The Daughter of an Empress

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"And you will so find yourself!" exclaimed Natalie.

"You believe it, because you are in love, and when a woman loves she
believes in the object of her love, and smilingly offers up her life
for him! Like all women, you will do so! You will sacrifice your life to
your love; and when this barbarian thrusts the dagger in your heart, you
will say with a smile: 'I did it! I, myself--'"

And, bowing to her with a sad smile, slowly and sighing, the cardinal
left the room.

Some hours later came Alexis Orloff. Natalie received him with an
expression of the purest pleasure, and, extending both hands to him,
smilingly said:

"Know you yet what my mother said to her lover?"

Looking at her, he read his happiness in her face. With an exclamation
of ecstasy he fell at her feet.

"I know it well, but you, Natalie, do you also know it?" he passionately
asked.

Natalie smiled. "Alexis," said she, "I love you, and therefore will I
raise you to my side as my husband!" and with a charming modest blush
she drew the count up to her arms.

"You do not deceive me, and this is no dream?" he cried, while glowingly
embracing her.

"No," said she, "it is the truth, and I owe you this satisfaction.
You have been slandered to me to-day. Ah, they shall see how little I
believe them. Alexis, call a priest to bless our union, and make me your
wife. Whatever then may come, we will share it with each other. If I am
one day empress, you will be the emperor, and I will always honor and
obey you as my lord and master."

On the evening of this day a very serious and solemn ceremony took place
in the boudoir of Princess Natalie. An altar wreathed with flowers stood
in the centre of the room, and before the altar stood Natalie in a white
satin robe, the myrtle-crown upon her head, the long bridal veil waving
around her delicate form. She was very beautiful in her joyful, modest
emotion, and Count Alexis Orloff, who, in a rich Russian costume stood
by her side, viewed her with ecstatic and warm desiring glances. The
inhuman executioner led the lamb to the slaughter without pity or
compunction!

At the other side of the altar stood the priest, a reverend old man,
with long flowing silver hair and beard. Near him the sacristan, not
less reverend in appearance. No one else was present except Marianne,
who, in tears, knelt behind her mistress, and with folded hands prayed
for her beloved princess, who was now marrying Count Alexis Orloff.

The solemn ceremony was at an end, and the young wife sank weeping into
the arms of her husband, who, with tenderest whisperings, led her into
the next room.

Marianne, overcome by her tears and emotions, hastened to her own room,
and the reverend priest remained alone with his sacristan.

They silently looked at each other, and their faces were distorted by a
knavish, grinning laugh.

"It was a wonderful scene," said the priest, who was no other than
Joseph Ribas. "In earnest, I was quite affected by it myself, and I
came near weeping at my own sublime homily. Confess, Stephano, that a
consecrated priest could not have better gone through the ceremony."

"We have both performed our parts," simpered Stephano, the sacristan,
"and I think the count must be satisfied with us."

At that moment the count returned to the room. Natalie had begged to be
left alone--she needed solitude and prayer.

The priest, Joseph Ribas, and the sacristan, Stephano, gave him sly,
interrogating glances.

"I am satisfied with you," said Orloff, with a smile. "You are both
excellent actors. This new little countess was pleased and touched by
your discourse, Joseph, my very worthy priest. Where did you learn this
new villainy?"

"In the high school of the galleys, your excellency," said Ribas. "Only
there is one taught such precious things. We had a priest there, a real
consecrated priest, who was sentenced for life. From _ennui_ he gave
lessons to the smartest among us in his art, and taught us how to fold
the hands, roll the eyes, and render the voice tremulous. But now, your
excellency, one thing! You desired to know who it was that warned your
princess to-day. I can now give you information on that point. It was
the French Cardinal Bernis!"

