BY ORDER OF THE CZAR. 161
entered the room at about the same time as Lady March- mount, whose husband was one of the Radical leaders, and had, under Mr. Gladstone, fulfilled semi-official missions both to Rome and Russia ; her ladyship posed somewhat as a political wire-puller on her own account, and delighted to be considered as in the secrets of foreign Governments. She found a pleasant occupation in patronizing the Irish party, and holding out a friendly hand to Lady Forsyth.
" Mrs. Chetwynd tells me that she expects the Countess Stravensky," said Lady Marchmount to Lady Forsyth, when, after receiving the homage of some lesser lights, they found themselves pretending to listen to a brilliant pianoforte fantasia in one of Mrs. Chetwynd's most com- fortable seats.
" Indeed ? " was Lady Forsyth's reply.
11 A remarkable woman, who only arrived in town a week ago. I hope to see her before the night is over at the Russian Embassy."
" Remarkable in what way ? " asked Philip's mother.
" She made a death-bed marriage, the story of which was told the other day in the Gaulois. A lady of no family in particular, poor but clever, a widow of a young and learned Jew ; the Count Stravensky, a very wealthy Russian noble- man, met her in France, old enough to be her grandfather, fell in love with her and obtained the Czar's permission to marry her. He had rendered the Government great ser- vices both civil and military, was taken ill in Paris and they were married two hours before he died ; she took his body to Russia, saw it ceremoniously buried in the church of Vilnavitch or some such place I forget the name en- tered into possession of his vast estates, sold them, left Russia, and consoled herself for her double matrimonial disappointment by traveling from place to place, enter- taining herself with acts of charity, especially in the inter- ests of the Jews, actually went and, lived in the ghetto at
11
