d, and all around, upon
the steps of this child-throne, these soldiers with their wild and
threatening faces, all eyes expectantly resting upon the smiling
infantile brow.

The door now opened, and, her face pallid with terror, Ivan's nurse
rushed into the room and to the cradle of her imperial nursling. The
soldiers, with imperious glances, beckoned her to await in silence, like
themselves, the awakening of the emperor. The poor woman spoke not, but
her fast-flowing tears indicated the depth of her grief.

Time passes. As if under enchantment, earnest, immovable, silent, stand
the soldiers. Behind the cradle, her eyes and arms raised imploringly
toward heaven, stands the nurse, while the child continues to slumber,
smiling in its sleep.

At the expiration of an hour thus passed, the imperial infant moves,
throws up its little rosy arms, opens its eyes--it is awake!

A cry of triumph escapes the lips of all the soldiers--all arms were
stretched forth to seize him who, an hour before, had been their lord
and emperor.

The child, frightened by the aspect of these rough soldiers, bursts out
into a cry of alarm, and stretches out its little arms toward its nurse.

She takes him in her arms and weeps over him. The frightened child
buries its little face in the bosom of his nurse, and the soldiers
now convey them both to the waiting sledges. The dethroned emperor is
quickly transported to the dethroned regent at Elizabeth's palace, who,
with hot tears, clasps her son to her heart.

THE RECOMPENSING

Meanwhile, Elizabeth had made herself absolute mistress of the imperial
palace. Hastening to the throne-room, she had taken possession of the
throne of her father, and administered the oath of allegiance to the
guards surrounding her.

They lay upon their knees before her, these cowardly instruments of
despotism; they bowed their heads in the dust, and these four or five
thousand slaves, to which number the followers of the empress already
amounted, swore fealty to Elizabeth, ready to strangle the regent
and the young emperor at her command, or to serve her the same if,
peradventure, the regent should regain a momentary power.

While the guards were doing homage in the palace, Grunstein and
Woronzow, by Lestocq's command, led their men to Munnich's and
Ostermann's, and both were imprisoned; with them, a great number of
leading and suspected persons, who, perhaps, might have been disposed to
draw the sword for An