"They are, therefore, beginning to observe our movements," thoughtfully
remarked Orloff, "and these gentlemen diplomatists wish to take a hand
in the game. Ah, we understand the French policy. It is the same now
that it was when they helped to make the Princess Elizabeth empress. At
that time they interposed, that Russia might be so occupied with her own
affairs as to have no time for looking into those of France. Precisely
so is it to-day. They would compassionate the daughter as they did the
mother. With the help of Natalie they would again bless Russia with
a revolution, that we might not have time to observe the events now
fermenting in France. But this time we shall be more cautious, my
shrewd French cardinal. Stephano, let every preparation be made for
our immediate departure. We are no longer safe and unobserved here.
Therefore we will go to Leghorn."

"We alone, or with the princess?" asked Stephano.

"My wife will naturally accompany me," said Orloff, with a derisive
smile.

"Will she consent to leave Rome?" asked Joseph Ribas.

"I shall request her to do so," proudly replied Orloff, "and I think my
request will be a command to her."

And the proud count was not mistaken. His request was a command for
her. He told her she must leave Rome because she was no longer in safety
there, and Princess Natalie believed him.

"We will go to Leghorn, and there await the arrival of the Russian
fleet," said he. "When that fleet shall have safely arrived, then our
ends will be attained, then we shall have conquered, for then it will
be evident that the empress has conceived no suspicion; and I am the
commander of that fleet, which is wholly manned with conspirators who
all await you as their empress. Will you follow me to Leghorn, Natalie?"

She clung with tender submissiveness to his bosom.

"I will follow you everywhere," murmured she, "and any place to which
you conduct me will be a paradise for me!"




THE RUSSIAN FLEET

Unsuspectingly had she followed Orloff to Leghorn; full of devoted
tenderness, full of glowing love, she was only anxious to fulfil all his
wishes and to constantly afford him new proofs of her affection.

And how? Did he not deserve that love? Was he not constantly paying her
the most delicate attentions? Was he not always as humbly submissive
as he was tender? Did it not seem as if the lion was subdued, that the
Hercules was tamed, by his tender Omphale, whom he adored, at whose feet
he lay for the purpose of looking into her eyes, to read in them her
most secret thoughts and wishes?

She was not only his wife, she was also his empress. Such he called her,
as such he respected her, and surrounded her with more than imperial
splendor.

The house of the English Consul Dyke was changed into an imperial palace
for Natalie, and the young and beautiful wife of the consul was her
first lady of honor. She established a court for the young imperial
princess, she surrounded her with numerous servants and a splendid train
of attendants whose duty it was to follow the illustrious young empress
everywhere, and never to leave her!

And Natalie suspected not that this English consul received from the
Empress of Russia a million of silver rubles, and that his wife was
rewarded with a costly set of brilliants for the hospitality shown to
this Russian princess, which was so well calculated to deceive not only
Natalie herself, but also the European courts whose attention had been
aroused. Natalie suspected not that her splendid train, her numerous
servants--that all these who apparently viewed her as their sublime
mistress, were really nothing more than spies and jailors, who watched
her every step, her every word, her every glance. Poor child, she
suspected nothing! They honored and treated her as an empress, and she
believed them, smiling with delight when the people of Leghorn--whenever
she with her splendid retinue appeared at her husband's side--shouted
with every demonstration of respect for her as an empress.

And finally, one day the long-expected Russian fleet arrived!

Radiant with joy, Alexis Orloff rushed into Natalie's apartment.

"We have now attained our end," said he, dropping upon one knee before
his wife; "I can now in truth greet you as my empress and mistress!
Natalie, the Russian fleet is here, and only waits to convey you in
triumph to your empire, to the throne that is ready for you, to your
people who are languishing for your presence! Ah, you are now really an
empress, and marvellous will you be when the imperial crown encircles
your noble head!"

"I shall be an empress," said Natalie, "but you, Alexis, will always be
my lord and emperor!"

"Natalie," continued the count, "your people call for you!--your
soldiers languish for you, the sailors of all these ships direct their
eyes to the shore where their empress lingers. The admiral's ship will
be splendidly adorned for your reception, and Admiral Gluck will be
the first to pay homage to you. Therefore adorn yourself, my charming,
beautiful empress--adorn yourself, and show yourself to your faithful
subjects in all the magnificence of your imperial position. Ah, it will
be a wonderful and intoxicating festival when you celebrate the first
day of your greatness!"

