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.