Anna Pávlovna gave him her shriveled hand to kiss and introduced him to several persons whom he did not know, giving him a whispered description of each.

“Prince Hippolyte Kouraguine⁠—charming young fellow; M. Kronq⁠—chargé d’affaires from Copenhagen⁠—a profound intellect,” and simply, “ Mr. Shittoff⁠—a man of great merit”⁠—this of the man usually so described.