CHAPTERXXI
ISeetheEmpress——MyConversationswithHer——TheValville——ILeaveZaiyaILeaveSt。PetersburgandArriveatWarsaw——ThePrincesAdamCzartoryskiandSulkowski——TheKingofPoland——TheatricalIntrigues——ByanickiIthoughtofleavingRussiaatthebeginningoftheautumn，butIwastoldbyMM。PaninandAlsuwieffthatIoughtnottogowithouthavingspokentotheempress。
\"Ishouldbesorrytodoso，\"Ireplied，\"butasIcan’tfindanyonetopresentmetoher，Imustberesigned。\"
AtlastPanintoldmetowalkinagardenfrequentedbyhermajestyatanearlyhour，andhesaidthatmeetingme，asitwerebychance，shewouldprobablyspeaktome。ItoldhimIshouldlikehimtobewithher，andheaccordinglynamedaday。
Irepairedtothegarden，andasIwalkedaboutImarvelledatthestatuaryitcontained，allthestatuesbeingmadeoftheworststone，andexecutedintheworstpossibletaste。Thenamescutbeneaththemgavethewholetheairofapracticaljoke。AweepingstatuewasDemocritus；another，withgrinningmouth，waslabelledHeraclitus；anoldmanwithalongbeardwasSappho；andanoldwoman，Avicenna；andsoon。