the daughter of an empress-第49部分

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The　count　had　already　let　his　arm　fall；　seeming　suddenly　to　have　changed　his　mind；　and　in　a　more　friendly　manner　he　said：

〃You　are　right；　Cecil；　and　what　you　desire　shall　be　done。〃

Taking　a　large　sealed　paper　from　a　drawer　in　his　writing…desk；　he　handed　it　to　Cecil。

〃That　is　the　order　for　the　arrest；　destroy　it　yourself！〃　said　he。

Taking　the　paper；　Cecil　read　it　with　attention。　〃It　is；　as　you　say；　the　order　for　the　arrest。　It　is　destroyed！〃

With　a　satisfied　smile；　he　tore　the　paper　into　a　thousand　pieces；　and　placed　these　in　his　bosom。

The　count　had　stepped　to　the　table　and　hastily　written　a　few　lines　upon　another　piece　of　paper。　This　he　handed　to　Cecil。　〃I　hope　you　are　now　satisfied；〃　said　he。

Cecil　took　the　paper　and　read　it。

〃This　is　a　safety…pass　in　due　form；〃　said　he〃a　valid　instruction　to　all　boundary　guards　and　officials　to　let　us　pass　without　molestation。　Your　excellency；　we　are　quits。　I　complied　with　your　wish；　as　you　now　have　with　mine；　and　my　dear　master　is　saved！〃

〃It　being　understood　that　you　start　immediately；〃　said　the　count。

〃The　post…horses　are　already　ordered；　and　we　shall　set　out　as　soon　as　I　return　home。　Farewell；　therefore；　Sir　Count；　I　thank　you　for　enabling　me　to　save　the　man　whom　I　most　loved。　I　thank　you！〃

Cecil　was　approaching　the　door；　when　he　suddenly　stopped；　and　his　face　took　a　sad　expression。　〃I　have　deceived　my　dear　master；　in　order　to　save　him；〃　said　he；　〃and　in　order　to　redeem　the　promise　I　made　to　his　father　on　his　death…bed；　swearing　that　I　would　watch　over　and　protect　the　son　at　the　risk　of　my　heart's　blood。　But　if　the　son　knew　what　I　have　done；　he　would　call　me　a　betrayer　and　curse　me；　for　he　holds　his　ward　dearer　than　his　own　life！　He　leaves　the　princess　in　the　belief　that　it　is　necessary　for　her　safety；　and　repairs　to　Russia；　to　return　with　increased　wealth。　Sir　Count；　what　is　to　become　of　Natalie？〃

〃That；〃　low　and　mysteriously　replied　the　count；　〃that　can　be　decided　only　by　the　will　of　her　who　has　sent　me。　Until　that　decision　no　hair　of　her　head　can　be　touched；　and　the　princess　will　follow　me　to　Russia；　only　with　her　own　free　will！　But　you　must　know　that　the　empress　hates　no　one　more　than　her　own　son。　How；　then；　if　she　should　be　disposed　to　pass　him　over；　and　select　another　as　her　successor？〃

〃Oh；　would　to　God　that　I　rightly　understand　you！〃　exclaimed　Cecil。

〃We　shall；　one　day；　perfectly　understand　each　other；〃　said　the　count；　with　a　significant　smile。　〃Now；　hasten　to　redeem　your　word；　and　leave　Rome　with　your　master！〃

As　soon　as　Cecil　left　the　room；　the　count's　face　assumed　a　knavishly　malicious　expression。　With　a　loud　laugh　he　threw　himself　upon　the　silken　divan。

〃Thus　are　all　these　so…called　good　men　real　blockheads；　stupid　fools；　who　believe　every　word　spoken　to　them　with　a　friendly　mien！　This　honest　man　really　believes　that　his　highly…prized　master　is　now　saved；　because　he　bears　in　his　bosom　the　fragments　of　the　order　for　his　arrest。　Worthy　dunce；　as　if　there　were　no　duplicate；　and　as　if　every　promise　were　countersigned　by　the　Divinity　himself！　Go　home　with　your　countmy　word　shall　be　fulfilled。　No　hair　of　his　head　shall　be　touched；　but　his　proud　back　shall　be　curled；　and　in　the　mines　of　Siberia　he　may　learn　to　bow　before　a　higher　power！〃

