the daughter of an empress-第15部分

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　all…wise　Nature！　Let　me　be　your　toad；　your　highness；　and　listen　to　me！　I　foresee　misfortune　for　you。　Believe　my　prophecy；　and　that　misfortune　may　yet　be　averted。　Mark　the　signs　by　which　fate　would　warn　you！　Did　you　not　yesterday　see　Elizabeth　driving　through　the　streets；　chatting　and　jesting　with　the　soldiers；　who　crowded　around　her　sledge？　Have　you　not　heard　how　the　grenadiers　of　the　Preobrajensky　regiment　shouted　after　her？　Has　it　not　been　told　you　that　Lestocq　holds　secret　intercourse　with　the　French　ambassador；　and　know　you　not　that　Lestocq　is　the　confidential　servant　of　the　princess？　Guard　yourself　against　Princess　Elizabeth；　your　highness！〃

〃Are　you　in　earnest？〃　smilingly　asked　Anna；　drawing　her　silver　toilet…　glass　nearer　to　her　person；　and　placing　a　bouquet　of　flowers　in　her　hair　to　examine　its　effect　in　the　glass。

〃Oh；　Heavens！〃　cried　Count　Ostermann；　〃you　adorn　yourself　with　flowers；　while　I　am　telling　you　that　you　are　threatened　with　a　conspiracy！〃

〃A　conspiracy！〃　laughed　the　regent；　〃and　Princess　Elizabeth　to　be　at　the　head　of　it！　Believe　me；　you　overwise　men；　with　all　your　wisdom；　never　learn　rightly　to　understand　women。　I；　however；　am　a　woman；　and　I　understand　Elizabeth。　You　think　that　when　she　kindly　chats　with　the　soldiers；　and　admits　the　handsome　stately　grenadiers　into　her　house；　it　is　done　for　the　purpose　of　conspiring　with　them。　Go　to；　Count　Ostermann；　you　are　very　innocent。　Princess　Elizabeth　has　but　one　passion；　but　it　is　not　the　desire　of　ruling；　and　when　she　chats　with　handsome　men；　she　speaks　not　of　conspiracy；　believe　me。〃　And；　laughing；　the　regent　essayed　a　new　head…dress。

〃And　how　do　you　explain　the　secret　meetings　of　Lestocq　and　the　Marquis　de　la　Chetardie？〃　asked　Ostermann；　with　painfully…suppressed　agitation。

〃Explain？　Why　should　I　seek　an　explanation　for　things　that　do　not　at　all　interest　me？　What　is　it　to　me　what　the　surgeon　Lestocq　has　to　do　with　the　constantly…ailing　French　ambassador？　Or　do　you　think　I　should　trouble　myself　about　the　/lavements/　administered　to　an　ambassador　by　a　surgeon？〃

〃Well；　then；　your　highness　will　allow　me　to　explain　their　meetings　from　a　less　medical　point　of　view？　France　is　your　enemy；　France　meditates　your　destruction；　and　the　Marquis　de　la　Chetardie　is　exciting　the　princess　and　Lestocq　to　an　insurrection。〃

〃And　to　what　end；　if　I　may　be　allowed　to　ask？〃　scornfully　inquired　Anna。

〃France；　struggling　with　internal　and　foreign　enemies；　at　war　with　Austria；　involved　in　disputes　with　Holland　and　Spain；　France　would　wish　at　any　price　to　see　the　Russian　government　so　occupied　with　her　own　domestic　difficulties　as　to　have　no　time　to　devote　to　international　affairs。　She　would　provide　you　with　plenty　of　occupation　at　home；　that　you　may　not　actively　interfere　with　the　affairs　of　the　rest　of　the　world。　That　is　the　shrewd　policy　of　France；　and　it　would　fill　me　with　admiration　were　it　not　fraught　with　the　most　terrible　danger　to　us。　The　Marquis　de　la　Chetardie　has　it　in　charge　to　bring　about　a　revolution　here　at　any　price；　and　as　an　expert　diplomatist；　he　very　well　comprehends　that　Princess　Elizabeth　is　the　best　means　he　can　employ　for　that　purpose；　for　she；　as　the　daughter　of　Czar　Peter；　has　the　sympathies　of　the　old　Russians　in　her　favor；　and　they　will　flock　to　her　with　shouts　of　joy　whenever　she　may　announce　to　the　people　that　she　is　ready　to　drive　the　foreign　rulers　from　Russia！〃

