"Oh, I am not at all vain," said Ostermann. "I find it much less unpleasant to see the blood of others flowing than my own. It may be egotism, but I prefer keeping my blood in my veins to exposing it to the gaping curiosity of an astonished crowd!""You think, then, that he already suspects, and would murder us?""You, us, and also your son, the Emperor Ivan.""Also my son!" exclaimed Leopoldowna, her eyes flashing like those of an enraged lioness. "Ah, I should know how to defend my son. Let Biron fall this night!""So be it!" unanimously exclaimed the three men.
"He has driven us to this extremity," said the princess. "Not enough that he has banished our friends and faithful servants, surrounding us with his miserable creatures and spies--not enough that he wounds and humiliates us in every way--he would rend the young emperor from us, his parents, his natural protectors. We are attacked in our holiest rights, and must, therefore, defend ourselves.""But what shall we do with this small Biron, when he is no longer the great regent?" asked Ostermann.
"We will make him by a head smaller," said Munnich, laughing.
"No," vehemently exclaimed Leopoldowna--"no, no blood shall flow! Not with blood shall our own and our son's rights be secured! Swear this gentlemen, or I will never give my consent to the undertaking.""I well knew that your highness would so decide," said Munnich, with a smile, drawing a folded paper from his bosom. "In proof of which Ihand this paper to your highness."
"Ah, what is this?" said the duchess, unfolding the paper; "it is the ground plan of a house!""Of the house we will have built for Biron in Siberia," said Munnich;"I have drawn the plan myself."
"In fact, you are a skilful architect, Count Munnich," said Ostermann, laughing, while casting an interrogating glance at the paper which Anna was still thoughtfully examining. "How well you have arranged it all! How delightful these snug little chambers will be! There will be just space enough in them to turn around in. But these small chambers seem to be a little too low. They are evidently not more than five feet high. As Biron, however, has about your height, he will not be able to stand upright in them.""Bah! for that very reason!" said Munnich, with a cruel laugh. "He has carried his head high long enough; now he may learn to bow.""But that will be a continual torment!" exclaimed the Duke of Brunswick.
"On, has he not tormented us?" angrily responded Munnich. "We need reprisals.""How strange and horrible!" said Anna Leopoldowna, shuddering; "this man is now standing here clothed with unlimited power, and we are already holding in our hands the plan of his prison!""Yes, yes, and with this plan in his pocket will Count Munnich now go to dine with Biron and enjoy his hospitality!" laughingly exclaimed Ostermann. "Ah, that must make the dinner particularly piquant! How agreeable it must be to press the regent's hand, and at the same time feel the rustling in your pocket of the paper upon which you have drawn the plan of his Siberian prison! But you are in the right. The regent has deeply offended you. How could he dare refuse to make you his generalissimo?""Ah, it is not for that," said Munnich with embarrassment; and, seeking to give the conversation a different turn, he continued--"ah, see, Count Ostermann, what a terrible animal is crawling there upon your dress!""Policy, nothing but policy," tranquilly responded Ostermann, while the princess turned away with an expression of repugnance.
"Well," cried the prince, laughing, "explain to us, Count Ostermann, what those disgusting insects have to do with policy or politics?""We are all four Germans," said Ostermann, "and consequently are all familiar with the common saying, 'Tell me the company you keep, and Iwill tell you what you are!' I have always kept that in mind since Ihave been in Russia; and to make this good people forget that I am a foreigner, I have taken particular pains to furnish myself with a supply of their dirt and of these delicate insects. If any one asks me who I am, I show him these creatures with whom I associate, and he immediately concludes that I am a Russian."Ostermann joined in the laugh that followed this explanation, but suddenly he uttered a piercing cry, and sank down upon a chair.
"Ah, these pains will be the death of me!" he moaned--"ah, I already feel the ravages of death in my blood; yes, I have long known that a dangerous malady was hovering over me, and my death-bed is already prepared at home! I am a poor failing old man, and who knows whether Ishall outlive the evening of this day?"
