The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Nesselrode, and the Minister of War, Prince Dolgorukov, were led by the military attendant into the Amber Hall, where walls of brown and yellow amber shimmered in the candlelight with various colors, inducing an involuntary sense of awe in those who entered.
Beneath the walls of amber was a throne made of pure gold (actually ninety percent gold mixed with silver, as gold that's too pure cannot be shaped), inlaid with various gemstones. The candlelight reflecting off the gems and the golden throne imparted a mysterious sense of sanctity.
It was obvious that Nicholas I had deliberately ordered this throne to be moved from another palace to impress someone with its majesty.
As the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of War entered the Amber Hall, they were once again overwhelmed by the breathtaking grandeur of the place, more intense than during any previous audience with the Tsar.
