And so another two weeks passed.

Then, one day, a comet of amazing brilliancy shot suddenly into our social orbit, and things happened.
That this interesting stellar phenomenon was a Russian grand duke, a nephew of the Czar, but added to the piquancy of the situation.
The hotel was all in a flutter; the manager was beside himself with joy; bell-boys danced jig steps in the corridors; chambermaids went about with a distracted air--and all because the grand duke, Alexander Melovich, was to arrive on the morrow.

It was an epoch-making event.

It was better than a circus, for it was free.

Copies of the Almanach de Gotha appeared, as if by magic.