The Daughter of an Empress | Page 6

in thought, he was standing at the
window looking down into streets which were henceforth to be
subjected to his sway.
"Your highness is surveying your realm," said Munnich, with a smile.
"Wait but a little, and you will soon see all the great nobility flocking
here to pay you homage. My carriage stops before your door, and these
sharp-scenting hounds now know which way to turn with their abject
adoration."
"Ah," sadly responded Biron, "I dread the coming hour. I have a
misfortune-prophesying heart, and this night, in a dream, I saw myself
in a miserable hut, covered with beggarly rags, shivering with cold and
fainting with hunger!"
"That dream indicated prosperity and happiness, your highness,"
laughingly responded Munnich, "for dreams are always interpreted by
contraries. You saw yourself as a beggar because you were to become
our ruler--because a purple mantle will this day be placed upon your
shoulders."
"Blood also is purple," gloomily remarked the duke, "and a sharp
poniard may also convert a beggar's blouse into a purple mantle! Oh,
my friend, would that I had never become what I am! One sleeps ill
when one must constantly watch his happiness lest it escape him. And
think of it, my fortunes are dependent upon the eyes of a child, a
nurseling, that with its mother's milk imbibes hatred to me, and whose
first use of speech will be, perhaps, to curse me!"
"Then it must be your task to teach the young emperor Ivan to speak,"

exclaimed Munnich--"in that case he will learn to bless you."
"I shall not be able to snatch him from his parents," said Biron. "But
those parents certainly hate me, and indeed very naturally, as they, it
seems, were, next to me, designated as the guardians of their son Ivan.
The Duchess Anna Leopoldowna of Brunswick is ambitious."
"Bah! for the present she is in love," exclaimed Munnich, with a laugh,
"and women, when in love, think of nothing but their love. But only
look, your highness, did I not prophesy correctly? Only see the
numerous equipages now stopping before your door! The street will
soon be too narrow to contain them."
And in the street below was really to be seen the rapid arrival of a great
number of the most splendid equipages, from which alighted beautiful
and richly-dressed women, whose male companions were covered with
orders, and who were all hastening into the palace. There was a
pressing and pushing which produced the greatest possible confusion.
Every one wished to be the first to congratulate the new ruler, and to
assure him of their unbounded devotion.
The duke's halls were soon filled with Russian magnates, and when at
length the duke himself made his appearance among them, he
everywhere saw only happy, beaming faces, and encountered only
glances of love and admiration. The warmest wishes of all these
hundreds seemed to have been fulfilled, and Biron was precisely the
man whom all had desired for their emperor.
And, standing in the centre of these halls, they read to Biron the
testament of the deceased Empress Anna: that testament designated
Ivan, the son of the Duchess Anna Leopoldowna and Prince Ulrich of
Brunswick, as emperor, and him, Duke Biron of Courland, as absolute
regent of the empire during the minority of the emperor, who had now
just reached the age of seven months. The joy of the magnates was
indescribable; they sank into each other's arms with tears of joy. At this
moment old enemies were reconciled; women who had long nourished
a mutual hatred, now tenderly pressed each other's hands; tears of joy
were trembling in eyes which had never before been known to weep;
friendly smiles were seen on lips which had usually been curled with
anger; and every one extolled with ecstasy the happiness of Russia, and
humbly bowed before the new sun now rising over that blessed realm.
With the utmost enthusiasm they all took the oath of fidelity to the new

ruler, and then hastened to the palace of the Prince of Brunswick, there
with the humblest subjection to kiss the delicate little hand of the
child-emperor Ivan.
Munnich was again alone with the duke, who, forgetting all his ill-
boding dreams, now gave himself up to the proud feeling of his
greatness and power.
"Let them all go," said he, "these magnates, to kiss the hand of this
emperor of seven months, and wallow in the dust before the cradle of a
whimpering nurseling! I shall nevertheless be the real emperor, and
both sceptre and crown will remain in my hands!"
"But in your greatness and splendor you will not forget your faithful
and devoted friends," said Munnich; "your highness will remember that
it was I who chiefly induced the empress to name you as regent