^' We were led up to him as he sat on his great horse in a
hurry to ride away, and he towered above us like a colossus.
He thought we were Russian nuns. * What do you want, my
little pigeons?' he said. Isidore knew enough Russian,"
Mary added, " to understand the phrase. Would you believe
it, she answered : * We are not pigeons, your Majesty, we are
ladies, American ladies ! ' She said it in English, for he un-
derstands it perfectly, and, O you darling ! " with an embrace
and a shower of kisses, " you looked like a queen when you
said it. * American ladies ? ' Alexander asked, looking down
at her. And what do you think Isidore said then ? " Mary
demanded, with large eyes. "She said: *If your Majesty



374 THE NEW NOBILITY.
will be so good as to get off of your horse, we can talk
to you better. We are ladies^ American ladies.' You should
have seen how surprised he was. He frowned, then smiled,
then actually dismounted. We were sovereigns, were his
equals ; being ladies, as well as Americans, we were his supe-
riors," Mary added, her head in the air, her eyes glittering.
