the daughter of an empress-第43部分

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　I　shall　be　mouldering　in　my　grave。　Say　not；　therefore；　that　I　know　not　how　to　destroy　them；　and　if　you　do　say　it；　at　least　add　that　I　lacked　not　the　will；　but　that　I　gave　for　it　my　own　life。〃

Thus　speaking；　the　pope　slightly　nodded　an　adieu　to　the　cardinal；　and　withdrew　into　his　study；　the　door　of　which　he　carefully　closed　after　him。

There　was　he　long　heard　to　walk　the　room　with　measured　steps。　Then　all　was　still。　No　one　ventured　to　disturb　him。　Hours　passed。　Lorenzo；　with　a　fearful　presentiment；　knelt　before　the　door。　He　laid　his　ear　to　the　keyhole　and　tried　to　listen。　All　was　still　within；　nothing　stirred。　At　length　he　ventured　to　call　the　pope's　nameat　first　low　and　tremulously；　then　louder　and　more　anxiously；　and　as　no　answer　was　received；　he　at　last　ventured　to　open　the　door。

At　his　writing…table　sat　the　pope；　his　face　deadly　pale；　with　staring　eyes　and　great　drops　of　perspiration　on　his　forehead。　Immovable　sat　he　there；　his　right　hand；　which　held　a　pen；　resting　on　a　parchment　lying　upon　the　table　before　him。

Like　an　image　of　wax；　so　stiff；　so　motionless　was　he；　that　Lorenzo；　shuddering；　made　the　sign　of　the　cross　upon　his　brow。　Then；　noiselessly　advancing；　he　timidly　and　anxiously　touched　the　pope's　shoulder。　Ganganelli　shuddered；　and　a　slight　trembling　pervaded　his　members；　he　then　drew　a　long　breath；　and；　casting　a　dull　glance　at　his　faithful　friend；　said：

〃Lorenzo；　let　my　coffin　be　ordered；　and　pray　for　my　soul。　I　have　just　now　signed　my　own　death…sentence。　See；　there　it　lies。　I　have　signed　the　decree　abolishing　the　order　of　the　Jesuits！　I　must　therefore　die；　Lorenzo。　It　is　all　over　and　past　with　our　shady　place　and　our　recreations。　My　murderers　are　already　prowling　around　me；　for　I　tell　you　I　have　myself　signed　my　death…sentence！〃



THE　FESTIVAL　OF　CARDINAL　BERNIS

And　this　day　of　the　festival　had　finally　come。　With　what　joyful　impatience；　with　what　anxious　desire；　had　Natalie　looked　forward　to　it　how　had　she　importuned　her　friend；　Count　Paulo；　with　questions　about　Cardinal　Bernis；　about　the　people　she　would　meet　there；　about　the　manners　and　usages　with　which　she　would　have　to　conform！

〃I　am　anxious　and　fearful；〃　said　she；　with　amiable　modesty；　〃they　will　find　occasion　to　laugh　at　me；　and　you　will　be　compelled　to　blush　for　me；　Paulo。　But　you　must　tell　these　wise　men　and　great　ladies　that　it　is　my　very　first　appearance　in　society；　and　that　they　must　have　consideration　for　the　awkwardness　and　ineptitude　of　a　poor　child　who　knows　nothing　of　the　world；　its　forms；　or　its　laws。〃

〃For　you　no　excuse　will　be　necessary；〃　responded　Paulo；　pressing　the　delicate　tips　of　her　fingers　to　his　lips。　〃Only　be　quite　yourself；　perfectly　true　and　open；　inoffensive　and　cheerful！　Forget　that　you　are　in　an　assemblage；　imagine　yourself　to　be　in　our　garden；　under　the　trees　and　among　the　flowers；　and　speak　to　people　as　you　speak　to　your　trees　and　flowers。〃

〃But　will　the　people　give　me　as　true　and　cordial　answers　as　my　trees　and　flowers？〃　asked　Natalie；　thoughtfully。

〃They　will　say　to　you　more　beautiful　and　more　flattering　things；〃　said　Paulo；　smiling。　〃But　now；　Natalie；　it　is　time　to　be　thinking　of　your　toilet。　See；　the　sun　is　already　sinking　behind　the　pines；　and　the　sky　begins　to　redden！　The　time　to　go　will　soon　arrive；　and　your　first　triumph　awaits　you！〃

