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242 MY TRANSFER TO STOCKHOLM [ch. xiv.
He and his wife had just settled themselves very
comfortably in one of the flats in a house they owned in a
quiet and fashionable part of St. Petersburg. When
taking me "round the property," M. Goremykin drew
my attention to a detail: "Here is my bedroom," he
said, "there is my wife’s, and the room between was
meant for the hospital nurse who was to come and
stay with us in the event of illness, so frequent, alas !
with both of us. You will understand by this detail
alone how difficult it is for me, at my age and with my
infirmities, to take up again work that I know so well
and which imperatively demands strength and
unremitting toil." And, indeed, during the two and a half
years that Goremykin remained in power this time,
until this honest man was replaced by Sturmer, he
was but a figure-head, and the Government machinery
usually worked without the President of the Council.
This exactly suited all sorts of sharpers and shady
characters who began at this time to penetrate even to the
steps of the throne, and who were delighted to find
no firm hand or implacable will at the head of official
power.
I went, as I always did when in St. Petersburg, to
pay a long visit to our former Ambassador to
Constantinople, M. Zinovieff. He had been one of my
predecessors in Stockholm, and I felt interested to
gather his impressions and opinions on men and matters
in Sweden. He had liked the country, and he had been
popular and much appreciated there.
From Sweden we passed on quite naturally to
general political questions.
" Listen, M. Nekludoff," the aged and distinguished
diplomat said with his usual frankness; " what are we
about here ? We are going straight into war ! They
are arming in Germany, Austria and Turkey; they are
champing their bits in Sofia, and we seem not to notice
it! If you would but tell them at home all that you
have just told me ; they must listen to you !"
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