Chapter 2
The Princess Y——’s HintI never use the same stratagem
more than once. It is to this rule that I attribute my success.
On previous missions to Russia I assumed the disguises of a
French banker, of the private secretary to Prince Napoleon, of an
emissary from an Indian Maharaja, and of an Abyssinian Maduga.
I now decided to go thither as an Englishman, or rather—for
there is a distinction between the two—as a Little Englander.
It appeared to me that no character could be more calculated to
gain me the confidence of the Anglophobes of the Russian Court. I
anticipated that they would smother me with attentions, and that
from their hypocritical professions I should stand a good chance of
learning what was actually in their minds.
No sooner had I taken this decision, whic
