the daughter of an empress-第23部分

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r　you　found　me　fair　in　my　ermine…trimmed　purple　mantle？〃

〃My　lofty　empress　is　always　the　fairest　of　women；〃　tenderly　responded　Alexis。

〃Call　me　not　empress；〃　said　she；　drawing　him　closer　to　her。　〃That　brings　again　to　mind　all　the　hardships　and　wearinesses　I　have　this　day　encountered。〃

〃Only　yet　a　moment；　your　majesty；　let　me　remind　you　that　you　are　now　empress；　and；　as　such；　have　duties　to　perform！〃　pressingly　exclaimed　Lestocq。　〃You　have　this　day　exercised　the　pleasantest　right　of　your　imperial　powerthe　right　of　rewarding　and　making　happy。　But　there　remains　another　and　not　less　important　duty；　your　majesty　must　now　think　of　punishing。　The　regent；　and　her　husband　and　son；　are　prisoners；　as；　also　are　Munnich；　Ostermann；　Count　Lowenwald；　and　Julia　von　Mengden。　You　must　think　of　judging　and　punishing　them。〃

Elizabeth　had　paid　no　attention　to　him。　She　was　whispering　and　laughing　with　Alexis；　who　had　let　down　her　long　dark　hair；　and　was　now　playfully　twining　it　around　her　white　neck。

〃Ah；　you　have　not　listened　to　me；　your　majesty；〃　impatiently　cried　Lestocq。　〃You　must；　however；　for　a　few　moments　remember　your　dignity；　and　direct　what　is　to　be　done　with　the　imprisoned　traitors。〃

〃Only　see；　Alexis；　how　this　new　lord　privy　counsellor　teases　me；〃　sighed　the　princess；　and；　turning　to　Lestocq；　she　continued：　〃I　think　you　should　understand　the　laws　better　than　I；　and　should　know　how　traitors　are　punished。〃

〃In　all　countries　high…treason　is　punished　with　death；〃　said　Lestocq；　gloomily。

〃Well；　let　these　traitors　fare　according　to　the　common　usage；　and　kill　them；〃　responded　Elizabeth；　comfortably　extending　herself　upon　the　divan。

〃But　your　majesty　has　this　day　abolished　the　punishment　of　death。〃

〃Have　I　so？　Ah；　yes；　I　now　remember。　Well；　as　I　have　said　it；　I　must　keep　my　word。〃

〃And　the　regent；　Prince　Ulrich；　the　so…called　Emperor　Ivan；　Counts　Ostermann；　Munnich；　Lowenwald；　as　well　as　Julia　von　Mengden；　and　the　other　prisoners；　are　all　to　remain　unpunished？〃

〃Can　they　be　punished　in　no　other　way　than　by　death？〃　impatiently　asked　Elizabeth。　〃Have　we　not　prisons　and　the　knout？　Have　we　not　Siberia　and　the　rack？　Punish　these　traitors；　then；　as　you　think　best。　I　give　you　full　powers；　and；　if　it　must　be　so；　will　even　take　the　trouble　to　affix　my　signature　to　your　sentence。〃

〃But　we　cannot　scourge　the　regent　or　her　son？〃

〃No；〃　said　Elizabeth；　with　vehemence；　〃these　you　must　permit　to　go　free　and　without　hindrance　to　Germany；　your　judicial　powers　will　not　extend　to　them。　It　shall　not　be　said　that　Elizabeth　has　delivered　up　her　aunt　and　cousin　to　torture　for　the　purpose　of　securing　her　own　advantage。　Let　them　go　hence　free　and　unobstructed！　I　tell　you　this　is　my　express；　imperial　will！〃

And　Elizabeth；　exhausted　by　so　great　an　effort；　leaned　her　head　upon　the　shoulder　of　Alexis；　mechanically　playing　with　his　locks。

〃And　Munnich　and　Ostermann？〃　asked　Lestocq。

〃/Mon　Dieu！/　will；　then；　this　annoyance　never　cease？〃　impatiently　exclaimed　the　empress。　〃What　are　Munnich　and　Ostermann　to　me？　I　know　them　not；　they　have　never　injured　and　are　wholly　indifferent　to　me。　Do　with　them　as　you　and　your　colleagues　think　best；　I　shall　not　trouble　myself　about　it。　Judge；　condemn；　punish　them；　it　is　all　one　to　me　only　their　lives　must　be　spared；　as　I　have　promised　that　no　one　shall　be　punished　with　death。〃

