The Daughter of an Empress

Tranquillity was again established in Russia. Once again all faces were

lighted up with joy at this new state of affairs, and again the people

congratulated themselves on the good fortune of the Russian empire! All

this was done four weeks previously, when Biron took upon himself the

regency, and the same will be done again when another comes to overthrow

the Regent Anna!

It was on the day after this new revolution, when Munnich, entering the

palace with a proud step and elevated head, requested an interview with

the regent.

"Your highness," he said, not bending the knee before his sovereign as

custom demanded, but only slightly pressing her hand to his lips--"your

highness, I have redeemed my word and fulfilled my promise. I promised

to liberate you from Biron and make you regent, and I have kept my word.

Now, madame, it is for you to fulfil your pledge! You solemnly promised

that when I should succeed in making you regent, you would immediately

and unconditionally grant me whatever I might demand. Well, now, you are

regent, and I come to proffer my request!"

"It will make me happy, field-marshal, to discharge a small part of my

obligations toward you, by yielding to your demand. Ask quickly, that I

may the sooner give!" said Anna Leopoldowna, with an engaging smile.

"Make me the generalissimo of your forces!" responded Munnich in an

almost commanding tone.

A cloud gathered over the smiling features of the regent.

"Why must you ask precisely this--this one only favor which it is

no longer in my power to bestow?" she sadly said. "There are so many

offices, so many influential positions--ah, I could prove my gratitude

to you in so many ways! Ask for money, treasures, landed estates--all

these it is in my power to give. Why must you demand precisely that

which is no longer mine!"

Munnich stared at her with widely opened eyes, trembling lips, and

pallid cheeks. His head swam, and he thought he could not have rightly

heard.

"I hope this is only a misunderstanding!" he stammered. "I must have

heard wrong; it cannot be your intention to refuse me."

"Would to God it were yet in my power to gratify you!" sighed the

regent. "But I cannot give what is no longer mine! Why came you not a

few hours earlier, field-marshal? then it would have been yet possible

to comply with your request. But now it is too late!"

"You have, then, appointed another generalissimo?" shrieked Munnich,

quivering with rage.

"Yes," said Anna, smiling; "and see, there comes my generalissimo!"

It was the regent's husband, Prince Ulrich von Brunswick, who that

moment entered the room and calmly greeted Munnich.

"You have here a rival, my husband," said the princess, without

embarrassment; "and had I not already signed your diploma, it is very

questionable whether I should now do it, now that I know Count Munich

desires the appointment."