t; confidential adviser of the royal
Governor-General; and privately and intimately known to the Czar, who
had long been aware that he had at least one man in his Empire who would
balk at no order that should be given him.

In Prince Michael, as so seldom happens, the story of the mind was
plainly written upon the body. Six feet three inches he stood in his
stockings--two inches more in his regular dress; his head large in
proportion, and finely shaped; eyes black, glittering, and unfaceable;
mustache jet-black and upstanding, as if made of wire, from the set,
ugly mouth, below which jutted a square, blue-shaven chin. And the
appearance thus presented was not to be overshadowed, in any feature, by
the magnificence of the uniform he wore to-night. Tunic and trousers
were of heavy white cloth, the first garment so long, and so heavily
embroidered in gold, that his body seemed cased in a glittering sheath
down to where the edge of the coat met the top of the boots of softly
wrinkling black, that cased his legs almost to the thigh. On his breast
were ranged half a dozen orders; conspicuous among them that of St.
George, for gallant conduct on the field of action, won years before in
the streets of thrice-sacked Warsaw.

As the two women halted, Gregoriev finished his orders; and, turning
from the cringing serf, stood staring at his wife and her sister. Madame
Dravikine was smiling brightly; but Sophia's face was set, her cheeks
flaming, her burning eyes unwontedly hard.

"So! Madame, there is a hair-pin caught in the flounce below your right
ankle."

Involuntarily the Princess quivered, stooped, and extricated the fine
wire pin which even Caroline had not noted. Then she straightened up
hastily, sought to meet her husband's sneer with something like
resolution, faltered before him, and moved slowly away towards the
reception-rooms. The Countess, however, turned to her brother-in-law,
and covered her sister's retreat. Certainly Prince Michael gave her his
attention; and his manner with women of station was unresentable.
Nevertheless, the covert amusement in his voice and in the eyes that
looked after his wife, set even Caroline's experienced teeth on edge.
She talked with him on the prospects of the evening; and it was a theme
so interesting to both of them that neither perceived the little figure,
dressed in black velvet, that stole quietly down from the second floor
and concealed himself on the landing behind the flora