that I en- 
 joyed it very much, but I checked myself in time, "I 
 am very glad you wrote it." 
 
 " You are kind," he said formally. 
 
 " lavish to correct an impression which you seem to 
 have," I went on courageously. " You have mentioned 
 it several times, and you are quite mistaken about it " 
 (getting a trifle incoherent in my words, but clinging to 
 my idea). " I do not dislike or despise you, Count 
 Piloff. I acknowledge that I used to do so, and I tried 
 to prejudice Judith against you. But I don't dislike 
 you at all now, and I think in time " (looking at him for 
 encouragement, but meeting only a view of one brown 
 
 14
 
 210 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 cheek) " I think if I stay long enough we may become 
 very good friends." 
 
 He did not reply, and still kept his face turned away ; 
 so, after a brief pause, I continued, " Real friends, you 
 know, such as Tom and I are." 
 
 With a movement which was so sudden that it made 
 me jump, he started up, looked at me with an ugly 
 frown, and muttered in a voice of suppressed rage, 
 
 " I will not be your friend ! " 
 
 Biting his mustache savagely, he surveyed my small 
 figure, while I shrank as far back into the corner of the 
 causeuse as possible. 
 
 " I will either be," he went on presently, " all or noth- 
 ing. Friend ! " with a contemptuous laugh, darting 
 another fierce glance at me. " I would rather you 
 would hate me than to be my friend ! What satisfac- 
 tion would the sort of friendship which you give Tom 
 be to me ? " 
 
 Another short, bitter laugh finished this speech, and 
 he turned impatiently away from me. 
 
 By this time my natural spirit, which had been some- 
 what dashed by his reception of what was meant to be 
 an extremely conciliatory remark, asserted itself, and I 
 spoke up promptly, with a flaming face, 
 
 " Very well. Of course I can hate you if you prefer 
 it, and I shall find it easy to do so if you repeat this 
 often. You have talked so much about my having 
 more confidence in you, and have made so many sar- 
 castic remarks about my dislike for you, that I naturally 
 supposed you wished to change it all. If I am mis-
 
 MARIE TALKE. 211 
 
 taken and I see I am, I will yes, I will " 
 Here I became involved, and forgot how I was intend- 
 ing to finish, so I wound up rather feebly " do as 
 you say." 
 
 He took a long, lingering look at my angry form. I 
 could hardly believe my own eyes when I saw laughter in 
 his ! Was he laughing at me or himself ? A smile quiv- 
 ered on his lips, and there was hearty amusement in the 
 gray eyes. My wrath was rapidly cooling ; but I strove 
 to retire from the field with dignity. 
 
 " I see nothing to laugh at," I said, in a superior 
 manner. 
 
 "Neither do I," he responded, "except that I behave 
 so like a child, and you are so easily excited. Now, 
 most women would have been flattered at what I said. 
 You, on the contrary, became a small virago, for the 
 moment." 
 
 " I am not like most women, if most women are flat- 
 tered to have their proffered friendship thrust back so 
 unceremoniously. I don't understand such flattery, and 
 I prefer to have no more of it." 
 
 " Do you know," he said, looking down on me in- 
 tently, " that you have a violent temper, Dorris ? " 
 
 My eyes sought his with a questioning look, and found 
 there such an expression of tenderness that they fell to 
 the carpet again. 
 
 "Yes no," I answered, leaning on the back of a 
 chair near me ; then, with a flash of defiance, taking in 
 for the first time the full sense of his question, " I think 
 even a saint would be angry at what you said. Why 
 do you call me Dorris ? " (with renewed dignity.)
 
 212 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " If you are going to be my friend, of course I must 
 say Dorris," he returned, leaning on the other side of 
 the chair, thus preventing me from tilting it back and 
 forth, and still looking as if he wished to laugh. 
 
 "I will not be your friend," I answered sullenly. 
 "You said you did not wish it ; and now I will not." 
 
 " You cannot be my enemy, for you have told me that 
 you don't dislike me ; and if you will be neither friend 
 nor enemy, there is only one thing left for you to be, 
 Dorris" (pleadingly). 
 
 Fortunately, at this moment my common sense asserted 
 itself. I gave up the chair for support, and stood up- 
 right. 
 
 " True," I said ; " and that one thing is indifferent. 
 You are talking nonsense, Count Piloff." 
 
 " I dare say I am " (gravely) ; " and as I only came to 
 see how your cold was, I will stay no longer. I have 
 talked nonsense, as you say. Forget it : I promise never 
 to offend again " ; and before I could reply, he was gone. 
 
 I did not think he would leave so suddenly, and I 
 would have liked to ask him a few questions ; but per- 
 haps it is better that I did not.
 
 LE BAL DES PALM1ERS. 213 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 LE BAL DES PALMIERS. 
 
 February 18- 
 
 ALICE has been here, has followed me into my room, 
 and has given me a long dissertation on the in- 
 convenience of single life. It seems to me that Alice has 
 grown somewhat worldly wise, and perhaps a trifle vain. 
 She appeared to be quite in earnest, as she set forth the 
 advantages of marriage. She began cautiously, so that 
 I did not know what she was leading me up to, until I 
 heard myself saying that I would not marry a Russian, 
 under any circumstances. 
 
 " Why ot ? " she asked, with a little pink flush on her 
 cheek. 
 
 " Oh, I don't know," I answered feebly. 
 
 " I suppose you are not blind," she continued. "You 
 must have seen that there is a certain Russian whose 
 happiness depends on you." 
 
 " What a hackneyed expression ! " I exclaimed, trying 
 to laugh. 
 
 Alice began to examine a bracelet which lay on my 
 dressing-table. 
 
 "I wish you would tell me, Dorris, why you keep 
 George hanging about you in this way. Every one
 
 214 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 thinks he wishes to marry Judith ; but I know my 
 brother-in-law better than any of them, and I am not 
 deceived " (nodding her pretty head with an air of 
 superior wisdom). " If ever I have seen a man madly, 
 wildly in love, it is he. This is all the more remarkable, 
 because generally he is so cold and unmoved. Nicolas 
 says it is nonsense, that George cares for no one, 
 unless it is Judith ; but all the same, I know as well as 
 if he had told me ! " 
 
 " How very pleasant," I said musingly, " to have the 
 family so interested and confidential about me and my 
 affairs ! Did Nicolas ask George if he was in love with 
 me ? " 
 
 Alice put on her most persuasive tone : " You must 
 not be angry with me because I am interested in what 
 concerns you. Who should be, my dear, if not your 
 sister? Although we have been separated for so long, I 
 love you as much as Grace does." 
 
 This touched me ; and I responded, with a smile, " I 
 am not angry ; but neither do I see why you should 
 think George cares particularly for me. There is surely 
 nothing in his manner to indicate it." 
 
 My sister shook her head : " I believe you know it 
 as well as I do. I have watched him, and I can see 
 how a new light comes into his eyes every time they rest 
 on you, a light which I never saw there before in my 
 life. I have noticed how he watches you stealthily, and 
 how black his face is when, in talking with other men, 
 you look up at them in a confiding way, as you have a 
 habit of doing."
 
 LE BAL DES PALMIERS. 215 
 
 Here, aghast at Alice's words, I strove to interrupt; 
 but nothing could stop the flow of her eloquence. 
 
 " And then, when you say something to him sud- 
 denly, he flushes like a girl, though he answers in as 
 cool and measured a tone as usual," she went on calmly. 
 " Your sarcasm hurts him, as no one else has power to 
 do. I can understand George perfectly. What I do not 
 understand is you." 
 
 She stopped at last, and waited for me to speak. 
 
 " What is it about me that you don't comprehend ? " I 
 asked. "I should have said that I was much more 
 transparent than George; and you seem to have discov- 
 ered the most wonderful things in him. Tell me, as 
 you have been such a close observer, what you have 
 noticed in me, and perhaps I can interpret it for 
 you." 
 
 " Well," she began thoughtfully, " I have seen gener- 
 ally a quiet indifference. But," she continued, with her 
 eyes fixed on my face, while a reflective look took pos- 
 session of her own, " I have seen something else. You 
 have been petulant sometimes, which one never is to a 
 person for whom one feels only indifference. Two 
 or three times I have noticed a look of real pleasure 
 which came into your eyes when George made his ap- 
 pearance unexpectedly. One moment you ignore his 
 presence, and the next you look at and speak to him as 
 if he were the only person in the world." 
 
 " Enough ! " I exclaimed, putting out my hand im- 
 ploringly. " You make me out a perfect coquette ! " 
 
 " Almost," she assented. " I have wondered, once or 
 twice, if you were."
 
 2l6 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " Do you mean to say," I gasped, " that I have really 
 acted in the way you describe ? " 
 
 "It is certainly true, Dorris. That is what puzzles me. 
 I could not make up my mind whether you cared for him 
 or not." 
 
 "I had no idea that I behaved like that," I murmured. 
 " How very foolish I must have seemed ! " 
 
 "No one else noticed it," said Alice consolingly; 
 "except George," she added, after a slight pause. 
 
 " Did he notice it ?" I cried, turning round upon her. 
 " Did he speak to you of it ? " 
 
 " No, no ! " she exclaimed hastily. " How you jump 
 at conclusions ! He has never exchanged a word with 
 me on the subject ; but I judged, by his manner and 
 expression, that he noticed all these little things. It 
 was in studying their effect upon him that I learned his 
 secret." 
 
 "Dear, dear!" I sighed. "What an Argus eye has 
 been upon us all this time, while we were blissfully un- 
 conscious, thinking that our secrets were locked in our 
 own breasts ! " 
 
 We both laughed, and I went on in a brisk tone : 
 " Really, Alice, you are all wrong. George is probably 
 in love with any one rather than myself ; and I am not 
 in the least inclined to marry him, even if he should ask 
 me, which, I can assure you, he has never done, nor 
 do I believe he has any intention of it. If your suspi- 
 cions had been in another direction," I added carelessly, 
 " they would have been more correct." 
 
 Alice took me up eagerly : " Chilton Thurber, you
 
 LE BAL DES PALM1ERS. 21 7 
 
 mean ? Any one could see that he was devoted to you ; 
 but I never thought you returned his affection. Do you 
 mean that you are fond of him ? " 
 
 "Well," I said meditatively, "I don't know that I can 
 go so far as to say that. No," I continued slowly, " I 
 am not desperately in love with him ; but I have prom- 
 ised to think about him." 
 
 My sister's face fell. 
 
 " I am so disappointed ! " she said dolefully. 
 
 Why ? " 
 
 " Because I thought it would be so pleasant for you 
 to marry George and live near me. And I am sorry for 
 him, too ; for, whatever you may say, I know he is in 
 love with you. It will kill him, I know it will ! " she 
 continued tragically. 
 
 I laughed. "You are not serious, Alice." 
 
 "Indeed I am. If you marry Chilton Thurber " 
 
 " Hush ! not so loud. You must not repeat what I 
 have told you to a living soul. And, to confess the 
 truth" (confidentially), "I don't much think I shall 
 marry him." 
 
