the daughter of an empress-第26部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Now；　silence；　gentlemen　of　the　body…guard！〃　she　cried。　〃I；　your　captain；　command　attention！〃

And；　when　silence　was　established；　she　continued：　〃We　will　have　a　game　at　dice；　and　titles　and　orders；　gold　and　brandy；　shall　be　the　prizes　for　which　you　shall　contend！〃

〃Ah；　that　is　magnificent；　that　is　a　glorious　game！〃　exclaimed　they　all。

〃The　first　prize；〃　said　Elizabeth；　〃is　the　position　of　privy　councillor！　Now　take　the　dice；　gentlemen！〃

They　began　to　throw　the　dice；　with　laughter　and　shouting　when　they　had　thrown　a　high　numberwith　lamentations　and　stamping　of　the　feet　when　it　was　a　low　one。

In　the　meanwhile　Elizabeth　listlessly　stretched　herself　upon　a　divan；　and　laughingly　said　to　Alexis；　who　sat　by　her　side：　〃Oh；　it　is　very　pleasant　to　be　an　empress。　Only　see　how　happy　they　all　are；　and　it　is　I　alone　who　make　them　so；　for　out　of　these　common　soldiers　I　have　created　respectable　officers；　and　have　converted　serfs　into　barons　and　gentlemen！　I　thank　you；　Alexis；　for　impelling　me　to　become　an　empress。　It　is　a　noble　pleasure；　and　I　should　now　be　unwilling　to　return　to　that　still　and　uneventful　life　that　formerly　pleased　me　so　well！　I　will　so　manage　that　the　Empress　Elizabeth　shall　be　as　little　troubled　with　labor　and　business　as　the　princess；　and　the　empress　can　doubtlessly　procure　for　herself　more　pleasures　than　could　the　princess！　Yes；　certainly；　I　will　now　remain　what　I　am；　am　empress　by　the　grace　of　God！〃

A　thundering　shout　and　loud　laughter　here　interrupted　Elizabeth。　The　dice　had　decided！　The　cook　of　the　empress　had　won；　and　become　a　councillor　of　state。

Elizabeth　laughed。　〃These　dice　are　very　witty；〃　said　she；　〃for　certainly　the　cook　must　be　a　privy　councillor！　I　establish　you　in　your　dignity；　Feodor；　your　title　is　recognized！　Now　for　a　new　trial。　Two　thousand　rubles　is　the　prize；　which　I　think　of　more　value　than　a　title！〃

There　was　a　zealous　pressing　and　shoving；　a　pushing　and　puffing；　every　one　desired　to　be　the　first　to　get　hold　of　the　dice　and　struggle　for　the　rich　prize。　There　were　many　ungentle　encounters；　many　a　thrust　in　the　ribs；　many　invectives；　many　a　gross；　unseemly　word；　the　empress　saw　all；　heard　all；　laughed　at　all；　and　said　to　Alexis：　〃These　gentlemen　are　very　practical！　Two　thousand　rubles　are　estimated　by　them　at　a　higher　rate　than　the　proudest　title！　I　comprehend　that　a　title　is　a　nonsensical　thing；　of　which　no　real　use　can　be　made；　but　what　beautiful　dresses　can　be　bought　with　two　thousand　rubles！　And　that　reminds　me　that　you　have　not　yet　told　me　how　you　like　this　dress　of　mine！　You　take　so　little　notice　of　my　toilet；　dearest；　and　yet　it　is　only　for　you　that　I　change　my　dress　seven　or　eight　times　a　day；　I　would；　every　hour；　please　you　better　and　better。〃

〃Oh；　no　dressing　is　necessary　for　that；〃　tenderly　responded　Alexis；　and　stooping；　he　whispered　some　words　in　her　ear　which　pleased　her　well；　and　made　her　laugh　heartily。

Meanwhile　the　dicing　continued。　Blind　luck　scattered　her　gifts　in　the　strangest　manner；　under…officers　of　the　palace　attained　to　high　titles；　and　high　officers　with　laughing　faces　won　pipes　of　brandy；　barons　of　the　body…guard　made　of　men　who　but　a　few　days　before　had　been　serfs；　were　seen　approaching　the　mirrors　with　vain　coxcombry　to　see　the　effect　of　orders　just　won　by　a　cast　of　the　dice；　or　with　greedy　avidity　pocketing　the　rubles　which　fortune　had　thrown　to　them！

