Russia, but lately so attentive to France, was making advances to Spain.

"The czar's envoy is the most taciturn Muscovite that ever came from Siberia," wrote Marshal Tesse.

"Goodman Don Miguel Guerra is the minister with whom he treats, and the effect of eight or ten apoplexies is, that he has to hold his head with his hands, else his mouth would infallibly twist round over his shoulder.

During their audience they seat themselves opposite one another in arm-chairs, and, after a quarter of an hour's silence, the Muscovite opens his mouth and says, 'Sir, I have orders from the emperor, my master, to assure the Catholic King that he loves him very much.' 'And I,' replies Guerra, 'do assure you that the king my master loves your master the emperor very much.' After this laconic conversation they stare at one another for a quarter of an hour without saying anything, and the audience is over." The tradition handed down by Peter the Great forbade any alliance with England; M.de Campredon, French ambassador at Petersburg, was seeking to destroy this prejudice.

One of the empress's ministers, Jokosinski, rushed abruptly from the conference; he was half drunk, and he ran to the church where the remains of the czar were lying.