"Good morning, princess," said Anna Pavlovna, with an assumed smile utterly unlike her former manner.

" Very glad to make your acquaintance," she said to the prince.

" You've long been expected, prince.

" "What did you send word to the princess that we weren't going for?" the artist whispered hoarsely once more, still more angrily, obviously exasperated that his voice failed him so that he could not give his words the expression he would have liked to.