all, and clothed in a very
slight and very fantastic manner. The dwarf brought out with him from
the pie some wine-glasses and a bottle of wine. Taking these in his
hand, he walked around the table drinking to the health of the ladies,
who received him wherever he came with screams of mingled surprise and
laughter. It was the same in the gentlemen's apartment, except that the
dwarf which appeared before the company there was a female.

The birth of this son formed a new and very strong bond of attachment
between Peter and Catharine, and it increased very much the influence
which she had previously exerted over him. The influence which she thus
exercised was very great, and it was also, in the main, very salutary.
She alone could approach the Czar in the fits of irritation and anger
into which he often fell when any thing displeased him, and sometimes,
when his rage and fury were such, that no one else would have dared to
come near, Catharine knew how to quiet and calm him, and gradually bring
him back again to reason. She had great power over him, too, in respect
to the nervous affection--the convulsive twitchings of the head and
face--to which he was subject. Indeed, it was said that the soothing and
mysterious influence of her gentle nursing in allaying these dreadful
spasms, and relieving the royal patient from the distress which they
occasioned, gave rise to the first feeling of attachment which he formed
for her, and which led him, in the end, to make her his wife.

Catharine often exerted the power which she acquired over her husband for
noble ends. A great many persons, who from time to time excited the
displeasure of the Czar, were rescued from undeserved death, and
sometimes from sufferings still more terrible than death, by her
interposition. In many ways she softened the asperities of Peter's
character, and lightened the heavy burden of his imperial despotism.
Every one was astonished at the ascendency which she acquired over the
violent and cruel temper of her husband, and equally pleased with the
good use which she made of her power.

There was not, however, always perfect peace between Catharine and her
lord. Catharine was compelled sometimes to endure great trials. On one
occasion the Czar took it into his head, with or without cause, to feel
jealous. The object of his jealousy was a certain officer of his court
whose name was De la Croix. Peter had no certain evidence, it would
seem, to jus