Thus　speaking；　the　count　pulled　a　bell　whose　silken　cord　hung　over　the　divan；　and；　as　no　one　instantly　appeared；　he　pulled　it　again；　this　time　more　violently。　But　yet　some　minutes　passed；　and　still　the　bell　was　unanswered。　The　count　gnashed　his　teeth　with　rage；　and　muttered　vehement　curses。

At　length　the　door　opened；　and　with　an　imploring　face　a　servant　appeared　upon　the　threshold。

〃Miserable　hound；　where　were　you？〃　cried　the　count　to　him。

The　servant　fell　upon　his　knees　and　crept　like　a　dog　to　his　master's　feet。

〃Excellency；　we　had；　as　your　grace　commanded；　so　long　as　the　gentleman　was　with　you；　withdrawn　from　the　anteroom　and　waited　in　the　corridor；　where　the　bell　could　not　be　heard；〃　stammered　the　servant。

〃I　will　teach　you　wretches　to　keep　me　waiting；〃　exclaimed　the　count；　and　seizing　the　knout　that　lay　upon　the　table　before　him；　he　laid　it　with　merciless　rage　upon　the　poor　servant；　until　his　own　arm　sank　powerless；　and　he　felt　himself　exhausted　with　fatigue。

〃Now；　go；　you　hound！〃　said　he；　replacing　the　knout　upon　the　table；　and　the　flagellated　serf；　rising　respectfully；　with　his　hand　wiped　away　the　blood　which　ran　in　streams　from　his　wounds。

〃Now　go　and　send　my　officers　to　me！〃　cried　the　count。　The　servant　staggered　out　to　obey　the　command；　and　soon　the　persons　thus　ordered　made　their　appearance　and　remained　standing　in　silence　at　the　door。

The　count　lay　stretched　out　upon　the　divan；　playing　with　the　knout；　whose　leathern　thongs　were　still　dripping　with　his　servant's　blood。

〃Let　a　courier　take　horse　immediately；　and　give　him　the　order　countersigned　by　her　imperial　majesty　for　the　arrest　of　Count　Paulo　Rasczinsky。　The　courier　will　follow　him　with　it　to　the　Russian　frontier；　and　then　by　virtue　of　this　order　arrest　him　at　the　next　station　and　send　him　to　St。　Petersburg　in　chains！　This　is　the　command　for　the　courier；　he　will　answer　with　his　head　for　its　execution！〃

One　of　the　officers　bowed；　and　went　to　dispatch　the　courier。

〃Is　our　reconnoitrer　returned？〃　asked　the　count　of　the　two　who　remained。

〃He　is。〃

〃What　news　brings　he？　Does　he　know　the　cause　of　the　murderous　attack　at　the　festival　of　the　French　cardinal？　Yet　why　do　I　ask　you？　Make　yourselves　scarce；　and　let　him　come　to　speak　for　himself！〃

The　officers　were　no　sooner　gone；　than　a　wild…looking；　bearded　churl　made　his　appearance　upon　the　threshold　of　the　door　and　greeted　the　count　with　a　grinning　laugh。

〃What　know　you　of　the　murderous　attack？〃　asked　the　count；　in　Italian。

〃A　friend　of　mine　was　charged　with　the　affair；〃　said　the　bravo。　〃He　is　in　the　pay　of　the　most　holy　Cardinal　Albani。　We　served　long　together　under　the　same　chief；　and　I　know　him　intimately。　He　carries　the　most　skilful　dagger　in　all　Rome；　and　it　is　the　greatest　wonder　that　he　missed　on　this　occasion。〃

〃Was　it　done　by　order　of　the　cardinal？〃

〃No！　The　lord　cardinal　had　lent　this　bravo　to　the　celebrated　improvisatrice　Corillathe　order　came　from　her。〃

〃It　is　well！〃　said　the　count。　〃Do　you　know　all　the　/bravi/　in　Rome？〃

〃All；　your　excellency。　They　are　all　my　good　friends。〃

〃Well；　now　listen　to　what　I　have　to　say　to　you。　You　must　hold　the　life　of　the　Princess　Tartaroff　as　sacred　as　your　own！　Know　that　she　is　no　moment　unwatched；　that　wherever　she　appears　she　is　surrounded　by　secret　protectors。　Whoever　touches　her　is　lostmy　arm　will　reach　him！　Say　that　to　your　friends；　and　tell　them　that　the　Russian　count　keeps　his　word。　Four　thousand　sequins　are　yours　in　four　weeks；　if　until　then　the　princess　meets　with　no　accident。　Away　with　you；　and　forget　not　my　words！〃

