oung Princess ever
knew much happiness in Russia. If it can be said that Alexander
inherited his good looks and his character from his mother, it is
equally true that this was not the case with Constantine, who strongly
resembled his father, without, however, being quite as ugly, but like
him endowed with a marvellously quick temper.

In that era the Russian court usually included such a large number of
beautiful women that a ball at the Empress afforded an exquisite
sight. I was present at the most magnificent ball she ever gave. The
Empress, grandly arrayed, sat at the end of the room, attended by the
first personages of the court. Close to her stood the Grand Duchess
Marie, and Paul, Alexander and Constantine. An open balustrade
separated them from the space where the dancing was going forward. The
ball consisted of nothing but repetitions of the dance called
"polonaise," in which I had for my first partner young Prince
Bariatinski, with whom I went the round of the room and afterward took
a seat on the bench to watch all the dancers. I could not tell how
many pretty women I saw pass before me, but I cannot help saying that,
amidst all these beauties, the Princesses of the imperial family
carried off the palm. They were all habited in Greek costumes, with
tunics attached at the shoulder with large diamond buckles. I had
taken a hand in the Grand Duchess Elisabeth's dress, so that her
costume was the most correct. Paul's daughters, however, Helen and
Alexandrina, wore on their heads veils of light-blue gauze, strewn
with silver, which lent their faces an almost divine appearance. The
splendour of all that surrounded the Empress, the gorgeousness of the
room, the handsome people, the profusion of diamonds, and the
sparkling of the thousand lights made a veritable enchantment of this
ball.

A few days later I went to a gala dinner at court. When I entered the
room the invited ladies were all there, standing by the table, on
which the first dish was already served. A moment after, a large door
with two valves was thrown open, and the Empress appeared. I have said
that she was short, but nevertheless on state occasions, her erect
head, her eagle eye, her countenance so used to command--all was so
symbolic of majesty that she seemed to be the queen of the world. She
wore the ribbons of three orders. Her garb was plain and dignified,
consisting of a muslin tunic embroidered with gold and enclasped by a
diamond belt, a pa