The Daughter of an Empress

by L. Mühlbach

  PRINCESS ELIZABETH

  While a Mecklenburg princess had attained to the regency of Russia, andwhile her son was hailed as emperor, the Princess Elizabeth lived aloneand unnoticed in her small and modestly-furnished throne, and yet in St.Petersburg was living the only rightful heir to the empire, the daughterof Czar Peter the Great! And as she was young, beautiful, and amiable,how came she to be set aside to make room for a stranger upon the throneof her father, which belonged to her alone?

  Princess Elizabeth had voluntarily kept aloof from all politicalintrigues and all revolutions. In the interior of her palace she passedhappy days; her world, her life, and her pleasures were there. PrincessElizabeth desired not to reign; her only wish was to love and be loved.The intoxicating splendor of worldly greatness was not so inviting toher as the more intoxicating pleasure of blessed and happy love. Shewould, above all things, be a woman, and enjoy the full possession ofher youth and happiness.

  What cared she that her own rightful throne was occupied by astranger--what cared she for the blinding shimmer of a crown? Ah, ittroubled her not that she was poor, and possessed not even the means ofbestowing presents upon her favorites and friends. But she felt happyin her poverty, for she was free to love whom she would, to raise toherself whomsoever she might please.

  It was a festival day that they were celebrating in the humble palace ofthe emperor's daughter Elizabeth--certainly a festival day, for it wasthe name-day of the princess.

  The rooms were adorned with festoons and garlands, and all herdependants and friends were gathered around her. Elizabeth saw not thelimited number of this band; she enjoyed herself with those who werethere, and lamented not the much greater number of those who hadforgotten her.

  She was among her friends, in her little reception-room. Evening hadcome, the household and the less trusted and favored of her adherentshad withdrawn, and only the most intimate, most favored friends nowremained with the princess.

  They had conversed so long that they now recurred to the enjoyment ofthat always-ready, always-pleasing art, music. A young man sang to theaccompaniment of a guitar.

  Elizabeth listened, listlessly reclining upon her divan. Behind herstood two gentlemen, who, like her, were delightedly listening to thesinging of the youth.

  Elizabeth was a blooming, beautiful woman. She was to-day charmingto the eye in the crimson-velvet robe, embroidered with silver, thatenveloped her full, voluptuous form, leaving her neck and _gorge_ free,and displaying the delicate whiteness of her skin in beautiful contrastwith the purple of her robe. Perhaps a severe judge might not havepronounced her face handsome according to the rules of the antique, butit was one of those faces that please and bewitch the other sex; one ofthose beauties whose charm consists not so much in the regularity ofthe lines as in the ever-varying expression. There was so much that waswinning, enticing, supercilious, much-promising, and warm-glowing, inthe face of this woman! The full, swelling, deep-red lips, how charmingwere they when she smiled; those dark, sparkling eyes, how seducingwere they when shaded by a soft veil of emotional enthusiasm; thosefaintly-blushing cheeks, that heaving bosom, that voluptuous form, yetresplendent with youthful gayety--for Elizabeth had not yet reached herthirtieth year--whom would she not have animated, excited, transported?

  Elizabeth knew she was beautiful and attractive, and this was herpride and her joy. She could easily pardon the German princess, AnnaLeopoldowna, for occupying the throne that was rightfully her own, butshe would never have forgiven the regent had she been handsomer thanherself. Anna Leopoldowna was the most powerful woman in Russia, butshe, Elizabeth, was the handsomest woman in Russia, which was all shecoveted, and she had nothing more to desire.

  But at this moment she thought neither of Anna Leopoldowna nor of herown beauty, but only of the singer who was warbling to her those Russianpopular songs so full of love and sadness that they bring tears into theeyes and fill the heart with yearning.

  Elizabeth had forgotten all around her--she heard only him, saw onlyhim; her whole soul lay in the glances with which she observed him, andaround her mouth played one of those bewitching smiles peculiar to herin moments of joy and satisfaction, and which her courtiers knew andobserved.

  He was very handsome, this young singer, and as Elizabeth saw him inthis moment, she congratulated herself that her connoisseur-glance hadquickly remarked him, when, some weeks previously, she had first seenhim as the precentor of the imperial chapel.

