the daughter of an empress-第29部分

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　fortified　and　assured　by　a　numerous　progeny。

She　chose　for　him　the　Princess　of　Anhalt…Zerbst；　the　young　and　beautiful　Sophia　Augusta；　who；　embracing　the　Greek　religion；　received　the　name　of　Catharine。

It　was　the　marriage　festival　of　this　young　German　princess　with　the　heir　to　the　Russian　throne　which　was　celebrated　in　the　imperial　palace　at　St。　Petersburga　festival　of　splendor　and　enthusiasm；　as　it　was　attended　by　two　women　of　the　most　exciting　beauty；　Elizabeth　the　present　and　Catharine　the　future　empressthe　one　gorgeous　with　the　splendor　of　the　present；　the　other　irradiated　with　the　glory　of　the　future。　People　looked　at　the　fair　youthful　face　of　Catharine；　and　sought　to　read　in　her　majestic　high　forehead　the　hopes　that　Russia　might　cherish　of　her！　It　was；　therefore；　a　festival　of　the　present　and　future　that　was　there　and　then　celebrated；　and　the　magnates　humbly　prostrated　themselves　before　this　new　star；　and　threw　themselves　upon　the　earth　before　the　ever…new　sun　of　imperial　majesty　which　shone　upon　them　in　the　person　of　Elizabeth。

Catharine　with　a　joyful　spirit　and　a　proud　smile　laid　her　hand　in　that　of　Peter；　and　as　she　stepped　with　him　to　the　altar　she　thought：　〃I　do　this　that　I　may　one　day　be　empress！　and　as　I　can　reach　that　position　in　no　other　waywell；　then；　let　them　call　me　the　wife　of　this　under…　aged　boy！　I　will　suffer　it　until　the　time　when　I　shall　no　longer　suffer；　but　command。〃

With　such　thoughts　did　Catharine　become　the　wife　of　the　Grand…duke　Peter；　who；　as　he　with　a　loud　and　solemn　〃yes〃　vowed　eternal　truth　to　his　young　wife；　looked　at　the　Countess　Woronzow；　and　both　exchanged　a　stolen　smile　and　a　glowing　glance　of　love。

〃They　may　henceforth　call　this　proud　Catharine　my　wife；〃　thought　Peter；　〃but　I　shall　never　love　her；　as　my　heart　will　ever　belong　to　my　dear　Woronzow！　But　Elizabeth　has　decided　that　Catharine　shall　be　my　wife。　I　accommodate　myself　to　her　command；　and　obey　now；　that　I　may　one　day　command！　But　then　woe　to　the　wife　this　day　forced　upon　me！〃

And　when　the　ceremony　was　ended；　the　new…married　pair　received　with　smiling　faces　and　radiant　glances　the　congratulations　of　the　court；　which　in　loud　and　ecstatic　exclamations　commended　the　love　and　happiness　of　this　young　princely　pair。

On　the　same　day　a　second　marriage　was　celebrated　in　this　same　imperial　palace；　perhaps　not　so　splendid；　but　certainly　a　happier　one；　for　it　was　love　that　united　the　twolove　had　overcome　Elizabeth's　aversion　to　marriage；　and　decided　her　to　raise　her　dear　Alexis　Razumovsky　to　the　position　of　her　husbandlove；　and　also　a　little　superstition！　As　the　son　born　to　Elizabeth　some　months　previously　had　died　soon　after　its　birth；　and　in　this　dispensation　Elizabeth　recognized　the　punishment　of　heaven　in　disapproval　of　her　connection　with　Alexis；　she　shudderingly；　remembered　the　words　spoken　by　Eleonore　Lapuschkin；　and　her　heart　was　filled　with　fear　for　the　children　which　the　future　might　bring　her。

〃I　will　destroy　the　curse　which　this　Countess　Lapuschkin　has　pronounced　against　my　children；〃　thought　Elizabeth；　as　she　now　for　the　second　time　felt　herself　to　be　a　mother。　〃If　God　blesses　my　children；　the　curse　of　no　human　being　can　affect　them；　and　this　revengeful　prayer　of　the　countess　will　have　no　more　power　when　the　priest　of　God　has　consented　and　blessed　the　child　now　quietly　reposing　under　my　heart！〃

