Sign from Brigade H. Q. ,” Brazier acknowledged. “Your Paris embassy says you’ve obtained to swear an oath to the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovitch. ” “Yes,” Nikolai stated. “Is stinking awful smelling fucking shitting Pig. ” “A very good oath,” McWatters acknowledged. “More than you deserve, Uncle,” Simms stated. “Bursting in the following, shouting and stamping and scary the kids, you need to be ashamed. ” “I introduced this,” the adjutant stated to count number Andrei. It was once a Bible, huge and leatherbound. “Not in Russian, I’m afraid. Any use? ” “I don’t swear,” Nikolai acknowledged firmly. “Yes, you do swear. ” Andrei took the Bible and whacked him at the facet of his head, after which swung backhand and whacked the opposite aspect. Nikolai rocked and gaped. A string of saliva swayed from his top lip. “Golly,” Heeley whispered. no one moved. This was once greater than poker. Andrei slammed the Bible at the desk and pointed. Nikolai put his hand on it. So did Andrei. He stated: “We swear allegiance to Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovitch, by way of the grace of God, sole ruler of all of the Russias. ” He kicked Nikolai at the leg. “I swear,” Nikolai stated. He sounded twelve years previous. Brazier took the Bible and left. “I now pronounce you Mappin and Webb,” McWatters stated. “You could shoot the bride. ” Nikolai stood up. His face was once operating not easy to appear grownup and powerful, however the excessive cheekbones have been rainy with tears. He went out. His playing cards lay face-down. McWatters became them over. “Queens on tens,” he stated. “Fancy that. ” Munday all started gathering the playing cards. “Little Nicky is a pest,” he stated. “At my tuition we’d have toasted his tiny backside over a sizzling hearth. the entire related ... was once it clever to field his ears? He simply will be Tsar at some point. ” “Nicky is done. The Romanovs are complete. there'll by no means be one other Tsar. ” Andrei stirred his playing cards together with his forefinger, yet he left them mendacity. “It’s all as much as the Socialists now. ” “If Nicky’s performed for,” Simms stated, “what approximately you? feel there’s a revolution. you may ... ” He shrugged. “Count for nothing,” Heeley acknowledged. “Heaven aid us! ” Munday stated. “The boy Heeley has made a comic story! count number for not anything. Did you listen? ” “It used to be an accident,” Heeley mumbled, blushing. “I count number for not anything simply because it's not that i am a count,” Andrei stated. “I carry no rank in Russian the Aristocracy. My father is an engineer. I studied chemistry at London college. whilst Duke Nikolai was once despatched the following, he should have an aide who may possibly fly and communicate English. not anything under a count number may do. regrettably the Tsar was once feeling a bit low that week. He went to mattress and refused to work out his ministers or his generals. So i used to be no longer increased. i'm a counterfeit count number. ” The poker had come to a halt. “I nonetheless don’t imagine you'll have hit him,” McWatters acknowledged. “I suggest, what if the Cossacks placed the Tsar again at the throne? He may possibly flip very shirty approximately blokes such as you clouting his cousin. ” Andrei stated, “There have been riots in Petersburg, and the Cossacks refused to fireside. So the Tsar needed to cross. ” “Politics is a squalid business,” McWatters acknowledged. “The riots have been approximately bread,” Andrei acknowledged.