The Daughter of an Empress

"And if the fish will not go into the net?"

"It must go in!" impatiently cried Orloff. "Bah! have I at the right

time succeeded in towing our emperor, God bless him! into eternity, and

shall I doubt in the fulness of time of enclosing this beautiful child

in my arms! Look at me, Stephano--what is wanting for it in me? Are not

all these beautiful women of Rome enraptured with the Russian Hercules?

How, then, can it be that a woman of my own country can withstand me?

The preliminaries are the main thing, and if we only had some one to

prepare her for my appearance, all would then go well. And such a one we

will find, thanks to our rubles! But enough of politics for the present,

Stephano. Call my valet. It is time for my toilet, and that is a very

important affair."