The Daughter of an Empress, Page 3

  COUNT OSTERMANN

  Four weeks had passed since Biron, Duke of Courland, had commenced hisrule over Russia, as regent, in the name of the infant Emperor Ivan. TheRussian people had with indifference submitted to this new ruler, andmanifested the same subjection to him as to his predecessor. It was allthe same to them whoever sat in godlike splendor upon the magnificentimperial throne--what care that mass of degraded slaves, who arecrawling in the dust, for the name by which their tyrants are called?They remain what they are, slaves; and the one upon the throne remainswhat he is, their absolute lord and tyrant, who has the right to-day toscourge them with whips, to-morrow to make them barons and counts, andperhaps the next day to send them to Siberia, or subject them to theinfliction of the fatal knout. Whoever proclaims himself emperor ordictator, is greeted by the Russian people, that horde of creepingslaves, as their lord and master, the supreme disposer of life anddeath, while they crawl in the dust at his feet.

  They had sworn allegiance to the Regent Biron, as they had to theEmpress Anna; they threw themselves upon the earth when they met him,they humbly bared their heads when passing his palace; and when themagnates of the realm, the princes and counts of Russia, in theirproud equipages, discovered the regent's carriage in the distance, theyordered a halt, descended from their vehicles, and bowed themselves tothe ground before their passing lord. In Russia, all distinctions ofrank cease in the presence of the ruler; there is but one lord, and onetrembling slave, be he prince or beggar, and that lord must be obeyed,whether he commands a murder or any other crime. The word and will ofthe emperor purify and sanctify every act, blessing it and making ithonorable.

  Biron was emperor, although he bore only the name of regent; he had thepower and the dominion; the infant nurseling Ivan, the minor emperor,was but a shadow, a phantom, having the appearance but not the realityof lordship; he was a thing unworthy of notice; he could make no onetremble with fear, and therefore it was unnecessary to crawl in the dustbefore him.

  Homage was paid to the Regent Biron, Duke of Courland; the palace ofPrince Ulrich of Brunswick, and his son, the Emperor Ivan, stood emptyand desolate. No one regarded it, and yet perhaps it was worthy ofregard.

  Yet many repaired to this quiet, silent palace, to know whom Biron wouldperhaps have given princedoms and millions! But no one was there tobetray them to the regent; they were very silent and very cautious inthe palace of the Prince of Brunswick and his wife the Princess AnnaLeopoldowna.

  It was, as we have said, about four weeks after the commencement of theregency of the Duke of Courland, when a sedan-chair was set down beforea small back door of the Duchess Anna Leopoldowna's palace; it hadbeen borne and accompanied by four serfs, over whose gold-embroideredliveries, as if to protect them from the weather, had been laid atolerably thick coat of dust and sweat. Equally splendid, elegant, andunclean was the chair which the servants now opened for the purpose ofaiding their age-enfeebled master to emerge from it. That person,who now made his appearance, was a shrunken, trembling, coughing oldgentleman; his small, bent, distorted form was wrapped in a fur cloakwhich, somewhat tattered, permitted a soiled and faded under-dressto make itself perceptible, giving to the old man the appearance ofindigence and slovenliness. Nothing, not even the face, or the thin andmeagre hands he extended to his servants, was neat and cleanly; nothingabout him shone but his eyes, those gray, piercing eyes with their fieryside-glances and their now kind and now sly and subtle expression. Thisragged and untidy old man might have been taken for a beggar, had nothis dirty fingers and his faded neck-tie, whose original color washardly discoverable, flashed with brilliants of an unusual size, and hadnot the arms emblazoned upon the door of his chair, in spite of the dustand dirt, betrayed a noble rank. The arms were those of the Ostermannfamily, and this dirty old man in the ragged cloak was Count Ostermann,the famous Russian statesman, the son of a German preacher, who hadmanaged by wisdom, cunning, and intrigue to continue in place under fivesuccessive Russian emperors or regents, most of whom had usually beenthrust from power by some bloody means. Czar Peter, who first appointedhim as a minister of state, and confided to him the department offoreign affairs, on his death-bed said to his successor, the firstCatherine, that Ostermann was the only one who had never made a falsestep, and recommended him to his wife as a prop to the empire. Catherineappointed him imperial chancellor and tutor of Peter II.; he knew how tosecure and preserve the favor of both, and the successor of Peter II.,the Empress Anna, was glad to retain the services of the celebratedstatesman and diplomatist who had so faithfully served her predecessors.From Anna he came to her favorite, Baron of Courland, who did notventure to remove one whose talents had gained for him so distinguisheda reputation, and who in any case might prove a very dangerous enemy.