  Surprised and excited by the beauty of his form and the sweetness ofhis voice, Elizabeth had begged him of the lord-marshal for her privateservice, and since then Alexis Razumovsky had entered her house as herprivate secretary and the manager of her small estate.

  While Alexis was singing with his sweetly-melting tones, Elizabethturned her swimming eyes to the two men who were standing in respectfulsilence behind her.

  "You must acknowledge," said she in a low tone, and as if oppressed byinternal commotion, "that you never saw nor heard say any thing finerthan my Alexis."

  "Oh, yes," said one of these men, with a low bow, "we have seen _you_!"

  "And did we not yesterday hear you sing this same charming slumber-song,princess?" asked the other.

  Elizabeth smiled. "It is already well known that Woronzow and Grunsteinmust always flatter!" said she.

  "No, we do not flatter," responded Woronzow, the chamberlain of theprincess, "we only love truth! You ask if we have ever seen any thingmore beautiful than your private secretary, and we answer that we haveseen _you_!"

  "Well, now, you have all so often assured me that I am the handsomestwoman in Russia, that at length I am compelled to believe you. ButAlexis is fortunately a man, and therefore not my rival; you may, then,fearlessly confess that Alexis is the handsomest of all men! But howis this?" exclaimed the princess, interrupting herself, as the handsomeyoung singer suddenly sprang up and threw his guitar aside with anindignant movement; "do you sing no more, Alexis?"

  "No," frowardly responded the young man, "I sing no more, when myprincess no longer listens!"

  "There, see the ungrateful man," said the princess, with a charmingsmile--"he was occupying all my thoughts, and yet he dares complain! Youare a malefactor deserving punishment. Come here to me, Alexis; kneel,kiss my hand, and beg for pardon, you calumniator!"

  "That is a punishment for which angels might be grateful!" respondedAlexis Razumovsky, kneeling to the princess and pressing her hand to hisburning lips. "Ah, that I might oftener incur such punishment!"

  "Do you then prefer punishment to reward?" asked Elizabeth, tenderlybending down to him and looking deep into his eyes.

  "She loves him!" whispered Grunstein to the chamberlain Woronzow. "Shecertainly loves him!"

  Elizabeth's fine ear caught these words, and, slowly turning her head,she slightly nodded. "Yes," said she, "Grunstein is right--she loveshim! Congratulate me, therefore, my friends, that the desert void in myheart is at length filled--congratulate me for loving him. Ah, nothingis sweeter, holier, or more precious than love; and I can tell you thatwe women are happy only when we are under the influence of that divinepassion. Congratulate me, then, my friends, for, thank God, I am inlove! Now, Alexis, what have you to say?"

  "There are no words to express such a happiness," cried Alexis, pressingthe feet of the princess to his bosom.

  "Happiness, then, strikes you dumb," laughed the princess, "and will notallow you to say that you love me? Such are all you men. You envelopeyourselves with a convenient silence, and would make us poor womenbelieve the superabundance of feeling deprives you of utterance."

  At this moment the door was softly opened, and a lackey, who made hisappearance at the threshold, beckoned to Woronzow.

  "What is it, Woronzow?" asked the princess, while, wholly unembarrassedby the presence of the lackey, she played with the profuse dark locks ofthe kneeling Razumovsky.

  "An invitation from the Regent Anna to a court-ball, which is to takeplace fourteen days hence," said Woronzow.

  "A
h, our good cousin is, then, so gracious as to remember us," criedthe princess, with a somewhat clouded brow. "It will certainly be a verymagnificent festival, as we are invited so many days in advance. How sadthat I cannot have the pleasure of being present!"

  "And why not, if one may be allowed to ask, princess?" asked Woronzow.

  "Why?" sighed Elizabeth. "Ask my waiting-woman; she will tell you thatthe Princess Elizabeth, daughter of the great Czar Peter, has notone single robe splendid enough to render her presentable, withoutmortification, at a court-ball of the regent."

  "Whatever robe you may wear," passionately interposed Alexis, "you willstill be resplendent, for your beauty will impart a divine halo to anydress!"

  That was precisely the kind of flattery pleasing to Elizabeth.