It　was　a　jovial　and　brilliant　evening；　and；　in　dismissing　her　friends；　Elizabeth　promised　them　many　repetitions　of　it。

And　she　kept　her　word。　Frenzied　merry…makings；　pleasures　and　festivals　of　the　roughest　sorts　were　now　the　principal　occupation　of　the　new　empress。　The　amusement　of　her　court；　the　providing　it　with　new　festivals　and　pleasures；　she　considered　as　the　first　and　most　important　of　her　imperial　duties；　and　these　alone　she　endeavored　to　fulfil。

But　who　composed　her　court；　and　of　what　elements　did　it　consist？

Elizabeth　found　the　presence　of　her　serious　official　councillors　very　tiresome；　as　they　knew　not　how　to　make　themselves　agreeable；　she　found　the　surrounding　of　herself　with　the　respectable　ladies　of　her　court　to　be　very　incommodious；　as　there　might　some　day　be　found　among　them　one　with　a　handsomer　or　more　tasteful　toilet　than　herself；　or；　indeed；　one　who　might　dare　to　be　of　a　finer　type　of　beauty　than　she！　She　therefore　gladly　avoided　inviting　the　distinguished　men　of　her　court　with　their　wives；　or　the　higher　class　of　state　officials。　It　was　far　more　convenient；　far　more　agreeable；　to　surround　herself　with　frivolous　and　handsome　young　men。　They　knew　how　to　laugh　and　be　cheerful；　and　she　was　thus　sure　that　no　other　lady　would　be　there　to　dispute　with　her　the　palm　of　beauty。

Elizabeth　was　not　proud。　She　cared　not　whether　noble　blood　flowed　in　the　veins　of　those　who　were　invited　to　her　festivals。　The　youth；　beauty；　and　agreeable　qualities　which　the　empress　found　in　any　person；　alone　decided　the　question　of　their　admittance　to　the　court。

Peasants；　grooms；　soldiers；　servants；　abandoned　reprobates；　who　by　their　beauty　had　won　the　favor　of　the　empress；　were　seen　to　attain　to　the　highest　stations。

On　them　were　lavished　the　treasures　of　the　state；　they　were　adorned　with　orders　and　titles；　and　the　magnates　bowed　to　the　ground　before　these　potent　favorites　of　the　all…powerful　empress；　and　the　people　shouted　with　transport　when　their　beloved　czarina；　with　her　magnificent　train　of　newly…created　noblemen；　made　her　appearance　in　the　streets；　and　with　gracious　smiles　returned　the　humble　salutations　of　her　kneeling　slaves。　That　was　the　ruler　in　perfect　accordance　with　Russian　ideas；　they　sympathized　with　her　inclinations　and　pleasures　she　was　blood　of　their　blood　and　flesh　of　their　flesh！　The　strangers　were　at　length　banished；　and　a　real　Russian　sat　upon　the　throne　of　the　czars！

And　yet　Elizabeth　trembled　upon　her　imperial　throne；　surrounded　by　the　band　of　magnates　and　nobles　of　whom　she　could　truly　say；　〃I　am　their　creatorthey　are　my　work！〃　She　trembled　before　those　secret　daggers；　those　lingering　poisons；　which　always　surround　the　imperial　Russian　throne　as　its　truest　satellites；　and　lay　low　many　a　high…born　head；　she　trembled　before　Anna　Leopoldowna；　who　was　sighing　away　her　days　in　the　closed　citadel　of　Riga；　and　before　Anna's　son；　the　infant　Ivan；　whom　the　Empress　Anna　in　her　testament　had　named　as　Emperor　of　all　the　Russias！　She；　indeed；　would　not　work　and　trouble　herself　for　her　country　and　her　people；　this　good　empress　by　the　grace　of　God；　but　yet　she　would　be　empress；　that　she　might　be　enabled　to　enjoy　life；　and　no　cloud　must　obscure　the　heaven　of　her　earthly　glory！

She　therefore　tore　herself　for　some　short　hours　from　the　pleasures　in　which　she　was　usually　immersed；　from　the　arms　of　her　lover；　the　object　of　her　deepest　interest；　her　own　safety　and　her　own　peace　were　concerned。　That　was　well　worth　the　effort　to　take　the　pen　once　more　in　hand；　and　affix　the　troublesomely　long　name　of　Elizabeth　to　some　few　official　documents。

