and have not much time for _les dames du monde_."

"No?" said Tamara. "Well, the women seem to make up for it. I have
never met so many clever delightful ones."

"It is our education," the Princess said. "You see from babyhood we
learn many languages, and thus the literatures of countries are open to
us before we begin to analyze anything, and English especially we know
well, because in that language there are so many books for young
girls."

"In England," said Tamara, "what may be given to young girls seems to
rule everything, no one is allowed a thought for herself, every idea
almost is brought down to that dead level--one rebels after a while--
but tell me, Marraine, if I may ask, what makes them all so tired and
gray looking, the people I have seen tonight I mean. Do they sit up
very late at parties, or what is it?"

"In the season, yes, but it is not that, it is our climate and our hot
closed-up rooms, and the impossibility of taking proper exercise. In
the summer you will not know them for the same faces."

And then she kissed her goddaughter good-night, but just at the door
she paused. "You were not shocked about the Alexandrian dancers, I
hope, child?" she said. "If one knew the truth, they were poor people
who were starving, probably, and Gritzko paid them money and helped
them out of the kindness of his heart--those are the sort of things he
generally does I find when I investigate, so I never pay attention to
what he says."