To look at her is like a morning dream;
her appearance diffuses light and splendor. Do you not find it so,
Elizabeth?"
"Oh, yes, I find it so," said Elizabeth, with a constrained smile. "She
is the handsomest woman in your realm."
"Yourself excepted, Elizabeth," kindly subjoined the regent.
"Oh, no, she is handsomer than I!" murmured Elizabeth.
Poor Leonore! In this moment hath the princess pronounced your sentence
of condemnation, and in her heart subscribed the stern order for your
execution.
A longer view of this triumph of the countess became insufferable;
alleging a sudden attack of illness, she immediately took leave of the
regent, and ordered her carriage.
Tears of anger and love stood in her eyes as Razumovsky approached to
aid her in entering it. Hurling away his hand, she entered the carriage
without assistance.
"And may I not accompany you in the carriage as usual?" asked Alexis,
with tenderness in his tone.
"No," she curtly said, "go back into the hall, and again admire the
handsomest woman in the empire!"
Then, jealousy getting the better of anger, she beckoned to Alexis, who
was about departing in sadness, and commanded him to enter the carriage
without delay.
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