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The Daughter of an Empress

Page 298

Eleonore's words had brought reflection to Elizabeth. She comprehended

that her legitimate daughter would certainly be threatened with great

dangers after her death; she had shudderingly thought of poor Ivan in

Schlusselburg, and she said to herself: "As I have held him imprisoned

as a pretender, so may it happen to my daughter, one day, when I am

no more! Ivan had but a doubtful right to my throne, but Natalie is

indisputably the grand-daughter of Peter the Great--the blood of the

great Russian czar flows in her veins, and therefore Peter will fear

Natalie as I feared Ivan; therefore will he imprison and torment her as

I have imprisoned and tormented Ivan!"

By this affectionate anxiety was Elizabeth induced to make a secret

of the existence of her daughter, which was imparted to but a few

confidential friends.

The little Natalie was raised in a solitary country-house not far from

the city, and her few servants and people were forbidden under pain

of death to admit any stranger into this constantly-closed and

always-watched house. No one was to enter it without a written order of

the empress, and but few such written orders were given.

Elizabeth, then, as it were to recompense herself for the trouble of

signing the letter to the King of France, resolved to visit her daughter

to-day with her husband.

"Rasczinsky may precede and announce us," said she. "We will take our

dinner there, and he may say to our major-domo that we are going to

Peterhoff. Then no one will be surprised that we make a short halt at my

little villa in passing, or, rather, they will know nothing of it. Call

Rasczinsky!"

Count Rasczinsky was one of the few who were acquainted with the secret,

and might accompany the empress in these visits. Elizabeth had unlimited

confidence in him; she knew him to be a silent nobleman, and she

estimated him the more highly from the fact that he seemed much attached

to the charming, beautiful, and delicate child, her daughter. She

remarked that he appeared to love her as a brother, that he constantly

and fondly watched over her, and that he was never better pleased than

when, as a child, he could jest and play with her.

"Rasczinsky, we are about to ride out to the villa on a visit to

Natalie!" she said, when the count entered.

The count's eyes beamed with pleasure. "And I may be permitted to

accompany your majesty?" he hastily asked.

The empress smiled. "How impetuous you are!" said she. "Would not one

think you were a dying lover, a sighing shepherd, and it was a question

of seeking your tender shepherdess, instead of announcing to a child of

eleven years the speedy arrival of her mother?"

"Your majesty," said Count Rasczinsky, laughing, "I am not in love, but

I adore this child as my good angel. I can never do or think any thing

bad in Natalie's presence. She is so pure and innocent that one casts

down his eyes with shame before her, and when she glances at me with

her large, deep, and yet so childish eyes, I could directly fall upon my

knees and confess to her all my sins!"

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