〃Oh；　it　will　not　have　long　to　wait；〃　said　Natalie；　laughing；　and；　light　and　graceful　as　a　gazelle；　she　tripped　to　the　house。

Count　Paulo　gazed　after　her　with　a　melancholy　rapture。　〃And　I　am　to　leave　this　angel；〃　thought　he；　〃to　lose　the　brightest　and　noblest　jewel　of　my　life；　and　drive　myself　out　of　paradise。　And　wherefore　all　this？　Perhaps　to　chase　a　phantom　that　will　never　become　a　reality；　to　follow　a　chimera　which　may　be　only　a　meteor　that　dances　before　me　and　dissolves　into　mist　when　I　think　to　reach　it？　No；　no；　the　world　is　not　worth　so　much　that　one　should　sell　himself　and　his　soul's　happiness　for　its　splendor　and　its　greatness。　Natalie　herself　shall　decide。　Loves　she　me；　and　is　she　satisfied　with　the　quiet　circumscribed　existence　that　I　can　henceforth　only　offer　her；　then　away；　ye　vain　dreams　and　ye　proud　desires　for　greatness；　then　shall　I　be；　if　not　the　greatest；　certainly　the　happiest　of　human　beings！〃

It　was　a　wonderfully　brilliant　festival　that　Cardinal　Bernis　had　to…day　prepared　for　his　guestsa　festival　hitherto　unequalled　in　Rome。　The　walls　were　decorated　with　garlands　and　festoons　of　flowers；　the　flaming　candelabras　among　which　found　their　reflection　in　the　tall　Venetian　mirrors　that　rose　in　their　golden　frames　from　the　floor　to　the　ceilings；　and　in　the　corners　of　the　rooms　were　niches；　here　furnished　with　orange…trees；　and　there　with　heavy　silk　curtains；　behind　which　were　grottoes　adorned　with　shells；　in　the　midst　of　which　were　fountains　where　splashed　waters　rendered　fragrant　by　oil　of　roses　and　other　essences。　And　ever…new　surprises；　new　grottoes　and　groves　in　those　rich　halls　offered　themselves　to　the　eyes　of　the　beholders。　Now　one　suddenly　found　himself　in　a　quiet　boudoir　lighted　only　by　a　solitary　lamp；　where　the　most　artistic　engravings　and　the　rarest　drawings　were　spread　out　upon　a　table；　then　again　one　entered　a　hall　sparkling　with　a　thousand　lights　and　resounding　with　music；　where　the　gayly…dressed　crowd　undulated　in　mazy　waves；　then　again　grottoes　opened　here　and　there；　or　one　stepped　out　through　the　open　doors　into　the　garden　where　one　could　enjoy　the　balsamic　coolness　of　the　evening　in　walks　brilliantly　lighted　with　colored　lamps；　or　listen　to　the　music　of　performers　concealed　in　the　shrubbery；　or；　again；　fleeing　from　the　throng　and　the　lights；　seek　a　resting…place　upon　some　grassy　bank　or　under　some　myrtle…bush；　whether　for　solitary　musing　or　for　encircling　in　sweet　and　silent　familiarity　the　waist　of　some　chosen　fair　one　who　understanding　the　stolen　glance；　had　strayed　here　unnoticed。

But　the　central　point　of　the　festival　was　the　monstrous　gigantic　hall　which　the　cardinal　had　caused　to　be　erected　in　the　centre　of　the　garden　expressly　for　this　occasion。　The　walls　of　muslin　and　flowers　were　held　together　by　more　than　a　hundred　gilded　pillars；　the　girandoles　attached　to　each　of　which　diffused　a　sea　of　light。　Silken　carpets　covered　the　floor；　and　the　/plafond/　of　this　gigantic　hall　was　formed　by　the　thousand…starred　arch　of　heaven。　Here；　also；　niches　and　grottoes　were　everywhere　to　be　found；　in　them　one　could；　in　the　midst　of　the　constantly　moving　and　noisy　crowd；　enjoy　quiet　and　repose。

Only　one　of　these　niches　was　inaccessible；　as　it　appears；　to　the　company；　and　yet　it　was　precisely　this　which　excited　the　curiosity　of　all；　and　which　all；　whispering；　approached；　anxious　to　get　a　peep　behind　the　closed　thick　silken　curtains；　before　which　two　richly　gallooned　servants　of　the　cardinal　walked　back　and　forth　with　solemn　earnestness；　but　respectfully　requesting　every　one　to　comply　with　the　cardinal's　wishes　and　not　approach　the　mysterious　drapery；　but　await　his　own　time　for　the　solution　of　the　enigma！　A　few　steps　led　up　to　this　closed　and　covered　niche；　these　steps　were　strewed　with　roses；　that　was　plainly　seen；　but；　to　what　did　these　steps　lead；　and　what　was　thus　carefully　concealed？