〃Ah；　these　words；　your　excellency；　are　worth　four　thousand　sequins；　and　these　one　does　not　so　easily　forget！〃　said　the　bandit；　leaving　the　room。

Again　the　count　rang；　and　ordered　his　private　secretary；　Stephano；　to　be　called。

〃Stephano；〃　said　the　count　to　him；　〃the　first　step　is　taken　toward　the　accomplishment　of　our　object。　The　work　must　succeed；　I　have　pledged　my　word　for　it　to　the　empress；　and　who　can　say　that　Alexis　Orloff　ever　failed　to　redeem　his　word？　This　princess　is　mine！　Count　Paulo　Rasczinsky　is　just　now　leaving　Rome；　and　she　has　no　one　to　protect　her！〃

〃But　it　is　not　yet　to　be　said　that　she　is　already　yours！〃　said　Stephano；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃As　you　will　not　employ　force；　your　excellency；　you　must　have　recourse　to　stratagem。　I　have　hit　upon　a　plan；　of　which　I　think　you　will　approve。　They　describe　this　so…called　little　princess　as　exceedingly　innocent　and　confiding。　Let　us　take　advantage　of　her　confiding　innocencethat　will　be　best！　Now　hear　my　plan。〃

Stephano　inclined　himself　closer　to　the　ear　of　the　count；　and　whispered　long　and　earnestly；　it　seemed　as　if　he　feared　that　even　the　walls　might　listen　to　him　and　betray　his　plans；　he　whispered　so　low　that　even　the　count　had　some　trouble　in　understanding　him。

〃You　are　right；〃　said　the　count；　when　Stephano　had　ended；　〃your　plan　must　and　will　succeed。　First　of　all；　we　must　find　some　one　who　will　incline　her　in　our　favor；　and　render　her　confiding。〃

〃Oh；　for　that　we　have　our　good　Russian　gold；〃　said　Stephano；　laughing。

〃And　besides；〃　continued　the　count；　〃our　incognito　is　at　an　end。　All　Rome　may　now　learn　that　I　am　here！　Ah；　Stephano；　what　a　happy　time　awaits　me！　This　Natalie　is　beautiful　as　an　angel！〃

〃God　grant　that　you　may　not　fall　in　love　with　her！〃　sighed　Stephano。　〃You　are　always　very　generous　when　you　are　in　love。〃



ALEXIS　ORLOFF

Two　things　principally　occupied　the　Romans　during　the　next　weeks　and　months；　offering　them　rich　material　for　conversation。　In　talking　of　these　they　had　forgotten　all　other　events；　they　spoke　no　more　of　the　giant　fish　which　had　destroyed　the　friendship　of　France　and　Spain；　they　no　longer　entertained　each　other　with　anecdotes　in　connection　with　the　festival　of　Cardinal　Bernis；　at　which　the　/entree/　of　that　fish　upon　his　long　silver　platter　was　hailed　with　shouts　and　/vivats/　yes；　even　that　Russian　princess；　who　had　momentarily　shown　herself　on　the　horizon　of　society；　all　these　were　quickly　forgotten；　and　people　now　interested　themselves　only　about　the　extirpation　of　the　order　of　the　Jesuits；　which　Pope　Clement　had　now　really　effected；　and　of　the　arrival　of　the　Russian　ambassador…extraordinary；　the　famous　Alexis　Orloff；　whose　visit　to　Rome　seemed　the　more　important　and　significant　as　they　well　knew　in　what　near　and　confidential　relations　his　brother；　Count　Gregory　Orloff；　stood　with　the　Empress　Catharine；　and　what　participation　Alexis　Orloff　had　in　the　sudden　death　of　the　Emperor　Peter　III。

The　order　of　the　Jesuits；　then；　no　longer　existed；　the　pious　fathers　of　the　order　of　Jesus　were　stricken　out　of　the　book　of　history；　a　word　of　power　had　annihilated　them！　With　loud　complaints　and　lamentations　they　filled　the　streets　of　the　holy　city；　and　if　the　prayer　of　humility　and　resignation　resounded　from　their　lips；　yet　there　were　very　different　prayers　in　their　hearts；　prayers　of　anger　and　rage；　of　hatred　and　revenge！　They　were　seen　wringing　their　hands　and　loudl