orgies sometimes at his country place, when every one is mad for three
days on end. It causes terrible scandal. Then he comes back like a
lamb, and purrs to all the old ladies. They say he obeys neither God
nor the Devil--only the Emperor on this earth."

"How dreadful!" force of habit made Tamara say, while her thoughts
unconsciously ran into interested fascination.

"He is absolutely fearless, and as cool as an Englishman, and there are
not any mean things told about him, though," Steven Strong continued,
"and indeed sometimes he lives the simplest country life with his
horses and dogs, and his own people worship him, I believe. But there
is no wildest prank he is incapable of if his blood is up."

"I think he looks like it," said Tamara. "Is it because he habitually
wears uniform that his ordinary clothes fit so badly? To our eyes he
seems dressed like some commis voyageur."

"Of course," said Stephen Strong. "And even in Paris I don't suppose
you would approve of him in that respect, but if you could see him in
Petersburg, then I believe you would be like all the rest."

"All which rest?" asked Tamara.

"Women. They simply adore him. Bohemians, great ladies, actresses,
dancers, and----"

He was just going to mention those of another world, when he felt
Tamara would hardly understand him, so he stopped short.