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ÏEÏOIRS

OF rwH

EMPRESS CATHERINE IL

WiiimilO BT

WITH A FBJEFACE BY A. HKEZlty.

%£3XoAiut3i &aitt tfat j'jwcq.^

L0NI>02î :

TKÛESIER & CO., 60, PATES2ÎCKSTEB SOW

JOHK CEILSS AND SONS, PSIirTXBS.

PREFACE.

Some hours after the death of the Empress Cathe-
rine, her son, the Emperor Paul, ordered Count
Rostoptchine to put the seals upon her papers. He
was himself present at the arrangement of these
papers. Among them was found the celehrated
letter of Alexis OrloiF,* in which, in a cynical tone
and with a drunken hand, he announced to the
Empress the assassination of her husband Peter III.
There was also a manuscript, written entirely by
the hand of Catherine herself, and enclosed in a /

sealed envelope, bearing this inscription : — Ero HMne-
paiopcKOMy BbicoqecTBy, ^ecapeBHHy h BeiHKOMy Khash)
naBjy neTpoBHHy, jLioSesHOMy CBiey Moeny. (To hia
Imperial Highness, the Cesarewitch and Grand
Duke Paul, my beloved son.) Under this envelope
was the manuscript of the Memoirs which we now
publish.

y The manuscript terminates abruptly towards the
dose of the year 1759. It is said that there were
with it some detached notes, which would have served

* See Memoirs of the PHncesB Pasohkow. LondoD, 1840*

■M materials for its continuation. Some perBons
affirm that Paul threw these into the fire; but
Dothing certain is known upon this point, Paul
kept his mother's manuscript a great secret, and
never entrusted it to any one but the friend of
hb childhood. Prince Alexander Kourakine. The
Prince took a copy of it. Some twenty years after
the death of Paul, Alexander Tourgeneff and Prince
Michael Worontzoff obtained copies from the tran-
script of Kourakine. The Emperor Nicholas having
heard of tliia, ga\e orders to the Secret Police to
seize all the copies. Amongst them was one written
at Odessa, by the hand of the celebrated poet Pouseh-
kine. A complete stop was now put to the further
circulation of the Memoirs,

The Emperor Nicholas had the original brought
to him by the Count D. Btoudoff; read it, sealed it
with the great seal of state, and ordered it to be kept
in the imperial archives, among the most secret
documents.

To these details, which I extract from a notice
communicated to me, I ought to add that the first
person who spoke to me on the subject was Conatan-
tine Arseniefl^ the preceptor of the present Emperor,
lie told me, in 1810, that he had obtained permis-
sion to read many secret documents relative to the
events which followed the death of Peter I, up to
the reign of Alexander I. Among these documenta,
he was authorized to read the Memoirs of Cathe-
rine n. (At that tiTie he wa^ teaching the Modem

PREFACE. V

History of Eussîa to the Grand Duke, the heir
presumptive.)

During the Crimean war, the archives were trans-
ferred to Moscow. In the month of March, 1855,
the present Emperor had the manuscript brought to
him to read. Since that period one or two copies
have again circulated at Moscow and St. Petersburg.
It is from one of these that we now publish the
Memoirs. As to their authenticity, there is not the
least room for doubt. Besides, it is only necessary
to read two or three pages of the text to, be quite
satisfied on the point.

We have abstained from all corrections of the
style, in every case in which it was not evident that
the copy presented some fault of transcription.

Passing to the Memoirs themselves, what do we
find?

The early years of Catherine II — of that woman-
emperor, who occupied for more than a quarter of a
century all contemporary minds, from Voltaire and
Frederic II to the Khan of the Crimea and the
Chiefs of the Kirghis — her young days described by
herself! .... What is there for the Editor to add
to this ?

In reading these pages, we behold her entering on
the scene, we see her forming herself to that which
she afterwards became. A frolicsome girl of four-
teen, her head dressed " à la Moïse/' fair, playful, the
betrothed of a little idiot, the Grand Duke, she has
already caught the disease of the Winter Palace —

the thirst of dominion. One day, while "perched"
with the Grand Duke upon a window-sill, and joking
with him, she saw Count Lestoeq enter : " Pack up
your things," he said, " you are off for Germany."
The young idiot seemed but little affected by the
threatened separation, " It was pretty nearly a
matter of indifference to me also," says the little
German girl; " but the crown of Russia was not so,"
adds the Grand Duchess.

Here we have, in the hud, the Catherine of
1762!

J To dream of the crown, however, was quite
natural in the atmosphere of that court ; natural not
only for the hetrothed of the Heir Presumptive, but
for every one. The groom Biren, the singer Rasou-
mowfiky, the Prince Dolgorouky, the plebeian Menchi-
koff, the ohgarch Volyuski — every one was anxious
for a shred of the imperial mantle. The crown of
Ri^sia, after Peter I, was a res nuUius.

Peter I, a terrorist and reformer, before all
things, had no respect for legitimacy. His abso-
lutism sought to reacli ev^n beyond the tomb. He
gave himself the right of appointing his successor,
and instead of appointing him, he contented himself
with ordering the assassination of his own son.

After the death of Peter, the nobles assembled for
deliberation. Mencliikoff put a stop to ail discus-
aion, and proclaimed as Empress his old mistress, the
widow of a brave Swedish dragoon, slain upon the
field of battle, the widow of Peter also, to whom

PREFACE. Vil

MencUkoff had resigned her " through devotion ^' to
bis master.

The reign of Catherine I was short. After her,
the crown passed from head to head as chance
directed : from the once Livoniân tavern-keeper, to a
<street-boy (Peter II) ; from this street-boy, who died
of small-pox, to the Duchess of Courland (Anne) ;
from the Duchess of Courland to a Princess of
Mecklenburg (wife of a Prince of Brunswick), who
reigned in the name of an infant in the cradle (Ivan) ;
from this boy, bom too late to reign, the crown
passed to the head of a woman bom too soon — Eliza-
beth. She it is who represents legitimacy.

Tradition broken, the people and the state com-
pletely separated by the reforms of Peter I, coups
d'état and palace revolutions were the order of
the day : liothing was fixed. The inhabitants of St.
Petersburg, when retiring at night, knew not under
whose government they should awake in the morn-
ing; they consequently took but little interest in
-changes, which, after all, did not essentially con-
cern any but a few German intriguers, become
Russian ministers, a few great nobles grown gray in
pequry and crime, and the regiment of Preobrajensky,
which disposed of the crown like the Pretorians of
old. For all others, every thing remained unchanged.
And when I say others, I speak only of the nobles
and officials ; for as to the great silent people — that
people prostrate, sad, stupefied, dumb — it was never
thought of. The people was beyond the pale of tlic

law, and passively accepted the terrible trial -n-hich
Grod had sent it, caring little for the spectres which
mounted with tottering steps the ascent to the
tlirone, gliding like shadows, and disappearing in
Siberia, or in the dungeons. The people was sure to
be pillaged in any ease. Its social condition there-
fore was beyond the reacli of accident.

What a strange period ! The imperial throne, a3
we have elsewhere said,* was like the bed of
Cleopatra. A crowd of oligarchs, of strangers, of
panders, of minions, led forth nightly an unknown, a
child, a German ; placed the puppet on the throne,
worshipped it, and, in its name, gave the knoutto all
who presumed to question the an'angement,V Scarcely
had the chosen one time to become intoxicated with
the delights of an exorbitant and absurd power, and
to condemn his enemies to slavery or torture, when
the succeeding wave raised np another pretender, and
the chosen of yesterday, witii all his followers, was
ingulphed in the abyss. The ministers and generals
of one day, were the nest ou tlicir way to Siberia,
loaded with chahis.

This biifera hifeniale caiTied away people with
such rapidity, that there was not time to get accus-
tomed to their faces. Jlarshal Munich, who had
overturned Biren, rejoined him on a raft, stopped
upon the Volga, himself a prisoner, with chains on
his feet. It is in the struggle of these two Germans,

* Du UÈveloppïinoat dee idées rûrolutioimnircs eu Buiiie.

f «ho disputed the empire of Russia as if it bad beca
i a jug of beer, that we may retrace the true type of
i the coups (Pélat of the good old times.

The Empress Anne died, leaving the crowu, as

B have just said, to a cliild only a few months old,

mder the regency of her lover Biren. The Duke of

PCourland was all-powerful. Despising everything

iKussian, he wished to civilize us with the lash. In

B hope of strengthening himaelf, he destroyed, with

■ B cold-blooded cruelty, hundreds of men, and drove
P'into e.\ile more than twenty thousand. Marshal

■ Munich got tired of this; he was a German as
I well aa Biren, and besides a good soldier. One
I day, the Princess of Brunswick, the mother of the
■little Emperor, complained to him of the arrogance

I Biren. "Have you spoken on this subject to
my one else?" asked the Marshal. "I have not."
*Very well, then; keep silent, and leave every
J to me." This was on the 7th of September^

On the 8th, Munich dined ivith Biren. After
c left his family with the Regent, and retired
r a moment. Going quietly to the residence of the
incess of Brunswick, he told her to be prepai-ed
r the night, and then returned. Supper came oa,
Ifanieh gave anecdotes of his campaigns, and of the
iftttles he had gained. " Have you made any uoc-
•nal expeditions?" asked tiie Count dc Lcewen-
Bjpt. "I have made cspcditions at all hours,"
^lied the Marslial, with some annoyance. The

Regent, wlio iras indisposed, and was lying on a serfs,
aat up at these words, and became thoughtful.

They parted friends.

Having readied home, Munich ordered his aide-
de-camp, Manstein, to be ready by two o'clock. At
that hoiu' tliey entered a carriage, and drove straight
to the Winter Palace. There he had the Princes»
awakened. "What is the matter?" said the good
German, Anthony Ulrich, of Jîraunschweig-Wolfen-
biittel, to his wife. " I am not well," replied the
Piinceas, — And Anthony Ulrich turned over and slept
like a top.

Wliile he slept, the Princess dressed herself, tmd
the old warrior conferred with the most turbulent of
the soldiers in the Preobrajensky regiment. He
represented to them the humiliating position of the
Princess, spoke of her future gratitude, and as he
spoke, hade thcra load their muskets.

Then leaving the Princess under the gnard of
some forft/ grenadiers, he proceeded with eighty
others to arrest the chief of the State, the terrible
Duke of Courland.

They traversed without impediment the streets
of St. Petersburg ; reached the palace of the Regent ;
entered it ; and Munich sent Manstein to arrest the
Duke in his bed-chamber, living or dead. The
officers on duty, the sentinels, and the servants
looked on. " Had there been a single officer op
aoldier faithful," says Manstein, in his memoirs, "we
were lost." But there was not one, Biren, perceiv-

PREFACE. XI

ing the soldiers^ endeavoured to escape by creeping
under the bed. Manstein had him forced out:
Biren defended himself. He received some blows
from the butt-ends of their muskets, and was then
conveyed to the guard-house.

The coup d^état was accomplished. But some-
tiling stranger still was soon to follow.

Biren was detested ; that might explain his fall.
The new Regent, on the contrary — a good and gentle
creature, who gave umbrage to no one, while she
gave much love to the Ambassador Linar — was
even liked a little from hatred to Biren. A year
passed. All was. tranquil. But the court of France
was dissatisfied with an Austro-Russian alliance
which the Regent had just concluded with Maria
Theresa. How was this alliance to be prevented?
Nothing easier. It was only to make a coup d^ état y
and expel the Regent. In this case, we have not
even a marshal reverenced by the soldiers, not even a
statesman. An intriguing physician, Lestocq, and
an intriguing ambassador. La Chétardie, are suffi-
cient to carry to the throne, Elizabeth, daughter of
Peter I.

Elizabeth, absorbed in pleasures and petty in-
trigues, little thought of overturning the govern-
ment. She was led to believe that the Regent
intended to shut her up in a convent. She, Eliza-
beth, who spent her time in the barracks of the
guards, and in licentious excesses .... better make
herself Empress ! So also thought La Chétardie ;

and lie did more than think ; he gave Fnencli gold to
hire a handful of soldiere.

On the 25th of November, 17-11, the Grand
DnchesB, dressed in a. magnificent robe, and with a
brilliant cuirass on her breast, presented herself at
the guard-house of the Preobrajensky regiment.
She exposed to the soldiers her unhappy condition.
They, reeking iiith wine, cried out, " Command,
mother, command, and we will slaughter them ^1 !"
The charitable Grand Duchess recoils with horror,
and onlt/ orders the arrest of the Regent, her hus-
band, and theii- son- — the ôaÔy-Empcror.

Once again is the old scene repeated-

Anthouy IJliich, of Braunschweig, is awakened
from the most profound slumber; but tliis time he
cannot relapse into it again, for two soldiers wrap
him up in a sheet and carry him to a dungeon, which
he will leave only to go and die in exile.

Again is the coi(j> d'étal accomplished.

The new reign seems to go on wheels. And once
more nothing is wanting to this strange crown ....
but an heir. The Empress who will have nothing to
do with the little Ivan, seeks one in the episcopal
palace of the Prince-Bishop of Lubeck. It is the
nephew of the Bishop whom she selects, a grandson
of Peter I, an orphan without father or mother, and
the intended husband of the little Sophia Augusta
Frcderica, Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst-Bernbtirg, who
resigned all these sonorous and illustrious titles to be
called simply .... Catherine If.

And now, after all that has been said, let the
reader pioture to himself what must have been the
nature of the medium into which destiny had cast
this young girl, gifted, as she was, not only with great
talent, but also with a character pUant, though full
of pride and passion.

Her position at St, Petersburg was horrible. On

one aide was her mother, a peevish, scolding, greedy,

niggardly, pedantic German, boxing her cars, and

iking away her new dresses to appropriate them to

r own use ; on the other, the Empress Elizabeth, a

and grumbling virago, never quite sober,

alous, envious, causing every step of the young

rincess to be watched, every word reported, taking

e at everything, and all this after having given

■ for a husband the most ridiculous Benedict of

eage.

A prisoner in the palace, she couid do nothing

irithout permission. If she wept for the death of

r fatlicr, the Empress sent her word that she had

rieved enough — " That her father was not a king,

Hit she should mourn him longer than a week."

f she evinced a friendship for any of her maids of

tnour, she might he sore the lady would be dis-

ÏBsed. If she became attached to a faitliful servant,

I more certain was it that that servant would

e turned away.

Her relations with the Grand Duke were mon-
, degrading. Ile made her the confidante of
B amorous intrigues. Drunk from the age of ten,

be came one uigbt, in liquor, to entertain his "wife
with a description of the graces and charms of the
daughter of Bireu; and as Catherine pretended to
be asleep, he gave her a punch with his fist to
arwaken her. This hooby kept a kennel of dogSj
Tvliicb infested the air, at tlie side of his wife's bed-
chamber, and hung rats in his own, to punish tliem.
according to the rulea of martial law.

Nor is this all. After having wounded and out-
raged nearly every feeling of this yoimg creature's
nature, they began to deprave her systematically.
The Empress regards as a breach of order her
having no ciiUdren. Madame Tchoglokoff speaks to
her on the subject, insinuating that, for the gat
l/te stale, she ought to sacrifice her scruples, and
concludes by proposing to her a choice between
Soltikoff and Narichkine. The young lady aftects
simplicity and takes both— nay, Pouiatowsky into the
bargain ; and thus was commenced a career of licen-
tiousness in which she never halted during the space
of forty years.

"What renders the present publication of seriou»
consequence to the imperial house of Russia is, that
it proves not only that this house docs not belong to
the family of Romanoff, but that it does not even
belong to that of Ilolsteiji Gottorp. The avowal of
Catherine on this point is very esplicit — the father cf
the Emperor Paul is Sergiua Solti/ioff.

The Imperial Dictatorship of Russia endeavoon
in vain to represent itself as traditional and secular.

One word more before I close.

In perusing tliese Memoirs, the reader is asto-
mslied to find one tMng constantly lost sight of, even
to the extent of not appearing anywhere — it is Russia
and the People. And here is the characteristic trait
of the epoch.

The Winter Palace, with its military and admi-
nistrative machinery, was a world of its own. Like a
ship floating on the surface of the ocean, it had no
real connection with the inhabitants of the deep, be-
yond that of eating them. It was the State for the
Stale. Organized on the German model, it imposed
itself on the nation as a conqueror. In that monstrous
barrack, in that enormous chancery, there reigned the
cold rigidity of a camp. One set gave or transmitted
orders, the rest obeyed in silence. There was but a
single spot, within that dreary pile, in which human
passions reappeared, agitated and stormy, and that
spot was the domestic hearth; not that of the nation
—but of the state. Behind that tripple line of sen-
tinels, in those heavily ornamented saloons, there
fermented a feverish life, with its intrigues and its
conflicts, its dramas, and its tragedies. It was there
that the destinies of Kussia were woven, in tiie gloom
of the alcove, in the midst of orgies, lieyond the reach
of informers and of the police.

IVbat interest, then, could the young German
Princess take in that magnum ignotum, that people
unexpressed, poor, semi-barbarous, which concealed
itself in its villages, behind the snow, behind bad

roadti, and only appeared in the ati'eete of St, Peters-
burg like a foreign outcast, with its persecuted
beai'd and prohibited dress — tolerated only through
contempt.

It was only long afterwards tliat Catherine heard
the Russian people seriously spoken of, when the
Cossack Pougatcbeif, at the head of an army of
insurgent peasants, menaced Moscow.

When Pougatcheff was vanquished, the Winter
Palace again forgot the people. And there is no tell-
ing when it would have been once more remembered,
had it not itself put its masters in mind of its exist-
ence, by rising in mass in 1812, rejcctiug, on the
one baud, the release from serfdom offered to it at
the point of foreign bayonets, and, on the other,
marching to death to save a oountry which gave it
nothing but slavery, degradation, misery — and the
oblivion of the Winter Palace.

This was the second memento of the Russian
people. Let us hope that at the third it will be
remembered a little longer.

A. HERZEN.

IiOMBOH, Novetnier ISM, 18S8.

MEMOIRS

OF THE

EMPEESS CATHERINE II.

WRITTEN BY HERSELF.

PART I.

FEOM 1729, THE YEAR OF HER BIRTH, TO 1761.

Fortune is not so blind as people think. Her move-
ments axe often the result of precise and well-planned
measures, which escape the perception of common
minds ; still oftener are they the result of personal
qualities, character, and conduct.

To render this more evident, I will propose the
following syllogism :

Qualities and character shall form the major;

Conduct, the minor;

Good or evil fortime, the conclusion.
Here are two striking illustrations :

Peter III.
Catherine II.

2 memoirs of the

Peter III^ his Father and Mother.

The mother of Peter III was a daughter of Peter
I. Two months after the birth of her son she died
of consumption, in the little town of Kiel, in Holstein,
a victim to grief at finding herself established in such
a place and married so badly. Charles Frederic, Duke
of Holstein, nephew of Charles XII, King of Sweden,
was the father of Peter III. He was a weak prince,
ugly, little, sickly, and poor (see the Journal of
Berkholz, in Busching^s Magazine). He died in
1739, leaving his son, not quite eleven years old,
under the guardianship of his cousin, Adolphus Fre-
deric, Bishop of Lubeck and Duke of Holstein, since
elected King of Sweden, in consequence of the peace
of Abo, and the recommendation of the Empress
Elizabeth. The education of Peter III was placed
under the superintendence of the Grand Marshal of
his Court, Brummer, a Swede by birth, under whom
were the Great Chamberlain Berkholz, author of the
journal just alluded to, and four chamberlains, two
of whom, Adlerfeldt, author of a history of Charles
XII, and Wachmeister, were Swedes, and the other
two, Wolff and Madfeldt, natives ^f Holstein. The
Prince was educated for the throne of Sweden, in a
court too large for the countiy which contained it;
and this court was divided into several factions mu-
tually hating each other, each seeking to obtain an
ascendancy over the mi;id of the Prince, instead of
endeavouring to form his character, and all bent upon

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 3

inspiring him with an aversion for those opposed to
them. The young Prince cordially hated Brummer ;
nor did he like any of his attendants, because they
kept him under restraint.

• Even from the age of ten, Peter III showed a
fondness for drink. He had to submit to numerous
presentations, and was never out of sight night or
day. The persons he most liked during his childhood
and the first years of his residence in Russia were
two old valets de chambre — Cramer, a Livonian, and
Roumberg, a Swede. The latter was the favourite ;
he was a somewhat rough and vulgar person, who had
been a dragoon under Charles XII. Brummer, and
consequently Berkholz, who only saw with the eyes
of Brummer, was attached to the Prince Guardian
and Administrator ; aU the rest were dissatisfied with
this Prince, and still more so with his adherents.

When the Empress Elizabeth ascended the throne
of Russia, she sent the Chamberlain Korf into Hol-
stein to demand her nephew. In consequence, the
Prince Administrator immediately sent him off, ac-
companied by the Grand Marshal Brummer, the
Chamberlain Berkholz, and the Chamberlain Decken,
nephew of the former. The Empress received the
Prince with great joy, and soon after his arrival
set out for Moscow to be crowned. She had deter-
mined to declare him her heir; but, first of all, it
was indispensable that he should be received into the
Greek church. The enemies of the Grand Marshal
Brummer, and particularly the Great Chamberlain

Count Bcatoujeff and the Count M, Pauin, who y
foi' a long time Russian minister in Swetlenj pre-
tended to liaTC in their possession convincing prctofs
that Brummer, from the moment he found the Em-
press determined to declare her nephew heir presump-
tive to her throne, took as much pains to corrupt the
mind and heart of his pupil as he liad before taken
to render him worthy of the crown of Sweden.
But I have always douhted this atrocity, and looked
upon the education of Peter III as a conflict of unfor-
tunate cii'cumstances. I will relate what I have seen
and heard, and even that will explain a great deal.

I saw Peter III for the first time when he, was
eleven years old. He was then at Eutin with his
guai'dian, the Prince Bishop of Lubeck, some months
after the death of his father, the Duke Charles Fre-
deric. The Prince Bishop had assembled all his
family at Eutin, in 1739, in order to meet his ward.
My grandmother, mother of the Prince Bishop, and
my mother, his sister, had come from Hamhui'g
with me. I was then ten years old. Prince Augus-
tus and the Princess Anne, brother and sister of the
Prince Guardian and Administrator of Holateiu, were
also there ; and it was then I heard it stated, in the
presence of the assembled family, that the young
Duke was inclined to drink, his attendants finding it
difficult to prevent him irom getting intoxicated at
table ; that he was restive and impetuous ; without
affection for those about him, and especially disliking
Brmnmer ; that, otherwise, he was not wanting in
TÎTacity, but that he iras of a weak and sickly con-

EMPRESS C.

stitiition. In point of fact, his complexion was pale,
and he appeared thin and delicate. To this child his
attendants wished to give the appearance of a eom-
sman; and for this purpose he was tormented
jÉFÎth restraints only calculated to teach him falsehood
S well in character as in deportment.

The little court of llolsteiu had not long hcen
f .eettled in Russia when an embassy anived from
' Sweden, requesting the Empress to allow her nephew
to he placed on the throne of that kingdom, Eliza-
beth, however, had already announced her inten-
tions by the preliminaries of the peace of Abo, as
previously mentioned ; and she replied to the Swedish
diet that she had declared her nephew heir to the
throne of Russia, and that she adhered to the prelimi-
naries of the peace of Abo, which gave to Sweden, as
heir presumptive to the crown, the Prince Adminis-
trator of Holstcin. {This Prince had had an elder bro-
ther, to whom the Empress had been affianced at the
death of Peter I. The marriage had not taken place,
s the Prince died of small-pox a few weeks after the
hlletTothal; but the Empress retained mneh affection
■for his memory, as she showed by many marks of
ïf&vour to all the family.)

Peter III, then, was declared heir to Elizabetli 1
md Grand Duke of Russia, after having previously ,
lade his profession of faith accoMing to the rites of
the Greek church. His instructor on this occasion
a Simon Theodorsky, since Archbishop of Pleskov,
!he Prince had been baptized aud Ijrought up in the
■■ïititheran creed in its most rigid and least tolerant

6 MEMOIRS OF THE

form. He had always been refractory under instruc-
tion of every kind ; and I have heard his attendants
say that, while at Kiel, they had infinite trouble in
getting him to church on Sundays and holidays, and
making him perform the acts of devotion required of
him; and that most of the time he displayed his
irreligion in the presence of Simon Theodorsky. His
Eoyal Highness took it into his head to dispute upon
every point, and his attendants had often to be called
in to check his ill-humour or impetuosity. At last,
after giving a deal of trouble, he submitted to the
wishes of his aunt the Empress ; though, whether
from prejudice, habit, or the spirit of contradiction,
he frequently took care to let it be seen that he
would rather have gone to Sweden than remain in
Russia. He retained Brummer, Berkholz, and his
Holstein attendants until his marriage. Some other
masters were added to these as a matter of routine :
Mr. Isaac Wesselowsky for the Russian language ;
he came but rarely at first, and finally not at all ; the
other was the Professor Stehlein, who was to teach
him mathematics and history, but who, in reality,
only played with him, and served him as a buflbon.
The person who was most assiduous was the ballet-
master, Laudé, who taught him dancing.

1744.

At first, the sole occupation of the Grand Duke,
when in his private apartment, was to make the two
servants who attended him there go through the mili-

tary exercise. He gave them titles and ranks, and
then again degraded them, according to the whim of
the moment. It iras truly child's play, and a constant
childhood. In general, indeed, he ivas very childish,
although at this time he was sixteen. In 1744, while
the court was at Moscow, Catherhie II arrived there
with her mother, on the ÎIth of Fehruary.

The Russian coui't was at that time divided into
two great sections or parties. At the head of the
first, which now began to recover from its previous
depression, was the Vice- Chancellor Count Bestoujeff
Rumine. He was a man far more feared than loved,
excessively intriguing and auspicious, furm and reso- à
lute in his principles, not a httle tyrannical, an \
implacable enemy, but a steady friend, never aban-
doning those who did not first turn their backs on
him. He was, besides, difficult to get along with,
and apt to stand upon trifles. He was at the head
of the department of foreign affairs. Having to J
contend with those immediately about the Empress,
he had been kept down before the journey to
Moscow; hut now he began to gain an ascendancy.
He leaned to the court of Vienna, to that of Saxony,

md to England. The arrival of Catherine II and
r mother gave him no pleasure ; it was tlie secret 1

rork of the faction opposed to hira. The enemies of- ^

the Count were numerous, Imt he made them all
Iftremhle. He had over them the advantage of his

losition and character, which gave him great weight

1 the politics of the ante-chamber.

8 MEX0IBS OF THE

TliiS party opposed to Bestonjeff were in faTOur of
fr^uee, her protégée Sweden^ and the King of Prussia.
Tba Mi^rqub de la Chétardie was the soul of this
pdftjr ; the courtiers from Holstein its prominent
personage», Tliey had gained over Lestocq^ one of
tbc principal actors in the revolution which had
placed Kli%abeth on the throne of Russia. He had a
large «Imre in her confidence. He had heen her
surgeon since the death of the Empress Catherine I^
to whose houseliold he had also been attached^ and
had rendered essential services to both mother and
daughter. He was not wanting either in shrewd-
ness, skill, or intrigue ; but he was malicious, and
bad a bad heart. AH these strangers supported him,
and put forward Count Michael Woronzoff, who had
also taken part in the revolution, and had accom-
panied Elizabeth on the night she ascended the
throne. She had made him marry the niece of the
Empress Catherine I, the Countess Anna Karlovna
Skavronsky, who had been brought up with herself,
and was very much attached to her. To this faction
also belonged the Count Alexander EoumianzofiF,
father of the Marshal, who had signed the peace of
Abo with Sweden— a peace in which Bestoujeff had
been but little consulted. The party also counted
upon the Procurator-general Troubetzkoy, upon the
whole Troubetzkoy family, and, consequently, upon
the Prince of Hcsse-Homburg, who had married
a princess of this family. The Prince of Hesse-
Ilomburg, who was much thought of at that time.

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 9

was personally of little consequence, his importance
being wholly derived from the extensive family to
which his wife belonged, and of which the father and
mother were still living : the latter enjoyed great
consideration.

The remaining portion of those who were about
the Empress consisted at that time of the family of
Schouvaloff. These balanced in all respects the
Master of the Hounds, Razoumowsky, who, for the
moment, was the acknowledged favourite.

Count Bestoujeff knew how to make these latter
useful, but his chief reliance was on the Baron
Tcherkassoff, Secretary of the Cabinet to the Empress,
and who had previously served in the cabinet of
Peter I. He was a rough and headstrong man, an
advocate of order and justice, and one who wished to
see everything in due form and system. The re-
mainder of the court took sides with one or other of
these parties, according to their several interests or
personal feelings.

The arrival of my mother and myself seemed to
give the Grand Duke much pleasure. I was then in
my fifteenth year. During the first few days he
showed me great attention. vÈven then, and in that
short time, I could see that he cared but little for
the nation over which he was destined to rule; that
he leaned to Lutheranism ; that he had no afifection
for those about him; and that he was very childish.
I was silent, and listened, and this gained me his
confidence. I remember his teUing me, among

MEMOIRS OF THE

other things, that what most pleased him in me was,
that I was his cousin, as he could therefore, from our
nearrelationship, open his heart to me with entire con-
fideuce ; and hereupon he went on to inform me that
he was in love with one of the maids of honour to
the Empress, who had heen diamissed from court in
conseijuence of the misfortune of her mother, a
Madame Lapoukine, who had been exiled to Siberia;
that he woidd have been very glad to have married
her, but that ^he was resigned to marry me instead,
as his aunt wished it, I listened irith a hluah to
these family diselosures, thanking him for his pre-
mature confidence ; but, in reality, I was astounded
at his imprudence and utter want of judgment in a
variety of matters.

The tenth day after my arrival in Jloacow, it was
Saturday, the Empress went to the convent of
Troïtza. The Grand Dulte remained with us at
Moscow. Three masters had ah'cady been assigned
me : Simon Theodorsky, to instruct me in the Greek
faith ; Basil Adadouroff, for the Russian language ;
and the ballet-master, Laudij, for dancing. w In order
to make greater progress iu the Russian, I used to
sit up in bed when every one else was asleep, and
learned by heart the lessons which Adadoui'off had
left mc. As my room was warm, and I had no expe-
rience of the climate, I neglected to put on my shoes
or stockings, but studied just as I left my bed. The
consequence was, that from the fifteenth day I was
seized with a pleurisy which threateued to kill me.

EMPRESS CATHERINE II.

It commenced with a sliiveringj whicli seized me on

the Tuesday after the departure of the Empress for

the convent of Troitza, just as I had dressed for

dinner, ÎMy mother and myself were to dine that

day with the Grand Duke, and I had much difficulty

iu getting lier to allow me to go to bed. On her

, leturn &om dinner, she found me almost without

consciousness, in a, bm'ning fever, and with an ex-

f oruciatiiig pain in the side. She fancied I was going

\ to have the small-pos; sent for the physicians, and

i mshed me to be treated in consequence. The medi-

kcal men insisted on my being bled, but she wou!(t not

listen to the proposal, saying that it was from being

Pljled that her brother had died of the small-pox in

p-jRuaaia, and that she did not Mish me to share the

Ï fate. The physicians, and the attendants of

fctbe Grand Duke, who had not had th.o disease, sent

ito the Empress an esact report of the state of mat-

r^ers, and in the meantime, while my mother and the j

I doctors were disputing,''! lay in my bed, unconscii

kin a burning fever, and with a pain in the side which

roocasioned intense suifering, and forced from me

[ continuai meanings, for which my mothei- scolded

li'iae, teiling me that I ought to bear my suffering» j

tipatiently.

Finally, on the Saturday evening, at seven o'clock, '
pthat is, on the fifth day of my disease, the Empreaa
lletiirncd from the convent of Troitza, and, on alight-
; from her carriage, proceeded to my room, and
ifound me without consciousness. She had with her

MEMnlHS or THE

Count Leatocq and a surgeon, and ha^'ing heard the
opinion of the physicianSj Bhe sat down at the head
of my bed, and ordered me to be bled. The moment
the blood came, I recovered my consciousness, and,
opening my eyes, found myself in the arms of the
Empress, who had lifted me up. For tweuty-seven
days I lay between life and death, and during that
period I was bled sixteen times, on some occasions as
often as four times in the day. My mother was
scarcely ever allovred to enter my room. She con-
tinued opposed to these frequent bleedings, and loudly
asserted that the doctors were killing me. She
began, however, to believe that I should not have
the small-pox. The Empress had placed the Coun-
tess E.onmi an zoif and several other ladies in attendance
on me, and it seemed that my mother's judgment
was distrusted. At last, under the care of the phy-
sician Sanches, a Portuguese, the abscess which had
formed in my right side burst. I vomited it, and
from that moment I began to recover. I soon per-
ceived that my mother's conduct during my illnesa
bad lowered her in cvei-y one's estimation. When
she saw me very bad, she wished a Lutheran clergy-
man to be brought to me, I have been told that they
brought me to myself, or took advantage of a moment
of returning consciousuess, to propose this to me,
and that I replied, "What is the good? I would
rather have Simon Theodorsky ; 1 will speak to him
with pleasm^." He was brought, and addressed me
in a manner that gave general satisfaction. This

li.UFllKHS CATHEllINB II. 13

occurrence did me great service in the opiniou of the

Empress and of tlie entire court. There was also

another circumstance which injured my mother. One.

day, towards Eaater, she took it into her head to

send me word by a maid-servant that she wished me

to give up to her a piece of blue and silver stuff,

-which ray father's brother had presented to me on

ftiy departure for E,usaia, seeing that I had taken a

feat fancy for it. I rephed that she could, of course,

ike it, though I certainly prized it very much, as

pty uncle Lad given it to me because I liked it so

Binuch. The persons about me perceiviuç that I

parted with it univillingly, and considering how long

/I had hovered between life and death, having only

got a little better within the last two or three days,

jfaegan to complain of my mother's imprudence in

giving any annoyance to a dying child, saying, that

far from depriving me of my dress, she ought

tot even to have mentioned the matter. The cir-

matance was related to the Empress, who instantly

ait me several superb pieces of stuff, and among

lem one of blue and silver, but the circumstance

JBJared my mother in the estimation of the Empress.

s accused of having no affection for me, nor

discretion either. I had accustomed myself

iring my illness to lie with my eyes closed. I was

I to be asleep, and tlicu the Countess Rou-

ianzoff, and the ladies who were with her, spoke

aeir raiuds freely, and 1 thus learned a great many

things.

14 MEMOIRS OF THE

As I began to get better^ the Grand Duke often
came to spend the evening in my mother^s apartment,
which was also mine. He and every one else seemed
to take the greatest' interest in my condition. The
Empress had often shed tears about me. At last, on
the 21st of April, 1744, my birthday, whence com-
menced my fifteenth year, I was able to appear in
public for the first time after this severe illness.

I fancy that people were not much edified with
the apparition. I was wasted away to a skeleton.
I had grown; but my face and features had lengthened,
my hair had fallen ofi^, and I was deadly pale. To
myself I looked frightfully ugly; I could not recog-
nize myself. The Empress sent me, on the occasion,
a pot of rouge, and ordered me to use it.

With the return of spring and fine weather, the
assiduities of the Grand Duke ceased. He preferred
walking and shooting in the environs of JIoscow.
Sometimes, however, he came to dine or sup with us,
and then he continued his childish confidences to me,
while his attendants conversed with my mother, who
received much company, and with whom many con-
ferences took place, which did not fail to displease
those who were not present at them, especially Count
BestoujeflF, all whose enemies were in the habit of
assembling with us, and particularly the Marquis de la
Chetardie, who had not yet put forth any character*
from the court of France, though he carried in his
pocket his credentials as ambassador.

* Official?— E.O.

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 15

In the month of May, the Empress again visited
the convent of Troïtza, whither the Grand Duke,
myself, and my mother followed her. For some
time the Empress had begun to treat my mother
with much coldness. At the convent of Troïtza, the
reason for this became apparent. One afternoon,
when the Grand Duke was in our room, the Empress
entered suddenly, and desired my mother to follow
her into the other apartment. Count Lestocq followed
there also. The Grand Duke and I sat upon a
window-sill, waiting. The conversation lasted a long
time., At last, Count Lestocq came out^ and, in
passing, came near the place where the Grand Duke
and I were sitting laughing, and said to us, " This
merriment will soon cease.'^ And then, turning to
me, he added, " You may pack up ; you are going
to set off home at once.^' The Grand Duke wished
to know the reason of this. '^ You will learn after-
wards,^^ was the reply of the Count, who departed to
fulfil the commission with which he was charged,
and of the nature of which I was ignorant. The
Grand Duke and myself were left to ruminate on
what we had heard. His commentaries were in
words; mine in thoughts. "But,^^ he said, ^^ if
your mother is in fault, you are not.^' I answered,
^^ My duty is to follow my mother, and do what she
orders me.^^ I saw plainly that he would have
parted from me without regret. ^As for myself, con-
sidering his character and sentiments, the matter was
nearly indifferent to me also, but the crown of Russia

JlEMlllllS 01' TUE

was not so. At last the door of the bed-room opeacd,
and the Empress came out with a flushed face and an
angry look. My mother followed her, her cyca red,
and filled with tears. As we scramhled down from
the window where we were perched, and which waa
rather high, the Empress smiled. She then kissed
us both, and departed. When she had gone, we
learned pretty nearly how matters stood.

The Marquis de la Ch6tardie, who formerly, or,
to speak more correctly, in his first diplomatic journey
to Russia, had stood very high in the fuvoiu- and
confidence of the Empress, found himself, in his
second journey, fallen fi'om liis Lopes. His conver-
sationa were more measm'ed than Lia letters; these
were filled with the most rancorous bitterness. They
had been opened, deciphered. In tliem were found
the details of his conversations with my mother, and
with many other persons, relative to the affairs of the
empire, and totheBmpi'ess herself; and as the Mar-
quis had not displayed any character,* the order was
given for expelling him from the empire. The badge
of the order of St, Andrew and the portrait of the
Empress were taken from him ; but he waa allowed
to retain all the other presents of jewels made him
hy her Majesty. I do not know whether my mother
succeeded in justifying herself in the mind of the
Empress, hut, at all events, we did not go away. How-
ever, my mother continued to he treated with much
reserve and coldness. I do not know what passed
• Diplomntii;?— Eo.

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 17

between her and La Chétardîe, but I know that one
day he complimented me ou my having' my hair
arranged en Moyse. I replied, that to gratify the Em-
press, I would dress my hair in every style that could
give her pleasure. When he heard this he turned on
hia heel, went off in another direction, and did not
(gain speak to nie.

On our return from Moscow with the Grand
hike, my mother and I were more isolated. Fewer
îople came to see us, and I was being prepared for
ling ray profession of faith. The 28th of June
s fixed for this ceremony, and the following day,
the Feast of St. Peter, for my betrothal ivith the
Grand Duke. I remember tliat Marshal Bruramer,
several times during this period, complained to me
of bis pupil, and wished to make use of me for cor-
recting or reproving him; but I told him it was
impossible for me to do so, and that were I to attempt
it 1 should only render myself as odious to him a^
his attendants were already.

During this period, my mother beeame very inti-
mate with the Prince and Princess of Ilcsse, and
still more so with the brother of the latter, the
Chambei'laiu Betsky. This connection displeased
the Countess ItoumianzofF, Marshal Brummer, and,
in fact, every one ; and, while she was engaged with
them iu lier room, the Grand Duke and I were
making a racket in the ante-chamber, of which we

kwere in full possession ; we were neither of us wanting
in youthful vivacity.

MEMOIKS OF THK

In tlie month of July, the Empress cclebrateâ,
at Moacoiv, the peace with Sweden. On this occa-
sion, a Court was formed for mc, as an utiianced
Grand Duchess of Hussia; and, immediately aftra
the celebration, the Empress sent us off for Kiev.
She set out herself some days later. We made
short stages — my mother and I, the Countesa Eou-
mianzoff, and one of the ladies of my mother's suite
in one carnage; the Grand Duke, Brumracr, Bcrk-
holz, and Decken in another. One afternoon, the
Grand Duke, tired of being with hia pediigogues,
wished to join my mother and me. Once in witli us,
he would not leave our carriage. Then my mother,
wearied with being always with him and me, took
a fancy to augment our company. She commu-
nicated her idea to the young people of our suite,
among whom were Priuce Galitzine, since Marshal
of this name, and Count Zachar Czernieheff. One
of the carriages, containing our beds, was taken,
benches were ranged all round it, and the next
morning the Grand Duke, my mother and I, Prince
Galitzine, Count Czemichefl^ ^ud one or two more of
the youngest of the suite, entered it. And thus we
passed the rest of our journey very gaily, as far as
our canùage life was concerned; but all who were
not with us protested against the arrangement. " It
estremely displeased the Grand Marshal Brummer,
the Great Chamberlain Berkholz, the Countess Rou-
mianzoff, the Lady-in-waiting on my mother, and, in
fact, all the rest of the suite, because they were never

ier

admitted ; aud, wiile we laughed tlirough the jour-
ney, they were grumbling and wearied.

In this manner we reached Koselak, at the end of
three weeks, and there remained three other weeks
waiting for the Empress, who had lieen delayed on
her route by several occurrences. We learnt at Ko-
■elak that during her journey several persona of her
mite liad been sent into esile, and that she was in
Tery bad humour. At last, about the middle of Au-
gust, she reached Koselsk, and we remained there
with her till the end of the month. While there, the
people played at faro from morning till night, in a
large hall in the centre of the house, and they played
high. We were all much cramped in point of space.
My mother and I slept in the same room, the
Countess Eoumianzoff and the Lady-in-waiting on
my mother in the ante-chamber, and so on witli the
others. One day, when the Grand Duke came into
our room, my mother was writing, while her casket
lay open at her side. The Duke, from curiosity,
wanted to rummage in the casket ; my mother told
ftiiim not to touch it ; and, in point of fact, he moved
■«way and went capering about the place. But while
iaping here and there in order to make me laugh,
fec' caught the lid of the casket and upset it. Then
my mother got angry, and hard words passed between
them. She accused him of having upset the casket
on purpose; he denied this, and complained of
I her injustice. Both appealed to me. Knowing my

^^L mother's temper, I was afraid of getting my ears

MEMOIBS OF THE

./boxed if I ilid not side ivith her ; and, on the other
hand, I did not wish to tell a falsehood or displease
the Grand Duke, so that I was between two fires.
However, I told niy mother that I did not think the
Duke had done it intentionally, hut that, while leap-
ing, hia dress had canght the lid of the casket, which
stood on a very small stool. Then my mother took
me in hand, for when she was angry she must have
some one to find fault with. I was silent and b
to cry. The Grand Duke finding tliat all my mother's
anger fell upon me, because I had testified in hia
favour, and seeing me in tears, accused her of injus-
tice and of being mad with passion; to which
she retorted by calling him a very ill-behaved little
hoy. In a word, it would have been difficult to
go farther than they did without actually com-
ing to blows. Prom tliis moment the Grand Duke
took a dislike to my mother ; nor did he ever fc
this quarrel. She, on the other hand, retained a
grudge against him, and their behaviour to each
other tended to produce restraint, distrust, and bit-
temess. They seldom concealed their feelings when
with me, and it was in vaiu that I sought to sc
them towards each other. I never succeeded beyond
the moment, and that but rarely. They had always
some sarcasm ready for annoyance, and my situation
became every day more painful. I tried to obey the
one and please the other; and, indeed, at that time
the Grand Duke gave me his confidence more com-
pletely than he did to any one else ; for he saw that

EMPRESS CATHERINE II.

my mother often took me to task, when she was un-
able to fasten upon him. This, of course, did me no
harm iu his estimation, for he felt that he could
count upon me.

Finally, on the 29th of August we reached Kier.
We remained there ten days, and then set out ftar
Moscow, travelling in precisely the same manner aa
before.

Having arrived at Moscow, the entire autumn
was passed in dramatic representations, ballets, and
court masquerades. Iu spite of aU this, however, it
was evident that the Empress was often in bad
humour. One day while at the theatre, my motherj
the Grand Duke, and I, being in a box opposite to
her Majesty, I perceived the Empress speaking very
warmly and angrily to Count Lestocq. "When she
had ended, the Count left her and came to our box.
Approaching me he said, " Have you seen how the
Empress spoke to me?" I answered that I had,
" Very well, then,'" he said ; " she is very angry with
you." "With me! and why?" I replied. "Be-
cause," he said, " you are much in debt. She saya
that wells may he dried up ; that when she was a
princess she had no gi-eater allowance than you have,
though she had an establishment to provide for ; and
that she took care not to get into debt, because she
knew that no one would pay for her," All this he
uttered in a dry tone and with an air of displeasure,
apparently that the Empress might see from her box
how he had executed his commission. Tears came

MEMOIRS OP THE

into my eyes, and I was silent. Having finished what
he had to say, the Count departed. The Grand I>ube,
who was seated at my side, beard most of the conver-
sation; and after questioning me relative to the re-
mainder, he gave me to understand, rather by looks
than words, that he agreed with his aunt and was not
sorry I had been scolded. This was his general way
of acting, and he fancied he should thus render him-
self agreeable to the Empress by entering into her
views when she was angry with any one. My mother
also, when she learnt what had happened, said it was
only the natural consequence of the pains that had
been taken to withdi'aw rac from her control; and
that since they had put me in a condition to act with-
out consulting her, she should wash her hands of the
matter. Tlius they both took part against me.

As for rac, I determined instantly to put my aifairs
into order ; and the next morning I called for my
accounts. From these I found that I was in debt
to the amount of 17,000 roubles. Before leaving Mos-
cow for Kiev, the Empress had sent me 15,000 roubles
aud a large chest of simple dresses ; but it was neces-
sary for me to he richly dressed, so that, everything
reckoned, I owed 2,000 roubles, and tliis did not ap-
pear to me an unreasonable sum. Different causes
iiad thrown me into these expenses.

V In the first place, I had arrived in Kussia very
badly provided ibr. If I had three or four dresses in
the world, it was the very outside ; aud this at a court
where people changed their dress three times a-day.

j In

EMPRESS CATHEKINE II. 23

\. dozen chemists constituted tlie whole of my linen,
and I had to use my mother'a sheets.

In the second place, I had been told that in
asaia people lited presents; and that generosity
G the best means of acijuiring friends and making
s self agreeable.

