As the Regent’s carriage drew near, all eyes being fixed upon it, and
principally upon the beautiful young Tsaritsa-elect, I saw Olga push her
way so as to be at the very door of it when it should draw up at the
steps; and as the wheels stopped she darted forward. Scarcely conscious
of what I did, I called aloud, ‘Soltikova, beware!’
I did not suppose that anyone had heard my cry, for a thousand other
voices were raised at the time in greeting to the great persons; but
Galitsin stood up as Olga was about to strike, and seized the girl’s
wrist. In her hand was a Tartar dagger, which, but for Galitsin, would
certainly have found its sheath in Praskovia Soltikof’s breast.
Then there was commotion indeed! The Tsar Ivan awoke suddenly from his
lethargy and screamed.
‘It is the mad one,’ he cried; ‘take her away, cut her down, Streltsi,
kill her--kill her!’
Praskovia Soltikof had grown pale, but she kept her wits. ‘Fear
nothing, Ivan,’ she said. ‘This poor maiden would strike me, not thee;
she is mad for jealousy. Do not kill her, Streltsi. Bethink thyself,
Olga, only one can win; it is the will of God. I have done thee no
injury except to gain the prize before thee.’
‘Is not that enough, she-devil?’ shrieked Olga, struggling in the hands
of the Streltsi who had seized her. ‘You have gained the prize not by
merit but by wicked arts----’
‘I have won because the Tsar has chosen me,’ said Praskovia, and here
the Regent interrupted.
‘Listen, people,’ she cried to those who stood near, ‘and judge for
yourselves how wisely the Tsar has decided who it is that shall sit with
him in the highest place! This other is a rival whom the Tsar has
rejected, and for envy she would murder the bride of the Tsar; yet her
victim intercedes for her! Such mercy is Christ-like! What shall be done
with this mad thing?’
‘Kill her!’ cried the Tsar, and some of the people shouted the same.
‘Spare her and let her go, as the Soltikova has said,’ cried others; and
I found myself crying lustily with these. ‘Spare her--she is one of
God’s unfortunates--madness is no crime!’ and so forth.
‘It shall be as the bride of the Tsar has said,’ cried Sophia. ‘Take her
away, Streltsi, but do not hurt her: we will find a place for her
later. The new Tsaritsa has taught us all mercy, people; cry “Oora” for
the Tsar’s bride--let her have a place in your hearts!’
Now at first I was surprised at the clemency of the Regent, but when I
thought over it I discerned that her motives were not the simple
promptings of a Christian charity, but political. This marriage of
Ivan’s was the most important matter for her. If Ivan had refused to
marry, her regency must end with Peter’s awakening, which could not be
delayed for ever. But once Ivan should have set a Tsaritsa at his side
who should presently provide heirs to the elder male line, why, let
Peter awake or sleep, it was all the same. Sophia would continue in her
regency on behalf of Ivan and of the heirs of his body. Moreover, it was
most desirable that the wife of Ivan should be well liked by the people;
for though between Ivan and Peter, if it came to choice, there could
scarcely be room for doubt which would be the accepted of the nation,
yet if Ivan’s Tsaritsa were to become very popular the choice might go
the other way for her sake and her children’s. Therefore Sophia, for
whose headpiece even the wisest of her day were ever ready to show
respect, was quick to take advantage of Praskovia’s kindness on this
first occasion, by letting the people see and understand what had
passed in order that the new Tsaritsa might take good root in their
hearts.
As for Praskovia Soltikof, she could afford to be generous and merciful.
Moreover, it may be that she also had an eye this day to the people!
And for Olga Panief, she at least had cause to offer up thanks to her
saint, for I think there could scarcely have been a score present who
did not expect to see her cut in pieces by the swords of the Streltsi
when it was discovered how great a crime she would have committed.
Tsar Peter was greatly diverted by this episode. Presently, when the two
brothers were together in the portico of the Cathedral, I observed tall
Peter smite weakly Ivan upon the shoulder so that the elder youth winced
and screwed his face with the pain, though he smiled quickly back upon
Peter, from whom he would gladly bear anything, so great was his love
and admiration for him.