And Count Orloff called her attendants. Smiling, perfectly happy at
seeing the pleasure and satisfaction of her husband, Natalie suffered
herself to be adorned, to be enveloped in that costly gold-embroidered
robe, those pearls and diamonds, that sparkling diadem, those chains and
bracelets.

She was dressed, she was ready! With a charming smile she gave her hand
to her husband, who viewed her with joyous glances, and loudly praised
the beauty of her celestial countenance.

"They will be enchanted with the sight of you," said he.

Natalie smilingly said: "Let them be so! I am only happy when I please
you!"

In an open carriage, attended by her retinue, she proceeded to the
haven, and all the people who thronged the streets shouted in honor
of the beautiful princess, astonished at the splendor by which she
was surrounded, and estimating Count Orloff a very happy man to be the
husband of such an empress!

And when she appeared upon the shore, when the carriages stopped and
Princess Natalie rose from her seat, there arose from all the ships the
thousand-voiced cheers of their crews. Russian flags waved from every
spar, cannon thundered and drums rolled, and all shouted: "Hail to the
imperial princess! Hail, Natalie, the daughter of Elizabeth!"

It was a proud, an intoxicating moment, and Natalie's eyes were filled
with tears. Trembling with proud ecstasy, she was compelled to lean upon
Orloff's arm to preserve herself from falling.

"No weakness now!" said he, and for the first time his voice sounded
harsh and rough. Surprised, she glanced at him--there was something
in his face that she did not understand; there was something wild and
disagreeable in the expression of his features, and he avoided meeting
her glance.

He looked over to the ships. "See," said he, "they are letting down the
great boat; Admiral Gluck himself is coming for you. And see that host
of gondolas, that follow the admiral's boat! All his officers are coming
to do homage to you, and when you, in their company, reach the admiral's
ship, they will let down the golden arm-chair to take you on board. That
is an honor they pay only to persons of imperial rank!"

Her glance passed by all these unimportant things; she saw only his
face; she thoughtfully and sadly asked herself what change had come over
Alexis, and what was the meaning of his half-sly, half-angry appearance.

The boats came to the shore, and now came the admiral with his officers;
prostrating themselves before her, they paid homage to this beautiful
princess, whom they hailed as their mistress.

Natalie thanked them with a fascinating smile; and, graciously giving
her hand to the admiral, suffered herself to be assisted by him into the
great boat.

As soon as her foot touched it, the cannon thundered, flags were waved
on all the ships, and their crews shouted, "Viva Natalie of Russia!"

Her eyes sought Orloff, who, with a scowling brow and gloomy features,
was still standing on the shore.

"Count Alexis Orloff!" cried she, with her silvery voice, "we await
you!"

But Alexis came not at her call. He hastily sprang into an officer's
boat, without giving her even a look.

"Alexis!" she anxiously cried.

"He follows us, your highness," whispered the wife of Consul Dyke, while
taking her place near the princess. "It would be contrary to etiquette
for him to appear at the side of the empress at this moment. See, he is
close behind us, in the second gondola!"

"Shove off!" cried Admiral Gluck, he himself taking the rudder in honor
of the empress.

The boats moved from the land. First, the admiral's boat, with the
princess, the admiral, and the Englishwoman; and then, in brilliant
array, the innumerable crowd of adorned gondolas containing the officers
of the fleet.

It was a magnificent sight. The people who crowded the shore could not
sufficiently admire the splendid spectacle.

When they reached the admiral's ship the richly-gilded arm-chair was
let down for Natalie's reception. She tremblingly rose from her seat--a
strange, inexplicable fear came over her, and she anxiously glanced
around for Orloff. He sat in the second boat, not far from her, but he
looked not toward her, not even for a moment, and upon his lips there
was a wild, triumphant smile.

