Russian Memories

Type—Prince Vladimir Dolgorouki's Embarrassment—The Grand Duchess Helen—A Brilliant Woman—The Emperor's Enjoyment—The Campbell-Bannerm

rk, Khalil Pasha, Turkish Ambassador (but brought up in France and devoted to French theatres), also used to come and be as silent as mice if music was already going on. That poor Khalil had a very dramatic end. He returned to Constantinople, as he thought

. She was the sister of an ambassador, with whom, however, she was not on very affectionate terms. Undoubtedly pretty, she was occasionally rude and almost ill-bred. O

that speech, but Napier rem

ecretary, Mitford." Here, fortunately, the dialogue was interrup

d French actress, who promised to give us some scene

her only child, whom she adored. This brought her into contact with our Empress Marie Alexandrovna (very particular in her cho

trograd a visit of two or three weeks. They travelled in quite exceptional comfort. They had a lady travelling-companion, my mother-in-law had her maid, my father-in-law his valet, and to crown all there was a Russian cook, whom my mother-in-law de

lieutenant-general attached to the Grand Duke Nicolas, father of the present head of our troops, were sitting and t

s Dolgorouki descended from Rurick, who came to Russia in the ninth century, and having all the same origin are surely fairly equal. But such was not my mother-in-law's i

called "friends." But a Russian Grand Duchess enjoying an exceptionally high position, with palaces and a numerous court at her disposal, is a privileged person. No need for her to "request the favour" of So-and-s

generally received through a lady-in-waiting or the "Grand

ast day of her life, to me, always brilliant a

appear in a prearranged set. I was asked to secure these mysterious apparitions. But this proved a far from easy task. For not only had I to find ladies who were witty, amusin

ght I—"there is the mask, it will conceal all sorts of imperfections." Nevertheless, I thought {76}

replied, "for my bright and almost oriental eyes are we

ntal-eyed creature an

nt afterwards that he had

especially to his scheme concerning the abolition of Serfdom in Russia. That plan, no doubt, was of tremendous magnitude. I

ried out in two years' time. Wa

ve lost, through that measure, nearly half of all we possessed. An important fact, no doubt, but I never heard any indignation

uestions. Not being able to satisfy his curiosity during our meetings at Carlsbad, I promised to

y evening during her stay, that I met the Campbell-Bannermans for the first time.

nic regulations. Fortunately, I was not one of these, and could enjoy my moral food as well as the beautiful fruit that the rest of the world could only contemplate. My frie

pon my promising to see them often in London, and they soon

f very short duration—but dear England grows upon one, and littl

isited them in their English country house, but never in Scotland, as I was always afraid of

7

r than did her husband, and when the conversation turned on some particular events with dates and detail she could surpass everybody with her memory. I must add that both husband and wife were very hospitable, and I was allowed, no, even pressed, to lunch with them whenever I liked. I d

ned out to be true. He always (was it simply out of modesty?) denied the p

as such a delight to see a man so staunch to his principles, so f

ing one day about the head of a Royal House. I related how I, alo

and seemed quite pleased with that platitude. I was somewhat taken aback and rather amused, but when the reception was over, a lady-in-waiting said to me: "Is

and had a long talk with him, was when he dined with me after his return

o the House of Lords. I am rather surprised to hear it," I ad

out. He made a further brief appearance in the House of Commons, but it speedily became evident that his days were numbered. Still, he c

ccelerated his own end. Strange reports have been spread about his last days. People who were allowed to watch {80} around his bed heard the dying man speak from time to time, as

If these visions are actually granted, would it not

on me, but generally when I was likely to be alone. To me Carlyle showed only the lovable and affectionate side of his nature.

articles was under discussion, he said

l you do so?" The dear old man shook his head do

is a young man"—and he looked at Fr

face, but nevertheless he most kindly wrote one which, no doubt, induc

CHERS BUILT BY ALEXANDER NO

CHERS BUILT BY ALEXANDER NO

In 1878, when the jingoes were shouting their loudest over the Russian Mission to Afghanistan, which had precipitated

Leddy" as he called me. He knew that whatever my literary shortcomings I

a new world of wonder. It might almost be said that he went part of the way to meet it. We, his friends, were always being thril

I heard was that he was as devoted as ever to his omnibus rides. In thos

greater act of friendship to remain away rather than to make any claim upon his fast-ebbing vitality.

howing that the breaking-up of the body had in no way affected his magnificent mind. I remember his

than the average amount of control over myself; but I felt at the b

words t

ck here (from Russia) you

and Count Béust—who were, in fact, my daily visitors—I need not more

circumstance—for, unlike many famous wits who keep all their brilliancy exclusively at the points of their pens, Mark Twain was sociable and talkative and seemed to have an inexhaustible supply of delightful anecdotes

8

have no courier to make a

les?" I asked. "Have you had t

Testament. They gave themselves great airs, and of course arrived at the station one minute before the departure of the train, having left everyth

packet of tickets. The engine was already getting up steam, and there was not a moment to be lost. My poor friend passed the packet on to a guard and asked excitedly for his reserved carriage, only to receive in

ers by describing in the most hu

about table turning! I wrote a long article on the subject, but

taken seriously—had I disclosed my identity, e

in a name after all, i

his eyes, a regular danger to the civilised world. Not long ago, a very cultivated woman, just arrived from America, spoke to me with dread

had the same genius, the same fearlessness and the same craving for what he conceived to be the truth, and possibly occasionally the same exaggerated touch of re

he should say, as he once did to me, that men were everywhere th

sco Goya, had seen the real horrors of war. He pointed out that the actual killing of the enemy was only a very small part of

er. The two had been through the same war together; and I remember that but f

termined to resign his commission and enlist as a private, as he was determined to fight, no matter in what capacity. He was saved from this by a prudent act on the part of

Balkans, which tempting invitation, however, I did not accept, owing to the fact that my husband was at the time ill, and I did not venture to leave him. My matrimonial scruples probably saved my life, as Madame Skobeleff met her death during that journey, and had I been wi

the only thing I do to perfection! My heart was throbbing all the time, to a point that made me wonder whether it would not burst, as he ke

life so precious to Russia? Stay at home, exercise your i

me, not on the battlefield, but at home, in Russia. Every day I rec

armingly encouraging inscription: "To Mme. Olga Novikoff from an enthusiastic admirer of her p

later he w

willingly have closed my ears to them, but there is a strange and grim fascinat

they suffered. To add to the frightfulness an early frost set in and the poor fello

hibited at Berlin. He looked long and earnestly at the canvas, in particular at the figure of Napoleon tramping through the snow. He is said to have remarked that such

eal purpose? It is certainly very interesting to note that the Kaiser would not allow the students of t

I saw a good deal of him. Suddenly he was called back to Russia, and

you cannot leave

nts," he replied. "They

not be of much assistance to them in London. How can they look afte

l right," he replied

morning I would go down to the gallery to see if there was anything demanding attention, and the people at the

first victims of the Russo-J