  But with Count Ostermann it had gone as with Count Munnich. Neitherof them had been able to obtain from the regent any thing more than aconfirmation of their offices and dignities, to which Biron, jealousof power, had been unwilling to make any addition. Deceived in theirexpectations, vexed at this frustration of their plans, they had bothcome to the determination to overthrow the man who was unwilling toadvance them; they had become Biron's enemies because he did not showhimself their friend, and, openly devoted to him and bowing in thedust before him, they had secretly repaired to his bitterest enemy,the Duchess Anna Leopoldowna, to offer her their services against thehaughty regent who swayed the iron sceptre of his despotic power overRussia.

  A decisive conversation was this day to be held with the duchess and herhusband, Prince Ulrich of Brunswick, and therefore, an unheard-of case,had even Count Ostermann resolved to leave his dusty room for some hoursand repair to the palace of the Duchess Anna Leopoldowna.

  "Slowly, slowly, ye knaves," groaned Ostermann, as he ascended thenarrow winding stairs with the aid of his servants. "See you not, youhounds, that every one of your movements causes me insufferable pain?Ah, a fearful illness is evidently coming; it is already attacking mylimbs, and pierces and agonizes every part of my system! Let my bed beprepared at home, you scamps, and have a strengthening soup made readyfor me. And now away, fellows, and woe to you if, during my absence,either one of you should dare to break into the store-room orwine-cellar! You know that I have good eyes, and am cognizant of everyarticle on hand, even to its exact weight and measure. Take care,therefore, take care! for if but an ounce of meat or a glass of wineis missing, I will have you whipped, you hounds, until the blood flows.That you may depend upon!"

  And, dismissing his assistants with a kick, Count Ostermann ascended thelast steps of the winding stairs alone and unaided. But, before openingthe door at the head of the stairs, he took time for reflection.

  "Hem! perhaps it would have been better for me to have been alreadytaken ill, for if this plan should miscarry, and the regent discoverthat I was in the palace to-day, how then? Ah, I already seem to feela draught of Siberian air! But no, it will succeed, and how would thatambitious Munnich triumph should it succeed without me! No, for thistime I must be present, to the vexation of Munnich, that he may not putall Russia in his pocket! The good man has such large pockets and suchgrasping hands!"

  Nodding and smiling to himself, Ostermann opened the door of theanteroom. A rapid, searching glance satisfied him that he was alonethere, but his brow darkened when he observed Count Munnich's mantlelying upon a chair.

  "Ah, he has preceded me," peevishly murmured Ostermann. "Well, well,we can afford once more to yield the precedence to him. To-dayhe--to-morrow I! My turn will come to-morrow!"

  Quite forgetting his illness and his pretended pains, he rapidly crossedthe spacious room, and, throwing his ragged fur cloak upon Munnich'smantle, said:

  "A poor old cloak like this is yet in condition to render thatresplendent uniform invisible. Not a spangle of that magnificent goldembroidery can be seen, it is all overshadowed by the ragged old cloakwhich Munnich so much despises! Oh, the good field-marshal will rejoiceto find his mantle in such good company, and I hope my cloak mayleave some visib
le memento upon its embroidered companion. Well, thefield-marshal is a brave man, and I have given him an opportunity tomake a campaign against his own mantle! The fool, why does he dislikethese good little animals, and would yet be a Russian!"

  As, however, he opened the door of the next room, his form again tookits former shrunken, frail appearance, and his features again bore theexpression of suffering and exhaustion.

  "Ah, it is you," said Prince Ulrich, advancing to meet the count, whileMunnich stood near a writing-table, in earnest conversation with AnnaLeopoldowna, to whom he seemed to be explaining something upon a sheetof paper.

  "We have waited long for you, my dear count," continued the prince,offering his hand to the new-comer, with a smile.

  "The old and the sick always have the misfortune to arrive too late,"said Count Ostermann, "pain and suffering are such hinderances, yourgrace. And, moreover, I have only come in obedience to the wishes ofyour highness, well knowing that I am superfluous here. What has thefeeble old man to do in the councils of the strong?"

  "To represent wisdom in council," said the prince, "and for that, youare precisely the man, count."

  "Ah, Count Ostermann," at this moment interposed Munnich, "it is wellyou have come. You will be best able to tell their excellencies whetherI am right or not."

  "Field-Marshall Munnich is always right," said Ostermann, with apleasant smile. "I unconditionally say 'yes' to whatever you may haveproposed, provided that it is not a proposition of which my judgmentcannot approve."

  "That is a very conditional yes!" exclaimed the duchess, laughing.

  "A 'yes,' all perforated with little back doors through which a 'no' mayconveniently enter," laughed the prince.

  "The back doors are in all cases of the greatest importance," said CountOstermann, earnestly. "Through back doors one often attains to the roomsof state, and had your palace here accidentally had no back door for theadmission of us, your devoted servants, who knows, your highness Anna,whether you would on this very night become regent!"