Thirdly, they had placed with me the most extra-
vagant woman in Eussia, the Countess itoumianzoff,
who was always surrounded ivith tradesmen, and
constantly showing me a variety of things which she
induced me to purchase, and which I often pur-

t chased merely to present them to her, as I knew she
■aa eager to have them.
K The Grand Duke also coat me not a little, for he
pas fond of presents.
I Besides, I had found out that my mother's ill-
^omoiir was easily appeased by the present of any-
th in g that pleased her ; and aa she was often out of
temper, and especially with me, I did not neglect
this means of soothing her. Her ill-humour arose
in part from her being on such a bad footing with
the Empress, and fi-om the fact that her ilajesty
often subjected her to annoyances and humiliations.
Besides, heretofore, I had always followed her ; and
now she could not without displeasure see me take
precedence of her. I carefully avoided doing so,
whenever it was possible ; but in public it could not
be avoided. In general, I had made it a rule to
pay her the greatest respect, and treat her with all
iBsiblc deference; but it was of no use, she had

S4 MEMOIRS 01* THE

always and on all occasions acme disagreeable remark
to make, a tiling which did not do her much good or
prepossess people in her favour.

The Coantess RoumianzofT, by her scandals and
goBsippings, contributed much — as did many othera —
to prejudice my mother in the opinion of the Empress,
That carriage for eight, during the journey to Kiev,
had also much to do with this result. All the old
had been excluded; all the young admitted. God
only Icnows what was tortured out of this arrange-
ment, harmless as it was in itself. What was most
evident was, that it had displeased all those who by
their rank were entitled to admission, but were,
nevertheless, set aside for the sake of more amusing
companions. But the real foundation of all this
trouble was the exclusion of Bet/.ky and the Trou-
betzkoys, in whom my mother had most confidence
during the journey to Kiev. Brummer and the
Countess Roumianzoff had also, no doubt, contri-
buted to it ; and the carriage for eight, into which
they had not been admitted, was a source of rancour.

In the month of November, the Grand Duke
took the measles, at Moscow. As I had not had
them, care was taken to prevent me from catching
them. Those who were about the Prince did not
come near us, and all diversions ceased. As soon
ae the disease had passed off, and the winter fully
set in, we left Moscow for St. Petersburg, in sledges;
my mother and me in one, the Grand Duke and
Brummer in another. "We celebrated the birth*

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 25

day of the Empreaa, the 18th of December, at Tverj

and the next day continued our journey. Having

reached the town of Chotiloyo^about midway — the

Grand Duke, while in my room in the ereniiig,

became unwell. He was led to his own apartments,

and put to bed. He had considerable fever during

r the night. At noon, the next day, my mother and I

I "went to see him; but I had scarcely passed the

threshold wlien Count lîrnmmer advanced towards

me, and desired me not to proceed farther. I asked

the reason, and learnt that indications of small-pos

had just manifested themselves. As I liad not had

the disease, my mother instantly hurried me out of

the room ; and it was decided tliat slie and I should

set off the same day for St. Petersburg, leaving the

I Duke and his suite at Chotilovo. The Countess

I Boumianzoff and the lady in attendance on my

mother remained tliere also, to uurse the invalid,

they said,

A courier, despatched to the Empress, had already

preceded ua, and was by this time at St. Petersburg.

At some distance from Novogorod, we met the

Empress herself, who, having Icamt that the Grand

Duke had taken the small-pox, was on her way from

' St. Petersburg to Chotilovo, where she remained as

t long as the disease lasted. As soon as she perceived

, though it was in the middle of the night, she

f fetopped her sledge and ours to make inquiries con-

I ceming the condition of the Duke. My mother told

' lier all she knew, and she then bade the driver proceed.

■while we eontinued our jomney, aud reached Novo-
gorod towards morning.

It was a Sunday, and I went to mass, after wliicli
we dined ; and jiist as we were about to start again,
the Chamberlain, Prince Galitzine, and the Gentle-
man of the Bedchamber, Zachar CzemichefF, arrived
from Moscow, ou their way to St. Petersburg. My
mother was angry with the Prince because he was in
company with Count Czemicheff, who had told some
falsehood or other. She maintained that he ought
to be avoided as a dangerous character, who indulged
in gratuitous fabrications. She sulked with them
both ; but as this sulliiug iras dreadfully wearisome,
as, besides, tliere was on choice in the matter,
and as these two gentlemen were better informed
and had more conversational powers than any of the
others, I did not join in these sulks, and this drew
upon me aome impleasant remarks from my mother.

At last we reached St. Petei'sburg, and took up
our residence in one of the hoiises attached to the
court. The palace, at that time, was not sufficiently
large to allow even the Grand Duke to reside there,
so that he occupied a house situated between the
palace and ours. My apartments were at the left of
the palace, my mother's at the right. Aa soon as
she saw this arrangement she became angry : first,
because she thought my rooms better situated than
her own ; secondly, because hers were separated from
mine by a common hall. In point of fact, we each
had four rooms, two in front and two facing the

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 27

court-yard of the house. The rooms were equal in
size, and furnished exactly alike, the furniture being
blue and red. But what chiefly contributed to annoy
my mother was the circumstance which I am going
to mention. While we were at Moscow, the Countess
Houmianzoff had brought me the plan of this house
by direction of the Empress, forbidding me, in her
name, to speak of the matter, and consulting me as
to how my mother and myself should be respectively
placed. There was nq choice in the case, for the two
sets of apartments were in all respects equal. I said
so to the Countess, and she gave me to understand
that the Empress preferred my having separate roomô
to occupying, as at Moscow, the same apartments as
my mother. This change pleased me also, for I was
much inconvenienced in being with my mother, and,
in fact, no one liked the arrangement. My mother
in some way got to hear of the plan that had been
shown me. She spoke to me on the subject, and I
told the simple truth, just as the matter had occurred.
She scolded me for the secrecy I had maintained. I
said I had been forbidden to speak ; but she would
not admit the validity of this reason, and altogether
I saw that^ from day to day she became more and
more displeased with me, and, in fact, she had managed
to quarrel with almost every one, so that she now
scarcely ever came to table, either for dinner or supper,
but was served in her own room. ^As for me, I went
to her apartments three or four times a-day. The
rest of my time was spent in learning Russian, in

MEMOIRS OF THE

playing on the harpaicliord, and in reading, for Î had
bought myself books ; so that at fifteen I was retired,
and tolerably studious for my age.

ToTTBi'ds the close of our stay at Moscow, a
Swedish embassy arrived, at the bead of whicli was
the Senator Cedercreutz. A short time afterwards, the
Count Gyllenbnrg also arrived, to announce to the
Empress the marriage of the Prince of Sweden, my
mother's brother, with a Swedish princess. Count
Gyiienburg, and many other Swedes, became known
to us at the time of the Prince Royal'a departure for
Sweden, He was a man of talent, no longer young,
and my mother thought very highly of him. For
myself, I was, in some respects, under obligations to
him J for at Hamburg, seeing that my motlier made
little or no account of me, he told her she was wrong,
and assured her that I was a child much beyond my
On his arrival at St. Petersburg, he visited
us, and as he had told me, while at Hamburg, that I
had aveiy philosophical turn of mind, he asked me how
it fared with my philosophy in the vortex in which I
s placed. I told him how I passed my time in my
room. He replied' that a philosopher of fifteen
could not know herself, and that I was surrounded
by so many rocks that I ran great danger of being
wrecked, unless the temper of my mind was of a very
superior stamp; that I ought, therefore, to fortify
it by the study of the best works, such as the Lives
of Plutarch, that of Cicero, and the Causes of the
Greatness and Decay of the Roman Repubhc, by

EMPRESS CATHERINE 11. 29

Montesquieu. I immediately ordered those books to
be procured for me, and there was considerable diffi-
culty in finding them in St. Petersburg at that
period. I told the Count that I would trace my
portrait for him, such as I supposed it, that he
might see wbet!ier or not I really did understand
myself.

I did, in fact, trace out this portrait in -writing,
and gave it to him under the following title: — "A
Portrait of the Philosopher of Fifteen." JIany years
afterwards, viz., in the year 1758, 1 turned up this
portrait ; and I was astonished at the accuracy and
depth of self-knowledge which it evinced. Unfor-
tunately I burnt it that same year, with all ray other
papers, fearing to keep a single one in my room, at
the time of the unfortunate affair of Bestoujeff.

Count Gyllenburg returned my manuscript a
few days afterwards. 1 do not know whether be took
a copy, lie accompauied it by some dozen pages of
reflections which he had made relative to me. In
these he endeavoured to strengthen my character
in firmneaa and elevation of mind, as well as in ail
the other qualities of the bead and heart. I read his
remarks again and again, many times. I impressed
them on my mind, and determined very sincerely to
follow his advice, I made a promise to myself that
I would do so, and when cnee I have made a promise
to'myself, I do not remember ever having failed in
keeping it. Finally, I returned the manuscript to
the Count as lie had requested, and I confess that it

MEMOIKS OF THE

has been of great service to me in forming and
strengthening my mind and character.

In the beginning of February, tlie Empress
returned from Chotilovo with the Grand Duke. As
soon as we had heard of her arrival we went to re-
ceive her, and met her iu the great hall, between
four and five o'clock in the evening, ivhen it was
nearly dark. Notwithstanding the obscuiity, how-
ever, I was almost terrified at beholding the Grand
Duke. 3Ie had grown very much, but hia features
were scarcely to be recognized ; they had a!l enlarged;
the whole face was still swelled, and it was quite
evident that he would remain deeply marked. As
his hair had been cut off, he wore an immense wig,
which greatly added to his disfigurement. lie came
to me, and asked if I did not find it diiEcult to re-
cognize him. I stammered out my congratulations
upon his convalescence, but iu truth he had grown
frightful.

On the 9th of February, 17-15, a year had passed
since my arrival at the com't of Russia. On the 10th,
the Empress celebrated the birthday of the Grand
Duke. He had^ now entered his seventeenth year.
On this occasion, T dined with her Majesty. She
dined upon the throne, and I was the only guest.
The Grand Duke did not appear in public that day,
nor for a long time afterwards ; they were in no
hurry to show hira in the condition in which the
small-pox had left him. The Empress was very gra-
cious during diimer. She told me that the letters I

I CATHEItIKE II.

had written to her in Russian, while she ivas at Cho-
tilovo, harl very much pleased her (to tell the truth,
they were the composition of M. Ailadourof, though
I had copied them out) j and she also said she had
been informed that I took great pains to acquire
the language of the country. She spoke to me in
îlussiau, and wished me to reply to her iu that lan-
guage, which I did ; and then she was pleased to
praise my correct pronunciation. Finally, she told
me that I had grown handsomer since ray illness at
Moscow. In fact, during the whole time of dinner,
she was occupied in giving me marks of her kindness
and affection. I retm-ned home highly delighted
with my dinner, and received congratidations on all
sides. The Empress had my portrait, which the
painter Carava^jue had commenced, brought to her,
and she kept it iu her own room. It is the one
which the sculptor Falconnet has carried with him
to France. At the time, it was a speaking likeness.

In going to mass, or to the Empress, my mother
and I had to pass througli the apartments of the
Grand Duke, wliich were situated near mine; we
therefore often saw him. He also was in the habit
of coming of an evening, to pass some moments with
me J hut there was no eagerness in these visits. On
the contrary, he was always glad of any excuse for dis-
pensing with them, and remaining at home, occupied
with the childish amusements already mentioned,

A short time after the arrival of the Empress
and Grand Duke at St. Petersburg, my mother met

MEMOIRS OF TUY.

vith a serious annoyance, vliich she could sol
conceal.

Prince Augustus, her brother, bad written to 1
at Kiev, expressing his great desire to yiait Rnssis.'
She had learnt that the only object of this joum^
was to have the administration of the territory of
Holatein conferred upon him as soon as the Grand
Duke became of age ; and it ivas proposed to advance
the period of bis majority, lu other words, it was
wished ,to take the guardianship out of the hands
of the elder brother, now become Prince Royal of
Sweden, in order to give the administration of the
territory of Holatein, in the name of the Grand Ditk^
then of age, to Prince Augustus, the younger brother
of my mother and of the Prince Koyal of Sweden.

This intrigue bad been formed by the Ilolstein
party, whicli was opposed to the Prince Royal, joined
by the Danes, who could not pardon this Prince for
having prevailed, in Sweden, over the Prince Royal
of Denmark, whom the Dalecarlians wished to elect
as successor to the throne of Sweden. My mothar
replied to Prince Augustus from Kosclsk, telling liim,
that instead of lending himself to intrigues directed
against his brother, it would be better for him to enter
the service of Holland, wbei'e he was, and die witi
honour, rather than cabal against his brother and join'
the enemies of his sister in Russia. Jly mother had.
here reference to Count Bestoujeff, who encouraged all'
this intrigue in order to injure Brummer, and all
the other friends of the Priuce Roval of Sweden, the

I
I

EMPitESa CATHESINE II. od

guardian of the Grand dike for Holsteiu. TMs letter
was opened, and read by the Count and the Empress,
who was by no means pleased with my mother, and
verj' much irritated against the Prince Royal of Swe-
den, who, led by his wiie, sister of the King of
Prussia, had allowed himself to be carried away by
the French party in all their views, a party in every
way opposed to Russia. He was accused of ingrati-
tude, and my mother of want of affection for her
younger hrother, because she had told him to die
[se faire tuer), an expression which was treated as
harsh and inhuman ; while my mother, iu the com-
pany of her friends, boasted of having used a firm
and sounding phrase. The result of all this was,
that without any regard for my mother's feelings, or
rather to mortify her and annoy the Holstein-
Swedish party. Count Bestoujeff obtained permission,
unknown to my mother, for Prince Augustus of
Holatein to visit St. Petersburg. My mother, when
she learnt that he was on his way, was extremely
annoyed and grieved, and received him very coldly.
But he, pushed on by Bestoujeft^ ran his com-se. The
Empress was persuaded to give him a favourable
reception, which she did in appearance. Tliis, how-
ei"er, did not last, and could not last, for Prince Au-
gustus was not in himself a personof any consequence.
Even his external appearance was against him. He
was very small, and badly made, passionate, and
with but little talent, and entirely led by his fol-
lowers, who were themselves quite insignificant. His

MEMOIRS OF n

stopidity, since I must speak eut, very mudi i
noyed my mother, and, altogether, hia arrival nearly
drove her crazy.

Count Beatoujeff, having obtained a control over
the mind of the Prince by means of his followers,
killed many birds with one stone. He could not be
ignorant that the Grand Duke hated Brummer as
much as he did himself. Prince Augustus did not
like him either, because he was attached to the Prince
Royal of Sweden, under pretence of relationship and
as a native of Holatein. Prince Augustus ingratiated '
himself with the Grand Duke by constantly talking to
him about Holstein and his coming majority, so that
he induced him to urge his aunt and Count Bestou-
jeff to advance the period. To do this, however, it
was necessary to have the consent of the Koman
Emperor, who, at that time, was Charles VII, of the
House of Bavaria. But, meantime, he died, and the
matter dragged on till the' election of Francis I.

As Prince Augustus had been coldly received by
my mother,and, in retm-n, manifested but little con-
sideration for her, this circumstance also contributed
to diminish the slight remains of respect which the
Grand Duke entertained for her. On the other hand,
both Prince Augustus and the did valet, the favourite
of the Grand Duke, fearing, seemingly, mv future in-
fluence, often talked to him about the manner in
which he ought to treat bis wife. Romberg, an old
Swedish dragoon, told hira that his wife dared not
speak in his presence nor meddle with liis affairs;

EMPRESS CATHERINE II, 35

and that if she only attempted to open ter mouth
even, he ordered her to hold her tongue ; that he was
master in Lis own house, and that it was disgraceful
for a hushand to allow himself to be led by hia wife
like a booby.

Now the Grand Duke had about as much discre-
tion as a cannon ball, and, when his mind was full of
any thing, he could not rest until he had unburdened
it to the persons he was in the habit of talking with,
never for a moment considering to whom it was he
spoke. Consequently he used to tell mc all these
things, with the utmost frankness, the first time he
saw me afterwards. He always fancied that every
one was of hia opinion, and that nothing could be
more reasonable than all this. I took good care not
to speak of these things to any one ; but they made
me reflect very seriously upon the fate which awaited
me. 'I determined to husband carefully the confi-
<lencc of the Grand Duke, in order that lie might at
least consider me as a person of whom he felt sure,
and to whom he coidd confide every thing without the
least inconvenience to himself; and in this I suc-
ceeded for a long time. Besides, I treated every
one' in the best way I eould, and studied to gain the
friendship, or at least to lessen the enmity of those
I Tvhom I in any way suspected of being badiy disposed
I showed no leaning to any side, nor med-
81ed with any thing ; always maintained a serene air,
îated every one with great attention, affability, and
poUteness, and, as 1 was naturally very gay, I saw

MEMOIRS Of THE

with pleasure that firom day to day I advanced in the
general esteem, and was looked upon as an interesting
child; and one by no means wanting in mind. I
showed great respect for my mother, a boundless obe-
dience for the Empress, and the most profound defer-
ence for the Grand Dnkc ; and I sought with the most
anxious care to gain the affection of the public.

From the period of our visit to Moscow, the Era-
press had assigned me some ladies and gentlemen ttho
formed my court. A short time after my arrival at
St, Petersburg she gave me some Kussian maids, iu
order, as she said, to aid me in acquiring increased
facility in the use of the language. This arrangement
pleased me verr much; for these persons were all
young, the oldest of thera being only about twenty ;
all, too, were very lively, so that from that time 1
did nothing but sing, dance, and play in my room,
from the moment I awoke in the morning till I went
to sleep again at night. In the evening, after supper,
I brought into my bed-room my three maids, the two
Piincessea Gagarine and Mademoiselle Koucheleff,
and we played at bliud-man's buff and all sorts of
games suited to our age. All these ladies mortally
feared the Coimteaa Roumianzoff; but as she played
at cards from morning till night, either in the ante-
chamber or in her own room, never leaving her chair,
except from necessity, she rarely came near us.

In the midst of our mirth, the fancy seized me to
distribute among my women the care of all my effects.
I placed my money, my expenditure, and my linen in

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 37

the c-liarge of Mademoiaelle Schenck, the lady's-maid
irhom I had brought from Germany; she was a silly
and quenilous old maid, to whom oar gaiety was ex-
tremely annoying; and besides that, she was jealous
of all these young companions who were about to
share her functions and ray aifection. I gave all my
jewels to Mademoiaelle Joukoff; she havingmore in-
telligence and being more gay and frank than the
others, began to gain my favour. My clothes I en-
trusted to my valet Timothy Ycvreinoff ; my lace to
Mademoiselle Balkoff, who afterwards married the
poet Soumarokoft'; my ribbons to the elder Made-
moiselle Scorochodov, since married to Aristarcbus
Kachkine; her younger sister Anne having nothing,
as she was only between thirteen and fourteen years
old.

V The day after this grand arrangement, in which I
had exercised mj ceutral power within the limits of
my own chamber, and without consulting a living
aoul, there were theatricals in the evening. To go
to them, it was uecesaary to pass through my mother's
apartments. The Empress, the Grand Duke, and
the whole court were there. A little theatre had
been erected in a riding- school, which, in the time
of the Empress Anne, had been used by the Duke
of Courland, whose apartments I now occupied.
After the play, when the Empress had retired, the
Countess Roumianzoff came into my room, aud told
me that the Empress disapproved of the arrange-
ment I had madein distributing the care of mv effects

smong my women, and that she was ordered to
witlidraw the keys of my jewels out of the hands of
Mademoiselle Joukoff, and restore them to Mademoi-
selle Schenck, which she did in my presence, and
then departed, leaving Mademoiselle Joukoff and me
with faces somewhat elongated, and Mademoiselle
Schenck triumpliing in the marked confidence of the
Empress, She began to assume with me arrogant
airs, which made her more ridiculous than ever, and

' even less amiable than she had been before.

I The first week of Lent I had a singular scene
with the Grand Duke. In the moi'uing, while in
my room with my maids, who were all very devout,
listening to matins, which were sung in the ante-
chamber, I received an embassy from the Grand Duke.
He had sent me his dwarf to inquire how I was, and
to tell me that, on account of its being Lent, he
should not visit me that day. The dwarf found us
all listening to the prayers, and fulfilling exactly the
prescriptions of Lent, according to our creed, I re-
turned the usual compliments to the Duke, through
his dwarf, who then departed. WTien he got back,
whether it was that be had really been edified by
what be had seen, or that he wished bis dear lord and
master, who was anything but devout, to do the same,
he passed a high eulogium upon the devotion which
reigned in my apartments, and, by doing so, put the
Duke in a very bad humour with me. The first time
we met he began by sulking. Having asked the
cause of this, he scolded me very much for what he

:. 39

called the excessive devotion to whicli I gave myself
up. When I asked who had told him this, he named
his dwarf as an eye-witness of it. I told him I did
no more than was proper, gnly what every one else
did, and what eould not be dispensed with witliont
scandal; hat lie thought differently. The dkpute
ended as most disputes do, by leaving each one with
his own opinion; but, as his Imperial Highness had
no one but me to speak to during mass, he gradu-
ally left off pouting.

Two days after, I had another alarm. In the
morning, while matins were being sung in my apart-
ments, Mademoiselle Schenck entered my room in
great consternation, telling me that my mother had
been taken ill, and had fainted. I instantly ran to
her, and found her lying on the ground on a mat-
tress, but not unconscious. I ventured to ask her
what was the matter. She told me, that wishing
to be bled, the surgeon was so clumsy as to miss
four times, having tried both arms and both feet, and
that she had fainted, I knew that she dreaded bleed-
ing; I was ignorant of her intention in wishing to
be bled, and did not even know that she stood in
need of it. Yet she reproached me with caring little
for her condition, and said many disagreeable things
on tlie subject. I excused myself in the best way I
could, acknowledging my ignorance; but, seeing
that she was in very bad humour, I became silent,
and endeavoured to restrain my tears, nor did I leave
her till she had desired me to do so with some degree

MEMOIRS OF THE

of harahnesa. On my return to my room, in tears,
my maids wanted to know wliat was the matter, and
I told them quite simply. I went several times
during the day to my mother's room, and remained
there as long as I thought I could do so without l>eing
troublesome. This was a capital point with her, to
■which I was so well accustomed, that there is nothing
I have so carefully avoided during my life as remain-
ing with any one longer than I was wanted. I have
made it a point instantly to retire whenever the
least suspicion crossed my mind that my farther stay
would be an inconvenience. But I know by eJipeii-
ence that every one does not act upon the same
principle, for my own patience has often been put to
the test by those who do not know how to go away
before they have worn out their welcome or become
a source of weariness.

In the course of the Lent, my mother had a grief
which was very real. At a time when it was least
expected, she receired the news of the sudden death of
my younger sister, Elizabeth, a child only between
three and four years old. She was very much afflicted,
and I grieved also.

Oue morning, some few days afterwards, I saw
tho Empress eomc into my room. She sent for
my mother, and they retired to my dressing-room,
where they had a long and private cou\-crsation ;
after which they returned into my bed-room, and
I BBW tlmt my mother's eyca wore red and filled with
tears. From the so(|ucuee of the conversation I under-

tood that tliey liad been talking about the death of
! Emperor Charles VII, of the bonsc of Bavaria,

Vthe news of which had just reached the Empreaa.
Her Majesty was then without alliance, and she hesi-
tated between Prussia and the house of Austria, each
of which had their partisans. She had the same
complaint against Austria as againat France, towards
which the King of Prussia leaned, for the Marquis de
Botta, the minister of the court of Vienna had been
sent away from Russia' For speating againat the
Empress — an act which at the time it was sought to
represent as a conspiracy. The Marquis de la
Chétardie had been similarly dismissed for the same
reasons, I do not know what was the object of this
conversation, but my mother seemed to conceive
great hopes from it, and went away very well satis-
fied. As for mCj I was in all this simply a spectator,
and one, too, very passive, very discreet, and pretty
nearly indifferent.

After Easter, when the spring had fiiUy set in, I
expressed to the Conntcaa Roumianzoff the desire I
had to learn to ride, and she obtained the consent of
the Empress. I had begun to have pains in the chest
at the commencement of the year, after the pleurisy
I had had iu Moscow, and I was still very thin. The
doctors ordered me milk and Seltzer water every
morning. It was at Roumiauzoff House, in the
barracks of the lamailofsky regiment, that I took nay
first lesson in riding. I had already ridden several

L times at Moscow, but very badly.

IIEMOIKS 01' THE

In the month of May, the Empress, with the
Grand Duke, went to occupy the Summer Palace.
To my mother and I had been aBsiy;iied a stone
building, by the aide of the Fontanka, dose to the
house of Peter I. My mother occupied one side of
this building, and I the other. Here ended all the
assiduities of the Grand Dulie; he told me quite
plainly, and through a servant, that he now lived too
far off to come and see me often. I fully perceived
his want of interest, and how little I was cared for.
My self-esteem and vanity grieved in silence, but I
was too proud to complain, I should have thought
myself degraded if any one had shown me a fnend-
ship which I could have taken for pity. Nevei1;he-
lesa, I shed tears when alone, then quietly dried them
up, and went to romp with my maids. My mother
also treated me with great coldness and ceremony,
but I never missed visiting her several times in the
day. At heart 1 felt very sad, but I took care not to
speak of this. However, JIademoiselle Joukoff one
day perceived my tears, and spoke to me on the sub-
ject. I gave her the best reasons I could, with-
out however giving her the true ones. 1 laboured
more earnestly than before to gain the affection
of every one. Great or small, I neglected no one, but
laid it down to myself as a rule to believe that I
stood in need of every one, and so to act in con-
sequence as to obtidn the good will of all; and I
succeeded in doing so.

After some days' stay in the Summer Palace,

where people began to speak of the preparations for
my marriage, the court removed to Poterhoff, where
it was more concentrated than in the city. The
Empress and the Grand Duke occupied the upper
portion of the house built by Peter 1 ; my mother
and I were beneath, in the apartments of the Grand
Duke. We dined with him every day, under a tentj
upon the open gallery adjoining his apartments ; he
supped with us. The Empress was often absent,
moving about among her different country resi-
dences. "We were out a good deal, walking, riding,
_ or driving. I then saw as clear as day, that the per-
sons about the Grand Duke had lost all credit
with him, and all control over him. The mihtary
games, which he formerly carried on in private,
he now enacted almost in their presence. Count
Brummer and his head master scarcely ever saw
him, except to follow him in public. The rest of his
time was literally passed, in the company of his
valets, in acts of childishness unheard of at his age,
for he played at puppets.

My mother took advautage of the absences of the
Empress to go and sup at the neighbouring man-
sions, and especially at that of the Prince and Princess
of Hesso-Homburg. One evening when she had rid-
den out there, I was sitting, after supper, in my room,
wliich was on a level with the garden, one of the doors
leadhig into it, when I felt tempted by the fine wea-
ther. I proposed to my maids and my three ladies
of honour to take a walk in the garden; and 1 had

no great trouble iii persuading tliem. M'e were
eight, aud ray valet, who made nine, followed us witli
two other valets. We walked about till midnight in
the most innocent manner possible. Jfy mother hav-
ing returned. Mademoiselle Schcnck, who had refused
to accompany us, and grumbled at our project, was
in a great hurry to tell her that I bad gone out against
her advice. My mother went to bed, aud when I got
back with my troop, MademoiseUe Schenck told me,
with an air of triumph, that my mother had sent
twice to inquire if I had returned, as she wished to
speak to rae ; but that as it was vei-y late, and she
tired of waiting, she had gone to bed. I would have
instantly gone to her, but I found the door closed. I
told Schenck that she might have had loe called. She
pretended that she had not been able to Hud us ; but
this was a mere story to make a quarrel, and get me
scolded; I saw this clearly, and went to bed with a
good deal of uneasiness. The following day, as soon
Its I awoke, I went to my mother and found her in
bed, I approached to kiss her hand, but she angrily
withdrew it, and gave me a dreadful scolding for hav-
ing dared to walk out at night without her permis-
sion, I said she was not at home ; but she replied
that the hour was improper, and said all sorts of dis-
agreeable things, for the purpose, seemingly, of giving
me a distaste for nocturnal promenades. This, how-
ever, is certain, that although this walk may have
been an imprudence, nothing could have been more
innocent. What most distressed me was, that she

EMrUKSS CATHEBINK 1

fS^

accused me of having gone up to the apartments of
the Grand Dulte. I replied that this was an abomi-
nable calumny, at wliich she became so enraged that
she seemed out of herself. It was in vain that I went
on my knees to sooth her irritation. She treated my
submission as acting, aud ordered me out of the
room. 1 retired to my own apai-tments in tears. At
dinner-time I ascended with her, she still being very
angry, to the apartments of the Grand Duke, who in-
ciuired what was the matter, as my eyes were very
red. I told him exactly what had happened. Tins
time he took my part, and accused my mother of
being capricious and passionate, I begged him not
to speak to liev on the subject, which request he com-
plied with, aud by degrees her anger wore off; but
I was always treated very coldly, Wc left Peter-
hoff at the end of July, and returned to the city,
where all was preparation for the approaching mar-
riage,

yAt last the Empress fixed the 21at of August for
the ceremony. Aa the day came nearer, I became
more and more melancholy. Jly heart predicted but
little happiness; ambition alone sustained mc. In
my inmost soul there was a something which never
allowed me to doubt for a single moment that sooner
or later I should become the sovereign Empress of
Kussia in my own right.

The marriage was celebrated with much pomp and
magnificence. In the evening I foimd in my room
Madame Krause, sister of tlic head lady's-maid to the

MEMOIRS OF THE

EmprcsSj who had placed her with me aa my head
lady's-maid. From the very next day I found that
this person had thrown all my other women into con-
sternation, for on approaching one of them to speak
to her, as usual, she said to me, " In God's name, do
not come near me ; we have been forbidden to whis-
per to you." On the other hand, my beloved spouse
did not trouble himself in the slightest degree about
me, but was eonatantly with his valeta, playing at
soldiers, exercising tbem in his room, or changing his
uniform twenty times a-day. I yawned, and grew
weary, having no one to speak to j or I endeavoured
to keep up appearances. On the third day after my
marriage, theCountess Roumianzoff sent me word that
the Empress had dispensed with her attendance on me,
and that she was going to return home to her hus-
band and children. This did not grieve me much, for
she had been the cause of a great deal of scandal.

The marriage festivities lasted ten days, at the
end of which the Grand Duke and myself took up
our residence in the Summer Palace, where the Em-
press was living; and the departure of my mother
wag bcginuing to be talked of. Since my marriage I
did not sec her every day ; but she had veiy much
softened towards me. About the latter end of Sep-
tember she took her departure, the Grand Duke aod
I accompanying her as far aa Krasnoe-Selo. I was
sincerely afflicted, and wept a great deal. After tak-
ing leave of her we returned to the city. On reaching
the palace I called for Mademoiselle Joukofi. I was

KMPBESa CATHEK1\E il. 47

told that she had gone to see her mother who was ill.
The next day I put the same question, and received
the same answer. About noon the Empress passed
with great pomp from the Summer to the Winter
Palace. We followed her to her apartments. Having
reached the state bed-room she stopped, and, after
some casual remarks, spoke of my mother's depar-
ture, and told me, with apparent kindness, to mode-
rate my grief. But I thought I shoidd have dropped
when she said, in the presence of some thirty people,
that at my mother's request she had dismissed from
my service IMademoiselle Joukoff, because my mother
feared I might become too much attached to a person
who so little deserved my favour; and then her Majesty
spoke very pointedly against the poor girl. I cer-
tainly was no way edified with this scene, nor con-
vinced of what her Majesty advanced ; but I was
deeply afflicted at the misfortune of poor JoukofiF,
dismissed from court solely because, from her sociable
disposition, she suited me better than my other

I women. "For why," as I said to myself, " was she
jlaced with me if she was not worthy ? " My mother
could not know her, could not even speak to her, as
she did not understand Russian, the only language
, with which Joukoffwas acquainted; she could only
^iave been guided by the silly remarks of Sehcnck,
'who scarcely possessed common sense. This girl
■JMiffers for me, I said to myelf ; I must not, therefore,
abaudon her in her misfortune, of which my affection
has been the sole cause. I have never been able to

UEHOiaS OF THK

leai'ii whether ov not my mother really bad requestet
tlic Empress to dismiss this person from my service;
if so, she must have preferred rioleat measures tt
those of mildness, for she never opened her lips to mt
in reference to the girl ; and yet a single word Irom
her would have hcen sufficient to put me on my
guard, at least, against an attachment in itself very
iuuocent. The Empress, also, might have acted
with less austerity. The girl was young: it was
only necessary to have found a suitahle match
for her, whicli might easily have hcen done: but
instead of this they acted iu the manner I hav&
mentioiied.

The Empress having dismissed us, the Grand
Duke and I procccilcd to our own apartments. Oa
onr vay, I perceived that her Majesty had alreadjr
acquidnted her nephew with what she had d(uie.
stated to him my objections on the subject, and m;
him uudcrstaad that this girl was unfortunate solely
because it was supposed that I bad a liking for 1
aud that since she was suffering on account of my
affection, 1 Uujught myself justified in not abondou-
tag her, as ixr, at all events, as depended on myself!
^ Iq fact, 1 immnliately £«Qt her some money, through
my valci ; but he informed me that she bad already
departed for Moeoow with her mother aad sister. I
ordered what I bad destined for her to be i
through her brothcr, who «a& a sergmit in
giuuds. I kwnt that be also, together «iât fa»
wife, had been oidered vnr, and that he had beea^

EMPRESS CATHKItlNE 11, 49

placed as an officer in a country regiment. At the
present time I am scarcely able to give any plausible
explanation of these things; it seems to me like
I doing iviong gratis, and from mere caprice, without

a shadow of reason, or even of pretext. But matters
^^m did not stop even here. Through my valet and my
^Hkother attendants, I endeavoured to find for Made-
^^^tBioiselle Joukoff a suitable match. One iras pro-
^^H^Ecd to me : it was a. sergeant in the guards, a
^^^bentleman of some property, named IVavin. He
^^^nrent to Moscow to marry her, provided she suited
^^^Tiim. He did marry her, and was made lieutenant in
a country re!;iment. ■' As soon as the Empress heard
of this, she banished them both to Aâtracan. It is
difficult to find a reason for such persecution.

At the "Winter Palace, the Grand Duke and
I occupied the apartments which we had previously
used ; those of the Duke were separated from mine
by an immense staircase, which also led to the apart-
ments of the Empress. In going to him, or in his
coming to me, it was necessary to cross the landing
of this staircase — not the plcasantest thing in the
world, especially in winter. Nevertheless, we made
the passage several times a-day. In the evening, I
rent to play at billiards in his ante-chamber with
le Chamberlain Berkholz, while he romped with liis
itlemen in the otiier room. My party at billiards
termpted by the retirement of Brnmmer and
■kholz, whom the Empress dismissed from at-
tendance on the Gvand Duke, at the end of the win-

ter of 1746. This winter was passed in masquerades
given at the principal houses in the city, ivhich were
then very small. The court and the whole town
assisted at them regularly.

The last of them was given hy the Master- General
of the Police, Tatizcheft^ in a house called Smolnoy
Dvoretz, belonging to the Empress. The centre
portion of this wooden Louse had been destroyed hy
a fire ; nothing remained but the wings, which were
of two stories. One of these wings was set apart for
dancing; but in order to go to supper, which was
laid out in the other, it was necessary to pass, and
this in the month of January, through the court-yard
and the snow; After supper this journey had to be
repeated. The Grand Duke returned home, and
went to bed, but the next morning he awoke with a
violent headache, which prevented him from rising.
I sent for the doctors, who pronounced him in a
burning fever of the most riolent kind, He was
carried in the evening from my bed to the audience-
chamber, where, after being bled, he was placed in a
bed arranged there for him. They bled him seve-
ral times; Le was very iU. The Empress visited
him frequently during the day, and seeing me
in tears, she was pleased with me. One evening,
while reading the night-prayers in a small oratory
adjoining my dressing-room, Madame Ismailoff came
in. She was a person of whom the Empress was very
fond, and she informed me that her Majesty, knowing I
was much afflicted by the illness of the Duke, had sent

EMFKESS CATULRIN

her to tell me not to be cast ûowd, but to put my trust
in God, and that whate^'er happened she would not
forsake me. She then asked m.c what I was reading ;
I told lier the prayers for night, and she said Î should
hurt my eyes by reading such small print by caudle-

) light. I then begged her to thank her Imperial
Majesty for her goodness towards me, and we parted
yery afiectionately, she to give an account of her
mission, I to go to bed. Nest day the Empress sent
jae a prayer-book printed in large type, in order to
■preserve my eyes, she said.
Although the room in which the Grand Duke was
placed adjoined mine, I never entered it except when
I felt that I should not be in the way, for I saw that
he did not much care to have me there, but preferred
being with his attendants, who, on the other hand, did
not much suit me. Besides, I was not accustomed to
pass my time alone among a set of men. Meanwhile,
Lent came round. I went to my duty {fis mes dâ'o-
iions)* the first week. Generally speaking, I was
inclined to devotion at that period. I saw plainly
► that the Grand Duke cared little about me. A fort-
\ night after our marriage he confessed to me again that
was in love with Mademoiselle Carr, Maid of
I Honour to her Imperial Majesty, since married to a
Prince Gahtziue, Equery to the Empress. He told
Count Dévier, -f his Chamberlain, that there was no
I comparison between that lady and me. Dévier main-

* ThHt is, wtnt W colifeBsion ond
t "Deritrre ?^El>.

-Tb.

MEMOIRS OF THE

tained the contrary, and the Duke got angry with
him. This scene took place almost in my presence,
and I witnessed their contest. Surely, I said to
myself, it would be impossible for me not to be un-
happy with such a man as this, were I to give way to
sentiments of tenderuesB thus requited. I might die
of jealousy without benefit to any one. -i I endea-
voured therefore to master my feelings, so as not to
be jealous of a man who did not love me. Had he
wished to be loved, I should bave found no difficulty
in loving him, I was naturally well disposed, and
accustomed to fulfil my duties j but then, too, I
should have reqiiiied a husband who had common
sense, which this one had not,

I had abstained* (fait maigre) during the first
week of Lent. On the Saturday, the Empress sent
me word that it would give her pleasure if I abstained
during the second week also. I replied that 1 begged
her Majesty would permit me to abstain daring the
entire Lent. Sievera, Marshal of the Court to the
Empress, a sou-in-law to Madame Krauae, who was
the bearer of this message, told me that the Empress
was greatly pleased with my request, and that she
granted it. When the Grand Duke learned that I
continued to abstain, he scolded me a good deal ; but
I told him I could not do otherwise. After he had
got well, he still feigned illness iu order not to leave
hia room, where he found more congenial amusement
than in the formal life of the court. He did not quit
• That is, from meat.— Tr,

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 53

Kt till the last week of Lent, wLen he went to Ha

After Eastei'j he had a marionette theatre set up
in his room, and in\-ited company to see it, and even
ladies. This show was the most insipid thing ima-
ginable. The room in which it was set up had a
door which was fastened up, in consequence of ita
leading into one of the Empress' apartments. In
this apartment there was a mechanical table, which
c could be lowered and raised so as to admit of dining
I without servants. One day, while the Grand Dulte was
a Ilia room prepaiing his so-called theatricalSjhe heard
I people talking in this room beyond, and, vith his
I Bsual inconsiderate vivacity, he took up from his
1 theatre one of those carpenters' tools used for making
I holes in boards, and set to work boring holes in this
I condemned door, so that he could see all that passed
I within, and, among other things, the dinner which
1 the Empress was then taking there. The Master of
I the Hounds, Count Razoumowaky, in a brocaded
I dressing-gown, dined with her — he had taken medi-
I cine that day — and there were, besides, some dozen
I persons of those most in the confidence of the Em-
t press. The Grand Duke, not content with enjoying
I the firuit of his skilful labour himself, must needs
IÇall all who were about him to share in the pleasure
f.OÎ looking through the holes which he had bored
f with 80 much diligence. "When all were fully satis-
fied with this indiscreet pleasure, he came and invited
Madame Kvause, myseb", and my maids, to go to his

MEMOIRS OF THE

room and see something which we had never seen
before. He did not tell us what it was, doubtless tq
give us an agreeable surprise. As I did not horrr
myeelf sufficiently to gratify liis impatience, he led
away Madame Erausc and my women. I arrived
last, and found them stationed in front of this door,
where he had placed benches, chairs, and stools, for
the accommodation of the spectators, as he said. On
entering, I asked what all this was about. He ran
to meet me, and told me what the case was. I was
terrified and indignant at his rashness, and told him
I would neither look nor have anything to do with
this impropriety, which would certainly bring him
into trouble if his aunt should eome to hear of it, and
this she could not well help doing, seeing that there
were at least twenty persons in his secret. AU who
had allowed themselves to look through the door,
finding that I would not do the same, began to file
off one after the other. The Duke himself became
ashamed of what he had done, and recommeucetl
working on hia theatre. I returned to my room.

Up to the Sunday, we heard nothing of this
affair; but on that day it happened, I hardly know
how, that I got to mass rather later than usual. On
returning to my room, I was about taking off my
court dress, when I saw the Empress enter with a
flushed and angry look. As she had not been at the
chapel mass, but had heard mass in her private ora-
tory, I went to meet her, to kiss her hand as usual,
as I hud not seen her before that day. She kissed

EMPKEsa CATHERINE II, 55

me, desired the Grand Duke to be sent for, and, while
waiting for him, seolded me for being late at mass,
and preferring my own adornment to the service of
God. Sheaddedthat, inthetimeoftlieEmpressAiine,
though not lix'ing at court, but in a house at some dis-
tance from the palace, she had neverfailed in herduties,
bntoften got up by candle-light for this purpose. Then
she sent for the valet de chambre who dressed my hair,
and told him that for the fiiture, if he was so slow
in dressing my hair, she would have him dismissed.
When she had ended with him, the Grand Duke, who
had undressed in his own room, entered in his dress-
ing-gown, with liis night-cap in his hand, and with a
gay and careless air. He ran to kiss the hand of the
Empress, who embraced liim, and then asked him how
Î1B had dared to act in the manner he had done, adding
that she had gone into the room which contained the
xnechanical table, and foimd the door all pierced with
holes, all these holes being directed towards the place
where she usually sat; that he seemed to have forgotten
what he owed her; that she could no longer consider
him as anjrthing but an ungrateful person ; that her
father, Peter I, had also an ungrateful son, and that
he punished him by disinheriting him ; that, in the
time of the Empi-ess Anne, she had never failed in
giving her the respect due to a crowned head,
anointed of the Lord ; that the Empress Anne did
not understand jokes, but sent to the Fortress those
who were wanting in respect ; that as for him, he
was hut a little hoy, and she would teach him how

56 MESIOIRS OP TUE

to behave. At tliis he began to get angry, aud would
have anawei-ed her, atammering out a few words to
this effect, but she commanded him to be silent, and
became so excited that her anger knew no bounds, as
was usually the case when she got into a passion.
She loaded him udth insults, and said all sorts of
shocking things, treating him with as much contempt

md although this scene
did not refer directly to me, yet tears came into my
eyes. She perceived this, aud said to me, " This
docs not apply to you ; I know that you had nothing
to do with his act, and that you neither looked nor
wished to look through the door." This remark,
which was correct, calmed her a little, and she
stopped; besides, it would have been difficult for her
to have gone farther than she had done. She then
wished us good morning, and retired, with a flushed
face and flashing eyes. The Grand Dnkc went to
his room, and I undressed in silence, ruminating on
what I had heard. "When 1 had done, the Duke re-
turned, and said to me — iu a tone half sheepish, half
comical — " She was like a fury, and did not know
what she said." " She was dreadfully angry," I
replied. We talked over the matter, and then dined
in my room, quite alone. "When the Grand Duke
had gone to his own apartments, Madame Krause
entered my room. " It must be acknowledged," she
said, " that the Empress has acted like a true mo-
ther to-day." I saw she wished to make me talk.

EMFRESa CATHERINE I

and therefore I said nothing. She continued : " A
mother gets angry, scolds her children, and there
the matter ends ; you ought hoth of you to have aaid
to her, BiieoiiaTbi MatV'nnia, and you would have dis-
armed her." I said I was astounded and petrified by
her Majesty's anger, and all I eould do at the moment
was to listen and be silent. She then left me, pro-
bably to make her report. As for me, the " / beg
your pardon, madam," as a means of disarming the
anger of the Empress, remained in my head ; and I
have since used it with success, when occasion re-
quired, as will be seen in the sequel.

Some time before the Empress had relieved
Count Brummer and the Great Chamberldn from at-
tendance on the Grand Duke, I happened one day to go
I earlier than usual into the ante-ehamber. The Count

. was there alone, and seized the occasion to speak to

me. He begged and entreated me to go every day
to the Empress' dressing-room, as my mother, at
leaving, had obtained permission for me to do ; a
I privilege of which I had made very little use hitherto,

' as it was a prerogative which wearied me excessively.

I had gone once or twice and found there the Empress'
women, who retired by degrees, so that I was left
I alone. I told bim this. He said it was of no cou-

I sequence, I ought to continue. But I could not i:

I derstand this courtier-like perseverance. It might

answer his views, but it did not at all suit me to be
■ kept standing in the Empress' dressing-room, and be,

^^B besides, an inconvenience to her, I stated to him

MEMOIRS 01" THE

my repugnance, Imt lie did everything to persuade
me, though without saecess. I was much better
pleased to be in my own rooms, especially when
Madame Krause was not there. 1 had discovered
in her this winter a very decided propensity for
drink, and as she soon after got her daughter
married to the Marshal of the Court, Sievers, she
either was out a good deal, or my people contrived to
make her tipsy, when she went to sleep, aud my room
was delivered from this surly Argus.

Count Brummer and the Grand Chamberlain
Berkholz having been relieved from their duties
about the Prince, the Empress named as his attend-
ant General Prince Basil Repninc. A better appoint-
ment could not have been made, for Prince Rcpnine
was not only a man of honour and probity, he was
also a man of talent, a very worthy man, candid and
straightforward. For my ownself, I had every
reason to be satisfied with the conduct of Prince
Repnine. For Count Brummer I felt no regret ; he
wearied me with his eternal politics, he smelt of in-
trigue; while the frank and soldier-like character of
Prince Repnine inspired me with confidence. As
for the Grand Duke, he was delighted to get rid of
his pedagogues, whom he hated. In quitting him,
however, they left him with uo slight anxiety at
finding himself at the mercy of the intrigues of Count
Bestoujcff, who was the prime mover in all these
changes, made under the plausible pretest of the
majority of his Imperial Highness in his ducliy of

EMPKCSS CATHERINE II. 59

Holstein. Prince Augustus, my uncle, was still at
St. Petersburg, watching for the administration of
the Grand Dtdce's hereditary territory.