 Alice shook her head mournfully. " You don't care 
 for George as I hoped you did, if you could make Mr. 
 Thurber any sort of promise to think about him." 
 
 I looked rather uneasily at my companion as I said 
 ruefully, " I seem to be somewhat involved in my love 
 affairs, but I hope to come safely through." 
 
 " I hope you will." 
 
 She looked at my clock. " Half an hour late for 
 Nicolas ! Goocl-by, my dear. A ce soir." And she
 
 218 THE TSARS WINDOW. 
 
 hurried away, leaving me to comfort myself as best I 
 might. I have found very little consolation so far ; but 
 I really think Alice exaggerates, and I must turn my 
 attention to my toilet for this evening. 
 
 I appeared in a wonderful combination of satin and 
 gauze last night, and felt quite proud of myself as I took 
 one last lingering look at my reflection in the long 
 glass. 
 
 " There is something about that pinkish ashes-of- 
 roses color," said Tom, with the air of one who knows 
 what he is talking about, " that suits you to a T." 
 
 " Oh, you poor goose ! " laughed Grace. " That is 
 cream color, not ashes-of-roses." 
 
 " Well, whatever you call it, it is mighty becoming." 
 
 " Yes," I responded with some vanity, " it really is." 
 
 " If you stand there looking at yourself much longer," 
 cried Tom, " Alice will not wait for you." 
 
 " Come, Judith," I said with dignity ; and together we 
 descended the stairs and entered the carriage, which 
 was waiting for us. 
 
 There was another carriage standing at the door, and 
 Alice put her head out of the window and charged us to 
 wear our thickest wraps. " It is bitterly cold," she added. 
 
 Enveloped in our furs, we did not feel it. In front of 
 the palace a huge fire was burning merrily ; there was 
 an iron railing about it, and here a crowd of coachmen 
 were huddled together, taking advantage of the warmth 
 provided for them. 
 
 I felt strangely excited, and my cheeks glowed as if
 
 LE BAL DES PALMIERS. 219 
 
 there were coals of fire on them. We soon reached the 
 ball-room, where an aristocratic crowd was awaiting the 
 entrance of the Emperor, and we had a chance to exer- 
 cise our patience for some time. 
 
 " Have you seen the King of Adrianople ? " Nicolas 
 asked me. 
 
 " Whom do you mean ? " 
 
 " That young fellow who is talking with Madame 
 Kirovieff," he returned. " That is he." 
 
 " But why do you call him the King of Adrianople ? " 
 
 " It is a name he got in the army. Have you not 
 heard the story ? " 
 
 I confessed my ignorance, and Nicolas related the 
 following anecdote : 
 
 " Last year, when General Gourko's army was lying 
 about Adrianople, after the tedious passage of the 
 Balkans, there wts a certain officer, not above the rank 
 of a captain, who demanded permission of his com- 
 mander to enter Adrianople with his company. The 
 Turks were about to evacuate the city, and the Rus- 
 sians intended to enter the next morning ; but this 
 gentleman said he was tired of sleeping out in the wet, 
 and he wished to go into the town, get a good supper, 
 and make himself comfortable for the night. The 
 desired permission was given in a half-contemptuous 
 way, and many were the laughs raised at the expense of 
 the young officer, who expected to drive away eight or 
 ten thousand Turks with only one hundred men. 
 
 "Just after nightfall the last detachment of the Turk- 
 ish army was at the railway station, making preparations
 
 220 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 to embark on a train which was going to Constantinople. 
 Two or three pachas and several officers were taking 
 a hot supper in the restaurant at the station, refreshing 
 themselves for their journey. Confusion reigned, each 
 individual looking after his own effects, when there came 
 a tremendous rattle ot musketry-fire on all sides, with 
 hoots and yells as from thousands of throats. 
 
 " Supposing the whole Russian army was upon them, 
 the frightened pachas hurried the troops into the train, 
 and started off at full speed of steam ; and the gallant 
 Russian not only slept comfortably in the railway sta- 
 tion that night, but devoured the pachas' hot supper and 
 took possession of the small pieces of baggage which 
 they, in their haste, had forgotten." 
 
 By the time this story was ended the handle of the 
 door behind us rattled significantly ; we withdrew to a 
 respectful distance, it opened, and the Emperor made 
 his appearance, followed by his family. This was a sig- 
 nal for the dancing to begin, and my partner came to 
 claim me for the first quadrille. 
 
 There was such a crowd that we could not dance 
 comfortably. Little annoyances, however, were nothing 
 to me. I felt, for some unaccountable reason, wildly, 
 absurdly happy, happier than I have ever been since 
 J left home. I laughed, talked, danced, and enjoyed 
 myself to the utmost. My dress was becoming, and 
 every one was pleasant ; nothing seemed likely to occur 
 to mar my happiness, as Sacha kept away from me, Mr. 
 Cheremenieff was not there, George looked kindly on 
 me, and the ambassador was always at my elbow.
 
 LE BAL DES PALMIERS. 221 
 
 The imperial family mingled so freely with the guests 
 that it was impossible not to turn one's back upon them 
 sometimes. Quite an excitement was created at one 
 moment, by a couple who were waltzing so vigorously 
 that they became entangled in some chairs, and fell 
 down with a tremendous crash. The gentleman broke 
 three chairs in his descent, and the lady fortunately fell 
 on top of her partner. The Emperor rushed forward to 
 ascertain the extent of the injury, but everything was 
 unharmed except the chairs. Another audacious couple 
 waltzed into His Imperial Majesty and nearly upset 
 him. They retired, covered with confusion. 
 
 I will say nothing about the magnificent toilets of the 
 grand duchesses, although I could write pages about 
 them. I would rathr think of how pleasantly George 
 talked with me in the few minutes we had together 
 before the mazurka began. He had no partner, and 
 asked me to dance it with him, but I refused. 
 
 " I would like to dance with you," I said, " but I have 
 already refused two people, and I suppose I must not 
 change my mind." 
 
 " Then you will allow me to take you in to supper ? " 
 he asked. 
 
 " Yes, but what will you do with your partner ? " 
 
 " I shall not dance," he returned. 
 
 " If you have any idea of sitting with me during the 
 mazurka," I said, laughing, "you must give it up, be- 
 cause I promised the ambassador that I would converse 
 with him about Rome while you giddy young people are 
 dancing."
 
 222 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 "I suppose, however," he remarked, with a quizzical 
 expression, " that you will not insist upon my joining 
 the giddy young people unless I choose ? " 
 
 " I should never think of insisting, because I should 
 not expect you to obey, and a failure would be humilia- 
 ting." 
 
 The ambassador came up at this moment. " Are you 
 talking about failures ? " 
 
 " I was telling Count Piloff," I responded, " that my 
 efforts to enjoy myself at balls were generally failures. 
 No, "I broke off suddenly, seeing that George did 
 not approve of this, and thinking myself that the false- 
 hood was unnecessary, "that is not what I was say- 
 ing, but it was nothing of consequence. Do you know 
 who that lady is in the amber-colored dress ? " 
 
 George left me as my companion replied, and we 
 began comparing notes about Rome, which interesting 
 occupation we continued until the doors into the sup- 
 per-room were thrown open. 
 
 " Oh ! " I cried, clasping George's arm and starting 
 forward. " From the heart of an arctic winter we are 
 transported to the tropics ! " 
 
 It was really like a glimpse into a southern clime, and 
 I could not realize that there was a temperature outside 
 of ten degrees below zero. We looked into a grove of 
 tall, waving palm-trees, through the green foliage of 
 which a softened light was shed from thousands of wax 
 candles on a quantity of small tables, glittering with 
 glass and silver. A larger table, raised slightly above 
 the others, was set with gold dishes for the imperial
 
 LE BAL DBS PALM1ERS. 22$ 
 
 family. The walls of the garden or room, as I dis- 
 covered it afterwards to be were lined with orange, 
 lemon, and magnolia trees, and a faint tropical perfume 
 greeted me as I advanced into this paradise. 
 
 Servants in silk stockings and gold-laced coats were 
 moving noiselessly about. 
 
 " Are we expected to eat amid all this magnificence ? " 
 I inquired. 
 
 " Certainly. You must do justice to a hot supper," 
 responded George. 
 
 " You may," I said, as I took my seat at one of the 
 small tables, the centre of which was a blooming bed of 
 geraniums and heliotrope, obscuring my opposite neigh- 
 bors, and lending a dash of color to the snowy linen 
 and shining silver. " I shall do nothing except to look 
 about me." 
 
 " I hope you will not altogether cease talking." 
 
 " I have been reading a frightful thing lately in the 
 newspapers," said I, shuddering, " and I don't know 
 why the remembrance of it should come upon me here, 
 in the midst of this dream of the Arabian Nights, for it 
 makes me sad, which is extremely inappropriate." 
 
 " I know," returned George ; " it is the account of 
 that fearful plague in the south of Russia." 
 
 " Yes," I agreed, growing pale and solemn as a recol- 
 lection of the details came to me. " How horrible to 
 think of dying in twenty-four hours ! " I could not 
 taste my bouillon, but sent it away untouched. 
 
 "Don't think of it," said my companion consolingly; 
 " it can do no good to ponder over it."
 
 224 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " But what a contrast ! " (looking around me). 
 
 " Not more striking than many others which we might 
 see. Life is made up of them. Every possible measure 
 is being taken to prevent the spread of the scourge ; it 
 has not yet gone beyond the Volga. Whole villages in 
 which the disease has appeared have been burned to the 
 ground, together with the clothing of the peasants, for 
 whom new homes have been provided. You need not 
 be apprehensive." 
 
 " It is not that," I returned, recovering my spirits and 
 my color somewhat. " I am not alarmed for myself, 
 but it seems such a frightful curse." 
 
 " It is," murmured George. " Poor Russia has had 
 more than her share of affliction. Whatever her faults, 
 she has been heavily punished for them." 
 
 There fell upon us a silence which I was loath to 
 break, for I felt strangely subdued and quiet. It was 
 George who spoke first, with a well-affected air of in- 
 difference, in which I could detect a thrill of meaning. 
 
 "Alice tells me some strange news." 
 
 " Indeed ! Is it about any one whom I know ? Will 
 it interest me ? " 
 
 " It should interest you, for it is about yourself." 
 
 I darted an inquiring look at him, and he smiled 
 calmly. 
 
 "I don't know why Alice told me," he continued, 
 " for she said it was a secret, and that, if I betrayed her 
 confidence, you would never forgive me." 
 
 A little sharp cry escaped me. I changed it into a 
 laugh, but it sounded hoarse and unnatural. For an
 
 LE BAL DBS PALMIERS. 22$ 
 
 instant it seemed cruel that he should have heard it in 
 this way, that I should not have been the one to 
 break it to him, and to take the sting out of it ; then 
 came the thought that it was better so, for I felt instinc- 
 tively that I should never have had courage to tell him. 
 But the beating of my heart was almost painful, as I 
 replied, " I wish you would tell me what the important 
 communication was." 
 
