the daughter of an empress-第51部分

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Love；　then；　for　the　improvisatrice　Corilla；　was　nothing　more　than　a　strong　wine　with　which　she　refreshed　and　strengthened　her　fatigued　poetic　powers　for　renewed　exertions；　it　was　in　a　manner　the　tow　which　she　threw　upon　the　expiring　fire　of　her　fantasy；　to　make　it　flash　up　in　clear　and　bright　flames。

It　was　only　in　this　way　that　she　loved　Carlo；　and　wept　for　him；　except　that　in　this　case　her　love　had　been　of　a　longer　duration；　because　it　was　/he/　who　gave　up　and　left　/her/！　That　was　what　made　her　hatred　so　glowing；　that　was　what　made　her　seek　the　life　of　the　woman　for　whom　Carlo　had　deserted　her。

〃This　is　a　new　situation；〃　said　she；　〃which　I　am　called　to　live　through　and　to　feel。　But　a　poetess　must　have　experienced　all　feelings；　or　she　could　not　describe　them。　For　my　part；　I　do　not　believe　in　the　revelations　of　geniusI　believe　only　in　experiences。　One　can　describe　only　what　one　has　felt　and　experienced。　Whoever　may　attempt　to　describe　the　flavor　of　an　orange；　must　first　have　tasted　it！〃

That　this　attempt　to　murder　Natalie　had　failed；　was　to　her　a　matter　of　little　moment。　She　had　experienced　the　emotion　of　it；　and　just　the　same　would　it　have　been　a　matter　of　indifference　to　her　had　the　dagger　pierced　Natalie's　breastshe　was　sufficiently　a　child　of　the　South　to　consider　a　murder　as　only　a　venial　sin；　for　which　the　priest　could　grant　absolution。

There　was　only　one　thing　which　exclusively　occupied　Corilla；　following　and　tormenting　her　day　and　night；　and　that　was　her　poetic　fame。　She　desired　that　her　name　should　stand　high　in　the　world；　glorified　by　all　Europe；　and　for　this　purpose　she　desired　above　all　things　to　be　crowned　as　a　poetess　in　the　capitol　of　the　holy　city；　for　this　fame　she　would　willingly　have　given　many　years　of　her　life。

That　was　the　aim　of　all　her　efforts；　and　how　much　would　she　not　have　borne；　ventured；　and　suffered　for　its　attainment！　How　many　intrigues　were　planned；　how　much　cunning　and　dissimulation；　flattery；　and　hypocrisy；　had　been　employed　for　that　purpose；　and　all；　all　as　yet　in　vain！

Therefore　it　was　that　Corilla　now　wept；　and　with　occasional　outbreaks　of　passionate　exclamations　violently　paced　her　room。　Her　cheeks　glowed；　her　eyes　flashedshe　was　very　beautiful　in　this　state　of　excitement。　That　she　must　have　acknowledged　to　herself　as　her　glance　accidentally　encountered　her　own　face　in　the　glass。

With　a　smile　of　satisfaction　she　remained　standing　before　the　mirror；　and　almost　angrily　she　said：

〃Ah；　why　am　I　now　alone；　why　does　no　one　see　me　in　my　beautiful　glow？　My　face　might　now　produce　some　effect；　and　gain　me　friends！　Why；　then；　am　I　now　alone？〃

But　it　seems　that　Corilla　had　only　to　express　a　wish　in　order　to　see　it　suddenly　fulfilled；　for　the　door　was　at　that　moment　opened；　and　a　servant　announced　Count　Alexis　Orloff。

Corilla　smiled　with　delight；　and　let　that　smile　remain　upon　her　lips；　as　she　very　well　knew　it　was　becoming　to　her；　and　that　she　had　conquered　many　hearts　with　it；　but　secretly　her　heart　throbbed　with　fear；　and　timidly　she　asked　herself；　〃What　can　that　Russian　count　want　of　me？〃

But　with　a　cheerful　face　she　advanced　to　receive　him；　she　seemed　not　to　remark　that　a　dark　cloud　lay　upon　his　brow；　and　that　his　features　bore　an　almost　threatening　expression。

〃He　is　a　barbarian；〃　thought　she；　〃and　barbarians　must　be　treated　differently　from　other　men。　I　must　flatter　this　lion；　in　order　to　fetter　him！〃

