the daughter of an empress-第50部分

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red　and　revenge！　They　were　seen　wringing　their　hands　and　loudly　lamenting；　as　they　hastened　to　their　friends　and　protectors；　and　besieged　the　doors　of　the　foreign　embassies。　With　them　wept　the　poor　and　suffering　people　to　whom　the　pious　fathers　had　proved　themselves　benefactors。　For；　since　they　knew　that　their　existence　was　threatened；　they　had　assiduously　devoted　themselves　to　works　of　charity　and　mercy；　and　to　strengthening；　especially　in　Rome；　their　reputation　for　piety；　benevolence；　and　generosity。　Prodigious　sums　were　by　them　distributed　among　the　poor；　more　than　five　hundred　respectable　impoverished　Romans；　who　had　been　accused　of　political　offences；　were　secretly　supported　by　them。　In　this　way　the　Jesuits；　against　whom　the　cry　of　denunciation　had　been　raised　for　years　in　all　Europe；　had　nevertheless　succeeded；　at　least　in　the　holy　city；　in　gaining　for　themselves　a　very　considerable　party；　and　thus　securing　protection　and　support　in　the　time　of　misfortune　and　persecution。　But　while　the　people　wept　with　them；　and　many　cardinals　and　princes　of　the　Church　secretly　pitied　them；　the　ambassadors　of　the　great　European　powers　alone　remained　insensible　to　their　lamentations。　No　one　of　them　opened　the　doors　of　their　palaces　to　them；　no　one　afforded　them　protection　or　consolation；　and　although　it　was　known　that　cardinal　Bernis；　in　spite　of　the　horror　which　had　for　years　been　felt　of　this　order　in　France；　was　personally　favorable　to　them；　and　had　long　delayed　the　consent　of　the　court　of　France　to　their　abolition；　yet　even　Bernis　now　avoided　any　manifestation　of　kindness　for　them；　lest　his　former　friend；　the　Spanish　ambassador；　might　think　he　so　far　humiliated　himself　as　to　favor　the　Jesuits　for　the　sake　of　recovering　the　friendship　and　good　opinion　of　the　Duke　of　Grimaldi。　But　Grimaldi　himself　now　no　longer　dared　to　protect　the　Jesuits；　however　friendly　he　might　be　to　them；　and　however　much　they　were　favored　by　Elizabeth　Farnese；　the　Spanish　queen…mother。　King　Charles；　her　son；　had　finally　ventured　to　defy　her　authority；　and　in　an　autograph　letter　had　commanded　the　Duke　of　Grimaldi　to　receive　no　more　Jesuits　in　his　palace。　And　while；　as　we　have　said；　the　whole　diplomacy　had　declared　against　the　order　of　the　holy　fathers　of　Jesus；　it　must　have　been　the　more　striking　that　this　Russian　Count　Orloff　had　compassion　upon　them；　and　lent　a　willing　ear　to　the　complaints　of　the　unfortunate　members　of　the　order。

This　Russian　count　gave　the　good　Romans　much　material　for　reflection　and　head…shaking；　the　women　were　occupied　with　his　herculean　beauty；　and　the　men　with　his　wild；　daring；　and　reckless　conduct。　They　called　him　a　barbarian；　a　Russian　bear；　but　could　not　help　being　interested　in　him；　and　eagerly　repeating　the　little　anecdotes　freely　circulated　respecting　him。

They　smilingly　told　that　he　had　been　the　first　who　had　had　the　courage　to　defy　the　powerful　republic　of　Venice；　which；　for　recruiting　sailors　for　his　fleet　in　their　territories　for　the　war　against　the　Turks；　wished　to　banish　him　from　proud　and　beautiful　Venice。　But　Alexis　Orloff　had　laughed　at　the　senate　of　the　republic　when　they　sent　him　the　order　to　leave。　He　had　ordered　the　two　hundred　soldiers；　who　formed　his　retinue；　to　arm　themselves；　and；　if　necessary；　to　repel　force　with　force；　but　to　the　senate　he　had　answered　that　he　would　leave　the　city　as　soon　as　he　pleased；　not　before！　But；　as　it　seemed　that　he　was　not　pleased　to　leave　the　city；　he　remained　there；　and　now　the　angry　and　indignant　senate　sent　him　the　peremptory　command　to　leave　Venice　with　his　soldiers　in　twenty…four　hours。　A　deputation　of　the　senate　came　in　solemn　procession　to　communicate　to　the　Russian　count　this　command　of　the　Council　of　Three。　Alexis　Orloff　received　them；　lying　upon　his　divan；　and　to　their　solemn　address　he　laughingly　answered：　〃I　receive　commands　from　no　one　but　my　empress！　It　remains　as　before；　that　I　shall　go　when　I　please；　and　not　earlier！〃

