"I am rather a judge of men. You seem just the sort of man who would make good. Let me think a little. There is something running in my mind. You might serve my immediate purposes, and at the same time, I might help you in your artistic career. You might have two strings to your bow. What do you think?" "I am quite in your hands, Baron," was Nello's answer. The mind of the great financier worked swiftly. He took up two letters, one in French, the other in Italian. "Take these over to the table by the window, and translate the French into Italian and the Italian into French. Take your time, but do them well." Nello complied with his patron's request. Salmoros was evidently a man who thought swiftly. While Nello was engaged on his task, the Baron's private secretary entered. "The Prince Zouroff wishes to see you, sir." The Baron frowned. There were certain persons in the great world who were in his good books. The Russian Ambassador was certainly not. He knew a little too much about him. He held up a warning finger to his secretary and crossed over to Nello. "The Prince Zouroff is asking for an interview. You have played at the Russian Embassy; do you want to meet him?" "No," said Nello shortly; "I don't think I do. I have heard that he is a bit of a brute." "Quite right, but, on account of his position, we have to cotton to him in a way. With your head over your desk you won't see each other." The private secretary ushered in Prince Zouroff, the Russian Ambassador. The Prince was a very overbearing and truculent personage; but he knew full well that even ambassadors have to preserve a modest demeanour, even as their sovereigns, in the presence of all-powerful financiers. "Greetings to you, my dear Salmoros!" The Prince was always flamboyant. "The Czar has recalled me to St. Petersburg." Salmoros affected surprise. But he was not surprised in the least. He had received intimation of the news two days ago from the Russian Foreign Office itself. "Ah, I have heard the rumour," he said in his slow, suave accents. "You are to be Governor of Kieff, a post you have long been coveting, eh? I congratulate you, my dear Prince, although your friends in London will be very sorry to lose you." "You are mistaken," replied the Ambassador shortly. "Though I have tried several times to obtain the governorship of Kieff my Imperial Master will not give it to me. It is my right by inheritance, because my estates are in that province. I hear that I may be appointed Governor of Archangel; in the meantime, I am to present myself at the Court of St. Petersburg." Salmoros did not betray by a flicker of the eyelid that the information was priceless to him. Zouroff, after a brief sojourn at the Court of St. Petersburg, was to be advanced to the governorship of Archangel.