A　precious　surprise；　certainly；　for　it　was　the　forte　of　the　cardinal　to　prepare　surprises　for　the　agreeable　entertainment　of　his　guests。　The　ladies　and　gentlemen；　the　cardinals　and　princes　of　the　Church；　crowded　around　him　begging　for　an　explanation　of　the　mystery；　a　disclosure　of　the　secret。

〃I　am　myself　uninitiated；〃　said　Cardinal　Bernis；　laughing；　〃some　divinity　may　have　taken　a　seat　there；　or　perhaps　it　is　a　sphinx　which　will　from　thence　give　us　the　solution　of　her　enigma。　But　let　us　see　what　belated　guests　are　now　coming　to　us。〃

And　the　cardinal　with　zealous　precipitation　approached　the　principal　entrance　to　the　hall；　the　/portieres/　of　which　had　just　been　drawn　aside；　and　behind　was　seen　Natalie　at　the　hand　of　Paulo。

As　if　blinded　by　the　sudden　flood　of　light；　she　stood　for　a　moment　still；　a　purple　glow　flushing　her　delicate　cheeks；　and　clinging　to　Paulo's　arms；　she　whispered：　〃Protect　me；　Paulo；　I　am　so　frightened　by　this　crowd！〃

Just　at　that　moment　the　doorkeeper　cried　with　a　loud　voice：　〃Princess　Natalie　Tartaroff　and　Count　Paulo！〃

At　the　sound　of　these　strange　names　all　glanced　toward　the　door；　and　all　flaming；　curious；　prying　eyes　were　fixed　with　astonishment　and　admiration　upon　the　young　maiden。

But　Natalie　did　not　remark　it。　She　glanced　at　Paulo　with　a　glad　smile；　and　a　proud　happiness　beamed　from　her　features。　She　had；　then；　a　name；　she　was　no　longer　an　abandoned；　nameless　orphan。　At　length　the　enigma　of　her　birth　was　solved；　and　what　she　had　so　often　prayed　for；　Count　Paulo　had　vouchsafed　her　as　a　surprise　to…day。

He　had　at　the　same　time　announced　her　name　to　herself　and　the　world；　and　she　not　only　had　a　name；　but　she　was　a　princess；　she　took　a　rank　in　the　company；　and　Count　Paulo　and　Carlo　had　no　reason　to　be　ashamed　of　her。　But　where　was　Carlo？　At　the　thought　of　him　this　feeling　of　effervescing　pride　vanished　from　the　young　maiden's　heart；　she　even　forgot　that　she　was　a　princess；　to　remember　only　that　Carlo；　her　music…teacher；　had　promised　her　to　be　present　at　this　festival；　and　to　wonder　that　she　could　not　discover　him　in　this　gay　and　confused　assemblage。

She　did　not　remark　that；　since　her　appearance；　a　deep　stillness　had　supervened　in　the　hall；　that　all　eyes　were　upon　her；　that　people　secretly　whispered　to　each　other；　and　gave　utterance　to　murmured　expressions　of　astonishment　and　delight；　she　saw　not　how　the　beauties　here　and　there　turned　pale　and　indignantly　bit　their　proud　lips；　she　saw　not　how　the　eyes　of　the　men　glowed　and　flashed；　and　what　eagerly　lusting　glances　the　cardinals　and　princes　of　the　Church　cast　upon　her。

She　was　so　unconstrained；　this　charming　child；　she　knew　not　how　handsome　she　was。　But　she　was　to…day　of　a　wonderfully　touching　beauty。　Like　a　white　and　delicate　lily　stood　she　there　in　the　heavy　white　satin　robe　that　enveloped　her　graceful　form；　and　the　brilliants　that　adorned　her　hair；　neck；　and　arms；　shone　and　sparkled　like　sun…lighted　dew…drops　in　the　calyx　of　the　flower。　So　beautiful　was　she　that　even　Cardinal　Bernis　stood　speechless　and　as　if　blinded　before　her；　finding　no　expression　f