The　senators　departed　with　bitter　murmurs　and　severe　threats。　Count　Alexis　Orloff　remained；　and　the　cowardly　senate；　trembling　with　fear　of　this　young　Russian　empire；　had　silently　pocketed　the　humiliation　of　seeing　this　over…bearing　Russian　within　their　walls　for　several　weeks　longer。　This　evidence　of　the　haughty　insolence　of　Count　Orloff　was　related　among　the　Romans　with　undisguised　pleasure；　and　they　thanked　him　for　having　thus　humiliated　and　insulted　the　proud　and　imperious　republic。　But　they　suspiciously　shook　their　heads　when　they　learned　that　he　seemed　disposed　to　display　his　pride　and　arrogance　in　Rome！　They　told　of　a　/soiree/　of　the　Marchesa　di　Paduli　which　Alexis　Orloff　had　attended。　As　they　there　begged　of　him　to　give　some　proof　of　the　very　superior　strength　which　had　acquired　for　him　the　name　of　〃the　Russian　Hercules；〃　he　had　taken　one　of　the　hardest　apples　from　a　silver　plateau　that　stood　upon　the　table　and　playfully　crushed　it　with　two　fingers　of　his　left　hand。　But　a　fragment　of　this　hard　apple　had　hit　the　eye　of　the　Duke　of　Gloucester；　who　was　standing　near；　and　seriously　injured　it。　The　sympathies　of　the　whole　company　were　excited　for　the　English　prince；　and　he　was　immediately　surrounded　by　a　pitying　and　lamenting　crowd。　Count　Orloff　alone　had　nothing　to　say　to　him；　and　not　the　slightest　excuse　to　make。　He　smilingly　rocked　himself　upon　his　chair；　and　hummed　a　Russian　popular　song　in　praise　of　his　empress。

And　was　it　not　also　an　insult　for　Alexis　Orloff　now　to　show　himself　a　friend　to　the　Jesuits；　whom　the　decree　of　God's　vicegerent　had　outlawed　and　proscribed？　Was　it　not　an　insult　that　he　loudly　and　publicly　promised　to　these　persecuted　Jesuits　a　kind　reception　and　efficient　protection　in　Russia；　and　invited　them　to　found　new　communities　and　new　cloisters　there？

But　Alexis　Orloff　cared　little　for　the　dissatisfaction　of　the　Romans；　He　said　to　his　confidant　Stephano：　〃There　is　no　greater　pleasure　than　to　set　at　defiance　all　the　world；　and　to　oppose　all　these　things　which　the　stupid　people　would　impose　upon　us　as　laws。　The　friend　and　favorite　of　the　Empress　Catharine　has　no　occasion　for　complying　with　such　miserable　laws；　wherever　I　set　my　foot；　there　the　earth　belongs　to　me；　and　I　will　forcibly　maintain　my　pretensions　whenever　they　are　disputed！　In　Russia　I　am　the　serf　of　the　empress；　in　revenge　for　which　I　will；　at　least　abroad；　treat　all　the　world　as　my　serfs。　This　gives　me　pleasure；　and　wherefore　is　the　world　here　but　to　be　enjoyed？〃

〃A　little　also　for　labor；〃　said　Stephano；　with　a　sly　smile。

〃For　that　I　have　my　slaves；　for　that　I　have　also　you！〃　responded　Orloff；　laughing。　〃There　is　only　one　labor　for　me　here　in　Rome；　and　that　is　to　create　as　much　disturbance　as　possible　in　the　city；　to　set　the　people　at　odds　with　the　government；　so　that　they　may　have　their　hands　full；　and　find　no　time　for　observing　our　nice　game　with　our　little　princess；　or　to　interfere　with　it。　We　must　have　freedom　of　action；　that　is　the　most　important。　Hence　we　must　protect　these　pious　Jesuits；　and　offer　support　to　the　enemies　of　this　too…enterprising　pope；　by　which　means　we　shall　ultimately　attain　our　own　ends；　and　that　is　enough　for　us！〃