 He went on calmly : 
 
 " Have you, as she says, given Thurber a half-promise 
 to marry him ? " 
 
 " Oh ! " I remonstrated, " he did not say anything 
 about marrying. I only promised to think of an engage- 
 ment." 
 
 My companion smiled rather sadly, as he looked at 
 my flushed face. 
 
 " Engagements lead to marriage, and are just as bind- 
 ing," he said. 
 
 " I don't understand how you can think that." 
 
 " A woman has no right to engage herself to a man 
 whom she does not intend to marry," George responded 
 slowly ; " and it seems to me that one ought to hold an 
 engagement as sacred as a marriage. Don't you think 
 so ? " (looking at me inquiringly). 
 
 "Certainly," said I emphatically. "Still, it is not 
 really as binding." 
 
 He shook his head in disapproval. 
 
 " It should be. A promise should be as binding as 
 the law." 
 
 My heart sank as I realized for the first time that I 
 15
 
 226 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 had given Mr. Thurber a promise which perhaps I could 
 not fulfil. For the first time, the full sense of what I 
 had done came over me, and nearly overwhelmed me. 
 Until that moment I had thought of it lightly, as some- 
 thing which had been said to pass away the time. 
 
 After a pause, I remonstrated : " But mine is not an 
 engagement. I told Mr. Thurber that I would try and 
 make up my mind to be engaged to him when he re- 
 turns." 
 
 "You are not kind," said George, turning towards 
 me, and speaking with great deliberation, " to try and 
 blind me. It is mistaken pity on your part. Believe 
 me " (looking at me with earnest kindness), " it is bet- 
 ter for me to face the truth ; then I shall delude myself 
 with no false hopes, that would be the most cruel 
 thing of all. I feel sure that you would not have held 
 out this hope to Thurber if you had not intended to do 
 all that lay in your power to bring yourself to love him. 
 A woman like you would riot have made that promise 
 thoughtlessly, or fulfilled it carelessly. You must have 
 felt sure that you would succeed. You see " (with a 
 half smile) " I can reason calmly enough about it, and 
 I am not afraid of the truth." 
 
 An unutterable sadness came over me. How little, in 
 reality, I fulfilled his ideal ! Had I not done the very 
 thing he pronounced me incapable of, viz., given my 
 word thoughtlessly, and fulfilled it carelessly? Never, 
 until that moment, had I owned the truth to myself. 
 
 With an inward thanksgiving that George did not 
 knovy me as I really was, I spoke:
 
 LE BAL DBS PALM1ERS. 22/ 
 
 "You may be perfectly right. I may have done 
 all this ; and yet " (I questioned steadily) " am I to 
 blame if my heart has refused to listen to my will, and 
 if I find that I cannot take the step which he expects 
 of me ? " 
 
 He gave me a startled glance, and, seeing the grave 
 question in his eyes, I laughed. He looked infinitely 
 relieved. " I thought, for a moment, that you were in 
 earnest," he said apologetically. 
 
 " You would have thought very poorly of me if I 
 had been so," I remarked, calmly beginning to eat my 
 peach. 
 
 " No," he asserted, " not very poorly; but you would 
 have seemed fickle, which is the last fault I should have 
 accused you of possessing " (with a glance of admi- 
 ration). 
 
 I felt wretchedly mean and small. I was alarmed at 
 the high opinion George had of me, and the disappoint- 
 ment he would feel if I failed to keep my promise to 
 Chilton Thurber. I have felt lately that it would be 
 impossible for me to do that. The sentiment I have for 
 him is not love, and I doubt my ability to make it so. 
 "Oh, surely," I thought, "George judges very harshly!" 
 But I concealed the pain I was enduring as well as I 
 could, and endeavored to draw my companion to other 
 topics. Fortunately, the guests soon left the tables ; 
 and we followed their example, though I cast one last 
 lingering look at the glories which were about to become 
 a thing of the past. 
 
 When I took my way reluctantly to the ball-room, it
 
 228 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 was apparent that I no longer threw myself into the 
 pleasure of the moment, as I had done the first of the 
 evening. 
 
 "You are not so happy as you were when you arrived," 
 said George. "Why is that ? " 
 
 "I could not expect to be," I answered ; "for I have 
 not been so thoroughly happy for years as I was when I 
 first came. I knew it would not last. I am thankful to 
 have had the feeling, even for a short time," I added 
 lightly. 
 
 There was not much rest for me last night. When I 
 reached home, my thoughts were very unpleasant com- 
 panions. I began to realize, in my inmost heart, that it 
 was my duty to accept Mr. Thurber ; and that duty 
 stared me blankly in the face, in spite of all my efforts 
 to shut it out. 
 
 " But it is a sin," I cried mentally, " to marry a man 
 whom I don't love ! He would not wish me to say Yes 
 with my lips, while my heart rebelled." 
 
 A little voice answered me : " Then you should not 
 have promised. You said you would try to love him. 
 How have you kept your word ? By putting him as 
 much out of your mind as possible. You have failed 
 grievously, but simply because you have not made the 
 effort which it was your duty to make. You have no 
 right to shirk the punishment of your own thoughtless 
 acts. The only course which you can pursue with honor 
 is to accept Chilton Thurber, and then do your best to 
 love him." 
 
 And deep down in my heart a few words were whis-
 
 LE BAL DES PALMIERS. 229 
 
 pered, which made me wretched and ashamed ; for they 
 spoke my own weakness so clearly, and showed so plainly 
 that I could not trust my own motives. These were the 
 words which I heard : 
 
 "You must accept Chilton Thurber, or George will 
 despise you for being fickle." 
 
 What was it to me, if George did think me fickle ? So 
 I asked myself many times. But in spite of my com- 
 mon sense, the words were echoed over and over in my 
 mind. 
 
 February 26, 18 . 
 
 The carnival is over, and Lent has begun. The last 
 palace-ball was given Sunday evening, and that ended 
 the festivities of the season; so we have settled down 
 to a comparatively quiet life. 
 
 The moujiks' carnival was a serious affair, as it was 
 impossible to get any work done while it lasted. On the 
 Champs de Mars a number of temporary theatres and 
 booths were erected, and the crowd was dense during the 
 entire week, men in their sheepskins, and women with 
 bright handkerchiefs tied under their chins, all so happy 
 and good-tempered ! The performances in the theatres 
 went on all day, and nearly all night. Flaming pictures 
 of Russians and Turks in mortal combat, gunboats blow- 
 ing up, and blazing artillery, ornamented the outside of 
 these structures. 
 
 Among the theatres were dozens of merry-go-rounds, 
 each having its own particular style of music ; and as 
 they were near together, the effect was something
 
 230 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 startling. One hand-organ was grinding out the " Red, 
 White, and Blue." Grace nearly wept with joy when 
 she heard it ; and we had great difficulty in dragging 
 Tom away from the instrument. 
 
 " This is the happiest moment of my visit ! " he ex- 
 claimed plaintively. 
 
 We stood and watched the people for a long time. 
 They were so happy it was a pleasure to look at them. 
 Towards the end of the week, however, the effects of 
 the carnival began to show themselves in a rather 
 unpleasant way. 
 
 The moujik has few wants. If he has money enough 
 to buy his sheepskin coat once in six or eight years, and 
 his black bread each day, it is all he desires. What can 
 he do with any extra kopecks he may have ? He spends 
 them for vodka, of course, and during the carnival he 
 drinks steadily all the time. The result may be imag- 
 ined. It takes the first three days of Lent for him to 
 recover from the fete. During this time it is next to im- 
 possible to get any work done, even a nail driven in, 
 or a shoe mended. 
 
 But the moujik makes up for his indulgence by the 
 severity of his fast. He eats no meat, eggs, milk, or 
 butter ; and as good fish is expensive, he takes it salt, 
 dried, or stale. If he falls ill, no power on earth can 
 induce him to break his fast. He would rather die than 
 to commit the sin of taking a mouthful of beef or wine. 
 As there are four Lents a year in the Greek Church, I 
 for one do not begrudge the Russian peasant his little 
 indulgences between.
 
 THE KREMLIN. 231 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 THE KREMLIN. 
 
 Moscow, March 2. 
 
 A DREARY time to travel, but still drearier to stay 
 ** at home, if home be Petersburg. The weather 
 has been and still is in a transition state, mud and 
 melting snow in the streets ; the sun persistently hiding 
 his face ; short, dark, rainy days alternating with gray, 
 snowy ones. 
 
 The Russians call this season the " Black Winter," 
 and it sometimes lasts until the middle of April. What 
 a prospect ! But we shall be far away before then. 
 
 Tom could not make up his mind to leave Russia 
 without seeing Moscow; in fact, we all wanted to come 
 here, although we were told it would not look its best at 
 this dull season. Alice proposed to make one of the 
 party, but Nicolas could not join us, and Tom almost 
 refused to go when he found there would be four ladies 
 in his sole charge. In vain we told him that we could 
 all take care of ourselves. He replied that they would 
 think he was a Turk travelling with his harem ; though, 
 when questioned, he was quite vague in his mind as to 
 who " they " meant. 
 
 At last some one suggested that George should be
 
 232 THE TSAR'S WINDOW, 
 
 asked to join the party. Tom's face became radiant, 
 and he added, "Thurber told me he would come to 
 Moscow for a day or two while we were there, if I would 
 let him know. He is not far off, and can get away from 
 his hunting for a day at least." 
 
 The more Tom talked about it, the more pleased he 
 was with the idea of asking George ; and the latter con- 
 sented to go with us without any hesitation. We started 
 last night. 
 
 It is fortunate that George came, for so far he has 
 done everything which has been done, and Tom has 
 dropped quietly into the background. 
 
 What a city this is ! A mixture of barbaric splendor 
 and civilized squalor, and so utterly unlike any place in 
 the world that one who has not been here cannot get 
 the faintest idea of what it is like. 
 
 I do not think we lost much by coming in the night. 
 The country is a vast wilderness, for the railroad is built 
 in a direct line, without regard to cities which it might 
 easily have been made to pass through. I distinguished 
 various collections of low, shed-like structures when I 
 awoke this morning. The only signs of life about them 
 were some smoking chimneys. The snow was drifting 
 about aimlessly in the air, as if loath to settle in so 
 melancholy a spot. 
 
 We partook of tea at all hours of the night, as on our 
 first journey in Russia. The sleeping-car was wonder- 
 fully comfortable. Grace, Alice, and I occupied a large 
 compartment at one end. The former was wakeful, 
 and, finding the night cold, in the goodness of her heart
 
 THE KREMLIN. 233 
 
 she occupied her sleepless hours by keeping me covered 
 with a fur cloak. The consequence was, she grew 
 nervous. 
 
 I awoke once, and found her sitting on the floor at 
 my feet, wrapped up to the chin. 
 
 " Grace, what is the matter ? " I asked anxiously. 
 
 " I am almost sure," she answered, puckering her 
 brows thoughtfully, " that I forgot to tell Mathilde to 
 put a new flounce on that green dress, and she will have 
 nothing to do while we are away." 
 
 " Is that all ? " was my unsympathetic rejoinder ; and 
 I fell asleep immediately. 
 