This　was　the　reason　why　Elizabeth　resolved　to　marry　Alexis　Razumovsky；　this　was　the　reason　why　she；　in　a　solitary　chapel；　accompanied　only　by　Lestocq　and　the　priest；　stood　before　the　marriage…altar　with　Alexis；　and　became　his　wife。

She　breathed　freer　when　the　priest　had　pronounced　his　blessing　upon　her；　an　oppressive　weight　was　lifted　from　her　heart；　the　child　she　was　about　to　bear　was　saved　and　sheltered；　and　Eleonore's　curse　had　no　longer　any　power　over　it！

On　the　next　day　Elizabeth　appointed　Alexis　field…marshal；　and　raised　him　in　the　ranks　of　the　nobility。

〃We　must　at　any　rate　give　our　son　a　respectable　father；〃　said　she。　〃I　hope　we　shall　have　a　son；　who　will　be　as　beautiful　as　his　father；　whom　I　will　overload　with　honors；　and　place　high　above　all　the　magnates　of　my　court。　Ah；　a　son！　No　daughter；　Alexis！〃

〃And　why　no　daughter？〃　smilingly　asked　Razumovsky。

Elizabeth　shuddered；　and；　clinging　to　her　beloved；　whispered：

〃Has　not　Eleonore　Lapuschkin　said；　'Give　her　a　daughter；　and　let　her；　before　the　eyes　of　her　mother；　experience　what　I　now　suffer！'　Oh；　Alexis；　wish　me　therefore　no　daughter！　I　shall　always　tremble　for　her！〃

And　God　seemed　to　have　listened　to　the　anxious　prayer　of　the　empress。　Again　she　bore　a　son；　but　again　the　son　died　shortly　after　his　birth。

〃It　is　very　sad　to　lose　a　child；　and　especially　a　son；〃　sighed　Elizabeth；　and　involuntarily　she　thought　of　Anna；　that　poor　mother　whom　she　had　robbed　of　her　son；　that　he　might　grow　up　in　eternal　joyless　imprisonment；　that　he　might　be　morally　murdered；　and　from　a　man　be　converted　into　an　idiot！

〃This　is　God's　vengeance！〃　whispered　something　in　her　breast；　but　Elizabeth　shrank　from　these　low　whisperings　of　her　conscience；　and　she　tremulously　said：　〃I　will　not　listen　to　it！　Away；　ye　intrusive　thoughts！　I　am　an　empressfor　me　there　are　no　crimes；　no　laws！　An　empress　is　exalted　above　all　law；　and　whatever　she　does　is　right！　Away；　away；　therefore；　ye　troublesome　thoughts！　This　boy　Ivan　must　remain　in　prison；　I　cannot　restore　him　to　his　mother。　May　she　bear　other　children；　and　then　new　joys　will　bloom　for　her！〃

But　these　thoughts　would　not　be　thus　be　banished；　they　constantly　haunted　her；　they　left　not　her　nightly　couch；　they　constantly　renewed　their　dismal；　awful　whisperings；　and　this　all…powerful　empress　would　loudly　shriek　with　mortal　anguish；　and　she　was　dismayed　at　being　left　alone　with　her　thoughts。

〃I　will　have　society　around　me；〃　said　she；　〃and　will　never　be　alone；　the　people　about　me　shall　always　laugh　and　jest；　to　cheer　me　and　distract　my　thoughts。　Hasten；　hastencall　my　court；　the　most　jovial　men　shall　be　most　welcome！　And；　do　you　hear；　above　all　things；　bring　me　wine；　the　best　and　strongest　wine。　When　I　drink　plenty　of　it；　I　shall　again　become　gay　and　happy；　it　drives　away　all　cares；　and　renders　the　heart　light　and　free！〃

And　they　came；　the　merriest　gentlemen　of　the　court；　it　also　came；　the　strong；　fiery　wine；　and；　after　an　hour；　Elizabeth's　brow　beamed　with　renewed　pleasure；　while　her　heavy　tongue　with　difficulty　stammered：

〃How　beautiful　it　yet　is　to　be　an　empressfor　an　empress　there　is　only　joy　and　delight；　and　endless　pleasures！〃



SCENES　AND　PORTRAITS

Years　passedfamous　and　glorious　years　for　Russia。　Peace　within　her　borders；　and　splendid　victories　gained　over　foreign　enemies；　particularly　over　the　Prussians。　In　songs　of　jubilee　the　people　praised　and　blessed　their　empress；　whose　wisdom　had　brought　all　to　such　a　glorious　conclusion；　and　had　made　her　country　great；　triumphant；　and　happy。

