You will obey the first command of your empress!"
"I will remain," sighed Alexis, "and the world will point the finger of
scorn at me, calling me a coward!"
"And I will compel the world to honor you as a king!" said Elizabeth,
with tenderness, beckoning to Lestocq and Woronzow to follow her from
the room.
Silently they hastened down the stairs--silently was Elizabeth handed
into her sledge, while Lestocq and Woronzow took their places in the
second.
"Forward!" thundered Lestocq's powerful voice, and the train rushed
through the dark and deserted streets.
St. Petersburg slept. No one appeared at the darkened windows of the
silent palaces, no one boded that a new empress was passing through
the streets,--an empress, who at this time had but two subjects in her
train!
They had now reached the casern of the Peobrajensky regiment. There they
halted. In the open door stands Grunstein with his thirty recruits.
They silently approached the sledge of the princess and prostrated
themselves before her.
"Hail to our empress!" whispered Grunstein low, and as low was it
repeated by the soldiers.
"Let us enter the casern, call the soldiers, and awaken the officers;
I myself will address them!" said Elizabeth, alighting from her sledge.
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