the daughter of an empress-第7部分

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weeping　and　sobbing；　they　stretched　forth　their　hands　to　him；　begging　for　mercy。

〃What　have　they　done？〃　asked　he　of　his　major…domo。

〃Feodor　has　had　the　misfortune　to　break　your　excellency's　drinking…　cup；　and　Ivanovitch　bears　the　blame　of　suffering　your　greyhound　Artemisia　to　escape。〃

A　strange　joy　suddenly　lighted　up　the　brow　of　the　count。

〃Ah；〃　said　he；　breathing　more　freely；　and　stretching　himself　up〃ah；　I　thank　God　that　I　now　have　some　one　on　whom　I　can　wreak　my　vengeance！〃

And　kicking　the　unfortunate　weeping　and　writhing　servants；　who　were　crawling　in　the　dust　before　him；　Munnich　cried：

〃No　mercy；　you　houndsno；　no　mercy！　You　shall　be　scourged　until　you　have　breathed　out　your　miserable　lives！　The　knout　here！　Strike！　I　will　look　on　from　my　windows；　and　see　that　my　commands　are　executed！　Ah；　I　will　teach　you　to　break　my　cups　and　let　my　hounds　escape！　Scourge　them　unto　death！　I　will　see　their　bloodtheir　red；　smoking　blood！〃

The　field…marshal　stationed　himself　at　his　open　window。　The　servants　had　formed　a　close　circle　around　the　unhappy　beings　who　were　receiving　their　punishment　in　the　court　below。　The　air　was　filled　with　the　shrieks　of　the　tortured　men；　blood　flowed　in　streams　over　their　flayed　backs；　and　at　every　new　stroke　of　the　knout　they　howled　and　shrieked　for　mercy；　while　at　every　new　shriek　Munnich　cried　out　to　his　executioners：

〃No；　no　mercy；　no　pity！　Scourge　the　culprits！　I　would；　I　must　see　blood！　Scourge　them　to　death！〃

Trembling；　the　band　of　servants　looked　on　with　folded　hands；　with　a　savage　smile　upon　his　face；　stood　Count　Munnich　at　his　window　above。

Weaker　and　weaker　grew　the　cries　of　the　unhappy　sufferersthey　no　longer　prayed　for　mercy。　The　knout　continued　to　flay　their　bodies；　but　their　blood　no　longer　flowedthey　were　dead！

The　surrounding　servants　folded　their　hands　in　prayer　for　the　souls　of　the　deceased；　and　then　loudly　commended　the　mild　justice　of　their　master！

Retiring　from　the　window；　Count　Munnich　ordered　his　breakfast　to　be　served！＇*＇

＇*＇　Such　horribly　cruel　punishments　of　the　serfs　were　at　that　time　no　　　　　uncommon　occurrence　in　Russia。　Unhappy　serfs　were　daily　scourged　　　　　to　death　at　the　command　of　their　masters。　Moreover；　princes　and　　　　　generals；　and　even　respectable　ladies；　were　scourged　with　the　　　　　knout　at　the　command　of　the　emperor。　Yet　these　punishments　in　　　　　Russia　had　nothing　dishonoring　in　them。　The　Empress　Catharine　II。　　　　　had　three　of　her　court　ladies　stripped　and　scourged　in　the　　　　　presence　of　the　whole　court；　for　having　drawn　some　offensive　　　　　caricatures　of　the　great　empress。　One　of　these　scourged　ladies；　　　　　afterward　married　to　a　Russian　magnate；　was　sent　by　Catharine　as　a　　　　　sort　of　ambassadress　to　Sweden；　for　the　purpose　of　inducing　the　　　　　King　of　Sweden　to　favor　some　of　her　political　plans。〃Memoires　　　　　Secrets　sur　la　Russie；　par　Masson；〃　vol。　iii。；　p。　392。

From　that　time　forward；　however；　Munnich's　life　was　a　continuous　chain　of　vexations　and　mortifications。　As　his　inordinate　ambition　was　known；　he　was　constantly　suspected；　and　was　reprehended　with　inexorable　severity　for　every　fault。

