rience cannot have taught you,
whatever you may know of a bad life.

PRINCE PAUL (_shrugging his shoulders_). Experience, the name men give
to their mistakes. I never commit any.

CZARE. (_bitterly_). No; crimes are more in your line.

PRINCE PETRO. (_to the CZAREVITCH_). The Emperor was a good deal
agitated about your late appearance at the ball last night, Prince.

[1]COUNT R. (_laughing_). I believe he thought the Nihilists had broken
into the palace and carried you off.

BARON RAFF. If they had you would have missed a charming dance.[1]

PRINCE PAUL. And[2] an excellent supper. Gringoire really excelled
himself in his salad. Ah! you may laugh, Baron; but to make a good salad
is a much more difficult thing than cooking accounts. To make a good
salad is to be a brilliant diplomatist--the problem is so entirely the
same in both cases. To know exactly how much oil one must put with one's
vinegar.

BARON RAFF. A cook and a diplomatist! an excellent parallel. If I had a
son who was a fool I'd make him one or the other.

PRINCE PAUL. I see your father did not hold the same opinion, Baron.
But, believe me, you are wrong to run down cookery. For myself, the only
immortality I desire is to invent a new sauce. I have never had time
enough to think seriously about it, but I feel it is in me, I feel it is
in me.

CZARE. You have certainly missed your _metier_,[3] Prince Paul; the
_cordon bleu_ would have suited you much better than the Grand Cross of
Honour. But you know you could never have worn your white apron well;
you would have soiled it too soon, your hands are not clean enough.

PRINCE PAUL (_bowing_). Que voulez vous? I manage your father's
business.

CZARE. (_bitterly_). You mismanage my father's business, you mean! Evil
genius of his life that you are! before you came there was some love
left in him. It is you who have embittered his nature, poured into his
ear the poison of treacherous counsel, made him hated by the whole
people, made him what he is--a tyrant!

(_The courtiers look significantly at each other._)

PRINCE PAUL (_calmly_). I see your Highness does want change of air. But
I have been an eldest son myself. (_Lights a cigarette._) I know what it
is when a father won't die to please one.

(_The CZAREVITCH goes to the top of the stage, and leans against the
window, looking out._)

PRINCE PETRO. (_to BARON RAFF_). Foolish boy! [4]He will be sent into
exile, or worse, if he is not careful.[4