〃Ah；　our　good　Russians；〃　laughingly　exclaimed　the　regent；　〃they　shout　only　for　those　who　make　them　drunk；　and　for　that　the　poor　princess　lacks　the　means！〃

〃The　Marquis　de　la　Chetardie　has；　in　the　name　of　his　king；　offered　her　an　unlimited　credit；　and　she　is　already　provided　with　almost　a　million　of　silver　rubles。〃

〃You　have　a　reason　for　every　thing；〃　laughed　the　regent。　〃The　princess　is　poor；　let　the　French　ambassador　quickly　provide　her　with　his　millions。　The　good　princess；　I　wish　she　had　these　millions；　and　then　she　could　indulge　her　love　of　ornaments　and　magnificent　dresses。〃

〃The　marquis　has　brought　her　rich　dresses　and　stuffs　from　Paris；〃　said　Ostermann；　laconically。

The　regent　burst　into　a　clear；　ringing　laugh。

〃The　marquis　is　a　real　/deus　ex　machina/；〃　exclaimed　she。　〃Wherever　you　need　him；　he　appears　and　helps　you　out　of　your　trouble。　But　seriously；　my　dear　count；　let　it　now　suffice　with　these　gloomy　suspicions。　They　are　already　commencing　the　dance…music；　and　you　will　put　me　out　of　tune　with　your　croaking。　A　ball；　my　dear　count；　requires　that　one　should　be　in　and　not　out　of　tune；　and　you　are　pursuing　the　best　course　to　frighten　the　smiles　from　my　lips。〃

〃Oh；　could　I　but　do　that！〃　cried　Ostermann；　wringing　his　hands〃could　I　but　cry　in　your　ear　with　a　voice　of　thunder：　'Princess；　awake　from　this　slumber　of　indifference；　force　yourself　to　act；　save　your　son；　your　husband；　your　friends；　for　we　are　all；　all　lost　with　you！'　〃

〃Oh；　speaking　of　my　son；〃　smilingly　interposed　the　regent；　〃you　must　see　a　splendid　present　which　the　Emperor　Ivan　has　this　day　received。〃

With　this　she　took　from　a　carton　a　small　child's　dress；　embroidered　with　gold　and　sparkling　with　brilliants；　which　she　handed　to　the　count。

〃Only　look　at　this　splendor；〃　said　she。　〃The　ladies　of　Moscow　have　embroidered　this　for　the　young　emperor；　and　it　has　to…day　been　presented　by　a　deputation。　Will　not　the　little　emperor　make　a　magnificent　appearance　in　this　brilliant　dress？〃

Count　Ostermann　did　not　answer　immediately。　His　face　had　assumed　a　very　painful　expression；　and　deep　signs　escaped　his　agitated　breast。　Slowly　rising　from　his　seat；　with　a　sad　glance　at　the　princess；　he　said：

〃I　see　that　your　destruction　is　inevitable；　and　I　cannot　save　you；　you　will　be　ruined；　and　we　all　with　you。　Well；　I　am　an　old　man；　and　I　pardon　your　highness；　for　you　act　not　thus　from　an　evil　disposition；　but　because　you　have　a　noble　and　confiding　heart。　Believe　me；　generosity　and　confidence　are　the　worst　failings　with　which　a　man　can　be　tainted　in　this　worldfailings　which　always　insure　destruction；　and　have　only　mockery　and　derision　for　an　epitaph。　You　are　no　longer　to　be　helped；　duchess。　You　are　on　the　borders　of　an　abyss；　into　which　you　will　smilingly　plunge；　dragging　us　all　after　you。　Well；　peace　be　with　you！　My　sufferings　have　lately　been　so　great；　that　I　can　only　thank　you　for　furnishing　me　with　the　means　of　quickly　ending　them！　Madame；　we　shall　meet　again　on　the　scaffold；　or　in　Siberia！　Until　then；　farewell！〃

And；　without　waiting　for　an　answer　from　the　regent；　the　old　man；　groaning；　tottered　out　of　the　room。

〃Thank　Heaven　that　he　is　gone！〃　said　Anna；　drawing　a　long　breath　when　the　door　closed　behind　him。　〃This　old　ghost…seer　has　tormented　me　for　months　with　his　strange　vagaries；　which　weigh　upon　his　soul　like　the　nightmare！　Happily；　thy　letter；　my　beloved；　has　filled　my　whole　heart　with　the　ecstasy　of　joy；　else　would　his　dark　and　foolish　prophecies　be　sufficient　to　sadden　me。〃