It　is　true　the　regent　raised　him　to　the　post　of　first　minister；　but　Ostermann；　who　recovered　his　health　after　the　successful　termination　of　the　revolutionary　enterprise；　by　various　intrigues　attained　to　the　position　of　minister　of　foreign　affairs；　while　to　Golopkin　was　given　the　department　of　the　interior；　so　that　only　the　war　department　remained　to　the　first　minister；　Munnich。　He　had　originated　and　accomplished　two　revolutions　that　he　might　become　generalissimo；　and　had　obtained　nothing　but　mortifications　and　humiliations　that　embittered　every　moment　of　his　life！



THE　REGENT　ANNA　LEOPOLDOWNA

Anna　had　succeeded；　she　was　regent；　she　had　shaken　off　the　burden　of　the　Bironic　tutelage；　and　her　word　was　all…powerful　throughout　the　immeasurable　provinces　of　the　Russian　empire。　Was　she　now　happy；　this　proud　and　powerful　Anna　Leopoldowna？　No　one　had　ever　yet　been　happy　and　free　from　care　upon　this　Russian　throne；　and　how；　then；　could　Anna　Leopoldowna　be　so？　She　had　read　the　books　of　Russian　political　history；　and　that　history　was　written　with　blood！　Anna　was　a　woman；　and　she　trembled　when　thinking　of　the　poison；　the　dagger；　the　throttling　hands；　and　flaying　sword；　which　had　constantly　beset　the　throne　of　Russian；　and　in　a　manner　had　been　the　means　in　the　hands　of　Providence　of　clearing　it　from　one　tyrant；　only；　indeed；　to　make　room　for　another。　Anna；　as　we　have　said；　trembled　before　this　means　of　Providence；　and　when　her　eyes　fell　upon　Munnichupon　his　dark；　angry　brow　and　his　secretly　threatening　glanceshe　then　with　inward　terror　asked　herself：　〃May　not　Providence　have　chosen　him　for　my　murderer？　Will　he　not　overthrow　me；　as　he　overthrew　his　former　master　and　friend　Duke　Biron？〃

Anna　now　feared　him　whom　she　had　chiefly　to　thank　for　her　greatness。　At　the　time　when　he　had　made　her　regent　he　had　satisfactorily　shown　that　his　arm　was　sufficiently　powerful　to　displace　one　regent　and　hurl　him　to　the　dust！　What　he　had　once　done；　might　not　he　now　be　able　to　accomplish　again？

She　surrounded　this　feared　field…marshal　with　spies　and　listeners；　she　caused　all　his　actions　to　be　watched；　every　one　of　his　words　to　be　repeated　to　her；　in　order　to　ascertain　whether　it　had　not　some　concealed　sense；　some　threatening　secret；　she　doubled　the　guards　of　her　palace；　and；　always　trembling　with　fear；　she　no　longer　dared　to　occupy　any　one　of　her　apartments　continuously。　Nomadically　wandered　they　about　in　their　own　palace；　this　Regent　Anna　Leopoldowna　and　her　husband　Prince　Ulrich　of　Brunswick；　remembering　the　sleeping…chamber　of　Biron；　she　dared　not　select　any　one　distinct　apartment　for　constant　occupation；　every　evening　found　her　in　a　new　room；　every　night　she　reposed　in　a　different　bed；　and　even　her　most　trusted　servant　often　knew　not　in　which　wing　of　the　castle　the　princely　pair　were　to　pass　the　night。

She；　before　whom　these　millions　of　Russian　subjects　humbled　themselves　in　the　dust；　trembled　every　night　in　her　bed　at　the　slightest　rustling；　at　the　whisperings　of　the　wind；　at　every　breath　of　air　that　beat　her　closed　and　bolted　doors。

She　might；　it　is　true；　have　released　herself　from　these　torments　with　the　utterance　of　only　one　word　of　command；　it　required　only　a　wave　of　her　hand　to　send　this　haughty　and　dangerous　Munnich　to　Siberia！　Nor　was　an　excuse　for　such　a　proceeding　wanting。　Count　Munnich's　pride　and　presumption　daily　gave　occasion　for　anger；　he　daily　gave　offence　by　his　reckless　disregard　and　disrespect　for　his　chief；　the　generalissimo；　Prince　Ulrich；　daily　was　it　necessary　to　correct　him　and　to　confine　him　within　his　own　proper　official　boundaries。

