The Daughter of an Empress

All was again sunshine and pleasure, for the princesses were again

there, and the princesses smiled--must they not laugh and be beside

themselves with joy?

Elizabeth's tender glances sought her friend, the handsome Alexis

Razumovsky. Suddenly her brow as darkened and her cheeks paled, for she

saw him and saw that his eyes did not seek hers!

He stood leaning against a pillar, his eyes fixed upon a lady who had

just then entered the hall, and whose wonderful beauty had everywhere

called forth a murmur of astonishment and admiration. This lady was the

Countess Lapuschkin, the wife of the commissary-general of marine, from

whose family came the first wife of Czar Peter the Great, the beautiful

Eudoxia Lapuschkin.

Eleonore Lapuschkin was more beautiful than Eudoxia. An infinite magic

of youth and loveliness, of purity and energy, was shed over her regular

features. She had the traits of a Hebe, and the form of a Juno. When she

smiled and displayed her dazzlingly white teeth, she was irresistibly

charming. When, in a serious mood, she raised her large dark eyes,

full of nobleness and spirit, then might people fall at her feet with

adoration. Countess Lapuschkin had often been compared and equalled

to the Princess Elizabeth, and yet nothing could be more dissimilar or

incomparable than these two beauties. Elizabeth's was wholly earthly,

voluptuous, glowing with youth and love, but Eleonore's was chaste

and sublime, pure and maidenly. Elizabeth allured to love, Eleonore to

adoration.

The princess had long hated the young Countess Eleonore Lapuschkin,

and considered her as a rival; but that this rival should now gain an

interest in the heart of her favorite, that filled Elizabeth's soul

with anger and agitation, that caused her eyes to flash and her blood to

boil.

Staringly as Alexis Razumovsky's eyes were fixed upon the countess, she,

unconscious of this double observation, stood cheerful and unembarrassed

in the circle of her admiring friends and adorers.

Anna Leopoldowna followed the glance of the princess, and, observing

the beautiful Lapuschkin, said, without thinking of Elizabeth's very

susceptible vanity: "Leonore Lapuschkin is an admirably beautiful woman, is she not? I

never saw a handsomer one. To look at her is like a morning dream;

her appearance diffuses light and splendor. Do you not find it so,

Elizabeth?"

"Oh, yes, I find it so," said Elizabeth, with a constrained smile. "She

is the handsomest woman in your realm."

"Yourself excepted, Elizabeth," kindly subjoined the regent.

"Oh, no, she is handsomer than I!" murmured Elizabeth.

Poor Leonore! In this moment hath the princess pronounced your sentence

of condemnation, and in her heart subscribed the stern order for your

execution.

A longer view of this triumph of the countess became insufferable;

alleging a sudden attack of illness, she immediately took leave of the

regent, and ordered her carriage.