After the formal words natural to the situation had all been said, the talk ran to other matters--first to the house party the prince was giving in the Howards’ honour, and then to a ball which they all expected to attend that night at the palace of Prince Valenko, the military governor. Alice turned to Drexel. “You are fortunate, Henry, to get back in time to meet Princess Valenko.” “I think I shall not go,” he returned. Only one woman interested him, and she was of a sort far different from this great lady. “Not go!” cried his aunt. “You must not miss meeting the princess!” “No,” added Alice, darting a quick look at the prince, “you must not fail to meet Princess Valenko.” “And what is so wonderful about this Princess Valenko?” put in Mr. Howard. “She’s the handsomest young woman in St. Petersburg--so they say,” returned Alice, with a sceptical toss of her head. “We’ve heard nothing but Princess Valenko ever since we entered Russia.” Again she darted a look at Berloff. The prince knew well the meaning of this glance; it was an open secret that he had been a suitor for the princess, and she had refused him. But he met Alice’s challenging look with an impassive smile. “Also she is my cousin,” said he to Mr. Howard. But, he did not add, cousin on his mother’s side, and so of far older stock than he. “Her father is the military governor of St. Petersburg,” added Mrs. Howard. “They say she is the proudest, haughtiest young--I beg your pardon, prince, but that’s just what people say.” She looked at her husband. “We haven’t met her yet. She has been travelling in France, Italy and Germany, and she returned only to-day.” “I saw her,” Alice announced. “You were at her house?” asked the prince. “No. I was out driving this morning and I chanced to go near the Warsaw Station just after the Berlin Express had arrived. She had just come in from Berlin. I saw her drive by.” “Was she as beautiful as people say?” Drexel asked mechanically. Alice sniffed. “Oh, I suppose some men might think her moderately good-looking. Judge for yourself when you see her to-night.” “You will have an even better chance to judge her day after to-morrow,” said the prince. “She has just written that she is coming to the house party.” At this moment Countess Baronova, sweeping past, bowed to them. “And you are coming, too, countess?” added the prince. She paused. “Coming to what?” “To my house party.” “Of course. Your parties, prince, are the sort one cannot afford to miss.”