Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - XXII. Evil omens in Petrograd
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
132 EVIL OMENS IN PETROGRAD [chap. xxii.
with Sweden and in which they were interested. My
colleagues and I answered them to the best of our ability.
The deputies appeared to be much pleased with this
colloquy. It enabled them to clear up certain points
which had remained obscure to them and to amend their
judgment on others, which they did with a very good
grace.
The sitting terminated on the arrival of my allied
colleagues and a few Swedish personages 1 whom I had
invited to meet our delegation. The French Minister
brought with him another "delegation"; this was M.
Albert Thomas, at the time the very popular Minister
of Munitions, who was going (for the first time) to
Petrograd to confer with our military administration.
A few Frenchmen accompanied him.
Very soon the drawing-rooms of the Legation were
filled, and there was a hum of conversation.
Proto-popoff, who spoke with great volubility, was surrounded ;
Miliukoff (a distinguished linguist) with the airs and
graces of the late Mezzofanti entertained every one of his
listeners in his mother tongue; Albert Thomas, with
his characteristic head, his mop of hair and full beard,
and the energetic and uncommon expression of his face,
attracted the attention of everybody.
"He does look clever, that Albert Thomas," said one
of my compatriots of the Duma to me. " It would
interest me so much to talk to that working man, that
real man of the people risen to a post as Minister.
Unfortunately, I can hardly speak any French."
" Ah, yes ! " I replied; "he has a very characteristic
and clever head; but do not deceive yourself: he is no
more a working-man than you or I; he is, like most
Western politicians, a clever lawyer."
The speaker was M. Schingareff, the most striking
and congenial of the delegates of the Duma;
unfortunately his almost complete ignorance of foreign
languages prevented his being noticed and appreciated at his
true value in France and England.
1 M. Wallenberg was away temporarily.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