 I slept until the others were all assembled in that 
 part of the car which served us for a sitting-room on the 
 journey; and when I appeared, Tom exclaimed, 
 
 " Dorris looks fresher than any of you. How can any 
 one feel so good-natured before breakfast ? " 
 
 Tea and bread constituted the only meal which we 
 were able to procure before our arrival, at eleven o'clock 
 this morning. George took charge of the baggage, car- 
 ried our parcels, and waited upon us untiringly. After 
 all, polish is an agreeable thing, whether it covers much 
 heart or not. I suppose if George had not been edu- 
 cated to wait upon ladies, or if he had not acquired the 
 habit of caring for others, he might be equally willing, 
 but he would not know how to do it. As it is, he is 
 simply the perfection of a travelling companion. Tom 
 means well, and is kind-hearted ; but it does not occur 
 to him that there is a draught over Judith's head, or that 
 Alice cannot open her bag, that Grace wants her book,
 
 234 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 or I another pillow, until George has arranged it all, 
 when he looks up with surprise, and says, " Why did n't 
 you ask me ? " and immediately offers to do a dozen 
 things which we do not want. George did not bore us 
 with too much conversation, either. In short, he was 
 everything one could desire, and nothing which we did 
 not desire. 
 
 Arrived in this city, we took possession of two sleighs, 
 and started for the Slaviansky Bazar. There was a 
 damp snow falling, and it is still storming fitfully. Never, 
 in such a short space of time, have I suffered as much 
 as in that drive. 
 
 " Alice," I cried, while my hat was jolted over one 
 ear, as I grasped the seat tenaciously, "is there any 
 pavement ? " 
 
 " I don't think it is worse than the one in Petersburg," 
 said my sister calmly. 
 
 " It reminds me of nothing so much as the waves of 
 the sea," I continued ; but Tom interrupted me : 
 
 " The waves let you down easy ; but these ' thank-you- 
 ma'ams ' don't let you down at all, they throw you." 
 
 I thanked Providence inwardly when, in a very bat- 
 tered condition, we reached the hotel. A porter in 
 Russian costume rushed forward to assist us out of the 
 sledge. 
 
 "I don't think," remarked Judith, "that there is 
 much of me left to get out." 
 
 "We must have breakfast at once," Tom insisted; 
 and in less than an hour it was placed before us. 
 
 That business disposed of, we strolled out in a body
 
 THE KREMLIN. 235 
 
 and on foot to explore the town. Tom proposed a 
 carriage. 
 
 " No," said Judith, " a sleigh." 
 
 Whereupon I added my voice : " Whichever you take, 
 you will wish you had taken the other. Let us walk." 
 
 My proposition met with approval, and we started. 
 
 Oh, the queer old place! The shabbiness, quaint- 
 ness, and general junk-shop appearance of the streets ! 
 Mud, moujiks, dirty snow, painted signs, poor old 
 horses, gorgeous stucco palaces, bright-green churches, 
 scarlet gates, walls with religious and battle pictures 
 painted over them, shrines with burning candles, second- 
 hand shops, brilliant passages, more churches than I 
 can count, with gilded domes and minarets and crosses ; 
 and, most wonderful of all and above all, the Kremlin ! 
 There never was a city like it, and there never will be 
 another. 
 
 " So this is Moscow," said Tom, when we had walked 
 a few blocks. " I have seen enough to last me a life- 
 time." 
 
 " It is not in the least like what I had pictured it," 
 Judith exclaimed. Tom had brought out a small note- 
 book, and was overwhelming Alice and George with 
 questions. 
 
 " The idea of your not knowing when that gate was 
 built, or the name of the architect," he cried impatiently. 
 " I shall not come out again without my ' Murray.' " 
 
 " I hope you won't," laughed Alice. " I am not pre- 
 pared to serve as guide-book for you." 
 
 We were strolling along independently, in regular
 
 236 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 tourist style, when Judith, who was a few steps in ad- 
 vance, cried suddenly, in long-drawn tones of wonder 
 and admiration, " Oh h h ! " 
 
 " It is Vasili Blagennoi," said Alice. 
 
 " I should think it might be something of that sort," 
 remarked Tom, as all six of us came to a stand-still 
 before the most gorgeous, effective, barbaric structure 
 which I ever saw. It was a collection of towers and 
 domes of all shapes, sizes, and colors, thrown together 
 helter-skelter, and forming a church. Not a square 
 inch of it was uncolored. Scarlets and bright greens 
 vied with flaming yellow and dull purple. 
 
 " I can tell' you all you wish to know about this," said 
 George triumphantly. "It was built in the reign of 
 Ivan the Terrible, by an Italian, whose eyes the wicked 
 Tsar caused to be put out, so that he might never build 
 another like it. This tradition you must believe, though 
 ' Murray ' says it is a mistake." 
 
 " I should think it would have stricken him blind," 
 I remarked. " Can we go in ? " 
 
 " Or," added Tom, " shall we stand here on the 
 corner, advertising ourselves as tourists ? They might 
 suppose we belonged to Cook, there are so many of us." 
 
 With eyes very wide open, we clattered up the stone 
 steps. It was so cold and dark as we entered that it 
 struck a chill to the marrow of my bones. 
 
 " Imagine me your commissionnaire" said George, 
 "while I explain everything to you. There are eleven 
 domes in this church, and each one contains a chapel 
 which is dedicated to a different saint."
 
 THE KREMLIN. 237 
 
 " Why do you stop ? " asked Tom. " If you are per- 
 sonifying a commissionnaire, you must never cease talking 
 from the time you come in until we fee you." 
 
 " I really cannot think of anything more to tell you." 
 
 Alice now took her turn. " The church is built in 
 memory of an idiot, or two idiots." 
 
 " True ; I had forgotten that." 
 
 We made our way from one chapel to another, through 
 low, narrow passages, the ceilings of which we could 
 touch with our hands. 
 
 " Don't let us stay here," pleaded Grace. " If you 
 only knew how cold I am ! " 
 
 We could all sympathize with her, and we came out 
 gladly into the damp air. 
 
 " Now for a look at the Kremlin," cried Tom, " and 
 then home to get warm." 
 
 We entered the gate nearest us, and walked about 
 among the various buildings which constitute the Krem- 
 lin. Churches, the palace, an arsenal and treasure- 
 house, the whole surrounded by a high, white wall, and 
 placed on an eminence in the centre of the city, this 
 is the Kremlin of which I have dreamed. 
 
 Looking at it, as I did for the first time, under a dull 
 March sky, sharp little snow-flakes pelting me fiercely 
 in the face, melting snow under foot, and a general 
 nastiness and sloppiness about me, I was moved to a 
 sort of wonder that any one could ever have admired 
 this strange architecture. 
 
 " I never saw anything so disappointing as that great 
 bell " (standing at a distance, and surveying it with
 
 238 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 interest). "I expected it to be three times as large. 
 How do you feel about it, Dorris ? " 
 
 " I entirely agree with you." 
 
 " Life is full of disappointments," quoth George. " If 
 we go to the hotel, rest well to-night, and visit this spot 
 to-morrow, I have no doubt you will wonder that it could 
 have made so little impression upon you to-day." 
 
 "Very well," said Grace, who is always willing to 
 rest, " let us try your plan. We shall feel fresher 
 to-morrow." 
 
 We passed the Holy Gate on our way out, and were 
 told that every one, from the Tsar down, goes through 
 it with bare heads. 
 
 March 3. 
 
 We had a spare hour before dinner yesterday. The 
 rest of the party went to their various apartments. I 
 took possession of the sitting-room and the guide-book. 
 
 Before long Tom and George appeared, with noses 
 slightly red, and a general look of having been out in 
 the frosty air. 
 
 "I thought you were both diligently writing letters," 
 I declared. 
 
 They looked rather doleful, as if their expedition had 
 not been altogether pleasant. Neither of them spoke, 
 therefore I began to make inquiries, and elicited the in- 
 formation that they had been dropping cards on some 
 acquaintances. 
 
 " But why so dismal over it ? " I cried. " Were any 
 of the people in ? "
 
 THE KREMLIN. 239 
 
 No, they had found no one at home. 
 
 " My mail has come," Tom vouchsafed to remark, 
 after a moment. 
 
 "Well?" I said inquiringly. 
 
 " I must go to America in May, instead of remaining 
 here till the end of the summer, and if you and Grace 
 wish to see Italy, we must leave Petersburg by the mid- 
 dle of this month. Even then we shall be hurried." 
 
 George did not wait to hear my comments, but walked 
 quietly out of the room. Tom busied himself with some 
 papers, and I sat and thought, thought of going home ; 
 and was amazed that no thrill of joy ran through me, 
 but that, on the contrary, there was a faint, dull disap- 
 pointment in my heart. 
 
 In the midst of these meditations, the door opened, 
 and Mr. Novissilsky was announced ! I could hardly 
 believe my eyes. Tom, of course, rushed forward to 
 meet him, but I turned my back to the room, and be- 
 came engrossed in the street scenes outside. It was 
 only when my brother-in-law called my name that I 
 looked at the intruder, and bowed coldly. This is the 
 first time I have come in contact with him since that 
 night at the theatre. 
 
 Tom evidently thought my manner odd, but he simply 
 said he would call Grace, and left us. I knew that he 
 would return immediately, but this was too good a 
 chance to be lost, and I determined to let Mr. Sacha 
 Novissilsky know what I thought of him. Fixing upon 
 him a steady look, the contempt of which should have 
 scorched him, I said slowly, " I wonder that you can
 
 240 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 present yourself before me ! You must know what my 
 opinion of you is, after the falsehood you deliberately 
 told me about Count Piloff." 
 
 Sacha's melancholy face looked a shade more sombre, 
 and his upper lip curled in an ugly way. He kept his 
 eyes fastened on the floor. 
 
 " Why do you tell me it was a falsehood ? " he an- 
 swered courteously. 
 
 I was taken by surprise. I did not expect such self- 
 possession. 
 
 "Because I believe Count Piloff," I answered firmly. 
 
 " Oh, then you told him of the statement I made ? 
 No doubt he gave you overwhelming proofs of his ve- 
 racity ! " (with a slight sneer, but still a courteous man- 
 ner). " George is famous," he went on, " for making 
 the ladies believe him, and no doubt " Here he was 
 interrupted by Tom's reappearance. I went out of the 
 room in a white heat, and did not return until he had 
 taken his departure. 
 
 " I wonder," said I, as I took my seat at the dinner- 
 table, "why that young man follows us about in this 
 way ! " 
 
 " You are unkind, Dorris," remonstrated Judith. " He 
 came to Moscow to see an old comrade who is dying, 
 and he has taken George off with him to the bedside of 
 their friend." 
 
 " I thought you would freeze him stiff when he made 
 his appearance," cried Tom. 
 
 " I intended to do so." 
 
 " But why ? What harm has he done you ? "
 
 THE KREMLIN. 241 
 
 I did not care to explain, so I made some laughing 
 reply, and turned my attention to dinner. 
 
