the daughter of an empress-第31部分

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PRINCES　ALSO　MUST　DIE

Yes；　even　princes　must　die；　glorious　and　lofty　as　they　are；　proudly　as　they　stand　over　their　trembling　subjects！　Even　to　them　comes　the　dark　hour　in　which　all　the　borrowed　and　artistically…combined　tinsel　of　their　lives　falls　from　them；　a　dark　hour；　in　which　they　tremble　and　repent；　and　pray　to　God　for　what　they　seldom　granted　to　their　fellow…　menmercy！　Mercy　for　those　false　tales　which　they　have　imposed　upon　the　people；　for　those　false　tales　of　the　higher　endowments　of　princes；　of　inherited　wisdom　which　raises　them　above　the　rest　of　mankindmercy　for　their　arbitrariness；　their　pride；　and　their　insolencemercy　for　a　poor　beggar；　who；　until　then；　had　called　himself　a　rich　and　powerful　prince。

And　this　hour　came　for　Elizabeth。　After　twenty　years　of　splendor；　of　absolute；　unlimited　power；　of　infallibility；　of　likeness　to　the　gods；　came　the　depressing　hour　in　which　Elizabeth　ceased　to　be　an　empress；　and　became　only　a　trembling　earth…worm；　imploring　mercy；　aid；　amelioration　of　her　sufferings　from　her　Creator！

She　suffered　much；　this　poor　empress；　dethroned　by　death；　she　suffered；　although　reposing　upon　silken　cushions；　with　a　gold…　embroidered　covering　for　her　shaking　limbs。

And　she　was　yet　so　young；　hardly　fifty；　and　she　loved　life　so　intensely！　Oh；　she　would　have　given　half　of　her　empire　for　a　few　more　years　of　life　and　enjoyment。　But　what　cares　Death　for　the　wishes　of　an　empress？　Here　ends　her　earthly　supremacy！　Groaning　and　writhing；　the　earth…worm　tremblingly　submits。

Where；　now；　were　all　her　favoritesthose　high　lords　of　the　court；　those　grand　noblemen；　created　from　soldiers；　grooms；　lackeys；　and　serfswhere　were　they　now？　Why　stood　they　not　around　the　death…bed　of　their　empress？　Why　were　they　not　there；　that　the　remembrance　of　the　benefits　conferred　upon　them　might　drive　away　those　terrible　reminiscences　of　the　torments　she　had　inflicted　upon　others？　Where　were　they；　her　counts；　barons；　field…marshals；　and　privy　councillors；　whom　she　had　raised　from　nothing　to　the　first　positions　in　the　realm？

None　were　with　her！　They　had　all　hastened　thence　for　the　preservation　of　their　ill…gotten　wealth；　to　crawl　in　the　dust　before　Peter；　to　be　the　first　to　pay　him　homage；　that　he　might　pardon　their　greatness　and　their　possessions！　From　the　death…bed　they　had　fled　to　Peter；　and　kneeling　before　him；　they　praised　God　for　at　length　bestowing　upon　the　happy　realm　the　noblest　and　best　ruler；　Peter　III。！

But　where　were　Elizabeth's　more　particular　friends；　who　had　made　her　an　empress？

Where　was　Lestocq？

Him　the　empress　had　banished　to　Siberia。　Yielding　to　the　prayers　and　calumnies　of　his　enemies；　which　she　was　too　weak　to　withstand；　she　had　given　him　up；　she　had　sacrificed　him　to　procure　peace　and　quiet　for　herself；　and　in　the　same　hour　in　which　she　had　tenderly　pressed　his　hand；　and　called　him　her　friend；　had　she　signed　his　sentence　of　banishment！　Lestocq　had　for　nine　years　languished　in　Siberia。

Where　was　Grunstein？　Banished；　cast　off；　like　Lestocq。

Where　was　Alexis　Razumovsky？

Ah；　well　for　her！　He　stood　at　her　bedside；　he　pressed　her　cold　hand　in　his；　he　yet；　in　the　face　of　death；　thanked　her　for　all　the　benefits　she　had　heaped　upon　him。　But　alas！　she　was　also　surrounded　by　others　by　wild；　pale；　terrible　forms；　which　were　unseen　by　all　except　the　dying　empress！　She　there　saw　the　tortured　face　of　Anna　Leopoldowna；　whom　she　had　let　die　in　prison；　there　grinned　at　her　the　idiotic　face　of　Ivan；　whose　mind　she　had　destroyed；　there　saw　she　the　angry…　flashing　eyes　and　bloody　form　of　Eleonore　Lapuschkin；　and；　springing　up　from　her　bed；　the　empress　screeched　with　terror；　and　folded　her　trembling　hands　in　prayer　to　God　for　grace　and　mercy　for　her　daughter；　for　Natalie；　that　He　would　turn　away　the　horrible　curse　that　Eleonore　had　hurled　at　her　child。

