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Updated: May 18, 2025
Petersburg, and present you at the empress's court as my bride, the Princess Stratimojeff." He looked down at her with an air of triumph, to see what impression his words would have on her. He had expected to prepare a pleasurable surprise for her with the princely title to see her blush with proud satisfaction. But Elise felt neither elevated nor honored by the high rank.
The young count had been for some short months the declared darling of the empress, and the whole world did homage to him, and looked upon it as a matter of course that Catharine should make him Prince Stratimojeff, and bestow on him not only orders and titles, but lands and thousands of slaves. What a mad, intoxicating, joyous life was his!
This was the mission which Catharine had confided to Prince Stratimojeff, who, when he determined to undertake it, said to himself: "I will take vengeance on this proud woman who thinks to cast me off like a toy of which she has tired; I will show her that my heart is unmoved by her infidelity; I will present to her my young wife, whose beauty, youth, and innocence will cause her to blush for shame."
"I feel as if this town lay on my chest like a hundred-pound weight, and that I have to conceal myself like a criminal from the eyes of men." He threw his cloak open, and took a long and deep breath. What was it, then, that so strangely excited Prince Stratimojeff, and shook his very bones as with an ague?
What did she care whether Feodor was a prince or a poor officer, so that he only loved her, and would never again forsake her? She replied, with some surprise, "Princess Stratimojeff! What does that mean?" "For three months," said he with a proud smile, "I have been Prince Stratimojeff. The empress gave me this title. The world calls me prince, but you you will call me your Feodor?"
The courteous and obedient valet had left the room some time, but Prince Stratimojeff still stood motionless, his eyes cast on the ground, and muttering some unintelligible words. Suddenly, with an impatient movement, he threw his furred robe from his shoulders, and cast his head-gear far into the room. "Air! air! I suffocate!" cried he.
Judge, then, of my horror, when I have just received from a friend in St. Petersburg the certain intelligence that the empress has already sent a special envoy to settle this business with the most stringent measures. This half a million must be of great importance to the empress, when, for the purpose of collecting it, she sends her well-known favorite, Prince Stratimojeff!"
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