In the month of May we moved to the Summer
Palace. At the end of the month the Empress placed
with me, as chief housekeeper, Madame Tchoglokoff,
one of her maids of honour, and her relative. This
was a thunderbolt for me. This lady was altogether
in the interest of Count Bestoujeff, extremely silly,
spiteful, capricious, and very selSsh. Her husband.
Chamberlain to the Empress, was then gone on some
sort of mission from her Majesty to Vienna, I
wept a great deal on seeing her arrive, and all the
rest of the day. 1 was to be bled on the following
day. In the morning the Empress came to ray
room, and seeing my eyes red, said to me that
young women wlio did not love their husbands were
always crying; that my mother, however, had assured
her I had no repugnance to marrying the Grand
Duke ; that, besides, she had not forced me ; that,
as I was married, I must not cry any more. I
remembered the instructions of Madame Krause, and
said to her, BonosaTti MaTvuiKa, and she was appeased.
Meanwhile the Grand Duke came in, and this time
the Empress received him very graciously, and then
went away. I was bled, and indeed I required it;
I then went to bed. and wept the whole day. The
nest day, the Grand Duke drew me aside in the
course of the afternoon, and I saw clearly that they
had given him to understand that JIadame Tchoglokoff

^mte

MEMOIBS OF THE

had beeu placed with me because I did not love him.
But I cannot understand liow they expected to
increase my attachment for him by gi^g me that
woman ; and so I told him. As to placing her with
me as an Argus, that was a different matter. But if
this was their object, they ought to have chosen
some one less stupid ; and, besides, it was not neces-
sary for this purpose to he spiteful and malevolent.
Madame TchoglokofF was thought to be extremely
virtuous, because she loved her husband to adoration.
She had married him for love : so excellent an ex-
ample placed before me would perhaps persuade me
to imitate it. We shall see how far the esperiment
iras successful. In all probability, it was the cir-
cumstances which I am about to relate which preci-
pitated this aiTangcmeut. I say precipitated, because
I believe that, from the beginning. Count Bestoujeff
had it in view to surround us with his creatures. He
would gladly have done the same in the case of the
Empress also, but that was not so easy.

The Grand Duke, at the time I arrived in Mos-
cow, had in his service three domestics named Czer-
nicheff, all three sons of grenadiers in the body-
euard of the Empress. Their fathers held the rank
of lieutenant, which they received as a recompense
for having aided in placing the Empress on the
throne. The oldest of the Czernicheffs was cousin to
the two others, who were brothers. The Grand Duke
was very fond of all the three. They were tlie per-
sons most in his confidence, and were really very

EMPRESS CATHERINE II,

^^B useful, All tliree were tall and well made, especially
^^H the oldest. The Duke made use of him in all his
^^f commissions, and several times in the day he sent him
I to me. He it was, too, whom the Duke made his con-

fidant when he did not care to come to me. This
kmaii was on very intimate and friendly terms with
my valet Yevreinoftj and through this channel I often
knew things which I should otherwise have been
ignorant of. Besides, both of them were attached to
me heart and soul, and I often obtained information
from them, on a variety of matters, which it would
have been difficult to have procured otherwise. I do
not know in reference to what it was that the oldest
of the Czernicheffs said one day to the Grand Duke, .
Baiui ffiCHHM, "she is not my intended but youra."
This expression made the Grand Duke laugh. He
related it to me, and from that time it pleased hia
Imperial Highness, when speaking to me, to call me
cro HeBEGTa, hia intended, and Andrew Czernicheff
your intended. After our marriage Andrew Czcrni-
cheflj to put a stop to this badinage, proposed to his
Imperial Highness to call me his mother, MaiymBa
and I, on my part, called him criHoiit MOii. Now
between the Grand Dulte and myself there was
always some reference to this son, for he was esccs-
fiirely attached to the man ; and I also liked hipi
very much.

My servants were greatly disturbed on this ac-
coimt; some through jealousy, others from appre-
hension of the consequences which might result both

>1RS OF THE

for them and for us. One day when there was a
masked ball at court, and 1 had gone to my room to
change ray dress, my valet Timothy Yevreinoff took
me aside, and told me that he and all ray Bervants
■were terrified at the danger into which he saiv me
plunging. I asked him what he meant. He said,
" You speak of nothing and think of nothing but
Andrew Czemicheif." " Well," I said, in the
innocence of my heart, " what harm is there in
that ? He ia toy son. The Grand Dnke iikes him
as much and more than I do; and he ia derated and
faithful to us." "Yes," he replied, "that is all very
true; the Grand Duke can do as he pleases; but
you have not the same right. What you call kind-
ness and attachment, because this man is faithful and
aerves you, your people call love." The utterance of
this word, which had never once occurred to me, was
a thunderbolt ; first, on account of the opinion of my
servants, which I called rasli ; secondly, on accoimt
of the condition in wliich I had placed myself, with-
out being aware of it. He told mc that he had ad-
vised his friend Czetnichetf to pretend illness in order
to put an end to these remarks. This advice Czer-
nicheff followed, and his feigned illness lasted pretty
nearly to the mouth of April. The Grand Duke was
much concerned about him, and spoke of him con-
tinually to rac. He had not the slightest suspicion
of the real circimistanccs. At the Summer Palace
Andrew Caernicheff again made his appearance. I
oould no longer meet him without embarrassment.

I MeanwMIe the Empress had thought proper to make
H uew aiTaugement with the servants of the coiirt.
They were to serve in turn in all the rooniSj and
Andrew CzemichefF like the rest. The Grand Duke
often had concerts in the afternoon, and he himself
played the violin at them. During one of these con-
1 certs, which usually wearied me, I went to my own
I room. This opened into the great hall of the Snm-
[ mer Palace, which was then filled with scaftbldings,
s they were painting the ceiling. The Empress was
I absent ; Madame Krause had gone to her daughter's,
Hadame SJevera; and I did not find a sonl in my
room. From L'nnui I opened the door of the hall,
and saw at the other end Andrew Czemicheff, I
made a sign to him to approach; he came to the
door, though with much apprehension. I aslted him
if the Empress would return soon. He said, " I can-
not speak to you ; they make too much noise in the
' hall; let me come into your room." I replied,
"That I will not do," He was outside the door and
, I mthin, holding the door half open as I sjHJke to
him. An involuntary impulse made me turn my
id in the direction opposite to the door at which I
I stood, and I saw behind me at the other door of my
\ dressing-room, the Chamheriain, Count Divier, who
said to me, "The Grand Duke wishes to see you,
dam." I closed the door of t)]e hail, and retui-ned
with Count Divier to the apartment where the Grand
Duke was giving hia concert. I haie since ieamt
that Count Divier was a kiud of reporter employed

as such, like many otlicrs about me. Tlie following
day, which was Suiiday, after mass, we learnt —
that is, the Grand Duke and I — that the three
Cuernicheffs had heen placed as lieutenants in the
regiments stationed near Orcnhurg ; and in the
afternoon of this day Madame Tchoglokoff was placed
vith me.

A few days afterwards, we received orders to pre-
pare to accompany the Empress to Reval. At the
same time, Madame Tchoglokoff told me from her
Dijlajesty that, for the future, her Imperial îlajesfy
would dispense with my comhig to her dressing-room,
and that if 1 had any communication to make to her
it must not he made through any one but Madame
Tchoglokoff'. In my own miud, I was delighted with
this order, which relieved me from the necessity of
being kept standing among the Empress' women;
hesides, I seldom went to her dressing-room, and
then but rarely saw her. During the whole timo
that I had been going there I had not seen her more
than three or four times, and, generally speaking,
whenever I went, her women quitted the room one
after the other. Not to bo left there alone, I seldom
stayed long either.

In the montli of June the Empress set out for
Rcval, and we accompanied her. The Grand Duke
and I travelled in a carriage for four persons ; Prince
Augustus and Madame Tchofçlokotf' made up its com-
plement. Our plan of tfavflHng was neither agree-
able nor convenient. The post-houses or stations

I were occupied by the Empress ; we were aeeom-

I modated in tents or in the outhouses. I remember

that on one occasion, during this journey, I dressed

near the oven where the bread had just been baked;

and that another time, when I entered the tent where

my bed was placed, there was water in it up to the

, .ankle. Besides all this, the Empress had no fixed

I tour, either for setting out or stopping, for meals or

t jepose. We were all, masters and servants, strangely

f liarassed.

After ten or twelve days' march, we reached an
Le&tate belonging to Count Steinbeck, forty verstes
f from Reval. From this place the Empress de-
I parted in great state, wishing to reach Catherinthal
L in the evening; but somehow it happened that
I i&e journey was prolonged till half-past one in the
|,TOoming.

During the entire journey, from St. Petersburg to
f Reval, Madame Tchoglokotf was the torment of our
I carriage. To the simplest thing that was said, she
I would reply, " Such a remark would displease her
I Miajeaty ;" or, " Such a thing would not be approved
1 of by her Majesty." It was sometimes to the most
F innocent and indifferent matters that she attached
I these etiquettes. As for me, I made up my mind,
I and during the whole journey slept continually while
a. the carriage.

From the day after our arrival at Catherinthal,
' the court recommenced its ordinary round of occu-
pations ; that is to say, from morning till night, and

fee

far into the night, gambling, and for latlier high
stakes, was carried on in the aute-chamber of the
Empress, a hall which divided the house ond its two
stories into two sections.

Madame Tchoglokoff was a gambler; shcindaced
me to play at faro like the rest. All the favourites
of the Empress were ordinarily fixed here when they
did not happen to be in her Majesty's room, or rather
tent, for she had erected a very large and magnificent
tent at the side of her apartments, which were on the
ground floor, and very small, as was usually the case
with the structures of Peter I. He had built this
country residence, and planted the garden.

The Prince and Princess Eepnine, who were of
the party, and were aware of the arrogant and sense-
less conduct of Madame Tchoglokoif during the
journey, persuaded me to speak of it to the Countess
Schouvaloff and Madame Ismaïloff', the ladies most
in her Majesty's favour. These ladies had no love
for Madame Tchoglokoff, and they had already learnt
what had happened. The little Countess Schouvalofi',
who was indiscretion itself, did not wait tor me to
speak to her, but happening to be seated by my side
at play, she introduced the subject herself, and,
being very humorous, she placed the whole conduct
of Madame Tchoglokoff in such a ridiculous light,
that she soon made her the laugliing- stock of every
one, She did more ; she related to the Empress all
that bad passed. It would seem as if Madame
Tchoglokoff had received a reproof, for she lowered

EMPRESS CATHEBIKE "

ter tone very consideraUy with me. Indeed, there
was much need of this being done, for I began to feel
a great tendency to melancholy. I felt totally iso-
lated. The Grand Duke, at Reval, took a passing
fency for a Madame Céd(5raparre. As usual, he did
not fail to confide the matter to me immediately. I
I had frequent pains in the cheat, and at Catheriuthal
a spitting of blood, for which I was bled. On the
afternoon of that day, Madame Tchoglokoff came
to my room, and found me in tears. "With a coun-
tenance greatly aoftcued, she asked me what was the
I matter, aud proposed to me, on the part of the
I Empress, to take a walk in the garden, to dissipate
I my hypochondria, as she said. That day the Grand
Duke had gone to hunt with the Master of the
I Hounds, Count Siizoomowsky. She also placed in
I my hands, as a present fi-om her Imperial Majesty,
I 3000 roubles, for playing at faro. The ladies had
' noticed that I was without money, and told the
press. I begged Madame Tchoglokoff to thank
I her Majesty for her goodness, and then went with her
I for a walk in the garden.

•I Some days after our arrival at Catherinthal, the
High Chancellor, Count Bestoujeff, arrived, accom-
panied by the Imperial Ambassador, the Baron
■Preyslain, and we learned, by the tenor of his con-
l.gratulations, that the two imperial courts had juat
I become imited by a treaty of alliance. In con-
sequence of this, the Empress went to see her fleet
manoeuvre ; but, except the smoke of the cannons, we

68 MEMOIRS or THE

saw nothing. The day was escessively hot, and the
sea perfectly calm . On returning from this manœnvre,
there was a ball in the Empress' tents, which were
erected on the terrace. The supper was spread in
the open air, around a basin intended for a fountain;
but scarcely had her Majesty taken her seat, when
there came on a shower which wetted the entire
company, forcing it to disperse and seek shelter, as
best it could, in the houaea and in the tents. Thus
ended this fête.

Some days afterwards the Empress departed for
Boguervick, The fleet manœnrred there also, and
again wc saw nothing but the smoke. In this jour-
ney we all suffered very much in our feet. The soil
of the place is a rock, covered with a thick bed of
pebbles, of such a nature that if one stood for a short
time in the same spot, the feet would sink in and the
pebbles cover them. We encamped here for several
days, and were forced to walk, in passing from tent to
tent, and in our tents, upon this ground. Por more
than four months afterwards my feet were sore in
consequence. The convicts who worked at the pier
wore sabots, and even these seldom lasted beyond
eight or ten days.

The imperial ambassador had followed her Ma-
jesty to this port. He dined there and supped with
her half-way between Roguerrick and Reva!. During
this supper an old womau, who had reached the age
of 130 years, was led before the Empress. She
looked like a walking skeleton. The Empress sent

M PRESS CATHERINE 1

lier meat from lier own table, as well as money, aiid
] we continued our journey.

On our return to Catherinthal, Madame Tclioglo-
koff had the satisfaction of finding there her husband,
who had returned from his mission to Vienna. Many
of the court equipages had already taken the road for
■ Bigajwliither the Empress intended to go. But on her
1: leturn from Roguervick she suddenly changed her
I mind. Many people tormented their brains, in vain,
I to discover the cause of this change. Several years
afterwards it came to light. "When M. Tchoglokoff
f was passing through Itiga, a Lutheran priest, a mad-
I" man or a fanatic, placed in his hands a letter and a
[■ memorial addressed to the Empress, in which he es-
I iortcd her not to undertake this journey, as if she
I did she would incur the most imminent risk ; that
r there were people posted in ambush by the enemies
[ Bf the empii'e for the purpose of killing her, and such
like absurdities. These writings, being delivered to
} the Empress, left her in no humour for travelling far-
ther. Ah for the priest, he was found to be mad; but
the journey did not take place.

We returned by short stages from Reval to St.
I Petersburg. I caught in this journey a severe sore
I throat, which compelled me to keep my bed for
[■ several days ; after which we went to Peterhoff, and
I thence made weekly excursions to Oranienbaum.

At the beginning of August the Empress sent
word to the Grand Duke and myself that we ought
to go to our duty. We both complied with her

70 MEMOIRS OF THE

visheB, and immediately liegau to have matins and
vespers sang in our apartments, and to go to mass
every day. On the Priday, when we were to go to
coufcBsion, the cause of this order became apparent.
Simon 'nieodorsky. Bishop of Pleskov, questioned us
both a great deal, and each separately, i-eapecting
what had passed between the Czeruicheffs and us.
But as nothing whatever had passed, Le looked a
little foolish when he heard it asserted, with the can-
dour of innocence, that there was not even the sha-
dow of what people had dared to suppose. He was
so far thrown off his guard as to say to me, "But
how then is it that the Empress has been impressed
to the contrary ? " To which I replied, that I really
did not know. I suppose our confessor communi-
cated our confession to the Empress' confessor, and
that the latter retailed it to her Majesty — a thing
which certainly could do us no harm. We commu-
nicated on the Saturday, and on the Monday went
for a week to Orauienbaum, while the Empress made
an excursion to Zarskoe-Selo.

On arriving at Orauienbaum the Grand Duke en-
listed all his suite. The chamberlains, the gentlemen
of the bedchamber, the officers of the court, the adju-
tants of Prince Repnine, and even liis son, the ser-
vants, the huntsmen, the gardeners, every one, in
fact, had to shoulder his musket. His Imperial High-
ness exercised them every day, and made them mount
guard, the corridor of the house serving as a guard-
room, and here they passed the day. For their

meals the gentlemen went up stairs, and m the
evening they came into the hall to dance in gaiters.
As for ladies there were only myself, Madame Tcho-
glokoff, the Princess Ilepoiue, my three maids of
honour, and my lady's-maids ; consequently the ball
was very meagre and badiy managed, the men lia-
1 rassed and in bad hnmour with these continual mili-
tary exercises, which did not suit the taste of cour-
tiers. After the ball they were allowed to go home
to sleep. Generally speaking, we were all dreadfully
tired of the dull life we led at Oranienbaum, where
we were, five or six women, all to ourselves ; while the
men, on their aide, were engaged in unwilling exer-
cises, I had recourse to the books I had brought
with me. Since my marriage I read a great deal.
The first book I read after my marriage was a novel
called Tiran the Fair (Tiran le blanc), and for a
whole year I read nothing but novels. But I began
to tire of these. I stumbled by accident upon the
letters of Madame dc Sévigné, and was much inte-
rested by them. When I had devoui-ed these, the
works of Voltaire fell into my hands. After reading
them, I selected my books irith more care.

We returned to Peterhoff, and after two or three
journeys backwards and forwai'ds, between that place
and Oranienbaum, with the same amusements, we
finally got back to St. Petersburg, and took up our
residence in the Summer Palace.

At the close of autumn the Empress passed to
the Winter Palace, whcr..' she occupied our apart-

SIEMOIHS OF 1

menta of the previous year; while we moved into
those occupied by the Grand Duke before our mar-
riage. These we liked very much, and, indeed, they
■were very convenient, Xhey were those used by the
Empress Anne. Every evening the members of our
court assembled in onr apartments, and we amused
ouraelves vrith all kinds of small games, or we had a.
concert. Twice a-week there was a performance at
the great theatre, which at that time was opposite
the church of Kasan. ''In a word, this winter was
one of the gayest and best managed I have ever
spent. We literally did nothing but laugh and romp
the whole day.

About the middle of the winter, the Empress
sent us word to follow her to Tichvine, where she
was going. It was a journey of devotion ; but just
as we were about to enter our sledges, we learnt that
the journey was put off. It was whispered to ns
that the Master of the Hounds, Count Bazoumowsky,
bad got a fit of the gout, and that her Majesty did
not wish to go without him. About two or three
weeks afterwards we did start. The journey lasted
only five days, when we returned. In passing
through Ribatchia Slobodk, and by the house where I
knew the Czemicheffs were, I tried to see them
through the windows, but I eould see nothing.
Prinee Kepnine was not in the party during this
journey ; we were told that he had the gravel. The
husband of Madame Telioglokofl^ took his place on the
occasion, and this was not the moat agreeable ar-

EMPRESS CATHERIN"!

rangement in the world for most of us. He was an
arrogant and brutal fool ; everybody feared hinij and
Ms wife as well ; and, indeed, they were both mis-
chievous and dangerous characters. However, there
■were means, as will be seen in the sequel, not only of
f lulling these Arguses to sleep, but even of gaining
[ them over. At that time these means had not been
P âîscovered. One of the surest was to play at faro
I "with them; they were both eager players, and very
[ selfish ones. This weak point was the one first per-
l eeived; the others came afterwards.

During this winter, the Princess Gagarine, maid
I of honour, died of a burning fever, just as she was to
I he married to the Chamberlain Prince Galitzine, who
1 subsequently married her younger sister. I regretted
I her very much, and dui-iug her illness I went several
I times to see her, notwithstanding the representations
I of Madam Tchoglokoff. The Empress replaced her
I by her elder sister, since married to Count Matiu-
I schkinc. She was then at Moscow, and was sent for
accordingly.

In the spring, we went to the Slimmer Palace,

I and thence to the country. Prince Repnine, under the

I pretest of had health, received permission to retire to

his own house, and M. Tchoglokofli' continued to dis-

J charge his functions in the interim. He first sig-

fraalized himself by the dismissal from our court

t ©f Count Divier, who was placed as brigadier in the

army, and of the Gentleman of the Bedchamber

Villebois, who was sent there as colonel. These

changes were made at tlie instigation of Tchoglokoff,
who looked on both with an evil eye, because he saw
that we thought well of them, A Bimilar dismissal
had taken place in 1745, in the case of Count Zachar
CzemiehefF, sent away at the request of my mothpr.
Still these removals were always considered at court
as disgraces, and they were therefore sensibly felt by
the individuals. The Grand Duke and myself were
much annoyed witïi this latter one. Prince Augustus,
too, having obtained all he had asked for, was told
from the Empress that he must now leave. This also
was a manoeuvre of the Tchoglokofi's, who were beut
apon completely isolating ua. In this they followed
the instructions of Count BestoujcfF, who was suspi-
cions of everybody.

During this snmmer, having nothing better to do,
and everything being very dull at home, T took a pas-
sion for riding ; the rest of my time I spent in joj
room, reading everything that came in my way. As
for the Grand Duke, as they had taken from him
the people he liked best, he chose other favourites
among the servants of the court.

Dnring this interval, my valet Yevreinoff, while
dressing my hair one day, told me that by a strange
accident he had discovered that Andrew Czernicheff
and his brothers were at Ribatehia, under arrest, in
a pleasure-house, which was the private property of
the Empress, who had inherited it from her mother.
It was thus that the discovery was made : — During
the carnival, Yevreinoff went out for a drive, having

EMPRESS CATHERINE 1

Ids wife and sister-in-law witli him in the sledge, and
the two brothers-in-law behind. The sister's husband
was Secretary to the Magistrate of St. Petersburg,
and had a sister married to an under-secret ary of the
I Secret Chancery. They went for a walk one day to

IBibatchia, and called on the man who had charge of
this estate of the Empress. A dispute arose about the
Feast of Easter, as to what day it would fall on. The
host said that he would soon end the controversy by
asking the prisoners for a book called Swiatzj, whieh
Contained all the Feasts, together mth the calendar,
for several years. In a few minutes he brought it in.
The brother-in-law of Yevreinoff took the book, and
the first thing be saw, on opening it, was that
Andrew Czemicheff had put Ms name in it, with the
date of the day on which he had received it from the
Grand Duke. After this he looked for the Feast
of Easter. The dispute being ended, the book
was sent back, and they returned to St. Peters-
burg, where, some days later, the brother-in-law
I of Yevreinoff confided to him the discovery be had

made. Yevi?eiuoff entreated me not to mention the
matter to the Grand Duke, as his discretion was not
at all to be relied on. I promised him that I would
I not, and kept my word.

About the middle of Lent, we went with the

I Empress to GostUitza, to celebrate the feast-day of

1 the Master of the Hounds, Count Razoumowaky. We

I danced, and were tolerably well amused, and then

returned to town.

■ v«c^ I «as alowcd tovBcp am ■■■i i

to tifl me that 1 kd «ft OH^ ; tbit tk- E^^ms
ccdeicd ^ to lean <M; Oat my &Aer vas an a
Ict^. ItoUberlknevOtf bewKBotakii^aiid
alw rqified that it m not wuye fbr a G^anri
Dacbess to moani for a lot^er period a ^tha who
had Dot been a king. In fine, it «as arranged ihat I
thoold go out on the folloirmg Smtdar, and vesr
mqumiDg for m weeks.

The first day I left my room, I found Count
Santi, Grand Master of Ceremonies to the Empress,
in her Majestr's ante-chamber. I addressed a few
casual remarks to Iiim, and passed on. Some daja
later, Madame Tchoglokoff came to tell me that her
Majesty had learned from Comit Bestoujeff — to
whom Saoti had given the informationin writiug— that
I had told him (Santi) I thought it very strange that
the ambassadors had not offered their condolences to
mo on the occaxion of my father's death ; that lier
Majesty considered my remarks to Count Santi very
uncaUcd for ; that I was too proud ; that I ought to
remember tliat my father was not a king, and
thoroforo that I could not and must not es.pect to
receive the condolences of the foreign ministers. I
was astounded at this speech. I told Madame Tcho-
glokoff that, if Count Sauti had said or writteu that
1 had spoken to him a single word haviiij; the least

EMPRESS CATHKKINE 11.

allusion to tliis subject, he waa a notorious liar ; that
nothing of the kind bad ever entered my mind ; and
therefore that T bad not uttered a syllable to him or
any one else in reference to it. This was the exact
truth, for I had laid it down to myself aa an inva-
riable rule never, in any case, to make any preten-
ions, but to conform in everything to the wishes of
ihe Empress, and fulfil all her commands. It would
;m that the ingenuousness with which I replied to
Madame Tehoglokoff carried conviction to her mind,
lor she said she would not fail to tcU the Empress
.■that I gave tiie lie to Count Santi. In fact, she went
to her Majesty, and came back to tell me that the
Empress was e.xtroracly angry with Count Santi for
having uttered such a falsehood, and that she had
ordered him to be reprimanded. Some days after-
irards, the Count sent several persons to me, and
among tbem the Chamberlain, Count Nikita Panine,
and the Vice- Chancellor, Woronzoftj to tell me that
Count Bcstoujctf had forced him to tell this false-
hood, and that he was sorry to find himself in
disgrace with me in consequence. I told these gen-
tlemen that a liar was a liar, whatever might be his
reasons for lying; and that, in order that Count
Santi might not again mix me up with his false-
hoods, I should never speak to him. Here is what
has occurred to me in reference to this matter :
Santi was an Italian. He was fond of intermeddling,
and attached much importance to liis office of Grand
Master of Ceremonies. I had always spoken to him

MEMOIRS OF n

as I spoke to every oue else. He thought, perhaps,
that compliments of condolence on the part of the
diplomatic corps might he admissible; and, judging
hy his own feelings, he probably considered that this
would be a means of obliging me. He went then to
Count Bcstonjefl^ the High Chancellor, and his sn-
perior, and told him that I had appeared in public
for the first time, and seemed very much affected ; the
omission of the condolences might have added to my
grief. Count Bcstoujeff, always caiping, and delighted
to have an opportunity of humbling me, had all
that Santi said or insinuated — and which lie had
ventured to support with niy name — put into writing,
and made him sign tliis protocol. Santi, terribly
afraid of his superior, and above all things dreading
to lose his place, did not hesitate to sign a false-
hood rather than sacrifice his means of existence.
The High Chancellor sent the note to the Empress.
She was annoyed to see 'my pretensions, and de-
spatched Madame Tchoglokoff to nie, as already
mentioned. But having heard my reply, founded
upon the exact truth, the only residt was a slap in
the face for his excellency the Grand Master of the
Ceremonies,

In the country, the Grand Duke formed a pack
of hoimds, and began to train dogs himself. "When
tired of tormenting these, he set to work scraping on
the violin. He did not know a note, but he had a
good ear, and made the beauty of music consist in
the force and violence with which lie drew forth the

EMPRESS CATHERINE II, 79

tones of his instrument. Those who bad to listen to
him, however, would often have been glad to stop
their ears had they dared, for his music grated on
them dreadfully. This course of life continued not
only in the country, but also in town. On returning
to the Winter Palace, Madame Krause — who had all
along been an Argus — moderated so far as often even
to aid in deceiving the Tchoglokoffs, who were hated
by every one. She did more ; she procured for the
Grand Duke playthings — puppets, and such like
childish toys, of which he was passionately fond.
During the day, they were concealed within, or under
my bed ; the Grand Duke retired immediately after
supper, and as soon as we were in bed Madame
Krause locked the door, aud then the Grand Duke
played with his puppets till one or two o'clock
in the morning. M'^illing or unwilling, I was obliged
to share in this interesting amusement ; and bo was
Madame Krause. I often laughed, but more fre-
quently felt annoyed, and even inconvenienced ; the
whole bed was covered and filled with playthings,
some of which were rather heavy. I do not know
whether Madame Tchoglokoff came to hear of these
nocturnal amusements, biit one night, about twelve
o'clock, she knocked at the door of our bed-room.
We did not open it immediately, as the Grand Duke,
myself, and Madame Krause were scrambling with
all our might to gather up and conceal the toys :

kfor this purpose the coverlid of the bed answered
very well, as we crammed them all in under it.

80 MEMOIRS OF THU

This done^ we opened the door. *' Slie complained I
dreadfidiy of having been kept waiting, and told us I
that the Empress would be very angry when she I
Icamt that we were not asleep at that hour. She |
then sulkily departed, without ha\ing made any J
farther discovery. As soon as she was gone, the I
Duke resumed his amusements until he became I

At the commencement of autumn we again r
turned to the apartments which we had occupied after
our marriage, in the Winter Palace. Here, a very '

stringent order was issued by the Empress, through M.
Tchoglokoff, forbidding every one from entering either
my apartments or those of the Grand Duke, without
the express permission of M. and Madame Tchoglo-
koff. The ladies and gentlemen of our court were
directed, imder pain of dismissal, to keep in the
ante-chamber, and not to pass the threshold, or speak
to us — or even to the servants — otherwise than
aloud. The Grand Duke and myself, thus compelled
to sit looking at each other, murmured, and secretly
interchanged thoughts relative to tliis species of im-
prisonment, which neither of us had deserved. To
procure for himself more amusement during the
winter, the Dnkc had five or six hounds brought from
the country, and placed them behind a wooden parti-
tion which separated the alcove of my bed-room &om
a large vestibule behind our apartments. As the
alcove was separated only by boards, the odour of the
kennel penetrated into it ; and in the midst of this

EMPRESS CATHe:

r disgusting smell we both slept. When I complained

to him of the inconveniencCj he told me it was im-

* possible to help it. The kennel being a great secret,

I put up with this nuisance, rather than betray Ms

Imperial Highness.

Aa there was no kind of amusement at eourt

during this cfu-nival, the Grand Duke took it into his

I to have masquerades in my room. He dressed

I las servants, mine, and my maids in masks, and

e them dance in my bed- room. He himself played

s violin, and danced as well. AU this continued

r into the night. As for me, under different pre-

îxts of headache or lassitude, I lay down on a couch,

rat always in a masquerade dress, tired to death of

; insipidity of these bal-masqués, which amused liitn

f infinitely. When Leut came on, four more persons

I were removed from attendance on him, three of them

[i being pages, whom Le liked better than the others.

f These frequent dismissala affected him ; still he took

I no steps to prevent them, or he took them so clum-

1 sily that they only tended to increase the evil.

During this winter, we learnt that Prince Repnine,

WtSU as he was, had been appointed to command the

r troops which were to be sent to Bohemia, in aid of

I ihe Empress-Queen Maria Theresa. This was a for-

I jnal disgrace for Prince Bepnine. He went, and

never returned, having died of grief in Bohemia. It

was the Princess Gagarine, my maid of honour, who

gave me the first intimation of tliis, notwithstanding

all the proliibitions against allowing a word to reach

vs relative to wLat occurred in the city or the court.
This shows how useless are all such prohibitions.
There are too many persons interested in infringing
them ever to allow of their being strictly enfoi-ced.
All about us, even to the nearest relatives of the
Teiioglokoffsj interested themselves in dimiuishing
the rigour of the kind of political imprisonment
to which we were subjected. There was no onCj
not even excepting lladamc Tchoglokoff's own
brother. Count Ilcudrikoftj who did not contrive to
give us useful intimations ; and many persons even
made use of him to convey information to me, which
he was always ready to do with the frankness of a
good and honest fellow. He ridiculed the stupidities
and brutalities of his sister and brother-in-law in
such a manner that every one was at case with him,
and no one ever thought of distrusting him, for he
never compromised any one, nor had any person ever
been disappointed in him. He was a man of correct
bnt limited judgment, ill-bred, and very ignorant, but
firm, and \vithout any evil.

During this same Lent, one day about noon, I
went into the room where our ladies and gentlemen
were assembled — the Tchoglokoffs had not yet come
a speaking first to one and then to another,
I approached the door near which the Chamberlain
Outzine was standing. In a low voice he turned the
conversation to the subject of the dull life wc led, and
said, that notwithstanding all this, people contrived
to prejudice us in the mind of the Empress ; that a

EMPKESS CATHERINE II.

few days before, her Imperial Majesty had said at

[aMe that I was overwhelmed with debt; that every

I thing I did bore the stamp of folly ; that for all that I

thought myself very clever — an opinion, hovfever, in

irhich no one else shared, for nobody was deceived in

me, my stitpidity being patent to aU ; and therefore

that it was less necessary to mind what the Grand

Duke did than what I did. He added, with tears in his

eyes, that he was ordered by the Empress to tell me all

ttiiis, but he begged me not to let it be supposed that

Bite had told me of this order. I rejilied, that as to

Ifay stupidity it ought not to be objected to me as a.

tlktdt, every one being just what God had made him;

I that as to my debts it was not very surprising I should

I be in debt when, with au allowance of 30,000 roubles,

my mother, at parting, left me to pay 6,000 roubles

1 her account, while the Countess Roumianzoff had

i me into innumerable espenses which she consi-

i indispensable J tliat Madame Tchoglokoff

Uone cost me this year 17,000 roubles, and that he

himself knew what infernal play one was constantly

liobliged to play with them ; that he might say all thia

3 those who had sent him ; that for the rest, I was

Y sorry I had been prejudiced in the opinion of

r Imperial Majesty, to whom I had never failed

Il respect, obedience, and deference, aud that the

Itaore closely my conduct was looked into the more

Wnld she be convinced of this, I promised him

Èhe secrecy he asked for; and kept it. I do not know

I whether he reported what I told him, but I fancy he

J_^

84 MEMOIUS OF THE

did, though I heard no more of the matter, and
did Dot care to renew a conversation so little
agreeable.

During tlie last week of Lent, I took the measles.
I could not make my appearance at Easter, but re-
ceived the communion in my room, on the Saturday.
During this illness, Madmae Tchoglokoff, though far
advanced in pregnancy, scarcely ever left me, and did
all she could to amuse me. I had then a little Kal-
muck girl, of whom I was very fond. She caught
the measles from me. After Easter, we went to the
Summer Palace, and thence, at the end of May — for
the Feast of the Ascension — to the residence of
the Count Razoumowsky, at Gostilitza. Tiie Empress
invited there, on the 23rd of this month, the Ambas-
sador of the Imperial Court, the Baron Breitlack, who
was about to leave for Vienna. He spent the
evening there, and supped with the Empress. This
supper was served at a very late hour, and we re-
turned to the cottage iu which we were lodged after
aunriae. This cottage was of wood, placed on a
slight elevation, and attached to the slides.* We
had been pleased with the situation of this cottage
when we were here in the winter, for the iete of the
Master of the Hounds ; and, in order to gratify us,
he had placed us in it on the present occasion. It
had two stories ; the upper oue consisted of a stair-
case, a saloon, and three cabinets. In one of these
we slept, the Grand Duke used another as a dressing-
• Monbigna ruaees.— Ed.

EMPRESS CATHERINE 1

I room, and Madame KrauBC occupied the third.

I Below were lodged the Tchoglokofia, my maids of

honour, and my lady's-maids. On our return from

sapper, every one retired to rest. About sl-î o'clock

I in the morning, a sergeant in the guards, Levacheff

I arrived from Oranienbaum, to speak to Tehoglokofi

I relative to the buildiugs which were in the course of

L erection there. Finding every one asleep in the

] house, he sat down by the sentin'el, and heard certain

I crackling noises, which excited his stispiciona, The

I sentinel told him that these cracklings had been

r.'BeTeral times renewed since he had been on duty.

I I»evachefF got up, and ran to the outside of the house.

1 He saw tliat large blocks of stone were detaching

' themselves from the lower portion. He ran and

I woke Tchoglokoff, telling him that the foundations

I ■ of the house were giving way, and that he must try

[ and get every one out of it. Tchoglokoff put on a

dressing-gown, and ran up stairs ; where, finding the

! doors — which were of glass — locked, he burst them

a. He thus reached our room, and drawing the

I cortainS] desired us to get up as fast as possible and

f leave the house, as the foundations were giving way.

[The Grand Duke leaped out of bed, seized his

I dressing-gown, and ran oiF. I told Tchoglokoff that

I would follow him, and he left ine. While dressing,

I recollected that Madaoie Krause slept in the next

room, and weut to call her. She was so sound

asleep that I had much difficulty in waking her, and

then in malving her understand that she must leave

86 ttEHOUU or TBE

the bouse. I helped ber to diras. When slie vas
tu a condition to go out, we passed into tlie drawing-
ruoin ; but vc bad scarcely done so, wLen there w
a univena) crash, accompanied by a noiee like that
madi: by a vessel lauocbed from the docks. We both
fiill on tlie groDud. At the moment of our fall,
Levacheff entered by the staircase dour, which waa
o]ipoiite us. He rained me up, and carried me out
of the room. I aoddeutally cast my eyes towards
the slidM : tlicy bad been on a level with tlie second
story ; they were bo ho longer, but some two or three
feet below it. LcvacbeiF reached with me as lar
as tlie stairs by which lic had ascended; they were
no longer to ha found, tliey had fallen ; bat seTcral
persona having elimbed upon the wrecks Levacheff
passed rac to the nearest, these to the others, and
thus from hand to hand I reached tlie bottom of the
Stuireiisu in the hollj and tiicnce was carried into a
field . ] tiicro found the Grand Duke in his dressing-
gown.

Once out of the hoiisCj I directed my attention to
wliut wan paitsinK tlierc, and saw several persons
coming out of it all bloody, while others were carried
out. Amon^ÇHt those most severely wounded was the
Priitoosfl (iagurine, my maid of honour. She had
tried to escape like the rest, but in passing through a
rooni adJiiiiiinK lier own, a stove, which fell down,
overturned a «creen, by wbicli alic was thrown upon
bed, which was in the room. Several bricks fell
upon hor head, and wounded her severely, as they did

CATHEItlNE II.

10 a girl who was with her. In this eainc story
a small kitcheii, in which several servants

ipt, thi-ce of whom were killed by the fall of the
fire-place. This, howct'er, was nothing compared with
what occurred between the foundations and the
ground iloor. Sixteen workmen attached to the
slides slept there, and all of them were crushed to
death by the fall of the house. All this mischief
arose from the house having been built in the au-
tumn, and in a hurry. They had given it as a foun-
dation four layers of limestone. In the lower story
le architect had placed, in the vestibule, twelve
hieh served as pillars. He had to go to the
TJkraine, and at his departure told the manager of
■the estate of Gostilitza not to allow any one to touch
those beams till his return. Yet, notwithstanding
(■Ihis prohibition, when the manager learnt that we
■were to occupy this cottage, nothing would do but he
must immediately remove these beams, because they
disfigured the vestibide. Then, when the thaw came,
everything sank upon the four layers of limestone,
Thieh gave way in different directions, and the entire
building slid towards a hillock, which aiTcsted its
progress. I escaped ■with a few slight bruises and a
great fright, for which I was bled. This fright was
flO general and so great amongst us all, that for more
h:thau four months afterwards, if a door was only
iflsdammed with a little extra force, every one started.
,On the day of the accident, when the first terror had
|Ktssed, the Empress, who occupied another house,

MEM/JlM or THE

MHit for lu, and, na ohn wîiiticd to make Itgiit of the
dntmar vm hiul been in, every one tried to see little
In it, mill mmc none ixt nil. My terror displeaaed
\uir very imu;ti, and nlic waa out of Iiumour with
mo. Tim Miialcr of tlic Hounds wept, iiad waa
iiicnn>olabl<i; lie talked of blowiiifr out hi» brains.
J (ireouinu lie wa» |>revc'uto(I, for lie did nothing
of llm kind, and tiio next day we returned to St.
I'dtrrobiiri;, and aome weeks Inter to the Summer
I'bliieii.

I ill) not eiitetly romenihur, but I fancy it was about
tlili tiirir that thu Clievaliur Sacromoso arrived in
UuHia. It wiiK a long time ninec a Knight of Malta,
littd viiiited this country, nnd, generally speaking, few
(lOrattua eunio tu St. l'etei>bnrg in those days ; his
turrival, thoitifore, wo» u sort of event. He was re-
odIvciI with marked Attention, nnd was shown every-
thing worthy uf note in St. Petersburg and Cron-
«tttilt. A naval oltiuer of distinction was appointed
tu K<H'vmpuiiy him. This was M. Poliansky, then
ouptftin uf H ninn-uf-war. «im-e an ndutirul. He was
|tlt«t>i\tiil to ns- In Iciuiug my hand hcslipped into
it u wry «nwU nutf, luying at the siune time, in a
low vwiiv, " It t» from your mother." I was almost
Klui<i'tinl ^vith tt'i-rur Kt this act. I dreaded its being
o)urrvi,Hl I'j Mxaei one w other, cs^iecially by the
1\'4ki^luk<.>ltii, who w^n; elo«r by. However, I took
thouotv, BLiid slipiHAl it into my right hand gtore;
110 utw luwil uottiYd it. Ou tvturtùng to my toom, I
fbuuvV, tu lhA% « Wttvf GnMn my tuotber, luUnl up ta

EMPRESS CATHERINE

I a slip of paper, on whicli it was stated that the

1 Chevalier expected aa answer through au Italian

mnsician, who attended the Grand Duke's concerts.

My motlier, rendered anxious by my involnntary

silence, wanted to know the cause of it; she also

wished to know in what situation I was, I wrote to

her, giving her the information she required. * I told

her that I had been forbidden to (vrite to auy one,

under the pretext that it did not become a Grand

I X)uchesa of Russia to write any letters but such as

[ were composed at the Office of Foreign Affairs, where

\ï was only to attaeli my signature, and never to

■âietate what was to he written, because the minia-

I ters knew better than I did what was proper to be

r said ; that it had almost been made a crime in M.

t Olzoufieff that I fiad sent him a few lines, which I

I begged him to enclose iu a letter to my mother. I

■ also gave her information on several other points,

labout which she had inquired. I rolled up my note

a. the same manner as the one I had received, and

f watched with impatience and anxiety the moment for

[ getting rid of it. At the first concert given by the

I Grand Duke, I made the tour of the orchestra, and

stopped behind the chair of the solo violinist, D'Olo-

I glio, who was the person pointed out to nic. When

1 he saw me come behind liis chah', he pretended to

rtake his handkerchief from his coat-pocket, and in

I doing ao left his pocket mde open. Without any

I sppearance of action, I slipped my note into it, and

I no one had the slightest suspicion of what had hap-

MKMOlllS Ol' THE

pened. During his stay in St. Petersburg, Sacro-
moso delivered to me two or three other notes having
reference to the same matter ; my auswera were re-
tm-ned in the same maimer^ and no one was ever the
wÎBer.

From the Summer Palace we went to Peterhoff,
■which was then being rebuilt. We were lodged in
the upper palace, in Peter the thirst's old house, which
was standing at that time. Here, to pass the time,
the Grand Duke took it into his head to ylay with
me every afternoon at two-handed ombre. "When I
won he got angry, and when I lost he wanted to be
paid forthwith. I had no money, so he began to
play at games of hazard with me, quite by ourselves.
I remember on one occasion his night-cap stood with
us for 10,000 roubles ; but when at the end of the
game he was a loser, he became furions, and would
sometimes sulk for many days. This kind of play
was not in any way to my taste.

During this stay at Peterhoff we saw from our
windows, which looked out upon the garden towards
the sea, that M. and Madame Tchoglokoff were con-
tinually passing and repassing from the upper palace
towards that of Monplaisir on the sea-shore, where
the Empress was then residing. This excited our
curiosity, and that of Madame Krause also, to
know the object of all these journeys. For this pur-
pose Madame Krause went to her sister's, who waa
head lady's-maid to the Empress. She returned
quite radiant with pleasure, having learaed that all

MPRESS CATHERINE 1

these movements were occasioned by its having come
to the knowledge of the Empress that M. Tchoglo-
kolF had had an intrigue with one of my raaids of
honour. Mademoiselle Kocheleft^ who was with child
in consequence. The Empress had sent for Madame
Tehoglokoff and told her that her husband deceived
her, whde she loved him like a fool ; that she had
been blind to such a degree as to have this girl, the
favourite of her huahaud, almost living with her; that
if she wished to separate from her husband at once it
would not be displeasing to her Majesty, who even
from the beginning had not regarded her marriage
■with M. Tchoglokoff with a favourable eye. Her
Majesty declared to her point-blank that she did not
choose him to continue with us, but would dismiss
Mm and leave her in charge. Madame Tchoglokofl'
at first denied the passion of her husband, and main-
tained that the charge against him was a calumny ;
but in the meantime her Majesty had sent some one
to question the young lady, who at once acknow-
ledged the fact. This rendered Madame Tchoglokoff
furious against her husband. She returned home
and abused him. He fell upon his knees and begged
her pardon, and made use of all his influence over
her to soothe her anger. The brood of children
which they had also helped to patch up their differ-
ence; but their reconciliation was never sincere.
I '■' Disunited in love, they remained connected by in-

L terest. Tlie wife pardoned her husband ; she went

^^m to the Empress, and told her that she had forgiven

L 1^

CTCTytbing, and wished to remain with bin
soke of her children. She entreated her Majesty on
her knees not to dismiss him ignominiously Jrom
court, saying that this wonld be to disgrace her and
complete lier misery. In a word, she behaved so
well on this occasion, and with such firmness and
generosity, and her grief besides was so real, that she
disarmed the anger of the Empress. She did more ;
she led her husband before her Imperial Majesty,
told him many home truths, and then threw herself
with him at the feet of her Majesty, and entreated her
to pardon bira for her sake and that of her sis chil-
dren, whose father he was. These different scenes
lasted five or sis days; and we learned, almost hour
by hour, what was going on, because we were less
watched during the time, as every one hoped to see
these people dismissed. But the issue did not answer
their expectations; no one was dismissed but the
young lady, who was sent back to her uncle, the
Grand Marshal of the Court, Chepeleff; while the
Tchoglokoffs remained, less glorious, however, than
they had been. The day of our departure for Ora-
nienbaum was chosen for the dismissal of Mademoi-
selle Kocheleff; and while we set off iu one direc-
tion, she went in another.

At Oranieubaum, we resided, this year, in the
town, to the right and left of the main building,
which was small. The affair of Gostilitza had given
such a thorough fright, that orders had been issued to
cxuminc the floors and ceilings in all the houses be-

EMPRESS CATHERINK II.

longing to the court, and to repair those which re-
quired attention.

