“They would stab you in the back,” she said, her voice fading almost to a whisper.  She looked to be about twenty-eight years old.  Once when we thought it was time to go, and had started to make our adieus, the Czarina kept on talking, urging us to stay.  She talked of America chiefly, and told us how enthusiastic her cousin was who had just returned from there.  When, finally, we did leave we were spared the dreaded ceremony of backing out of the room, for the Empress walked with us to the door, and shook hands in true democratic American fashion.

Dr. Talmage’s interview with the Czar was quite as cordial.  The Emperor expressed his faith in the results of the Peace movement at the Hague, for he was himself at peace with all the world.  During the interview the Doctor was asked many questions by the Emperor about the heroes of the Spanish war, especially concerning Admiral Dewey.  His Majesty laughed heartily at the Doctor’s story of a battle in which the only loss of life was a mule.

“How many important things have happened since we met,” the Czar said to the Doctor; “I was twenty-four when you were here before, now I am thirty-two.  My father is gone.  My mother has passed through three great sorrows since you were here—­the loss of my father, of my brother, and during this last year of her own mother, the Queen of Denmark.  She wishes to see you in her own palace.”

The Czar is about five feet ten in height, is very fair, with blue eyes, and seemed full of kindness and good cheer.

As we were leaving, word came from the Dowager Empress that she would see us, and we drove a mile or two further through the royal park to her palace.  She greeted Dr. Talmage with both hands outstretched, like an old friend.  Though much smaller in stature than the Empress of Russia, the Dowager Empress was quite as impressive and stately.  She was dressed in mourning.  Her room was like a corner in Paradise set apart from the grim arrogance of Imperial Russia.  It was filled with exquisite paintings, sweet with a profusion of flowers and plants.  She seemed genuinely happy to see the Doctor, and her eyes filled with tears when he spoke of the late Emperor, her husband.  At her neck she was wearing a miniature portrait of him set in diamonds.  Very simply she took it off to show to us, saying, “This is the best picture ever taken of my husband.  It is such a pleasure to see you, Dr. Talmage, I heard of your being in Europe from my brother in Denmark.”

The Dowager Empress was full of remembrances of the Doctor’s previous visit to Russia, eight years before.

“How did you like the tea service which my husband sent you?” she asked Dr. Talmage; “I selected it myself.  It is exactly like a set we use ourselves.”

The informal charm of the Empress’s manner was most friendly and kind.

“Do you remember the handful of flowers I picked for you, and asked you to send them to your family?” she said.