〃I　may；　then；　announce　to　the　council　that　you　will　confirm　their　sentence？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　certainly；〃　cried　Elizabeth；　springing　up。　〃Scourge；　banish　them；　do　what　you　please；　but　leave　me　in　peace！　Come；　my　Alexis；　this　good　Lestocq　is　insufferable　to…day；　he　will　annoy　us　to　death　if　we　remain　any　longer　here！　Come；　we　will　escape　from　him　and　his　serious　face！　Oh；　we　have　much　more　serious　subjects　of　conversation。　To…morrow　is　my　grand　gala　dinner；　and　we　have　my　toilet　to　examine；　to　be　certain　that　every　thing　is　in　the　proper　order。　And　then　the　ball　toilet　for　the　evening；　which　is　far　more　important。　I　shall　open　the　ball　with　a　/Polonnaise/。　You　promised　me；　Alexis；　to　practice　with　me　the　new　tour　which　the　Marquis　de　la　Chetardie　describes　as　the　latest　Parisian　mode。　Come；　let　us　essay　this　tour。　For　a　new　empress；　at　her　first　court　ball；　there　is　nothing　more　important　than　that　she　should　perform　her　duty　as　leader　of　the　dance　with　propriety　and　grace。　Quick；　therefore；　to　the　work！　Give　me　your　handand　now；　Alexis；　let　us　commence。　Sing　a　melody　to　it；　and　then　it　will　go　better。〃

Alexis　began　to　sing　a　/Polonnaise/；　and；　taking　the　hand　of　the　empress；　they　commenced　the　practice　of　the　new　/Polonnaise/　tour。

〃So；　that　is　right；〃　said　he；　interrupting　his　singing；　〃that　is　very　fine。　Now　let　go　my　hand　and　turn　proudly　and　majestically　around。　Beautifully　done！　Now　a　half　turn　sideward。　One；　two；　threela；　la；　la；　tra　la！〃

〃Yet　one　more　question；〃　interposed　Lestocq；　〃may　the　council　of　state　sit　in　judgment　upon　Lowenwald　and　de　Mengden；　and　will　you　confirm　their　decision？〃

〃One；　two；　threetra；　la；　la！〃　sang　Alexis；　and　the　empress　whirled　and　made　her　graceful　turn；　as　he　had　taught　her。

Lestocq　repeated　his　question　to　the　empress。

Elizabeth　was　precisely　in　the　most　difficult　tour。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　she　breathlessly　cried；　〃I　deliver　them　all　over　to　you；　scourge　them；　punish　them；　send　them　to　Siberiawhatever　you　think　best！　Halt；　Alexis；　we　must　try　this　tour　over　again。　But；　indeed；　I　think　I　shall　acquit　myself　very　well　in　it。〃

〃Heavenly！〃　cried　Alexis。　〃Once　more；　then！　One；　two；　threela；　la；　la；　tra　la！〃



PUNISHMENT

〃Punish　them　all；　all！〃　had　Elizabeth　said；　〃but　the　regent；　her　husband；　and　her　sonthem　you　will　permit　to　return　to　Germany！〃

〃We　must　accomplish　the　will　of　the　empress；　and　therefore　let　them　go！〃

〃We　will　obey　her　commands；〃　said　Lestocq　to　Alexis　Razumovsky。　〃We　must　let　them　go　free；　but　it　would　be　dangerous　to　let　them　ever　reach　Germany。　With　their　persons　they　would　preserve　their　rights　and　their　claims；　and　Elizabeth　would　always　stand　in　fear　of　this　regent　and　this　young　growing　emperor；　whose　claims　to　the　imperial　Russian　crown　are　incontestable。　You　alone；　Razumovsky；　can　turn　away　this　danger　from　the　head　of　the　empress；　by　convincing　her　of　its　reality；　and　inducing　her　to　change　her　mind。　Reflect　that　the　safety　of　the　empress　is　our　own；　reflect　that；　as　we　have　risen　with　her；　so　shall　we　fall　with　her！〃

〃Rely　upon　me；〃　said　Alexis；　with　a　confident　smile；　〃this　regent　and　her　young　Emperor　Ivan　shall　never　pass　the　Russian　boundary！　Let　them　now　go；　but　send　a　strong　guard　with　them；　and　travel　by　slow　marches；　that　our　couriers　may　be　able　to　overtake　them　at　a　later　period。　That　is　all　you　have　to　do　in　the　case。〃

And；　humming　a　sentimental　song；　Alexis　repaired　to　the　apartments　of　the　empress。

