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Was this for the Emperor or for myself? I did not relish the problem and made no reply.

She sighed, and rising touched the bell, and remained standing while the servants came and removed the coffee-cups.

I was glad of the interval. It gave me time to remember my part and remember, too, how unstable was the ground I stood on.

When the servants had gone again she remained standing with one elbow resting upon an ebony column under a branch of electric lights, the soft shaded colours from which fell upon her, enhancing her beauty.

“In the train yesterday you said you wished to see me again,” she said slowly in a low seductive voice. “You have had your wish, you see. It is good to be—an American. Will you have the same wish after to-night, I wonder. I wonder,” she added musingly.

“It is a graver question whether you would grant the wish if I expressed it.”

“Do you doubt it? You need not.” And then quickly as if to get on to safer ground, “The wishes of such an American must be commands to—to Russian subjects.”