The Daughter of an Empress
Page 41
INTRIGUES
Count Orloff lay in a comfortable, careless position upon his divan,leisurely smoking his long Turkish pipe. Before him stood Joseph Ribas,laughingly relating in his own comic manner the occurrences of thepreceding night.
"You are a wonderful man," said Orloff, when Joseph had finished. "Youhave honestly earned your epaulets, and to-day you will for the firsttime appear at my dinner-table as a Russian officer. Ah, I prophesy agreat future for you. You have the requisite skill and address to makeyour fortune. You are shrewd, daring, and you recoil from no means,finding them all good and useful when they forward your aims. With suchprinciples one may go far in this world, and Russia in fact offers youthe best opportunity for bringing all these fine talents into use."
"And, moreover, I commenced my Russian career with a good omen," saidJoseph. "I have placed a murder at the head of my Russian deeds! Thatis a promising commencement, is it not, Sir Count? You must know thatbetter than any one."
"Indeed yes, I must best know that," said the count, laughing, andcontinually stroking his long black beard. "By a fair and well-timedmurder one can always make his fortune in Russia. A well-timed andwell-executed murder is with us often rewarded with a barony andthe title of count. Indeed, sometimes with the highest and tenderestimperial favor and grace. Ah, a murder at the right moment is anexcellent thing, only one must be quite sure of himself, and not failof hitting the right man. An unsuccessful murder is a very bad, and,indeed, a very dangerous thing. I would have nothing to do with one, andnever have had any thing to do with one. Whatever I have undertaken Ihave always boldly and successfully accomplished. The good EmperorPeter III. knew that, and consequently trembled when I, with Passeb andBariatinsky, entered his chamber. The good emperor! He did not tremblelong, it was soon finished. Yes, yes, that was a deed done at the righttime, and therefore has the great Catharine been so grateful to us, andhonoured us above all the illustrious grandees of her empire."(*)
(*) Of the tragic and horrible events connected with Catharine's accession to the throne, and of the strangulation of Peter, in which he took so active a part, Orloff spoke in Rome with the greatest freedom and evident pleasure.
"My little opening murder has, indeed, less significance," sighed JosephRibas. "What was it but to help a humble musician to the blessedness andharmony of the spheres!"
"But that musician was your brother!"
Ribas shrugged his shoulders. "That is, he was so considered; but inreality I believe he was only a half-brother. My mother, of blessedmemory, had many little adventures, and I think Carlo's birth wassomewhat connected with them. Nor am I sure that it was not a necessarywork to kill him, as it was surely my duty to avenge my father's injuredhonor, which is all I have done! Upon these grounds has a good, honestpriest this day given me absolution, and I now stand before you pure andsinless as a maiden! We can therefore begin anew, your excellency. Haveyou still any commands for me?"
"You now have a very noble and sublime part to play," said Orloff,laughing. "You must now appear as the benefactor of our Russianprincess, and as the mediating forerunner of my own person!"
"That will be indeed a charming role," said Ribas, rubbing his handswith delight. "I shall admirably acquit myself as benefactor andmediator. But give me some details, Sir Count!"
"You shall have them," said Orloff, "from the mouth ofStephano.--Stephano!"
The person called immediately appeared at the door of a side-room.
"Stephano," said Orloff, "now to work, friend. The courier who arrivedto-day has brought us good news and full powers. Count Paul Rasczinskyis sent to Siberia for high-treason--his property is confiscated andfalls to the state. I have an unlimited power, signed by the empressherself, to seize and sell his possessions here in the name of theempress. Take with you some attorney and officers and go to his villa.But, first of all, help our little Joseph Ribas to his uniform andepaulets, that he may be properly costumed for a rescuer and benefactor.And now, away with you! Instruct him well, Stephano. Ah, I should liketo be present at this delightful comedy!"
And Count Orloff broke out into a hearty laugh.
"This whole affair is very entertaining and romantic," he said tohimself, as soon as he was alone. "I am truly very thankful to Catharinefor intrusting it to me. I love the adventurous and romantic. Indeed,whom else could she have chosen for this business? I should like to knowwho would dare to enter the lists with me, the Russian Hercules, and whowould be so bold as to contend with me for this prize?"