J This is the kind of life I led at Orauienbaum ;
I rose at three o'clock in the morning, and dressed
myself alone from head to foot in male attire; an
old huntsman whom I had was ah-eady waiting for
me with the guns ; a fisherman's skiff was ready on
the sea-shore; we traversed the garden on foot, with
our guns npon our shoulders ; entei^ed the boat to-
gether with the fisherman and a pointer, and I shot
ducks in the reeda which bordered on both sides the
canal of Orauienbaum, which extends two verstes into
the sea. We often doubled this canal, and conse-
quently were occasionally, for a considerable time, in
the open sea in this skiff. The Grand Duke came an
hour or two after us ; for he must needs always have
a breakfast and God knows what besides, which he
dragged after him. If we met we went together, if
not each shot and hunted alone. At ten o'clock, and
often later, I returned and dressed for dinner. After
dinner we rested; and in the evening the Grand
Duke had music, or we rode out on horseback. Hav-
ing led this sort of life for about a week, I felt myself
very much heated and ray head confused. I saw
that I required repose and dieting ; so for foui'-and-
twenty hours I ate nothing, drank only cold water,
and for two nights slept as long as I could. After
this I recommenced the same course of life, and
found myself quite well. I remember reading at that
time the Memoirs of Brantôme, which greatly amused

94 MEMOIRS OF THE

me. Before that I had read the Life of Henri IV by
Périfix.

Towards autumn we returned to town^ and learned
that we were to go to Moscow in the course of the
winter. Madame Krause came to tell me that it was
necessary to increase my stock of linen for this jour-
ney. I entered into the details of the matter;
Madame Krause pretended to amuse me by having
the linen cut up in my room^ in order, as she said, to
teach me how many chemises might be cut from a
single piece of cloth. This instruction or amusement
seems to have displeased Madame Tchoglokoff, who
had become very ill-tempered since the discovery of
her husband^s infidelity. I know not what she told
the Empress ; but, at all events, she came to me one
afternoon and said that her Majesty had dispensed
with Madame Krause^s attendance on me, and that
she was going to retire to the residence of her son-in-
law the Chamberlain Sievers ; and next day Madame
TchoglokoflF brought Madame Vladislava to me to
occupy her place. Madame Vladislava was a tall
woman, apparently well formed, and with an intelligent
cast of features, which rather prepossessed me at the
first look. I consulted my oracle Timothy Yevreinoff
relative to this choice. He told me that this woman,
whom I had never before seen, was the mother-in-
law of the Counsellor Pougovichnikofl*, head clerk to
Count BestoujeflP; that she was not wanting either
in intelligence or sprightliness, but was considered
very artful ; that I must wait and see how she con-

EMPRESS CATHERINE II.

ducted herself, and especially be carefiil not to place
much coiifldence in her. She was called Praskovia
Nikitichna. She began very well ; she was sociable,
fond of talking, conversed and narrated with spirit,
and had at her fingers' ends all the anecdotes of the
time, past and present. She knew four or five gene-
rations of all the families, coidd give at a moment
everybody's genealogy, father, mother, grandfathers,
grandmothers, together with their ancestors, paternal
and maternal ; and from no one else have I received
so mueb information relative to all that has oc-
curred in Russia for the last hundred years. The
ind and manners of this woman suited me very well;
Bid when I felt dull I made her chat, which she was
Bwaysready to do. I easUy discovered that she very
I disapproved of the sayings and doings of the
[choglokoffs ; but as she also went very often to her
Majesty's apartments, no one knew why, we were
obliged to be on our guard with her, to a certain de-
gree, not knowing what interpretation might be put
upon the most innocent words and actions.

Prom the Summer Palace we passed to the Win-
ter Palace. Here was presented to us Madame La
Tour I'Annois, who had been in attendance on the
Empress in her early youth, and had accompanied the
Princess Anna Petrovna, eldest daughter of Peter I,
when she left Russia with her husband, the Duke
of Holstein, during the reign of the Emperor Peter II.
11 After the death of this Princess, Madame I'Annois

I^^Hvetumpd to France, and ^be now came to Russia,

cither to renmn there, or possibly to return after

having obtained some favoars from lier Majesty.

Madame l'Annoia hoped, on the ground of old ac-
quaiotanec, to re-enter into the favour and familiarity
of the EmpresB. But she was greatly deceived ; every
ono coriHpireil to exclude her. From the first few
days after lier arrival I foresiiw what would happen,
and for tliia roasou : One ei'ening while they were at
oardi in the EmprcHa' apartment, her Majesty con-
tinued moving from room to room without fixing
heraclf anywhere, iia was her custom; Madame
I'Aimois, hoping, no doubt, to pay her court to her,
followed her wherever she went. Madame Tchoglo-
koff seeing this, aaid to me, " See how that woman
follow» tho Empress everywhere; but that will not
continue long, nhn will very aoon drop that habit of
runutUK after hor." I took this as settled, and, in
faut, iho was first kept at a distance, and finally sent
back to I-Viinoo with presents.

^ During this winter was celebrated the marriage
of Count LeatOOq with Mademoiselle Mengden, Maid
of Honour to the Empress, lier Majesty and the
whole court aasistcil at it, aud she paid the newly-
married couple the honour of visiting them at their
own house. One would have said that they enjoyed the
hightMit favour ; but in a couple of months afterwards
fbrtuue turuwl. Ono evening, while looking on at
thtwo pngagiHl at play iu thv apartments of the
Eniprf«s, 1 saw tho Count, aud advanced lo speak to
him. " \\t uol come near me," he said in a low

EMPUESS CATHERINE II. î)7

tooej " I am a suspected man." I thought he must
be jesting, and asked what he meant. He replied,
" I tell yon quite seriously not to come near me, be-
cause I am a suspected man, whom people must
shun." I saw that he had an altered look, and was
extremely red. I fancied he must have been drink-
ing, and turned away. This happened on the Friday.
On tlie Smiday morning, while dressing my liair,
Timothy Yevreinoff said to me, " Aie you aware that
last night Coujit Lestocq and his wife ivere arrested,
and conducted to the Fortress as state criminals?"
No one knew ivhy, hut it became known that General
Stephen Aprasinc and Alexander Schouvaloff had
been named commissionerB for this affair,

Tlie depai-tiire of the court for Mobcow was fixed
for the 16tli of December. The Czemicheffs had
been transported to the Fortress, and placed in a
house belonging to the Empress, called Smolnoy
Dvoretz. The elder of the three sometimes made
his guards drank, and then went and walked into
town to his friends. One day, a Finnish wardi'obe-
maid, who was in my service, and wa« engaged to
be married to a servant belonging to the court, a
relation of Yevreinoff, brought me a letter from
Andrew Czeraichcff, in which he asked me for seve-
ral things. This girl had seen hi"' at the house of
her intended, where they had spent the evening to-
gether. I was at a loss where to conceal this letter
when I got it, for I did not like to hum it, as I wanted
to remember what be asked for. I liad long been

HEHOISH OF TUE

forbidden to write even to my mother. I purchased,
titrough this girl, a silver peu and an iukstaod.
During tlie day I had the letter in my pocket ; when
I uiidreHBed, I slipped it under my garter, into my
atoclcing, and before going to bed I removed it, ami
placed it in my sleeve. At last I answered it; sent
him what he asked for through the channel by which
tiis letter bad reached me, and then, at a favourable
moment, bunicd this letter which had occaeioned me
BO much anxiety.

About the middle of December, we set out for
Moscow. The Graud Duke and I occupied a large
■ledge, and the gentlemen in waiting sat in the front.
During the day the Grand Duke joined M. Tchoglo-
koff" in a town sleeve, while I remained in the large
one. A» we never closed this, I converaed with those
who were seated in front. I remember that the
Chamlterlaiu, Prince Alexander Jourievitch Troubet-
zkoy, told me, during this time, that Count Leatocq,
then a prisoner in the Fortress, wanted to starve him-
self during the first eleven days of his detention, but
that he bad been forced to take nourishment : he bad
bccu accused of having accepted 1,000 roubles from
the King of Pruaaiu to support liis interests, and for
having had a person named Oettinger, who might have
borne witness against him, poisoned. He was sub-
jected to the torture, and then exiled to Siberia,

In this journey, the Empress passed us at Tver,
and 33 the horses and provisions intended for us were
taken by her suite, we remained twenty-four hours at

EMPRESS CATHERIK

Tïer without horsea, and without food. We were
dreadfiilljr hungry. Towards night Tchoglokoff had
prepared for us a roasted sturgeon, wliich we thought
delicious. We set off at night, and reached Moscow
two or three days hcfore Christmas, The first thing
we heai'd there was, that the Chamherlain of our
Court, Prince Ales. Mich. GaUtniue, had received,
at the moment of our departure from St. Peters-
burg, an order to repair to Hamburg as miuister
of Russia, with a salary of 4,000 roubles. This was
looked upon as another case of banishment : his sister-
in-law, Princess Gagarine, wlio was with me, grieyed
Tery much, and we all regretted him.

We occupied at Moscow the apartments which I
had inhabited with my mother iu 1744. To go to
the great church of the court, it was necessary to
make the circuit ofthe house in a carriage. On Christ-
maa-day, at the hour for mass, we were on the point
of descending to our carriage, and were already on
the stairs, during a frost of 29 degrees, when a mes-
sage came from the Empress to say that she dispensed
with our going to church ou this occasion, on account
of the extreme cold ; it did, in fact, pinch our noses.
EVI was obliged to keep my room during the early por-
tion of our residence in Moscow, on account of the
excessive quantity of pimples which had come on my
face : I was dreadfully afraid of having to continue
with a pimpled face, I called in the physi<
Boërhave, who gave me sedatives, and all sorts
things to dispel these pimples. At last, when nothing

100 MEMOIRS OF THE

was of avail. Le said to me one day, " I am going to
give you something which will drive them away."
He drew from hia pocket a small phial of oil of Falk,
and told me to put a drop in a cup of water, and to
wash my face with it from time to time, say, for in-
stance, once a-week. And really the oil of Falk did
clear my face, and by the end of some ten days I was
able to apjioar. A short time after our arrival in
Moscow (IT'-iQ), Mada'm Vladialava came to tell me
that the Empress had ordered the marriage of ray
Finnish wardrabe-maid to take place as soon as pos-
sible. The only apparent reason for tlius hastening
her marriage was, that I had shown some predileotiou
for her; for she was a merry creature, who fi-om
time to time made me laugh by mimicking every onCj
Madame Tchoglokotf especially being Iiit off in a
very amusing manner. She was married, then, and
no more said about her.

i/ In the middle of the Carnival, during which there
were no amusements whatever, the Empress was
seized with a violent cholic, which threatened to be
serious. Madame Vladislava and Timothy Yevreiuoff
each wliispered this iu my ear, entreating me not to
mention to any one who had told me. Without
naming them, I informed the Grand Duke of it,
and he became very much elated. One morning,
Yevreinofl' came to tell me that the Chancellor Bes-
toujeff and General Apraxinc had passed the previous
night in the apartment of M. and Madame Tehoglo-
koff, which seemed to imply that the Empress was

EMPKESS CATHERINE ]

101

f ill. Tchoglokoff and his wife were more gmfl'
L ever; tliey came into our apartments, dined
ipped, but never allowed a word to escape
them relative to this illneas, "We did not speak of it
cither, and consequently did not dare to send and
inquire how her Majesty was, because we shouldhave
been immediately asked, " How, whence, by whom
came you to learn that she was ill?" and any one
named, or even suspected, would infallibly have been
dismissed, exiled, or even sent to the Secret Cbanceiy,
that state inquisition, more dreaded than death itself.
At last her Majesty, at the end of ten days, became
better, and the wedding of one of her maids of honour
took place at court. At table I was seated by the
side of the Countess Schouvalotf, the favourite of the
Empress. She told me that her Majesty was still bo
weak from the severe illness she had just had, that
she had placed her diamonds on the bride's head (an
honour which she paid to all her maids of honour)
while seated in bed, her feet only being outside ; and
that it was for this reason she was not present at the
wedding- feast. As the Countess Scbouvaloff was the
first to apeak to me of this illness, I expressed to her
the pain wliich her Majesty's condition gave me, and
the interest I took in it. She said her Majesty would
be pleased to learn how much I felt for her. Two
mornings after this, Madame Tchoglokoff came to my
room, and, in the presence of Madame Vladislava, told
me that the Empress was very augiy with the Grand
Duke and myself on account of the little interest we

102 MEMOIRS OP THE

had taken in lier illness, even carrying our indifference
to sucli an extent as not once to send and inquire
how she was, I told Madam Tchoglokoff that I ap-
pealed to herself, that neither she nor her husband
had spoken a single word to ns about the illness of
her Majesty, and that knowing nothing of it, we had
not been able to testify our interest in it. She
rcpHed, " How can you say that you knew nothing of
it, when the Countess Schouvaloff has informed her
Majesty that you spoke to her at table about it," I
leplied, " It is true that I did so, because she told me
her Majesty was still weak and could not leave her
room, and then I asked her the particulars of tha
illness." Madame Tchoglokoff went away grumbling,
and Madame \ ladislava said it was very strange to
try and pick a quarrel with people about a matter of
which they were ignorant ; that since the Tchoglokoff»
alone had the right to speak of it, and did not speak,
the iault was theirs, not ours, if we failed through
ignorance. Seme time afterwards, on a court-day,
the Empress approached me, and I found a favourable
moment for telling her that neither Tchoglokoff nor his
wife had given us any intimation of her illness, and
that therefore it had not been in our power to express
to her the interest we had taken in it. She received
this very well, and it seemed to me that the credit of
these people was diminishing.

The first week of Lent, M. Tchoglokoff wished to
go to hb duty. He confessed, but the confessor of
the Empress forbade liim to conummicate. The

EMPHESS CATHEEINB 1

pHrhole court said it was by the order of her Majesty,
1 accoimt of his adventure with Mademoiselle Koche-
rlefF, Daring a portion of our stay at Moscow, H.
Tchoglokoff appeared to be intimately connected
with Count Beatoujeff and hia tool General Steplien
Aprasine. He was continually with them, and, to
hear him speak, one would have supposed him to be
the intimate adviser of Count Bestoujeff — a tiling that
was quite impossible, for Bestoujeff had far too much
sense to allow himself to be guided by such an arro-
gant fool as Tchoglokoff. But, at about half the
period of our stay, this intimacy suddenly ccased^I
do not exactly know why — and Tchoglokoff became
the Bwom enemy of those -with whom he had been so
intimate a short time previously.

Shortly after ray arrival in Moscow, I began, for
want of other amusement, to read the History of
Germany, by le Père Barre, canon of Ste. Genevieve,
in nine volumes quarto. Every week I finished one,
after which I read the works of Plato. My rooms
faced the street; the corresponding ones were occu-
pied by the Duke, whose windows opened upon a
small yard. "When reading in my room, one of my
maids usually came in, and remained there standing
as long as she wished ; she then retired, and another
I took her place when she thought it suitable. I made

^^■Madame Yladislava see that this routine could serve
^^^Bp useful purpose, but was merely an inconvenience;
^^^Hiat, besides, I already had much to suffer from the
^^^Broximity of my apartments to those of the Grand

104

Duke, l)y which she, too, was equally incommoded,, as
ahe occupied a small cabinet at the end of my rooms.
She consented, therefore, to relieve my maids from this
species of etiquette. This is the kind of annoyance
Tve had to put up with, morning, noon, and night,
even to a late hour : The Grand Duke, with rare
perseverance, trained a pack of doga, and with heavy
blows of his whip, and cries like those of the hunts-
men, made them fly from one end to the other of
his two rooms, whieh were all he had. Such of the
dogs as became tired, or got out of rank, were severely
ptmished, which made them howl still more. When
he got tired of this detestable exercise, so painfdl to
the ears and destructive to the repose of his neigh-
bours, he seized his violin, on whicli he rasped away
with extraordinary violence, and very badly, all the
time walking up and down his rooms. Then he re-
commenced the education and punishment of his
dogs, which to me seemed very cruel. On one occa-
sion, hearing one of these animals howl piteously and
for a long time, I opened the door of my bed-room,
where I was seated, and which adjoined the apart-
ment in which this scene was enacted, and saw him
holding this dog by the coUar, suspended in the air,
while a boy who was in his service, a Kalmuck by
birth, held the animal by the tail. It was a poor
little King Charles's dog of English breed, and the
Duke was beating him with all his might with the
heavy handle of a whip. I interceded for the poor
beast, hut this only made hira redouble his blows.

EMPRESS CATilERINE II. 105

Unable to bear so cruel a scene, I returned to mr
room with tears in my eyes. In general, tears and
cries, instead of moving the Duke to pity, put him in
a passion. Pity was a feeling that was painful, and
even insupportable in his mind.

About this time, my valet Timothy Yevreinoff
transmitted to me a letter from his old comrade
Andrew CzernicbefF, who had at last been set at
liberty, and was passing near Moscow, to join the
regiment in which he had been placed as lieutenant.
I managed with this letter as with the former one,
sent him all he asked for, and never mentioned a
word about the matter either to the Grand Duke or
any one else.

In the spring, the Empress took ns to Perova,
where we spent some days with her at the residence
of Count Itazoumowsky. The Grand Duke and M.
Tchoglokoff scoured the woods almost dady, accom-
panied by the master of the house. I read in my
room, or else Madame Tchoglokoff, when she was not
at cards, came and kept me company to dissipate her
ennui. She complained bitterly of the amusements
of this place, and especially of the constant indulgence
of her husband in the sports of the chase, for he had
become a passionate sportsman since he had received
at Moscow the present of a beautiful English grey-
hound. I learned from others that he n'as the laugh-
ing-stock of all the sportsmen, and that he fancied,
and was made to believe, that bis Circe (the name of
his dog) caught all the hares that were taken. In

106

general, M. Tchoglokoff was very apt to believe that
everything belonging to him was of rare beauty and
excellence ; hia wife, his children, his servants, hi»
house, hia table, his horses, his dogs — everything that
wa« his, although in reality very mediocre, partici-
pated in his self-love, and, as belonging to him,
became in his eyes of incomparable value.

One day, while at Perova, I was seized with a
headache so violent that I do not remember ever
having had anything like it in my life. The exces-
sive pain brought on violent sickness. I threw up
repeatedly, and every movement in my room made
me worse, I remained in this state for nearly four-
and-twenty hours, and then fell asleep. The next
day I felt nothing but weakness. Madame Tchoglo-
koff took all possible care of me during this severe
attack. Generally speaking, all the persons who had
been placed about me by an iU-will the most unequi-
vocal, began in a short time to take an involuntaiy
interest in me ; and, when they were not interfered
with or stimulated anew, they used to act against the
principles of their employers, and yield to the im-
pulse which attracted them towards me, or rather to
the interest with which I inspired them. Tliey
never found me sulky or peevish, but always ready
to meet the slightest advance on their part. In all
this my natural gaiety was of great service to me, for
all these Arguses were often amused with my con-
versation, and relaxed in spite of themselves.

Her Majesty had a new attack of cholic at Perova.

EMPRESS CATHERINE II,

lor

IS carried to Moscow, and we went slowly to the

palace, which is only four verstes from there. Thië

attack had no ill conBcquencc, and sliortly afterwards

she made a pilgrimage to the convent of Troïtza.

She wished to make these sixty verstes on foot, and

for this purpose weut to Pokrovskoe House, We

, were ordered to take the Troïtza road, and we took ,

up our quarters on this road about eleven verstea I

I from Moscow, at a very small country-house called

I Bajova, belonging to Madame Tchoglokoff. The

■ only sccommodatious were a small saloon in the

lifientre of the house, and two very small rooms on

I each side of it. Tents were placed round the house i

j for the use of our suite. The Grand Duke had one;

I occupied one of the little rooms, Madame Vladislava

another, the Tchoglokofls the remainder. We dined in

the saloon. The Empress walked three or four verstes,

then rested some days. This journey lasted nearly the

^ whole summer. We hunted every day after dinner.

When her Majesty reached Taimnskoe, which
tis nearly opposite Rajova, on the other side of the
oigh road leading; to the convent of Troïtza, the
"Hetman, Count Razoumowsky, yoimger brother of
■the favourite — who was residing at his country
(seat of Pokrovskoe, on the road to St. Peters-
on the other side of Moscow — took it into
his head to come and see as every day at Rajova,
Be was very gay, and nearly of our own age. We
1 him very much, As brother of the favourite,
tf. and Madame Tchoglokoff willmgly received him

108

MEMOIRS OF THE

into their house. His assiduity continued all the
summer, and we were always pleased to see him.
He dined and supped with us, and after supper
returned again to his estate; he consequently tra-
velled forty or fifty verates a-day. Some twenty
years later, it occurred to me to ask him what it was
that could then induce him to come and share the
duluess and insipidity of our life at Eajova, while his
own house was daily crowded with the best company
in Moscow. He replied, unhesitatingly, " Love."
"But what on earth could you have found to love
at our house?" "What!" he said, "why, you," I
boist into a loud iaugh, for the idea had never once
crossed my mind ; besides he had been married for
some yeai's to a rich heiress of the house of Narich-
Idue, whom the Empress had made him marry, a
Uttle against his «ill it is true, but with whom
he seemed to live on good terms. Added to this,
it was well known that the handsomest women of the
coiuli and city contended for his notice ; and, indeed,
he was a fine man, of an original turn, very agreeable,
and with far more intelligence than his brother, who
however ecLualled him in beauty, while surpassing him
in generosity and kindness. These two brothers were
the most generally liked favourites I have ever known.
About the Feast of St. Peter, the Empress sent us
word to join her at Bratovchina. We repaired
thither immediately. As during the spring and a
part of the summer I had either been engaged in
sporting, or otherwise constantly in the open air.

EMPILIÎSS CATHEIIIXE 1

109

House being so small that we spent the

greater part of the day in the neighbouring woods, I

Brrived at Bratovchina with my face very red and

tanned. When the Empress saw me, she exclaimed

against thia reduess, and said she would send me a

wash to remove it, and she did so ; she immediately

I pent a phial containing a liquid composed of lemon-

I jnice, white of egg, and French brandy, and ordered

' that my maids should learn its composition, and the

I proper proportions of its ingredients. At the end of

a few days my sun-burns had disappeared, and I have

mnce used this composition, and recommended it to

others for similar purposes, "When the skin is heated,

I do not know of a better remedy. It is also good

for what they call in Russia Jrnnau,* and which is

I nothing but a heating of the skin, which causes it

I to craek. I cannot at the moment recall the Prench

I term for this complaint.

We spent the Feast of St. Peter at the convent of

, Troitza, and as the Grand Duke could find nothing

I to do after dinner, he took it into his head to have a

I hall in Ilia own room, where, however, his only com-

I ,pany were his two valets and my two maids, one of

I whom was over fifty. From the convent her Majesty

^ went to Taininskoe, while we returned to Rajova, and

resumed our former mode of life. We remained there

till the middle of August, when the Empress made a

journey to Sophiuo, a place situated at sixty or seventy

verates from Moscow. Here we encamped. On the

• Tctteri (DartKs) P— Ed.

ÎIO

MEMOIRS OF THE

morning after oiu' arrival wc went to her Majesty's
tent, and found lier scolding the person who had the
management of tliis estate. She had come here to
hunt, and found no hares. The man was pale and
trembling, and there was nothing that she did not say-
to him ; she was really furious. Seeing that we had
come to kiss her hand, she embraced us as usual, and
then went on with her scolding, bringing within the
sphere of her remarks every one she felt disposed
to find fault with. This was done gradually, and
while speaking with extreme volubility. She said,
tiinong other things, that she perfectly understood
the management of land; that the reign of the
Empress Anue had taught her this ; that having but
little, she took care to avoid extravagance; that had
she gone in debt, she would have been afraid of being
damned ; for if she had died in such a condition no
one would have paid her debts, and then her soul
would have gone to hell, and that she had no fancy
for; that therefore, when she was in the house, or
not otherwise obliged to make an appearance, she
dressed very simply, her outside dress being of white
tafieta and the under of dark gray, and in this
manner she economized, taking good care not to wear
eipensive clothes iu the coiintry or when travelling.
Tills, of course, had reference to me, for I wore a
dress of silvered lilac. 1 took the hint. This disser-
tation — for such it was, no one venturing to speak,
seeing her flushed with passion — lasted more than
three-quftilcrs of an hour. At last, a fool she had.

EMPRESS CATHERINE 1

111

named AksakofT, put a stop to it. He came in car-
rying a little porcupine, whicli he presented to her, in
his hat. She advanced to look at it, but the instant
she saw it she uttered a piercing cry, aaying that
it looked like a mouse, and ran precipitately into the
interior of the tent, for slie had a mortal antipathy to
mice. We saw no more of her ; she dined alone. After
dinner she went to the chase, took the GraudDuke with
her, and ordered me to return with Madame Tchoglo-
koff to Moscow, where the Grand Duke ai'rived some
hours afterwards, the chase having been but brief, in
consequence of the high wind that prevailed that day.

One Sunday the Empress sent for us to join her
at Tai'ninskoe — we were then at Rajova, whither we
had returned — and we had the honour of dining with
her Majesty. She sat alone at the head of the table,
the Grand Duke at her right, I at her left, opposite
to him. Near the Grand Duke was Marshal Bou-
tourline, near me the Countess SchouvaloÉf. The
table was very long and narrow. Thus seated between
the Empress and the Marshal, the Grand Dvke, not
a little aided by the Marshal, who was by no means
an enemy to wine himself, managed to get exceed-
ingly intoxicated. He neither knew what he said
or did, stuttered in his speech, and made himself
so very disagreeable, that tears came into my
eyes ; for at that time I concealed and palliated
as much as possible all that was reprehensible in
him. The Empress was pleased with mj sensibility,
and left the table earlier than usual. His Imperial

112

EMOtHS OF THE

Highness was to have gone hunting in the afternoon
with Count Eazoumowsky, but he remained at
Taïuinakoe, while I returned to Rajova. On the way
I was seized inth a ™lent toothache. The weather
began to be coid and wet, and we were hut badly
sheltered at Rajova. The brother of Madame Tcho.
glokoff, Count Ilendrikoffj who was the chamberlain
on duty with me, proposed to his sister to cure me
instantly. She spoke to me on the subject, and I
consented to try his remedy, which seemed to be
nothing at all, or rather a mere charlatanism. He
went immediately into the other room, and brought
out a very small roll of paper, which he desired me to
chew with the aching tooth. Hardly had I done
so when the pain became so extremely violent that
I was obliged to go to bed, I got into such a burn-
ing fever, that I began to be delirious, Madame
Tchoglokoff, terrified at my condition, and attributing
it to her brother's remedy, got very angry, and abused
him. She remained at my bedside all the night, sent
word to the Empress that her house at Rajova was
in no way lit for a person so seriously ill as I appeared
to be, and in fact made such a stir, that the nest day
I was removed to Moscow very ill. I was ten or
twelve days in bed, and the toothache returned every
afternoon at the same hour.

At the beginning of September, the Empress went
to the convent of Voskressensky, whither we were
ordered to go for the feast of her name. On that
day jM. Ivan Ivanovitch SchcuvalofF was declared a

lis

Gentleman of the Bedchamber. This was an event at
court. Every one whispered that a new favourite
had appeared. I was rejoiced at hia promotionj for,
while he was a page, I had marked him out as a
person of promise, on account of his studiouanesa ; he
was always to he seen with a book in his hand.

Having returned from this excursion, I was seized
with a sore throat accompanied with much fever. The
Empress came to see me during this illness. When
barely convalescent, and while still very weak, her
Majesty ordered me, through Madame TchoglokolF,
to assist at the wedding and dress the hair of the
niece of the Countess Roumianaoff, who was about to
be married to 31. Alexander Narichkine, subsequently
created chief cupbearer. Madame Tchoglokoff, who
saw that I was scarcely convalescent, was a little
pained in announcing to me this compliment, a com-
pliment which gave me but bttle pleasure, as it plainly
showed how little was cared for my heidth, perhaps
even for my life. I spoke in tliis view to Madame
Vladislava, who seemed, like myself, but little pleased
with this order, an order evidently given without
care or consideration. I exerted myself, however,
and on the day fixed,. the bride was led to my room.
I adorned her head with my diamonds, and she was
then conducted to the court church to be married,
As for me, I had to go to Narichkine House, accom-
panied by Madame Tchoglokoff and ray own court.
Now, we were living at Moscow, in the palace at the
end of the Gej-man Sloboda. To reach the residence

114

UEMOinS OF THE

of the Nariclikmes it was necessary to go right
through Moscow, and travel at least seven verstea.
It was in the month of October, about nine o'clock
at night. It froze excessively hard, and the ground
was 80 slippery that we had to travel very slowly.
We were at least two hours and a-half in going, and
the same in returning, and there was not a man or
horse in my suite that had not one or more falls.
At last having reached the church of Kasansky, which
was near the gate called Troitzkaja, we met with
another impediment, for in this church was married,
at the very same hour, the sister of Ivan Ivanovitch
Schouvaloff. Her hair |had been dressed by the
Empress herself, while I dressed that of Mademoiselle
Boumianzoff. A great crowding of carriages occurred
at this gate, We had to stop at every step ; then the
f^ls recommenced ; not one of the horses had been
rough shod. At last we reached the house, and not
in the best humour in the world. We waited a long
time for the bride and bridegroom, who had met with
the same impedimenta as ourselves. The Grand
Duke accompanied the bride. Then we waited for
the Empress. At last we sat down to supper. After
supper, there were a few rounds of dancing in the
ante-chamber as a matter of ceremony, and then we
were told to lead the bride and bridegroom to their
apartments. For this purpose we had to pass along
several cold corridors, mount staircases equally cold,
and then traverse long galleries hastily constructed
of damp boards, from which the water oozed in all

EMPRESS CATHERINE 11.

115

directions. At last, having reached the apartments,
we sat down to a table spread with a dessert, remaining
only long enough to drink the health of the newly
married. Then the bride was led to her chamber,
and we returned home. The next evening we had
to repeat our visit. Would any one have believed
it? This turmoil, instead of injuring my health, did
not in the least retard my convalescence. The follow-
ing day I Avas better than the previous one.

At the beginning of winter, I saw that the Grand
I Duke was very much disturbed. I did not know
I irhat was the matter. He no longer trained his dogs,
I He came into my room twenty times a-day, looked
I anxious, thoughtful, and absent. He bought German
I IxKiks, and such books ! One portion consisted of
Lutheran prayer-books, the other of the history and
trial of some highway robbers who had been hung or
I broken on the wheel. These he read by turns when
. not playing the violin. As he could not long keep
[ on his mind anything which tormented him, and as he
[ had no one to speak to but me, I waited patiently
\ for hia reve)ation.

At last he told me what it was that disturbed him,
|:snd I found the matter far more serious than I had
inticipated. During the whole summer pretty nearly,
Hst all events during our stay at Eajova, on the road
3 the convent of Troitza, I scarcely ever saw him,
J except at table or in bed. He came to bed after I
1 "Was asleep, and rose before I was awake. The rest
I of his time was passed in hunting or in preparations

U(i

MKMOIUR OF THE

for it. Tchoglokoff had obtaiued, under pretext
of auiusing the Grand Duke, two packs of dogs
from tho Muster of the Hounds, the one of Bus-
sîrh dogs und huutsmcn, the other of Frcncli or Ger-
man dogs. To tho latter were attached an old French
whipper-in, a lad ft'ora Courland, and a German. As
M. Tchoglokoff took the direction of the Russian,
pack, the Grand Duke undertook that of the foreign
our, about Avhich Tchoglokoff did not in the least
trouble himself. Each entered into the minutest
details of Ilia own charge, and the Grand Duke
therefore was constantly going to the kennel of his
pack, OP the huntsmen were coming to him to inform
him of its condition, and of the wants and deeds of
the dogs. In a word, if I must speak plainly, he
made himself the companion of these men, drinking
with them in the chase, and being constantly among
them. The regiment of Boutirsky was then at Mos-
cow. In this regiment was a lieutenant named
Yakotf Batourine, a man overwhelmed with debt, a
gambler, and well known to be a worthless fellow,
but a very determined one, I know not how thia
man happened to get acquainted with the Grand
Duko's huntsmen, but I believe both had theii-
quarters in or near the village of !Moutistcha or
Alexeewsky. At last matters went on so far, that the
huntsmen told the Duke there was a lieutenant in
the regiment of Boutireky who manifested a great
nttnchiuent to his Imperial Highness, and who said,
bcsidos, that the eutire regiment entertained the

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 117

same feelings as himself. The Grand Duke listened
to this recital with complacency, and made inquiries
of the huntsmen relative to this regiment. They
spoke very disparagingly of the superior officers, and
very highly of the subalterns. At last Batourine,
still through the huntsmen, asked to be presented to
the Grand Duke, at the chase. To this the Duke
WB3 not altogether favourable at first, but at last he
consented. By little and little it was so managed
that the Duke, while hunting one day, met Batou-
rine in a retired spot. Batourine on seeing him, fell
on his knees, and swore to acknowledge no other
master but him, and to do whatever he commanded.
The Grand Duke told me that on hearing this oath
he became very much alarmed, gave both spurs to
hia horse, and left Batourine on his knees in the
wood. The huntsmen, he said, were in advance, and
did not hear what had been said. He pretended that
this was alt the connection he had had with the mauj
and that he had even advised the huntsmen to take
care that he did not get them into mischief. His
present anxiety was occasioned by his learning from
the huntsmen that Batourine bad been arrested and
transferred to Preobrajenakoe, where the Secret Chan-
cery; which took cognizance of crimes against the
state, was estabiished. His Imperial Highness trem-
bled for the huntsmen, and was very much afraid
of being himself compromised. As far as the former
were concerned, his fears were realized; for, a few
days afterwards, they were arrested and conducted to

lis UEUDmS Of THE

Preohrajenskoe. I endeavoured to dinûnish hîs dis-
tress by representing to him, that if he really had
aot eutered iuto any parley beyond what he had
meatioued, it appeared to me that, at the worst, he
hail only been gtiilty of an imprudence, in mixing
himself up with such had company. I cannot say
whether he told me the truth. I have reason to
hclicvc that he atteuuated what there might be of
parleying iu the aâur, for e\'en to me he spoke about
the matter in brokeu sentences, and as if unwillingly.
However, the excessive fear Le was in might alao
hkve produced this same effect upon him. A short
time afterwards he came to tell me that some hunts-
men had been set at hberty, but with an order
to he eouveyed beyond the frontier, and that
they had sent him word that they had not men-
tioned his name. This information delighted him
beyond measure ; his mind became at ease, and
no more was heard of the matter. As for Eatourine,
he was found very culpable. I have not since read
or seen the account of his examination, but I have
learned that he meditated nothing less than to kill
the Empress, to set fire to the palace, and in the
horror and coofiision to place the Grand Duke on
the throne. He was condeumed, after being sub-
jected to the torture, to pass the remainder of his
days shut up in the fortress of Schlusselbui^.
Having, during my reign, endeavoured to make his
escape &om this prison, he was sent to Kamtchatka,
whence he fled with Benjousky, and was killed while

CATHESINE II.

119

I pillaging ea passant the island of Formosa, in the
I Pacific Ocean.

On the 15th of December we left Moscow for
St. Petersburg, travelling night and day in an open
About midway I was again seized with a
■violent toothache, Notwitlistanding this, the Grand
, Duke would not consent to close the sledge ; scarcely
' irould he allow me to draw the curtain a little, so as
I to shelter me from a cold and damp wind, blowing
[ right into my face. At last we reached Zarskoe-Selo,
[■ irliere the Empi-ess had already arrived, having passed
us on the road, according to her usual custom. As
soon as I stepped out of the sledge I entered the
apartment destined for us, and sent for her Majesty's
physician Boerhavej the nephew of the celebrated
Boerhave, requesting him to have the tooth which
I liad tormented me so much for the last four or five
months extracted. He consented with gi-eat reluc-
tance, and only because I absolutely insisted on it.
At last he sent for Gyon, my surgeon : I sat on the
ground, Boerhave on one side, Tchoglokoff on the
other, and Gyon drew the tooth ; but the moment he
i did so, my eyes, nose, and mouth became fountains,
\ "whence poured out — from my mouth, blood, from my
j eyes and nose, water. Boerhave, who was a man
' of clear and sound judgment, instantly exclaimed,
"Clumsy!" and calling for the tooth, he added, "I
feared it would be so, and that was why I did not
k ■wish it to be drawn." Gyon, in extracting the tooth,

^^^ had carried away with it a portion of the lower jaw,

120

MEMOIRS OF THE

to which it was attached. At this moment the Em-
press came to the door of my room, and 1 was
afterwards told that she was moved even to tears. I
was put to hed, and suffered a great deal during four
weeks, even in the city, whither we went next day,
notwithstanding all this, and etUl in open sleighs.
1 did not leave my room till the middle of January,
1750, for the lower part of my cheek stdl bore, in
blue and yellow stains, the impression of the five
fingers of M. Gyon. On new-year's day this yetir,
wishing to have my hair dressed, I noticed that the
young man who was to do it, a Kalmuck whom I had
trained for this purpose, was excessively red, and his
eyes very piercing, I asked what was the matter,
and learned that he had a very bad headache and
great heat, I sent him away, desiring him to go to
hed, for indeed he was not fit to do anything. He
retired, and in the evening I was informed that the
small-pox bad broken out upon him. I escaped
with nothing worse than the fright which this gave
me, for I did not catch the disease, although he had
comhed my hair.

The Empress remained at Zarskoe-Selo during a
considerable portion of the Carnival. Petersburg
was nearly deserted, for most of its residents lived
there from necessity rather than choice. While the
court was at Moscow, and also when on its return
to St. Petersburg, aU the courtiers were eager to
obtain leave of absence for a year, six months, or
even a few weeks. The officials, such as senators

EMPHESS CATHERINE II.

121

and others, did the same; and when they were afraid
of not succeeding, then came the illnesses, real or
feigned, of husbands, wives, fathers, brothers, mo-
thers, sisters, or children; or lawsuits, or other busi-
ness which it was indispensable to settle. In a word,
it sometimes took sis months, or even more, before
the court and the city became what they were pre-
viously to one of these absences; and when the
court was away, the grass grew in the streets of St.
Petersburg, for there were scarcely any carriages in
the city. In such a state of things, at the present
moment, there was not much company to be expected,
especially by us who were so much shut up. M.
TchoglokofF thought to amuse ua during this time,
or rather to amuse himself and his wife, by inviting
us to play at cards with him in the apartments which
he occupied at court, and which consisted of four or
five rather small rooms. He also invited there the
ladies and gentlemen in waiting, and the Princess
of Courtaud, daughter of Duke Ernest John Biren,
the ancient favourite of the Empress Anne. The
Empress Elizabeth had recalled tliis Duke from
Siberia, whither he had bccu exiled under the regency
of the Princess Anne. There, the Duke was living
with his wife, his sous, and his daughter. This
daughter was neither handsome nor pretty, nor well
made, for she was humpbacked, and rather small ; but
she had fine eyes, much intelligence, and a singular
talent for intrigue. Her parents were not \'ery fond of
her : she pretended, indeed, that tliey constantly ill-

122

MEUOIKS 01' TH£

treated her. One day she 9cd from home, and took
refuge with the wife of the "Waiwode of Yaroslav,
Madame Pouchldiie. This woman, deUghted to have
an opportunity of giving hei-self importance at courts
took her to Moscow, addressed herself to Madame
Schouvaloff, and the flight of the Princess of Courland
from lier father's house was represented as the resvdt
of the ill-treatment she had received from her parents,
in consequence of her having expressed a desire to
emhrace the rehgion of the Greek church. In fact,
the first thing she did at court was to make her
proEession of faith. The Empress stood godmother for
her, after which she received an appointment among
the maids of honour. M. Tchoglokoff made it a
point to show her attention, because her elder brother
had laid the foundation of hia fortune, by taking him
from the corps of cadets, where he was receiving his
education, removing him into the horse-guards, and
keeping him about himself as a messenger. The
Princess of Courland, thus brought into our society,
and playing daily for hours at trisset with the Grand
Duke, Tchoglokoff, and myself, conducted herself at
first with great discretion. She was insinuating, and
her intelligence made one forget what was disagreeable
in her figure, especially when seated. She adapted
her conversation to the character of her auditors,
speaking to each in the manner most likely to be
agreeable. Every one looked upon her as an in-
teresting orphan, and a person not likely to be in
any one's way. In the eyes of the Grand Duke she

EMPRESS CATHERINE

123

^L then

liad another merit, and no slight one either — she was
a sort of foreign Princess, and, what was more, a Ger-
man; he therefore always spoke to her in German,
«id this gave her a charm in his eyes. He began
to pay her as mucli attentiou as he was capahle of
'doing. When she dined alone, he sent her wine, as
rell as favourite fishes from his table, and when
got hold of some new grenadier's cap or shoulder-
'l>elt, he sent them to her to look at. The Princess
of Courland, who at that time might be about four or
.fire and twenty, was not the only acquisition made
by the court at Moscow- The Empress had then
taken the two Countesses Voronzoff, nieces of the
Vice- Chancellor, and daughters of Count Koman
Voronzoff, his younger brother. Mary, the elder,
might be about fourteen; she was placed among the
Empress' maids of honour. The younger sister,
Elizabeth, was only eleven ; she was given to me.
She was a very ugly child, of an ohve complexion,
and excessively slovenly. Towards the end of the
Carnival, her Majesty returned to town, and in the
first week of Lent we began to prepare for our duty.
On the Wednesday evening I was to take a bath at the
house of Madame Tchoglokoff, but on Tuesday even-
ing she came to my room, and told the Grand Duke, ,
who was with me, that it was her Majesty's pleasure
that he also should take a bath. Now the baths, and
all other Eussian customs and habits, were not simply
disagreeable to the Duke, he had a mortal hatred for
them. He therefore unceremoniously declared that

124

MEMOIRS OF THK

lie would do nothing of the kind. She, who waa
equally obstinate, and had no kind of reserve or cere-
mony in her speech, told him that this was au act of
disobedience to her Imperial Majesty. He main-
tained that he ought not to be required to do what
was repugnant to his nature ; that he knew that the
bath, in which be had ne^-er been, was imsnitable to
■ hia constitution; that be did not want to die ; that
life was the thing he held most dear, and that her
Majesty should never compel him to go into the bath.
Madame Tcbogtokoff replied that her Majesty would
know how to punish his disobedience. At this he
became angry, and exclaimed, passionately, " I should
like to see what she can do; I am not a child."
Madame Tchoglokoff threatened that the Empress
would send him to the Fortress. At this he cried
bitterly ; and they went on answering each other in
the most outrageous terms that passion could dic-
tate; in fact, they both acted as if tbey had not
between them a grain of coramou sense. At last,
Madame Tchoglokoff departed, saying that she would
reijort the conversation to her Imperial Majesty word
for word. I know not what she did in the matter,
but she returned presently with an entirely different
theme, for she came to inform us that her Imperial
Majesty was very angry that we bad no children,
and wished to knoiv which of us was in fault ; that
she would therefore send a midwife to me, and a
physician to the Orand Duke. To this she added
various other outrageous remarks — remarks which

IlIPHESS CATHERINE 11.

had neither liead iior tail, and concluded by sa)'ing
that her Majesty had dispensed with our going to our
duty this week, because the Grand Duke said the
bath was injurious to his health. I must state that
during these two conversations I never once opened
my hps ; in the first place, because they both spoke
with sucli vehemence that I could find no chance of
putting in a word ; secondly, because I saw that both
of them were utterly unreasonable. I do not know
what view the Empress took of the matter, but, at all
events, nothing more was said on either topic.

About mid-Lent, her Majesty went to Gostilitza,
to the residence of Count Razoumowaky, to celebrate
his feast, and wc were sent, together with her maids
of honour and our ordinary suite, to Zarskoe-Selo.
The weather was wonderfully mild, even warm, so
that, on the 17th of March, instead of there being
snow on the road, there was dust. Having established
ourselves at Zarskoc-Selo, the Grand Duke and Tcho-
glokofi' recommenced their liunting ; I and the ladies
walked or drove out as long aa we could, and in the
evening we all played at various small games. Here
the Grand Duke manifested a decided partiality for
the Princess of Courland, especially when he had
been drinking in the evening — a thing which hap-
pened every day. He was always at her side, aud
Bpoke to no one but her. At last this thing went on
in the most glaring manner, before my eyes, and
before every one, so that my vanity and self-love
began to be shocked at finding myself slighted for

the sake of a little, deformed ercature like this. One
eveoiiig, oa rising from table, Madame Vladislava
said to me that every one was disgusted to see this
little hunchback preferred to me. "It cannot be
helped," I said, as the tears started to mj eyes. I
went to bed ; scarcely was I asleep when the Grand
Duke also came to bed. As he was tipsy, and knew
not what he was doing, he spoke to me for the pur-
pose of expatiating on the eminent qualities of his
favourite. To check his garrulity as soon as possible,
I pretended to be fast asleep. He spoke still louder
in order to wake nie, but finding that I still slept, he
gave n>e two or three rather hard blows in the side
with his fist ; then, growling at the heaviness of my
slumbers, be turned on his side and dropped asleep
himself. I wept long and bitterly that night, as well
on account of the matter itself, and the blows he had
given me, as on that of my general situation, which
was in all respects as disagreeable as it was weari-
some. In the morning, the Duke seemed ashamed
of what he had done ; he did not speak of it, and I
acted as if I had not felt anything. Two days after-
wards we returned to town. The last week of Lent
we recommenced our preparations for going to our
duty. Nothing more was said to the Duke about
the bath.

Another occurrence took place this week which
perplexed him a little. While in liis room he was
nearly always in constant movement of one sort or
other. One afternoon he was exercising himself in

EMPRESS CATHERINE II.

127

cracking an immense coachman's whip, which he
had had made for him, lie whipped about right
and left, and made his valets jump from one comer
to another, fearing to come in for a chance slash. At
last he somehow contrived to give himself a severe
blow on the chech. The mark extended all along
the left side of bis face, and the blow was severe
enough to make the blood start. He was very much
disturbed, fearing that he should not be able to go
out even by Easter ; that the Empress should again
forbid him to communicate, as hisface was bloody;
and that when she came to learn the cause of the
accident, he should get some disagreeable reprimand
for his whippLug amusements. He instantly ran to
consult me, as he always did in such emergencies.
Seeing him enter with his cheek all bloody, I ex-
claimed, " Good heavens ! what has happened to
you?" He told me. Having thought a little, I said,
"Well, perhaps I can manage the matter for you;
but, first of all, go to your room, and try if possible to
prevent your check from being seen by any one. I
■will come to you as soon as I have got what I want,
and I trust we shall so manage that no one will be
the wiser." He went off, and I recollected a prepa-
ration which had served me some years before in a
similar predicament. I had a fall in the garden at
PeterhoiF, and took the skin off my face so that it
hied; my surgeon Gyon gave me some white lead
in the form of a pomade, and I covered the wound
with it, and went out as usual, without any one haviijg

128

MEMOIRS OF THE

perceived that I Lad scratched myself. I now sent
for this pomade, and having received it, I went to the
Grand Duke, and dressed his face bo well, that lie coold
not detect anything himself by looking in the glass.
On the Thursday we received the communion, in
company with the Empress, in the great church of
the court, and then returned to our places. The light
fell on the Grand Duke's check. Tchoglokoff ap-
proached for some purpose or other, and looking at
the Duke, said, " Wipe your cheek, there is some
pomatum on it." Instantly, as if in jest, I said
to the Grand Duke, "And I, who am yo\ir wife,
forbid your doing it." The Grand Duke, turning to
Tchoglokoif, said, " Sec how these women treat us ;
we dare not even wipe om' faces, if they do not hke
it.'' Tchoglokoff laughed, saying, " Well, this is
indeed a woman's caprice !" The matter rested
there, and the Duke felt grateful to me as well for
the pomade which had spared him unpleasant results,
as for my presence of mind, which had prevented all
suspicion even in the case of il. Tchoglokoff.

