Very tall and thin, very intelligent beneath an impassive countenance, kindness itself, General de Baranoff combines the acme of distinction with the personification of honesty; very fond, like nearly all Russians, of putting questions to foreigners but making a point of never answering any--himself a past master in the art.
Grand Duke Michael-Michaelovitch, however, paid full justice to my uncle’s great integrity and appreciated the advantage of having at his side a man of his high character, for they were often surrounded by sycophants of whom, however, one might say that they followed the example of their august masters in that their needs were insatiable and unsatisfied, certainly a thorn in the side of the Imperial crown; so much so that one day while walking with one of my aunts in the palace grounds, we were passed by a big motor-car, salutations were exchanged and I asked my aunt who was the gorgeous occupant.
“C’est le Grand Duc,...” she said, “le ‘seul’ qui soit sérieux!”
Unlike the rest of the suite of Grand Duke Michael-Michaelovitch, my uncle never took any advantage of his position and would never even take at the Grand Duke’s expense a single trunk with him beyond what was strictly necessary, though he accompanied him on all his journeys--Cannes, Baden-Baden, etc. This was in vivid contrast to one of the Grand Duke’s retinue, who never spent a penny except at his master’s charge and even went so far as to get the Grand Duke to pay the tickets of all his family and finally persuaded him to rent for them a Villa at Cannes much to the disgust of my uncle. I never liked this person with a German sounding name and a doubtful profile.
I often said to my aunt, “Do you know, I almost entertain a passion for my uncle,” whereupon she used to smile that beautiful smile of hers which I liked seeing so much.
My Aunt de Baranoff, _née_ de Bibikoff, was charming; she had beautiful white hair and very pretty blue eyes, and in her youth must have been very much admired.
She combined tremendous entrain with much affability, and in her own set she was what might be called, in schoolboy language, a jolly good sort, which pleased me--her reflections being always to the point, and time spent with her never lagged. How we used to laugh over things together! I shall always retain much affection for her. I believe her first husband--whom she divorced--was a perfect brute to her.