Count Orloff lay in a comfortable, careless position upon his divan,
leisurely smoking his long Turkish pipe. Before him stood Joseph Ribas,
laughingly relating in his own comic manner the occurrences of the
preceding night.
“You are a wonderful man,” said Orloff, when Joseph had finished. “You
have honestly earned your epaulets, and to-day you will for the first
time appear at my dinner-table as a Russian officer. Ah, I prophesy a
great future for you. You have the requisite skill and address to make
your fortune. You are shrewd, daring, and you recoil from no means,
finding them all good and useful when they forward your aims. With such
principles one may go far in this world, and Russia in fact offers you
the best opportunity for bringing all these fine talents into use.”
“And, moreover, I commenced my Russian career with a good omen,” said
Joseph. “I have placed a murder at the head of my Russian deeds! That
is a promising commencement, is it not, Sir Count? You must know that
better than any one.”
“Indeed yes, I must best know that,” said the count, laughing, and
continually stroking his long black beard. “By a fair and well-timed
murder one can always make his fortune in Russia. A well-timed and
well-executed murder is with us often rewarded with a barony and
the title of count. Indeed, sometimes with the highest and tenderest
imperial favor and grace. Ah, a murder at the right moment is an
excellent thing, only one must be quite sure of himself, and not fail
of hitting the right man. An unsuccessful murder is a very bad, and,
indeed, a very dangerous thing. I would have nothing to do with one, and
never have had any thing to do with one. Whatever I have undertaken I
have always boldly and successfully accomplished. The good Emperor
Peter III. knew that, and consequently trembled when I, with Passeb and
Bariatinsky, entered his chamber. The good emperor! He did not tremble
long, it was soon finished. Yes, yes, that was a deed done at the right
time, and therefore has the great Catharine been so grateful to us, and
honoured us above all the illustrious grandees of her empire.” (*)
(*) Of the tragic and horrible events connected with
Catharine’s accession to the throne, and of the
strangulation of Peter, in which he took so active a part,
Orloff spoke in Rome with the greatest freedom and evident
pleasure.
“My little opening murder has, indeed, less significance,” sighed Joseph
Ribas. “What was it but to help a humble musician to the blessedness and
harmony of the spheres!”
“But that musician was your brother!”
Ribas shrugged his shoulders. “That is, he was so considered; but in
reality I believe he was only a half-brother. My mother, of blessed
memory, had many little adventures, and I think Carlo’s birth was
somewhat connected with them. Nor am I sure that it was not a necessary
work to kill him, as it was surely my duty to avenge my father’s injured
honor, which is all I have done! Upon these grounds has a good, honest
priest this day given me absolution, and I now stand before you pure and
sinless as a maiden! We can therefore begin anew, your excellency. Have
you still any commands for me?”
“You now have a very noble and sublime part to play,” said Orloff,
laughing. “You must now appear as the benefactor of our Russian
princess, and as the mediating forerunner of my own person!”
“That will be indeed a charming role,” said Ribas, rubbing his hands
with delight. “I shall admirably acquit myself as benefactor and
mediator. But give me some details, Sir Count!”
“You shall have them,” said Orloff, “from the mouth of
Stephano.--Stephano!”
The person called immediately appeared at the door of a side-room.
“Stephano,” said Orloff, “now to work, friend. The courier who arrived
to-day has brought us good news and full powers. Count Paul Rasczinsky
is sent to Siberia for high-treason--his property is confiscated and
falls to the state. I have an unlimited power, signed by the empress
herself, to seize and sell his possessions here in the name of the
empress. Take with you some attorney and officers and go to his villa.
But, first of all, help our little Joseph Ribas to his uniform and
epaulets, that he may be properly costumed for a rescuer and benefactor.
And now, away with you! Instruct him well, Stephano. Ah, I should like
to be present at this delightful comedy!”
And Count Orloff broke out into a hearty laugh.
“This whole affair is very entertaining and romantic,” he said to
himself, as soon as he was alone. “I am truly very thankful to Catharine
for intrusting it to me. I love the adventurous and romantic. Indeed,
whom else could she have chosen for this business? I should like to know
who would dare to enter the lists with me, the Russian Hercules, and who
would be so bold as to contend with me for this prize?”
