he was frequently seen in
Moscow and seemed to cling to the companionship of Kashkine; who, in a
measure, began to replace Rubinstein with him. In December came
Avelallement, acknowledged envoy from the five greatest German
orchestras, begging Monsieur Gregoriev to consent to a tour of the
orchestra cities of Germany, where he should conduct programs of his own
works. To the amazement of the Moscow circle, Ivan received this
proposition with something like enthusiasm. Before Christmas he bade
good-bye to Russia for an indefinite period; for, the German tour over,
he was determined to spend a summer in Switzerland, and follow the
autumn down into that Italy of his dreams which he had never seen.

"I have spent too many years in this gray land, Constantine. I am
beginning to feel the grayness. My whole soul is yearning for the
sun.--I have grown narrow, and stern, and stiff, mentally and bodily. I
must expand: must seek out men once more: and countries and peoples that
are not ours.--I long for the contrasts of Africa, of Egypt; of the
burning desert, with skies of fiery blue.--I bid good-bye to Russia.
Time shall lead me whither it will!"

Kashkine, gazing at him thoughtfully, felt a sudden chill of doubt creep
into his heart. The time for his biography was drawing near.

* * * * *

In mid-December, "Prince" Gregoriev, (the title being the finest of
advertisements,) escorted by Monsieur Avelallement, and attended by a
stately retinue of servants, arrived in Hamburg, where his tour began.
His amazement at the ovations constantly given him, was naive; for it
seemed that Ivan was never to realize the extent of his reputation. But
fanatical adulation, following in the streets, constant cranings of the
neck from the populace every time he appeared in public, presently began
to make him miserable. He was finding fame rather an unwieldy burden.
Indeed, he had begun seriously to regret his contract, when he learned
that, on a certain evening, both Edvard Grieg and Johannes Brahms, who
had travelled from their respective Norway and Austria to meet him, were
to sup with him and his host after occupying a box at the last of his
Hamburg concerts.

That supper-party gave a bad quarter of an hour to Madame Avelallement,
the hostess: a woman of supreme tact, but whom three great artists bade
fair to overwhelm. As they seated themselves at table Brahms, who had
been in a brown study, suddenly proffer