  "Think you so, flatterer?" asked Elizabeth. "Well, for once I willbelieve your words, and assume that the Princess Elizabeth may befair without the aid of splendor in dress. We therefore accept theinvitation, Woronzow. Announce that to the regent's messenger. But stillit is sad and humiliating," continued Elizabeth after a pause, a cloudpassing over her usually so cheerful countenance, "yes it is still amelancholy circumstance for the daughter of the great Peter to be sopoor that she is not able to dress herself suitably to her rank. Ah,how humiliating is the elevation of my high position, when I cannot evenproperly reward you, my friends, for your fidelity and attachment!"

  "You will one day be able to reward us," significantly remarkedGrunstein. "One day, when an imperial crown surmounts your fair brows,then will your generous heart be able to act according to its nobleinstincts."

  "Still the same old dreams!" said Elizabeth, shaking her head andletting Razumovsky's long locks glide through her fingers. "Pay noattention to him, Alexis, he is an enthusiast who dreams of imperialcrowns, while I desire nothing but a ball-dress, that in it I may pleaseyou, my friend!"

  "Oh, you always please me," whispered Alexis, "and most pleasing are youwhen--"

  The conclusion of his flattering speech he whispered so low that it washeard by no one but the princess.

  Patting his cheek with her little round hand, she blushed, but not forshame, as she did not cast down her eyes, but answered with a glowingglance the tender looks of her lover. She blushed only from an internalpassionate excitement, while her bosom stormily rose and fell.

  "You are very saucy, Alexis," said she, but at the same time lightlykissing him upon the forehead, and smiling; but then her brow wassuddenly clouded, for the door was again opened and once more the lackeyappeared upon the threshold.

  "The French ambassador," said he, "the Marquis de la Chetardie, begs thefavor of an audience."

  "Ah, the good marquis!" cried the princess, rising from her recliningposition. "Conduct him in, he is very welcome."

  The lackey opened both wings of the folding-door, and the marquisentered, followed by several servants with boxes and packets.

  "Ah, you come very much like a milliner," laughingly exclaimedElizabeth, graciously advancing to receive the ambassador.

  Dropping upon one knee, the marquis kissed her offered hand.

  "I come, illustrious Princess Elizabeth, to beg a favor of you!" hesaid.

  "You wish to mortify me," responded Elizabeth. "How can the ambassadorof a great and powerful nation have a favor to ask of the poor,repudiated, and forgotten Princess Elizabeth?"

  "In the name of the king my master come I to demand this favor!"solemnly answered the marquis.

  "Well, if you really speak in earnest," said the princess, "then Ihave only to respond that it will make me very happy to comply with anyrequest which your august king or yourself may have to make of me."

  "Then I may be allowed, on this occasion of the celebration of yourname-day, to lay at your feet these trifling presents of my royalmaster," said the ambassador of France, rising to take the boxes andpackages from the lackeys and place them before Elizabeth.

  "They are only trifles," continued he, while assiduously occupied inopening the boxes, "trifles of little value--only interesting, perhaps,because they are novelties that have as yet been worn in Paris by nolady except the queen and madame!

  "This mantelet of Valenciennes lace," continued the busy marquis,unfolding before the princess a magically fine lace texture, "thismantelet is sent by the Queen of France to the illustrious PrincessElizabeth. Only two such mantelets have been made, and her majestyhas strictly commanded that no more of a similar pattern shall becommenced."

  Princess Elizabeth's eyes sparkled with delight. Like a curious childshe fluttered from one box to the other, and in fact they were verycostly, tasteful, and charming things which their majesties of Francehad sent to the Princess Elizabeth, who prized nothing higher thansplendor in dress and ornaments.

  There were the most beautiful gold-embroidered velvet robes, light crapeand lace dresses, and hats and topknots of charming elegance.

  Elizabeth examined and admired all; she clapped her hands with delightwhen any one of these precious presents especially pleased her, callingAlexis, Grunstein, and Woronzow to share her joy and admiration.

  "Now it will be a triumph for me to appear at this ball!" saidElizabeth, exultingly; "ah, how beautiful it is of your king that he hassent me these magnificent presents to-day, and not eight days later! Ishall excite the envy of the regent and all the court ladies with thesecharming things, which no one besides myself will possess."

