Princess Elizabeth smiled, and with harmless unconstraint chatted yet a
long time with the shrewd and versatile ambassador of the French king.
"I have yet one more request to make," said the marquis, when about to
take 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 hear
what else you have to ask."
"My king and master has learned with regret that the noble Princess
Elizabeth is not surrounded with that wealth and splendor which is her
due as the daughter of the great emperor and the rightful heir to the
Russian throne. My king begs the favor of being allowed to make good the
delinquency toward you of the present Russian regency, and that he may
have the pleasure of providing you with the means necessary to enable
you to establish a court suitable to your birth and position. I am
provided with sufficient funds for these purposes. You have only to send
me 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 able
sufficiently to testify my gratitude to the generous King of France.
I am a poor, insignificant woman, who can thankfully accept but never
requite his kindness."
"Who knows?" said the marquis significantly. "You may one day become the
most powerful woman in Europe, for your birth and your destiny call you
to the throne."
"Oh, I know you are Lestocq's friend, and share his dreams," said the
princess. "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 and
respect him; for we willingly incur obligations only to those who are so
highly estimated that we gratefully subordinate ourselves to them. Write
this to your king."
"And may I also write to him," asked the marquis, "that this
conversation will remain a secret, of which, above all things, the
regent, Anna Leopoldowna, is to know nothing?"
"My imperial word of honor," said the princess, "that no one except
ourselves and Lestocq, whom you yourself propose as a medium, shall know
anything of this great generosity of your sovereign. God grant that
a time may one day come when I may loudly and publicly acknowledge my
great obligations to him!"
"That time will have come when you are Empress of Russia!" said the
ambassador, taking his leave.
"Already one more who has taken it into his head to make an empress of
me," said the princess, as her three favorites again entered. "Foolish
people that you are! It does not satisfy you to be the friend of a
Princess Elizabeth, but I must become an empress for your sakes."