  "On this night!" suddenly exclaimed Munnich. "You see, your highness,that Count Ostermann is wholly of my opinion. It must be done thisnight!"

  "That would be overhaste," cried the duchess; "we are not yet prepared!"

  "Nor is the regent, Biron of Courland," thoughtfully interposedOstermann; "and, therefore, our overhaste would take Biron by surprise."

  "Decidedly my opinion," said Munnich. "All is lost if we give the regenttime and leisure to make his arrangements. If we do not annihilate himto-day, he may, perhaps, send us to Siberia to-morrow."

  The duchess turned pale; a trembling ran through her tall, noble form.

  "I so much dread the shedding of blood!" said she.

  "Oh, I am not at all vain," said Ostermann. "I find it much lessunpleasant to see the blood of others flowing than my own. It may beegotism, but I prefer keeping my blood in my veins to exposing it to thegaping curiosity of an astonished crowd!"

  "You think, then, that he already suspects, and would murder us?"

  "You, us, and also your son, the Emperor Ivan."

  "Also my son!" exclaimed Leopoldowna, her eyes flashing like those of anenraged lioness. "Ah, I should know how to defend my son. Let Biron fallthis night!"

  "So be it!" unanimously exclaimed the three men.

  "He has driven us to this extremity," said the princess. "Not enoughthat he has banished our friends and faithful servants, surrounding uswith his miserable creatures and spies--not enough that he wounds andhumiliates us in every way--he would rend the young emperor from us, hisparents, his natural protectors. We are attacked in our holiest rights,and must, therefore, defend ourselves."

  "But what shall we do with this small Biron, when he is no longer thegreat regent?" asked Ostermann.

  "We will make him by a head smaller," said Munnich, laughing.

  "No," vehemently exclaimed Leopoldowna--"no, no blood shall flow! Notwith blood shall our own and our son's rights be secured! Swear thisgentlemen, or I will never give my consent to the undertaking."

  "I well knew that your highness would so decide," said Munnich, with asmile, drawing a folded paper from his bosom. "In proof of which I handthis paper to your highness."

  "Ah, what is this?" said the duchess, unfolding the paper; "it is theground plan of a house!"

  "Of the house we will have built for Biron in Siberia," said Munnich; "Ihave drawn the plan myself."

  "In fact, you are a skilful architect, Count Munnich," said Ostermann,laughing, while casting an interrogating glance at the paper which Annawas still thoughtfully examining. "How well you have arranged it all!How delightful these snug little chambers will be! There will be justspace enough in them to turn around in. But these small chambers seem tobe a little too low. They are evidently not more than five feet high.As Biron, however, has about your height, he will not be able to standupright in them."

  "Bah! for that very reason!" said Munnich, with a cruel laugh. "He hascarried his head high long enough; now he may learn to bow."

  "But that will be a continual torment!" exclaimed the Duke of Brunswick.

  "On, has he not tormented us?" angrily responded Munnich. "We needreprisals."

  "How strange and horrible!" said Anna Leopoldowna, shuddering; "this manis now standing here clothed with unlimited power, and we are alreadyholding in our hands the plan of his prison!"

  "Yes, yes, and with this plan in his pocket will Count Munnich now goto dine with Biron and enjoy his hospitality!" laughingly exclaimedOstermann. "Ah, that must make the dinner particularly piquant! Howagreeable it must be to press the regent's hand, and at the same timefeel the rustling in your pocket of the paper upon which you have drawnthe plan of his Siberian prison! But you are in the right. The regenthas deeply offended you. How could he dare refuse to make you hisgeneralissimo?"

  "Ah, it is not for that," said Munnich with embarrassment; and, seekingto give the conversation a different turn, he continued--"ah, see, CountOstermann, what a terrible animal is crawling there upon your dress!"

  "Policy, nothing but policy," tranquilly responded Ostermann, while theprincess turned away with an expression of repugnance.

  "Well," cried the prince, laughing, "explain to us, Count Ostermann,what those disgusting insects have to do with policy or politics?"

  "We are all four Germans," said Ostermann, "and consequently are allfamiliar with the common saying, 'Tell me the company you keep, and Iwill tell you what you are!' I have always kept that in mind since Ihave been in Russia; and to make this good people forget that I am aforeigner, I have taken particular pains to furnish myself with a supplyof their dirt and of these delicate insects. If any one asks me who Iam, I show him these creatures with whom I associate, and he immediatelyconcludes that I am a Russian."

  Ostermann joined in the laugh that followed this explanation, butsuddenly he uttered a piercing cry, and sank down upon a chair.

  "Ah, these pains will be the death of me!" he moaned--"ah, I alreadyfeel the ravages of death in my blood; yes, I have long known thata dangerous malady was hovering over me, and my death-bed is alreadyprepared at home! I am a poor failing old man, and who knows whether Ishall outlive the evening of this day?"

