The Daughter of an Empress

And was it not also an insult for Alexis Orloff now to show himself a

friend to the Jesuits, whom the decree of God's vicegerent had outlawed

and proscribed? Was it not an insult that he loudly and publicly

promised to these persecuted Jesuits a kind reception and efficient

protection in Russia, and invited them to found new communities and new

cloisters there?

But Alexis Orloff cared little for the dissatisfaction of the Romans,

He said to his confidant Stephano: "There is no greater pleasure than to

set at defiance all the world, and to oppose all these things which the

stupid people would impose upon us as laws. The friend and favorite of

the Empress Catharine has no occasion for complying with such miserable

laws; wherever I set my foot, there the earth belongs to me, and I will

forcibly maintain my pretensions whenever they are disputed! In Russia

I am the serf of the empress, in revenge for which I will, at least

abroad, treat all the world as my serfs. This gives me pleasure, and

wherefore is the world here but to be enjoyed?"

"A little also for labor," said Stephano, with a sly smile.

"For that I have my slaves, for that I have also you!" responded Orloff,

laughing. "There is only one labor for me here in Rome, and that is to

create as much disturbance as possible in the city; to set the people

at odds with the government, so that they may have their hands full, and

find no time for observing our nice game with our little princess, or

to interfere with it. We must have freedom of action, that is the most

important. Hence we must protect these pious Jesuits, and offer support

to the enemies of this too-enterprising pope, by which means we shall

ultimately attain our own ends, and that is enough for us!"

"We have not yet advanced a step with our Princess Natalie," said

Stephano, shrugging his shoulders; "that, it seems, is an impregnable

fortress!"

"It must, however, yield to us," laughingly responded Alexis Orloff,

"and she shall yet acknowledge us as conquerors. We are undermining,

Stephano, and when the building crushes her in its crashing fall, will

she first discover that she has long been in danger. And what said

you--that we have not yet advanced a step? And yet Rasczinsky is gone,

and we have known how to keep Cardinal Bernis, who would have interested

himself for the little one, so very much occupied with the affair of the

Jesuits, that he has yet had no time to think of the princess. Ah, these

Jesuits are very useful people. We strew them like snuff in the faces of

these diplomatists, and, while they are yet rubbing their weak eyes and

crying out with pain, we shall quietly draw our little fish into our

net, and take her home without opposition!"