Prince Vasíli readily adopted her tone and the little princess also drew Anatole, whom she hardly knew, into these amusing recollections of things that had never occurred. Mademoiselle Bourienne also shared them and even Princess Márya felt herself pleasantly made to share in these merry reminiscences.

“Here at least we shall have the benefit of your company all to ourselves, dear prince,” said the little princess (of course, in French) to Prince Vasíli. “It’s not as at Annette’s 39 receptions where you always ran away; you remember cette chère Annette !”

“Ah, but you won’t talk politics to me like Annette!”

“And our little tea table?”

“Oh, yes!”