〃We　have　not　yet　advanced　a　step　with　our　Princess　Natalie；〃　said　Stephano；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃that；　it　seems；　is　an　impregnable　fortress！〃

〃It　must；　however；　yield　to　us；〃　laughingly　responded　Alexis　Orloff；　〃and　she　shall　yet　acknowledge　us　as　conquerors。　We　are　undermining；　Stephano；　and　when　the　building　crushes　her　in　its　crashing　fall；　will　she　first　discover　that　she　has　long　been　in　danger。　And　what　said　you　that　we　have　not　yet　advanced　a　step？　And　yet　Rasczinsky　is　gone；　and　we　have　known　how　to　keep　Cardinal　Bernis；　who　would　have　interested　himself　for　the　little　one；　so　very　much　occupied　with　the　affair　of　the　Jesuits；　that　he　has　yet　had　no　time　to　think　of　the　princess。　Ah；　these　Jesuits　are　very　useful　people。　We　strew　them　like　snuff　in　the　faces　of　these　diplomatists；　and；　while　they　are　yet　rubbing　their　weak　eyes　and　crying　out　with　pain；　we　shall　quietly　draw　our　little　fish　into　our　net；　and　take　her　home　without　opposition！〃

〃And　if　the　fish　will　not　go　into　the　net？〃

〃It　must　go　in！〃　impatiently　cried　Orloff。　〃Bah！　have　I　at　the　right　time　succeeded　in　towing　our　emperor；　God　bless　him！　into　eternity；　and　shall　I　doubt　in　the　fulness　of　time　of　enclosing　this　beautiful　child　in　my　arms！　Look　at　me；　Stephanowhat　is　wanting　for　it　in　me？　Are　not　all　these　beautiful　women　of　Rome　enraptured　with　the　Russian　Hercules？　How；　then；　can　it　be　that　a　woman　of　my　own　country　can　withstand　me？　The　preliminaries　are　the　main　thing；　and　if　we　only　had　some　one　to　prepare　her　for　my　appearance；　all　would　then　go　well。　And　such　a　one　we　will　find；　thanks　to　our　rubles！　But　enough　of　politics　for　the　present；　Stephano。　Call　my　valet。　It　is　time　for　my　toilet；　and　that　is　a　very　important　affair。〃



CORILLA

Corilla　was　alone。　Uneasy；　full　of　stormy　thoughts；　she　impetuously　walked　back　and　forth；　occasionally　uttering　single　passionate　exclamations；　then　again　thoughtfully　staring　at　vacancy　before　her。　She　was　a　full…blooded；　warm　Italian　woman；　that　will　neither　love　nor　hate　with　the　whole　soul；　and　nourishes　both　feelings　in　her　bosom　with　equal　strength　and　with　equal　warmth。　But；　in　her；　hatred　exhaled　as　quickly　as　love；　it　was　to　her　only　the　champagne…foam　of　life；　which　she　sipped　for　the　purpose　of　a　slight　intoxicationas　in　her　intoxication　only　did　she　feel　herself　a　poetess；　and　in　a　condition　for　improvisation。

〃I　must　at　any　rate　be　in　love；〃　said　she；　〃else　I　should　lose　my　poetic　fame。　With　cool　blood　and　a　tranquil　mind　there　is　no　improvising　and　poetizing。　With　me　all　must　be　stirring　and　flaming；　every　nerve　of　my　being　must　glow　and　tremble；　the　blood　must　flash　like　fire　through　my　veins；　and　the　most　glowing　wishes　and　ardent　longings；　be　it　love　or　be　it　hate；　must　be　stirring　within　me　in　order　to　poetize　successfully。　And　this　cannot　be　comprehended　by　delicate　and　discreet　people；　this　low　Roman　populace　even　venture　to　call　me　a　coquette；　only　because　I　constantly　need　a　new　glow；　and　because　I　constantly　seek　new　emotions　and　new　inspirations　for　my　muse。〃

Love；　then；　for　the　improvisatrice　Corilla；　was　nothing　more　than　a　strong　wine　with　which　she　refreshed　an