"Will your Excellency be pleased to dress now?" he remarked. "It is time to get into uniform." Then, without waiting for the old man to recover from the surprise which this announcement created, he brought forward a richly ornamented tunic, together with the remaining items of a general's uniform. Petroff gazed at the clothes in awe; he had never seen so much magnificence in his life. As his two companions proceeded to make his toilet for him he could do nothing but murmur, "I'm a general." At last he had repeated the statement so often that, in his befuddled condition, he almost came to believe in it. "I suppose I am _really_ a general?" he remarked, as his companions assisted him to buckle on his sword. "There is no doubt of it, your Excellency," replied the senior. "Let me introduce myself as Major Romanoff, and my colleague here as Captain Marckovitch. We have been appointed to act as your adjutants, and shall be pleased to carry out any orders you may give us." Petroff laughed delightedly. This was a thousand times better than being a bootmaker and getting locked up for taking too much vodka. "Very well, then; if I'm a general I must have another drink," he declared, stretching out his hand towards the table. The fiery spirit seemed to touch a chord of memory. "But what about my wife?" he demanded, suddenly. "Does she know I'm a--hic--general?" "Certainly, sir. In fact, she has been trying to find you all day." Petroff's face paled. "What does she want?" he gasped. "Merely to offer your Excellency her congratulations." Here was a new mystery. "That's very strange. She never wanted to--hic--congratulate me before." "But she has only just heard of your promotion, sir." The look of dismay faded from the old man's countenance, and a placid smile took its place. "I must buy her a present," he declared. "Yes, sir. That is why we are going out. Your wife will have to be presented at His Majesty's next reception, and you must accordingly order her some suitable jewels. Captain Marckovitch and I will be very pleased to conduct you to a firm where you can obtain such diamonds and other articles as will be necessary." Petroff gulped down another glass of vodka. Under its stimulus his mind was working rapidly. "That's all very well, my friends, but how am I going to get the money to pay for them? I spent my last rouble in the inn where the policemen found me." Major Romanoff nodded. "We have not yet had time to draw any funds from the Treasury on your behalf. Everything will be all right by to-morrow, though. In the meantime my colleague and myself will see that you are supplied with whatever you may be pleased to order at any shop. As the afternoon is drawing in, I would propose that we set out for a drive at once in your carriage." Petroff rubbed his eyes in amazement. It seemed that surprises would never cease. "But I haven't got a carriage," he protested.