The Daughter of an Empress

He loosened his sword from his girdle, sparkling with diamonds, and

humbly laid both at Natalie's feet.

"Princess," said he, "the empress herself girded me with this sword, and

I swore it should never leave my side but with my life. You are dearer

to me than my life or my honor, and I therefore break my sacred oath.

Take my sword, I am now without arms, and you will no longer have

occasion to tremble before me."

She smilingly shook her head. "You still remain a hero, though without

arms--it lies in your eyes!"

"I would close my eyes," said he, "but then I should not see you,

princess, and I have already so long languished for a sight of you!"

"Why, then, came you not sooner?" she asked, now feeling herself

entirely cheerful and unembarrassed. "Oh, did you but know how

impatiently I have awaited you!"

And with childish innocence she began to relate how much she had thought

of him, how often she had dreamed of him, how she had sometimes spoken

aloud to him, and almost thought she heard his answers!

Count Orloff listened to her with surprise and delight. Thus had he not

expected to find her, so childishly cheerful, so charmingly innocent,

and yet at the same time with so much maidenly reserve, so much natural

dignity. Now she laughed like a child, now was her face serious and

proud, now again tender and timid. She was at once a timid child and a

glowing woman; she was innocent as an angel, and yet so full of sweet,

unconscious maiden coquetry. She enchanted, while inspiring devotion,

she excited passions and desires, while, with a natural maiden dignity,

she kept one within the bounds of respect. She was entirely different

from what Orloff had expected; perhaps less beautiful, less dazzling,

but infinitely more lovely. She enchanted him with her smile, and her

innocent childish face touched him.

"Speak on, speak on!" said he, when she became silent. "It is delightful

to listen to you, princess."

"Why do you call me so?" asked she, with a slight contraction of her

brow. "It is such a strange cold word! It does not at all belong to

me, and it is only within the last few months that I have been thus

addressed. With wise and tender forbearance, Paulo long delayed

informing me that I was a princess, and that was beautiful in him. To be

a princess and yet an orphan, a poor, deserted, helpless child, living

upon the charity of a friend, and tremulously clinging to his protecting

hand! See, that is what I am, a poor orphan; why, then, do you call me

princess!"

"Because you are so in reality," responded Orloff, pressing the hem of

her garment to his lips--"because I am come to lead you to your splendid

and powerful future!--because I will glorify you above all women on

earth, and make you mistress of this great empire."