 We had planned to go to the theatre in the evening. 
 George did not return, so we started without him. It 
 was rather a dismal affair, though we all did our best to 
 be gay. 
 
 When we met at breakfast this morning, George 
 looked grave and troubled. He informed us that the 
 friend whom he and Sacha had gone to see was dead, 
 and then he seemed to make an effort to throw off 
 gloomy thoughts, and to help us enjoy ourselves. 
 
 We went to the Kremlin again. A fresh, pure coat- 
 ing of snow had fallen during the night, and dazzled us 
 in the sunlight. The domes of the churches within the 
 walls took deeper, purer shades of blue, green, and 
 gold, and the sunshine scintillated on the delicate tra- 
 cery of the chains and crosses which surmounted them. 
 We got a magnificent view of the city from the walls. 
 We were raised so high above the squalor and the dirt 
 that they did not stare us in the face ; the white snow, 
 too, covered a multitude of sins. We looked down upon 
 hundreds of minarets, spires, domes, and crosses, all 
 brightly colored and shining in the sun ; countless green 
 roofs added their contribution of color ; and far in the 
 distance was the low range of the Sparrow Hills, from 
 which Napoleon got his first view of Moscow. 
 
 We all agreed that the scene was utterly different 
 from yesterday, when we had seen it in a smart, pelting 
 snow-storm. 
 
 From thence we proceeded to inspect the interior of 
 16
 
 242 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 the Church of the Assumption, in which all the Tsars of 
 Russia have been crowned, beginning with the first Ro- 
 manoff. It is small, but full to overflowing of historical 
 reminiscences and ornaments. The platform on which 
 the coronation takes place stands under the dome. 
 Around the walls are tombs of ecclesiastical dignitaries, 
 the most honored having the corner places. There 
 is not an inch of the cathedral which is unornamented. 
 
 " Here," said George, standing in front of the icono- 
 stase, " is a picture of the Virgin which, according to 
 tradition, was painted by St. Luke." 
 
 " Oh," cried Grace, " what gorgeous jewels ! " 
 
 "The gems in this icon," continued our cicerone, "are 
 worth two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and the 
 riches inside this little building amount to more than 
 all the wealth of the empire." 
 
 The others began enthusiastically to examine the 
 iconostase, which was of gold, ornamented with pictures 
 and rich jewels. George drew my attention to the walls 
 of the building, covered with painting, and incrusted 
 with Siberian marble. 
 
 " I suppose this is jasper," said I inquiringly. 
 
 " Yes," George responded rather absently, then added 
 abruptly, " I thought you did not like Sacha." 
 
 I must have looked surprised at the suddenness of 
 this remark ; but my companion did not vouchsafe a 
 glance in my direction. He was apparently absorbed 
 in contemplation of the tomb of St. Peter. 
 
 " I do not like him," said I, at last ; " on the contrary 
 I dislike him intensely."
 
 THE KREMLIN. 243 
 
 " Yet you and he were quite confidential in Peters- 
 burg," he returned, making an unsuccessful effort to 
 speak lightly. 
 
 I answered, in rather a reflective tone, 
 
 " He was confidential. At first I was sorry for him, 
 because I thought Judith treated him so badly, and I 
 used to sympathize with him. I soon ceased to waste 
 my sympathy, however." 
 
 " What did your cousin do to him ? " 
 
 "That seems to me a most foolish and unnecessary 
 question," I answered impatiently. " You must have 
 known that Sacha was in love with her. She encour- 
 aged him, as well as Prince Tucheff and all of them, 
 when she was really engaged to another man. I cannot 
 understand," I added virtuously, " how she did it ! " 
 
 George looked at me for an instant, with a disagree- 
 able smile. 
 
 " I dare say you cannot," he exclaimed ; and with a 
 short, bitter laugh, turned to Tom, who was asking him 
 some question. 
 
 I wandered on alone, with a little throb of indigna- 
 tion in my heart. George can be extremely disagreeable 
 when he chooses. What did he intend by that sarcastic 
 manner and significant look ? Why should he have an- 
 swered me in that way ? What did Sacha mean by say- 
 ing George could make ladies believe him ? I dislike a 
 man whom I cannot understand. Two days ago nay, 
 even last night I believe I was on the verge of falling 
 in love. What a fortunate escape for me ! I should 
 not like to fall in love with a sarcastic man. Besides,
 
 244 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 am I not as good as engaged to Chilton Thurber? 
 George would never ask me to marry him, because he 
 considers me pledged ; yet it would seem as if he meant 
 to imply that I had encouraged his attentions. Well, I 
 give up trying to understand him, but I am very glad 
 that I am not in love with him. 
 
 While I was pondering over these various perplexing 
 thoughts, and losing my good spirits, to say nothing of 
 my temper, my revery was broken by Tom, who was 
 saying, 
 
 " Thurber will not have much time with us if he does 
 not come to-day." 
 
 " Do you expect him ? " I cried, angry with myself 
 that I could not drive back the blood which rushed in a 
 torrent to my face. 
 
 " Surely, Dorris, you heard me say that I had written 
 him when we were to be here ! " Tom replied in an 
 injured tone. 
 
 They were all standing about me, and I felt the neces- 
 sity for restraining the impatient words which were 
 ready to drop from my lips. Forcing the blandest 
 possible smile, I said, as I turned towards the door, 
 
 " How delightful to have him here with us ! " 
 
 " I don't know about that," grumbled Tom. " We 
 can't stay forever waiting for him." 
 
 " Perhaps you had better send him a telegram at 
 once," interposed George. " He may not have received 
 the letter." 
 
 " Perhaps," I exclaimed, in a tone which, though 
 carefully modulated, thrilled with vexation, "we had
 
 THE KREMLIN. 245 
 
 better do nothing of the sort ! If Mr. Thurber does 
 not wish to meet us, we had better not force him to 
 do so." 
 
 There was an awkward silence for a moment, broken 
 by Tom, who remarked something about my being 
 " excited." 
 
 Judith put her hand on my arm and drew me away, 
 and I felt that I was being soothed, and that every one 
 wished me to return to a better temper. I wished the 
 same. It was extremely disagreeable to feel so hot and 
 excited. 
 
 We went through the Treasury, but I have no idea 
 what we saw. George did not speak to me again, and I 
 was glad he did not. In fact, every one let me alone. 
 I imagine they were sorry for me, because they thought 
 I was so disappointed at Mr. Thurber's non-appearance. 
 This was humiliating, but I knew not how to undeceive 
 them. It is not so unpleasant to have people suppose 
 that Chilton Thurber, and even George, are desperately 
 in love with me ; but it is a different matter when they 
 begin to think that I am pining for a person who neg- 
 lects me. I suspect that my heart was made on a small 
 scale. I am troubled about it. Either I am becoming 
 fickle, or I never knew myself before. Certainly I 
 never thought so much about myself. 
 
 Evening. 
 
 As we were sitting at lunch, our English friend 
 arrived. I was absurdly conscious when I shook hands 
 with him, aware of a blush on my face, and of the
 
 246 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 fact that all the party except George turned their eyes 
 away from our meeting. 
 
 " So you have come at last ! " cried Alice. " We 
 thought you were very slow about it." 
 
 " I did not receive the letter until last night." 
 
 " These Russians," said Tom, " are incapable of hur- 
 rying. Tell them ' Si Chass,' and they think that means 
 any time within a week." 
 
 We finished our lunch leisurely, listening to Mr. 
 Thurber's account of his adventures. Then we all 
 strolled out to see the palace. Mr. Thurber, as of old, 
 constituted himself my escort, and took occasion to say 
 to me very quietly, 
 
 " I shall spend only a day or two with you, and I shall 
 not ask you what decision you have arrived at until I 
 come to Petersburg. If my presence here annoys you, 
 I trust you will tell me." 
 
 " Why should it ? " I responded frankly. " I like to 
 have you here." 
 
 He looked unmistakably pleased ; and I thought, at 
 that moment, that I should find it easy to get along 
 with him, if I did marry him. He never annoys or 
 makes me lose my temper, as George does. So we 
 wandered through the palace, chatting in the best possi- 
 ble spirits ; and I wondered how I could have forgotten 
 what a pleasant companion Mr. Thurber always has 
 been. At first, the others left us to ourselves. Then 
 Tom, forgetting his role of match-maker, which had been 
 instilled into him by the women of his family, called 
 upon Mr. Thurber to settle some discussion he was hav- 
 ing with Judith.
 
 THE KREMLIN. 247 
 
 I stood looking out of one of the great windows in the 
 Hall of St. George. As I turned away from it, my eyes 
 fell upon George, who was staring absently at an inscrip- 
 tion on the wall. There was such an expression of mis- 
 ery on his face that my heart smote me. I stood still in 
 the window. 
 
 " Count Piloff," said I graciously, " will you be kind 
 enough to come and tell me what I am looking at out of 
 the window ? " 
 
 He glared at me, as though he were half-inclined to 
 refuse, but came forward reluctantly, until we were side 
 by side in the window embrasure. Then I spoke : 
 
 " You act so strangely to-day. Perhaps I have been 
 disagreeable ; but I am amiable now, and I want you to 
 be pleasant." 
 
 He looked as if he did not understand my words, and 
 I waited some time for his reply. It was spoken at last, 
 low and hurriedly, with eyes resolutely fixed on the 
 many-colored roofs below us. 
 
 " I know you would prefer to see me always gay and 
 smiling, ready to talk when you wish it; equally ready 
 to listen when you wish to talk ; willing to have you treat 
 me one day as if you had a really friendly feeling for 
 me, and the next day spurn me with contempt ; always 
 happy, never wretched and miserable, even though you 
 have done all in your power to make me so. You would 
 prefer to have me like that ; but I am finding out every 
 day that you are disappointed in me ; and I can assure 
 you that you expect more than any man who is merely 
 mortal can give ! "
 
 248 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " I should think so," I answered, ready to smile, " if I 
 expected all that. You take altogether a wrong view of 
 the matter. You should not be angry, because " 
 
 " O Dorris ! " he interrupted gently, turning a sad 
 face towards me. " I am not angry with you, my dear. 
 I never have been. You cannot appreciate how ridicu- 
 lously happy it makes me when you look at and speak 
 to me kindly, though I know it means nothing more than 
 that you don't dislike me. When you are cross, I- can- 
 not help imagining that it is my fault. It is my supreme 
 foolishness in thinking myself of enough importance to 
 affect you in any way. Come," starting to join the 
 others who were leaving the hall. " Don't mind what I 
 say," he added, as we strolled along. " I suppose it is 
 Thurber's coming which has put me out, and your hap- 
 piness in seeing him. It was so pleasant having you all 
 to myself, I forgot there was any one who had a prior 
 claim." 
 
 " You must have found it pleasant," I responded 
 dryly. " You proved it by going out with Sacha, and 
 remaining away all the evening." 
 
 " Did you care ? " he cried quickly, looking a shade 
 less wretched. " I thought you would be glad to have me 
 away, especially after what Sacha told me." 
 
 " What did he tell you ? " I exclaimed, stopping 
 short. 
 