"Princess, they wait for you; seat yourself in the arm-chair!" said
Madame Dyke, in a tone which to Natalie seemed to have nothing of the
former humility and devotion--all seemed to her to be suddenly changed,
all! Shudderingly she took her seat in the swinging chair--but,
nevertheless, she took it.

The chair was drawn up, the cannon thundered anew, the flags were waved,
and again shouted the masses of people on the shore.

Suddenly it seemed as if, amid the shouts of joy and the thundering
of the cannon, a shriek of terror was heard, loud, penetrating, and
heartrending. What was that? What means the tumult upon the deck of the
admiral's ship? Seems it not as if they had roughly seized this princess
whose feet had just now touched the ship? as if they had grasped her, as
if she resisted, stretching her arms toward heaven! and hark, now this
frightful cry, this heart-rending scream!

Shuddering and silent stand the people upon the shore, staring at the
ships. And the cannon are silenced, the flags are no longer waved, all
is suddenly still.

Once more it seems as if that voice was heard, loudly shrieking the one
name--"Alexis!"

Trembling and quivering, Alexis Orloff orders his boat to return to the
shore!

In the admiral's ship all is now still. The princess is no longer on the
deck. She has disappeared! The people on shore maintained that they had
seen her loaded with chains and then taken away! Where?

All was still. The boats returned to the shore. Count Orloff gave his
hand to the handsome Madame Dyke, to assist her in landing.

"To-morrow, madame," he whispered, "I will wait upon you with the thanks
of my empress. You have rendered us an essential service."

The people at the landing received them with howls, hisses, and
curses!--but Count Orloff, with a contemptuous smile, strewed gold among
them, and their clamors ceased.

Tranquil and still lay the Russian fleet in the haven. But the ports
of the admiral's ship were opened, and the yawning cannon peeped
threateningly forth. No boats were allowed to approach the ship; but
some, impelled by curiosity, nevertheless ventured it, and at the cabin
window they thought they saw the pale princess wringing her hands, her
arms loaded with chains. Others also asserted that in the stillness of
the night they had heard loud lamentations coming from the admiral's
ship.

On the next day the Russian fleet weighed anchor for St. Petersburg!
Proudly sailed the admiral's ship in advance of the others, and soon
became invisible in the horizon.

On the shore stood Count Alexis Orloff, and, as he saw the ships sailing
past, with a savage smile he muttered: "It is accomplished! my beautiful
empress will be satisfied with me!"




CONCLUSION

She was satisfied, the great, the sublime empress--satisfied with the
work Alexis Orloff had accomplished, and with the manner in which it was
done.

In the presence of her confidential friends she permitted Orloff's
messenger, Joseph Ribas, to relate to her all the particulars of the
affair from the commencement to the end, and to the narrator she nodded
her approval with a fell smile.

"Yes," said she to Gregory Orloff, "we understand women's hearts, and
therefore sent Alexis to entrap her. A handsome man is the best jailer
for a woman, from whom she never runs away." And bending nearer to
Gregory's ear, she whispered: "I, myself, your empress, am almost your
prisoner, you wicked, handsome man!"

And ravished by the beauty of Gregory Orloff, the third in the ranks of
her recognized favorites, the empress leaned upon his arm, whispering
words of tenderness in his ear.

"And what does your sublime majesty decide upon respecting the
prisoner?" humbly asked Joseph Ribas.

"Oh, I had almost forgotten her," said the empress, with indifference.
"She is, then, yet living, this so-called daughter of Elizabeth?"

"She is yet alive."

The empress for some time thoughtfully walked back and forth,
occasionally turning her bold eagle eye upon her two favorite pictures,
hanging upon the wall. They were battle-pieces full of terrible truth;
they displayed the running blood, the trembling flesh, the rage of
opponents, and the death-groans of the defeated. Such were the pictures
loved by Catharine, and the sight of which always inspired her with bold
thoughts.

As she now glanced at these sanguinary pictures, a pleasant smile
drew over the face of this Northern Semiramis. She had just come to a
decision, and, being content with it, expressed her satisfaction by a
smile.