Alexis　Razumovsky　stood　by　her　bedside；　weeping。　Overcome；　as　it　seemed；　by　his　sorrow；　another　left　the　death…chamber　of　the　empress；　and　rushed　to　his　horse；　standing　ready　in　the　court　below！　This　other　was　Count　Rasczinsky；　the　confidant　of　the　empress。

The　bells　rang　in　St。　Petersburg；　the　cannon　roared；　there　were　both　joy　and　sorrow　in　what　the　bells　and　cannon　announced！

The　Empress　Elizabeth　was　dead；　the　Emperor　Peter　III。　ascended　the　throne　of　the　czars　as　absolute　ruler　of　the　Russian　realm。　The　first　to　bow　before　him　was　his　wife。　With　her　son　of　five　years　old　in　her　arms；　she　had　thrown　herself　upon　her　knees；　and　touching　the　floor　with　her　forehead；　she　had　implored　grace　and　love　for　herself　and　her　son；　and　Peter；　raising　her　up；　had　presented　her　to　the　people　as　his　empress。

In　St。　Petersburg　the　bells　rang；　the　cannon　thundered〃The　empress　is　dead；　long　live　the　emperor！〃

Before　the　villa　stopped　a　foam…covered　steed；　from　which　dismounted　a　horseman；　who　knocked　at　the　closed　door。　To　the　porter　who　looked　out　from　a　sliding　window　he　showed　the　written　order　of　Elizabeth　for　his　admission。　The　porter　opened　the　door；　and　with　the　loud　cry；　〃Natalie；　Natalie！〃　the　Count　Rasczinsky　rushed　into　the　hall　of　the　house。

The　bells　continued　to　ring；　the　cannon　to　thunder。　There　was　great　rejoicing　in　St。　Petersburg。

Issuing　from　the　villa；　Count　Rasczinsky　again　mounted　his　foaming　steed。

Like　a　storm…wind　swept　he　over　the　plainbut　not　toward　St。　Petersburg；　not　toward　the　city　where　the　people　were　saluting　their　new　emperor！

Away；　away；　far　and　wide　in　the　distance；　his　horse　bounded　and　panted；　bleeding　with　the　spurs　of　his　rider。　Excited　constantly　to　new　speed；　he　as　constantly　bounds　onward。

Like　a　nocturnal　spectre　flies　he　through　the　desert　waste；　the　storm…　wind　drives　him　forward；　it　lifts　the　mantle　that　enwraps　him　like　a　cloud；　and　under　that　mantle　is　seen　an　angel…face；　the　smile　of　a　delicate　little　girl；　two　tender　childish　arms　clasping　the　form　of　the　count；　a　slight　elfish　form　tremblingly　reposing　upon　the　count's　breast。

〃You　weep　not；　my　angel；〃　whispered　the　count；　while　rushing　forward　with　restless　haste。

〃No；　no；　I　neither　weep　nor　tremble；　for　I　am　with　you！〃　breathed　a　sweet；　childish　voice。

〃Cling　closer　to　me；　my　sweet　blossom；　recline　your　head　against　my　breast。　See；　evening　approaches！Night　will　spread　its　protecting　veil　over　us；　and　God　will　be　our　conductor　and　safeguard！　I　shall　save　you；　my　angel；　my　charming　child！〃

The　steed　continues　his　onward　course。

The　child　smilingly　reclines　upon　the　bosom　of　the　rider；　over　whom　the　descending　sun　sheds　its　red　parting　beams。

Like　a　phantom　flies　he　onward；　like　a　phantom　he　disappears　there　on　the　border　of　the　forest。　Was　it　only　a　delusive　appearance；　a　/fata　morgana/　of　the　desert？

No；　again　and　again　the　evening　breeze　raises　the　mantle　of　the　rider；　and　the　charming　angelic　brow　is　still　seen　resting　upon　the　bosom　of　the　count。

