opinions," "impressions" and "views" on this, that and the
other thing, but so far no one had dissected the man himself.

What our editor wanted was a minute analysis of the mind of a young
Russian studied at close range. The occasion of the banquet was
selected because I could then examine him at my leisure. The results
were to be used by the editor in an article of his own, my memoranda
being only so much padding.

When I entered and took up a position near the door where I could look
him over, Delmonico's largest reception-room was crowded with guests:
bankers, railroad presidents, politicians, officers of the army and
navy, judges, doctors, and the usual collection of white shirt-fronts
that fill the seats at a public dinner of this kind. The Prince was in
the uniform of an officer of the Imperial Navy. He was heavily built
and tall, with a swarthy face enlivened by a pointed mustache. The
Russian Ambassador at his side was in full dress and wore a number of
decorations: these two needed no pointing out. Some of the others were
less distinguishable-among them a heavily-built man in evening-dress,
with a full beard and mustache which covered his face almost to his
eyes--soft and bushy as the hair on a Spitz dog and as black. With a
leather apron and a broad-axe he would have passed at a masquerade for
an executioner of the olden time. Despite this big beard, there was a
certain bearing about the man--a certain elegance both of manner and
gesture--talking with his hands, accentuating his sentences with
outstretched fingers, lifting his shoulders in a shrug (I saw all this
from across the room where I stood)--that showed clearly not only his
high position, but his breeding. What position he held under the Prince
I was, of course, unaware, but it must have been very close, for the
big Russian kept him constantly at the royal side. I noted, too, that
the Prince was careful to introduce him to many who were brought up to
shake his hand.

When the procession was formed to march into the dining-hall, Polinski
came first on the arm of the mayor; then followed a group of
dignitaries, including the Ambassadors, the black-bearded man walking
by the side of the Prince, who would now and then turn and address him.

My seat was against the wall opposite the dais, and knowing that I
should have scant opportunity to study the Prince's face from where I
sat, I edged my way along the side of the corridor, the crowd making
progress