he Princess; "that is the old Princess Lorikoff. She lived
in Millionaya Street, near the Winter Palace, and was one of the Court
ladies of the old Russian school. Her knowledge of people and events was
extremely limited; but she used to patronise every one who came in
contact with her. There was a story that when she died and left the
Millionaya for Heaven she addressed St. Peter in her formal staccato
French: 'Je suis la Princesse Lor-i-koff. Il me donne grand plaisir a
faire votre connaissance. Je vous en prie me presenter au Bon Dieu.'
St. Peter made the desired introduction, and the Princess addressed le
Bon Dieu: 'Je suis la Princesse Lor-i-koff. Il me donne grand plaisir a
faire votre connaissance. On a souvent parle de vous a l'eglise de la
rue Million.'"

"Only the old and the clergy of Established churches know how to be
flippant gracefully," commented Reginald; "which reminds me that in the
Anglican Church in a certain foreign capital, which shall be nameless, I
was present the other day when one of the junior chaplains was preaching
in aid of distressed somethings or other, and he brought a really
eloquent passage to a close with the remark, 'The tears of the afflicted,
to what shall I liken them--to diamonds?' The other junior chaplain, who
had been dozing out of professional jealousy, awoke with a start and
asked hurriedly, 'Shall I play to diamonds, partner?' It didn't improve
matters when the senior chaplain remarked dreamily but with painful
distinctness, 'Double diamonds.' Every one looked at the preacher, half
expecting him to redouble, but he contented himself with scoring what
points he could under the circumstances."

"You English are always so frivolous," said the Princess. "In Russia we
have too many troubles to permit of our being light-hearted."

Reginald gave a delicate shiver, such as an Italian greyhound might give
in contemplating the approach of an ice age of which he personally
disapproved, and resigned himself to the inevitable political discussion.

"Nothing that you hear about us in England is true," was the Princess's
hopeful beginning.

"I always refused to learn Russian geography at school," observed
Reginald; "I was certain some of the names must be wrong."

"Everything is wrong with our system of government," continued the
Princess placidly. "The Bureaucrats think only of their pockets, and the
people are exploited and plundered in every direction, and everything