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Under her heart she had felt a movement of a new and mysterious life! Heaven itself seemed to contradict her words! Elizabeth felt that she was a mother, and Eleonore's words now filled her with awe and terror! Fainting, she sank into Razumovsky's arms. A few weeks later, a great and magnificent court festival was celebrated at the imperial palace at St. Petersburg.
It was a passionate, an adoring tenderness that she felt for the child, and nevertheless she had the courage to keep her at a distance from herself, to see her but seldom, that no one might suspect the secret of her birth. Eleonore's words had brought reflection to Elizabeth.
The most audacious courtier, the most presumptuous cavalier, approached her with only reverence; they ventured not in her presence to use such words and jests as but too well pleased the empress; there was something in Eleonore's glance that commanded involuntary respect and awe; an elevation, a mildness, a soft feminine majesty was shed over her whole being that enchanted even those who were inimical to her.
Now is she in the right position; he steps back, and raising the knout, brings it down upon Eleonore's back with such accuracy that it takes off a strip of skin from her neck to her girdle. Then he swings the knout anew, with the same accuracy and the same result.
Earl Richard was one of several noblemen who died, we are told, from poison, in consequence of dining with Queen Eleonore's cousin, Count Pietro of Savoy, June 14, 1262. He was buried in Tewkesbury Abbey. These are, the priests at Bury Castle; the various Jews introduced; Levina; Doucebelle de Vaux.
Grant that she be flayed as she has now flayed me! Grant her a daughter, and let that daughter before her mother's eyes suffer what I now suffer, O my God! Woe to Elizabeth, and woe to you, ye cowardly slaves, who can look on and see a woman flayed and tortured! Shame and perdition to Russia and its Empress Elizabeth!" These were Eleonore's last words.
"Do not let us seem so curious," Madame de Chaulieu had said, cut to the heart by Diane's exclamation, "She is divine! where in the world does she come from?" and with that the bevy flew back to their seats, resuming their composure, though Eleonore's heart was full of hungry vipers all clamorous for a meal.
But as all remained silent, and as neither God nor man, nor yet the empress, had mercy upon her, a wild rage took possession of Eleonore's soul. Raising her eyes toward heaven with flaming glances, she exclaimed: "Woe to this merciless Elizabeth! Woe to this woman who has no compassion for another woman! What she now does to me, do Thou also to her, my God and Lord!
She breathed freer when the priest had pronounced his blessing upon her; an oppressive weight was lifted from her heart; the child she was about to bear was saved and sheltered, and Eleonore's curse had no longer any power over it! On the next day Elizabeth appointed Alexis field-marshal, and raised him in the ranks of the nobility.
The shawl was ordered on the very day I received your commands; whether it has actually been sent I know not, but most probably it has. Of the boy you never say enough. Nothing about his French in your last. I hope you talk to him much in French, and Eleonore always. A letter from Peggy says that Eleonore's boy was well on the 13th. Your icehouse and vaults are finished.