Occasionally as she lay upon the sofa, wrapped in a silk coverlet and gazing at the cheerful fire that blazed in the fireplace, she dropped into an uneasy sleep. This made her nerves recover their tone, and even somewhat raised her spirits. She was anxious and very much alarmed, but not in despair. About four o’clock her husband came into her room. His face was ashy and he held a dispatch in his hand. “The Grand Duke arrives within half an hour. This dispatch has been delayed several hours. I go to the train now to meet him.” Madame Volkonsky sat upright on the sofa. “Will it make--any difference to us?” she asked. Volkonsky shrugged his shoulders. “It will simply bring matters to a crisis. It may restrain Pembroke--if not, it is his opportunity to ruin me. I shall of course tell his royal highness and his suite of the concert, and they may choose to go. Russians must always be amused. Perhaps you will have the honor of singing for his royal highness as well as the President.” His tone as he said this was not pleasant. “I met the old Colonel Berkeley just now. He asked me how Eliza was. Is it that he is a fool or that he wishes to be impertinent?” A ghost of a smile came to Madame Volkonsky’s face. Her husband’s total inability to understand Anglo-Saxon character, manners, sarcasm and humor could not but amuse her. “Colonel Berkeley is not a fool at least,” she replied. Volkonsky went out and drove rapidly to the station. All the people attached to the Russian Legation were there, and in five minutes the train rolled in. The Grand Duke and his suite alighted, and the royal young man, taking Volkonsky’s arm, entered his carriage and was driven to his hotel. During all this time, Volkonsky was battling with his nervousness. He was afraid that the Grand Duke would invite him to dine--and in that case, he would miss Pembroke, and perhaps exasperate him. However the Grand Duke did not, much to the Minister’s relief and the attachés’ disgust. But the concert at the British Legation was mentioned, and the Grand Duke signified his august pleasure to attend. The Minister was to call for him at half-past eight--just the hour the concert began, but royalty does not mind little things like that. As the Grand Duke had not paid his respects to the President, the attendance at the concert was a little unofficial affair, that was to be made as informal as possible--under the rose as it were. At a quarter before six Volkonsky got off--and drove to the club. Pembroke had not yet arrived, but the servants had orders to show M. Volkonsky to a private room, where Mr. Pembroke would join him. This delay enraged Volkonsky. He thought it was a premeditated slight on Pembroke’s part to keep him waiting. He went to the room, however, and sat down and played with his gloves and waited impatiently and angrily.