An imperial lover

TWENTY years had passed since my last visit to Moscow, a visit made memorable by my marriage with Zénaïde Ramodanofsky. For many reasons we did not return to Russia until, in th...

THE morning after M. de Lambert’s disclosure the czar held an audience at the Kremlin. All ambassadors and special envoys were expected to be present, and though I laid no claim...

M. DE LAMBERT had at least one friend whose sympathy was unfailing. Madame de Brousson took the warmest interest in his trials, encouraging him in his rash suit, and even chidin...

IN the next few days matters went from bad to worse. M. de Lambert found it impossible either to see mademoiselle or to communicate with her, and I saw that he was chafing under...

AFTER seeing mademoiselle safe in her carriage, I turned to look for the tall stranger who had startled her, but he had vanished. I gazed about me in some astonishment, for the...

IT was not until the day after the meeting with mademoiselle at the Kremlin that M. de Lambert confided to me something of her talk with him. It appeared that Zotof was strainin...

TO Zénaïde I gave a full description of the scene at Mentchikofs palace, and she soon discovered the key to the matter. The episode was much discussed, and she found that Yury A...

SINCE the first meeting with mademoiselle before the Tower of Ivan Veliki, M. de Lambert had found it convenient to pass in that direction at a certain hour every afternoon. Mad...

WHEN I warned M. de Lambert of Apraxin’s jealousy, he treated it with the scorn that I had anticipated. To him the disappointed lover seemed but a sulky boy, and he attached no...

MADEMOISELLE CATHERINE had fallen into a dangerous habit of sending me little billets, written at her dictation by Madame Golovin. Subtle enough in many ways, the Livonian had s...

M. DE LAMBERT’S wound, though not dangerous, was troublesome, and kept him confined to his room for some time; a fretful patient he was, trying my wife’s forbearance, although s...

I WAS awakened early the following morning by Zénaïde, who brought me a summons from Mentchikof,--a few lines in French, asking me to come to his house at my earliest convenienc...

I WALKED away from Mentchikof’s house with a heavy heart. I knew that Najine’s position was dangerous, and that Catherine’s folly had turned the scale in Zotof’s favor. The favo...

THAT evening I went to the Kremlin for the sole purpose of gathering information, and met with signal failure. The czar was closeted with Prince Dolgoruky and Sheremetief, and t...

WHEN I saw that my visitor was the czar, I suppressed my surprise, and put the taper calmly upon the table, making my obeisance with all the grace that I could command.

WITH the czar’s threat ringing ominously in my ears, I ascended the stairs and, asking M. de Lambert to remain in the _salon_, went on to Madame de Brousson’s door to inquire fo...

AN hour after daybreak, Touchet came to me with the information that one of the imperial equerries was in waiting. I had been endeavoring to snatch a few hours’ rest, but roused...

WHEN the day was far spent and there was still no sign of M. de Lambert, I began to share Madame de Brousson’s solicitude. That he could be again duped when he knew that Najine...

I RODE toward the Kremlin with a heavy heart; the perplexity and perils of my position were increased a hundredfold. My distance from my own government and my comparative isolat...

IN asking for an officer to assist in my search for M. de Lambert, I had hoped to force the czar’s hand, and to obtain some direct information as to his intentions toward his ca...

MADAME DE BROUSSON and I stood looking at each other in silence. What miracle was this? In another moment there were steps upon the stair, and Najine rushed into the room follow...

AS soon as Apraxin was secured, I went to the palace of Mentchikof, knowing that I had no time to lose; my captive’s attendant would bear the tidings of his seizure to his uncle...

I WAS far from satisfied with the thought of bringing mademoiselle to Mentchikof’s house, but when I unfolded the plan to her and to Madame de Brousson, they overruled my scrupl...

MENTCHIKOF lost no time in executing the czar’s order, and signaled to me to follow him as he left the _salon_. I made my way out as rapidly and quietly as I could, and reached...

ON reaching the head of the stairs, I opened the door upon a pretty picture. Madame de Brousson had discreetly left the lovers alone, and they were standing together before the...

In a few moments her words were verified. There were three figures at the door; and as we approached, a woman came forward, and we were greeted by madame’s high voice.

I WAS resting after my night of continued effort and anxiety when there was another interruption. Pierrot came to me with a troubled face, and announced the arrival of a messeng...

MENTCHIKOF was standing in the center of the great _salon_ when I entered, and I was, at the moment, impressed by the conspicuous figure, and afterwards mentally contrasted it w...

M. SHEIN was standing at the foot of the stairs, and there was an expression of triumph on his face. After all, he was but a boy, and my treatment of him had wounded his pride;...

THE few weeks that followed were eventful. I received the long-expected summons from France to return, for as yet the hour for a Russian alliance was not ripe, and Peter was not...