  While Ostermann was thus lamenting, and the prince with kindly sympathywas occupied about him, Munnich had returned the drawing to his pocket,and was speaking in a low tone to the duchess of some yet necessarypreparations for the night. Count Ostermann, notwithstanding hislamentations and his pretended pains, had yet a sharp ear for everyword they spoke. He very distinctly heard the duchess say: "Well, I amsatisfied! I shall expect you at about two o'clock in the morning, andif the affair is successful, you, Count Munnich, may be sure of mymost fervent gratitude; you will then have liberated Russia, the youngemperor, and myself, from a cruel and despotic tyrant, and I shall beeternally beholden to you."

  Count Munnich's brow beamed with inward satisfaction. "I shall, then,attain my ends," thought he. Aloud he said: "Your highness, I have butone w
ish and one request; if you are willing to fulfil this, then willthere be nothing left on earth for me to desire."

  "Then name your request at once, that I may grant it in advance!" saidthe princess, with a smile.

  "The man is getting on rapidly, and will even now get the appointment ofgeneralissimo," thought Ostermann. "That must never be; I must preventit!"

  And just as Munnich was opening his mouth to prefer his request,Ostermann suddenly uttered so loud and piteous a cry of anguish that thecompassionate and alarmed princess hastened to offer him her sympathyand aid.

  At this moment the clock upon the wall struck four. That was the hourfor which Munnich was invited to dine with the regent. It would not doto fail of his engagement to-day--he must be punctual, to avoid excitingsuspicion. He, therefore, had no longer the time to lay his requestbefore the princess; consequently Count Ostermann had accomplished hisobject, and secretly triumphing, he loudly groaned and complained of hissufferings.

  Count Munnich took his leave.

  "I go now," he smilingly said, "to take my last dinner with the Duke ofCourland. I shall return this night at the appointed hour. We shall thenconvert the duke into a Siberian convict, which, at all events, will bea very interesting operation."

  Thus he departed, with a horrible laugh upon his lips, to keep hisappointment with the regent.

  Count Ostermann had again attained his end--he remained alone with theprincely pair. Had Munnich been the first who came, Ostermann was thelast to go.

  "Ah," said he, rising with apparent difficulty, "I will now bear my old,diseased body to my dwelling, to repose and perhaps to die upon my bedof pain."

  "Not to die, I hope," said Anna.

  "You must live, that you may see us in our greatness," said the prince.

  Ostermann feebly shook his head. "I see, I see it all," said he. "Youwill liberate yourself from one tyrant, your highness, to become theprey of another. The eyes of the dying see clear, and I tell you,duchess, you were already on the point of giving away the power you haveattained. Know you what Munnich's demand will be?"

  "Well?"

  "He will demand what Biron refused him, and for which refusal Munnichbecame his enemy. He will ask you to appoint him generalissimo of allyour forces by land and sea."

  "Then will he demand what naturally belongs to me," said the prince,excitedly, "and we shall of course refuse it."

  "Yes, we must refuse it," repeated the princess.

  "And in that you will do well," said Count Ostermann. "I may venture tosay so, as I have no longer the least ambition--death will soon relieveme from all participation in affairs of state. I am a feeble old man,and desire nothing more than to be allowed occasionally to impart goodcounsels to my benefactors. And this is now my advice: Guard yourselvesagainst the ambition of Count Munnich."

  "We shall bear your counsel in mind," said the prince.

  "We will not appoint him generalissimo!" exclaimed the princess. "Hemust never forget that he is our servant, and we his masters."

  "And now permit me to go, your highness," said Ostermann. "Will youhave the kindness, prince, to command your lackeys to bear me to mysedan-chair? It is impossible for me to walk a step. Yes, yes, while youare this night contending for a throne, I shall, perhaps, be strugglingwith death."

  And with a groan, sinking back into the arms of the lackeys whom theprince had called, Ostermann suffered himself to be carried down to hischair, which awaited him at the door. He groaned and cried out as theyplaced him in it, but as soon as its doors were closed and his serfswere trotting with him toward his own palace, the suffering expressionvanished from Ostermann's face, and a sly smile of satisfaction playedupon his lips.

  "I think I have well employed my time," he muttered to himself. "Thegood Munnich will never become generalissimo, and poor old failingOstermann may now, unsuspected, go quietly to bed and comfortably awaitthe coming events. Such an illness, at the right time, is an insuranceagainst all accidents and miscarriages. I learned that after the deathof Peter II. Who knows what would then have become of me had I not beencareful to remain sick in bed until Anna had mounted the throne? I will,therefore, again be sick, and in the morning we shall see! Shouldthis conjuration succeed, very well; then, perhaps, old Ostermann willgradually recover sufficient health to take yet a few of the burdensof state upon his own shoulders, and thus relieve the good Munnich of apart of his cares!"