"I was at the ball precisely because I remembered my oath," said
Lestocq, "because I was intent upon redeeming my word and delivering
over to you this Countess Lapuschkin as a criminal! But you could not
recognize me, as I was in the disguise of a lackey of the Countess
Eleonore Lapuschkin."
Elizabeth springing up from her seat, stared with breathless curiosity
into Lestocq's face.
"Well?" she anxiously asked, as Lestocq remained silent. "Speak on; then
what further?"
"Illustrious empress," said Lestocq, "I am now here to redeem my word.
This Countess Eleonore Lapuschkin is a criminal!"
"Ah, thank God!" cried Elizabeth, breathing more freely.
"By various intrigues and stratagems, by bribery of her servants, I have
finally succeeded in spying out her secrets, and last evening, when as
her lackey I conducted her from the ball and afterward waited at table
at an entertainment given by her husband to some confidential friends,
last evening her whole plan was made clear to me. It is a great and
very important conspiracy that I have detected! This Countess Eleonore
Lapuschkin is guilty of high-treason; she conspires against her
legitimate empress!"
"Ah, she conspires!" exclaimed Elizabeth, with a fierce laugh. "For
whom, then, does she conspire?"
"For one whose name I dare not utter without the express permission of
my empress!"
"Speak, speak quickly!"
Lestocq bent down close to the ear of the empress. "She conspires for
the Schlusselburg prisoner Ivan!" said he.
"I shall therefore be able to punish her," said Elizabeth, smilingly. "I
shall no longer be obliged to suffer this hated woman within the walls
of my capital!"
"Siberia has room for her and her fellow-conspirators!" replied Lestocq.
"For this fair countess is not alone guilty, although she is the soul
of the conjuration, as it is love that animates her. Eleonore Lapuschkin
conspires for her lover!"
"Oh, this adored saint has, then, a lover!" exclaimed the empress. "And
I believed her spotless as a lily, so pure that I felt abashed in her
presence!"
"You have banished her lover to Siberia, the lover of Eleonore, Count
Lowenwald. You may believe that that has caused her a mortal grief."
"Ah," joyfully exclaimed Elizabeth, "I have, therefore, unknowingly
caused her tears to flow! But I will yet do it with a perfect
consciousness! Relate to me in detail exactly what you know of this
conspiracy!"
And Lestocq related that Eleonore Lapuschkin, in connection with her
husband, the chamberlain Lilienfeld, and Madame Bestuscheff, who was the
sister of the condemned Golopkin, had entered into a conspiracy for the
overthrow of Elizabeth and the placing of Ivan upon the throne, and thus
releasing the prisoners banished to Siberia.
"Oh, they were very gay at the yesterday's dinner of the conspirators,"
said Lestocq. "The husband of Countess Lapuschkin even ventured to drink
the health of the Emperor Ivan, and to his speedy liberation!"