jests were the boldest and freest; they made even the empress blush,
and sent her blood hot and bounding through her veins. The court,
that would have been delighted to have seen the long-envied and hated
favorite now abashed and humbled before his newly-declared successor,
remarked with astonishment and bitter mortification that the
humiliation was changed into a triumph; for the empress, charmed by
his amiability and wit, seemed to turn her heart again toward him, and
to entreat him with the tenderest looks to forgive her faithlessness.
She had already forgotten the unfortunate embassy which was to remove
Feodor from her court, when he himself came to remind her of it.

While all countenances were still beaming with delight over a precious
_bon mot_ which Feodor had just perpetrated, and at which the empress
herself had laughed aloud, he stepped up to her and requested her
blessing on his voyage to Germany, which he was going to commence that
night.

Catharine felt almost inclined to withdraw her orders and request
him to remain, but she was woman enough to be able to read pride and
defiance in his face. She therefore contented herself with wishing him
a speedy return to his duty. Publicly, in the presence of the whole
court and her new favorite, she afforded Prince Stratimojeff a fresh
triumph: she bade him kneel, and taking a golden chain to which her
portrait was attached, she threw the links around his neck. Kissing
him gently on the forehead, with a gracious smile full of promise, she
said to him only, "_Au revoir_!"

* * * * *

CHAPTER IX.

OLD LOVE--NEW SORROW.

Elise was in her room. Her face expressed a quiet, silent resignation,
and her large dark eyes had a dreamy but bright look. She sat in an
easy-chair, reading, and whoever had seen her with her high, open
forehead and calm looks, would have thought her one of those happy
and fortunate beings whom Heaven had blessed with eternal rest and
cheerful composure, who was unacquainted with the corroding poison of
passionate grief. No trace of the storm which had raged through her
life could be seen on her countenance. Her grief had eaten inwardly,
and only her heart and the spirit of her youth had died; her face had
remained young and handsome. The vigor of her youth had overcome
the grief of her spirit, and her cheeks, although colorless and
transparent in their paleness, were still free from that sallow,
sickly