The Daughter of an Empress

Princess Elizabeth smiled, and with harmless unconstraint chatted yet a

long time with the shrewd and versatile ambassador of the French king.

"I have yet one more request to make," said the marquis, when about to

take leave. "But it is a request that no one but yourself must hear,

princess!"

Elizabeth signed to her friends to withdraw into the open anteroom.

"Well, marquis," she then said with some curiosity, "let me now hear

what else you have to ask."

"My king and master has learned with regret that the noble Princess

Elizabeth is not surrounded with that wealth and splendor which is her

due as the daughter of the great emperor and the rightful heir to the

Russian throne. My king begs the favor of being allowed to make good the

delinquency toward you of the present Russian regency, and that he may

have the pleasure of providing you with the means necessary to enable

you to establish a court suitable to your birth and position. I am

provided with sufficient funds for these purposes. You have only to send

me by your physician in ordinary, Lestocq, a quittance signed by you,

and any sum you may require will be immediately paid!"

"Oh," said the princess, with emotion, "I shall never be able

sufficiently to testify my gratitude to the generous King of France.

I am a poor, insignificant woman, who can thankfully accept but never

requite his kindness."

"Who knows?" said the marquis significantly. "You may one day become the

most powerful woman in Europe, for your birth and your destiny call you

to the throne."

"Oh, I know you are Lestocq's friend, and share his dreams," said the

princess. "But let us not now speak of impossibilities, nor idly jest,

while I am deeply touched by the generous friendship of your sovereign.

That I accept his offer, may prove to him and you how much I love and

respect him; for we willingly incur obligations only to those who are so

highly estimated that we gratefully subordinate ourselves to them. Write

this to your king."

"And may I also write to him," asked the marquis, "that this

conversation will remain a secret, of which, above all things, the

regent, Anna Leopoldowna, is to know nothing?"

"My imperial word of honor," said the princess, "that no one except

ourselves and Lestocq, whom you yourself propose as a medium, shall know

anything of this great generosity of your sovereign. God grant that

a time may one day come when I may loudly and publicly acknowledge my

great obligations to him!"

"That time will have come when you are Empress of Russia!" said the

ambassador, taking his leave.

"Already one more who has taken it into his head to make an empress of

me," said the princess, as her three favorites again entered. "Foolish

people that you are! It does not satisfy you to be the friend of a

Princess Elizabeth, but I must become an empress for your sakes."