ents. Ah! truly they are dearer to me than
the possession of empire."

"The Princess Elizabeth can thus speak only in jest," said an earnest
voice behind them.

"Ah, Lestocq!" said the princess, with a friendly nod. "You come very
late, my friend."

"And yet too soon to bring you bad news!" said Lestocq, with a profound
and respectful bow to the princess.

"Bad news?" repeated Elizabeth, turning pale. "_Mon Dieu_, am I, then,
one too many for them here? Would they kill me, or send me in exile to
Siberia?"

"Yet worse!" laconically responded Lestocq. "But, first of all, let us
be cautious, and take care that we have no listeners." And, crossing
the room, Lestocq closed all the doors, and carefully looked behind
the window curtains to make sure that no one was concealed there. "Now,
princess," he commenced, in a tone of solemnity, "now listen to what I
have to say to you."

A CONSPIRACY

A momentary pause followed. Princess Elizabeth silently motioned her
friends to be seated, and drew her favorite Alexis nearer to her.

Lestocq, her physician and confidant, with a solemn countenance, took a
place opposite her.

"We are ready to hear your bad news," said the princess.

"The regent, Anna Leopoldowna, will have herself crowned as empress,"
laconically responded Lestocq.

Elizabeth looked at him interrogatively and with curiosity for the
continuation of his bad news. But as Lestocq remained silent, she asked
with astonishment: "Is that all you have to tell us?"

"Preliminarily, that is all," answered Lestocq.

Princess Elizabeth broke out with a joyous laugh.

"Well, this is, in fact, very comic. With a real Job's mien you announce
to us the worst news, and then inform us that Anna Leopoldowna is to be
crowned empress! Let her be crowned! No one will interfere to prevent
it, and she will be none the happier for it. No woman who has taken
possession of the Russian throne as an independent princess has ever yet
been happy. Or do you think that Catharine, my lofty step-mother, was
so? Believe me, upon the throne she trembled with fear of assassins; for
it is well known that this Russian throne is surrounded by murderers,
awaiting only the favorable moment. Ah, whenever I have stood in front
of this imperial throne, it has always seemed to me that I saw the
points of a thousand daggers peeping forth from its soft cushions! And
you would have me seat myself upon such a dagger-beset throne? No,
no, leave m