NO LOVE
Prince Ulrich of Brunswick, the husband of the regent, had assembledthe officers of his general staff for a secret conference. Their dark,threatening glances were prophetic of mischief, and angrily flashed theeyes of the prince, who, standing in their midst, had spoken to them inglowing words of his domestic unhappiness, and of the idle, dreamy, andamatory 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 ofgoverning and reading the petitions, reports, and other documentsthat come to her from the different ministries and bureaus, which sheconstantly returns unread. You are men, and are you willing to bearthe humiliation of being governed by a woman who dishonors you bydisregarding her first and holiest duties, and setting before your wivesand daughters the shameful example of a criminal love, thus disgracingher own son, your emperor and master?"
"No, no, we will not bear it!" cried the wildly excited men, graspingthe hilts of their swords. "Give us proof of her unfaithfulness, and weshall know how to act as becomes men over whom an adulterous woman wouldreign!"
"It is an unnatural and unendurable law that commands man to obey awoman. It is contrary to nature that the mother should rule in thename of her son, when the father is living--the father, whom natureand universal custom acknowledge as the lord and head of his wife andchildren!" cried the prince.
"Give us proof of her guilt," cried the soldiers, "and we will this veryhour proclaim you regent in her stead!"
A confidential servant of the prince, who entered at this moment, nowwhispered 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 Ifurnish 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 youremperor, the wife of your future regent! Anna will yield to our justrepresentations, and voluntarily sign the act of abdication in my favor.That is all we ought to demand of her. She will retain her sacred andinviolable rights as the wife of your regent, as the mother of youremperor. Forget not that!"
"First of all, give us the proof of her guilt!" impatiently cried themen.
"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 againsther; were she innocent, I would be the first to kneel and renew to hermy oath of fidelity and obedience. But you cannot desire that I, yourgeneralissimo, should be the subject of a wife who shamefully treadsunder foot her first and holiest duty! The honor of you all is woundedin mine. Come, follow me now. I will show you Count Lynar in the arms ofhis mistress, the Regent Anna Leopoldowna!"
The prince strode forth, cautiously followed by his generals. They thuspassed noiselessly through the long corridor leading from the wing ofthe palace inhabited by the prince to that occupied by the regent.
In the boudoir of the Regent Anna a somewhat singular scene was nowpresented.
The tender caresses of the lovers were suddenly interrupted by Julia vonMengden, who slipped in through the secret door in a white satin robe,and with a myrtle crown upon her head.
"Princess Anna, it is time for you to know all!" she hurriedly said."Your husband is now coming here through the corridor with his generals;they hope to surprise you in your lover's arms, that they may have anexcuse for deposing you from the regency and substituting your husband.Struggle against struggle! We will outwit them, and cure your husband ofhis jealousy! From this hour he shall be compelled to acknowledge thathe was mistaken, and that it is for him to implore your pardon. AnnaLeopoldowna, I love no one in the world but you, and therefore I amready to do all that love can do for you. I will marry Count Lynar forthe purpose of preserving you from suspicion and slander. I will bearthe name of his wife, as a screen for the concealment of your loves."
Anna's eyes overflowed with tears of emotion and transport.
"Weep not, my love," whispered the count, "be strong and great in thiseventful hour! Now will you be forever mine, for this magnanimous friendveils and protects our union."
Julia opened the door and waved her hand.
A Russian pope in sacred vestments, followed by two other servantsof the church, entered the room. With them came the most trustedmaid-servants of Julia.
Clasping the count's hand and advancing to Anna, Julia said: "Grant,illustrious princess, that we may celebrate our solemn espousal in thyhigh presence, which is the best blessing of our union!"
Anna opened wide her arms to her favorite, and, pressing her to herbosom, whispered: "I will never forget thee, my Julia. My blessing uponthee, my angel!"
"I will be a true sister to him," whispered Julia in return;"always believe in me and trust me. And now, my Anna, calmness andself-possession! I already hear your husband's approach. Be strong andgreat. Let no feature of your dear face betray your inward commotion!"
And, stepping back to the count, Julia made a sign to the priest tocommence the marriage ceremony.
Hand in hand the bridal pair knelt before the priest, the servantsfolded their hands in prayer, and, proudly erect, with a heavenlytransfiguration of her noble face, stood Anna Leopoldowna--the priestcommenced the ceremony.
A slight noise was heard at the closed, concealed door. The priestcalmly continued to speak, the bridal pair remained in their kneelingposition, and, calmly smiling, stood the regent by their side.