As I had to be up before day-light on Easter morn-
ing, 1 went to bed about five o'clock in the afternoon
of Holy Saturday, intending to sleep till the time ar-
rived for dressing. Scai'cely had I got into bed when
the Duke came running in in a violent hurry, telling
me to make haste aud get up to eat some fresh
oysters, which had just been brought to him from
Holstein. This was a great and double treat for him ;
first, because he was fond of oysters, and, secondly.

EMPRESS CATHERINE II.

V because tliey came from Holstein, his native coun-
try, for which he had a great love, though he did not
I govern it any the better for that; for he both did,

I and was made to do, terrible things in it, as will

be seen in the sequel. Not to get np would have

Ebeen to disoblige him, and risk a serious quarrel;
I therefore rose, dressed myself, and went to his
apartments, though 1 was very much fatigued by tlie
devotional exercises of the Holy Week. Wlien I
reached his room, I found the oysters served. Having
eaten a dozen of them, I was allowed to return to
bed, while he continued his repast. Indeed, lie was
all the better pleased by my not eating too many, as
there were more left for himself, for he was esces-
sively greedy in the matter of oysters. At midnight
I got up, and dressed myself for the matins and
mass of Easter Sunday ; but I could not remain till
the end of the service, for I was seized with a
violent cholic. I never remember haviug bad such
severe pains. I returned to my room with no
one but the Princess Gagarine, all my people being
in church. She assisted me to undress and get

I into bed, and sent for the doctors. I took medi-

^^t cine, and kept my bed during the first two days of
^^H the festival.

^^r ^^ ^^^ ^ little before this time that Count

f Bemis, Ambassador from the Court of Vienna,

Count Lynar, the Envoy of Denmark, and General

Arnheim, Envoy of Saxony, arrived in Eussia. The

latter brought with him his wife, who was by birth of

130

ME.U0IB3 Oï THE

the family of Iloira. Count BeriiiB was a uatlve q£
Piedmout; he was intellectual, amiable, gay, and
well educated, and of sucli a dispositioji that, although
more than fifty years of age, young people preferred
his society to that of persons of their own age. He
was generally loved and esteemed, and I have a thou-
sand times said, that if he, or some one like him, had
been placed with the Grand Diike, the most beneficial
results would have followed, for the Duke as wcU as
myself had a very great regard and afi'cction for him,
In fact, the Duke said himself, that with such a man
n£ar, a person would be ashamed of doing anything
wrong or foolish — an excellent remark, which I have
never forgotten. Count Bernis had with him, as
attaché. Count Hamilton, a Knight of Malta. One
day, when I made inquiries of this gentleman about
the health of the Ambassador Count Beruis, who
was indisposed, it occurred to me to say that I had
the highest opinion of Count Bathyani, whom the
Empress-Queeu bad just named tutor to her two
elder sous, the Archdukes Joseph and Charles, since
she had preferred him for this ofdce to Count Ber-
nia. In the year 1/80, when I had my first inter-
view with the Emperor Joseph II, at llohilev,
his Imperial Majesty told me that be was aware I
had made this remark. I rcpUed that he must have
learnt tiiis from Count Hamilton, who had been
placed with him on his return from Eussia. He
then said that I Iiad siu-mised correctly in the case
of Count Bathyani ; for Count Bernie, whom he had

EMPBESK CATOESINE II. 131

not known, had left the reputation of being better
suited to the office thuii bis old tutor.

Count Lynar, the Envoy of the Kin^of Deumark,
had been sent to Russia to treat of the exchange of
Holatein, which belonged to the Grand Duke,, for the
country of Oldenburg. He was, according to report,
s person of much information, and of no less capa-
city. His appearance was that of a most complete
fop. He was tnll and well made, liis hair fair with
a tinge of red, and his complexion as d-e!icately white
as a woman's. It was said that lie took such care of
his skin, that be never went to bed without covering
hie face and hands with pomade, and aJso that he
wore gloves and a mask at night. -'He boaeted of
having eighteen children, and pretended that he Lad
always put the nurses of those chddren in the condi-
tion of continuing their vocation. This white Count
wore the white order of Denmark, and dressed in the
lightest coloui'B ; such as sky-blue, apricot, lilac, flesh
colour, etc., although such light shades were, at that
time, rarely worn by men. The High Chancellor,
Count BestoujefF, and his wife, treated Iiim with the
most marked favour. He was received at their house
ae one of the family, and greatly feted. Thia, how-
ever, did not shelter him from ridicule. There was
also another point against him, viz., that it was not
forgotten that Ilia brother had been more than well-
received by the Princess Anne, whose regency had been
disapproved of. The Count had hardly arrived when
he announced the object of hie mission, which was, to

193 UBMOIII5 or THE

nt^tiate an exchange of the duchy of Ilolstcin for
the territory of Oldenbui^. The High Chancellor
■ent for M. Pechlin, minister of the Grand Dnke for
his duchy of Holsteiu, and told Iiim the purport of
Count Lynar's minion. M, Pcchlin made his report
to the Grand Duke. Thi; Duke was passionately
attached to his country of Holstein, From the period
of our stay in Moscow, it had been represented to her
Imperial M ajestj- as insolvent.. He had asked her
for money for it, and she had given him a little, bat
it had never reached Holstein; it went to pay the
clamorous debts of his Imperial Highness in Russia.
M. Peclilin represented the affairs of Holsteio, as iar
aa pecuniary considerations were concerned, as des-
perate. This was easy for him to do, as the Grand
Duke depended upon him for the administration, and
gave the matter but little or no attention himself; so
that, on one occasion, Peclilin, quite out of patience,
said to him, in slow and measured accents, " My
Lord, it depends on a sovereign to give his attention
to the government of his country, or not to do so.
If he does not attend to it, the country governs it-
self, but it governs itself badly." This Pechlin was a
very short, fat man, wearing an immense wig, but he
was not deficient either in acquirements or capacity.
This heavy and short body enclosed a subtle and
shrewd spirit ; he was accused, however, of not being
over-delicate in his choice of means. The High Chan-
cellor had great confidence in him ; indeed, he was one
of the persous most in his confidence. M. Pechlin

EMPRESS CATHERINE 1

133

represented to the Duke tliat to listen was not to
negotiate, and that negotiation, also, was a very dif-
ferent thing from acceptance, aud that he would
always have it in his power to break off the negotia-
tion when he thought proper. At last, step by step,
they got him to consent that M. Pechlin should
listen to the propositions of the Danish minister,
and thus the negotiation was opened. The Grand
Duke was distressed, and spoke to me on the subject.
L I, who had been brought up in the ancient hatred of
B'the hoi^e of Holstein against Denmark, and had
■ constantly heard it averred that the projects of Count
Beatoujeff were all directed against the interests of
the Grand Duke and myself, I, of course, could not
hear of this project without impatience and anxiety.
I opposed it to the Grand Duke as much as I could.
^No one, however, except himself, ever mentioned the
subject to me, and to him the utmost secrecy had
been recommended, especially in regard to women.
I believe this caution had more reference to me than
to any one else, but they were deceived in their '
expectations; for the Duke was always eager to
tell me everything about it. The more the nego-
tiations advanced, the more did they endeavour to
present the matter in an agreeable aspect to him.
I often found him delighted at the prospect of what
he should have, but then came revulsions of bitter
regret for what he was going to lose. "When they
saw him hesitating, they relaxed the conferences,
and only renewed them when they had invented

13-1 MEHorns of the

some new bait for making him see tliinge in a
farourable light.

lu the beginning of spring we moveà to Q»B
Sununer Garden, and occupied the little house bnflt
by Peter I, the npartments of -wliich are on a level
Avith the garden. The stone qnny, and the bridge of
the Fontitnka, bad not thcni been built. In this
-' house I had one of the most painful annoyances
which I experienced during the entire reign of tbe
Empress Elizabeth. One morning I was informed
that the Empress had removed from mv service my
old valet de chambre, Timothy Yevreiuotf. The pre-
text for this removal -was, that Yevreinoff had had a
(fuarrel, in a warda-obe chamber, vritb a man ivlio used
to bring us in coffee. Of tliis quarrel the Grand
Duke had been in part a witness, having gone into
the room while they were arguing, and beard a por-
tion of their mntnal abuse. The antagonist of Yev-
reinoff complained to M. Tchoglokoff, saying that
Yevreinoff, without regard to the presence of the
Grand Duke, bad used most abusive language to him.
M. Tchoglokolf immediately made his report to the
Empress, who ordered both of them to be dismissed
from the com't, and Yevreinoff was sent off to Kasan,
where he was subsequently made master of police.
The truth of the matter was, that both men were
very much attached to us, especially Yevreinoff, and
this was but a pretext for depriving me of bim. , He
had charge of everything belonging to me. The
Empress ordered that a man named Skouriue, wliom

^■'Ai

EMPRESS CiTHÏRrNE II. 135

lie liad taken in as an assistant, shonld take Txh
place. In this person I liad, at the time, no con-
fidence.

After some stay in the honse of Peter I, we were
ordered to the Summer Palace, which was hnilt of
TTOod. Tlcre new apartments had been prepared for us,
one side of which faced the Fontanka, then a muddy
marsh, while the other opened on a miserahle and
narrow yard. On Whit-Sunday, the Empress sent

IE word to invite Madame d'Arnlicim, the wife of
Saxon Envoy, to accompany me. She was a
woman, very well made, about five -and -twenty
OP six-and-twenty yeaiB of age, rather thin, and any-
thing but handsoran, for she was much and deeply
marked by the small-pox ; but, as she dressed well,
she had, at some distance, a good appearance, and
looked tolerably fair. She amved at about five o'clock
in the afternoon, dressed like a man, from head to
foot, her coat being of red cloth, bordered with gold
iace, and her vest of green gros de Tours, similarly
.trimmed. She did not seem to know what to do

Ith her hat or her hands, and appeared to us rather
ward. As I knew the Empress did not like

ly riding as a man, I had had made for me a lady's
saddle, in the English style, and an English riding
habit, of a rich aaiu*e and silvered cloth, with crystal
buttons, which admirably imitated diamonds, while
my black cap was surrounded with a string of dia-
monds. I went down stairs to mount my horse.
'Al this moment the Empress came to our apart-

136

MEMOIRS OF TUE

ments to sec us set off. As I was tlien very active,
and accustomed to this exercise, as soon aa I reached
my horse I leaped inlo the saddle, my petticoatj
which was open, falling on each side. The Empress
seeing me mount with such agility and address, cried
out ill astonishment, and said it was impossible to
have done better. She asked what kind of saddle I
was using, and having learned that it was a side-
saddle, she said, " One might have sworn it was a
man's saddle." When Madame d'Arnheim's turn
came, her skill did not shine very conspicuously in
the eyes of her Imperial Majesty. Her own horse
had been led from her house. It was a large, heavy,
black and ugly-loolting animal, and our courtiers
pretended that it must have been one of the leaders
of her carriage. In order to mount, she was obliged
to have the aid of steps, and the ceremony was not
effected without a deal of fuss, and the assistance of
several people. When mounted, the animal broke
into a rough trot, which considerably shook the lady,
who was neither firm in her scat nor in her stirrups,
so that she had to hold on by the saddle. Seeing
her mounted, I took the lead, and then — let those
follow who could. I overtook the Duke, who was
a-head of me, and Madame d'Amheim was left be-
hind, I was told that the Empress laughed heartily,
and was not at all pleased with Madame d'jVrnheim's
mode of riding. At last, after losing, now her hat
and then her stirrups, she was picked up, I believe,
some distance from the court, by Madame Tchoglo-

EMPRESS CAniERINE II. 137

l.koff, who was iu a carriage. Pinally-j she was brought

I to us at Catherinhoff; but the adventure was not yet

ended. It had rained during the day, up to three

o'clock in the afternoon, and the steps leading to

Catherinhoff House were covered with pools of water.

After dismounting, I remained for some time in the

hall, where a good deal of company had assembled.

I Then, wishing to reach the room where my women

I Tpere, I thought I would go by these open steps.

I Madame d'Arnheim must needs follow me, anjl as I

L walked quickly, she was obliged to run. She thus

stepped into these puddles, lost her footing, slipped,

I and fe!! flat upon the ground, amid the laughter of

I the crowd of spectators gathered about the steps.

L She got up, a little confused, laying the blame on

w boots she had put on that afternoon. We

lietumed from this excursion in a carriage, and, on

fethe way, Madame d'Arnheim entertained us with a

Cdetail of the good qualities of her steed : we had to

I 'bite our lips to prevent a burst of laughter. In a

KlTord, for many days she famished a subject of mer-

f liment to the whole court and town. My women

I asserted that she had fallen from trying to imitate

f me, without being equally nimble; and Madame

[ Tchoglokoff, who was by no means given to mirth,

■ used to laugh till the tears came into her eyes,

whenever any allusion was made to the subject, and

this for a long time afterwards.

b From the Summer Palace we went to Peterhoff,

^^K where, this year, we resided at Monplaisir. "We

138 MEMOIRS or THE

regularly spent a portion of our afternoons at tlie
residence of Madame Tchoglokoff, where, as there
■was always company, we were tolerably well amused.
From Petcrhoff we went to Oranienbaiun, where we
hunted whenever the weather permitted, heing some-
times thirteen houra a-day in the saddle. The 8um-
mer, however, was rather wet. I remember one day,
when returning home quite wet, that, as I was dis-
mounting, I met my tailor, who aaid to me, "When I
see you in this condition, I am not at all sarprised
that I ean Hcarccly keep you in riding hahita, and
that new ones are continually required." The only
material I wore for this purpose was silk camlet.
TTie rain made it split, the snu faded the colours,
ao that I was obliged to have a constant succession
of new habits. It was during this time tliat I con-
trived for myself saddles on which I could ait in any
way I pleased. They had the English croot, and
yet the leg could be passed over, so as to ride like a
man. Besides, the crook divided, and a second stir-
rup could be let down or raised at pleasure. If the
equeries were asked how I was mounted, they said,
"Upon a lady's saddle," according to the wishes of
the Empress. I never passed my leg over except
I felt quite sure of not being betrayed; and as I
made no boast of my invention, while, besides, my
attendants were anxious to please me, no inconveni-
ence resulted. The Grand Duke cared very little
how I was mounted, while the equeries thought
I ran less risk in riding astride, especially as I was

EMPSESS CATBÎTRIRE II. 139

mstautly in the chase, tlian I did in dtting on tlie
lnglish BaddleSj ■wiiich tbey detested, as they were
" always apprelicnsive of some accident, tlie blame of
■wliich they Trould, in all prohability, hnvc to bear.
For myself, I cared little for the chase, but I was
passionately fond of riding; and the more violent
the exercise, the more I Ukcd it, so that if a horse
happened to run aivay, T was sm'e to be after it and
bring it hack. At that period, also, I had always a
book in my pocket, and if I had a moment to myself,
I spent it in reading.

I noticed, in these huntings, that M. Tchoglokoff
became a good deal softened in his manners, espe-
cially towards me. Tins made me fear that he might
take it into hla head to pay his court to me — a thing
which would not have suited me in any manner.
In the first place, I did not at all like him. He was
fair and foppish, very stout, and as heavy in mind
aa in body. He was uniTersally hated, white he was
in no respect agreeable. Hi» wife's jealousy and
his own malignity were equally to be feared, espe-
cially for one like me, who had nothing in the world
'to depend upon but myself and my merit, if I had
any, I therefore evaded, and very skilfully, I fancy,
aJl the attentions of M. Tchoglokoff', without ever
giving Idrn any room for charging roe with a want
of politeness. All liiis was perfectly seen through
by his wife, who fdt gratefnl for it, and subsequently
became much attached to me, partly, as will be seen
^^Kd the sequel, from this cause. ^^^^^|

\io

There were in our court two cbamberlaina named
Soltikoff, Bona of the Adjutant-Gencral Vaaili Teo-
dorovitch Soltikoff, whose wife, Mary Alexceevna,
boru Priuceas Galitziue, the mother of these two
joung men, was very much esteemed by the Empress,
on account of the signal services she bad reudcred
her at the time of her accession to the throne, hav-
ing on that occasion given proofs of a rare fidelity
Biid attachment. Sergius, the younger of these sons,
had been for some little time married to one of the
Empress' maids of honour, named Matrena Pavlovna
Balk. The elder brother was named Peter. He
was a fool in the fullest sense of the word. He had
the most stupid physiognomy I have ever seen,
great staring eyes, a flat nose, and a mouth always
half open; added to which he was a notorious tale-
bearer, and aa such welcome to the Teboglokofl's,
at whose house it was that Madame Vladislava, in
vii'tue of an old acquaintance with the motlier of this
sort of imbecile, suggested to the Tcboglokoffs the
idea of marrying him to the Priucess of Courland,
In consequence, he placed himself in the ranks as a
suitor, proposed to ber and obtained lier consent,
while his parents demanded that of the Empress, The
Grand Duke knew nothing of all this until every-
tliing had been settled, that is, till our return to town.
He was very much annoyed, and very much out of
humour with the Princess. I do not know what
excuse she gave him, but, although he disapproved
of her marriage, she continued for a long time to

EMPKESa CATHERINE

141

tain a portion of his affectionj and some degree of
ifluence with him. As for me, I was delighted with
rriage, and had a superb dress embroidered
for the intended. '' These court raarriages, requiring
the consent of the Empress, never took place till
after years of delay, because her Majesty herself
fixed the day, forgot it, often for a long time, and,
when reminded of it, put it off from time to time.
This was the case in the present instance. We re-
turned then to town in autumn, and I had the satis-
faction of seeing the Princess of Courlaud and BI.
Soltikoff thank her Majesty for the consent she had
been graciously pleased to give to their union.
After all, the family of Soltikoff was one of the oldest
and noblest in the empire. It was even allied to

■ the imperial family through the mother of the
IHmpress Anne, who was a Soltikoff, but of a dif-
Tferent branch to the one in question; while M. Biren,
Eftreated Duke of Courland by the favour of the
■Empress Anne, was the son of a petty farmer on the

■ estate of a gentleman in Courland. The name of
I this farmer was Biren; but the favoiir enjoyed by
k the son in Russia induced the Birons of France, at
|tlie persuasion of Cardinal Fleury, to acknowledge
1 Km ; for Fleury, anxious to gain over the court of
' Kussia, favoured the views and vanity of Biren, Duke

of Courland.

On arriving in town, we learnt that besides the

ktwo days a-week set apart for French plays, there
would also be, tivice a-week, a masquerade ball. The

142 HEilOlRS OP TtUS.

Grand Duke added another day for concerts in lûa
own apartments, and on Sundays tliere was generally
a coui-t,- One of these masrjuerade days was for the
com-t exclusively, and for those whom the EmprcBS
thought pi'opcr to admit ; the other was for all the
titled people who happened to be iu the city, down
to the rank of colonel, as well as those who served
as ofScers in the guards. Sometimes, also, the whole
of the nobdity and the most considerable of the
merchants were admitted. The court balls did not
exceed 160 to 200 people; those called public re-
ceived as many as 800,

When we were at Moscow, in the year 1744'j the
Em^ess took a fancy to have the court masquerades
so arranged that all the men shoidd dress aa women,
and all the women as men, uo masks being worn.
It was precisely a court day metamorpliosed. The
men wore large whaleboued petticoats, with women's
gowns, and the head-dresses worn on court days,
while the women appeared in the court costume
of men." The men did not like these reversals
of their sex, and tlie greater part of them were ia
the worst possible humour on these occasions, be-
cause they felt themselves to be hideous in such
disguises. The women looked like scrubby little
bays, while the more aged amongst them had
thick short legs, which were anything but orna-
mental. ■ The onSy woman who looked really well,
and completely a mim, was the Empress herself.
As she was very tall and somewhat powerful, male

EMPRESS CATHERINE II.

143.

îttire suited lier wonderfidly well. She had the
handsomest leg I ha.\e ever seea with amy maiij and
Iter foot was admirably proportioned. She danced
to perfection, and everything she did had a special
grace, equally so whether she dressed as a man or ae
a woman. One always felt inclined to be looking at
her, and turned away with regret because there was
no object that could replace her. At one of these
balls I watched her while dancing a minuet. After
she had ended it she came to me. I toot the
liberty of saying that it was very fortunate for the
women she was not a man, and that her portrait
alone, painted as she then was, would be enough
to turn many a head. She received my compliment
in very good part, and answered me io the same
style, saying, in the most gracious manner possible,
" That were she a man, it would be to me that she
would give tlie apple." I stooped to kiaa her hand for
a compliment so unexpected. She embraced me, and
every one was curious to know what had passed be-
tween ns. I made no secret of it to M. Tchoglokofij
who whispered it to two or three others, and thus it
passed from mouth to mouth until, in about a
quarter of an hour, everybody knew it.

During the last sojourn of the court at Moscow,
Prince Youasoupoff, Senator and Chief of the Corps
of Cadets, had the command-in- chief of the city <:£
St. Petersburg, where he remained daring the ab-
seuce of the court. For his amusement, and tliat of
the principal persons about him, be made bis cadets

144

play alternately the best tragedies ; such as the Eus-
siau ones whieh Soumarokoff was then composingj
and the French dramas of Voltaire. These "latter
were spoiled. On her return from Moscow, the Em-
press ordered the dramas of Soumai-okoff to be played
at court by these young men. She took pleasure in
witnessing these representations, and it was soon
noticed that she seemed to view them with more
interest than coidd have been expected. The
theatre, which was set up in one of the halls of the
palace, was now transported into her owu private
apartments. She took pleaam^ in dressing up the
actors, had magnificent dresses made for them, and
loaded them with her jewelry. It was particularly no-
ticed that the principal character, a rather handsome
young maji of eighteen or nineteen, was the most
superbly dressed, as was natural. Out of the theatre,
also, he was observed to wear diamond buckles, rings,
watches, very expensive lace and linen. Finally, he
left the corps of cadets, and the Master of the Hounds,
Count Razoumowsky, the old favourite of the Em-
press, immediately took him for his adjutant, which
office gave Ii'th the rank of captain. The courtiers
at once drew their own inferences in theii- usual
way, and made it out that Kazoumowaky, in taking
BeketofT as his adjutant, could have no other motive
than that of counterbalancing the favour enjoyed by
M. Shouvalofl^ gentleman of the bedchamber, who
was known to be on no good terms with the Razou-
mowsky family ; and, finally, it was concluded also.

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 145

iTOin the same circumstances, that this young man was
coming into great favour with the Empress. It was •
farther known that Count Razoumowsky had placed
ivith his new adjutant another messenger, in his ser-
vice, uamed John Pcriilievitch Yelagine, who was
married to a former lady's-maid of the Empress. She
it was who had furnished the young man with the
linen and lace just spoken of, and, as she was any-
thing liut rich, it was easy to helievc that the money

\ for this expenditure did not come from her own purse.
No one was more disturhed hy the rising favour of

; this young man than my maid of honour, the Prin-

cess Gagarine, who was no longer young, and wud
anxious to make a suitahle match, She had pro-
perty of her OAvii, but was not handsome ; she was,
however, clever and manœuvring. Tliis was the
second time she had fixed her choice on a person
who afterwards attained to the favour of the Empress.
The first was M. Schouvaloff; the second, this Beke-
toff, of whom we are speaking. There were a number
of young and handsome women connected with the
Princess Gagarine ; aud, besides, she belonged to an
extensive family. All these accused M. Schouvaloff
of being the secret cause of the constant reprimands
which the Princess received from her Majesty on
the subject of dress, and the prohibitions issued,
both to her and many other young ladies, against
wearing — sometimes one kind of dress, and some-

I times another. In revenge for all this, the Princess
•od all the prettiest women of the court said every-

l-iÔ

I uoert;

L barbel

^^m follow

thing that was bad of M. Schouvaloff, whom they all
now hated, although previously he had been a great
favourite. He sought to mollify them by showing
thom attentions, and saying pretty things to them,
through his most intimate friends ; but this was
looked upon as an additional offence, and he was
repelled and ili-received on all bauds. All these
ladies shunned him as they would the pestilence.

Meanwhile tlic Grand Duke bad given me a little
English barbet, which I had aeked him for. I had
in my service a stove-lieater, named Ivan Onchakoif,
and my people took it into their beads to name my
little spaniel after this man, calling him Ivan Ivano-
vitch. This barbet was a most comical little crea-
ture ; he walked upon bis bind legs like a human
being, and was in general exceedingly playful, ao
that we dressed him up in a different style eveiy day,
and tlie more he was bundled up the more playful he
became. He sat at table with us, bad a napkin put
round him, and eat out of his plate with great pro-
priety. Then be turned his head round and asked
for dnnk, by yelping to the person who stood behind
Lim. Sometimes he got upon the table to take
something that suited him, such as a little pâté, a
biscuit, or the like, which made the company laugh.
As he was small, and incommoded no one, he was
suffered to do these tbings, for he did uot abuse the
liberty allowed liim, and ïcas, too, very clean. This
barbet amused us the whole of this winter. The
following summer wc look liim to Oranienbauui, and

I mil

^H its

ËJIPBESÏ CATHERINE II. 117

the Chamberlain Soltikoffj junior, having come there
with hia wife, both she and the other ladies of our
court did nothing but sew aud work for iiim, making
all sorts of clothes and head-dresses, and disputing with
each other for his possession. At last, Madame Sol-
tikoff got so fond of him, and the dog attached him-
self so much to her, that when she was going away he
would not leave her, and she was as little willing to
leave him. She entreated me so earnestly to allow him
to go with her, that I made her a present of him. She
took him under her arm, and went straight to the
seat of her mother-in-law, who was then ill. This
lady, seeing her arrive with the dog, and noticing the
antics which she made him play, aaked hia name,
and learning that it was Ivan Ivanovitcli, she could
not help cspresaing her astonishment in the presence
of many persons, belonging to tlie court, who had
come from Petcrhoffto see her. These returned to
court, and, at the end of three or four days, the
whole town was filled with a marvellous story, to
the effect that all the young ladies who were hostile
to M. Schouvaloff, had each a white barbet, to which,
in derision of the favonrite of the Empress, they gave
the name of Ivan Ivanovitch, and which, also, they
dressed in light colours, such as Schouvaloff was
fond of wearing. Matters went so far that the
Empress signified to the parents of the young ladies,
that she considered it impertinent of them to per-
mit-such things. The white barbet at once changed
its name, but it continued to be caressed as before, and

118

remained in the house of the SoltikofFs, cherished by
its masters till the day of its death, despite the impe-
rial reprimand. In point of fact, the whole story
was a calumny. This one dog was the ouly one so
named, and, in giving him this name, M. Schouvaloff
was not thought of. As for Madame Tchoglokoff,
who did not like the Schouvaloffs, she pretended not
to have noticed the name of the dog, although she
was constantly hearing it, and had herself given the
animal many a little pâté, while laughing at its
gambols.

During the latter months of this winter, and the
numerous balls and mas(juerades of the court, our
two former gentlemen of the bedchamber, Alexander
Villebois and Zacliar Czernieheif, who had been
placed as colonels in the army, again made their
appearance. As they were sincerely attached to me,
I was very glad to see and receive them; wliile
they, on their part, neglected no opportunity of
giving me evidences of their affectionate devotion.
I was at that time very fond of dancing. At the
public balls I generally changed my dress three
times; my parure was very recherchée, and if the
masquerade dress which I, wore happened to at-
tract general approbation," I was certain never to
wear it again; for it was a rule with me that if
once it produced a great effect, it could not fail to
produce an inferior one on a second occasion. In the
court balls, at which the .public did not assist, I
dressed as simply as I could, and in so doing pleased

CATHEBINi; I

149

tlie Empressj who did not like too much display on
tliese occasions. However, when the ladies were
ordered to appear in male attire, I dressed magni-
ficently, my clothes being richly embroidered on
every seam, or otherwise in very refined taste, and
this passed without criticism, nay, even pleased the
; why I do not very well IrnowV It must be
1 that at that period the efforts of coquetry
were pushed to the extreme at this court; it was a
constant struggle for distinction in splendour and
elegance of dress. I remember, ou the occasion of
cue of those maslced balls, that every one was pre-
paring new and most magnificent dresses, and, de-
spairing of eclipsing others in this respect, the idea
occurred to me of taking an opposite course. I put
on a bodice of white gros de Tours (at that time I
had a very fine shape), with a petticoat of the same,
over a very small hoop. My hair, which was then
very long, thick, and beautiful, was ai-ranged behind
my head, and tied with a white ribbon, eii queue de
renard. A single rose, with its bud and leaves, was
the only ornament I wore in it ; another was placed
in TOY corset; they imitated nature so perfectly as
scarcely to be distinguishable from the real. Round
ray neck was a rufi' of very white gauze, which, with
cuffs and an apron of the same material, completed
laj costume. Thus attired, 1 went to the ball, and
the moment I entered I saw plainly that all çyea
were fixed on me. I crossed the gallery without
stopping, and entered the corresponding apartments

ISO

beyond it. Here I met the Empress, ivho in-
stantly esclaimcd, " Good God, how simple ! "WTiatj
not even a patch !"* I laughed, and said I did not
wish to -add to the weight of my dress, She drew
from her pocket her box of patches, and choosing one
of moderate size, applied it to my face. On leaving
her I hastened to the gallery, where I pointed out
my patch to my more intinaate friends, I did the
BEUne to tlie favourites of the Empress, and, aa I was
in high spirits, I dancedmore than usual. I never in
my life remember to have been bo highly compli-
mented as on that occasion. I was said to be beautiful
as the day — dazzliugly brilliant, I never, indeedj
thought myself so very handsome, but I was pleasing ;
atid it was in this point, I thinlt, that my forte lay, 1
returned home very well satisfied with my plan of
simplicity, while all the other costumes were of raie
magniâcence.

It was in the midst of amusements like these
that tie year 17Ô0 came to a close, Madame
d'Amheim danced better than she rode ; and I remem-
ber, on one occoasionj that we tried which of ns would
be soonest tired. It turned out to be bei'. She was
obliged to sit down, and acknowledge that -she could
not hold out any longer, wliilc I still went on,

* " Quoi, pas line moiiebe ! " 3e me mis ï rire et lui répondis
qua c'était poor Ûtro pins légèreineiit hnbiHiSe, — Tbe Englisli word
latls ta aoiiTej' tba ^sj&InpB* of tlie tepl;.— lu.

PART II.
FROM 1751, TO TIIE END OF ITûP.

At the beginning of the year 1751 the Grand Duke,
who, like myaelf, felt great esteem and affection for
the Count de Bemia, Ambassador from tiie Court
of Vienna, determined to consult him relative to the
state of his affairs in Ilolstein, to the debts which
burdened that connti'y, and tlie negotiations opened
by Denmark, to which he had consented to liste».
He desired me also to mention the subject to the
Count. I said I woidd not fail to do so, since it was
his wish. On the occasion of the nest masquerade
ball, therefore, I approached Count de lîemis, who
was standing near tlie balustrade, within which the
dance was going on, and told him that the Grand
Duke had ordered me to speak to him respecting
the affairs of Holstein. The Count listened to me
urith great interest and attention. ■-'I told him frankly
that being young and without adWsers, having pro-
bably also but inaccurate notions of business affairs,
and no e.\perience to advance in my favour, my
ideas, such as they were, were my own ; that I
might bo very deficient in information, but that it
a.ppeared to me, in the first place, that the affairs of
Holstein were not so dcsjierate as some sought to

I ii,pjH:»ireu lu m

^^1 Holstein were

152

represent them; that, besides, as to the exchange
itself, I could very well understand thnt it might be
more advantageous to Russia than to the Grand
Duke personally ; that assuredly, as heir to the
throne, the interests of the empire ought to be dear
to him ; that if for these interests it was necessary
to abandon Holstein in order to put an end to
interminable discussions with Denmark, then the
only question would be to choose, before giving it up,
a favourable moment for the surrender ; that to me
the present time did not appear to be such, either
as regarded the interest or personal credit of the
Grand Duke; that, however, a time might come
when circumstances would render this act more
important and more creditable to him, and, perhaps,
also more advantageous for the empire of Russia itself j
but that at present the whole affair had a manifest
MT of intrigue, which, if it proved successful, would
give an impression of feebleness on the part of the
Grand Duke, from which ho might suffer all his life
in the estimation of the pubhc ; that it was but a
few days, so to speak, since he had undertaken the
management of that countiy ; that he was extremely
fond of the country, and yet, notwithstanding alL
this, he had been persuaded to exchange it, without
very well knowing why, for tlie territory of Olden-
burg, with which he was not at all acquainted, and
which was still farther off from Russia; and that,
besides, the port of Kiel, if in the hands of the
Grand Duke, might be important for Russian navi-

EMPRESS CATHEaiNE II, 153

gation. The Count de Bernis eatcred into all my
reasonings, and said, in conclusioHj "As Ambassador,
I have no instructions on this matter, but as Count
Bernia, I think you are right." The Grand Duke told
me afterwards that the Ambassador said to him, "All
I can say to you in this matter is, that I think your
■ffife is right, and that you will do ivell to listen
to her." The Grand Duke conaequQutly cooled very
much upon the subject, and this, probably, was noticed,
for it began to be mentioned to him more rarely.

After Easter we went, as usual, for some time to
the Summer Palace of Peterhoff, where, year by year,
our stay became abridged. This year an occurrence
took place which furnished tlie courtiers with matter
for gossip ; it was caused by the intrigues of the Mes-
sieurs Schouvaloff. Colonel Beketoif, of whom I have
spoken above, not knowing what to do with himself
during the favour which he enjoyed, although it
increased to such a point that, from day to day,
people were waiting to see which of the two would
yield his place to the other, that is to say, Beketoii"
to John Schouvaloff, or the latter to BeketofF — not
knowing, as I have said, how to amuse himself, it
occurred to him to have the Empress' choir of
singing boys perform at his own residence. lu
sereral of them he took a special interest, on
account of the beauty of their voices; and as both
himself and his friend Yelagine were vei'sifiera,
they composed songs which the children sung.
To this au odious interpretation was given; for

-164

MEMOIRS OF THE

it was well knonn that nothing was more detested
hy the Empress than vice of siich a nature. Beke-
toffj in the innocence of his heart, would walk in the
garden with these children ; this was imputed to
him as a crime. The Empreas went away to Zars-
koe-Selo for a couple of days, and then returned to
PeterhofF, where M, Beketoff received orders to
remain, uiider the plea of indisposition. He did, in
fact, remain there with Yelagine, caught there a
violent fever, which thretitened liis life, and, in the
ravings of hia delirium, did nothing hut talk about
the Empress, with whom he was thoroughly taken
up. He recovered ; but he remained in disgrace,
and retired, after which he 'v/s\s placed in the army,
where he was not successful. He was too effeminate
for the profession of arma.

In the meanwhile we proceeded to Oranienhaum,
where we went hunting every day. Towards autumn,
in the month of September, wc returned to the city.
The Empress placed at our court M. Leon Narich-
Mne as gentleman of the bedchamber. He imme-
diately hastened from Moscow with hia mother, his
brother, his brother's wife, and his three sisters. He
was one of the most singular persons I have ever
known, and no one has ever made me laugh so much
as he has done. He was a born harlequin, and had he
not been by birth what he was, he might have gained a
subsistence, and a handsome one too, by his extraordi-
nary talent for humour. He was not at all -wanting
in understanding. He hml heard of everything, and

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 155

erything arranged itself iu his head after a fashion
' his owB. He could give a dissertatiou on any art
t Bcieuce he chose. He would employ all the tech-
nical terms belonging to his suhject, and would
talk to you for a quarter of an hour or more without
stopping ; and at the end, neither himself nor any
one else would understand anything of the sti-ing of
words whieh had flowed so readily from his lips, and
the whole, of course, would finish with a general burst
of laughter. Among other things he said of history,
that he did not like history in which there were
historie.i,* and that in order that a history should
be good it must be devoid of Imtory, that otherwise
Jiistory became mere rant.

But it was on politics that he was inimitable.
When he began on this subject, it was impossible
for any one, however serious, to resist him. He
used to say, too, that of well- written plays the greater
part were very wearisome.

Scarcely had he been appointed to the court when
the Empress sent orders to his eldest sister to marry
a M, Seniavine, who, for that purpose, was placed in
our court as gentleman of the bedchamber. This was
a thunderbolt for the young lady, who consented to
this marriage with the greatest repugnance. It was
Tery ill received by the public also, and all the blaine
of it was cast on M. Schouvaloff, the favourite of the
Empress, whoj before his rise to favour, had been

1 a liiatorj of a. fhiog is n common It.UBsLau plirawftlr
willi euandal unil esaggeration." — Tr.

156

MEMOIRS OF THE

very partial to this young lady, for whom they made up
this had match in order that he might lose sight of
her. This was a species of persecution truly tyraunical.
At last she mai-ried, became consumptive, and died.

By the end of September, we returned to the Win-
ter Palace. ^ The court was at this time so badly off
for furniture that the same mirrors, beds, chairs,
tables, and drawers which served us at the Winter
Palace, passed with us to the Summer Palace, and
thence to Pcterhoff, following us even to Moscow.
A good number were broken and cracked in these
different journeys, and, in this state of dilapidation,
they were supplied to us ; so that it was difficult to
make use of them, while to get others an express
order from the Empress was required. As she waa
almost always very difficult of access, if not inacces-
sible, I resolved to buy, by degrees, with my own
money, chests of drawers and the other more neces-
sary articles of furniture, as well for the AVinter as
the Summer Palace ; so that when I passed from the
one house to the other, I found everything I wanted
without difficulty and without the inconveniences of
transport. The Grand Duke was pleased with this
arrangement, and he made a similar one in his own
apartments. As for^Oranienbaum, whicli belonged to
the Grand Duke, we had, at my cost, everything we
needed in my private apartments. I procured all this
at my own expense in order to avoid all dispute and dif-
ficulty; for his Imperial Highness; although very lavish
where his own fancies were concerned, was not at all

EMFBESB CATHERINE

157

a anything that regarded me ; and generally he
iai^ but liberal. But as all I did in my own

rtments and with my own purse served to em-
1 hia house, lie was qnite content with it.

During this aummer Madame Tchoglokoff con-
i such a special and real affection for me, tliat
on -our retarn to tlie capital she could not do without
me, and was quite ennuyée when I was not with her.
The cause of this affection arose from my not re-
sponding to the advances which it had pleased her
husband to make to me — a circumstance which gave
me a peculiar merit in the eyes of his wife. "When
we returned to theAVinter Palace, Madame Tchoglo-
koff invited me almost every evening to her rooms.
There were not many people there, but always more
than in ray room, where I sat quite alone reading,
except when the Grand Duke came in to walk up and
down at a rapid pace, talkijig about things which in-
terested himself, but which had no value in my' eyes.
These promenades would last one or two hours, aud
were repeated several times a-day, I was obliged to
walk with, him till my strength was quite exhausted,
to listen with attention, and to answer him, though,
for the must part, what he said had neither head nor
tail; for he often gave the reiua to his imagination.
yX remember that, during one wliole winter, he was
taken up with a project of building, near to Oranien-
haum, a pleasure-house in the form of a convent of
Capuchins, where he and I and all his suite should be
8 Capuchins. This dress he thought charm-

158 MEMOIIIS m- TUE

ing aad conveiiieut, Eyery one^'astoliaveadoukey,
andj in Ma turn, take this donkey and fetch water
and bring provisions to the so-called couvent. He
used to laugh till he was ready to drop at the idea of
the admirable and amusing efFecta wliich thia inven-
tion was to produce. He made me draw a pencil-
sketch of tlie plan of this precious work, and eveiy
day T had to add or remove something. However
determined I was to comply with his humours, and
bear everything with patience, I frankly avow that I
was very often worn out with the annoyance of these
visits, promenades, and conversations, which were in-
sipid beyond anytliing I have ever seen. When he
was gone, the most tiresome book appeared a delight-
ful amusement.

Towards the end of autumn, the balls for the
court and the public recommenced, as did also the
rage for splendour and refinement in masquerade
dresaes. Count Zachar Czemicheff returned to St.
Petersburg. As, on the ground of old acquaint-
ance, I always treated him very well, it rested only
with myself to give what interpretation I pleased to
bis attentions thia time. lie began by telling me
that I had grown much handsomer. It was the first
time in my life that anything of the kind had been
said to me. I did not take it ill. Nay, more ; I
was credulous enough to believe that he spoke the
truth, At every hall there was some fresh remark of
this kind. One day, the Princess Gagarine brought
me a device from him, and, on breaking it, I perceived

EMPUESS CâTUEni.VE II, lj9

pat it had been opened aud gunimed together again.
îie motto, as usiial, was printed, but it consisted of
i couple of verses, veiy tender and full of sentiment.
After dinner, I had some devicea brought to me. I
looked for a. motto which might serve as an anawei",
without conipromisiDg inj-sc!f. I found one, put it
into a device representing an orange, and gave it
to the Princess Gagaiine, who delivered it to Count
Czernichcif. Next morning she brought me another
from him ; but this time 1 found a motto of some
lines, in Ms own hand. I answered it, and there w«
were in regular and quite sentimental correspondence.
At the next masquerade, while dancing with him, he
said be bad a thousand things to tell me which he
could not trust to paper, nor put in a device, which
the Princess Gagarine might break in her pocket or
lose on the way ; and he entreated me to grant
bim a moment's audience cither in my chamber,
or wherever Ï might deem suitable. I told him that
that was an utter impossibility, that my rooms were
inaccessible, and that it was also impossible for me
to leave them. He told me tbat be would, if neces-
sary, disguise himself as a servant; but I refused
point-blank, aud so the matter went no farther than
this secret correspondence by means of devices. At
last the Princess Gagarine began to suspect its cha-
racter, scolded me for making use of her, and would
not receive any more of these missives.

160 MEMOIRS OF THE

1752.

Amid these occurrences the year 1751 came to a
close, and 1752 began. At the end of the Carnival,
Count Czemicheff left to join his regiment. A few
days before his departure I required to be bled ; it
was on a Saturday. The following Wednesday, M.
Tchoglokoff invited me to his island, at the mouth of
the Neva. He had a house there, consisting of a
saloon in the centre and some chambers on the
sides. Near this house he had had some slides
prepared. On arriving, I found there the Count
Roman Voronzoff, who, on seeing me, said, " I have
just the thing for you ; I have had an excellent little
sledge made for the slides.^^ As he had often taken
me before, I accepted his offer, and the sledge was
at once brought. In it was a kind of small fauteuil,
on which I seated myself. He placed himself be-
hind me, and we began to descend ; but - about
half-way down the incline, the Count was no longer
master of the sledge, and it overturned. I fell, and the
Count, who was heavy and clumsy, fell on me; or
rather on my left arm, in which I had been bled
some four or five days before. We got up, and
walked towards one of the court sledges, which was
in waiting for those who descended, to convey them
back to the point from which they had started, so
that any who wished might recommence the de-
scent. While]sitting in this sledge with the Princess

101

Gagarine, who, with Prince Ivan Czernicheff, had
followed me, the latter, together with Voronzoff,
standing behiud the sleigh, I felt a sensation of
warmth spreading over my left arm, the cause of
which I conld not make out. I passed my right
liand into the sleeve of my pelisse to see what was
the matter, and having withdrawn it, I found it
.eovered with blood. I toid the Counts and the
Princess that I thought my vein had reopened.
.They made the sleigh move faster, and instead of
.gain to the slides, we went to the house.

'here we found no one but a butler. I took off
my pelisse, the butler gave me some vinegar, and
Count Czernicheff performed the office of surgeon.
"We all agreed not to say a word about this adven-
ture. As soon as my arm was set to rights, we

iturned to the slides. I danced the rest of the
evening, then supped, and we returned home very
late, without any one having the least idea of what
had liappened to me. However, the skin did not
join smoothly for nearly a month; but it got all
right by degrees.

