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i9i3] M. KOKOVTZOFF IN PARIS 223
now. It was the time of the appearance of the famous
tango, of "Persian balls," etc. There were "tango
suppers" at Ciro’s, and "tango teas" all over the place,
at which, in the afternoons, evenings, and nights,
professionals, amateurs, cocottes, women of the world,
Grand-Duchesses even, swayed gracefully or fluttered
comicalty about in new American dances. The best
St. Petersburg society was well represented. All this
Russian society filled the small theatres, the smart
restaurants, and the new dressmakers’ showrooms,
where modern models with modern manners showed
off startling toilettes, simplified and shortened, but far
more expensive than the former trains and flounces;
and the Russian painter Bakst gave the finishing
touches to these toilettes by decorating them with weird
flowers and arabesques, which were usually continued
on the chest and back of the charming "patient." It
was as if some one was urging on all these people by
whispering in their ear: "Hurry up, hurry up, and
enjoy yourselves; these are the last months of your
thoughtless, brilliant, and luxurious existence!"
I was detained in Paris by private business, and
stayed there over six weeks. Some time after the
departure of Sazonoff (who stopped in Berlin on his
way back), M. Kokovtzoff arrived in Paris. I went
to call on him, of course, and had a conversation
with him. The President of the Council gave me the
impression that he did not share the optimism which
seemed to reign in our Foreign Office. He seemed to
dread complications from the side of Germany. On his
wa}’ back to St. Petersburg he also stopped in Berlin,
had an audience of the Emperor William, and interviews
with Bethmann-Hollweg, Jagowand his colleague at the
Treasury. Reports circulated in St. Petersburg society
that these conversations had restored serenity to the
political atmosphere ; but I should not at all like to
guarantee the authenticity of these reports.
From Paris I went by Vienna and Odessa to Yalta
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