n progress, and twenty or twenty-five thousand
people must be kept in order.

"Well!" I said to myself, "this appears to be a very elegant sort of
sketch-club, with evening dress and all the society appurtenances. What
did Yakoff Petrovitch mean by telling me that a plain street gown was
the proper thing to wear? This enforced 'simplification' is rather
trying to the feminine nerves; but I will not beat a retreat!"

I paid and dismissed my _izvostchik_,--a poor, shabby fellow, such as
Fate invariably allotted to me,--walked in, gave my furs and galoshes
to the handsome, big head Swiss in imperial scarlet and gold livery, and
started past the throng of servants, to the grand staircase, which
ascended invitingly at the other side of the vast hall. Unfortunately,
that instinct with whose possession women are sometimes reproached
prompted me to turn back, just as I had reached the first step, and
question the Swiss.

"In what room shall I find the Ladies' Artistic Circle?"

"It does not meet to-night, madame," he answered. "Her Imperial Highness
has guests."

"But I thought the Circle met every Wednesday night from November to
May."

"It does, usually, madame; to-night is an exception. You will find the
ladies here next week."

"Then please to give me my _shuba_ and galoshes, and call a sledge."

The Swiss gave the order for a sledge to one of the palace servants
standing by, and put on my galoshes and cloak. But the big square was
deserted, the ubiquitous _izvostchik_ was absent, for once, it appeared,
and after waiting a few minutes at the grand entrance, I repeated my
request to an officer of gendarmes. He touched his cap, said:
"_Slushaiu's_" (I obey, madame), and set in action a series of shouts of
"_Izvostchik! izvo-o-o-o-stchik!_" It ended in the dispatch of a
messenger to a neighboring street, and--at last--the appearance of a
sledge, visibly shabby of course, even in the dark,--my luck had not
deserted me.

I could have walked home, as it was very close at hand, in much less
time than it took to get the sledge, be placed therein, and buttoned
fast under the robe by the gendarme officer: but my heart had quailed a
little, I confess, when it looked for a while as if I should be
compelled to do it and pass that array of carriages and lackeys afoot. I
was glad enough to be able to spend double fare on the man (because I
had not bargained in advance), in the support of my little dignity and
false pride.

A