le old. We will pension him, and put
Corsini in his place."

"A bold stroke," said Lord Ickfold admiringly. "There is something to
be said for an autocratic government after all. We dare not do
anything of the kind in our country; all the Press would be up in
arms. With you, a stroke of the pen settles everything."

The Count's smile deepened. "And after all, my lord, in the long
run, it works as well as in your democratic country. In the end,
substantial justice is done, rather more swiftly, by our methods."

"It seems to me that La Belle Quero is the crux," commented the
Ambassador. "Suppose she refuses to fall in love with this Corsini,
what then?"

"She will not refuse," replied the Count, speaking with his assured
man-of-the-world air. "The relations between her and the Prince have
been of long standing, I admit, and she is also a woman who might be
attracted by a certain amount of brutality which our excellent friend
Boris has in perfect abundance. But this young man is a Latin like
herself, an artist like herself. Bah! In twenty-four hours Zouroff
will be forgotten. Besides, he is verging on middle age, and this
Corsini is a youth. Besides, further, he will be the Director of the
Imperial Opera. She will be dependent upon him for small kindnesses,
little favours, which I shall instruct him to be lavish of. You
understand?"

The morning after the interview between these two exalted personages,
the Ambassador's smart carriage stopped at Nello's hotel. The slim
secretary alighted and sought the young musician, with a message from
his chief that he desired to see him immediately at the Embassy.

"You see I have not forgotten you, Signor Corsini," was Lord Ickfold's
cordial greeting as Nello entered the room. "Salmoros has asked me to
use all my influence to advance you in your profession, and I intend
to do so. It will give me the greatest pleasure."

He wrote a brief note and handed it to the young man. "This is a
letter to Count Golitzine, the Emperor's secretary, who wields more
influence than anybody in St. Petersburg. You will find him at the
Winter Palace. My carriage is waiting to drive you there."

Events were happening very rapidly, Nello thought. When Salmoros took
a thing up, the wheels of action appeared to move very easily. Also,
he was beginning to get a firm foothold in the great world of
diplomacy and politics. Yesterday he had made the acquaintance of the
British Ambassador; this morning he