"You see," she said to Marianne, "so had I dreamed the man whom Ishould one day love. So brave, so proud, so beautiful. Ah, it is so charming to be obliged to tremble before the man one loves; it is so sweet to cling to him and think: 'I am nothing of myself, but all through thee! I am the ivy and thou the oak; thou wilt hold and sustain me, and if a storm-wind comes, thou wilt not waver, but stand firm and great in thy heroic strength, and protect me, and impart courage and confidence even to me!' "She loved him, and clung to him with boundless confidence, but she was yet so full of tender maiden timidity that she could confess to him nothing of this love; and since that kiss she shyly avoided him, and constantly left his often-renewed love-questions unanswered.
At this Alexis secretly laughed. "She will come round," said he; "she will finally be compelled to it by her own feelings. I will give her time and leisure to come to a knowledge of herself!"And for some days he kept away from the villa, pretending pressing business, and left the poor isolated princess to her languishing love-dreams.
It was precisely in these days that, on one forenoon, a carriage of indifferent appearance, adorned with no heraldic arms, stopped before the villa; a man closely enveloped in a mantle, his hat pressed deeply down over his forehead, issued from the carriage and rang the bell.
Of the servant who answered the bell he hastily inquired if the princess was at home and alone; these questions being answered in the affirmative, and the servant having asked his name in order to announce him, the stranger said, almost in a commanding tone: "The princess knows my name, and will gladly welcome me; therefore lead me directly to her!""The princess receives no one," said the servant, placing himself in a position to prevent the stranger's entrance.
"She will receive me," said the unknown, dropping some gold-pieces into the servant's hand.
"I will conduct you to her," said the suddenly mollified servant, but I do it on your own responsibility."Princess Natalie was in her boudoir. She was alone, and thinking, in a languishing reverie, of her friend, who had now been two days absent.
On hearing a light knock at the door, she sprang up from her seat.
"It is he!" she murmured, and with glowing cheeks she hastened to the door.
But on finding there a strange and closely-enveloped form, Natalie timidly drew back.
The stranger entered, closing the door behind him, threw back his mantle and took off the hat that shaded his face.
"Cardinal Bernis!" cried Natalie, with surprise.
"Ah, then you yet recognize me, princess!" said Bernis. "That is beautiful in you, and therefore you will not be angry with me for calling upon you unannounced. I knew that I should find you alone, and this was a too fortunate circumstance for me to let it pass unimproved. I must speak to you, princess, even at the hazard of proving tiresome."Natalie said, with a soft smile: "You were the friend of Count Paulo, and therefore can never prove tiresome to me! I bid you welcome, cardinal!""It is precisely because I was Count Paulo's friend, that I have come!" said Bernis, seriously. "The count loved you, princess, and what I did not know at the time is known to me now. Because he loved and was devoted to you, he hazarded his life, and more than his life, his liberty.""And they have robbed him of that precious liberty," sighed Natalie.
"For his fidelity to me they have condemned him to a shameful imprisonment!""You know that!" exclaimed Bernis, with astonishment, "you know that, and nevertheless--" Then, interrupting himself, he broke off, and after a pause continued: "Pardon me one question, and if you deem it indiscreet, please remember that it is put to you by an old man and a priest, and that his only object is, if possible to be useful to you.
Do you love Count Paulo Rasczinksy?"
"I love him," said she, "as one loves a father. I shall always be grateful to him, and shall never esteem myself happy until I have liberated him and restored him to his country!""You liberate him!" sadly exclaimed Bernis. "Ah, then you know not, you do not once dream, that you are yourself surrounded by dangers, that your own liberty, indeed your life itself, is threatened.""I know it," calmly responded the young maiden, "but I also know that strong and powerful friends stand by my side, who will protect and defend me with their lives.""But how if these friends are deceiving you--if precisely they are your bitterest enemies and destroyers?""Sir Cardinal!" exclaimed Natalie, reddening with indignation.
"Oh, I may not anger you," he continued, "but it is my duty to warn you, princess! They have undoubtedly deceived you with false pretensions, and in some deceitful way obtained your confidence. Tell me, princess, do you know the name of this count whom you daily receive here?""It is Count Alexis Orloff," said the young maiden, blushing.
"You know him, know his name, and yet you confide in him!" exclaimed the cardinal. "But it cannot be that you know his history: have you any idea to whom he is indebted for his prosperity and greatness?""The Empress Catharine, his mistress," said Natalie, without embarrassment.