Before　the　back　door　of　the　palace　Elizabeth　had　occupied　as　princess；　a　travelling…sledge　was　waiting。　Gayly　sounded　and　clattered　the　bells　on　the　six　small　horses　attached　to　the　sledge；　gayly　did　the　postilions　blow　their　horns；　and　with　enticing　calls　resounded　the　thundering　/fanfares/　through　the　cold　winter　air。

To　those　for　whom　this　sledge　was　destined；　this　call　sounded　like　a　greeting　from　heaven。　It　was　to　them　the　dove　with　the　olive…branch；　announcing　to　them　the　end　of　their　torments；　it　was　the　messenger　of　peace；　which　gave　them　back　their　freedom；　their　lives；　and　perhaps　even　happiness。　They　were　to　return　to　Germany；　their　long…missed　home；　hastening　through　the　Russian　snow…fields；　they　would　soon　reach　a　softer　climate；　where　they　would　be　surrounded　by　milder　manners　and　customs。　What　was　it　to　Anna　that　she　was　to　be　deprived　of　earthly　elevation　and　powerwhat　cared　she　that　she　henceforth　would　no　more　have　the　pleasure　of　commanding　others？　She　was　free；　free　from　the　task　of　ruling　slaves　and　humanizing　barbarians；　free　from　the　constraint　of　greatness；　and；　finally　free　to　live　in　conformity　with　her　own　inclinations；　and　perhaps；　ah；　perhaps；　to　found　a　happiness；　the　bare　dreaming　of　which　already　caused　her　heart　to　tremble　with　unspeakable　ecstasy。

Again　and　again　the　/fanfares/　resounded　without。　Anna；　weeping；　tore　herself　from　the　arms　of　Julia。　She　had　in　vain　implored　the　favor　of　taking　Julia　von　Mengden　with　her。　Elizabeth　had　refused　it；　and；　in　this　refusal；　she　had　pronounced　the　sentence　of　the　favoritethis　was　understood　by　both　Julia　and　Anna。

They　held　each　other　in　a　last　embrace。　Anna　wept　hot　tears；　but　Julia　remained　calm；　and　even　smiled。

〃They　may　send　me　to　Siberia；　if　they　please；　my　heart　will　remain　warm　under　the　coldness　of　the　Siberian　climate；　and　this　great　happiness　of　knowing　that　you　and　yours　are　saved　they　cannot　rend　from　me；　that　will　be　for　me　a　talisman　against　all　misfortunes！〃

〃But　I；〃　sadly　responded　Anna〃shall　I　not　always　be　tortured　by　the　reflection　that　it　is　I　who　have　been　the　cause　of　your　misfortunes？　Are　you　not　condemned　because　you　loved　and　were　true　to　me？　Ah；　does　love；　then；　deserve　so　hard　a　punishment？〃

〃The　punishment　passes；　but　love　remains；〃　calmly　responded　Julia。　〃That　will　always　be　my　consolation。〃

〃And　mine　also；〃　sighed　Anna。

〃You　will　not　need　it；〃　said　Julia；　with　a　smile。　〃You；　at　least；　will　be　happy。〃

Anna　sighed　again；　and　her　cheek　paled。　A　dark　and　terrible　image　arose　in　her　soul；　and　she　shudderingly　whispered：

〃Ah；　would　that　we　were　once　beyond　the　Russian　boundary；　for　then；　first；　shall　we　be　free。〃

〃Then　let　us　hasten　our　journey；〃　said　Prince　Ulrich；　〃once　in　the　sledge；　and　every　minute　brings　us　nearer　to　freedom　and　happiness。　Only　hear　how　the　horns　are　calling　us；　Annathey　call　us　to　Germany！　Come；　take　your　son；　wrap　him　close　in　your　furred　mantle；　and　let　us　hasten　awayaway　from　here！〃　The　prince　laid　little　Ivan　in　the　arms　of　his　wife；　and　drew　her　away　with　him。

〃Farewell；　farewell；　my　Julia！〃　cried　Anna；　as　she　took　he　seat　in　the　sledge。

〃Farewell！〃　was　echoed　as　a　low　spirit…breath　from　the　palace。

Shuddering；　Anna　pressed　her　child　to　her　bosom；　and　cast　an　anxiously　interrogating　glance　at　her　husband；　who　was　sitting　by　her。

〃Be　calm；　tranquillize　yourselfit　will　all　be　well；〃　said　the　latter；　with　a　smile。

The　postilion　blew　his　hornthe　horses　starte