Elegantly written true life account of an emigre white Russian princess who worked in the German foreign office during the war and whose friends in the German aristocracy became involved in the army plot to kill Hitler. In describing the daily crises of her society she documents subtextually the loss of her youth, her illusions and the best of the civilization of old Europe. The accompanying commentary by her brother is lucid and most informative of the events she describes--a very sad, beautiful story that deserves a much wider readership than it has achieved to date.