"Ah, that is true! I must first send those wig-blocks away!" said Anna,
tenderly looking after her departing favorite. "She is, indeed, my good
genius, who drives away the cares from my poor brain."
"So, it is done!" cried Julia, quickly returning to the room. "I
have sent the gentlemen away. To the Persian envoy I said: 'Go to our
emperor, Ivan. He feeds upon brilliants, and, as he has had no breakfast
this morning, his appetite will be good. Go, therefore, and give him
your diamonds for breakfast. Anna Leopoldowna wants them not; she is
already satiated with them!'--To the second I said: 'Go and announce
your glorious victory to our sublime generalissimo. He is at his toilet,
and as he every morning touches his noble cheeks with rouge, your new
paint, prepared from the purple blood of the enemy, will doubtless be
very welcome to him!'--'And as to what concerns your secret mission and
your discovered conspiracy,' said I to the Austrian ambassador, 'I
am sorry that you cannot here give birth to the dear children of your
inventive head; go with them to our midwife, Minister Golopkin, and
hasten a little, for I see in your face that you are already in the
pangs of parturition!'"
"Well," asked Anna Leopoldowna, loudly laughing, "what said their
worships to that?"
"What did they say? They said nothing! They were dumb and looked
astonished.
Pages:
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72