Prince Ulrich of Brunswick, the husband of the regent, had assembled
the officers of his general staff for a secret conference. Their dark,
threatening glances were prophetic of mischief, and angrily flashed the
eyes of the prince, who, standing in their midst, had spoken to them in
glowing words of his domestic unhappiness, and of the idle, dreamy, and
amatory indolence into which the regent had fallen.
"She writes amorous complainings," he now said, with a voice of rage,
in closing his long speech--"she writes sonnets to her lover, instead of
governing and reading the petitions, reports, and other documents
that come to her from the different ministries and bureaus, which she
constantly returns unread. You are men, and are you willing to bear
the humiliation of being governed by a woman who dishonors you by
disregarding her first and holiest duties, and setting before your wives
and daughters the shameful example of a criminal love, thus disgracing
her own son, your emperor and master?"
"No, no, we will not bear it!" cried the wildly excited men, grasping
the hilts of their swords. "Give us proof of her unfaithfulness, and we
shall know how to act as becomes men over whom an adulterous woman would
reign!"
"It is an unnatural and unendurable law that commands man to obey a
woman. It is contrary to nature that the mother should rule in the
name of her son, when the father is living--the father, whom nature
and universal custom acknowledge as the lord and head of his wife and
children!" cried the prince.
"Give us proof of her guilt," cried the soldiers, "and we will this very
hour proclaim you regent in her stead!"
A confidential servant of the prince, who entered at this moment, now
whispered a few words in his ear.
The prince's face flamed up. "Well, then, gentleman," said he,
straightening himself up, "you demand proof. In this very hour will I
furnish it to you. But I do it upon one condition. No personal violence!
In the person of your present regent you must respect the mother of your
emperor, the wife of your future regent! Anna will yield to our just
representations, and voluntarily sign the act of abdication in my favor.
That is all we ought to demand of her. She will retain her sacred and
inviolable rights as the wife of your regent, as the mother of your
emperor. Forget not that!"
"First of all, give us the proof of her guilt!" impatiently cried the
men.
"I shall, alas, be able to give it you!" said the prince, with dignity.
"Far be it from me to desire the conviction of an innocent person!
Believe me, nothing but her guilt could induce me to take action against
her; were she innocent, I would be the first to kneel and renew to her
my oath of fidelity and obedience. But you cannot desire that I, your
generalissimo, should be the subject of a wife who shamefully treads
under foot her first and holiest duty! The honor of you all is wounded
in mine. Come, follow me now. I will show you Count Lynar in the arms of
his mistress, the Regent Anna Leopoldowna!"