The sight of tears threw him into a state of nervous agitation, and he utterly lost all power of reflection.

The chief secretary of his department and his private secretary were aware of this, and used to warn women who came with petitions on no account to give way to tears, if they did not want to ruin their chances.

" He will get angry, and will not listen to you," they used to say.

And as a fact, in such cases the emotional disturbance set up in Alexey Alexandrovitch by the sight of tears found expression in hasty anger.

" I can do nothing.