And　such　refractory　conduct　toward　a　Russian　master；　had　it　not　in　all　times　been　a　terrible　and　execrable　crimea　crime　for　which　banishment　to　Siberia　had　always　been　considered　a　mild　punishment？

Poor　Anna！　called　to　rule　over　Russia；　she　lacked　only　the　first　and　most　necessary　qualification　for　her　positiona　Russian　heart！　There　was；　in　this　German　woman's　disposition；　too　much　gentleness　and　mildness；　too　much　confiding　goodness。　To　a　less　barbarous　people　she　might　have　been　a　blessing；　a　merciful　ruler　and　gracious　benefactor！

But　her　arm　was　too　weak　to　wield　the　knout　instead　of　the　sceptre　over　this　people　of　slaves；　her　heart　too　soft　to　judge　with　inexorable　severity　according　to　the　barbarous　Russian　laws　which；　never　pardoning；　always　condemn　and　flay。

It　was　this　which　gradually　estranged　from　her　the　hearts　of　the　Russians。　They　felt　that　it　was　no　Russian　who　reigned　over　them；　and　because　they　had　no　occasion　to　tremble　and　creep　in　the　dust　before　her；　they　almost　despised　her；　and　derided　the　idyllic　sentiments　of　this　good　German　princess　who　wished　to　realize　her　fantastic　dreams　by　treating　a　horde　of　barbarians　as　a　civilized　people！

The　slaves　longed　for　their　former　yoke；　they　looked　around　them　with　a　feeling　of　strangeness；　and　to　them　it　seemed　unnatural　not　everywhere　to　see　the　brandished　knout；　the　avenging　scaffold；　and　the　transport…carriages　departing　for　Siberia！

Much　as　Ostermann　importuned　her；　often　as　her　own　husband　warned　her；　Anna　nevertheless　refused；　she　would　not　banish　Field…Marshal　Munnich　to　Siberia；　but　remained　firm　in　her　determination　to　leave　him　in　possession　of　his　liberty　and　his　dignities。

But　when　Munnich　himself；　excited　and　fatigued　with　these　never…ending　annoyances；　and　moreover　believing　that　Anna　could　not　do　without　him；　and　therefore　would　not　grant　his　request；　finally　demanded　his　dismission；　Anna　granted　it　with　joy；　and　Munnich；　deceived　in　all　his　ambitious　plans　and　expectations；　angrily　left　the　court　to　betake　himself　to　his　palace　beyond　the　Neva。

Anna　now　breathed　easier；　she　now　felt　herself　powerful　and　free；　for　Munnich　was　as　least　removed　farther　from　her；　his　residence　was　no　longer　separated　from　hers　only　by　a　wall；　she　had　no　longer　to　fear　his　breaking　through　in　the　nightah；　Munnich　dwelt　beyond　the　Neva；　and　a　whole　regiment　guarded　its　banks　and　bridges　by　night！　Munnich　could　no　longer　fall　upon　her　by　surprise；　as　she　could　have　him　always　watched。

Anna　no　longer　trembled　with　fear；　she　could　yield　to　her　natural　indolence；　and　if　she　sometimes；　from　fear　of　Munnich；　troubled　herself　about　state　affairs　and　labored　with　her　ministers；　she　now　felt　it　to　be　an　oppressive　burden；　to　which　she　could　no　longer　consent　to　subject　herself。

Satiated　and　exhausted；　she　in　some　measure　left　the　wielding　of　the　sceptre　to　her　first　and　confidential　minister；　Count　Golopkin。　He　ruled　in　her　name；　as　Count　Ostermann　was　generalissimo　in　the　name　of　her　husband　the　Prince　of　Brunswick。　Why　trouble　themselves　with　the　pains　and　cares　of　governing；　when　it　was　permitted　them　to　only　enjoy　the　pleasures　of　their　all…powerful　position？

The　minister　might　flourish　the　knout　and　proclaim　the　Siberian　banishment　over　the　trembling　people；　the　scourged　might　howl；　and　the　banished　might　lament；　the　great　and　powerful　might　dispose　of　the　souls　and　bodies　of　their　serfs；　rare　honesty　might　be　oppressed　by　consuming　usury；　offices；　honors；　and　titles　might　be　gambled　for；　justice　and　punishment　might　be　bought　and　s