"That bleeding feminine torso," said she, pointing to one of the
pictures, "look at it, Gregory, that wonderful feminine back reminds me
of the vengeance Elizabeth took for the beauty of Eleonore Lapuschkin.
Well, Elizabeth's pretended daughter shall find me teachable; I will
learn from her mother how to punish. Let this criminal be conducted to
the same place where the fair Lapuschkin suffered, and as she was served
so serve Elizabeth's daughter! We have no desire to tear out the tongue
of this child. Whip her, that is all, but whip her well and effectually.
You understand me?"

And while she said this, that animated smile deserted not Catharine's
lips for a moment, and her features constantly displayed the utmost
cheerfulness.

"I think," said she, turning to Gregory, "that is bringing an expiatory
offering to the fair Eleonore Lapuschkin, and we here exercise justice
in the name of God!--As to you," she then said to Joseph Ribas, "we
have reason to be satisfied with you, and you shall not go without your
reward. Moreover, our beloved Alexis Orloff has especially recommended
you to us, and spoken very highly of your information and talents. You
shall be satisfied."(*)

(*) Joseph Ribas was rewarded by the empress with the place
of an officer and teacher in the corps of cadets. Afterward,
upon the recommendation of Betzkoi, he was made the tutor of
Bobrinsky, one of the sons of the empress by Gregory Orloff.
"He accompanied Bobrinsky in all his travels," says Massen,
"and inoculated the prince with all the terrible vices he
himself possessed." At a later period, as we have already
said, he became an admiral and a favorite of Potemkin, the
fourth of Catharine's lovers.


It was a dark and dreadfully cold night. St. Petersburg slept; the
streets were deserted and silent. But there, upon the place where
Elizabeth once caused the beautiful Lapuschkin to be tortured, there
torches glanced, there dark forms were moving to and fro, there a
mysterious life was stirring. What was being done there?

No spectators are to-night assembled around these barriers. Catharine
had commanded all St. Petersburg to sleep at this hour, and accordingly
it slept. Nobody is upon the place--nobody but the cold, unfeeling
executioners and their assistants--nobody but that pale, feeble, and
shrunken woman, who, in her slight white dress, kneels at the feet of
her executioners. She yet lives, it is true, but her soul has long since
fled, her heart has long been broken. The chains and tortures of her
imprisonment have done that for her. It was Alexis Orloff who murdered
Natalie's heart and soul. For him had she wept until her tears had been
exhausted--for him had she lamented until her voice had become
extinct. She now no longer weeps, no longer complains; glancing at her
executioners, she smiles, and, raising her hands to God, she thanks him
that at last she is about to die.

She is yet praying when her executioners approach and roughly raise her
up, when they tear off her light robe, and devour with their brutal eyes
her noble naked form. Her soul is with God, to whom she yet prays. But
when they would rend from her bosom the chain to which Paulo's papers
are attached, she shudders, her eyes flash, and she holds the papers in
her convulsively clinched hands.

"I have sworn to defend them with my life!" she exclaims aloud. "Paulo,
Paulo, I will keep my word!"

And with the boldness of a lioness she defends herself against her
executioners.

"Leave her those papers!" commanded Joseph Ribas who was present by
order of the empress. "She may keep them now--they will directly be
ours!"

"Oh, Paulo, I have kept the promise I made thee!" murmured Natalie. She
then implores to be allowed to read them, and Joseph Ribas grants her
the desired permission.

With trembling hands she breaks the seal and reads by the light of a
torch held up for her. A melancholy smile flits over her features, and
her arms fall powerless.

"Ah, they are the proofs of my imperial descent, nothing further. How
little is that, Paulo!"

And now lifting her up, they raise her high upon the backs of the
executioners.

The knout whistles as it whirls through the air, the noble blood flows
in streams. She makes no complaint, she prays. Only once, overcome by
pain, only once she loudly screams: "_Mercy, mercy for the daughter of
an empress!_"