elated
to the House of Romanoff. The latter theory was the more probable,
since it accounted in a measure for the unexampled success of his
career from the day that he was graduated at the University of Dorpat.

Rapid and brilliant beyond precedent this career had been. He entered
the diplomatic service of the Czar, and for several years was attached
to the legations at Vienna, London, and Paris. Created a Baron before
his twenty-fifth birthday for the wonderful ability displayed in the
conduct of negotiations of supreme importance and delicacy with the
House of Hapsburg, he became a pet of Gortchakoff's, and was given
every opportunity for the exercise of his genius in diplomacy. It was
even said in well-informed circles at St. Petersburg that the guiding
mind which directed Russia's course throughout the entire Eastern
complication, which planned the campaign on the Danube, effected the
combinations that gave victory to the Czar's soldiers, and which
meanwhile held Austria aloof, neutralized the immense power of
Germany, and exasperated England only to the point where wrath expends
itself in harmless threats, was the brain of the young Baron Savitch.
It was certain that he had been with Ignatieff at Constantinople when
the trouble was first fomented, with Shouvaloff in England at the time
of the secret conference agreement, with the Grand Duke Nicholas at
Adrianople when the protocol of an armistice was signed, and would
soon be in Berlin behind the scenes of the Congress, where it was
expected that he would outwit the statesmen of all Europe, and play
with Bismarck and Disraeli as a strong man plays with two kicking
babies.

But the countess had concerned herself very little with this handsome
young man's achievements in politics. She had been more particularly
interested in his social career. His success in that field had been
not less remarkable. Although no one knew with positive certainty his
father's name, he had conquered an absolute supremacy in the most
exclusive circles surrounding the imperial court. His influence with
the Czar himself was supposed to be unbounded. Birth apart, he was
considered the best _parti_ in Russia. From poverty and by the sheer
force of intellect he had won for himself a colossal fortune. Report
gave him forty million roubles, and doubtless report did not exceed
the fact. Every speculative enterprise which he undertook, and they
were many and various, was carried to sure success b