〃It　is　a　serious　matter　that　brings　me　to　you；　signora；〃　said　Alexis；　gloomily。

〃A　serious　matter？〃　she　cheerfully　asked。　〃Ah；　then　I　pity　you；　count。　It　is　difficult　to　speak　with　me　of　serious　matters！〃

〃You　rather　do　them！〃　said　Alexis；　carelessly　throwing　himself　upon　a　divan。　〃You　would　not　play　with　such　serious　things　as；　for　instance；　a　dagger；　and　therefore　you　hurl　it　from　you；　altogether　indifferent　whether　you　thereby　quite　accidentally　pierce　the　heart　of　another。〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；　count；〃　said　Corilla；　without　embarrassment；　but　at　the　same　time　she　looked　at　him　with　such　a　charming　and　enticing　expression；　that　Alexis　involuntarily　smiled。

〃I　will　make　myself　intelligible　to　you；〃　said　he；　in　a　milder　tone。　〃You　must　understand；　that　I　know　you；　Corilla。　That　assassin　who　followed　the　Princess　Tartaroff　at　the　festival　of　Cardinal　Bernis；　was　employed　by　you；　Signora　Maddalena　Morelli　Fernandez；　called　Corilla！〃

〃And　what　if　it　were　true；　Signor　Alexis　Orloff；　called　the　handsome　Northern　Hercules？〃　asked　she；　roguishly　imitating　his　grave　seriousness。　〃If　it　were　really　true；　what　further？〃

Alexis　looked　in　her　face　with　an　expression　of　astonishment。　〃You　are　wonderfully　bold！〃　said　he。

〃None　but　slaves　are　without　courage！〃　responded　she。　〃Freedom　is　the　mother　of　boldness！〃

〃You　do　not；　then；　deny　the　hiring　of　that　bravo？〃

〃I　only　deny　your　right　to　inquire；〃　said　she。

〃I　have　a　right　to　it；〃　he　responded　with　vehemence。　〃This　Princess　Tartaroff　is　a　subject　of　the　Empress　of　Russia；　my　mistress；　who　watches　over　and　protects　all　her　subjects　with　maternal　tenderness。〃

〃That　good；　tender　empress！〃　exclaimed　Corilla；　with　an　ambiguous　smile。　〃But　in　order　properly　to　watch　and　preserve　all　her　children　and　subjects；　she　should　keep　them　in　her　own　country。　Take　this　Princess　Tartaroff　with　you　to　Russia；　and　then　she　will　be　safe　from　our　Italian　daggers。　Take　her　with　you；　that　will　be　the　best　way！〃

〃You；　then；　very　heartily　hate　this　poor　little　princess？〃　asked　Alexis；　laughing。

〃Yes；〃　said　she；　after　a　short　reflection；　〃I　hate　her。　And　would　you　know　why；　signor？　Not　for　her　beauty；　not　for　her　youth；　but　for　her　talents！　And　she　has　great　talents！　Ah；　there　was　a　time　when　I　hated　her；　although　I　knew　her　not。　But　now；　now　it　is　different。　I　now　not　only　hate；　but　fear　her！　For　she　can　rival　me；　not　only　in　love；　but　in　fame！　Ah；　you　should　have　seen　her　on　that　evening！　She　was　like　a　swan　to　look　at；　and　her　song　was　like　the　dying　strains　of　the　swan。　And　all　shouted　applause；　and　all　the　women　wept；　indeed；　I　myself　wept；　not　from　emotion；　but　with　rage；　with　bitterness；　for　they　had　forgotten　meforgotten；　for　this　new　poetess；　they　overwhelmed　her　with　flatteries；　leaving　me　alone　and　unnoticed！　And　yet　you　ask　me　if　I　hate　her！〃

Quite　involuntarily　had　she　suffered　herself　to　be　carried　away　by　her　own　vehemence；　her　inward　glowing　rage。　With　secret　pleasure　Count　Orloff　read　in　her　features　that　this　was　no　comedy　which　she　thus　improvised；　but　was　truth　and　reality。

〃If　you　so　think　and　feel；〃　said　he；　〃then　we　may　soon　understand　each　other；　signora。　A　real　hatred　is　of　as　much　value　as　a　real　love；　indeed；　often　of　much　greater。　One　can　more　safely　confide　in　hatred；　as　it　is　more　enduring。　I　will　therefore　confide　in　you；　signora；　if　you　will　swear　to　me　to　betray　no　word　of　what　I　shall　tell　you。〃