  And the princess was constantly renewing her examination of thepresents, and breaking out into ecstasies over their beauty.

  The Marquis de la Chetardie smilingly listened to her, told her muchabout Paris and its splendors, declaring that even in Paris there was nolady who could be compared to the fair Princess Elizabeth.

  "Ah," remarked Elizabeth, smilingly threatening him with her finger,"you would speak differently if the queen or some other lady of yourcourt were standing by my side!"

  "No," seriously replied the marquis, "I would fall at the feet of myqueen and say: 'You are my queen, judge me, condemn me, my life is inyour hand. You are the Queen of France, and as such I bend before you;but Princess Elizabeth is the queen of beauty, and as such I adoreher!'"

  Princess Elizabeth smiled, and with harmless unconstraint chatted yet along time with the shrewd and versatile ambassador of the French king.

  "I have yet one more request to make," said the marquis, when about totake 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 hearwhat else you have to ask."

  "My king and master has learned with regret that the noble PrincessElizabeth is not surrounded with that wealth and splendor which is herdue as the daughter of the great emperor and the rightful heir to theRussian throne. My king begs the favor of being allowed to make good thedelinquency toward you of the present Russian regency, and that he mayhave the pleasure of providing you with the means necessary to enableyou to establish a court suitable to your birth and position. I amprovided with sufficient funds for these purposes. You have only to sendme 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 ablesufficiently to testify my gratitude to the generous King of France.I am a poor, insignificant woman, who can thankfully accept but neverrequite his kindness."

  "Who knows?" said the marquis significantly. "You may one day become themost powerful woman in Europe, for your birth and your destiny call youto the throne."

  "Oh, I know you are Lestocq's friend, and share his dreams," said theprincess. "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 andrespect him; for we willingly incur obligations only to those who are sohighly estimated that we gratefully subordinate ourselves to
them. Writethis to your king."

  "And may I also write to him," asked the marquis, "that thisconversation will remain a secret, of which, above all things, theregent, Anna Leopoldowna, is to know nothing?"

  "My imperial word of honor," said the princess, "that no one exceptourselves and Lestocq, whom you yourself propose as a medium, shall knowanything of this great generosity of your sovereign. God grant thata time may one day come when I may loudly and publicly acknowledge mygreat obligations to him!"

  "That time will have come when you are Empress of Russia!" said theambassador, taking his leave.

  "Already one more who has taken it into his head to make an empress ofme," said the princess, as her three favorites again entered. "Foolishpeople that you are! It does not satisfy you to be the friend of aPrincess Elizabeth, but I must become an empress for your sakes."

  "How well the diadem would become that proud pure brow!" exclaimedAlexis, with animation.

  "How happy would this poor Russia be under your mild sceptre!" said thechamberlain, Woronzow.

  "Yes, you owe it to all of us, to yourself and your people, to mount thethrone of your fathers," said Grunstein.

  "But if I say to you that I will not?" cried the princess, recliningagain upon her divan. "The duties of an empress are very difficult andwearing. I love quiet and enjoyment; and, moreover, this throne of myfather, of which you speak so pathetically, is already occupied,and awaits me not. See you not your sublime Emperor Ivan, whom theregent-mother is rocking in his cradle? That is your emperor, beforewhom you can bow, and leave me unmolested with your imperial crown.Come, Alexis, sit down by me upon this tabouret. We will take anotherlook at these magnificent presents. Ah! truly they are dearer to me thanthe possession of empire."

  "The Princess Elizabeth can thus speak only in jest," said an earnestvoice behind them.

  "Ah, Lestocq!" said the princess, with a friendly nod. "You come verylate, my friend."

  "And yet too soon to bring you bad news!" said Lestocq, with a profoundand respectful bow to the princess.

  "Bad news?" repeated Elizabeth, turning pale. "_Mon Dieu_, am I, then,one too many for them here? Would they kill me, or send me in exile toSiberia?"

  "Yet worse!" laconically responded Lestocq. "But, first of all, let usbe cautious, and take care that we have no listeners." And, crossingthe room, Lestocq closed all the doors, and carefully looked behindthe window curtains to make sure that no one was concealed there. "Now,princess," he commenced, in a tone of solemnity, "now listen to what Ihave to say to you."