denly a great cant, and
pitched them to the top, for the time being.

"Bieren lasted only twenty days. He was very high and arbitrary upon
everybody; Anne and Anton Ulrich suffering naturally most from him. They
took counsel with Feldmarschall Munnich on the matter; who, after study,
declared it a remediable case. Friday, 18th November, Munnich had, by
invitation, to dine with Duke Bieren; Munnich went accordingly that
day, and dined; Duke looking a little flurried, they say: and the same
evening, dinner being quite over, and midnight come, Munnich had his
measures all taken, soldiers ready, warrant in hand;--and arrested
Bieren in his bed; mere Siberia, before sunrise, looming upon Bieren.
Never was such a change as this from 18th day to 19th with a supreme
Bieren. Our friend Mannstein, excellent punctual Aide-de-Camp of
Munnich, was the executor of the feat; and has left punctual record of
it, as he does of everything,---what Bieren said, and what Madam Bieren,
who was a little obstreperous on the occasion. [Mannstein, p. 268.] What
side Anton Ulrich and Spouse will take in a quarrel between Prussia and
Austria, is now well worth asking.

"Anton Ulrich and Wife Anne, that is to say, 'Regent Anne' and
'Generalissimo Anton Ulrich,' now ruled, with Munnich for right-hand
man; and these were high times for Anton Ulrich, Generalissimo and
Czar's-Father; who indeed was modest, and did not often interfere in
words, though grieved at the foolish ways his Wife had. An indolent
flabby kind of creature, she, unfit for an Autocrat; sat in her private
apartments, all in a huddle of undress; had foolish notions,--especially
had soubrettes who led her about by the ear. And then there was a
'Princess Elizabeth,' Cousin-german of Regent Anne,--daughter, that
is to say, last child there now was, of Peter the Great and his little
brown Catherine:--who should have been better seen to. Harmless foolish
Princess, not without cunning; young, plump, and following merely her
flirtations and her orthodox devotions; very orthodox and soft, but
capable of becoming dangerous, as a centre of the disaffected. As
'Czarina Elizabeth' before long, and ultimately as 'INFAME CATIN DU
NORD, she--" But let us not anticipate!

It was in this posture of affairs, about a month after it had begun,
that Winterfeld arrived in Petersburg; and addressed himself to Munnich,
on the Prussian errand. Winterfeld was Munnich's Son-in-law (properly
stepson-in-law, ha