The door opened, and, followed by his generals, the enraged princeappeared upon the threshold.
No one suffered himself to be disturbed; the priest continued theservice, the parties remained upon their knees, Anna Leopoldowna stoodlooking on with a proud and tranquil smile.
Motionless, benumbed, as if struck by lightning, remained the princeupon the threshold; behind him were seen the astonished faces of hisgenerals, who, on tiptoe, stretched their necks to gaze, over eachother's shoulders, upon this singular and unexpected spectacle!
At length a murmur arose, they pressed farther forward toward the door,and, overcoming his momentary stupefaction, the prince ventured into theroom.
An angry glance of the priest commanded silence; with a louder voice hecontinued his prayer. Anna Leopoldowna smilingly beckoned her husband toher side, and slightly nodded to the generals.
They bowed to the ground before their august mistress, the regent.
Now came the closing prayer and the dispensation of the blessing. Thepriest pronounced it kneeling,--the regent also bent the knee, and drewthe prince down beside her. Following the example of the generalissimo,the other generals also sank upon their knees,--it was a general prayer,which no one dared disturb.
The ceremony was ended. The priest kissed and blessed the bridal pair,and then departed with his assistants; he was followed by the servantsof the favorite.
Anna now turned with a proud smile to the prince.
"Accident, my husband, has made you a witness of this marriage," saidshe. "May I ask your highness what procures me this unexpected andsomewhat intrusive visit, and why my generals, unannounced, accompanyyou to their regent and mistress?"
The embarrassed prince stammered some unintelligible words, to whichAnna paid no attention.
Stepping forward, she motioned the generals to enter, and with hermost fascinating smile said: "Ah, I think I now know the reason of yourcoming, gentlemen! Your loyal and faithful hearts yearn for a sight ofyour young emperor. It is true, his faithful subjects have not seen himfor a long time! Even a sovereign is not guaranteed against the evilinfluences of the weather, which has lately been very rough, and forthat reason the young czar has been unable to show himself to hispeople. Ah, it pleases me that you have come, and I am obliged to myhusband for bringing you to me so unexpectedly. You may now satisfyyourselves that the emperor lives and is growing fast. Julia, bring usthe young emperor!"
Julia von Me
ngden silently departed, while Count Lynar, respectfullyapproaching the regent, said a few words to her in a low tone.
"You are quite right, sir count," said the regent aloud, and, turning toher husband and the generals, continued: "Count Lynar is in sometrouble about the unexpected publicity given to his marriage. There are,however, important reasons for keeping it still a secret. The family ofmy maid of honor are opposed to this alliance with the foreigner, andinsist that Julia shall marry another whom they have destined for her.On the other hand, certain family considerations render secrecy the dutyof the count. Julia, oppressed by her inexorable relations, disclosedthe state of affairs to me, and as I love Julia, and as I saw thatshe was wasting away with grief without the possession of her lover, Ifavored her connection with Count Lynar. They daily saw each other in myapartments, and, finally yielding to their united prayers, I consentedthat they should this day be legally united by the priest, and thusdefeat the opposition of their respective families.
"This, gentlemen," continued Anna, raising her voice, "is the simpleexplanation of this mystery. I owe this explanation to myself, wellknowing that secret slander and malicious insinuations might seekto implicate me in this affair, and that a certain inimical andevil-disposed party, displeased that you should have a woman for regent,would be glad to prove to you that all women are weak, faulty, andsinful creatures! Be careful how you credit such miserable tales!"
Silent, with downcast eyes, stood the generals under the flashing glanceof the regent, who now turned to her husband with a mocking smile. "You,my prince and husband," said she, "you I have to thank!--your tendernessof heart induced you generously to furnish me with this opportunity tojustify my conduct to my most distinguished and best-beloved subjectsand servants, and thus to break the point of the weapon with whichcalumny threatened my breast! I therefore thank you, my husband. Butsee! there comes the emperor."
In fact, the folding-doors were at this moment thrown open, and a longtrain of palace officials and servants approached. At the head of thetrain was Julia von Mengden, bearing a velvet cushion bespangled withbrilliants, upon which reposed the child in a dress of gold brocade. Onboth sides were seen the richly adorned nurses and attendants, and nearthem the major-domo, bearing upon a golden cushion the imperial crownand other insignia of empire.
Anna Leopoldowna took young Ivan in her arms; the child smiled in herface, and stretched forth his hand toward the sparkling crown.
With her son upon her arm, Anna majestically advanced to the centre ofthe hall, and, lifting up the child, said: "Behold your emperor! Respectand reverence for your illustrious master! Upon your knees in thepresence of your emperor!"
