The Princess Sophia by E.F. Benson — Read

When Malakopf went home that night, he came near to being a victim of exultation. That delightful emotion he always eschewed, for he considered it a dangerous feeling, one that blunts the perception, deadens acumen, and has no practical significance. Indeed, the greatest extravagance in this way that he usually allowed himself on the conclusion of some very successful bargain was a pleased contempt at the contemplation of wits inferior to his own, and a disdainful indifference, amounting sometimes to dislike, to those who had been his tools or his unfortunate adversaries. But to-night he was strangely moved; perhaps he was even a little dazzled at the greatness of the stake for which he was playing, perhaps he was only much pleased and surprised at the aptness of the tool which Providence -- he made no doubt it was Providence, which always looks after those who look after themselves -- had so kindly put in his hand.

Like the Prince himself, he too was writing a private little drama of much the same nature, the chief difference being that while the Prince's play was entitled ‘The Emperor of the East,' Malakopf's was more modestly called ‘The President of the Republic. ' Another variation between the two is perhaps worth recording: in the Prince's production there was a minor character, a sort of gentleman-in-waiting, called Malakopf (Count Malakopf, perhaps), whereas in his ‘President of the Republic' no mention was made of any Petros, Prince or otherwise.