Thus　speaking；　the　princess　again　drew　Count　Lynar's　letter　from　her　bosom　and　pressed　it　to　her　lips。　Then　she　called　her　women　to　dress　her　for　the　ball。



THE　COURT　BALL

Some　hours　later　the　/elite/　of　the　higher　Russian　nobility　were　assembled　in　the　magnificent　halls　of　the　regent。　Princes　and　counts；　generals　and　diplomatists；　beautiful　women　and　blooming　maidens；　all　moved　in　a　confused　intermixture；　jesting　and　laughing　with　each　other。　They　were　all　very　gay　on　this　evening；　as　the　regent　had　herself　set　the　example。　With　the　most　unconstrained　cheerfulness；　radiant　with　joy；　did　she　wander　through　the　rooms；　dispensing　smiles　and　agreeable　words　among　all　whom　she　approached。　She　bore　in　her　bosom　the　glowing　and　cherished　letter　of　her　lover；　and　at　its　lightest　rustling　she　seemed　to　feel　the　immediate　presence　of　the　writer。　That　was　the　secret　of　her　gayety　and　her　joyous　smiles。　People；　perhaps；　knew　not　this　secret；　but　they　saw　its　effects；　and；　as　the　all…powerful　regent　deigned　this　day　to　be　cheerful　and　smiling；　it　was　natural　for　this　host　of　slavish　nobility；　who　breathe　nothing　but　the　air　of　the　court；　to　adopt　for　this　evening's　motto；　〃Gayety　and　smiles。〃

As　we　have　said；　only　smiling　lips　and　faces　beaming　with　joy　were　to　be　seen；　all　breathed　pleasure　and　enjoyment；　all　jested　and　laughed；　it　seemed　as　if　all　care　and　sorrow　had　fled　from　this　happy；　select　circle；　to　give　place　to　the　delights　of　life。　They　had；　with　submissive　humility；　repressed　all　discontent　and　disaffection；　all　envyings　and　enmities；　they　chatted　and　laughed；　while　every　one　knew　or　suspected　that　they　were　standing　on　a　volcano；　whose　overwhelming　eruptions　might　be　expected　at　any　moment；　and　yet　every　one　feigned　the　most　perfect　innocence　and　unconstraint。　The　ladies　scrutinized　each　other's　magnificent　and　costly　toilets；　jesting　and　exchanging　amorous　glances　with　the　gentlemen　displaying　orders　and　diamond　crosses。

A　movement　suddenly　arose　in　the　rooms；　the　crowd　divided　and　respectfully　withdrew　to　the　sides；　and　through　the　rows　of　smiling；　humbly　bowing　courtiers　passed　the　Princess　Elizabeth；　followed　by　her　chamberlain　Woronzow；　her　private　secretary　Alexis　Razumovsky；　and　her　physician　Lestocq；　in　the　splendor　of　her　beauty　and　grace；　all　kindness；　all　smiles。　She　was　to…day　wonderfully　charming　in　her　gold…　spangled　lace　dress；　which　flowed　like　a　breath　over　her　under…dress　of　heavy　white　satin。　Her　widely…bared；　full　and　luxuriant　shoulders　were　partially　covered　by　a　costly　lace　mantelet；　the　present　of　the　French　queen；　and　her　long；　floating　ringlets　were　surmounted　by　a　wreath　of　white　roses　such　as　only　Parisian　artistic　skill　could　offer　in　such　perfect　imitation　of　nature。　Thus　enveloped　as　it　were　in　a　veil　of　white　mist　and　floating　vapors；　Elizabeth's　beauty　appeared　only　the　more　full　and　voluptuous。　She　looked　like　a　purple　rose　standing　out　from　a　cloud　of　fluttering　snow…flakes；　wonderfully　charming；　wonderfully　seductive。　Princess　Elizabeth　was　fully　conscious　of　the　impression　she　made；　and　this　internal　satisfaction　manifested　itself　in　a　sweet　smile　which　increased　the　charm　of　her　appearance。　With　pride　and　pleasure　she　enjoyed　the　triumph　of　being　the　fairest　of　all　the　beauties　present；　and　this　triumph　contented　her　heart。

The　princess　now　approached　her　cousin；　the　Re