"Rely upon me," whispered Alexis, "she must and shall join in our

plans."

He approached the princess, who was walking the room in a state of the

most violent agitation, giving vent to her internal excitement and anger

in loud exclamations and bitter curses.

"I must therefore die!" sighed Alexis, pressing Elizabeth's trembling

hand to his lips. "Kill me, princess, thrust a dagger in my heart, that

I at least may not live to see you married to another!"

"No, you shall not die," cried Elizabeth, with fierce vehemence,

throwing her arms around Razumovsky's neck. "I will know how to defend

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you and myself, Alexis! Ah, they would shackle me,--they would force me

to marry, because they know I hate marriage. Yes, I hate those unnatural

fetters which could command my heart, force it into obedience to an

unnatural law, and degrade divine free love, which would flutter from

flower to flower, into a necessity and a duty. It is an unnatural

law which would compel us forever to love a man because he pleased us

yesterday or may please us to-day, and who perhaps may not please us

to-morrow, while on the next day he may excite only repugnance! Would

they forge these matrimonial chains for me? Ah, Regent Anna, you are

this time mistaken; you may be all-powerful in this empire, but you

cannot and shall not extend that power over me!"

"And how," asked Lestocq, shrugging his shoulders, "how will Princess

Elizabeth oppose the regent or empress? What weapon has she with which

to contend?"

"If it must be so, I will oppose power to power!" passionately exclaimed

the princess. "Yes, when it comes to the defence of my freedom and my

personal rights I will then have the courage to dare all, defy all;

then will I shake off the lethargy of contented mediocrity, and upon the

throne will find that freedom which Anna would tread under foot!"

"Long live our future empress! Long live Elizabeth!" cried the men with

wild excitement.

"I have long withstood you, my friends," said Elizabeth, "I have not

coveted this imperial Russian crown, but much less have I desired that

crown of thorns a compulsory marriage. I am now ready for the struggle,

and, if it must be so, let a revolution, let streams of blood decide

whether the Regent Anna Leopoldowna or the daughter of Peter the Great

has the best right to govern this land and prescribe its laws!"

"Ah, now are you really your great father's great daughter!" cried

Lestocq, and bending a knee before the princess, he continued: "Let me

be the first to pay you homage, the first to swear eternal fidelity to

you, our Empress Elizabeth."

"Receive also my oath, Empress Elizabeth," said Alexis, falling upon his

knees before her, "receive the oaths of your slaves who desire nothing

but to devote their bodies and souls to your service!"




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