 "Nothing which should have disturbed me; for I 
 ought to have discovered it myself long ago." 
 
 " But what was it ? " I insisted. 
 
 He looked a little surprised, but answered, quite 
 frankly :
 
 THE KREMLIN. 249 
 
 " He only reminded me of how much you and he 
 used to talk together, and told me that the subject of 
 your conversation was generally Thurber. Then he 
 pointed out a thousand little things which happened in 
 Petersburg, to prove that you cared more for Thurber in 
 the beginning than you imagined." 
 
 "What did you say to all this?" I exclaimed, as calmly 
 as possible. 
 
 " I listened." 
 
 "And then?" 
 
 "And then," replied George, a faint flush creeping 
 over his face, " I told him that I did not care to discuss 
 Miss Romilly's likes and dislikes with him." 
 
 " And he ? " 
 
 " He smiled, and changed the subject." 
 
 " He is a miserable coward ! " said I vehemently. " I 
 hope you will never believe anything he tells you about 
 me." 
 
 " Sacha is very much like other men. The greatest 
 fault which he has is a fondness for hearing himself 
 talk." 
 
 I restrained myself by a violent effort, and said no 
 more about Sacha ; but I must confess I did not under- 
 stand George, and I do not understand him now. Only 
 a week or two ago, he was encouraging me to be faithful 
 to Chilton Thurber, and never hinted at the possibility of 
 my caring for him. Now, he is angry because he thinks 
 I have been in love with Mr. Thurber all the time. How 
 inconsistent men are ! 
 
 Tom drew near, and put an end to our conversation :
 
 2$0 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 " Shall we go to see the home of the first Romanoff, or 
 not ? " 
 
 " Let us go, by all means," I responded. 
 
 The others agreeing, we left the palace, and drove to 
 a humble little house in another part of the town. 
 
 " This," said Alice, as we entered the low room, " is 
 where the first Tsar of Russia was born ; and although 
 I have been four times in Moscow, I never came here 
 before." 
 
 " After all," remarked George, who had been talking 
 incessantly on the way from the palace, "the Romanoffs 
 were not thought so highly of in those days. The Dol- 
 goroukys were great boyars before the Romanoffs were 
 ever heard of." 
 
 " The greatness of the Romanoffs," said Tom, in an 
 important manner, " dates from that time. I suppose a 
 republican form of government would not have worked 
 Well among you turbulent Russians ; else it is a pity 
 that, instead of electing a Tsar, they did not make him 
 president for life." 
 
 "I am not interested in your political discussions," 
 said Grace ; " but I should like to know if this is a 
 stove." 
 
 It was a delicate bit of furniture, composed of painted 
 porcelain tiles. 
 
 " That is a stove," responded George, " and there is 
 a story painted on it, and illustrated by these pictures." 
 
 On the first floor of the house were only four small, 
 low rooms. The wife's apartments were above, reached 
 by a flight of steep, narrow stairs. The furniture would
 
 THE KREMLIN. 
 
 send a " modern antique " dealer into ecstasies. The 
 cradle and toys of the young Romanoff have been pre- 
 served, as well as the book out of which he learned to 
 read. 
 
 " I wonder why this door was made so low," said 
 Judith, as we were obliged to bend our backs nearly 
 double in passing from one room to another. 
 
 " The great man had a deal of trouble with his boy- 
 ars," replied George. " They refused to make obeisance 
 to him, therefore he had this door, by which they entered 
 his presence, cut so low that they were obliged to stoop 
 in passing through it." 
 
 " What an ingenious idea ! " 
 
 The afternoon had worn away while we were thus en- 
 gaged, and we now found it time to return to the hotel 
 for dinner. In place of changing my dress, I have been 
 writing my experiences. 
 
 I confess frankly that I am as much puzzled with my- 
 self as I am with George. Instead of being consumed 
 with grief at the sorrow I am causing others, I find it 
 quite pleasant to have two men in love with me. I am 
 quite aware that my feelings are selfish to the last 
 degree. How heartless I must be ! When I am with 
 George I prefer him ; and when I am with Mr. Thurber 
 I wonder how I could ever have liked George better. 
 
 There is one thing about the latter which is rather 
 absurd : I could not marry him if I would, for he has 
 never asked me ! He takes it so for granted that I have 
 no idea of caring for him that I am sure it would be 
 awkward if I did care, for I should be obliged to tell
 
 252 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 him the fact plainly. Yet he is not a calm, placid lover, 
 like the Englishman. Mr. Thurber has an air of saying 
 mentally, " If you conclude to marry me, you will make 
 a sensible decision, and will please me extremely ; but 
 if you decide otherwise, I shall wonder how you could 
 be so foolish. I do not allow myself, in the mean time, 
 to get excited over it ; and whatever you may say or do 
 will suit me perfectly." 
 
 These are his thoughts as I imagine them. He re- 
 fuses to be jealous or angry. I cannot arouse in him 
 the expression of anything beyond a proper, reasonable 
 liking. George, on the contrary, although he tells me 
 fiercely enough that he knows I do not care for him, is 
 uneasy and wretched if I talk long with any one else, 
 and watches me continually. He gets in a passion 
 with me, and then says he loves me too much to be 
 angry. My sober judgment tells me that Chilton Thur- 
 ber is much better suited to me. 
 
 My life is not as peaceful as it was before I had two 
 lovers, and I fear I am growing inordinately vain. Ju- 
 dith must have an immense amount of character not 
 to be completely spoiled by the amount of attention 
 she has received.
 
 THE BLACK WINTER. 253 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE BLACK WINTER. 
 
 PETERSBURG, March 6. 
 
 WE bade a reluctant farewell to Moscow, taking 
 our last look at the wall of the Kremlin and 
 
 / 
 
 the colored domes which rise out of it, by the light of a 
 full moon, which glorified everything, and gave a weird, 
 white beauty to the scene. Soon we shall pack our 
 trunks and go away ; and our places will be filled by 
 others, and no one will miss us or care. For a little 
 while Alice will be conscious of regret; but all her in- 
 terests are here, she has her husband and child, and 
 she will get on very well without us. This thought 
 should not have power to sadden me, but it has. 
 
 "When I get home," Judith says, "I shall never 
 come back to Europe." 
 
 I feel a strange reluctance to look beyond the present 
 moment. I never picture myself returning to my coun- 
 try and friends. I only wish I could stay forever just as 
 I am, and that change might never come to any of us. 
 When I said something like this to Judith, she laughed 
 softly. " You would soon grow tired of it," she insisted. 
 
 Such a climate as this is now ! One must be of a 
 wonderfully cheerful nature not to be depressed by the
 
 254 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 constant gloom of this " Black Winter." Not possessing 
 the requisite amount of elasticity, I am a very dismal 
 object. Tom looks at me often, and shakes his head 
 disapprovingly. " Too many balls," he says. " You 
 were born for a quiet life, Dorris." 
 
 March 14. 
 
 Only a few more days and my brief respite will be 
 over, and Mr. Thurber will return. In fact, he should 
 be here to-day. As the time draws near, I shrink more 
 and more from the necessary decision. Why is it that I 
 cannot make up my mind ? George could hardly assert 
 that I set myself up on a pedestal now. I look upon 
 myself as one of the weakest young women I have ever 
 met, and I even plead guilty to a grain of coquetry. 
 I am almost sure I shall feel sorry for it afterwards if I 
 do not accept Chilton Thurber ; and I know George 
 will be painfully disappointed in me. It is not as if he 
 expected to win me himself. That idea seems never to 
 have occurred to him, though I did my best to make it 
 dawn upon his mind when we were in Moscow. 
 
 He is strangely obtuse on that point. Having recov- 
 ered from the severe attack of jealousy which I have 
 recorded, he seems quite reconciled to looking upon me 
 as Mr. Thurber's promised wife, and loses no oppor- 
 tunity of showing that he regards me in that light. 
 
 After all, why should I marry Mr. Thurber ? I have 
 been very happy as a single woman, while perhaps I 
 should be less so if I married. It is not that I am 
 afraid of being an old maid, for that prospect has never
 
 THE BLACK WINTER. 255 
 
 had any terrors for me. But I have a strange reluc- 
 tance to leave Europe, which I cannot understand. I 
 fear that deep down in my heart is the desire to avoid 
 George's disapprobation. Also, I am really fond of 
 Chilton Thurber. I see that I am reasoning in a circle, 
 so I will cease. 
 
 Life is not all sunshine, even for those who have 
 royal blood in their veins. One of the young nephews 
 of the Emperor is dead. Mourning comes alike to all 
 of us. 
 
 Grace had a desire to see the funeral procession pass^ 
 ing across the river from the palace to the fortress, and 
 I consented to go with her, feeling that nothing could 
 make my spirits any lower. We ordered the carriage 
 and started. 
 
 The snow was thawing, and the streets were full of a 
 dirty slush. Instead of the rain alternating with snow, 
 which has fallen persistently for the last two weeks, the 
 air was impregnated with a gray mist, which settled on 
 the river where we stood, and permitted us only to dis- 
 tinguish the faint outlines of the lofty palaces on the 
 bank. We waited for several minutes before we heard, 
 through the fog, which seemed to muffle the sound, the 
 weird music which betokened the approach of the pro- 
 cession. 
 
 Gradually they drew nearer. Through the lines of 
 soldiers which bordered the road came a regiment of 
 lancers, the arms and flag of the house, the pages and 
 servants, each bearing a lighted candle. A crowd of 
 priests, numbering not less than one hundred, followed
 
 256 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 with lamps. The hearse was drawn by six horses, with 
 black blankets and plumes, and the coffin was covered 
 with cloth-of-gold lined with ermine. The Emperor 
 and grand dukes rode directly behind it, on horseback. 
 Mourning coaches and more soldiers followed. 
 
 We drove away from the sad scene in sympathetic 
 silence, made our way through the dreary streets, and 
 were glad to reach our own door again. 
 
 I wonder why Mr. Thurber does not come. I wonder 
 if he will come. It would seem rather hard on me if, 
 after overcoming my reluctance, and making up my 
 mind to accept him, he should not make his appear- 
 ance. What an embarrassing situation that would be ! 
 
 March 21. 
 
 To-morrow we start for Warsaw, on our way to Vienna. 
 Judith is happy, for we are to stay a week in the Aus- 
 trian capital, and there she will see Roger. She goes 
 about the house with a smile on her face, and breaks 
 out now and then into song ; while I, to mark the con- 
 trast, grow daily more dismal. 
 
 Mr. Thurber has not come, neither have we received 
 any word from him. I know that my friends attribute 
 my melancholy to his non-appearance, and are pitying 
 me in secret. Perhaps, after all, they are not so wrong; 
 for while at first I felt a deep relief as day after day 
 passed, and he did not appear, yet now I begin to be 
 slightly chagrined, and to wonder if his heart has failed 
 him, or if he has discovered that he does not care for 
 me, as he supposed.
 
 THE BLACK WINTER. 
 
