the master traits of the Catharine of the _Autobiography_.

So far, then, of these earlier years, while we have the memoirs with us.
We must now pass quickly over many things. The motto of the Romanoffs
might be taken from _Macbeth_: "The near in blood, the nearer
bloody."[44] But in that sombre history there is no darker page than the
conspiracy of 1762.

In January Elizabeth died and the Grand Duke ascended the throne,
quietly enough, as Peter III. But the position of Catharine was worse
than before. The Czar was completely under the influence of her enemies;
he insulted her in public; and it seemed certain that his next step
would be to divorce her, throw her into prison, and marry Elizabeth
Vorontsoff. He had once already ordered her arrest, which his uncle had
afterward persuaded him to retract. The very reforms with which he had
begun his reign worked against him. He had made himself unpopular not
only with the clergy, but with the Preobrajenski Guards, which, like the
praetorians of the Roman Empire, disposed of the throne. He smoked and
drank till three or five o'clock in the morning, writes the French
ambassador; yet he would be up again at seven manoeuvring his troops.
He would order a hundred cannon to be fired together that he might have
a foretaste of war, and his eccentricities in general were intensified
by absolute power. The history of the _coup-d'etat_ is still obscure. A
considerable party, however, formed round Catharine: the brothers
Gregory and Alexis Orloff won over several regiments, and the princess
Dashkoff gained adherents in society. Matters were precipitated by the
accidental arrest of one of the conspirators; and although their plans
were incoherent, the good-fortune of Catharine carried her through. At
five o'clock in the morning of July 9th Alexis Orloff entered her room
at Peterhoff, and told her to set out for St. Petersburg, where she was
to be proclaimed immediately. She hastened there with the Orloffs. Three
regiments, to whom _vodka_ had judiciously been dispensed beforehand,
took the oath of allegiance with enthusiasm; and others followed suit.
Peter was thunderstruck. On the advice of Marshal Muennich he embarked
for Cronstadt, where he was challenged, and demanded admittance as
emperor. "_Il n'y a plus d'empereur!_" replied the commandant,
Talitsine. He hurried back again, and after agonies of indecision
finally abdicated. "He had lost his crown," as Frederick said
scornfully, "