It was as if all, servants, attendants, and generals, had been struckwith a magic wand. They all fell upon their knees, and bowed their headsto the earth--venal slaves, one word from their ruler sufficed to setthem all grovelling in the dust!
With a proud smile Anna enjoyed this triumph. Near her stood the prince,the father of the emperor, with rage and shame in his heart.
"Long live the emperor!" resounded from all lips, and the child Ivan,Emperor of all the Russias, screeched for joy at the noise and at thesplendor of the assemblage.
"Long live our noble regent, Anna Leopoldowna!" now loudly cried Juliavon Mengden.
Like a thundering cry of jubilation it was instantly echoed through thehall.
The generals were the first to join in this enthusiastic _viva!_
A quarter of an hour later the generals were permitted to retire, andthe emperor was reconveyed to his apartments.
Anna Leopoldowna remained alone with her husband and the newly-marriedpair, who had retreated to the recess of a window and were whisperingtogether.
Anna now turned to her husband, and, with cutting coldness in her tone,said:
"You must understand, my husband, that I am very generous. It was in mypower to arrest you as a traitor, but I preferred to shame you, becauseyou, unhappily, are the father of my child."
"You think, then," asked the prince, with a scornful smile, "that Ishall take the buffoonery you have just had played before us for truth?"
"That, my prince, must wholly depend upon your own good pleasure. Butfor the present I must request you to retire to your own apartments!I feel myself much moved and exhausted, and have also to prepare somesecret dispatches for Count Lynar to take with him in his journey."
"Count Lynar is, then, to leave us?" quickly asked the prince, in anevidently more friendly tone.
"Yes," said Anna, "he leaves us for some weeks to visit the estate inLiefland which I have given to Julia as a bridal present, and to makethere the necessary preparations for the proper reception of his wife."
Julia clasped the hands of her mistress, and bathed them with tears ofjoy and gratitude.
"Anna," whispered Prince Ulrich, "I did you wrong. Pardon me."
Anna coldly responded: "I will pardon you if you will be generous enoughto allow me a little repose."
The prince silently and respectfully withdrew.
Anna finally, left alone with her lover and her favorite, sank exhaustedupon a divan.
"Close the doors, Julia, that no one may surprise us," she faintlymurmured. "I will take leave. Oh, I would be left for at least a quarterof an hour undisturbed in my unhappiness."
"Then it is quite true that you intend to drive me away?" asked CountLynar, kneeling and clasping her hands. "You are determined to send meinto banishment?"
Anna gave him a glance of tenderness.
"No," said she, "I will send myself into banishment, for I shall notsee you dearest. But I felt that this sacrifice was necessary. Juliahas sacrificed herself for us. With another love in her heart, she hasmagnanimously thrown away her freedom and given up her maiden love forthe promotion of our happiness. We owe it to her to preserve her honoruntarnished, that the calumnious crowd may not pry into the motives ofher generous act. For Julia's sake, the world must and shall believethat she is in fact your wife, and that it was love that united you. Wemust, therefore, preserve appearances, and you must conduct your wife toyour estate in triumph. Decency requires it, and we cannot disregard itsrequirements."
"Princess Anna is in the right," said Julia; "you must absent yourselffor a few weeks--not for my sake, who little desire any such triumph,but that the world may believe the tale, and no longer suspect myprincess."
It was a sweetly painful hour--a farewell so tearful, and yet so full ofdeeply-felt happiness. On that very night was the count to commence hisjourney to Liefland and Warsaw. As they wished to make no secret of themarriage, the count needed the consent of his court and his family.
Anna provided him with letters and passports. The best and fairest ofthe estates of the crown in Liefland was assigned to Julia as a bridalpresent, and the count was furnished with the proper documents to enablehim to take possession of it.
And finally came the parting moment! For the last time they lay ineach other's arms; they mutually swore eternal love, unconquerablefidelity--all that a loving couple could swear!
Tearing himself from her embrace, he rushed to the door.
Anna stretches out her arms toward him, her brow is pallid, her eyesfixed. The door opens, he turns for one last look, and nods a farewell.Ah, with her last glance she would forever enchain that noble andbeautiful face--with her extended arms she would forever retain thatmajestic form.
"Farewell, Anna, farewell!"
The door closes behind him--he is gone!
A cold shudder convulsed Anna's form, a bodeful fear took possession ofher mind. It lay upon her heart like a dark mourning-veil.
"I shall never, never see him again!" she shrieked, sinking unconsciousinto Julia's arms.