"The devil! And what was the end of the story?"
"Well, the Prince went without his blanc-mange."
"Ah, ah! That would just suit me. I should be for eating up the cook instead of his dishes."
Chevalier Galban was a capital talker; he took the chief burden of the conversation upon himself.
"A funny thing happened at St. Petersburg a few days ago, at Prince Popradoff's, who has a French cook, and a French tutor for the children. The cook was but so-so; the tutor no great pedagogue. All of a sudden the cook was taken ill, and confusion reigned. The tutor offered his services, saying he knew a little about cookery, and he was forthwith despatched to the kitchen, where he sent up seven excellent dinners. Meanwhile the sick cook offered to carry on the little prince's tuition, and he made surprising progress. To make a long story short, both confessed to have only taken their situations from necessity, and, in fact, to have changed departments."
"And the Prince had not found it out? You must tell that story to my wife, more in detail, when you go into the drawing-room. Let us now speak of more important things. How was my august brother the Emperor Alexander, Araktseieff, when you left him?"
As he named the Czar the Grand Duke had risen, in which action he was followed by the others.
"I regret, your Highness, to be unable to give a satisfactory answer to that question."
"What is the matter, then, with his Majesty my brother? Eh? Or can you not speak out before my wife? All right. You do well not to startle her. You shall tell me when we are alone. And how is her Majesty the Czarina Elisabeth? Are there any unpleasantnesses between them? If you have no good news to give, better say nothing before my wife. Do not trouble her."
Araktseieff, in the face of this caution, found it wiser to lick his fingers and say nothing.