"It is the sword of Frederick the Great which I..." she began, but Hippolyte interrupted her with the words: "Le Roi de Prusse$JMR" and again, as soon as all turned toward him, excused himself and said no more.

Anna Pavlovna frowned.

Mortemart, Hippolyte's friend, addressed him firmly.

"Come now, what about your Roi de Prusse?" Hippolyte laughed as if ashamed of laughing.

"Oh, it's nothing.