CHAPTER VI

Love of Russians for children's games--Peculiarities of Petrograd balls--Some famous beauties of Petrograd Society--The varying garb of hired waiters--Moscow--Its wonderful beauty--The forest of domes--The Kremlin--The three famous "Cathedrals"--The Imperial Treasury--The Sacristy--The Palace--Its splendour--The Terem--A Gargantuan Russian dinner--An unusual episode at the French Ambassador's ball--Bombs--Tsarskoe Selo--Its interior--Extraordinary collection of curiosities in Tsarskoe Park--Origin of term "Vauxhall" for railway station in Russia--Peterhof--Charm of park there--Two Russian illusions--A young man of twenty-five delivers an Ultimatum to Russia--How it came about--M. de Giers--Other Foreign Ministers--Paraguay--The polite Japanese dentist--A visit to Gatchina--Description of the Palace--Delights of the children's playroom there