During Lent I had a violent altercation with Ma-
dame Tchoglokoff, the cause of which was as follows r
My mother had been for some time in Paris. The
^eldest son of General Ivan Fedorovitch Glehoff',
upon his return from that capital, brought me,
from her, two pieces of very rich and very beautiful
stuff. While looking at them in my dressing-room,
in the presence of Skourine, who unfolded them, I

chanced to say that they were so beautiful that I
felt tempted to preseiit them to the Empress ; and
I really was watcbiug aa opportunity of speakiag
of them to her JIajestj', whom 1 saw but very
rarely, and then, too, mostly in public, I said no-
thiug about them, to lladanie Tchoglokofl'. It was
a present I reserved for myself to make. I forbade
Skourine to mention to any one what had fallen
from my lips iu his hearing. Skourine, however,
went instantly to Madame Tchoglokoff, and told her
what I had said. A few days afterwai'ds, Madame
Tchoglokofi' conie into my room and told me Uiat
the Empress sent me her thaidis for my stufts;
that she had kept one of them and returned the
other. I was thuudcrstruek on liearing tliis. I said
to Lei-, "How is this, Madame Tehoglokoff?"
Upon this she stated that she had carried the stuffs
to the Empress, haviug heard that I intended them
for her Majesty, /lor the mom^t I felt vexed be-
yond measure, more so indeed thaii I ever remember
to have been before. I stammered ; I could scarcely
speak. However, I said that I liad proposed to
myself a treat iu presenting these things to the
Empress myself, and that she had dcprii'ed.me
of this pleasure by carrying them off without my
knowledge, and presenting them in that fashion to
her Imperial Majesty ; I remiiidcd lier that she could
not know my intentions, as I had never spokeo of
tliem to her, or that if she was aware of them, it was
only from the mouth of a treacherous servant, who

CATHERINE 1

16S

h&à betrayed his mistrees, who daily loaded liim with
kindness. Madame Tchoglokoff, who always had
reaaouB of her awn, reiilied^ and maintained that I
ought never apeak to the Empress myself about
anything; that she had signified to me the order
of her "Imperial Majesty to thia eflect, and that my
ara-vants wei-e in duty bound to report to her all that
I Baid ; that, consequently, Skourine had only doae
his duty, and she hers, in carrying, without my
knowledge, to her Majesty the stuffs I had destined
for her, and tliat the whole matter was quite in rule.
I let her speak on, for rage stopped my utterance.
At last she went away. 1 then entered a small ante-
chamber, where Skourine generally remained in the
Juoming, and where my clothes were kept, and seeji^
jbim there, I gave him, with all my force, a well-aimed
L,«id heavy box on the ear. I told him he was a
traitor, and the most ungrateful of men, for having
dared to repeat to Madame Tchoglokoff what I had
forbidden bim to speak about; that I had loaded
him with kindnesses, while he betrayed me even
in such innocent words ; that from tliat day forward
I would never give him ajiything more, but would
get him dismissed and well beaten. I asked him
what he expected to gain by such conduct, telling
itim that I should always I'emain what 1 was, while
the Tchoglokofls, hated and detested by every one,
would, iu the end, get themselves dismissed by the
Empress herself, who most assuredly would soonar
later discover their intense stupidity, and utter

164

MEMOIRS OP THE

unfitness for the position in which the intrigues of
a wiclied man had placed them; thiit, if he chose,
he might go and repeat to them ail I had said;
that he could not injure me ty so doing, while
he would soon see what would become of himself.
The man fell at my feet crying bitterly, and begged
my pardon with a repentance which appeared to me
sincere. I was touched by it, and told him that his
future conduct would show me what course I must
take with him, and that by his behaviour I would
regulate my own. He was an intelligent fellow, by
no means deficient in character, and one who never
broke his word to me. On the contrary, I have had
the best proofs of his zeal and fidelity in the -most
difficult times. I complained to every one I could of
the trick Madame Teiioglokoff had played me, iii
order that the matter raigltt reach the Empress' ears.
The Empress, when she saw me, thanked me for my
present, and I learned from a third party, that she
disapproved of the way in which Madame Tcho-
glokoff had acted. And thus the matter ended.

After Easter we went to the Summer Palace. I
had observed for some time that the Chamberlain,
Serge SoltikofF, was more assiduous than usual in
his attendance at court. He always came there
in company with Leon Narichkine, who amused
every one by his originality, of which I hai'e already
reported several traits. Serge Soltikoff was the
aversion of the Princess Gagarine, of whom I was
very fond, and in whom I even reposed confidence.

EMPRESS CATHEltlSE II.

165

Leou Nariclikiiie was looked upon as a person of
no sort of cousequence, but very original, Sol-
tikoff insinuated kimself aa much as possible into
tbe^good graces of the Telioglokoffs. As these
people irere neither amiable, nor clever, nor amus-
ing, he must have had some secret object in these
attentions. Madame Tchoglokoff was at this time
pregnant, and frequently indisposed. As she pre-
tended that I amused her during the summer quite
as much as in the winter, she often requested me to
visit her. Soltikoff, Leon Narichkine, the Princess
Gagariue, and some others, were generally at her
apartments, whenever there was not a eoncert at the
Grand Duke's, or theatricals at court. The concerts
were very wearisome to M. Tchoglokoff, who always
assisted at them; but Soltikoff discovered a sin-
gular mode of keeping him occupied, I cannot con-
ceive how he contrived to excite in a man bo dull,
and ao utterly devoid of tulcut and imagination, a
passion for versifying and composing songs which
had not even common sense, But having made tliis
discovery, whenever anyone wished to get rid of M.
Tchoglokotf, it was only necessary to aak him to
make a new aong. Then, with much empresse-
ment, he would go and sit down in a corner of
the room, generally near the stove, and set to work
upou his song — a business which took up the
evening. The song would be pronounced charming,
and thus he was continually encouraged to make new
ones. Leou Narichkine used to set them to music,

^^ and thus

^K I

166

and aing them veith liim; and while all tliis was
going QB, we conversed witUont restraint. I once
bad a large book of these songs, but I know not
what lias become of it.

During one of these concerts, Serge Soltikoff
gave me to understand wliat wras the object of his as-
siduous attentions. I did not reply to hira at first.
When he again returned to the subject, I asked
him what it was he wanted of me ? Hereupon he
dreir a cbamiing and passionate picture of the hap-
piness which he promised himself. I said to him,
"But your wife, whom you married for love only
two years aso, and of ivliom yon were supposed to
lie passionately fond — and she, too, of you— what will
she say to this?" He replied that all was not gold
that glitters, and that he was paj-ing dearly for a
moment of infatuation. I did all I could to make
him change his mind^I really expected to succeed in
this — I pitied him. tlnfortiinately, I listened also.
He was ver}'- handsome, and certainly had not
his eqnal at the Imperial court, still less at ours.
He was not wanting in mind, nor in that finish
of accomplishments, manner, and style which
the great world gives, and especially a court. He
was twenty-ais years old. Take him all in ail, he
was by birth, and by many other qualities, a distin-
gnished gentleman. As for his faults, he managed
to hide them. The greatest of all was a love of
intrigue and a want of principle. These were not
unfolded to my eyes. I held out ail the spring, and

EMPRESS CAl

167

a part of the autumn. I saw him almost eveiy day,
aud made no change in my conduct towards him,
I was the game to him ns I -was to all others, and
never saw him but iu tlie presence of the court, or
of a part of it. One day, to get rid of him, I
made up my mind to tell him that he was misdi-
recting hia attentions. I added, " How do you know
that my heart is not engaged elsewhere?" This,
however, instead of discouraging him, only made hia
pursuit all the more ardent. In all this there was
no thought of the dear hushand, for it was a
known and admitted fact, that he was not at all
amiable, even to the objects with whom he was in
love ; and he was always in love ; in fact, he might
be said to pay court to every woman, except the one
who bore the name of his wife : she alone was ex-
cluded from all share of his attentions.

In the midst of all this, TehoglokofF invited us to
a hunting party on his island, whither we went in a
skiff, our horses being sent on before. Immediately
on our arrival T mounted my horse, and ve went
to find the dogs, Soltikoff seisied the moment when
the rest -were in pursuit of the hares, to approach
me and speak of his favourite subject. I lis-
tened more attentively than usual, lie described to
me the plan which he had arranged for enshroud-
ing, as he said, in profound mystery, the happi
nesB which might be enjoyed in such a case. I did
not say a word. He took advantage of my silence to
persuade me that he loved me passionately, and he

168

begged that I would allon- liim to hope, at leist,
that he was not nhclly indifferent to me. I icAÛ
him he might amuse himself with hoping vhat
he pleased, as I could not prevent liia thoughts.
Finally he drew comparisonB between himself and
others at the court, and made me confess th&the was
preferable to tliem. From that he concluded that
lie ^vas preferred. 1 laughed at all this, but I ad-
mitted that he was agreeable to me. At the end
of an hour and a-halfs conversation, I desired
him to leave me, eince so long a conversation
miglit give rise to suspicion. He s^d he would
not go unless 1 told him that I consented. I
answered, "Yes, yes; Imt go away." He said,
" Thim it is settleii," and put spurs to his horse.
I cried after him, "No, no;" but he repeated,
" Yen, yen." And thus we separated. On our return
to the lioiiRe, which M'as cia the island, we had supper^
during wfaieli there sprung up such a heavy gale from
tlif! «na, that thii waves rose so high that they even
rooclicd the steps of the house. In fact, the whole
iiland was under water to the depth of several feet.
Wo wcro obliged to romain until the storm had
nbtttod, and tlio watera rctretited, which wa^ not until
botwoini two niid throe in the morning. During
thj» tiiuo, Niiltikolf told me that lieaven itself had
fttVoured him I.Uat day, by enabling him to enjoy my
pnwHuo for a longer time, with many other things
to tilt» «nine oll'oot. lie thought himself already
i|iiitii hiip|iy. A» for me, 1 wus not at all so. A

E.MPllESS CATHUEINE 11. 169

thousand apprehensions troubled me, and I was un-
usually dull, and very much out of conceit with
myself. I had persuaded myself tliiit I could easily
govern both his passions and my own, and I found
tliat both tasks were difficult, if not impossible.

Two days after this, Soltikoff informed me
that one of the Grand Duke's valets de chambre.
Bressan, a Frenchman, had told him that his Im-
perial Highness liad said in his room, " Sergius
Soltikoff and my wife deceive Tchoglokoff, make him
believe whatever they like, and then laugh at him."
To tell the trutli, there was something of this kind,
and the Grand Duke jiad perceived it. I answered,
by advising him to be more circumspect for
the future. Some days afterwards I caught a very
bad sore throat, which lasted .more than three weeks,
with a violent fever, during which the Empress sent
to me the Princess Kourakine, who was about to be
married to Pi-iuce Lobanoff. I was to dress her
hair. For this purpose siie had to sit on my bed,
in lier eourt-dress and liooped petticoats, I did
my best; but Madame Tchoglokoff, seeing that it
was impossible for me to manage it, made her get
off my bed, and finished dressing her herself, I
have never seen the lady since then.

The Grand Duke was at this period making love
to Mademoiselle Martha Isaevna Sehafiroff, whom
the Empress had recently placed with me, as also
her elder sister, Anne Isaeiiia. Serge Soltikoff,
who was a devil for intrieue, insinuated himself

170

MEMOITtS OF THE

into the favour of these girls, in order to leani
anything the Grand Duke might say to tliem relntive
to him. These young ladies were pofir, rather
silly, anil yery selfish, and, in fact, they hccarae
wonderfnily confidential in a very short time.

In the midst of all this we went to Oranienbaum,
where again I was every day on horseback, and «'ore
HO other than a man's dress, except on SundayB.
Tchoglokotf and his wife had hecorae as gentle as
lambs, In the eyes of Madame Tchoglokoff I
possessed a new merit; I fondled and caressed a
great deal one of her children, who was with her.
I made clothes for him, and gave him all sorts
of playthings and dresses. Now the mother was
dotingly fond of this child, who subsequently he-
came such a scapegrace that, for his prniika, he
was sentenced to confinement in a fortress for fif-
teen years, Soltiltoff had become tlie friend, the
con6daiit and the counsellor of M. and Madame
Tchoglokoff, Assuredly no peraon in his senses
could ever have submitted to so hard a task as that
of listening to two proud, arrogant, and conceited
fools, talking nonsense all day long, without having
some great object in view. Many, therefore, were
the guesses, many the suppositions, as to what this
object could be. These reached Pcterhoff aud the
ears of the Empress. Now at this period it often
happened that when her Majesty wished to scold
any one, she did not scold for what she might well
complain of, hut seized some pretext for finding fault

EMPBESS CATHEHIPÎE 1

171

about something which no one woTild ever have
thought she could object to. This is the remark
of a courtier ; I have it from the lips of its author,
Zachar Czernicheff. At Oraniesbaum, every one of
our suite had agreerl, men as well as women, to
haTe, for this summer, dresses of the same colour ;
tfce body gray, the rest blue, \ritli a collar of black
Telvet, and no trimmings. This uniformity was
tonvenient in more respects than one. It was on
this style of dress that she fixed, and more especially
on the circumstance that I always wore a riding
habit, and rode like a man at Peterhoff. One court-
day the Empress said to Madame Tchoglokoff that
this fashion of riding prevented my having children,
and that my dress was not at all becoming; that
when she rode on horseback she changed her dress.
Madame Tchoglokoff replied, that as to liaring
children, this had nothing to do with the matter;
that children could not come without a cause ; and
that, although their Imperial Highnesses bad been
married ever since 1 "iS, the cause nevertheless did
not esist. Thereupon her Imperial Majesty scolded
Madame Tchoglokoff, and told her she blamed her
for this, because she neglected to lecture, on this
matter, the parties concerned ; and on the whole,
-she showed much ill-humour, and said that her
husband was a mere night-cap, who allowed himself
to be worn by a set of dirty-nosed brats (rfes
). All this, in fonr- and- twenty hours, had
reached their confidants. At this term of iitorvnux,

172

[' wiped their noses; and, in a very specaal
council held on the matter by them, it was resolved
and decreed that, in order to follow out strictly the
wishes of her Imperial Majesty, Sergiua Soltikoff
and Leon Narichkine shonld incur a pretended dia-
gi'ace at the hands of M. Tchoglokoff, of which per-
haps he himself would not be at all aware ; that under
pretext of the illness of their relatives, they should
retire to their homes for three weeks or a month, in
order to allow the rumours which were current to
die away. This was carried out to the letter, and the
nest day they departed, to confine themselves to their
own houses for a month. As for me, I immediately
changed my style of dress ; besides, the other had now
become useless. The first idea of this uniformity
of attire had been suggested to us by the dress
worn on eonrt-daya at Peterhoff, The body was
white, the rest green, and the whole trimmed all
over with silver lace. Soltikoft^ who was of a dark
complexion, ï^ed to say that he looked like a fly in
milk, in this dress of white and silver. I con-
tinued to frequent the society of the Tchoglokoffs
as before, although it was now dreadfully weari-
some. The husband and wife were full of regrets for
the absence of the chief attractions of their society,
in which most assui'edly I did not contradict them.
The illness of Soltikoff prolonged his absence,
and during it the Empress sent us orders to come
from Oranienbaum and join her at Cronstadt, whither
she was about to proceed, in order to admit the waters

EMPRESS CATHERINE 1

into the canal of Peter I. That Emperor had eora-
menced the work, and just then it was completed.
She arrived at Ci-onstadt hefore us. The night
following was very stormy, and, as immediately on
her arrival, she had sent us orders to join her,
she supposed we must have been eaught in the
storm, and was in great anxiety all night. She
faneied that a ship, which could be seen from
her window, labouring in the sea, might be the
yacht in which we were to make the voyage.
Slie had recourse to the relics which she always
kept by her bedside ; carried tliem to the window,
and kept moving them in a direction opposite
to the ship which was tossing in the storm. She
exclaimed repeatedly that we should certainly be
lost, and that it would be all lier fault, because a
I short time previously she had sent us a reprimand
I for not showing her more prompt obedience, and she
now supposed we must have set out immediately
on the arrival of the yacht. But, in fact, the yacht
I did not reach Oranienbaum until after the storm,
' BO that we did not go on board until the after-

■ noon of the next day. AVc remained three days at
! Croustadt, during which the blessing of the canal

took place with very great solemnity, and the waters

■ were, for the first time, let into it. After din-
■ there was a grand ball. The Empress wished

I to remain at Cronstadt to see the waters let out again,
but she left on the third day without this having
been etfeeted. The canal was never dried from i

174

UEMOIBS Oy THE

that time, until, in my reigu, I caused the a team-mill
to l;e eonstructed which empties it. Otherwise, the
thing would have been impossible, the bottom of the
canal beiug lowei' than the sea; but this was not
perceived at that time.

From Cronstadt every oae returned to his own
qiiarters; the Empress went to Pcterboff, aiid we to
Oranienbaum. M. Tehoglokoif aeked aad obtained
leave to go tor a mouth to one of his estates. During
his absence Madame Tchoglok off gave herself a great
deal of trouble to execute the Empress' orders to the
letter. At first she had many confercDces with Bressan,
the Grand Duke's valet de chambre. Bressan found
at Orauieubaum a pretty woman named iladame
Groot, the widow of a painter. It took several days
to persuade her, to promise hei' I know not what, and
then to instruct her in what they wanted of her, and
to what she was to lend herself. At last Bressan was
charged with the duty of making this young and
pretty widow' known to the Grand Duke, I clearly
saw that Madame Tehoglokoff was deep in some
intrigue, but 1 knew not what. At last. Serge
Soltikoff returned from his voluntary esile, and told
me pretty uearly how matters stood. Piually, after
much trouble, iladame Tehoglokoff gained her end,
and when she felt sure of this she informed the Em-
press that everything was going on as she wished,
■ She expected a great reward for her trouble; but
in this she was much mistaken, for nothing was
given her J however, she maintained that the Empire

EMPajtSS CATUEItlNE II, 175

1 lier debt. Immediately after this, we re-
tiirned to the city.

/It was at this time that 1 persuaded the Grand
Bute to break off the negotiations with Den-
mark. I reminded him of the advice of the
Count de Bernis, who had already departed for
Vienna. He listened to nic, and ordered the ne-
gotiations to be closed without anything being
concluded : and this was done. After a short stay
at the Summer Palace, wc returned to the Winter
Palace,

It seemed to me that Serge SoItikofF was begin-
ning to be relax in his attentions ; that he became
absent, aometimes absurd, arrogant, and dissipated,
I was vexed at this, and spoke to him on the subject.
He gave me but poor excuses, and pretended that I
did not understand the estreme clearness of his
conduct. He was right, for I did think it strange
enough. We wer-e told to get ready for ' the journey
to Moscow, which we did. We left St.*Petei*sburg
on the 14tL of December, 1752. Soltikoff remained
behind, and did not follow ns for several weeks after,
1 left the city with some shght indicationa of preg-
nancy. We travelled very rapidly day and night.
At the last stage before reaching Moscow, these
signs disappeared with violent spasms. On our ar-
rival, and seeing the turn things vere taking, I felt
satisfied that I had had a miscarriage. Madame
Tehoglokoff also remained behind at St. Petersburg,
as she had just bceu delivered of her last cliild, which

MEMOIRS OF THE

was a girl. Tliis was the seventh. On lier recovery
she joined us at Moscow,

1753.

Here we were lodged in a wing built of wood,
constructed only this autumn, and in such a way that
the water ran down the wainscoting, and alt the
apartmenta were exceedingly damp. This wing
conaiated of two ranges of apartments, each having
five or six large rooms, of which those looking to the
street were for mc, and those on the other side
for the Grand Duie. In the one intended for my
toilet, my maids and ladies of the bedchamber
were lodged, together with their servants; so that
there were seventeen girls and women lodged in
one room, which had, it is true, three large win-
dows, but no other outlet than my bed- room,
through which, for every kind of purpose, they were
obliged to pass, a thing neither pleasant for them
nor for me. We were obliged to put up with this
inconvenience, of which I have never seen the like.
Besides, the room in which they took their meals
was one of my ante -chambers. I was ill when
I arrived. To remedy this inconvenience, I had
some very large screens placed jn my bed-room, by

^L to t1

EMPRESS CATtlEllISE II. 177

means of which I divided it into three ; but this was
scarcely of any use, for the doors were opening
and shutting continually, as was unavoidable. At
last, on the tenth day, the Empress came to see
me, and obsci'viug the continual passing to and fro,
she went into the other chamber, and said to my
I will have a different outlet made for
von than through the sleeping-room, of the. Grand
Duchess," But what did she do? She ordered a
partition to be made, which took away one of the
■windows of a room in which, even before this,
seventeen persons could hardly exist. Here, then,
was the chamber made smaller in order to gain
a passage; the window was opened towards the
street, a flight of steps was led up to it, and thus my
women were obliged to pass and repass along the
street. Under their window, necessaries were placed
for them ; in going to dinner, they must again pass
along the street. In a word, this arrangement was
worthless, and I cannot tell how it was that these
seventeen women, thus huddled up and crowded
together, did not catch a putrid fever; and all this,
too, close to my bed-room, which, in consequence,
was so filled with vermin of every kind that I could
not sleep. At last, Madame Tchoglokoff, having
recovered after her accouchement, arrived at Mos-
cow, as did, some days later. Serge Soltikoff, As
Moscow is very large, and people much dispersed in
availed himself of this locality, so favourable
to the purpose, to conceal the decrease of his attcn-

178

tioQS, feigned or real, at court. To tell the truth,
I was grieved at tliis ; however, lie gave me soch
good aud specious reasons for it, that as soon as I
had seen him and spoken to him, my annoyance
on the subject vanished. We agreed that, in order
to decrease the number of his enemies, I should
get some remark repeated to Count Bestoujeff which
might lead him to hope that I was less averse to
Iiim than in former days. With this message I
charged a person called Bremse, who was employed in
the Holstein Chancery of M. Pechline. This person,
when not at court, frequently went to the residence
of the Chancellor Count Bestoujeff. He eagerly
accepted the commission, and brought me back
ivord that the Chancellor was delighted, and aaid
that I might command him as often as I thought
proper, and that if, on his part, he could be of any
use to me, he begged me to point out to him some
safe channel by which we might communicate with
each other. I perceived his drift, and I told Bremse
that I would think of it. I repeated this to Solti-
koff, and it waa immediately settled that he should
go to the Chancellor on the plea of a visit, as.
he had hut just arrived. «^ The old man gave him a
most cordial i-eception ; took him aside, spoke to
him of the internal condition of our court, of the
stupidity of the Tehoglokoffs, saying, among other
things, " I know, although jou are their intimate
friend, that you understand them as well as I do,
for you are a young man of sense." Then he spoke

EMPRESS CATHBKINE II. 179

*«"ôf me, and of my situation, just as if he had lived
-"in ray room; adding, "In grirtitnde for tlic good-
■will -fl-liich tbe Grand Duchess has sokindly evinced
for me, 1 am going to do her a little service, for
■which she will, I ' think, thank me. I will make
Madame Vladislava as gentle as a iamb for her, so
that she 'will he able to do with her whatever «he
pleases; she will see that I am not such an ogre- as
I have been represented to her." Finally, Serge
SoltikofT returned, enchanted with his commiflsion
■and hia man. He gave him some advice for hrmself,
also, as wise as it iras useful, All this made Mm
very intimate with ns, without any onehaving'the
least anspicion of the fact.

In the meanwhile Madame Tchoglokoff,'^wiio
never lost sight of her favourite project of' watching
over the sncceaaion, took me aside one day and said :
"Listen to me, I must speak to you with all sin-
cerity." I opened my eyes and eata, and not with-
out cause. She began with a long preamble, after
her fashion, reapecting her attachment to her hns-
' band, her own prudent conduct, what was necessary
.and what was not necessary for ensuring mutual

Îidove and facilitating conjugal ties ; and then she went
•inn to say, that occasionally there were situations
rin whicli a higher interest demanded an exception
to the rule. 1 let her talk on without interruption,
not knowing what she was driving at, a good deal
astonished, and uncertain whether it was not a snare
she was laying for me, or whether ehe was speaking

180

MBMOIBS OP THE

witli sincerity. Just as I was making these reflections
ill my own mind, she sdd to me,v " You shall pre-
sently see whether I love my country, and whether
I am sincere ; I do not donbt but you Itave cast an
eye of preference upon some one or other ; I leave
you to choose between Sergius Soltikoff and Ijeon
Narichkiue — if I do not mistake, it is the latter."
Here I exclaimed, "No, no! not at all." "Well,
then," she said, " if it be not Narichkine, it is Solti-
koff," To that I made no reply, and she weut on
saying, "You shall see that it will not be I who
will throw difficulties in your way." I played the
simpleton to such a degree, that she scolded me for
it several times, both in town and in the country,
whither we went after Easter.

It was at that time, or thereabout, that the
Empress gave to the Grand Duke the lands of Libe-
ritza, and several others, at a distance of fourteen or
fifteen verstes from Moscow. But before we went to
reside on these new possessions of his Imperial
Highness, the Empress celebrated the anniversary
of her coronation at Moscow. This was the 25th
of April. It was announced to us that she had
ordered the ceremony to be observed exactly as it hadi
been on the very day of her coronation. We were cu-
rious to know liow this would be. The evening before,
she went to sleep at the Kremlin. We stayed at tjie
Slohoda, in tlie wooden palace, and received orders to
go to mass at the cathedral. At nine o'clock in the
■e started from the wooden palace in

EllFKESS C:

181

the state carriage, our aeiTanta ■walking on foot.
"VVe traversed the whole of Moscow, step by step —
the distance through the city being as much as seven
verstes — and we aliglited at tlie cathedral. A few
moments after, the Empress arrived with her re-
tinue, weari.ng the small crown on her head, and
the- imperial mantle, borne as usual by her chamber-
lains. She went to her ordinary seat in the church,
and in all this there was, as yet, nothing unusual —
nothing that was not practised at all the other fetes
of her reign. The church was damp and cold to a
degree that I had never before felt. I was quite
bine, and frozen in my court-dress and with bare
neck. The Empress sent me word to put on a sable
tippet, but I had not one with me. She ordered her
own to be brought, took one, and put it on her
neck. I saw another in the bos, and thought she was
going to send it to me, but I was mistaken — she
sent it back. This I thought a pretty evident sign
of displeasure. Madame Tchoglokoff, who saw that
I ivas shivering, procured me, from some one, a silk
kerchief, which I put round my neck. When mass
and the sermon were over, tlie Empress left the
cliurch, and we were preparing to follow her, when
she sent ua word that we might return home. It
was then we learned that she was going to dine
alone on the throne, and that in this respect the
ceremonial would be observed just as it was on the
day of her coronation, when she had dined alone.
Excluded from this dinner, we returned, as we had

MKHOIBS CF THK

come, in great &Utte, oar people od foot, making a
joiinu^ of foarteen rerstes, goiug and retoming,
tiifcn^ii the city of Mo«o«r, and we bcautnbed
with cold and dying of hiinger. If the ^npresi
Ecemed to ob in a very bad temper dunug maas,
tbia disagreeable bt-idence of want of attention,
to Bay no more, did not leave us in the best of
bamonra either. At the other great fesiivalâ,
when she dined on the throue, we had lite
honour of dining with lier ; this time she re-
pelled US publicly. Returning ulone in the carriage
with the Grand Duke, I told him nhat 1 thought
of this, and he said that he nouU complain of
it. On reaching home, half di'ad ivith cold and
fatigue, I complained to Madame Tchoglokoff of
having caught cold. The next day there was a ball
at the wooden palace ; I said I vas ill, and did not
go. The Grand Duke really did make some com-
plaint or other to the Schonvaloffs on the subject,
and they sent him some answer, which appeared
satisfactoiy to him, and nothing more was said about
the matter.

About this time we learned that Zachar Czemi-
cliett' and Colonel Nicholas Leonticff had had a
quarrel, while at play, in. the house of Roman Vo-
ronzoffj that they had fought (ritii swords, and
that Zacliar Czemieheff had received a severe wound
in the heiid. It was so serious that he could not be
removed from Count A''oronzofl''s liouse to his own.
Tie remained there, was very ill, and there was

I^UFKESS CATHERINE II.

183

some talk of trepanning him. I was very sorry for
him, for I liked liim very much. Leontieff was
arrested by order of the Empress. This combat aet
the whole city in a. ferment, on aecount of the ex-
tensive connections of both the champions. Leon-
tieff was the son-in-law of the Countess Roumian-
zoff, a very near relative of the Pauines and Koura-
kincs. The other, also, had relatives, friends, and
protectors. The occurrence had taken place at the
house of Coimt lloman ^''oronzoff; the wounded
man was still there. At last, when the danger was
over, the affair was hushed up, and matters went no
farther.

In the course of the mouth of May, I again had
indications of pregnancy. We went to Liberitza, au
estate of the Grand Duke, twelve or fourteen verstea
from JIoscow. The stone honso which was on it,
had been built a long time ago by Prince Menchi-
kotf, and was now falling to decay, so that we could
not live in it. ■'As a substitute, tents were set up in
tliG court, and every morning, at two or three
o'clock, my sleep was broken by the sound of the
axe, and the noises made in building a wooden wing,
which was being hurriedly erected, within two paces,
80 to speak, of our tents, in order that we might
have a place to live in during the remainder of the
summer. The rest of our time we spent in hunting,
wtdking, or riding. I no longer went on horseback,
but in a cabriolet. About the Feast of St. Peter
we returned to Moscoiv, I was seized with audi

18 1

3IUS OF THE

dronsiiieas that I sleptevery day till noon, and then
it was only with difficulty that I was awakened in
time for dinner, The Feast of St. Peter was kept
in tlie usual -way : I was present at mass, at the
dinner, tlje ball, and the supper. Next morning I
felt great pains in my loins. Madame Tchoglokoff
summoned a midwife, who predicted the miscarriage,
which actually occurred the following night. I
might have been with child two or three mouths.
Por thii-teeu days I was in great danger, as it was
suspected that a portion of the after-birth had re-
mained behind. This circumstance was. kept a secret
from me. At last, on the thirteenth day, it came
away of itself — without paiu, or even a struggle.
In consequence of this accident I had to keep my
room for sis weeks, during which the heat was in-
supportable. The Empress came to see me tlie day I
fell ill, and appeared to be affected by my state. During
the six weeks that I kept my room I was nearly tired
to death. The only society I had was Madame Tcho-
glokoff, who came but rarely, and a little Kalmuck girl,,
whom I liked for her pretty, agreeable ways. I fre-
quently cried from ennui. As for the Grand Duliej.
he was mostly in his own room, where one of his
valets, a Ukrainian, named Karnovitch, a fool as
well as a drunkard, did his best to amuae him ;
furnishing him with toys, with wine, and such
other strong liquors as he could procure, without the
knowledge of M. Tchoglokoff, who, in fact, was de-
ceived and made a fool of bv every one. But in

EMPRESS CATHERINE II,

185

^^^ cardbo;

these nocturnal and secret orgies witli the servants
of the chamber, among whom were several young
Kalmucksj the Grrand Duke often found himself ill-
obeyed and ill-served ; for, being drunk, they knew
not what they did, and forgot that they were ivith
their master, and that that master was the Grand
Duke. Then his Imperial Highness would have
recourse to blows with his stick, or the blade of his
sword; but in spite of all this, he was ill-obeyed;
and more than once he had recourse to me, com-
plaining of his people, and begging me to make
them listen to reason. On these occasions I used
to go to his rooms, give them a good scolding, and
remind them of their duties, when they would in-
stantly resume their proper places. This made the
Grand Duke often say to me, and also to Bressan,
that he could not conceive how I managed those
people ; for, as for himself, though he belaboured
them soundly, yet he could not make them obedient,
Trliile I, with a single word, could get them to do
i-whatever 1 wished. One day when I went for this
irpose into the iq>artments of his Imperial Highness,
heheld a great rat, which he had had hung — with
the paraphernalia of an execution — in the middle
a cabinet, formed by means of a partition. I
fekcd him what all this meant. He told me that
this rat had committed a crime ; one which, accord-
ing to the laws of war, was deserving of capital punish-
ment: it had climbed over the ramparts of a fortress of
cardboard wlrich he had on the table in this cabinet,

186

and had eaten two sentinels, made of pith, wlio wer
on djty at the hastiona. He had had the criminal
tried by martial law, his setter having caught him,
and he was immediately hung, as I saw, and was to
remain there espoaed to the publie gaue for three
days, as an example. I conld not help bursting into
a lend laugh at the extreme folly of the thing ; but
this greatly displeased him. Seeing the importance
he attached to the matter, I retired, excusing myself
on account of my ignorance, as a woman, of military
law ; but this did not prevent his being very much
out of humour with me on account of my laughter. In
justification of the rat, however, it may at least be
said, that he was hung without having been ques-
tioned or heard in his own defence.

During this stay of the court at Moscow, it hap-
pened that one of the court footmen became insane,
and violently so. The Empress gave ordenr that her
chief physician, Boerhave, should take charge of him.
He was placed in a chamber ciose to that of Boer-
have, who resided at court. ^ Besides this case, it also
happened that several other persons went out of
their mind this year. In proportion as these cases
came under the notice of the Empress, she had the
persons brought to court and lodged near Bocrhave,
so that they formed a sort of mad-houseat court. I
remember that the principal persons among them
was Tchedajeft^ a major of the Seraenofeky guards ;
a Lieutenant-Colonel Lintrum ; a major Tehoglo-
koff; a monk of the convent of Voskreaensky, who

CATHKKINE II.

187

I emaBculated himself wth a razor, and several
I others. The madness of Tehedajeff consisted in his
Relieving Nadir- S chah, otherwise Thamas-Kuli-
Khan, the usurper and tyrant of Persia, to be God,
When the physicians could not succeed in curing
I him of hia delusion, they placed him iu the hanik

I of the priests. These persuaded the Empress to

I have him exorcised. She herself assisted at the

ceremony ; but Tehedajeff remained, to all appear-
ance, as mad as before. There were, however, people
ivbo had doubts of hia lunacy, as he was quite rea-

Isonahle on every other pointj but that of Nadir-
Schah ; bis friends even consulted him about their
affairs, and he gave them very sensible advice. Those
■who did not believe him mad, gave as a reason for
'.his affectation of madness bis having had some trouble
,on his hands, û'om which he extricated himself by
■^bia ruse. At the beginning of the Empress' reign
he had been supervisoi' of taxes, had been accused
of extortion, and waa threatened with a trial, in
dread of which he took up this fancy, which ex-
tricated liiiQ from the difficulty.
In the middle of August, 1753, we returned to
the country- To keep the 5th of September, the
Peast of the Empress, she went to the convent of
Yoskrcsensky. Whilst tbei-e, tho church was struck
with lightning; fortunately her Imperial Majesty
was in a chapel at the aide of the great church, and
■ only learnt the fact through the terror of the cour-

^^1 tiers ; however, there was no one either liurt or killed

188

MEMOIES OF THE

by the nccident, A little while afterwards she re-
turned to Moscow, whither we also repaired from
Liberitza. Upon our return to the city, we saw the
Princess of Courland kiss the Empress' hand in pub-
lic for the permission which had been given her to
marry Prince George Hovansky. She had quarrelled
with the object of her fii-sfc engagemcntj Peter Solti-
Ivoff, who, immediately afterwards married a Princess
Sonzoff. On the 1st of November of this year, at
three o'clock in the afternoon, I was in iladame
Tchoglokoff's room, when her husband. Serge Solti-
koff, Leon Narichkine, and several other gentlemen
of the court left us to go to the apartments of the
Chamberlain Schouvaloff, to congratulate him on
his birth-day, which fell on that day. Madame
Tchoglokoff, the Princess Gagarine, and I were
talking together, when, after hearing some noise
in a little chapel close by, a couple of these
gcntlemeu ran in, telling us that they had been
prevented from passing through the halls of the
chateau, as it was on fire. I immediately went
to ray room, and, as I passed through an ante-
chamber, I saw that the balustrade at the comer of
the great hall was on fire. It was about twenty
paces from our wing, On entering my apartments,
I found them already filled with soldiers and
servants, who were removing the furniture, and
carrying oft' everything they could. Madame Tcho-
glokoff followed me, and as there was nothing
more to be done but wait till it caught fire, we

EMFRES9 CATUERIN£ II.

left. At the gate we found the carriage of the
chapel-master, Araga, wlio had come to attend a eon-
cert given by the Grand Duke, whom I had already
informed of the accident. We entered the carriage :
the streets were covered with mud, in consequence
of the previous heavy rains. Here we had a view of
the fire and of the way in which the people were
can-yiug out the fiimiture from every part of the
house. I here saw a strange sight, viz ; the as-
tonishing number of rata and mice which were
descending the staircase in file without over-much
hurrying themselves. The want of engines rendered
it impossible to save this immense wooden structure,
and, besides, the few that were there were kept
under the very staircase which was on fire ; this,
too, occupied very nearly the centre of the sur-
rounding buildings, which covered a space of some
two or three verstes in circumference. The heat
became so great that we could not bear it, so that
we were obliged to have the carriage driven some
few hundred paces outwards. At last M. Tchoglokoff
and the Grand Duke came and told us that the
Empress was going to Pokrovsky House, and had
given orders that we should go to M. Tchoglokoff' 8,
which formed the right hand corner of the main
street of the Sloboda. We at once repaired thither.
The house had a hall in the centre and four cham-
bers on each side. It was hardly possible to be
more imcomfortable than we were here; the wind
blew in every direction, the windows and doors were

190

all half ratten, and the planks of the floor open to the
breadth of three or four inches ; besides thiâ, there
was vermin everyivhere. Here resided the children
and servants of M. Tchoglokoff. As ive entered
they were scut out, and we were lodged in this
horrible house, which was almost bare of fiu^ture.

On the day after we took up our abode here,
I saw what a Kalmuck's nose could hold. The
little girl whom I kept near me, on my waking,
pointed to her nose, and eaîd, " I have a nut here."
I felt her nose, but could not find anything. , All
the morning, however, she kept repeating, over and
over again, that she had a nut in her nose. She
was a child of from four to five years old. No one
could tell what she meant by a nut in her nose.
But about noon, as she was running along, she fell
down, and struck against the table. This made
her cry ; while crying, she took out her pocket-
handkerchief and wiped her nose, and in doing
so the nut fell from it. I saw this myself, and could
then understand how a nut, which could not be held
in any European nose without being perceived,
.might be held in the hollow of a Kalmuck nose,
which is placed within the head between two im-
mense cheeks.

Our clothes, and everything else,, .had been, left
in the mud in front of the burning palace, and were
brought to us during the night and following day.
"Wtat I most regretted was my books. I was at
this time just finishing tlie fourth volume of Bayle's

EMPRESS CATHERINE 1

191

fc JHctionary : I had spent two years in reading it,
^-uid got through a volume every sis months. From
this one may judge of the solitude in which my life
was passed. At !ast my books were brought to me.
My clothes were found, those of the Countess

»Schouvaloffj etc. Madame A'ladislava showed me,
as a euriosity, this lady's ' petticoats. They were
lined behind with leather, as she was unable to retain
■her water — an infirmity which had afilicted her
ever since her first accouchement. All her petticoats
■were impregnated with the smell, and I sent them
back in all haste to the owner, i^ In. this fire the
' Empress lost all that had been brought to Moscow

of her immense wardrobe. She did me the honour
of telling me that she had lost 4,000 dresses, and
that of all these the only one she regretted was the
' one made from the piece of stuff which I had re-

ceived from my mother. She also lost, on this oc-
casion, several other valuables ; amongst them a
bowl covered with engraved stones, which Coimt
^_ li^umianzoff had purchased at Constantinople, and
^^B for which he had paid 8,000 ducats. All those
^^H effects had been placed in a wardrobe over the
^^ haU which had caught fire. Tliis hall served as a
vestibule to the grand hall of the palace. At ten
o'clock inithe morning, the men whose duty it was
to light the stoves had come to heat this entrance-
hall. After putting the wood into the stove, they
I lighted it as usual. This done, the room became

^H filled with smoke ; they thought that it escaped by

193 MEMOIRS or THE

some imperceptible holes in the stove, and set to
work to cover with clay the interstices of the tiles.
The smoke increasing, they trieJto find some chinks
in the stove, but not finding any, they perceived
that the outlet must be between the partitions of
the apartment. These partitions were only of wood.
They got water, and put out the fire in the stove,
but the smoke still increased, and made its way into
the ante-chamber, where there was a sentinel of
the horse-guards. The latter, expecting to be suffo-
cated, and not daring to move from his post, broke
a pane of ghiss, and began to cry out; but no one
coming to bis assistance, nor hearing him, he fired
his musket through the window. The report was
heard by the main guard, which was posted
opposite the palace. They ran to him, and ou
coming in, found the place filled with a dense
smoke, out of which they withdrew the sentinel.
The stove heaters were put under arrest. They had
hoped to extinguish tlie fire, or at least prevent the
smoke from increasing, without being obliged to give
any alarm ; and they bad been hard at work with
this view for five hours.

This fire gave rise to a discovery on the part
of M. Tchoglokoff. The Grand Duke had in his
apartments several very large chests of drawei-s.
As they were being carried out, some of the
drawers, being eitber open or badly fastened, dis-
closed to the spectators what they were filled with,
"Who would have thought it? The drawers con-

193

tained nothing but a great quantity of bottles of
wine and sti-ong liquors. Tliey served liis Imperial
Iligliness for a cellar. Tcboglokoff spoke to me
on the matter, and I told him I was quite ignorant of
the circumstance, which was the truth; I knew
nothing of it, but I was a frequent, indeed, almost
a daily witness of the Grand Duke's drunkenness.

After the fire we remained in Tchoglokoff's house
for nearly six weeks. While residing here, we often
had to pass iu front of a house, situated in a garden
near the Soltikoff Bridge. It belonged to the Em-
press, and was called the Bishop's House, because
she had bought it of a bishop. The idea occurred
to us of asking her Majesty, unknown to the
Tchoglokoffs, to allow us to occupy itj for it ap-
peared to us, and we were also told that it was,
more habitable than the one we were in. We
received orders to go and take up our abode in the
Bishop's House. It was a very old wooden house,
from wliich there was no view, but it was built
on stone vaults, and by this means was higher
than the one we had just quitted, which had only
a ground floor. The stoves were so old, that when
lighted, one could see the fire through the furnace,
so numerous were the chinks and cracks, while the
rooms were filled with amoke. We all had head-
aches and sore eyes. In fact, we ran the risk of being
burnt alive in this house. There was only one wooden
staircase, and the windows were very high. The place
actually did catch fire two or three times while we

ist

JCEMOlllS or THE

were there, but y/a succeeded in extin^ishing the
flames. I causrlit there a bad sore .throat, with a
great deal of fever. The day I fell iU, M. de Breit-
hardt, who had returned to Russia on the part of
the Austrian court, was to sup with us, previously
to taking leave. He found me with red and sw^Jlen
eyes, and thought I had been crying : nor was
he mistaken ; ennni, indisposition, and the physical
and moral diseomforts of my position had given
me much liypochoiidria. During the whole day,
which I passed with Madnme Tchoglokoff, waiting
for those who never eame, she kept saying every
moment, " See how they desert us." Her hnsband
had dined out, and taken everybody with him.
In spite of all the promises which Serge Soltikoff
had made us to steal away from this dinner party,
he only returned with M. Tchoglokoff. All this
put me in a very bad humour. At last^ some days
afterwards, we were allowed to go to LiberitÈa.
Here we thought ourselves in paradise; the house
was quite new, and tolerably well fitted up. Tfe
danced every evenings and all our court was col-
lected there. At one of these balls we saw the
Grand Duke occupied a long while in whispering to
M. Tchoglokoff, who, subsequently, appeared vexed',
absent, and more close and scowling than usual.
Serge Soltikoff seeitig this, and finding that Tcho-
glokoff treated him with great coolness, went
and sat down by the side of Mademoiselle Martha
Schafiroff, and tried to discover what could be the

ilMPltlïSS CATilEEINE 1

11^5

meaniag of this unusual intimacy between the Grand
Duke and M. Tchoglokoff. She told him that
she did not know, bnt that the Grand Dnlie had
on several occasions said to lier, " Serge Soltikoff
and my wife deceive Tchoglokoff in t!ie most
unheard-of way. He is in love with the Grand
.Duchess ; bnt she cannot endnrc him : Soltikoff
the confident of Tchoglokoff, and makes him
believe that he is working for him with my wife,
"while instead of that he ia working for himself
■with her. She can very well endure Soltikoff,
for he is amusing: she makes use of him to
manage Tchoglokoff just as she pleases, and, in
reality, she langhs at them both. I must uudeceive
that poor devil Tchoglokoff, who escites my pity :
I must teU him the truth, and then he will see
■who is his true friend — my wife or I." As soon
BB Soltikoff became aware of this dangerous dia-
logue, and of his delicate position iu consequence,
he repeated it to me, and then went and seated
himself by the aide of Tchoglokoff, and asked hira
Tvhat was the matter with him. The latter at first
■was immlling to enter into any explanation, and
merely sighed; then he hegan uttering jeremiads
lOn the difiiculty of finding faithful friends. At last
■Soltikoff turned and twisted him in so many dif-
iferent directions, that he di-ew from him an avowal
;of the conversation which he bad just had with the
Grand Duke. No one certainly coiûA have formed
any idea of what had passed between them, with-

196 MEMOIRS OP THE

out being told of it. Tlie Grand Duke began by
rnaliing great protestationB of friendship to Tclio-
glokoff, saying tliat it was only in the moat important
circumstances of life that it was possible to dis-
tinguish true friends from false j that to shoiv the sin-
cerity of his own friendship, he was going to give
him a very emphatic proof of his frankness; that
he knew, beyond doubt, that he was in love with me ;
that he did not impute it to him as a crime that I
should appear agreeable to him, for that no one was
master of his own lieart ; but that, ncvei'theless, be
ought to apprise him that he made a bad choice of
confidants, and in his simplicity believed Serge Sol-
tikoff to be his friend, and working in his interest
with me, whereas he was only working for himself,
and he suspected he was his rival ; tliat, as for me, I
laughed at them both, but if JM. Tchoglokoff would
foHow his advice and trust in Him, then he would
see that he was his only and true friend. M. Tcho-
glokoff gave the Grand Duke many thanks for his
friendship, and his prefers of friendship; but in reality
he considered all the rest as mere chimeras and
delusions on his part.

It may easily be believed that, in any case, he did
not much wish for a confidant who, both by his
rank and character, was as little to be trusted as
he was able to be uscfal. This matter being once
stated, Soltikoff had hut little trouble in restorïàg^
tranquillity to Tchoglokoff's mind, for he was not
in the habit of attaching much importance nor

EMPRESS CATHERINE II.

197

I paying iniiclt attention to the discourses of a person
80 devoid of judgmentj and so gcuerally known to be
80, "When I learnt all this, I must confess I was
extremely indignant Tpith the Grand Duke, and,
to prevent liis retui-ning to the subject, I told him
that I was not ignorant of ivhat had passed between
tim and Tchoglokoff, He blushed, said nothing,
went off, sulked, and so the matter ended.

On returning to Moscow, we left the Bishop's
House for apartments in what was called the Em-
press' Summer tlousc, which had not been burnt.
The Empress had had new apartments constructed
in the space of sis weeks. For this purpose beams
had been transported from Perova House, from
Count Hendrikoff's, and from the dwelling of the
Princes of Georgia. At last she took possession of
these rooms about the beginning of the new year.

1754.

' The Empress kept the new-year's day of 1754 in
this palace, and the Grand Duke and I had the
bonour of dining with her in public on the throne.
At table, her Majesty seemed very lively and talka-
tive. Around the throne, tables were laid for several
hundred persons of the highest rank. At dinner
the Empress asked who was that thin and ugly wo-
man, with a crane's neck, whom she saw seated
there (pointing to the place) ; she was told it was

198

ueuoias or the

Mademoiselle Martha Schaâroff. She burst into
& laugh, and, taming to me, remarked that this
reminded her of a Knssian proverb, which said,
" nieeKa mvaei, na BDciiany rojua'' ("A long
neck is only good for hanging"). I could not
but smiic at the point of this imperial sarcasm,
which did not fall unheeded, for the courtiers passed
it on from mouth to mouth, so that on rising from
table, I found several persona who already knew
of it. "Whether the Grand Duke heard it, I know
not, but at all events he did not allude to it, and
I took care not to mention it to him.

