‘Great heavens!’ cried Anna, lifting her dark eyebrows in amazement, while she looked at her friend with something like pitying contempt, ‘is it possible that you can cheat yourself into the belief that that is true? You know as well as I do that talent and individualism are not worth a rap without influence to advance them. Kissing goes by favour in this world; and if you’ve no influence you may starve, while some idiot is pitchforked into power and authority. But, there, don’t let us wrangle any more at present. Some day I shall convert you, and bring you round to my views. By the way, I see that our Little Father, the Czar, is to make a yachting cruise round the coast of Finland next month, and that his yacht, the North Star, is to be entirely overhauled and refitted.’
‘Yes, that is so.’
‘It’s a very fine yacht, isn’t it, the North Star?’
‘I should think so. I’ve never seen it, though.’
‘That’s a wonder. I thought your father could have taken you on board any of the Emperor’s yachts.’
‘So he could, I’ve no doubt; though he has never done so.’
‘But you have the plans of the North Star in this department, haven’t you?’
‘Oh yes.’
‘I should like to see them. Would you mind showing them to me? I want to know what this grand vessel is like.’
Catherine hesitated; but failing to see that she would do any harm by complying with her friend’s request, she went to a huge safe, and took therefrom a large roll of cartridge-paper, which she spread out on the desk, and kept it in position by weights at the corners. And then there was revealed to Anna a scale drawing, showing the hull, the sections, the ground-plan, and general design of the Imperial vessel, which was one of several used by his Majesty for pleasure cruises.