No；　it　is　no　dream；　it　is　truth　and　reality！

Like　a　storm…wind　flies　the　count　over　hill　and　heath；　and　on　his　bosom　reposes　Natalie；　/the　daughter　of　the　empress/！



THE　CHARMED　GARDEN

One　must　be　very　happy　or　very　unhappy　to　love　Solitude；　to　lean　upon　her　silent　breast；　and；　fleeing　mankind；　to　seek　in　its　arms　what　is　so　seldom　found　among　men；　repose　for　happiness　or　consolation　for　sorrow！　For　the　happy；　solitude　provides　the　most　delightful　festival；　as　it　allows　one　in　the　most　enjoyable　resignation　to　repose　in　himself；　to　breathe　out　himself；　to　participate　in　himself！　But　it　also　provides　a　festival　for　the　unhappya　festival　of　the　memory；　of　living　in　the　past；　of　reflection　upon　those　long…since　vanished　joys；　the　loss　of　which　has　caused　the　sorrow！　For　the　children　of　the　world；　for　the　striving；　for　the　seeker　of　inordinate　enjoyments；　for　the　ambitious；　for　the　sensual；　solitude　is　but　ill…adaptedonly　for　the　happy；　for　the　sorrow…laden；　and　also　for　the　innocent；　who　yet　know　nothing　of　the　world；　of　neither　its　pleasures　nor　torments；　of　neither　its　loves　nor　hatreds！

So　thought　and　spoke　the　curious　Romans　when　passing　the　high　walls　surrounding　the　beautiful　garden　formerly　belonging　to　the　Count　Appiani。　At　an　earlier　period　this　garden　had　been　well　known　to　all　of　them；　as　it　had　been　a　sort　of　public　promenade；　and　under　its　shady　walks　had　many　a　tender　couple　exchanged　their　first　vows　and　experienced　the　rapture　of　the　first　kiss　of　love。　But　for　the　four　last　years　all　this　had　been　changed；　a　rich　stranger　had　come　and　offered　to　the　impoverished　old　Count　Appiani　a　large　sum　for　this　garden　with　its　decaying　villa；　and　the　count　had；　notwithstanding　the　murmurs　of　the　Romans；　sold　his　last　possession　to　the　stranger。　He　had　said　to　the　grumbling　Romans：　〃You　are　dissatisfied　that　I　part　with　my　garden　for　money。　You　were　pleased　to　linger　in　the　shady　avenues；　to　listen　to　these　murmuring　fountains　and　rustling　cypresses；　you　have　walked　here；　you　have　here　laughed　and　enjoyed　yourselves；　while　I；　sitting　in　my　dilapidated　villa；　have　suffered　deprivation　and　hunger。　I　will　make　you　a　proposition。　Collect　this　sum；　you　Romans；　which　this　stranger　offers　me；　ye　who　love　to　promenade　in　my　garden；　unite　yourselves　in　a　common　work。　Let　each　one　give　what　he　can；　until　the　necessary　amount　is　collected；　then　the　garden　will　be　your　common　property；　where　you　can　walk　as　much　as　you　please；　and　I　shall　be　happy　to　be　relieved　from　poverty　by　my　own　countrymen；　and　not　compelled　to　sell　to　a　stranger　the　garden　so　agreeable　to　the　Romans！〃

But　the　good　Romans　had　no　answer　to　make　to　Count　Appiani。　They；　indeed；　would　have　the　enjoyment；　but　it　must　cost　them　nothingin　vain　had　they　very　much　loved　this　garden；　had　taken　great　pleasure　under　its　shady　trees；　but　when　it　became　necessary　to　pay　for　these　pleasures；　they　found　that　they　were　not　worth　the　cost；　that　they　could　very　well　dispense　with　them。

The　good　Romans　therefore　turned　away　from　this　garden；　which　threatened　them　with　a　tax；　and　sought　other　places　of　recreation；　while　old　Count　Appiani　sold　his　garden　and　the　ruins　of　his　villa　to　the　rich　stranger　who　had　offered　him　so　considerable　a　sum　for　them。　From　that　day　forward　every　thing　in　the　garden　had　assumed　a　different　appearance。　Masons；　carpenters；　and　upholsterers　had　come　and　so　improved　the　villa；　within　an