(diaryland) March 04, 2002 - 1:01 a.m.

Prince Yussoupov: The Coolest Assasin

'Cradled in wealth, Felix was nevertheless a spindly, lonely child whose birth caused his mother great disappointment. Princess Zenaide Yussoupov, one of the most famous beauties of her day, had borne three previous sons of whom only one had survived. She had prayed that the next child would be a girl. To console herself when Felix was born, she kept him in long hair and dresses until he was five. Surprisingly, this pleased him and he used to cry out to strangers in the street, "LOOK! ISN'T BABY PRETTY?"'