Never was a year more fertile in fires than that
of 1753-51. I have several times seen, from the
windows of my apartments in the Summer Palace,
two, three, four, and even five fires at once in
different parts of Moscow. During the Carnival,
the Empress gave orders for several balls and masque-
rades to he given in her apartments, at one of which
I saw her engaged in a long conversation ivith the
wife of General Matiouchkine. This lady was un-
willing that her son should marry the Princess
Gagarine. But the Empress persuaded her, aud the
Friucess Gagarine, who numbered a good thirty
yews, had permission to marry M. Dmitri Mati-
ouchkioe. She was much pleased at this, and so was
I. It was a marriage of incliuation. Matiouchkine
was at this time very handsome. JIadame Tehoglokoff
did not come with us to our summer apartments.
Under different pretexts she remained, with her

children, in her own house, which was very near the
court. But the truth is, that virtuous and loiing
wife as she was, she had conceived a passion for Prince
Peter Repnine, and a marked aversion for her hushand.
She thought she could not he happy without a con-
fidante, and I appeared to her the most trustworthy
person. She showed me all the letters she received
finm her lovei'. I kept her secret faithfidly, with
scrupulous exactitude and prudence. Her interviewa
with the Prince were very secret; yet in spite of
this tlie husband had some suspicions. An officer
of the horse-guards, named Kaminine, had given rise
to them. This man was jealousy and suspicion per-
sonified : it was his nature. He was an old friend of
Tchoglokoif. The latter opened his mind to Serge
Soltikoff, who endeavoured to trauqidlUzc him. I
was careful not to tell Soltikoff anything I knew, for
fear of some involuntary indiscretion on his part. At
last the husband also sounded me a little. I pretended
ignorance and astonishment, and held my tongue.

In the month of February I had some signs of
pregnancy. On Easter Sunday, during mass, Tcho-
glokoif fell ill of the dry chohc ; they gave him various ,
remedies, hut Iiis disease only grew worse. During
Easter week, the Grand Duke, with the gentlemen of
our coiirt, went out riding. Serge Soltikolf was of the
number. I remained at home, for they were afraid to
let me go out in my present condition, especially
as I had twice miscarried. I was alone in my rooai
when il. Tchoglokoft' sent me a request to come to

200

MEMOIRS OF THE

limi. I went, and found him in bed. He made
a thousand complaints of his wife; told me the
saw Prince Repnine ; that he went to lier house on
foot ; that, during the Carnival, he had gone there,
one court-ball day, dressed as a harlequin ; that Ka-
minine had bad him followed; in ehort, God only
knows all the details he gave me.

Just ae he was most excited, his wife arrived;
whereupon he beg^an, in my presence, to load her
with reproaches, telling her that she deserted him
in his sickness. They were both .very suspicious
and narrow-minded. I was nearly frightened to
death lest his wife should suspect that it was I wbo
had betrayed her^ from the mass of details which
he then went into relative to her interviews. His
wife, on the other hand, told him that it was
not strange if she punished him for bis conduct
towards her; that neither he, nor any one else,
could reproach her with having ever tmtil now failed
in her duty towards him in any respect ; and she
ended with saying that it ill became him to com-
plain. Both appealed continually to me as a witness
of what they said. I beld my tongue, feariug to
o&end either the one or the other, or compromise
myBelf : my face was burning from apprehension. I
was alone with them. "When the quarrel was at its
highest, Madame Vladislava came in to tell me that
the Empress had just entered my room, I ran
back immediately. Madame Tchoglokoff left at
the same time, hat, instead of following rae, she

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 201

VBtopped in a corridoFj where there whs a staircase
leading into the garden, and there, as I was after-
wards told, she sat down. As for myself, I reached
my room quite out of breath, and found the Em-
press there. As she saw that I was out of breath
and rather red, she asked where I had heen. I
told her that I was just come from the apai-tments
of M. Tchoglokoff, who was ill, and that 1 had run
in order to get hack as quickly as possible, having

. been informed that she had condescended to come to
ray rooms. She did not ask me any more questions,
hut seemed to me to be dwelling upon what I had
said, as if it appeared strange to her, Ne\'ertheless,
she continued speaking to me. She did not ask
where the Grand Duke was, for she knew he had
gone out. -^ Neither he nor I, diu-ing the whole of
her reign, dared to go out into the eity or leave
the house, without first sending to ask her per-
mission. Madame Vladislava was in the room :
the Empress addressed her several times, then
spoke to me, and always of indifferent matters:
finally, after a visit of nearly half an hour, she
went away, saying that, in consequence of my preg-
nancy, she would dispense with my appearing on
the 21st and 25th of April. I was surprised that
Madame Tchoglokoff had not followed. When the
Empress was gone, I asked Madame Vladislava
■what had become of her. She informed me that
she had sat down on the stairs, and hurst into
tears. Upon the return of the Grand Duke, I

202

MBMOIKS OF 1

recounted to Serge Soltiltoff what had occurred
dunng their absence: how Tchoglokoff had sent
for me ; ray alarm at what had been said between
the husband and wife, and the visit which the Em-
press had paid me. His answer was ; " If that be
the caee, I am of opinion that the Empress must have
come to see what you do in the absence of your hus-
band ; andj in order that it may be seen that you ai-e
perfectly alone, both iu your own apartments and in
those of the Tchoglokotfs, I will be off, and take
all my comrades to the house of Ivan Schouvalolï,
just as we are, bespattered with mud up to our
eyes." .iVnd, in fact, wheu the Grand Duke re-
tired, he went off with all those who had been
riding with his Imperial Highness to Ivan Schonva-
loff, who had apartments at the court. "When they
arrived there, Schouvaloff asked them questions
about their ride, and Soltikoff told me afterwards
that, from these questions, it seemed to him that he
had been correct in his inference.

From this day the illness of Tchoglokoff grew
worse and worse. On the 21st of April — my hii'th-
day — the physicians pronounced him beyond hope of
recovery. The Empress was infonned of this, and
gave orders (as she was accustomed to do) that he
should be carried to Iiia own house, in order that
he might not die at court, for she was afraid of
the dead. I was very much grieved on learning
his condition. He died at the very time when,
after many years of trouble and pain, we had auc-

rHBRINE 11. 203

' ceeded in rendering liim not only less ill-natured and
mischievous, but eyen tractable, and when, by dint
of studying bis character, we had acquired the
power of managing him as we pleased. As for
his wife, she at this time loved me sincerely, and,
from a harah and spiteful Argus, had become a
firm and attached friend. Tchoglokoflj after his re-
moval to his own house, lived until the afternoon of
the 25th of AprH, the day of the Empress' corona-
tion, when he died, I was immediately informed
of the event, aa I kept constantly sending to his
house. I waa truly sorry for him, and wept a good
deal. His wife, too, was confined to her bed during
the last days of her husband's illness; he was at one
side of the house, she in the other. Serge Solti-
koff and Leon Nai'ichkine Jiajipened to be in her
room at the moment of her husband's death; the
windows being open, a bird flew into the room,
and alighted on the cornice of the ceiling, right
opposite to Madame Tchoglokoff's bed. Upon seeing
this, she said, "I am certain that my husband
has just breathed his last; send and ask how he
ifl." She was informed that he wa.s really dead.
She said that that bird was the soul of her husband.
They tried to prove to her that the bh'd was an ordi-
nary bird; but then it could not be found. They
said it had flown away, but aa no one had seen it, she
remained convinced that it was the soul of her hus-
band who had coine to find her,

Aa soon as the funeral was over, Madame

204

MEMOIRS OF 1

Tchoglokoff wished to come to my rooms. The
Empress seeing her passing along tlie Taousa
bridge, seut her word that she would dispense
with her attendance on me, and that she might
return to her own house, Her Imperial Majesty
took it ill that, as a widow, she should have
gone out so soon. The same day she namotl
M. Alexander Ivanovitch Schouvaloff to discharge
the duties of the late M. Tchoglokoff in the Grand
Duke's court. Now tliia M. Schouvaloff, not so
much on his own account as from the place he held,
was the terror of the court, the city, and the whole
empire. He was the chief of the tribunal of the state
inquisition, which was then called the Secret Chan-
cery, His functions, it was said, had given him
a sort of convulsive movement, which seized the
whole of the right side of his face from the eye to
the jaw, whenever he was affected either with joy,
anger, fear, or anxiety. It was astonishing that
such a man, with so hideous a grimace, should
ever have been chosen for a post which placed him
continually in the presence of a pregnant young
woman. Had I been delivered of an infant having
that same wretched twitch, I think the Empress
would have been greatly vexed, and this might have
happened, seeing him as I did constantly, never with
my own wish, and, for the greater part of the time,
with a shudder of involuntary repugnance, on ac-
count of his personal appearance, his connections,
and his office, by which, as may easily be imagined.

EUFHESS CATBEKIN'E I

205

liie pleasure of his society was not likely to be
augmented. But this was only a beginning of the
" good times " they were preparing for us, and espe-
cially for me. The next morning I was informed that
the Empress was going to place with me again the
Countess Roumianzoff. I knew that she was the
siforn enemy of Serge Soltikoff, that she bore no
love to the Princess Gagarine, and that she had
greatly injured my mother in the estimation of the
Empress. The moment I became aware of this
arrangement, I lost all patience. I wept bitterly,
and told Count Schouvaloff that if the Countess
Roumianzoff was placed with me I should look upon it
as a, great misfortune; that this lady had already in-
jiured my mother, had blackened her in the eyes of the
Empress, and that now she would do the same with
me; that she was feared as a peat when she was for-
merly in our suite, and that there would be many
rendered miserable by the arrangement if he eould
not find means to prevent it. He promised to do what
he could, and tried to tranqnilbze me. As, in my
situation, he dreaded the effect of such excitement,
he went at once to the Empress, and on his return
told me that he hoped the Countess Eoumianzoff
would not be placed about my person. And, in fact,
I heard no more of the matter, and nothing was
now thought of but our departure for St. Petersburg.
It was settled that we should be twenty-nine days on
the road; that is to say, tliat we should only travel
one post-station each day. I was frightened to death

206 MEMOIRS OF THE

lest Serge Soltikoff and Leon Nariclikine should be
left behind at Moscow; bat I knon- not how it was,
they had the condescension to inscribe theii- names
in the list of our suite.

At last, on the 10th or the 11th, we set out from
the palace of Moscow. I was in a carriage with
the wife of Count Alexander SchouvaloÉF, the most
tiresome woman that it is possible to imagine.
Madame Vladislava, and the midwife, whom, as I
was pregnant, they said I could not do without, were
with us. I was tired to death in* that carriage, and
did nothing but cry. At last, the Princess Gagarine,
who personally disliked the Countess Schouvaloff,
because her daughter, who was married to Golofkine,
a cousin of the Princess, made herself disagreeable
to the rdativcs of her husband, seized a moment
when she could get near me to say that she was
working hard to make Matlame Vladislava favourable
to me, as she feared, as did every one else, that the
hypochondria which my condition produced might
do me harm, as well as injure my chUd. Soltikoff,
she said, dared not come near me, because of the
restraint and constant presence of the Schonva-
loffs, both husband and wife. She did, in fact, suc-
ceed in getting Madame \nadislava to listen to
reason, and condescend bo far as to mitigate a little
the state of perpetual anuoyance and restraiut which
gave rise to this hypochondria which I found it im-
possible to control. All I wanted was the merest
trifle — only a few moments of conversation. At last

EMPRESS CATBERISE II. 207

succeeded. After this tedious journey of twenty-
ine days, we reached St. Petersburg and the Summer
-ïalace. The Grand Duke at once re-established ■
his concerts. This gave mc sometimes the oppor-
tunity of ■ a little conversation ; but my hypo-
chondria had become such that at every ipoment,
■and at every word, my eyes filled with tears, aud my
imind was disturbed with apprehensions ; in a word,
I could not get it out of my head that everything
tended to the removal of Serge SoltikoÉf.

We went to Peterhoff. I walked a great dealj
but in spite of this my melancholy followed me.
In the mouth of August we returned to tJie city, to
occupy again the Summer Palace. It was a death
blow to me when I learned tliat, for my aeeonche-
laent, they were preparing apartments close to, and
forming part of those belonging to the Empress.
■Alexander Schouvaloff took me to see them; I found
two rooms, gloomy, and with only one issue, like all
4hose of the Summer Palace ; the hangings were of
"Ugly crimson damask, there was scarcely any fur-
niture, and uo kind of convenience. I saw that I
should be isolated there, without any sort of com-
pany, and thoroughly wretched. I said so to Solti-
'koS and to the Princess Gagarine, who, though they
bore no love to each otlier, had nevertheless a point
of union in their fiiendship for me. They saw the
matter as I did, but it was impossible to remedy it.
I was to go on the Wednesday to these apartments,
■whicli wci'Q far renlored from those of the Grand

208

MEMOIRS OF THE

Dutc. I went to bed on Tuesday evening, and m.
the night awoke with laboai'- pains. I called Madame.'
Vladislava, who went to fetch the midwife. She pro-
nounced that I was in labour. The Grand Duke,
who was sleeping in liis own room, was awakened
as also Count Alexander Schouvaloff. The latter
sent word to the Empress, who was not long
coming. It was about two o'clock in the morning,
was very HI, At last, towards noon the nest day, the
20th September, I gave birth to a son. As soon as
it was dressed, the Empress called in her confessor,
■ who gave the child the name of Paul, after which the
Empress immediately bade tlic midwife take the child
up and follow her. I remained on the bed on which I
had been confined. Now this bed was placed opposite
a door through which I could see the light; beliind
me were two large windows which did not close
properly, and on the right and left of this bed were
two doors, one of which opened into my dressing-
room, and the other into the room in which Madame
Vladislava slept. As soon as the Empress lefï, the
Grand Duke also went away, as likewise did M. and ,
Madame Schouvaloff, and I saw no one again until
three o'clock in the afternoon. I had perspired a
great deal, and begged Madame Madislava to change
my linen, and put me into my own bed, but she
told me that she dared not. She sent several times to
call the midivifc, who, however, did not come. I asked
for something to drink, but still received the same
answer. At last, after three hoiu's, the Countess

CATHERINE II.

SclioavaJoff arrived) very elaborately dressed. When
slie saw me lying just where she had left me, she
was angry, and said it was enough to kill me,
This iFaa very consolatory, certainly. I had been
in tears from the time of my delivery) pained by
the neglect in which I was left, after a severe
labour ; uncomfortably accommodated, lying be-
tween doors and windows, which did not shut
dose, no one daring to lift me into my bed, which
was not two paces ofl', and to which I had not the
strength to crawl. Madame Schouvaloff departed
immediately, and went, I tliiiik, to fetch the raid-
wife ; for the latter came in about half an bom- after-
wards, and told us that the Empress was bo taken up
with the child that she would not let her go away
for a moment. As for me, no one gave me a
thought. This forgetfulness or neglect was not
at all flattering. I was dying of thirst. At last
they placed me on my bed, and I did not see a living
soul for the rest of the day, nor did any one send
even to ask after me. The Grand Duke, for Lis
part, did nothing but drink with all he could find,
and the Empress was taken up with the child. •' In the
city and throughout the empire the joy at this event
wag great. The next day I began to feel an escruciat-
ing rheumatic pain, from the hip down the thigh and
left leg. This pain prevented mo from sleeping,
and this brought on a violent fever. In spite of
all this the attentions I received nest day were just of
the same character. I saw no one, and no one in-

310 MBMOmS OF TUE

quired after mo. Tlie Grand Duke, indeed, did cosaa
into my room for a moment, and tlien werit away,
saying, that lie had not time to stop. I did notliing
but weep and moan in my bed. Nobody was in my
room but Madame Vladislava; in lier beart she was
sorry for me, but she had not the power to remedy
this state of things. Besides, I never liked to be
pitied nor to comphiin. I had too proud a spirit for
that, and the very idea of being unhappy was in-
supportable to mc. Hitherto I had done whatever I
coiild not to appear so, I might have seen Count
Alcsandcr Schouvaloff and his wife, but they y
such iuaipid and tiresome people that I was always
delighted when they were not present. On the
third day a messenger came irom the Emprest
Madame Vladislava to ask if a blue satin mantelet,
which lier Imperial Majesty had worn on the day of
my accouchement, had been left in my room, Madame
Vladislava searched for it everywhere in my rooms,
and it was at last found in a éoi-ner of my dressing-
room, where it had not been noticed, as, since my
confinement, that room bad seldom been entcredi
Having found it, she sent it off immediately. ITiia
mantelet, as we afterwards learned, gave rise to a
somewhat suigulor occurrence. The Empress had
no fixed hours either for going to bed or getting
up, for dinner, supper, nor dressing. On one of
those three days she was lying, after dinner, on
sofa on wliieii she had placed a mattress and,
pillows. ^Vhile there, feeling cold, she asked for

EMFKESS CATUSaiKE II,

rthis mantelet. It was sought for everywhere, but
could not be found, as it liad been left in my
room. The Empress then ordered that it should
be looked for under the pillows of her bed, be-
lieving that it would be found there. The sister
of Madame Kranse, the Empress' favourite lady's
maid, passed her hand under the bolster of her

I Majesty's bed and drew it back, aayiug, that there
was no mantle there, bnt that there was a packet
of hair there, or something like it, she did not
]iuow what. The Empress immediately rose uom.
ier placSj and had the mattress and the piUows
token up, and nnder them was found, to theh' uo
uuall astonishment, a paper in which was some hair
twisted roimd the roots of some herbs. Upon this
her Majesty's maids, and the Empress herself, said
that assuredly it was some charm or witchcraft,
and every one began guessing who it could be that
had the hardihood to place the packet under the
Empress' pillow. Suspicion hghted on one of those
moat in the favour of her Imperial Majesty. She
was known by the name of Anna Dmitrcvua
Doumacheva. Not long since she had become a
widow, and had mai-ried a second time a valet de
chambre in the service of the Empress, The Schou-
valoSs did not like this woman, who was in their
way, as well by the esteem in which she was held,
es by the confidence reposed in her by the Empress
ever since her youth. She was quite capable of
playing them some trick which might diminish their

210

MEMO IBS Of THE

quired after me. Tlie Grand Duke, indeed, did cixae
into my room for a moment, and then went aw^,
saying, tliat he had not time to stop. I did notbii^
but weep and moan in my bed. Nobody was in my
i-oom but Madame Vladislava; in her heart she
sorry for me, but she had not the power to remedy
this state of things. Besides, I never liked to be
pitied nor to complain, 1 had too proud a spirit for
that, and the very idea of being unhappy was in-
supportable to mc, Hithei-to I had done whatever I
could not to appear so. I might have seen Count
Alexander Schouvaloff and his wife, but they were
such insipid and thesome people that I was always:
delighted when they were not present. On the
third day a messenger came from the Empress to
Madame Vladislava to ask if a blue satin mantelet,
which her Imperial ilajesty had worn on the day of
my accouchement, had been left in my room, Madame
Vladislava searched for it everywhere in my rooms,
and it was at last found in a corner of my dressing-
room, where it had not been noticed, as, since my
confinement, that room had seldom been entered,
Having found it, she sent it off immediately. This
mantelet, as we afterwards learned, gave rise to a
somewhat singular occurrence. The Empress had.
no fixed hours either for going to bed or getting
up, for dinner, supper, nor dressing. On one of
those three days she was lying, after dinner, on a
sofa on wldeh she had placed a matti'eaa and.
pillows. While there, feeling cold, she asked for

CATHEKINE .

211

^^B Has mautclst. It iras sought fot everywhere, but
^^B could not be found, as it had been left in my
^^■xoom. The Empress then ordered that it should
^^H be looked for under the pillows of her bed, he-
^^B lieiing that it would be found there. The sister
of Madame Krause, the Empress' favourite lady's
maid, passed her hand under the bolster of her
Majesty's bed aud drew it back, sayiug, that there
no mantle there, but that there was a packet
I of hail' there, or something like it, slie did not
I know what. The Empress immediately rose ûom
I ier place, aud bad the mattress and the pillows
I taken up, and under them was found, to tlicii- uo
I Huall astonishment, a paper in which was some hair
f twisted round the roots of some berbs. Upon this
I her Majesty's maids, and the Empress bei'self, said
I that assuredly it was some charm or witcbcraft,
I and every one began guessing who it could be that
bad the hardihood to place the packet under the
f ïïmpress' pillow. Suspicion bghted on one of those
I moat in the favour of her Imperial Majesty. She
I "was known by the name of Anna Dmitrevna
w Soumachcva. Not long siacc she Lad become a
[widow, and had married a second time a valet de
I chambre in the service of the Empress. The Schou-
^Taloffe did not like this woman, who was in their
as well by the esteem in which she was held,
fM by the coutidence reposed in her by the Empress
ever since her youth. She was quite capable of
playing them some trick which might diminish their

SIÛ

Memoirs of i

quired after mc. The Grand Duke, indeed, did ciHQe
into my room for a moment, and then went away,
saying, that lie had not time to stop. I did notliing
but weep and moan in my Ijed. Nobody was in my
room but Madame Vladislava; in her heart &iie yraa
sorry for me, but she had not the power to remedy
this state of things. Besides, I never liked to be
pitied nor to comphiin. I had too proud a spirit for
that, aud the very idea of being unhappy was in-
supportable to me. Hitherto I had done whatever I
could not to appear so. I might have seen Connt
Alexander Sclionvaloff and his wife, but they were
such insipid and tiresome people that I was always
delighted when they were not present. On the
third day a messenger came from the Empress to
Madame Vladislava to ask if a blue satin mantelet,
whieh her Imperial Majesty had worn on the day of
niy accouchement, had been left in my room, Madame
Vladislava searched for it everywiiere in my rooms,
and it was at last found in a corner of my dressing-
room, Avhcre it had not been noticed, as, since my
confinement, that room had seldom been entered.
Having found it, she sent it off immediately. This
mantelet, as we afterwards learned, gave rise to a
somewhat singular occurrence. The Empress had
ao fixed hours either for going to bed or getting'
up, for dinner, supper, nor dressing. On one of
those three days she was lying, after dinner, on a
sofa on which she had placed a mattress and
pillows. While there, feeling cold, she asked for

EMFOESS CATUEBINE

211

^^H this mantelet. It was sought for cvei-ywhere, hui|
^^H, could not be found, as it had been Left ia my
^^P loom. The Empress then ordered that it should*
^^H be looked for under the pillows of her bed, he~
^" Ueving that it would he found there. The sister
of Madame Krause, the Empress' favourite lady's
maidj passed her hand under the bolster of her
Majesty's bed and drew it back, sayiug, that there
was no mantle there, but that there was a packet
of hair there, or something like it, she did not
luiow what. The Empress immediately rose from
I ier place, and had the mattress and the pillows
' taken up, and under them was found, to theh' no
! small astonishment, a paper in which was some hair
' twisted round the roots of some herbs. Upon this
I her Majesty's maids, and the Empress herself, said
that assuredly it was some charm or witchcraft,
and every one began guessing who it could be that
had the hai-dihood to place the packet under the
I Empress' pillow. Suspicion lighted on one of those
I most in the favour of her Imperial Majesty. She
I was known by the name of Anna Dmitrevna
I Doumaeheva. Not long since she had become a
I widow, and had married a second time a valet de
[ chambre in the service of the Empress. The Schou-
I yaloâs did not like this woman, who was in their
I way, as well by the esteem in which she was held,
B by the confidence reposed in her by the Empress
ver since her youth. She was quite capable of
I paying them some trick which might diminish their

210

UË.UOIRS OF THE

quired after mc. The Grand Duke, iiidi;edj (Hd come
into my rooiu for a moment, and th£n went awajr,
saying, that he had not time to stop. I did nothing
hut weep and moan in my bed. Nobody was in my
room hut Madame Vladislava ; in her heai't she was
sorry for me, but she had not the power to remedy
this state of things. Besides, I never liked to be
pitied nor to comjJain, 1 had too proud a spirit &a
that, aud the very idea of bciog unhappy was in-
supportable to me. Hitherto I had done whatever I
could not to appear so. I might liave seen Count
Alexander Schouvaloff and his wife, but they were
such insipid and tiresome people that I was always
delighted when they were not present. On the
third day a messenger came from the Empress to
Madame Vladislava to ask if a blue satin mantelet,
which her Imperial Majesty had worn on the day of
my accouchement, had been left in my room. Madame
Vladislava searched for it everywhere in my rooms,
and it was at last found in a corner of my dressing-
room, where it had not been noticed, as, since my
confinement, that room had seldom been entered.
Having found it, she sent it olf immediately. This
mantelet, as we afterwards learned, gave rise to a
somewhat singular occurrence. The Empress had
no fixed hours either for going to bed or getting
up, for dinner, supper, nor dressing. On one of
those thi-ee days she was lying, after dinner, on a
sofa on wliich she had placed a mattress and
pillows. 'While there, feeling cold, she asked for

tfft

EMPRESS CATHEaiSE II. 21Ï

B>this mantelet. It was sought for everj'wlierej but
T «ould not be found, as it liad been left in my
room. The Empress then ordered that it should:
be looked for under the pUlows of hei' bed, be-
lieving that it would be found there. The sister
of Madame Krause, the Empress' favourite ladj^s
maid, passed her hand under the bolstcc of her
Majesty's bed and drew it back, saying, that there
was no mantle there, but that there was a paeket
of hair there, or something like it, she did not
know what. The Empress immediately rose from
her place, and had the mattress and the pillows
taken up, and under them was found, to tlieii- no
small astonishment, a paper in which was some hair
twisted round the roots of some herbs. Upon this
her Majesty's maids, and the Empress herself, said
that assuredly it was some charm or witchcraft,
and every one began guessing who it could be that
had the hardihood to place the packet under the
Empress' pillow. Suspicion lighted on one of those
most in the favour of her Imperial Majesty. She
was known by the name of Anna Dmitrevna
Uoumaelieva. Not long since she had become a
widow, and had married a second time a valet de
cliarabre in the service of the Empress. The Schou-
valofi's did not like this woman, who was Jn their
way, as well by the esteem in which she was held,
as by tlie eouiidence reposed in her by the Empress
ever since her youth. She was quite capable of
playing them some trick which might diminish their

212

inâueace. As they were not without their par-
tisans, these began to view the matter in a criminal
light; to this view the Empress was of herself
sufBciently disposed, since she believed in charms
and sorcery. Consequently, she gave orders to Count
Alexander Schouvaloff to have the woman arrested,
together ivith her Imahand and her two sous, one
of whom was an officer of the guardsj and the
other a pnge of the chamber to her Majesty. Her
husband, two days after his arrest, asked for a razor
to shave with, and cut his throat with it. As for
the wife and her two children, they were a long time
under arrest, and she confessed that, with a view to
prolong the Empress' favour, she had made use of
charms, and had on Holy Thursday put some grains
of burnt salt into a glass of Hungarian wine, ■which
she had presented to the Empress, The affair was
concluded by banishing the woman and her two
sons to Moscow. A rumour was afterwards set afloat
that a fainting tit, which the Empress had a little
time before my accouchement, was caused by the
drink which this woman had given to her. It is
certain, however, that she never gave her more than
two or three grains of bnrnt salt, which most as-
suredly could never have hurt her. In all this there
was nothing reprehensible, but the woman's rash-
ness and superstition.

At last the Grand Duke, growing weary of his-
evenings passed without my ladies of honour, came
and proposed to spend an evening in my room. Afc

EMPRESS CATHEKINE II. 213

this time he was courting the very ugliest of these
ladies, Elizabeth Voronzoff, On the sixth day, my
son's baptism took place. He Iiad already come near
dying of the thrush. It was only by stealth that
I could get any account of him; for to have inquired
about him would have passed for a doubt of the Em-
press' care, and would have been very ill received.
Besides, she had taken him into her own room, and
whenever he cried she herself woidd run to him, and,
through excess of care, they were literally stifling
him. He was kept iu a room extremely warm»
wrapped up in flannel, and laid iu a cradle, lined with
black fox furs ; over him was a coverlet of quilted satin,
lined with wadding, and above this one of rose-
coloured velvet, lined with black fox skins. 1 saw
him myself, many times afterwards, lying in this
style, the perspiration running from his face and
whole body, and hence ît was that, when older,
the least breath of air that reached him chilled him
and made him ill. Besides, he had in attendance on
him a great number of aged matrons who, by their
ill-judged cares, and their want of common sense,
did him infinitely more harm than good) both phy-
sically and morally.

On the day of hia baptism, after the ceremony,
the Empress came into my room, and brought mc,
on a golden salver, an order on her cabinet for
100,000 roubles. SLc had added to it a small casket,
whicli I did not open until she was gone. This
money came very seasonably, for I had not a sous.

211 _MEMOIKS OF THE

and was heavily in debt. As for the casket, tdiai
I opened it, I was not greatly dazzled ; it con-
tained only a very poor necklace, with car-rings and
two wretched rings, such as I should have been
ashamed to give to my maids, ïn the whole case
there was not a jewel worth 100 roubles; neither
was the taste nor workmanship any better. I
said nothing, but locked tip the imperial casket.
It would seem that the meanness of the present
was felt, for Count Alexander Schouvaloff was
ordered to inquire how I liked the jewel-ease. I
replied, that whatever came from the hands of the
Empress was always of inestimable value in my
eyes. With that compliment he went away appa-
rently well pleased. He returned to the chaîne
when he saw that I never wore this beautiful neck-
lace, and especially those miserable ear-rings, telling
me to put them on. I said that on the Empress'
lÈtes I was accustomed to wear the most beautifol
things I possessed, una that this necklace Mid ear-
rings did not come within that category.

Four or five days after the money ordered by
the Empress was brought to me. Baron Tcher-
kasBoff, her secretary of the cabinet, sent to beg of
me, for Heaven's sake, to lend it again to the
cabinet, because the Empress had asked for money,
and there was not a sou left. I sent it back to him,
and he repaid me in the month of January, The
Grand Duke having heard of the present made
me by the Empress, got into a terrible passion

FF EJIFRESS CATEEKINE II, 215

because nothing had been given to Tiiin. lie com-
plained veliemently to Coant Alexander Scliouvaloff.
The latter told the Empress, irho immediately sent
the Duke an order for a similar sura, aad it
was to meet this demand that my money was
borrowed. T)ie tnith is, the Schouvaloffa were
very timid, and it was by this weakness that they
were to be led ; but this trait had not then been
discovered.

After my son's baptism, there were fetes, balk,
illuminations, and fireworks at court. As for
me, I was all the while in bed, ill, and suffering
dreadfully from ennui. At last they chose the
seventeenth day after my confinement to announce
to me two pieces of agreeable news at once. Piret
of all, that Serge Soltikoff had been selected to carry
the news of the birth of my son to Sn-eden;
secondly, that the marriage of the Princess G-agarine
was fixed for the following iveek ; that is to say, in
plain language, that I was about to be deprived,
almost immediately, of the two persons I most
liked of all who were about me. I buried myself
more than ever in my bed, where I did nothing but
grieve. In order to be able to keep to it, Ipretended
an increase of the pains in my thigh, which pre-
vented my getting up ; but the truth was, I neither
could nor would sec anybody, I felt so miserable.

During my confinement, the Grand Duke had
also a great afftiction, for be learned from Count
Alexander Schonvaloff, that one of his old huntsmen,

hk^

216 MËMOIltS UF Till!

named Bastieu, whom the Empresa a few years bd&^e
liad ordered to marry Mademoiselle Schcnck, my old
lady'a-maid.had corns to give informationof his havÎDg
heard, from some one or other, that Bressan wished
to give something or other to the Dake to drink.
Now thia Basticn was a great scoundrel and drunkard,
■who from time to time used to drink with his Im-
perial Highness, and having quarrelled witliBressan^
whom he supposed tostand higher in theDuke's favour
than liimself, thought to do him an ill turn. The
Duke was fond of them both. Bastien was sent
to the fortress ; Bressan expected to l)e sent there also,
but escaped with nothing worse than the fright.
The huntsman was banished the country, and sent to
Holstein with his wife, while Breaaan retained his
place because he served as a general spy. Sei^e
Soltikoff, after some delays, occasioned by the usual
dilatorinesa of the Empress in signing papers, at last
took his departure. The Princess Gagarine, in the
meanwhile, was married at the time fixed.

When the forty days of my confinement were
over, the Empress, on occasion of the churching, came
a second time into my chamber. I bad risen from
my bed to receive her, but she saw that I was so
weak and exhausted, that she made me sit down
during the prayers which were read by her confessor.
My child was brought into the room; it was the
first time I had seen him since his birth. I thought
him very pretty, and the sight of him raised my
spirits a Uttle; but the moment the prayers were

217

finished, the Empress had him carried away, and then
left me. The Ist of November was fixed by her
Majesty for my receiving the customary felicita-
tions after the sis weclîs of my confinement. For
this purpose, the room next to mine was magnifi-
cently fitted up, and there, seated on a couch
of rose-coloured velvet, embroidered with silver,
everyone came to kiss my hand. Tiie Empress
^^ came also, and from my apartments she went
^^L to the Winter Palace, and we received orders to
^^V' follow her two or tliree days after. We were lodged
^^V in the apartments formerly occupied by my mother,
and which properly formed a pai-t of Yagoujisky
House, and half of Ragousinsky House; the other
half being occupied by the Department of Foreign
Affairs. The Winter Palace was at this time in
course of erection near the great Square.

II passed from the Summer to the Winter
falace, with the firm resolution of not quitting my
ïoom as long as I did not feel myself strong enough
to conquer my hypochondria. I read at this period
the History of Germany, and the Universal History
'of Voltaire. After these I read, during this winter,
as many Russian works as I could procure; among
^others two immense volumes of Baronius, translated
into Russian ; next I lit upon the Esprit des Lois,
of Montesquieu, after which I read the Annals of
Tacitus, which caused a singular revolution in my
I brain, to which, perhaps, the melauclioly cast of my

^H thoughts at this period contributed not a little. I

318

MEMoms OF 1

began to take gloomier views of tLinge, and to look
for more liidden and interested motives in the occur-
rences around mc. I gathered all my strength in
order to be able to go out at Christmas, and, iu fact,
I was present at divine service ; but while at church I
Tvas seined with a shivering and with pains aU over
my body, so that upon my return home I undressed
and went to bed, my bed being merely a palletj
wbicb I had placed before a blocked-up door,
tbrough which it seemed to me that no draughts
could come, as, in addition to a curtain lined. witli
Tvoollcn cloth, there was also before it a large screen;
but yet I believe it was the cause of all the colds
which afflicted me this winter. The day after Clirist-
mas, the violence of the fever was so great, that I
became delirious. When I shut my eyes I saw
nothing but the ill-drawn figures of the tiles of the
stove, which was at the foot of my pallet, the room
being small and narrow. As to my bed-room, I
never went into it at all, for it was very cold, as the
windows, on two sides, looked out upon the Neva,
towards the east and north. A second reason
which banished me from it, was the proximity of the
Grand Duke's apartments, where all day long, and
for a part of the night, there was a noise and racket
just like that of a guard-house. Besides this, as he
and alt bis associates smoked a great deal, the dis-
agreeable smoke and smell of tobacco was percep-
tible there. I remained, therefore, all the winter in
this poor little narrow chamber, which had two win-

1^^^

EMFREaS CATHEKINE J

dow3 antt a pier between them, so tliat, in all, tlie
area may tave been seven or eight arclùnes in
lengtbj by four in breadth, with three doors.

1755.

Thus commenced the year 1755. From Christ-
mas-day to Lent there was nothing but fêtes in the
city and the court. It was atill, in every case, in
honour of the birth of my son that they were given,
Every one in turn, viedwitli his neighbour — all eager
to give the most splendid dinners, balls, masque-
rades, illuminations, and fire-works. Under the plea
of illness, I did not assist at any of them.

Towards the end of Leut, Serge Soltikoif returned
from Sweden. During his absence, the High Chan-
cellor, Count Bestoujeff, sent me all the news he re-
ceived of him, as well as the despatches of Count
Panine, at that time Envoy of Russia to the Swedish
Court. They reached me through Madame A'ladia-
lava, who received them from her step-son, chief
clerk to the High Chancellor, aud I sent them back
by the same way. I further learned by the same
channel, that it was decided that on his return,
Soltikoif shoidd he sent to Hamburg as resident
minister of Russia, in place of Prince Alexander
Galitzine, ivho was appointed to the army. Tiiis new
arrangement did not diminish my sadness.

On his arrival, Serge Soltikoff requested me.

through Leon Narichkine, to let liim know if there
was any possibility of liis coming to see me. I spoke
to Madame Vladislava, who consented to our inter-
visw. He was to come to her rooms, and thence
to mine. I waited for him until three o'clock in
the morning, and was in deadly anxiety as to what
could have prevented his coming. "I learned next
day that he had been enticed hy Comit Roman
Voronzoff into a lodge of Free Masons, and he
pretended that he could not get away without
giving rise to suspicions. Eut I questioned and
cross-questioned Leon Karichkine to such a degree,
that I saw as clear as the day that he had failed in
his engagement from carelessness and want of in-
terest, regardless of all I had so long suffered solely
from my attachment to him. Leon Nai-ichkine
himself, although his friend, did not ofler much, if
any, e.tcuse for him. To tell the truth, I was
greatly annoyed, aud wrote him a letter, in which I
complained hitterly of his indifl'ercnce. He an-
swered it, and came to see me. He had little
difficulty in appeasing me, for I was only too well
disposed to accept his apologies. He recommended
me to go into public : I followed his advice, and
made my appearance on the 10th of I'cbi-uary, the
birthday of the Grand Duke, as well as Shrove
Tuesday. I had prepared for the occasion a superb
dress of blue velvet, embroidered with gold. As,
during ray solitude, I had thought a great deal, I
now determined that, as far as depended on myself, I

EMPRESS CATHEUIXE 11.

231

^m Be

would make those who had occasioned me so many
and such various annoyancea feel that I was not to
be offended with impunity, and that it was not by
ill-treatment they could hope to gain either my
affection or approbation. In conseqncncej I neg-
lected no opportunity of proving to the Scbouva-
lott's ray feelings towards them. I treated them
with profound contempt, pointed out to otheK
their stupidity and ill-nature, turned them into
ridicule wherever I could, and bad always some
sarcasm ready to fling at them, which afterwards
flew through the city, and gratified malignity at
their expense : in a word, I tooli my revenge upon
them iu every way I could think of, and, in their
presence, never failed to distinguish, by my attentions,
those whom they disliked. As there were a great many
people who hated them, I was never at a loss for sub-
jects. The Counts Sasoumowsky, whom I had always
liked, were caressed more than ever, I redoubled
my politenesH and attention to every one except the
Sehouvaloffs. In a word, I drew myself up, and, with
head erect, stood forth rather like the chief of a gi-eat
party than a person humbled and oppressed. The
Sehouvaloffs knew not what to make of me. They
took connsel, and had recourse to the tricks and
intrigues of courtiers. At this time there appeared
in Russia, one Erockdorf, a gentleman fi'om Holstcin,
who, on a former visit, had been sent back over the
frontiers, by the party then in power, Bnimmer and
Bevkholzj because he was known to be an intriguer.

222

MEMOIRS OF THE

and. a person of very bail chai'acti?r. This man came
on the acene quite opportunely for the SchouvaloflSi
As he had a key, as Chamberlain to the Grand Duke,
in Ms character of Duke of Holatein, this gave him
the entree to his Imperial Highness, who, moreover,
was favourably disposed towartls every fool who
came from tliat country. Brockdorf gained an
introduction to Count Peter SchouvalofF, in the
following manner: In the inn where he lodged, he
formed the acquaintance of a man who never left
the inna of St. Petersburg unless it were to risit thi-ee
young ami rather pretty German girls, named Hei-
fenstein, one of whom enjoyed a pension allowed
her by Count Peter Schouvah)ff, This man was
called Braun; lie was a kind of agent for all sorts of
matters. He introduced Brockdorf at the house of
these girls, where lie formed the acquaintance of
Count Peter Schouvaloff. The latter made great
protestations of affection for the Grand Duke, and
by degrees complained of me. All this M. Brock-
dorf reported to the Grand Duke, at the first oppor-
tunity, and they stirred him up until he determined,
as he expressed it, to bring hia wife to her senses.
"With this view, bis Imperial Highness eame into my
room one day after dinner, and told me that I was
becoming intolerably proud, but that he would bring
me to my senses. I asked him in what my pride
consisted. He answered that I held myself very erect.
I asked whether in order to please him I must stoop
like the slaves of the Grand Seignior, He got angry.

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 223

L said, lie knew how to bring me to reason. I

inquired how this was to be doEC. Thereupon he

placed hia back against the wall, and half unsheathing

his sword, showed it to inc. I asked what he meant

by that, for if he meant to figLt me, why then I

must haye one too. He replaced his half-drawn

sword in the scabbard, and told me that I had become

dreadfully spiteful. " In what respect ?" I said. He

replied, with a stammer, " ^Tiy, to the Schouva-

To this I answei-ed that it was only tit

[ for tat, and that he had better not meddle with

matters which he knew nothing about, and eould not

I understand. Upon this he exclaimed, " See what it

I U not to trust one's true friends ; oue auiiers for it.

I If you had confided in me, it would have been well

: you," "But in what should I have confided in

^you?" I said. Then he began talking in a manner

utterly extravagant, that finding it useless to

F leaaon with him, I let him go on without interruption,

I and seized a fuvourable moment to advise liim to go

1 to bed, for I saw clearly that wine had disturbed his

reason and stupefied what httlc sense he naturally

possessed, He followed my advice, aud retired. At

t this time he began to have always about him an odour

' of wine mingled with that of tobacco, whieh was i

I really insupportable to all who came close to him.

The same evening, while I was playing at cards^ j

Count Alexander Schouvalolf came to me to signify, ,

on behalf of the Empreas, that she had forbidden,

^he ladies to use in their dress certain articles

224

MEMOIRS 01" THE

I
I

of ornament specified in the announcement. To
show him how far his Imperial Highness had corrected
me, I laughed at him to Lis face, and told him he
might have saved himself the trouhle of notifying
the order to me, since I never wore any ornaments
which were displeasing to her Imperial Majesty ; and
that, besides, I did not make my merit consist in
beauty nor in ornament, for that when the one had
faded, the other was ndiculous, and that there was
nothing permanent but character. He listened to
this to the end, winking his right eye, as was his
custom, and then went off with his grimaces. I called
the attention, of those who were with me to this
peculiarity, which I mimicked, making every one
laugh, A few days afterwards the Grand Duke told
me he wished to ask the Empress for money for Lia
affairs iu Holstein, which were getting worse and
worse every day, and that Eroekdorf had advised
him to do so. I saw very cleaaiy that they were
but holding out a bait to him, to make him hope
for this money through the intervention of the
Schouvaloffs. I asked if there ivas no means of
managing viithout it. He said he would show me
the representations which had been made to him
from Holstein, on that head. He did so, and after
perusing the papers which he laid before me, I
said that it seemed to me he might manage with-
out going begging to his aunt, who, hesidea, might
refuse him, as she had given him, not six months
ago, 100,000 roubles. However he kept to his own

JillPRESS CATHEEINE II. 225

opinion, and I to mine. For a long time he was
buoyed up with hopes, but in the end got uo-

After Easter we went to Oranienbaum. Before
our departure, the Empress allowed me to see my sou,
for the third time since hia birth. It was necesaary
to go through all the apartments of her Imperial
Majesty to get to his ehamber, where I found him
in a stifling licat, as I have already mentioned. On
reaching the country, we witnessed a phenomenon.
His Imperial Highness — though his Holstein sub-
jects were continually preaching to him of a deficit,
while everj'body was advising him to diminish his
useless retinue, wliich after all, he could only see by
stealth and piecemeal— suddenly took, the daring
resolution of bringing over an entire detachment.
This again was a contrivance of that wretch Brock-
dorf, who flattered the ruling passion of the Prince.
To the Schouvalofl's he represented that, by conniv-
ing at this hobby, they would for ever ensure his
favour, make him wholly theirs, and be certain of
his approbation in whatever they undertook. From
the Empress — who detested Holstein, and all that
came from it, who had seen how similar military
crotchets had ruined the Grand Duke's father, the
Duke Charles Frederick, in the opinion of Peter I
and of the Russian public — it would seem that the
matter was so far concealed as to be represented as
a triflp, not worth speaking of; while, besides, the
mere presence of Count Schouvalofl' would be

226

sufficient to prevent the affair from assuming any
consequence. Having embarked at Kiel, the de-
tachnaent landed at Cronstadt, and then marched to
Oranicnbaum. The Grand Duke, who in Tchoglo-
koff's time had never worn the Hoktein uniform^
except in hia own room, and by stealth, aa it were,
now wore no other, except on court days, although
he was lieutenant-colonel of the Preobrajensky re-
giment, and had besides a regiment of cuixaasierB in
Buaaia. From me, the Grand Duke, by Brockdorf' b
advice, kept the tranaport of these troops a great
secret, v I own that ivheu I became aware of it, I
shuddered at the injurioua eflect which such a pro-
ceeding could not fail to have on the minds of the
Russian people, as well as in the opinion of the Em-
press, of whose aentimenta I was not at all ignorant.
M. Alexander Schouvalofi' saw the detachment defile
before the balcony at Oranienbaum, winking all the
while: I was by his side. In his heart, he disapproved
of what he and his relations had agreed to tolerate.
The guard of the Chateau of Oranienbaum belonged
to the regiment of Inguermanie, which alternated
with that of Aatracan. I waa informed that, when
they saw the Holstein troopa pass, they muttered,
"Those curaed Germans are all sold to the King of
Prussia; it is so many traitors they are bringing into
Russia,"' Generally speaking, the public was shocked
at the apparition ; the more earnest shrugged their
shoulders, the more moderate looked upon it as
simply ridiculous ; in reality, it was a childish freak.

^B pOfi

EMPRESS CATHERINE ir. 227

but fl very impmdeiit one. As for me, I was silent j
though, when the matter was mentioned to me, I
spoke my mind in such a manner as to show that I
in no way approved of a proceeding which, under
every point of view, could not but be injurious to the
Grand Duke's interests. In fact, how was it possible
to arrive at any other conclusion? HiB mere plea-
sure could not compensate for the injury which such
a proceeding must do him in pubhc opinion. But
the Duke, enchanted mth his troop, took up his
quarters in the camp which he had prepared for
it, where he was constantly employed in exercising
it. At last it required to be fed ; but this had not
been thought of. The matter, however, was pressing,
and there were some debates with the Marshal of the
Court, who was not prepared for such a demand. At
last he yielded, and the servants of the court, with
the soldiers of the Inguermanic regiment, on guard
at the château, were employed in conveying provi-
sions for the newly arrived, from the kitchen of the
chateau to the camp. The camp was at eorae dis-
tance from the house ; neither the servants nor the
soldiers received anything for their trouble; one
may easily understand the effect of so sapient an
arrangement. The soldiers said, "They make us
lackeys to those cursed Germans." The servants
said, " We have to wait upon a set of clowns."