‘Tell me, brother, how near came that Tartar to being the Tsaritsa?’ the
big one asked, laughing.
‘She was one of three,’ said Ivan, not so softly but that I overheard,
though I knew not whether Praskovia Soltikof did so. ‘She was one of
three--Vera Kurbatof, whom I chose but who would have none of me; this
mad devil, whom Sophia would have chosen for her good presence; and
Praskovia here, who chose herself. She brought also a recommendation
from thee.’
Ivan would always converse with Peter, though rarely with others.
‘Lord, brother, she would have made a fine Tsaritsa, this mad one,’
laughed Peter. ‘What a choice was thine, Sophia!’
‘She looks a Tsaritsa,’ said Sophia, frowning; ‘how should I know a
devil lurked within her? Few wear their dispositions on their sleeves
that others may take a warning, though, Lord knows! there are such even
in our family!’
‘Which means, in plain words, that there is a devil in me for all to
see!’ laughed Peter.
And the saying pleased him so well that he went among his friends
telling what her Highness said and what he said, and so forth.
As for Olga Panief, she was sent to the Diévitchy monastery, and a
pretty handful--I should say--the new Superior there must have found
her; indeed, as I happen to know, Olga soon earned for herself the
misery of solitary confinement, as a punishment for wildness and
foolishness such as the rest of the nuns could not tolerate.
But I was all afire to make sure of my beautiful Vera Kurbatof, and
therefore I gave Tsar Peter no peace until he should have redeemed his
promise to set this matter in order, if he could do so, to my advantage.
Now Peter was as yet but in his seventeenth year, though a giant in
size, and Kurbatof--that wealthy Boyar--had hitherto scarcely given this
Prince a thought; for it was clear to all people that Ivan being the
elder, and Sophia being full sister to Ivan and but half-sister to
Peter, it was probable she would retain the Regency and Ivan the
Tsarship. Peter was _nil_; this joint Tsarship, indeed, had been a
concession to the strength of the Naryshkin faction, but the day would
come when its influence would die out and disappear in the strength of
the Regent’s faction.
Therefore Kurbatof was inclined to think little of Tsar Peter, and
though he received him with respect, he was determined to let the youth
see that he (Kurbatof) would be no man of his.
Now Vera’s suitor, the fat old Boyar of ten thousand souls, or
serfs--for the Russians measure their riches by the number of their
serfs--was in the house when Tsar Peter came with me to speak to the
Boyar, Vera’s father.
‘Who is this?’ asked Peter, before he had time to salute Kurbatof. ‘Is
this the old Boyar who is thy rival, Chelminsky? Go, sir, for shame! You
are too old and too fat to have so fair a bride as this Vera! Go, I say,
and leave room for thy youngers and betters!’
The Boyar was proud, being rich and powerful, and the young Tsar’s
outspoken manner offended him.
‘I am a suitor for her hand, Highness,’ he said; ‘if her father chooses
to----’
Peter strode towards the Boyar; he seized him by the collar and shook
him. ‘Wouldst thou feed upon the fairest flower in the garden, fat
slug?’ he said. ‘Go--crawl away and hide thyself--or I will crush thee
with my heel! She is too good for thee, swine, in spite of all thy money
bags!’
The Boyar panted with fear and surprise: he would have spoken, but he
gazed upon the Tsar’s face and dared not. Then he took his hat and cloak
and went out quickly.
‘Now, Boyar,’ said Peter, ‘show me this wench. I bring you a good suitor
for her! This fellow Chelminsky may one day be Hetman of the Cossacks
and call me brother; think of it!’
‘Let him come back when he is Hetman,’ growled old Kurbatof.
Whereat the Tsar laughed. ‘Well, Chelminsky,’ said he, ‘let that answer
suffice for thee. Maybe thou and the Hetmanate are not very far
apart----’ At this moment Vera herself entered the room, and the Tsar
ended his speech with a long-drawn ‘Oh!’