The Daughter of an Empress

This firm confidence made Elizabeth tremble again. Until now all had

seemed like a dream, a play of the imagination; but when she read in

Lestocq's bold and resolved features that it was a reality, she shook

with terror, and an anxious fear overpowered her soul.

"And if it miscarry?" said she, thoughtfully.

"It will not and cannot miscarry!" responded Lestocq. "The right is on

your side, and God will watch over the daughter of the great czar."

"And then, when I am really empress," said Elizabeth, thoughtfully,

to herself, "what then? There is no happiness in it! They will give me

another title, they will place a crown upon my head, and bind me to a

throne. I shall no longer be free to act according to my will, to live

as I would. Thousands of spies will lurk around me. Thousands of eyes

will follow my steps, thousands of ears will listen for my every word,

in order to interpret and attach a secret meaning to it! They will call

me an empress, but I shall be a slave bound with golden fetters, upon

whose head sits a golden crown of thorns. And this toil and weariness!

These tiresome sittings of the ministers, this law-making and the

signing of orders and commands! How horrible!--Lestocq," suddenly

cried the princess aloud, "if I must always labor, and make laws, and

subscribe my name, and command and govern, then I will be no empress,

no, never!"

"You shall be empress only to enjoy life in its highest splendor.

We, your servants and slaves, we will work and govern for you!" said

Lestocq.

"Swear that to me! Swear to me that I shall not be constrained to labor,

swear that you will govern for me, that I may devote my time to the

enjoyment of life!"

"I swear it to you by all that is most sacred to me."

"Well, then, I will be your empress!" said Elizabeth, satisfied.

At this moment a secret door opened and gave admission to Alexis

Razumovsky.

By his entrance Elizabeth was reminded of her inflamed eyes, and of the

fair Countess Eleanore Lapuschkin.

She gave Alexis a searching, scrutinizing glance, and it seemed to her

that he appeared less tender and ardent than usual.

"Oh," she proudly said, motioning her favorite to approach her and

lightly kissing him upon the forehead, "oh, I will yet compel you to

adore me. When an imperial crown encircles my brow, then will you be

obliged to confess that I am the fairest of women! Alexis, on this night

shall I become an empress!"

With a cry of joy Alexis sank to her feet.

"Hail to my adored empress!" he exclaimed, with enthusiasm. "Hail

Elizabeth, the fairest of all women!"

"With the exception of the beautiful Countess Lapuschkin!" said

Elizabeth, with a bitter smile--"ah, when I am empress, I shall at

least have the power to render that woman harmless, and to annihilate

her!--You turn pale, Alexis," she continued with more vehemence--"your

hand trembles in mine! You must therefore love her very much, this

exalted queen of godlike beauty? Ah, I shall know how to punish her for

it!"