well built, but she had a
special charm coming from her great goodness of heart. I often saw her
at St. Petersburg, as well as at Moscow, by which I am reminded that
one day, when I went to dine with her, an instance occurred of a kind
not rare in Russia, but which frightened me excessively. M. Ducrest de
Villeneuve came for me in a sledge, and it was so cold that my
forehead was quite frozen. I exclaimed in terror, "I shall be able to
think no more!" M. de Villeneuve hurried me into a shop, where my
forehead was rubbed with snow, and this remedy, employed by the
Russians in all similar cases, soon banished the cause of my despair.

[Illustration: MARIE ANTOINETTE.]

I did not neglect the natives who treated me so well, for my French
friends and my relations with Russian families were constantly
increasing. Besides the numerous persons I have already mentioned, I
often saw M. Dimidoff, the richest private gentleman in Russia. His
father had left him a heritage of richly productive iron and
quicksilver mines, and the enormous sales he made to the government
kept on enlarging his fortune. His immense wealth was the cause of his
obtaining in marriage Mlle. Strogonoff, a member of one of the most
aristocratic and oldest families of Russia. Their union was very
happy. They left only two sons, one of whom lives in Paris most of the
time, and who, like his father, has a great love for pictures.

The Emperor ordered me to make a portrait of his wife. I represented
her standing, wearing a court dress, and a diamond crown on her head.
I do not like painting diamonds; the brush cannot render their
brilliancy. Nevertheless, in taking for a background a large crimson
velvet curtain, I succeeded in making the crown shine as much as
possible. When I sent for the picture to finish the details at home,
the Empress wanted to lend me the court dress and all the jewels
belonging to it, but they were so valuable that I declined to accept
the trust, which would have given me too much anxiety. I preferred to
finish my painting at the palace, whither I had the picture taken
back. The Empress Maria was a very handsome woman; her plumpness kept
her fresh. She had a tall figure, full of dignity, and magnificent
fair hair. I recollect having seen her at a great ball with her
beautiful locks falling at each side of her shoulders and a diamond
tiara on the top of her head. This tall and handsome woman walked
majestically next to Paul, on his arm