 George's one effort has been to persuade me that Mr. 
 Thurber is not ill or in trouble ; and he looks at me 
 gravely when he thinks I am not observing him. His 
 sympathy I repulse, and his attempts at consolation meet 
 with no response from me. I have not been kind to him 
 lately ; in fact, I have not been kind to any one, least 
 of all to myself. 
 
 To-day will be spent in farewells ; and to-morrow we 
 shall bid good-by to Russia and the Russians for- 
 ever. 
 
 Evening. 
 
 As I wrote those words, a familiar voice in the next 
 room set my heart to beating furiously. I closed my 
 journal, rose to my feet, but for a minute could not 
 move. 
 
 He had come at last. He was in the next room, talk- 
 ing to Grace ! I summoned all my self-control to my 
 aid, and went in. 
 
 In my desire not to show too much emotion, I felt that 
 I was giving him a cold reception ; but Tom made up 
 for it by his boisterous greetings. He began to ask 
 questions. 
 
 "We certainly thought you must have shot yourself or 
 been eaten by a bear. What have you been doing? 
 Why did you stay so long ? " 
 
 As I surveyed Mr. Thurber's tall figure, standing in 
 our midst, it seemed to me that he had grown more 
 unbending than ever. He looked pleased, however, and 
 slightly excited. 
 
 17
 
 2$8 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 11 We were hunting," he explained, " and were over- 
 taken by a storm. It was a week before it was possi- 
 ble to get back to the village : we missed our connections 
 with the trains, and the roads were in such a condition 
 that fast travelling was out of the question." 
 
 " I am mighty glad to see you, Thurber. Upon my 
 word, I am," reiterated Tom. "You are just in time to 
 see us off. We leave to-morrow." 
 
 " So soon ! " exclaimed the other. " Which way do 
 you go ? " 
 
 " Through Warsaw. I want to stay there a day or 
 two, to remind me of the days when I read ' Thaddeus 
 of Warsaw.' Then we are going to Vienna, for a week. 
 Grace has never been there. After that, I suppose we 
 shall take a peep at Italy ; but we have not decided upon 
 anything beyond Vienna." 
 
 " I have," said Grace. " We are going to Florence." 
 
 "I did not intend to remain in Russia so late as this," 
 said Mr. Thurber. " I should like to join your party, if 
 you permit." 
 
 " Really ! Will you ? " cried Tom eagerly and in a 
 few minutes it was arranged that he should start to-mor- 
 row with us. 
 
 He then took leave, saying he had farewell calls to 
 make ; and we resumed our packing. 
 
 To-night we are all tired. We dined together for the 
 last time with Alice. There were no strangers present, 
 it being intended for a cheerful farewell meal. We were 
 in better spirits than seemed quite natural, considering 
 that it was, in all probability, the last time we should all 
 meet together in that room.
 
 THE BLACK WINTER. 259 
 
 I was in a fever of anxiety lest I should break down, 
 and made every effort to be merry. The others did 
 likewise, but none of us were calm : our laughter had a 
 thrill of nervousness in it. It was only George who 
 seemed perfectly natural : his voice was no louder than 
 usual, and his face was very quiet. 
 
 The dinner was not long, and the gentlemen did not 
 linger in the smoking-room. I ran away to the nursery 
 to see the baby, making my escape unobserved ; and, 
 having kissed the soft little face many times, with a 
 strange pain in my heart, I started to return to the 
 others. 
 
 On my way, I thought I would take a peep at the 
 library. It is my favorite room, and I had a fancy to 
 take a last look at it by myself. 
 
 So, pushing the portiere aside, I entered. The light 
 from the dining-room shone in, and made a bar of flick- 
 ering yellow on the thick rug. In the fireplace were a 
 few live coals in a bed of ashes. George stood by the 
 chimney, his elbows on the mantel, and his face buried 
 in his hands. 
 
 My entry had been so noiseless that it had failed to 
 disturb him. My first impulse was to retreat without 
 speaking ; then I thought better of it, and resolved that 
 this should be our good-by, for I knew I should have no 
 other opportunity of seeing him alone. 
 
 I made my way quietly to his side. Still he did not 
 move. Putting out my hand, I touched his arm. 
 
 He started violently, and turned his face towards me 
 without otherwise changing his position. He looked as
 
 260 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 if tortured by some physical pain ; his face was so hag- 
 gard and drawn that involuntarily I tightened my grasp 
 on his arm. 
 
 His eyes gazed into mine for a moment with a wistful 
 expression which hurt me, then dropped to my hand. 
 Slowly he put out his hand and took mine into its clasp, 
 turned away from the mantel, and made a movement 
 with his lips as if he would have spoken. Seeing how 
 impossible it was for him, I took the initiative, and said, 
 in a voice which I hardly recognized as my own, 
 
 " I came to to see how the room the 
 room would look." 
 
 This profound remark met with no response. Being 
 senseless, however, it was harmless, and broke the spell 
 which silence had cast upon us. 
 
 George held my hand in his, and looked at it tenderly, 
 almost reverently, for a moment. Then he quietly let 
 it drop, and I held it in front of me, and surveyed it 
 stupidly myself, as if to discover some new line in it. 
 
 Finally he spoke, in a deep, earnest tone. 
 
 " Have you arranged it with Thurber ? " 
 
 " No," I answered, turning my face up to his ; " there 
 has been no opportunity." 
 
 " You will let me hear it in some way when it is de- 
 cided ? " 
 
 " Yes," I said in a half whisper. 
 
 " I shall see you at the station to-morrow, and then 
 you will go away with him," George continued thought- 
 fully. 
 
 He put his hands behind him, and leaned against the 
 mantel.
 
 THE BLACK WINTER. 261 
 
 " Ah, well ! " he cried, with a forced laugh, " in a 
 month I shall wonder at myself for this infatuation ; and 
 you, you will have dropped me completely out of 
 your life ! " 
 
 " Don't laugh in that way ! " I cried impetuously, put- 
 ting out my hand. " Don't ! " 
 
 He looked at me searchingly. 
 
 " Poor little Dorris ! " said he tenderly. " You are 
 sorry tor me. You show it in your sad eyes and your 
 quivering mouth. You are very good and patient with 
 me. I have brought only sadness into your life," he 
 added dismally, still looking at me as if he meant to 
 impress every feature on his mind. 
 
 Sorry for him ! He little knew what it was that was 
 filling my small soul with agony. This demon which 
 was pulling at my heart-strings was love, love for him. 
 Like a flash of lightning the knowledge burst upon me. 
 I had been blind before, but it was written before me in 
 letters of fire at that instant, and I could not choose 
 but read it. Sorry for him ! Yes, overwhelmed with 
 anguish for him and for myself. Oh, for courage to tell 
 him that I loved him, that my promise counted for 
 nothing in my own heart, and that I should die if he 
 sent me away ! 
 
 But I could not say it. He had not dreamed of such 
 a thing, and I could not confess it. 
 
 Presently he put his hand gently up, and touched my 
 cheek. 
 
 " I have made you cry again," he said, in the same 
 low, sad voice. " I wish you would not cry."
 
 262 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 My only answer was a long-drawn, quivering sob. 
 
 " Oh, hush, my darling, hush ! " he whispered, turning 
 his head away from me. " You break my heart." 
 
 As I look back now, I could kill myself for being such 
 a coward. Why did I not confess the truth ? What 
 foolish pride was it which sealed my lips ? 
 
 The silence which fell upon us seemed to last for 
 hours ; but in reality it could only have been a few min- 
 utes before George turned to me and said quietly, 
 
 " You had better go now. They will miss you." 
 
 " But this is good-by," I cried brokenly, the tears fall- 
 ing like rain from my eyes as I lifted them imploringly 
 to him. " Must I go away from you like this ? " 
 
 He looked at me strangely for an instant ; then, with 
 an infinite tenderness, he put his arms round me and 
 drew me to his heart. Very quietly he lifted my face to 
 his, and kissed me twice on the lips. It would have 
 been easy for me to tell him the truth then. My eyes 
 sought his, to find there some encouragement for the 
 confession which I was about to make, but all his calm- 
 ness suddenly vanished ; he turned away from me, cry- 
 ing, 
 
 " Leave me, child ! I can bear no more ! " 
 
 I waited in silence for him to speak to me again. In 
 vain : he stood by the chimney in the same position in 
 which I had found him, and no marble statue could 
 have been more quiet. 
 
 While I still hesitated, my cheeks burning and my 
 heart beating tumultuously, a voice called, " Dorris ! " 
 
 Other voices followed. I lingered for an instant, but
 
 THE BLACK WINTER. 263 
 
 George did not stir. Grace continued to call me, and 
 at last I walked slowly out of the room. 
 
 Now that I am alone, and can think it over calmly, I 
 have no words strong enough to express my disgust at 
 my own folly. To think that I, Dorris Romilly, should 
 be in love ! Worse still, desperately in love, in love 
 as I never dreamed was possible for me. And then 
 that I should have been such an arrant coward as to 
 lose my opportunity, and ruin all my chances of happi- 
 ness. For, of course, I cannot go calmly to Count 
 Piloff, and tell him that I would like to marry him ; 
 nor can I write it to him. I shall never see him alone 
 again, and he will always think I care for Chilton 
 Thurber. I see nothing bright in any direction, and 
 if it were not foolish and useless, I should wish my- 
 self dead. 
 
 IN THE TRAIN, Saturday Night. 
 
 It is a relief to have said good-by, and not to feel that 
 it is still a black cloud in the future. The saying of it, 
 and the actual departure, were not so painful as the two 
 days which preceded, when I could think of nothing 
 else. 
 
 If it were not for Mr. Thurber's presence, which con- 
 stantly reminds me of the explanation I must have with 
 him, I could find it in my heart to be almost cheerful. 
 Tom unconsciously brightened us this morning by his 
 mishaps. In the first place, he got very much excited 
 over the loss of his umbrella. Then, when he entered 
 the car, he gave his head a smart knock against the side
 
 264 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 of the door, in his attempts to get out of the way of a 
 fat gentleman with a quantity of bags. Tom's hat was 
 utterly demolished. He was such a comical object that 
 we were obliged to laugh every time we looked at him ; 
 so our departure was less melancholy than it might have 
 been. 
 
 As our train moved away, Alice, Nicolas, and 
 George, all stood on the platform, smiling ; and I 
 hardly realized that I was taking my last look at them 
 for many years. 
 
 Tom said, almost before we were out of the 
 city, 
 
 " What a relief to get out of that climate ! For three 
 weeks I have walked knee-deep in mud ; and I have not 
 seen the sun for so long that I believe I should be daz- 
 zled if he were to appear." 
 
 " Yes," assented Judith ; " and the earth, sky, and 
 buildings have all been such a dull color." 
 
 I listened in silence, looking out of the window to 
 hide the desolation which I feared my eyes would be- 
 tray. 
 
 They were all glad to get away ! Mr. Thurber said 
 nothing, for which I felt grateful to him. 
 
 The interminable marshy waste, which was all our 
 eyes had to dwell upon, seems to encompass St. Pe- 
 tersburg for hundreds of miles. It is inexpressibly 
 dreary. Judith is in excellent spirits, and no one ap- 
 pears to notice me. Mr. Thurber, however, watches 
 me stealthily. The consciousness of 'this helps me to 
 exercise my self-control.
 