Thus speaking, he rose from the divan and stepped to the great Venetian
mirror, before which he long remained attentively viewing himself.
“Ahem! this tender Empress Catharine knows how to judge of manly
beauty,” murmured he, with a self-satisfied smile, “and I cannot blame
her for so often giving me the preference over my brother Gregory.
Besides, I shall first appear before this little Princess Natalie in
my antique dress. Catharine has often told me I was enchanting in my
antique costume. Well, we will also let this enchantment work a little
here. But first we must think of what is nearest to us. This Corilla
has rendered us a service, and we must be grateful. They say she loves
diamonds. I shall therefore send her these diamonds which her _eleve_
Joseph Ribas last night made the property of the Russian crown. And with
them I will send a little billet, written with my own hand. Who
knows but that this will give her more pleasure than the sparkling
brilliants!”
In that, however, the handsome Count Orloff was mistaken. The poetess
Corilla therein resembled to a hair the prima-donnas and heroines of the
stage of the present day. She attached a great value to diamonds, and
knowing that Russia was very rich in gold and diamonds, she always had
an especially bewitching smile for Russian grandees. Had Count Orloff
come in person to bring the diamonds, she would undoubtedly have more
admired him, apparently been more pleased with his presence than with
his costly gift; but, as he was not there, there was no necessity for
dissimulation.
She read Count Orloff’s billet with a satisfied smile; but soon laid it
aside for the delight of examining the jewels.
“How that shines, and how that sparkles,” said the exhilarated poetess;
“not even a lover’s eyes flash so brightly, nor is his smile so proud,
so full of rich certainty, as the sparkling of these gems! They are
enchanters, and a word from me can change these _solitaires_ and
rosettes into a beautiful villa, or into a fragrant park with silent
arbors, intoxicating odors, and sweetly-singing birds. All that is
promised me by these stones--a lover’s promises do not express half so
much. And only to think that it is Carlo, my former lover, to whom I
am indebted for these diamonds! From love to him I wished to destroy
Natalie, and that wish procured me the favor of the Russian count, and
consequently these brilliants. Poor Carlo! these diamonds outlast you.
How bright and beautiful were your glances that are now extinguished by
death--but this cruel, inexorable death has no power over diamonds!
It cannot strangle these as thou wert strangled, poor Carlo! I shall
remember thee this evening, Carlo, and hope the thought of thee may
inspire me for a right beautiful improvisation on death! I shall take
pains to bring to mind thy beautiful form overflowed with blood. Yes,
it will inspire in me a very effective improvisation, and I will at the
same time make a selection from my dear poets of some striking rhymes
upon death and the grave. And when I have the rhymes, the thoughts and
words will come of themselves. Rhymes, rhymes, these are the main things
with poets!”
And while the improvisatrice was thus speaking to herself, she had
mechanically adorned her person with the brilliants, attaching the
beautiful collar to her neck, the long pendants to her ears, and placing
the splendid diadem upon her brow.
She looked exceedingly beautiful in these ornaments, and consequently
rejoiced that her friend Cardinal Francesco Albani came at this precise
moment.
“He will be ravished?” said she, with a smile, advancing to meet him
with the proud and imposing dignity of a queen.
“You are beautiful as a goddess!” exclaimed the cardinal, “and whoever
sees you thus has seen the protecting divinity of ancient Rome, the
sublime Juno, queen of heaven!”
“Were I Juno, would you consent to be my Vulcan?” roguishly asked
Corilla.
“No,” said Albani, laughing; “the noble Juno was not exactly true to her
Vulcan, and I require a faithful love! Would you be that, Corilla?”
“We shall see,” said she, changing the arrangement of the diadem
before the glass--“we shall see, my worthy friend. But forget not the
conditions--first the laurel-crown!”
“You shall have it!” triumphantly responded the cardinal.
“Are you certain of that?” asked Corilla, with flashing eyes and glowing
cheeks.
Cardinal Francesco Albani smiled mysteriously.
“Pope Ganganelli is ill,” said he, “and it is thought he will die!”