Thus speaking, he rose from the divan and stepped to the great Venetianmirror, before which he long remained attentively viewing himself.
"Ahem! this tender Empress Catharine knows how to judge of manlybeauty," murmured he, with a self-satisfied smile, "and I cannot blameher for so often giving me the preference over my brother Gregory.Besides, I shall first appear before this little Princess Natalie inmy antique dress. Catharine has often told me I was enchanting in myantique costume. Well, we will also let this enchantment work a littlehere. But first we must think of what is nearest to us. This Corillahas rendered us a service, and we must be grateful. They say she lovesdiamonds. I shall therefore send her these diamonds which her _eleve_Joseph Ribas last night made the property of the Russian crown. And withthem I will send a little billet, written with my own hand. Whoknows but that this will give her more pleasure than the sparklingbrilliants!"
In that, however, the handsome Count Orloff was mistaken. The poetessCorilla therein resembled to a hair the prima-donnas and heroines of thestage of the present day. She attached a great value to diamonds, andknowing that Russia was very rich in gold and diamonds, she always hadan especially bewitching smile for Russian grandees. Had Count Orloffcome in person to bring the diamonds, she would undoubtedly have moreadmired him, apparently been more pleased with his presence than withhis costly gift; but, as he was not there, there was no necessity fordissimulation.
She read Count Orloff's billet with a satisfied smile; but soon laid itaside for the delight of examining the jewels.
"How that shines, and how that sparkles," said the exhilarated poetess;"not even a lover's eyes flash so brightly, nor is his smile so proud,so full of rich certainty, as the sparkling of these gems! They areenchanters, and a word from me can change these _solitaires_ androsettes into a beautiful villa, or into a fragrant park with silentarbors, intoxicating odors, and sweetly-singing birds. All that ispromised me by these stones--a lover's promises do not express half somuch. And only to think that it is Carlo, my former lover, to whom Iam indebted for these diamonds! From love to him I wished to destroyNatalie, and that wish procured me the favor of the Russian count, andconsequently these brilliants. Poor Carlo! these diamonds outlast you.How bright and beautiful were your glances that are now extinguished bydeath--but this cruel, inexorable death has no power over diamonds!It cannot strangle these as thou wert strangled, poor Carlo! I shallremember thee this evening, Carlo, and hope the thought of thee mayinspire me for a right beautiful improvisation on death! I shall takepains to bring to mind thy beautiful form overflowed with blood. Yes,it will inspire in me a very effective improvisation, and I will at thesame time make a selection from my dear poets of some striking rhymesupon death and the grave. And when I have the rhymes, the thoughts andwords will come of themselves. Rhymes, rhymes, these are the main thingswith poets!"
And while the improvisatrice was thus speaking to herself, she hadmechanically adorned her person with the brilliants, attaching thebeautiful collar to her neck, the long pendants to her ears, and placingthe splendid diadem upon her brow.
She looked exceedingly beautiful in these ornaments, and consequentlyrejoiced that her friend Cardinal Francesco Albani came at this precisemoment.
"He will be ravished?" said she, with a smile, advancing to meet himwith the proud and imposing dignity of a queen.
"You are beautiful as a goddess!" exclaimed the cardinal, "and whoeversees you thus has seen the protecting divinity of ancient Rom
e, thesublime Juno, queen of heaven!"
"Were I Juno, would you consent to be my Vulcan?" roguishly askedCorilla.
"No," said Albani, laughing; "the noble Juno was not exactly true to herVulcan, and I require a faithful love! Would you be that, Corilla?"
"We shall see," said she, changing the arrangement of the diadembefore the glass--"we shall see, my worthy friend. But forget not theconditions--first the laurel-crown!"
"You shall have it!" triumphantly responded the cardinal.
"Are you certain of that?" asked Corilla, with flashing eyes and glowingcheeks.
Cardinal Francesco Albani smiled mysteriously.
"Pope Ganganelli is ill," said he, "and it is thought he will die!"