 THE BLACK WINTER. 26$ 
 
 WARSAW, Monday. 
 
 We arrived last night, in a pouring rain. I went to 
 bed as soon as we reached the hotel ; therefore, all I 
 know of the city is that the pavements are passable, and 
 the buildings large. 
 
 We drove from the station in two carriages. Judith 
 and Torn took all the bags, and started before us at a 
 rattling pace, looking triumphantly back at us as we 
 plodded on more soberly. 
 
 Presently we overtook our friends, with only three 
 wheels on their carriage, and Tom climbing ignomini- 
 ously out of the upper door ! They reached the hotel 
 in a very muddy state, some time after us. Nothing 
 could put either of them out of temper, however, and 
 Judith only sighed as she examined the injuries her hat 
 had received. 
 
 This morning dawned doubtfully, but soon decided to 
 be showery. It seems to be an impossibility for the sun 
 to shine in Russia at this season. If I could get a 
 glimpse of God's clear blue sky, I am sure that this 
 dull weight, which has lain on my heart for so long, 
 would be lifted. 
 
 " I am going out," Tom announced, " and if you 
 wish to see the town, you had better all come with 
 me." 
 
 " Will you wait until after breakfast ? " I suggested 
 mildly. 
 
 Tom looked at me critically. 
 
 " Dorris, you are ill ! Why don't you confess it, and 
 give up ? "
 
 266 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 All eyes were upon me by this time, and I endeavored 
 to laugh as I said that I was well enough. 
 
 " Only," I added, " these Polish beds are peculiar, 
 and probably I did not sleep as well as you did." 
 
 Tom forgot me for an instant, as his thoughts turned 
 to his favorite grievance. 
 
 " I hardly slept a wink last night," he insisted. 
 
 " You do look ill, Dorris," interrupted Grace. " I 
 advise you to stay in the house and rest." 
 
 Staying in, I feared, meant a tete-a-tete with Chilton 
 Thurber, which I did not feel strong enough to undergo, 
 so I insisted upon accompanying Tom. He apparently 
 expected to meet some of the descendants of that 
 Thaddeus about whom he used to read, and as his 
 expectations were not realized, he pronounced Warsaw 
 a failure. 
 
 " Certainly, the glory has departed from Poland," Mr. 
 Thurber remarked, as we passed some of the forts, 
 which were manned by Russian soldiers. " Even the 
 old palace of the kings is inhabited by the Russian 
 governor-general." 
 
 We went into some shops. They pretended not to 
 understand Mr. Thurber's Russian, although that is the 
 language' in which everything is taught in the schools, 
 instruction being given in Polish as a foreign tongue. 
 
 The town is shabby. We wondered what part of it 
 was inhabited by the elite. 
 
 " The Polish aristocracy," Mr. Thurber informed us, 
 " has disappeared. No one knows exactly what has 
 become of the old families. Many of them have emi-
 
 THE BLACK WINTER. 267 
 
 grated. The fashionable foreigners who have taken up 
 their residence here live on the Champs Elyse'es, through 
 which we are about to drive." 
 
 It proved to be a very beautiful avenue, with one road 
 in it for driving, one for equestrians, and two for foot 
 passengers, shaded by magnificent trees. 
 
 Thence we went to what was once the summer palace 
 of the kings, but is now used by the governor-general 
 for a residence during part of the year. There is a 
 charming little out-of-door theatre connected with this 
 palace. The stage is on the shore of a lovely lake, and 
 seats for the audience are on the opposite shore. 
 
 Altogether the day has been a busy one. Now night 
 has come, and I am sitting alone in the dingy parlor, 
 which looks out on the muddy street. 
 
 The others have gone to the theatre. I pleaded 
 fatigue, and induced them to leave me. The two flick- 
 ering candles cast but a pale light on my page, and I 
 shall be obliged to give up writing. Then there will be 
 nothing for me to do but to think. 
 
 Tuesday Morning. 
 
 A faint streak of sunlight makes its way in at my 
 window, and there is a blinding glow in my heart. 
 What have I done to deserve all this? 
 
 Last night, as I closed my journal, and sat in that 
 comfortless room, waiting for something, I knew not 
 what, there was a knock at the door. Following my 
 permission to enter, the door opened, and Chilton Thurber 
 appeared.
 
 268 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 My heart sank, for I thought he had come for my 
 answer ; but I spoke with a brave voice, which did not 
 betray my fluttering heart. 
 
 " How is this ? I thought you were at the theatre." 
 
 " So I was," he responded, drawing one of the hard, 
 uncomfortable chairs nearer the table, and throwing him- 
 self into it opposite me. " I told them I would come home 
 and see how you were ; for we were talking of you, and of 
 our fears that you were more ill than you would confess." 
 
 " That was kind of you," I said absently. 
 
 " I had something to say to you, also," he continued, 
 
 "a statement to make, for which I have been watch- 
 ing my opportunity." 
 
 " Yes," I said faintly, " I know." 
 
 " I fancy that you do not know. You have quite a 
 different idea from mine." 
 
 I looked at him inquiringly ; but his face was as im- 
 passive as a block of wood, and instead of a pair 01 eyes 
 I encountered an eyeglass which contorted one side of 
 the face, and on which the light made bewildering re- 
 flections. 
 
 "I think," he went on, "that you are in some trouble, 
 
 trouble of mind. I take strange fancies sometimes ; 
 and if I am wrong, you must set me right. But the sus- 
 picion has entered my mind that possibly your suffering 
 comes from your reluctance to tell me that you have 
 failed to succeed, while I have been away, in your effort 
 to care for me. I am impelled by some strange in- 
 stinct or, call it reason, if you like to tell you that 
 I read the death-blow to my hopes when 1 had been with
 
 THE BLACK WINTER. 269 
 
 you ten minutes. I may say," he added thoughtfully, 
 " that my hopes began to die the moment I saw you. 
 You are spared the difficult task of telling me. So there 
 is an end of it," leaning on the table which stood be- 
 tween us, and dropping his glass with a clatter, while he 
 fixed a pair of piercing eyes on me. " You cannot love 
 me : I must learn to get on without you ; and that was 
 the reason I joined your party. Instead of running 
 away from you, as most men would have done, I am de- 
 termined to live it down while I am with you ; to see you 
 hour by hour, and say mentally, ' She is not for me ' 
 and some time " (there was a slight tremor in the voice, 
 but only for a second) " some time to feel contented that 
 it should be so. I like to be peculiar. I am rather 
 proud, do you know, of following a course of action which 
 most people would have shunned." 
 
 This he said in his pleasant, ordinary voice ; then 
 went on more earnestly : 
 
 " I should not have acted on my determination, if I 
 had had the faintest suspicion that my presence would be 
 painful to you. I have vainly sought an opportunity of 
 explaining this to you ; for your suffering has been so 
 apparent that I have regretted my decision more than 
 once. It seems to me now," he added, never taking his 
 eyes off my face, "that there must be some further cause 
 for your sadness; else you are morbidly exaggerating the 
 pain you would give me, or the difficulty of the task I 
 have spared you. If my suspicions are correct, if 
 you are in any trouble, you should know that there is 
 no one in the world who will help you more willingly than
 
 2/0 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 I ; and perhaps," he went on more carelessly, " there 
 is no one who can so easily put things right." 
 
 Very impulsively I hurried around the shabby old 
 table, and stood before my companion, with my hands 
 tightly locked together in front of me. 
 
 " You thought all this ! " I cried rapidly, my eyes 
 growing larger, and a hot flush spreading over my face. 
 " You really mean it ? You are a man, like other men, 
 and you " Here I felt that I was becoming ridicu- 
 lous ; and I restrained the torrent of words which was 
 ready to flow, and stood still, breathing very quickly, and 
 trembling from head to foot. 
 
 Mr. Thurber looked slightly embarrassed, and put in 
 his glass, with a grimace. 
 
 " I have no words to tell you," I went on more calmly, 
 "of the dreadful state I have been in, and now by a 
 few words you have made me so happy. Oh ! " I cried, 
 growing excited again, " is it really as you say ? You 
 are indeed the best man I ever knew. How little you 
 realize what you are doing for me ! " 
 
 He had started to his feet before ; now he leaned 
 carelessly on the back of his chair, and shook his head 
 at me. 
 
 " You are too much excited " (in a tone of remon- 
 strance). " You will make yourself ill." 
 
 For the first time in a week, a hearty, natural laugh 
 broke from my lips. While the sound of it was yet in 
 my ears, the door was quietly opened, and a third per- 
 son stood before us. He glanced from one of us to the 
 other. I dropped into a chair, for I could not stand.
 
 THE BLACK WINTER. 2? I 
 
 George came up to us, smiling. 
 
 " You don't appear to be glad to see me." 
 
 " We are only paralyzed with astonishment," returned 
 Mr. Thurber. 
 
 " And delight," I added, trying to speak lightly. 
 
 " How in the name of all that is surprising did you 
 get here ? " 
 
 " By train. Tom left his umbrella-case, and I started 
 with it the next day. But where are they all ? " (casting 
 a searching glance about the room). 
 
 " At the theatre," responded Mr. Thurber, " where I 
 ought to be ; but I came back because " He hesitated, 
 then took up his hat, and, gazing into the crown, added 
 thoughtfully, " I never could say that all over again, 
 you know, so I leave you to tell him why I came back, 
 Miss Dorris. I particularly wish him to know." 
 
 " But you are not going to run away the moment I 
 arrive," George remonstrated. 
 
 " Sorry to do so," returned the other, " but they will 
 think it odd if I don't come back." 
 
 " They will think it much more odd for me to be too 
 tired to go to the theatre, and then to entertain two 
 gentlemen at home." 
 
 George looked uncertain. Mr. Thurber started hastily 
 for the door, saying, 
 
 " Be sure you tell him, Miss Dorris " ; and before I 
 could reply he was gone. 
 
 There was an awkward pause, and then George 
 said, 
 
 "I never did such an absurd thing in my life as
 
 272 
 
 THE TSAR'S WINDOW. 
 
 to follow you here. But the longing to see you was 
 stronger than I was. I could not get your face out of 
 my mind as you looked that night in the library. I 
 oh, what must you think of me ! " he cried, lingering in 
 the shadowy part of the room. 
 
 I could not trust myself to speak for a moment ; then 
 I told him, as coldly as I could, what had taken place 
 between Mr. Thurber and me. 
 
 When I had finished, he sank into a chair, and buried 
 his face in his hands. 
 
 " O Dorris," he groaned, " do not mislead me ! 
 There is a ray of hope shining upon me. Don't be cruel 
 enough to put it out ! " 
 
 I knelt down by his side and drew his hand away. 
 
 "George," I said, with quivering lips, "how could 
 you be so unkind to me as to tell me I must marry him 
 when I loved you all the time ? " 
 
 Judith says, with a mischievous face, 
 " What, Dorris ! a foreigner ? " 

 
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