8 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-VIII 



using the English word, although our conversation was in 

 French ; and on my saying that the Russian and Ameri 

 can interests in that question were identical, he not only 

 acquiesced, but spoke at considerable length, and ear 

 nestly, in the same sense. 



He alluded especially to the Chicago Exposition, spoke 

 in praise of its general conception and plan, said that 

 though in certain classes of objects of art it might not 

 equal some of the European expositions, it would doubt 

 less in very many specialties surpass all others ; and on 

 my expressing the hope that Eussia would be fully repre 

 sented, he responded heartily, declaring that to be his own 

 wish. 



Among the various subjects noted was one which was 

 rather curious. In the anteroom I had found the Greek 

 Archbishop of Warsaw arrayed in a purple robe and hat 

 the latter adorned with an exceedingly lustrous cross of 

 diamonds, and, engaging in conversation with him, had 

 learned that he had a few years before visited China as 

 a missionary ; his talk was that of a very intelligent man ; 

 and on my saying that one of our former American 

 bishops, Dr. Boone, in preparing a Chinese edition of the 

 Scriptures had found great difficulty in deciding upon a 

 proper equivalent for the word &quot;God,&quot; the archbishop 

 answered, &quot;That is quite natural, for the reason that the 

 Chinese have really no conception of such a Being. &quot; 



Toward the close of my interview with the Emperor, 

 then, I referred to the archbishop, and congratulated the 

 monarch on having so accomplished and devoted a prelate 

 in his church. At this he said, &quot;You speak Russian, 

 then?&quot; to which I answered in the negative. &quot;But,&quot; he 

 said, &quot;how then could you talk with the archbishop?&quot; 

 I answered, i He spoke in French. The Emperor seemed 

 greatly surprised at this, and well he might be, for the 

 ecclesiastics in Russia seem the only exceptions to the rule 

 that Russians speak French and other foreign languages 

 better and more generally than do any other people. 



This interview concluded, I was taken through a long 