She　consequently　signed　the　command　to　bring　back　Anna　Leopoldowna　and　her　husband　from　the　citadel　of　Riga　to　the　interior　of　Russia；　and　place　them　in　strict　confinement　in　Raninburg。

She　also　signed　another　order；　and　that　was　to　rend　the　young　Ivan　from　the　arms　of　his　mother；　to　take　him　to　the　castle　of　Schlusselburg；　and　there　to　hold　him　in　strict　imprisonment；　to　grow　up　without　teachers；　or　any　kind　of　instruction；　and　without　the　least　occupation　or　amusement。

〃I　well　know；〃　said　she；　with　a　sigh；　as　she　signed　the　document〃I　well　know　that　it　would　be　better　for　this　Ivan　to　be　executed　for　high…treason　than　to　remain　in　this　condition；　but　I　lack　the　courage　for　it。　It　is　so　horrible　to　kill　a　poor；　innocent　child！〃

〃And　in　this　way　we　attain　our　end　more　safely；〃　said　Lestocq；　with　a　smile。　〃Your　majesty　has　sworn　to　take　the　life　of　no　one；　very　well；　you　keep　your　word　as　to　physical　lifewe　do　not　destroy　the　body　but　the　spirit　of　this　boy　Ivan！　We　raise　him　as　an　idiot；　which　is　the　surest　means　of　rendering　him　innoxious！〃

Elizabeth　had　signed　the　order；　and　her　command　was　executed。　They　took　from　Anna　Leopoldowna　her　last　joy；　her　only　consolationthey　took　away　her　son；　whose　smiling　face　had　lighted　her　prison　as　with　sunbeams；　whose　childishly　stammered　words　had　sounded　to　her　as　the　voice　of　an　angel　from　heaven。

They　took　the　poor　weeping　child　to　Schlusselburg；　and　his　crushed　and　heart…broken　parents　first　to　Raninburg；　and　finally　to　the　fortress　Kolmogory；　situated　upon　an　island　in　the　Dwina；　near　to　that　gulf　which；　on　account　of　its　never…melting　ice；　has　obtained　the　name　of　the　/White　Sea/。

No　one　could　rescue　poor　Anna　Leopoldowna　from　that　fortressno　one　could　release　her　son；　the　poor　little　Emperor　Ivan；　from　Schlusselburg！　They　were　rendered　perfectly　inoffensive；　Elizabeth　had　not　killed　them；　she　had　only　buried　them　alive；　this　good　Russian　empress！

And；　nevertheless；　she　still　trembled　upon　her　throne；　she　still　felt　unsafe　in　her　imperial　magnificence！　She　yet　trembled　on　account　of　another　pretender；　the　Duke　Karl　Peter　Ulrich　of　Holstein；　who；　as　the　son　of　an　elder　daughter　of　Peter　the　Great；　had　a　more　direct　claim　to　the　throne　than　Elizabeth　herself。

That　no　party　might　declare　for　him　and　invite　him　to　Russia；　her　ministers　advised　the　empress　herself　to　send　for　him；　and　declare　him　her　successor。　Elizabeth　followed　this　advice；　and　the　young　Duke　Peter　Ulrich　of　Holstein　accepted　her　call。　Declining　the　crown　of　Sweden；　he　professed　the　Greek　religion　in　St。　Petersburg；　was　clothed　with　the　title　of　grand　prince　by　Elizabeth；　and　declared　her　successor　to　the　throne　of　the　czars。

Elizabeth　could　now　undisturbedly　enjoy　her　imperial　splendor。　The　successor　to　the　throne　was　assured；　Anna　Leopoldowna　languished　in　the　fortress　of　Kolmogory；　and　in　Schlusselburg　the　little　Emperor　Ivan　was　passing　his　childish　dream…life！　Who　was　there　now　to　contest　her　rightswho　would　dare　an　attempt　to　shake　a　throne　which　rested　upon　such　safe　pillars　of　public　favor；　and　which　so　many　new…made　counts　and　barons　protected　with　their　broad　shoulders　and　nervous　arms？

Elizabeth　had　no　more　need　to　govern；　no　more　occasion　to　tremble。　She　let　sink　the　hand　which；　with　a　single　stroke　of　the　p