"Speak on; then
what further?"
"Illustrious empress," said Lestocq, "I am now here to redeem my word.
This Countess Eleonore Lapuschkin is a criminal!"
"Ah, thank God!" cried Elizabeth, breathing more freely.
"By various intrigues and stratagems, by bribery of her servants, I have
finally succeeded in spying out her secrets, and last evening, when as
her lackey I conducted her from the ball and afterward waited at table
at an entertainment given by her husband to some confidential friends,
last evening her whole plan was made clear to me. It is a great and
very important conspiracy that I have detected! This Countess Eleonore
Lapuschkin is guilty of high-treason; she conspires against her
legitimate empress!"
"Ah, she conspires!" exclaimed Elizabeth, with a fierce laugh. "For
whom, then, does she conspire?"
"For one whose name I dare not utter without the express permission of
my empress!"
"Speak, speak quickly!"
Lestocq bent down close to the ear of the empress. "She conspires for
the Schlusselburg prisoner Ivan!" said he.
"I shall therefore be able to punish her," said Elizabeth, smilingly. "I
shall no longer be obliged to suffer this hated woman within the walls
of my capital!"
"Siberia has room for her and her fellow-conspirators!" replied Lestocq.
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