The Daughter of an Empress

They silently approached the sledge of the princess and prostrated

themselves before her.

"Hail to our empress!" whispered Grunstein low, and as low was it

repeated by the soldiers.

"Let us enter the casern, call the soldiers, and awaken the officers;

I myself will address them!" said Elizabeth, alighting from her sledge.

She was now full of courage and resolution. In the face of danger now no

longer to be avoided, she had suddenly steeled her heart; her father's

spirit was awakened in her.

With a firm step she entered the casern; the conspirators had already

raised an alarm there, and the suddenly aroused soldiers rushed from

all the corridors, with wonder and admiration staring at this noble

and beautiful woman who, radiant in the splendor of her beauty, and

sparkling with jewels, stood in their midst.

"Soldiers," cried Elizabeth, with a firm voice, "I come to implore your

support in my attempt to obtain justice in the realm of my father! I am

the daughter of the great Emperor Peter, the rightful heir to the throne

of Russia, and I claim what is mine! I will no longer suffer a German

princess to give laws to you, my beloved brethren and countrymen! Follow

me, therefore, and let us drive away these foreign intruders who have

usurped the throne of your lawful sovereign!"

"All hail, Elizabeth, our empress!" cried the conspirators, prostrating

themselves.

Surprised, benumbed, and overpowered, the others made no opposition.

Miserable slaves, they were accustomed to obey whoever dared assume the

command over them,--and they therefore submitted. Falling upon their

knees, they took the oath of allegiance to the new empress!

Elizabeth was now the empress of three hundred soldiers.

"Up, now, my friends, to the palace of the czar, where these usurpers

dwell and inflict upon you the shame of calling a cradled infant your

emperor. Come, and let us punish them for this insult, by thrusting them

from their usurped power!"

"We will follow our empress in life and death!" cried the soldiers.

They therefore started again, and once more hastened through the silent

streets until, at length, they reached the imperial palace, where dwelt

the Emperor Ivan with his parents.

Elizabeth, with her confidential partisans in four sledges, had hastened

on in advance of the others. With renewed courage they approached the

principal entrance of the palace.

The guard took to their arms, and the drummer was preparing to beat an

alarm, when a single blow of Lestocq's fist broke through the skin of

the drum.

The terrified drummer fell, and over his body passed the band of

conspirators, Elizabeth at their head.

No one ventured to oppose them; the slaves fell upon their knees in

homage to her who announced herself as their mistress and empress!

Thus meeting with universal submission and obedience, they approached

the wing of the palace occupied by the Emperor Ivan and his mother the

regent. Here is stationed an officer of the guard. He alone ventures

defiance to the intruders. He meets them with his sword drawn, and

swears to strike down the first person who attempts to enter the

corridor.