The　good　Elizabeth！　What　had　she　to　do　with　the　victories　of　her　soldiers；　with　the　happiness　of　her　realm？　She　knew　nothing　of　it；　and　if　peace　prevailed　throughout　the　Russian　empire；　it　was　absolutely　unknown　in　the　imperial　palace；　where　there　was　eternal　war；　a　never…　ending　feud！　There　the　young　Catharine　contended　with　her　husband；　whom　she　hated　and　abhorred；　with　Elizabeth；　who　saw　in　her　a　dangerous　rival。　But　it　was　an　unequal　struggle　in　which　these　two　women　were　engaged；　for　Elizabeth　had　on　her　side　the　power　and　dominion；　while　Catharine　had　only　her　youth；　her　beauty；　and　her　tears！

Elizabeth　hated　Catharine　because　she　dared　to　remain　young　and　handsome；　while　she；　the　empress；　saw　that　she　was　growing　old；　and　her　charms　were　withering；　and　Catharine　hated　Elizabeth　because　the　latter　denied　her　a　right　which　the　empress　daily　claimed　for　herself　the　right　to　choose　a　lover；　and　to　love　him　as　long　as　he　pleased　her。　She　hated　Elizabeth　because　the　latter　surrounded　her　with　spies　and　watchers；　and　required　of　her　a　strict　virtue；　a　never…violated　matrimonial　fidelityfidelity　to　the　husband　who　so　far　derided　and　insulted　his　wife　as　to　demand　that　she　should　receive　into　her　circle　and　treat　with　respect　and　kindness　his　own　mistress；　the　Countess　Woronzowfidelity　to　this　husband；　who　had　never　shown　her　any　thing　but　contempt　and　neglect；　and　who　had　no　other　way　of　entertaining　her　than　teaching　her　to　march　in　military　fashion；　and　stand　as　a　sentinel　at　his　door！

Wounded　in　her　inmost　being　and　her　feminine　honor；　tired　of　the　eternal　pin…prickings　with　which　Elizabeth　tormented　her；　Catharine　retreated　into　her　most　retired　apartment；　there　in　quiet　to　reflect　upon　her　dishonorable　greatness；　and　yearningly　to　dream　of　a　splendid　future。　〃For　the　future；〃　said　she；　with　sparkling　eyes　to　her　confidante；　Princess　Daschkow；　〃the　future　is　mine；　they　cannot　deprive　me　of　it。　For　that　I　labor　and　think　and　study。　Ah；　when　/my/　future　shall　have　become　the　present；　then　will　I　encircle　my　brows　with　a　splendid　imperial　diadem；　and　astonish　you　with　all　my　greatness　and　magnificence。〃

〃But　you　forget　your　husband！〃　smilingly　interposed　Princess　Daschkow。　〃He　will　a　little　obscure　the　splendor　of　your　imperial　crown；　as　he　will　always　be　the　first　in　the　realm。　He　is　the　all…powerful　emperor；　and　you　will　be　powerless；　although　an　empress！〃

Catharine　proudly　tossed　her　head；　and　her　eyes　flashed。

〃I　shall　one　day　remember　all　the　mortifications　he　has　inflicted　upon　me；〃　said　she；　〃and　an　hour　will　come　when　I　shall　have　a　reckoning　with　him；　and　full　retribution！　Ah；　talk　not　to　me　of　my　husband　Russian　emperors　have　never　been　immortal；　and　why　should　he　be　so？〃

〃Catharine！〃　exclaimed　the　Princess　Daschkow；　turning　pale；　〃you　cannot　think〃

〃I　think；〃　interposed　Catharine；　with　an　unnatural　smile；　〃I　think　the　Russian　emperors　are　not　immortal；　and　that　this　good　Empress　Elizabeth　is　very　fortunate　in　having　no　emperor　who　presumes　to　stand　over　her　and　have　a　will　more　potent　than　her　own！〃

〃Ah；　Elizabeth　has　no　will　at　all！〃　laughingly　responded　the　princess。

〃But　I　shall　have　a　will！〃　said　Catharine；　proudly。

The　Princess　Daschkow　had　spoken　the　truth。　Elizabeth　had　no　longer　any　will；　she　let　Bestuscheff　govern；　and　was　herself　ruled　by　Alexis　Razumovsky；　the　field…marshal；　her　husb