〃I　swear　it！〃　was　Corilla's　response。

〃Listen；　then！　This　Princess　Tartaroff　is　an　imposter；　no　princely　blood　flows　in　her　veins；　and　if　she　gives　herself　out　to　be　a　princess；　it　is　because　she　therewith　connects　plans　of　high…treason。　More　I　need　not　say　to　you；　except　that　my　illustrious　empress　has　charged　me　to　bring　this　fraudulent　princess　to　her　at　St。　Petersburg；　that　she　may　there　receive　her　punishment！　This　I　have　sworn　to　do；　and　must　redeem　my　promise　to　transport　her　from　here；　without　exciting　attention；　and　without　subjecting　her　to　any　personal　injury。　Do　you　now　comprehend　why　I　come？〃

〃I　comprehend；〃　said　Corilla。　〃An　empress　would　avenge　herself；　and　therefore　a　poor　poetess　must　forego　her　own　little　private　revenge！　But　how；　if　I　should　not　believe　a　word　of　this　long　story；　if　I　should　consider　it　a　fable　invented　by　you　to　assure　the　safety　of　your　princess？〃

〃That　you　may　be　compelled　to　believe　it；　listen　further　to　me。〃

And　Alexis　Orloff　spoke　long　and　zealously　to　her；　affording　her　a　glance　into　his　most　secret　intrigues；　into　his　finely…matured　plans；　while　Corilla　followed　him　with　intense　expectation　and　warmly…glowing　cheeks。

〃I　comprehend　it　all；　all！〃　said　she；　when　Alexis　had　finally　ended；　〃it　is　a　deep　and　at　the　same　time　an　infernal　plana　plan　which　must　excite　the　envy　and　respect　of　Satan　himself！〃

〃And　yourself？〃　laughingly　asked　Alexis。

〃Oh；　I；〃　said　she〃I　belong；　perhaps；　to　the　family　of　devils；　and　therefore　take　pleasure　in　aiding　you！　You　need　a　negotiator　who　has　a　wide　conscience　and　an　eloquent　tongue！　I　can　furnish　you　with　such　a　one。　Ah；　that　will　make　a　droll　story。　Said　you　not　that　the　singer　Carlo　watched　this　golden　treasure　like　a　dragon？　Well；　it　shall　be　his　brother　who　shall　contend　with　this　dragon。　His　own　brotherwill　not　that　be　pleasant；　count？〃

〃And　are　you　sure　of　him？〃　asked　Count　Orloff。　〃How　if　his　brother　should　win　him　from　us？〃

〃Have　no　anxiety；　this　Carlo　Ribas　is　so　virtuous　that　he　hates　no　one　so　much　as　his　brother　Joseph；　merely　because　he　passed　some　years　in　the　galleys　for　forgery。　He　is　now　free；　and　has　secretly　come　here。　As　he　was　aware　that　I　knew　his　brother；　he　came　to　beg　me　for　my　countenance　and　support。　I　will　send　him　to　you。〃

〃And　you　will　also　not　forget　my　request；　that　you　will　in　all　societies　speak　of　the　great　love　which　the　Empress　Catharine　cherishes　for　her　near　relation；　the　Princess　Tartaroff？〃

〃I　will　not　forget　it。　In　your　hands；　count；　I　lay　my　revengeyou　will　free　me　from　this　rival？〃

〃That　will　I；〃　said　he；　with　an　inhuman　laugh。　〃And　when　the　work　is　completed；　and　you　have　faithfully　stood　by　me；　then；　signora；　you　may　be　sure　of　the　gratitude　of　the　empress。　Catharine　is　the　exalted　protectress　of　the　muses；　and　in　the　fulness　of　her　grace　she　will　not　forget　the　poetess　Corilla。　You　may　expect　an　imperial　reward。〃

〃And　I　shall　gratefully　receive　it；〃　said　Corilla；　with　a　smile。　〃A　poetess　is　always　poor　and　in　want　of　assistance。　The　muses　lavish　upon　their　votaries　all　joys　but　those　of　wealth。〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Corilla；　when　the　count　had　left　her；　〃I　shall　in　the　end　obtain　all　I　desire。　I　shall　not　only　be　crowned　with　fame；　but　blessed　with　wealth；　which　is　a　blessing　almost　equal　to　that　of　fame！　Money　has　already　founded　many　a　reputation；　but　not　always　has　fame　attracted　money　to　itself！　I　shall　be　rich　as　well　as　famou