Wlieu I saw and heard what was going on, I
resolved to keep myself at as gi'eat a distance as
possible iiom thin mischievous child's-play. The

228

>iir court, who were married, had their
wives with them ; this made up a tolerably numerous
company ; no one, not even the gentlemen, would have
anything to do with this Holstcin Camp, which the
Grand Duke never left. Thus, aurrounded by these
courtiers, I was out as much as possible, but always
on the side opposite to the camp, which we never, by
any chance, came near.

It was at this time that I took a fancy to form a
garden at Oranienbaum, and as I knew that the
Grand Duke would not give me an inch of ground
for that purpose, I begged Prince Galitzine to aell
or cede to me about one hundred toises, of some
waste land, which belonged to hia family in the im-
mediate vicinity of Oranienbaum, and had been long
since abandoned. This land was owned by eight or
ten members of the family, but as it produced nothing,
they willingly gave it up to me. I began then to
plan and plant, and as this was my first whim in the
constructive line, my plans aa slimed very grand
proportions. My old surgeon Gyon, seeing these
things, said to me, " "What is the good of all this ?
Now, mark my words ; I prophesy that you will one
day abandon all this." His prediction was verified.
But I required some amusement qt the time, and
this exercise of imagination was one. At first I em-
ployed, in planting my garden, the gardener of Ora-
nienbaum, whose name was Lambcrti. He had been
in the service of the Empress, whea she was Princess,
on her estate at Zarskoe-Sclo, whence he had been

ruERiNE II. 339

removed to Oranienbaum. He was fond of predic-
tioDs, and, among others, his prediction relative to
the Empress had been fulfilled. He had prophesied
that she wonld ascend the throne. He told me, and
repeated it as often as I was willing to listen to hicij
that I should become the Sovereign Empress of
Russia; that I should see sons, grandsons, and great-
grandsons ; and that I should die at the advanced age
of more than fourscore years. He did more: he fixed
the year of my accession to the throne six years
before the event. He was a very singular man, and
one who spoke with an assurance which nothing could
disturb. He pretended that the Empress was ill-
disposed towards him, because he had foretold to her
what had come to pass, and that she had removed
him from Zarskoe-Selo to Oranienbaum in consé-
quence of being afraid of him.

It was at Wliitsuntide, I think, that we were
recalled from Oranieobanm to the city; and it was
about the same time that the English Ambassador,
the Chevalier Williams,* came to Russia. He had in
his suite Count Poniatowsky, a Pole, the son of the
one who had followed the fortunes of Charles XII of
Sweden. After a short stay at the capital, we re-
turned to Oranienbaum, where the Empress ordered
us to keep the Festival of St, Peter. She did not
come herself, because she did not wish to celebrate
the first /é(e of my son Paul, which fell on the same
day. She remained at Pcterhoftj and there placed
* Sii' CharleB Han!)Ui7 WUiiiiniH. — Tr.

UEMOIBB OF THE

herself at a window, where she remaiued, it would
■eem, the wliole day ; for all who came to Oranien-
bftum eaid they had aeeu her at that window. A
Tery large company assembled. The dance took
place iu the hall at the entrance of my garden, and
we afterwards supped there. The foreign ambassa-
dors and ministers were present, I remember that
the English Ambassador, the Chevalier WiUiaras,
sat near rae at supper, and that we kept up a conver.
satiou as agreeable as it was gay. As he was lively
and well-informed, it was not difficidt to carry on a
conversation with him. I afterwards learned that Ke
had been as much pleased as myself at this soiree, and
had spoken of me in high terms. This, indeed, was
what always happened when I chanced to be with
those who suited me in min d and character, and, as
at that time, I did not excite so much envy, I was
generally well spoken of -' I was lookctl upon as a
a of mind ; and many of those more intimately
acquainted with me, honoured me with their confi-
dence, depended on me, asked my advice, and found
themselves the better for following it. The Grand
Duke had long since named me Madame /a Ressource,
and however angry or sulky he might be, if he found
himself at a loss on any point, he would come running
to me, in his usual style, to get my advice, and then
s he could, I likewise remember,
at this same feast of St. Peter, at Oranienbaiira, that
seeing Count Poniatowsky dancing, I spoke to the
Chevalier Williams about his father, and the mischief

EMPRESS CATHERINE II 231

he had done to Peter I. The English Ambassador

spoke very favourably of the son, and confirmed to
me what I was already aware of, namely, that his
father and the Czartoriskya, hia mother's family,
then formed the Russian party in Poland ; that the
son had been placed under his caxe, and sent here in
order to he brought up in the feehngs of his family
towards Russia ; and that they trusted he would suc-
ceed in this country. He might then be ahout twenty-
two or twenty-three years old. Ï replied that, in
general, I looked upon Russia as the stumbling-block
of merit for strangers, and considered that those who
succeeded in Russia might safely calculate upon
auccesB in every other part of Europe. This rule I
have always considered aa infallible, for nowhere are
people more quick in detecting the weak points, ab-
aurdities, and defects of a stranger than in Russia. A
stranger may be sure that nothing will be overlooked,
for, naturally, no Russian really likes a foreigner.

About this time, 1 learned that the conduct of
■ Serge Soltikoff had been anything but prudent,
►whether in Sweden or at Dresden. Besides, he had
tnade love to all the women he met. At first, I would
not believe these reports ; but at last they came from
so many quarters, that even his friends could not
exculpate him. This year I became more than ever
attached to Anne Narichkine. Her brother-in-law,
-Leon, contributed much to this. He always made a
third with us, and there was no end to his nonsense.
He used sometimes to say to us, "I have a fiijou,

•mUA I mean to pre to w1 ui1m.hj of 70a two ahiB
hAan tke best, sod joa vïH be vei^ nndk o M i gdl
to me Sx it." We let hhn talk », «itbont trouMà iB
onndf» to inquire what tfa» ^9» «aa.

k la the «ttmnn, tbe Holstein tnwp* were aent off
I7 aes, aad we went to ooeiqiy the Sommer Palace.
At this time Leon NaricUdne fdl 01 of a noient
fever, dahag which he seat me letters, which I could
Miy see were not bis own. I re|^ed to him. In
these letter* be eÀk&l me for Hveetmeata, and soch
like trifle*, and then returned thanks. The letters
were very well written, and very lively; he said he
employed in them the hand of hie secretary. This
««irctary, I at Ia«t learned was Count Poniatowsky,
who never left him, and had become intimate witb
hi» family. Krom the Summer Palace we removed,
about the beginning of winter, to the new Winter
Falacc, which the impress had just built. It was of
wood, and occupied the spot where the mansion of
the Tcliitcherincs now stands. It took up tbe whole
quarter us far as the residence of the Countess Ma-
tiouchkiuc, which then belonged to Naoumoff. My
wiudoWM faced this liousc, which was occupied by tbe
maid* of honour. On entering the apartments des-
tined for us, 1 was very mucli struck witb their size
and loftineiM. Four largo ante-chambers and two
chambers, with a cabinet, were prepared for me, and
the name number for the Grand Duke. The rooms,
too, were mo disposed, that I was not incommoded by
the proximity of the tî rand Duke's apartments. This

EMPltESB CATHERINE I

233

was a great point gained. Count Alexander Schou-
valoff noticed my satiafaction, and immediately in-
formed the Empress that I was greatly delighted
iritU the number and size of my apartments. This
he told me afterwards with a kind of satisfaction,
indicated by a smile and the winking of his eye.

At this period, and for a long time afterwards,
the principal plaything of the Grand T)uke, while in
town, consisted of an immense number of little dolls,
representing soldiers, formed of wood, lead, pith, and
wax. These he arranged on very narrow tables, which
took up an entire room, leaving scarcely space enough
to pass between them. Along these tables he had
nailed narrow bands of brass, to which strings were
attached, and when he pulled these strings the brass
bands made a noise wliich, according to him, resembled _
the roll of musketry. He observed the court festivals
with great regularity, making these troops produce
their rolling fire ; besides which, he daily relieved
guard, that is to say, from every table was picked out
the dolls that were assumed to be on guard. He
assisted at this parade in full uniform, boots, spurs,
gorget, and scarf. Such of his domestics as were
admitted to this precious exercise were obliged to
appear in similar style.

Towards the winter of this year, I thought myself
again pregnant, I was bled, I had a cold, or, rather,
I fancied I had one, in both sides of my face; but
after some days of suffering, four double teeth made
their appearance at the four extremities of my jaws.

I after som

^^L their app

îiil.'ij than I hi liilii^ at ^em, «fo i
■■7. IkeNaricftkâes «m 1

, Leon'*

ge&r ntà Ac wife al it» «Ur bntfer, ol wbom I
hsfe alicadT spok^ Leon, mae afaenrd tlua ewer,
aBdie^vdedbr nor aw m a pcxKn of no sort of
mtrnnrirr, » w» indeed the cmb, hid got into Aft

h ekmt cM Oe Gnad Dake% ifiluiiatii and nâa^
BAR- i fcifp iag long Mj w hei fe. Ib ocdo- to gam.
w hnit li nre nrto w noH, he and to mev Oe n
eat at BIT door, and «hen I answeicd him, he woald
eone in. On the 17th cf December,
and sewn o'clock in the erening, b«
hiiBself in tbt> faatnoB, at bit door ; I desired him to
come in. He beg^ br prcaentiBg me vith his
Bster-ia-law's oonphmenta, t^ii^ that she «as not
Terj weD ; anA addiii>^, " Bat too ou^t to go and see
her." I replied, " I irouJd do so with pleasore ; but
jou know I cannot go out without permission, and
they will never gire me permission to go to her
honse." " Oh ! I will take you there," he said.
"Are yon mad," I answered ; " how can I go with
you ? You would be sent to the Fortress, and God

» ^

CATHERINE If. 235

knows what trouble I should get into." "Oh! but
no one will know of it ; we will take proper precau-
tions." " But how ?" " Why, in this way : I will
come and fetch you in an hour or two's time. The
Grand Duke iviU take supper" (for a long time past,
under the pretext of not wishing for supper, I had
been in the habit of staying in my own room) ; " he
will remain at table for a considerable part of the
night, leave it very tipsy, and go to bed" (since my
confinement he generally slept in his own room) j
" for greater security you can dress in man's clothes,
and we will go together to Anna Nikitichna Narieh-
tine's." ■ I began to feel tenjpted by the adventure,
for I was constantly in my room with my books, and
■without any company. Finally, by dint of debating
this mad project, for such it really was, and such it
appeared to me at first, I saw in it the possibility
of obtaining a moment's relaxation and amusement.
He departed^ and I called a Kalmuck hair-dresser in
my service, and desired him to bring me one of my
male dresses, and all belonging to it, as I wanted to
make it a present to some one. This young man
was one of those persons who keep their mouths
dosed ; and it was more difficult to make him speak
than it was to make others hold, their tongues. He
executed his commission promptly, and brought me
everything I wanted. I feigned a headache, and
went to bed early. As soon as Madame Vladislava
had undressed me and retired, I got up and dressed
myself from head to foot as a man, arranging my

^^ had undre

haït in the best ivay I could. I was long in the
habit of doing this, and was by no means awkward
at it. At tlic time appointed, Narichkine made his
appearance. He came through the apartments of the
Grand Duke, and mewed at my door, I opened it,
and we passed tlirough a small ante-chamber into the
hall, and entered his carriage without having been
seen by any one, laughing like a pair of fooU at our
escapade. Leon lived in the same house with his
brother and sister-in-law. On reaching it, we found
there Anna Nikiticlma, who suspected nothing, and
also Count Poniatowsky, Leon announced one of
his friends, whom he begged might be well received,
and the evening passed in the wildest gaiety. After
a visit of an hour- and -a- half s duration, I took leave
and rebirned home without accident, and without
having been met by any one. The next day, which
was the birthday of the Empress, both at court in
the morning, and at the ball in the evening, we could
not look one another in t!ie face without being ready
to burst out laughing at our last night's folly. Some
days later, Leon prepared a return visit, which was
to take place in my apartments ; and, as before, he
brought his company into my room so skilfully, that
no suspicion was excited. Thus began the year
1756. We took a strange delight in these furtive
interviews. Not a week passed without one or two,
and occasionally even three of them taking place,
sometimes at the residence of one party, sometimes
at that of another; and if any of us happened

EMPKESS CATHERINE

237

to be ill, tbe visit was always to the invalid. Some-
times at the theatre, without speaking, and simply by
means of certain signs previously agreed on, even
although we might be in different boxes, and some of
us, perhaps, in the pit; yet, by a sign, each one
knew where to go, and no mistake ever occurred be-
tween ns, except that on two occasions I had to return
home on foot, which, after all, was only a walk.

1756.

At this period, preparations were mating for a
war with Prussia. The Empress, by her treaty with
the house of Austria, was bound to furnish a contin-
gent of thirty thousand men. Such was the view
taken by the High Chancellor Count Bcstoujeff; but
Austria wanted Russia to aid her with all her forces.
Count Esterhazy, the Austrian Ambassador, was
intriguing for this object with all his skill, wherever
he saw an opening, and often in several different
channels at 'once. The party opposed to Bestoujeff
cooaiated of the Vice -Chancellor Count Voronzoff
and the Schouvaloffs. England was at that time in
alliance with Prussia, and France with Austria. The
Empress began to have frequent indispositions. At
first it was not known what was the matter with her.
The Schouvaloffs were often seen to be very much
disturbed, and full of intrigues, and û-om time to
time they paid great attentions to the Grand Duke.

MliMOIKS UF TUE

The coiirticTB wliiapercd that these indispositions of
her Imporiul Majesty were rauch more aérions than
wu rupurtcd. Some called them hysterical affections,
othors fùuting fits, or convulsions, or nervous com-
(tlhiutH. This state of things lasted the whole winter
of 17C5 — 17Q0. Piually, in the spring, we learned
that Marshal Aprnxiue wiis about to depart in com-
mand of tiio army that was to cuter Prussia. Hi a
lady came to take leave of us, accompanied by her
youngest clangliter. I mentioned to her my appre-
hensions relative to the health of the Empress,
stBtiiig that I much regretted the absence of her
btubtiud at n time in which I thought that little
nliaiicc WHS to he placed upon the Schouvalo^,
whom I lookcfl upon as my personal enemies, and
who were very ill-disposed towards me, because I
preferred their enemies to them, and especially the
Counts Raioumowi^ky. She repeated all this to her
huslt&nd, who was mncii pleased with my feelings
towards him ; so also was Count Bcstoujeff, who dis-
Kkcd the Schouvaluffis, aud was connected witli the
RMK>umowsk>-s, his son having married their sieoe.
Marshal Apraxine mi^hl have been a useM mediator
between «II interested, on aooount of tiie Haiitm
between bb âmgbter aitd Ckreint Vtta Scbovnloff :
Imm p B te W te d tikat dûs Rùémm was carried em witb
tbe knowledge of ber paieots. Bendes thâs, I anw
dewtr tbat the Scbo«v«to& made mwe ose tb^
ev«r of M. Broekdorf^ fcr tbe pmfase of eUian^ug
tiw GiNad Dnke frasa nM as aaodi as possifale. Xot-

239

withstanding all this, he had still an involuntary
confidence in me ; thia lie always retained to a
remarkable extent, without being at all conscious of
it himself. He had just then quarrelled with the
Countess Voronzoff, and was in love with Madame
Teploff, a niece of the Razoumowskys. When he
wished to sec this lady, he consulted me as to the
best mode of adorning his room so as to please her,
and made me observe that he had filled it with mus-
kets, grenadier caps, shoulder l)elts, etc., so that it
looked like a portion of an arsenal. I let him do as
he pleased, and went away. Besides this lady, he
also kept a little German singing girl, called Leonora,
who used to come to him of an evening, and sup
with him. It was the Princess of Courland who had
led to his quarrel with the Countess Voronzoff.
Indeed, I do not very well know how it was that this
Princess of Courland managed, at that time, to play
a peculiar part at coui-t. In the first place, she was
then nearly thirty years of age, little, ugly, and

I humpbacked, as I have already said. She had
contrived to secure the protection of the confessor
of the Empress, and of several old ladies of her Ma-
jesty's bed-chamber, so that everythiug she did was
excused, and she remained among the Empress'
maids of honour. All these were imder the rod of a
Madame Schmidt, the wife of one of the court trum-
peters. This Madame Schmidt was a native of
Finland, prodigously large and massive, one who
inew how to ensure obedience, but who still retained

240

MKMOIR3 OF THH:

the coarse and vulgar manners of her former condi-
tion. She was of some consequence, however, at
court, being uuder the immediate protection of the
Empress' old German and Swedish lady's-maids,
and consequently also under that of the Marshal of
the Court, Sievers, who was himself a Fin, and
married to a daughter of Madame Krause, whose
sister, as I hare already mentioned, iras one of those
lady's-maids, and one in especial farour with the
Empress. Madame Schmidt ruled within the dwel-
ling of the maids of honour with more vigour than
intelligence, hut uercr appeared at court. In public,
the Princess of Courland was at their head, and
Madame Schmidt had tacitly confided to her their
conduct at court. In their Own house, they all
lodged in a row of chambers, which terminated at
one end in Madame Schmidt's room, and at the
other in the one occupied by the Princess of Cour-
land. There were two, three, or four in a room,
each having a screen round her bed, and the only
exits from these rooms were through each other.
At iirst sight, it would seem that this arrangement
made the residence of the maids of honour im-
penetrable, for it could only be reached by passing
through Madame Schmidt's, or the Princess of Cour-
land's room. But Madame Schmidt often suffered
firom the indigestion occasioned by all the paies graa
and other dtdnties sent to her by the relatives of
these young ladies, and then the only approach traa
by the Princess of Courland'a chamber. Here

241

scandal reported that it was necesaary for those who
wished to pass to any of the rooms beyond, to pay
toll in aome form or other. At all events, it was cer-
tain thatj for many years, the Princess of Courland
made up matches and broke them off again — promised
and refused the Empress's maids of honour, juat as
she thought proper; and I have heard from the lips
of many persona, and among others from Leon
Narichkine and Count Boutourhne, thehistoryofthis
toll, which, they pretended had not in their case
been paid in money.

The Grand Duke's amours with Madame Teploff
lasted until we went into the conntry. Here they
were interrupted, because his Imperial Highness was
insupportable during the summer. Not being able
to see him, Madame TeplofF pretended that he must
write to her at least once or twice a-week, and to
induce him to do so, she began by writing him a
letter of four pages. On receiving it, he came into
ray room much out of temper, holding the letter in
his hand, and said to mc, in a tone of considerable
irritation, " Only fancy '. she writes me a letter of
four whole pages, and expects that I should read it,
and, what is more, answer it also, I who have to go
to parade (he had again brought his troops from
Holstein), then dine, then shoot, then attend the
rehearsal of an opera, and the ballet which the cadets
will dance at it ! I will tell her plainly that I have
not time, and if she is vexed, I will quarrel with her
till the winter." I told him that would certainly be

2'ia

MEMOIKS Of THE

the shortest way. These traits are, I think, charac-
tEiristic, and they will not therefore be out of place.
Here ia the explanation of the appearance of the
cadets at Oranienbaum. In the spring of 1756, the
ScliouvalofFs thought, that with a view of detaching
the Grand Duke from his HoUtein troops, it would
be a good stroke of policy to persuade the Empress
to give his Imperial Highness the command of the
corps of Land Cadets, the only body of cadets then
esistiag. Under him was placed A. P. Melgounoif,
the intimate fiiend and confidant of Ivan Ivanovitch
Schouvaloff. This person was married to one of the
Grerman lady's-maids, a favourite of the Empress.
In this way the Schouvaloffa had one of their most
iatimate friends in the Grand Duke's chamber,
and with the oppoiiunity of speaking to him at
aU times. Under pretext of the opera-ballets at
Oranienbaum, they brought there some hundred
cadets, together with M. Melgounoff and the officers
of the corps who were moat intimate with him.
These were so many spies â la Schouvaloff. Among
the masters who came to Oranienhaum ^with the
cadets was their riding-master, Zimmerman, who
was accounted the best horseman at that time in
Russia. As my supposed pregnancy of the last
autumn had all passed off, I thought I would talte
some lessons in horsemanship from Zimmerman. I
spoke on the subject to the Grand Duke, who made
no difficulty. For a long time past all the old mles
introduced by the Tchoglokoffs were forgotten, neg-

EMPIIESS CATHERINE I

243

^H sue

lected by, or altogether unknown to Alexander
Schouvaloff, who, besides, was held in alight, or no
comideratiou : we laughed at him, at his ^vi£e, his
daughter, and his son-in-law, almost to their faces.
They gave abundant room for it ; for never were
faces more ignoble or mean-looking than theirs. I
had applied to Madame Schouvaloff the epithet of
the " pillar of salt." She was thin, and short, and
stiff. Her avarice siiowed itaclf even in her dress.
Her petticoats were always too narrow, and had a
breadth less than was required, and than those
of other I ladies had. Her daughter, the Countess
Golofkine, was similarly dressed. Their head-dresses
and ruffles were mean, and bad a look of stinginess
about them, although these people were very wealthy,
and in all respects in easy cireum stances. But tliey
naturally liked eTerj-thing that was little and pinched
— a true image of their minds.

As soon aa I came to take lessons in systematic
riding, I again became passionately fond of this exer-
«iae. I rose every morning at six, dresBed myself
in male attire, and went off to my garden, where
I had a place prepared in the open air, which
served me for a riding-school. I ma^le such rapid
progress, that Zimmerman frequently came running
up to me with tears in his eyes, and kissed my foot
with a sort of uncontrollable enthusiasm. At other
times he would exclaim, " Never in ray life Lave I
had a pupil who did me such credit, or who made
such rapid progress in so short a time." At these

244

lessoiiB, there was no one présent but my old sur-
geon Gyon, a lady's-maid, and some domestics. As
I paid great attention to the lessons, and took
them regularly every morning except Sundays,
Zimmerman rewarded my diligence with the silver
spurs, which he gave me, according to the rules of
the school. By the end of three weeks I had passed
through all the gradations of the school, and towards
autumn Zimmerman had a leaping-horse brought, after
which he intended to give me the stirrups. But the
day before that fixed for my mountiag, we received
orders to return to town ; the matter was therefore
put off till the following spring.

During this summer Count Poniatowsky made
a tour in Poland, from which he returned with his
credentials as minister of the King of Poland. Before
his departure he came to Oranienbaum, to take leave
of us. He was accompanied by Count Horn, whom
the King of Sweden, under the pretext of notify-
ing the death of his mother, my grandmother, had
sent to Russia, in order to withdraw him from the
persecutions of the French party, otherwise called
" The Hats," against that of Russia, or " The Caps,"
This persecution became so fierce in Sweden at the
diet of 1756, that almost all the chiefs of the Russian
party had their heads cut off this year. Count Horn
told me himself, that if he had not come to Russia,
he would certainly liavo been of the number.

I Count Poniatowsky and Count Horn remained
two days at Oranienbaum. Tlie first day the Grand

245

^
^
N

^^ Poniati

Duke treated tliem very well, but on the second they
were in hia waj', for liis tlioughts were running on
the wedding of one of liis huntsmen, at which he
wished to be present for the pui-pose of drinking,
Finding that his guests still stayed, he left them
there, and I had to do the honours of the house.

After dinner, I took the company which had re-
mained with us, and which was not very numerous, to
view the interior of the house. On reaching my ca-
binet, a little Italian greyhound that I had there ran
to meet us, and began to bark loudly at Courit Horn,
but when he perceived Count Poniatowsky, he seemed
wild with delight. As the cabinet was very small,
no one observed this but Leon Narichkine, his sister-
in-law, and myself. But it did not escape the notice
of Count Horn, and while I was going through the
apartments to return to the saloon, the Count took
Poniatowsky by the coat, and said to him " My
friend, there is nothing so terrible as a little Italian
greyhoimd; the first thing I always do with the
ladies I am in love with is to give them one of
these little (logs, and by this means I can always
discover Tv^ictber there is any one more favoured
than myself. The rule is infallible. You see it.
The dog gi-owled as if he would have eaten me,
because I am a stranger, while he was mad with
joy when he saw you again, for moat assuredly this
is not the first time he has seen you there." Count
Poniatowsky treated all this as an absui'dity on his
part, but he could not dissuade him. Count Horn

MEMOIRS OF TEE

merely replied, " Fesir uothiug ; you have to deal
with a discreet peraoa." Nest mcrning they de-
parted. Coiuit Horn used to say, that when he
went 80 far as to fall in love, it was always with
three women at a time. And we had an example
of this under our eyes at St. Petersburg, where he
courted three young ladies at once. Count Ponia-
towaky left two days afterwards for Poland. During
his ahs^Lce, the Chevalier Williams sent me word,
through Leon Narichkine, that the High Chancellor
Bestoujèff was caballing against the nomination of
Count Poniatowsky, and had, through him, endea-
voured to dissuade Count Bruhl, at that time the
minister and favourite of the Xing of Poland, Irom
making it. He added that he took care not to fulfil
this commission, although he bad not declined it, fear-
ing it might be given to some one else, who would
probably discharge it more exactly, and thus prejudice
hi» fneud, who wished, above all things, to i-etum to
Bussia. The Chevalier suspected that Coimt Beston-
jefl^ who for a long time had the Saxo-Polish minia-
ters at his disposal, wished to nominate to that poat
some person particularly in his confidence. Howe\'er,
Count Poniatowsky obtained the appointment, and
returned, towards winter, as Envoy of Poland, while
the Saxfln embassy remained under the immediate
direction of Count Bestoujeff.

Some time before we quitted Oranienbaum, the
Prince and Princess Galitzine arrived there, accom-
panied by M. Betaky. They were going to travel

EMFEESS CATHERINE 1

247

I abroad on account of ill-health, especially Betzky,
( who needed some distraction to relieve the deep
' melancholy into ivLich he had been plunged by the
death of the Princess of Hesse Homburg — bom
Princess Tionbetzkoyj mother of the Princess Ga-
Utzine, who was the issue of the first marriage of
the Princess of Hesse with the Hospodar of Wal-
lachia, Prince Kantemir. As tlie Princess Galit-
zine and Betzky were old acquaintances, 1 endea-
voured to gire them the best reception I could at
Oranienbaum, and after having shown them about a
I good deal, the Princess Galitzine and I got into
I a cabriolet, which I guided myself, and we took a
' drive in the neighbourhood of Oranienbaum. On
I our way, the Princess, who was a very singidar
and narrow-minded person, gave me to under-
1 stand that she thought I entertained some ill-feeling
against her. I assured her that such was not the
case, and that I did not know of anything which
could give occasion to any ill-feeling on my part, as I
had never had any disagreement with her. There-
upon she told me that she had feared Count Ponia-
towsky might have injured her in my good f^imon.
I thought I should have di-opped at these words. I
replied that she must certainly be dreaming ; that the
person she spoke of was not in a position to prejudice
her in my opinion ; that he had been gone some time j
that 1 only knew him by sight, and as a strangerj
and that I could uot understand what could have put
such an idea into her head. Upon my return home.

MBMUIRS OP THE

I sent for Leoa Narichkiae, and related to Iiim
this conversatiou, whicli appeared to me as stupid aa
it was impertinent and indiscreet. He told me that
during last winter the Princess Galitzine had moved
heaven and earth to attract Count Poniatowsky to
her house, and that he out of politi ness, and not to
be wanting in respect, had paid her some attention ;
that she had made all sorts of advances to him, to
which it may easily Iw believed he did not much
respond, as she was old, ugly, stupid, and foolish —
indeed, almost crazy ; and that seeing she could make
no impression on Mm, lier suspicions seemed to have
been excited by the fact that he was always with
him, Narichkine, and at his sister-in-law's house.

During the brief stay of the Countess Galitzine
at Oranienbaura, I had a dreadful quarrel with the
Grand Duke about my maids of honour. I had
observed that these ladies, who were always either
confidantes or mistresses of the Grand Duke, had
on several occasions been neglectful of their duties,
or even failed in the respect aud deference which
they owed me, I went one afternoon into their
apartment, and reproached them with their con-
duct, reminding tiiem of their duty, and of what they
owed me, and telling them that if they went on in
the same way I should complain to the Emptess.
Some of them were alarmed, others got angry,
and some wept; but as soon as I was gone, they
immediately hiuried to the Grand Duke, and told
him what I had said to them. His Imperial High-

EMPRESS CATHERIN'i: II. 249

I got furious, and immediately running to my
room, exclaimed that there was no living with
me; that every day I became more proud and
haughty ; that I demanded of the maids of honour
attentions and deferences which embittered their
lives; that I made them cry all day long; that they
were ladies of rank, whom I treated like servants ;
and that if I complained of them to the Empress, he
would complain of me — of my pride, my arrogance,
my ill-nature, and God knows what beaides. I
listened to hira, not without agitation, and replied
that he might aay of me whatever he pleased ; that if
the affair was carried before his aunt; she would
be able to judge whether it would not be well to dis-
miss from my service women of bad conduct, who, by
their tittle-tattle, caused dissension between hernephew
and niece ; for that if she wished to restore peace be-
tween us, and prevent her ears from being perpetually
dinned with our quarrels, she could not adopt any
other couj-se; and that, consequently, this would
certainlybe the course she would adopt. At this he
lowered his tone, fancying (for he was very suspicious)
that I knew more of the intentions of the Empreaswith
regard to these women than L allowed to appear, and
that in reality they might be all dismissed for this busi-
ness. He therefore said, " Tell me, then ; do you know
anything on this point ? Has any one spoken to her
of them ?" I replied that if matters went so far
as to come before the Empress, I had no doubt she
would dispose of them in a very summary manner.

2S0

HCMtHBS or THX

At tbù be began walking with haitj strides op sad
down m; room^in a rerene ; gradoallj cooled down ;
and then vent a«sj, odIv haV-EiiIky. Tbe same
eremng, I related this coorenatioii, void for vcrd,
to me of these maids c^ boooar. who appeared to me
more Beniible than tbe rest, and described die sc^ie
vlôdl their iin|mdent tattling had caiued. This
put tbem on their guard ag^nst carrying matters to
aa extremity, of which, probalily, tlier voold become
tbe victinis.

v Daring the aatiimn we returned to town, and
abortly afterwards die Chevalier Williams left for Eng-
land, on leave. He bad failed in his object in Russia.
The rery nest day after Ms audience of the Empress,
he had proposed a treaty of alliance between England
and RuMia. Count Bestonjcff bad orders and âill
authority to conclude this trealy. In fact, the treaty
waa signed by him, and tbe Ambassador could scarcelj
contain hi» joy at his success, but tbe following day
Count Bestoujeff communicated to bim, by note, the
accession of Russia to the convention signed at Ver-
sailles between France and Austria. This was a
thunderbolt for the English Ambassador, who had
been played with and. deceived in this affair by
the High Chancellor, or appeared to have been so.
But Count Bestoujeff himself coidd no longer do as
he pleased ; his opponents were beginning to get tbe
upper band of him, and they intrigued, or rather
others were intriguing with tbem, to gain them over
p tbe Franco- Austrian party, to wliich they were

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 251

already mucli disposed. The Schouvaloffs, and espe-
cially Ivan Ivanovitch, had a passion for France and
all that belonged to it, and in thia they were
seconded by the Vice-Chancellor VoronzoEf, for
whom Louis XV, in return for this piece of service,
fuiaished the ni^nsion which he had just built at
St. Peterebui-g, with old fumitiire which hia mistress,
jMadame Pompadour, had become tired of, and
had sold to her lover, the King, at a good price.
But apart from all considerations of profit, the Vice-
Chancellor had another motive : he wished to lessen
the credit of his rival, Count Bestoujeif, and secure
his place for Peter Schouvaloff. Besides, he medi-
tated a monopoly of the Russian trade in tobacco,
order to sell the article in France.

1 757.

Towards the end of the year. Count Poniatowsky
returned to Kussia as minister of the King of
Poland. In the early part of the year, the tenor of
our life was the same as in the previous winter; the
same balls, the same concerte, and the same coteries.
Soon after our return to the city, where I could ob-
serve things more closely, I perceived that M. Brock-
dorf, with his intrigues, was maldng rapid progress
in the good graces of the G-rand Duke. He was
seconded in thia by a considerable number of Holstein
officers whom he had cncoiu-aged his Highness to

263

MEMOIRS OF 1

retain this winter at St. Petersburg. The number
amounted to at least twenty, who were continually
within the Grand Duke's circle, without counting
a couple of Holstein soldiers who did duty in his
chamber as messengers, valets de chambre — facto-
tums, in a word. Ail these were, iij reality, so many
spies in the service of Messrs. Broekdorf and Co. I
watched for a favourable moment during this winter
to speak seriously to the Grand Duke, and tell him
exactly what I thought of those about him, and of the
intrigues which I saw going on. One presented
itself, which I did not neglect. The Grand Duke
himself came one day into my cabinet, to tell me
that it had been represented to him as indispensably
necessary that he should send secret orders to Hol-
stein for the aiTcst of a person named Elendsheim,
who, by his ofifice and the personal consideration be
enjoyed, was one of the leading men of the country.
He was of bourgeois extraction, but had risen by his
learning and capacity to his present post. I asked
the Duke what complaints were made against him,
and what he had done to require his arrest. He
replied, " Why, you see, they tell me he is suspected
of malversation." I inquired who were his accusers.
On this, he thought himself very reasonable in
saying, "Oh, as for accusera, there are none, for
every one in the country fears and respects bim;
and it is on this very accoimt that I ought to have
him arrested, for as soon as this is doue, there will
be, I am assured, accusers enough and to spare."

EMFKEES CATUKKINE 1

253

N
^

T shuddered at tbis answer, and replied, "But at
this rate there will not be aa innocent man in the
■world; it will only be necessary for some envious
person to set afloat any vague rumour he pleases,
and then any one whatever may be arrested on the
principle that accusations and crimes will come
afterwards. It is, to use the words of the song,
'à la façan de Barbari, mon ami,' that they are
advising you to act, without regard to your reputa-
tion or your sense of justice. Who is it that gives
you such bad advice? if I may be allowed to ask,"
My gentleman looked a little foolish at this question,
and aaid, " You are always wanting to know more
than other people." I replied, that it waa not for
the sake of knowing that I spoke, but because' I
Iwted injustice, and could uot belie\e tliat he wished
to commit such a wrong out of mere wantonness.
"Upon this he began to pace up and down the room
with hasty strides, and then went away more
agitated than displeased. A little while afterwards
he came back, saying, " Come to my room. Brock-
dorf will talk to you about tlic affair of Ëleudabeim,
asd you, will see and be convinced that I must have
T^im arrested." I replied, "Very well, I will follow
you, and will hear what he has to say, since you
wish it." I did so, and as soon as we entered, the
Grand Duke said to Brockdorf, "Speak to the
Grand Duchess." Brockdorf, a little confused, bowed
to the Duke, and said, "Since your Highness com-
mands me, I will epeak to her Imperial Highness

254

MEMOIRS or TUE

the Grand Duchess." Here Le paused, and then
said, "This is an affair which requires to be
managed with much secrecy and pmdence." I
listened, "All Holstfiin is fiill of rumours of the
malversations and extortions of Elendaheim, It is
true he has no accusers, for Le is feared ; but when
he is arrested, there will be no difficulty in getting
as many as may be wished." I asked for some
details of these malversations and extortions, and
learnt that as for embezzlement of the revenue
tLere could not be any, since the Grand Ikike had
no money in hand there; but wLat was looked upon
as malversation was, that being at the head of the-.
administration of justice, whenever any cause was
to be tried, tliere was always some pleader or other
who complained of injustice, and accused the
opposite party of Laving gained their cause by
bribing the judges. But M. Brockdorf displayed
his eloquence and skill in vain ; he did not convince
me. I still maintained to liim, in presence of the
Grand Duke, that they were pushing on his Imperial
Highness to commit an act of crying injustice, by
persuading hira to despatch an order for the arrest
of a man against whom there existed no formal
complaint or accusation. I said to M. Brockdorf
that after that fashion the Grand Duke might have
him locked up at any hour, and say that the crimes
and accusations would come afterwards ; and that, as
te lawsuits, it was easy to conceive that he who
lost Lis cause would always complain of Laving been

EMPRESS CATUEKINE II, S-TÙ

inonged. I added, too, that the Grand Duke, more
thau any other person, ought to be on his guard
.against such things, as experience had already taught
tim, to his cost, what persecution and party-spirit
I could do; for it was not [more than two or three
years, at the utmost, since Ms Imperial Highness, at
my intercession, had ordered the release of M. de
Hohner, who had been kept in prison for six or

I eight years, in order to compel him to give aa
account of affairs transacted during the Gnmd
Duke's minority, and under the administration
of his guardian, the Prince Royal of Sweden, to
whom M. de Holmer had been attached, and whom
he followed to Sweden ; whence he did not return until
.the Grand Duke had signed and sent him a testi-
monial of approval, and a formal discharge for all
ihat had been done during his minority. And yet, in
spite of all this, the Grand Duke had been induced
to have M. de Holmer arrestetl, and a commission
of inquiry appointed, to examine into things wliich
occurred under the administration of the Prince
Boyal of Sweden, This commission, after acting at
first with much vigour, and offering a clear stage
to all informers, had, nevertheless, been able to
discover nothing, and had fallen into lethargy for
want of aliment. Yet all this time, M. de Holmer
languished in close confinement, being allowed to
see neither wife nor children, nor friends nor
relatives ; until at last the whole country cried out
against the injustice and tyranny of this business,

256

MKMOIIla OF Ï

which was in truth outrageous, aud which would
not even then have been ao soon brought to an end
had I not advised the Grand Duke to cut this
Gordian knot by despatching an order for the re-
lease of M, de Holmer, and the abolition of the
commission, wliich, besides, cost no trifling
the already nearly exhausted exchequer of the Grand
Duke's hereditary duchy. But it was to no purpose
that I quoted this striking example; the Grand
Duke listened to me, thinking all the while, I fancy,
of something else, while M. Brockdorf, hardened in
wickedness, narrow in mind, and obstinate as
block, allowed me to talk on, Iiaving no more reasons
to produce. ^ And when I was gone away, he told
the Grand Duke that all I had urged sprung £roiu
no other motive than the desire of ruling ; that I
disapproved of every measure which I had not
myself advised ; that I knew nothing of busineea ;
that women always liked to be meddling in every-
thing, and always spoilt whatever they did meddle
with ; and that all vigorous measures especially were
beyond their capacity ; in short, he managed to over-
rule my advice, and the Grand Duke, at his persua-
sion, had an order for the arrest of Elendsheim
drawn up, signed, and immediately despatched.'. A
person of the name of Zeitz, Secretary to the Grand
Duke, who was in the interest of Pechliu, and was
son-in-law of the midwife who attended me, informed
me of all this. The party of Pechlin, generally, dis-
approved of this violent and unreasonable

EMPRESS CATUEKI.M

¥
^
^

I destii

with which M. Brockdorf alarmed both them and
the whole country of Holsteiii. Aa soon as I learnt
that Brockdorf 's wiles hod prevailed over my advice
and earnest representations, in a case of such cry-
ing injustice, I resolved to make liim feel the weight
of my indignation to the utmost. I told Zeitz, and
I had Pechlin informed, that from that moment
I regarded Brockdorf as a pest, wlio was to be
shunned, and driven away from the Urajid Duke,
if it conld in any manner be accomplished ; and that
fbr myself, I would employ every means in my
power for that end. In fact, I made it a point to
manifestj on every occasion, the disgust and horror
with which the conduct of this man had inspired
me. There was no sort of ridicule with which
he was not covered, and whenever an occasion
offered, I allowed no one to remain ignorant of
what 1 thought of him. Leon Narichkine, and
other young people, amused themselves in seconding
me in this. Whenever M, Brockdorf passed through
the apartments, every one cried out after him Ba6a
flmita (pelican), such was the nickname we had
given him. This bird was the most hideous that we
knew of, and, as a man, M. Brockdorf was quite as
hideous, both externally and internally. He was
tall, with a long neck, and a broad, flat head, and
withal red-haired. He wore a wire wig; liis eyes
were small, dull, and sunk in his head, and almost
destitute of eyelashes and eyebrows, while tlie
comers of his mouth bung down towards Iiis ebin,

298

giviug him a miserable as well as un evil look. As I
to liis character I need onlyrefcr to what I Lave just
said ; hut I ivill further add that lie waa so corrupt
that he took money from all who ivci-c willing to
give it, and in order that his august master might
not at some future time be able to blame these
extortions, and seeing him, besides, always in want of
money, he persuaded him to do the same, and -thus
procured him all he could, as ncll by selling Hol-
stcui orders and titles to any one who would pay for
them, as by inducing him to solicit, and inti'igne
for, in the diifcrent bureaux of the empire, as well as
in the senate, all sorts of favoiu-s, many of them un-
just, some even burdeusorae to the state, such as
monopolies and other privileges wliich could not
otherwise he allowed, since they weic contrary to the
laws of Peter I. Besides this, M. Brockdorf led the
Duke more than ever into gross and habitual intempe-
rance, surrounding him with a mob of adventurers,
drawn from the barracks and taverns, both of Ger-
many and St, Petersburg — men who liad neither
faith nor principle, and did nothing but cat, drink,
smoke, and talk disgusting nonsense.

As I saw that in spile of all I did and said to
lessen the credit of M. Brockdorf, lie still maintained
his position in the good opinion of the Grand Duke,
and was even more in favour than ever, I formed
the resolution of telling Count Schouvaloff what I
thought of the man, adding, that I looked upon him
as one of the most dangerous persons it was possible

EMPllESS CAÏUEIUXE TI. 259

to have near a young prince, heir to a great empire,
and that I felt myself, in conscience, bound to speak
to him in confidence, in order that he might inform
the .Empress, or take what. other measures he might
deem «proper. He asked whether he might venture
to mention my name. I told him he might, and
that if the Empress asked me about it I would not
mince the matter, but tell her what I knew and
«aw/ Count Alexander Schouvaloff winked his eye,
while listening to me very seriously, but he was not
a person to act without the advice of his brothei*
Peter and his cousin Ivan. For a long time I heard
nothing ; at last he gave me to understand that the
Empress might speak to me. on the subject. In the
interim, the Grand Duke bounced into my room one
day, closely followed by his secretary, Zeitz, with
a paper in his hand. The Duke, addressing me,
«aid, " Just look at this devil of a fellow ! I drank
too much yesterday, and to-day my brain is still in
a whirl, and he brings me a whole sheet of .paper,
which, after all, is only a list of the matters which
he wishes me to finish: he follows me even into
your room." Zeitz said to mc, "All that I have
got here only requires a yes or a no, and will not
take up a quarter of an hour." " Well, let us sec,"
I said, '^perhaps you will get through them easier
than you think." Zeitz began to read, and as he
read on, I answered, " yes," or " no." This pleased
the Grand Duke, and Zeitz said to him, '^ Look, my
Lord, if vou would onlv consent to do thus twice, a-

ÏHIl

SEKOIltS OF TQS

week, your a£ùn wcnld mt &11 into arrear. These
thÎQ^ are bat triâes. bnt tliey- niŒrt be attendeii to>
and the Grand Docheaa itaa Soiahed the ma
with ail "yea^." and as monv "noes." Tfaencch'
fijTwarii bis Imperial Highness nsed to send Zeitz to
me whenever he required any "ycaa" or "noea.'
.ifter a time, Î asked him to sive me a written order,
stating what things I might settle, and what I u
not determine withcnt hia express direction, and
,,thia he did. Xone hot Pechlin, Zeitz, and m;
were cognizant of this arrangement, with whici»
PechKn and Zeitz were delighted. When a, signa-
tare was ncœssaiT, the Grand Dnke agned what I
had settled- The affair of Elendsheim remained
under the care of Broctdorf; but, having c
got him under arreat, Brockdorf was in no hnny
to pnsh the business, for he had thus gained pretty-
nearly al! be wanted, which was to remote Ëlend-
ahcim from public atfairs, and to manifest in Holstein
his own influence with his master.

I tnTed, one. day, a favourable opportunity for
>ayiiij( to the Grand Doke, that since he fooud the
atTain of IloUtetn bo troublesome to regulate, and
regarded tficm an a sample of nhat he wonld have
one day to settle when the Empire of Enssia fell to
his lot, I thought he must look forward to that
charge a» «omething more oppressive still; there-
upon he repeated what he had often said to me
before — that he felt he was not bom for Rus
thiit ho did not suit the Russians nor the Russians

EMPRESS CATHERINE ]

261

him ; and that he was persuaded lie should perish
in this countiy. On this I told him aa I had often
previously done, that he ought not to allow him-
self to give way to so fatal an idea, but do his best
to make himself liked by every one in Russia, and
request the Empress to allow liim an opportunity
of making himself acquainted with the affairs of the
empire. I induced him even to ask permission to be
present at the conferences which served aa a eouncil
to the Empress. In fact, he did speak of this to the
Schouvaloft's, who induced the Em])Tcss to admit him to
these eonfercnecs whenever she was present at them
herself. This was very nearly the same thing as deter-
mining that he should not be admitted, for after going
with him ouee or twice, neither of them again attended.
The advice which I gave to the Grand Duke was,
in general, good and salutary ; but he who gives
counsel can only do so in accordance mth his own
east of mind and turn of thought ^his own modes of
action and manner of viewing things. But the great
defect of my counsels to the Grand Duke consisted
in the fact, that his way of doing things was quite
different from mine, and the more we advanced in
years the more marked did this diifcrenee become.
I made it a point, in all things, to keep as close to
truth as I possibly could, while he receded from it
farther and farther every day, until at last he became
a determined liar. As the way iti which he became bo
is rather singular, I will state it, as it may perhaps
display the course of the human mind in this point.

ami so 1)0 UBcful in Bhoiving how this vice nay
prtivcntpfl 01' corrcetpit in lliose who may eviuoo a
tendent!)' towards it. The first falsehood ijivented
hj' the (-jrand Duke was told ivith a view of giving
liimacif consequence in tiio ovgb of some yonng^'
inamed nioniaii or girl, on whoso ignorance he conld
count. Ke would tell her how, while etill living"
with Ids father iu Ilolstcin, his father had put him.
!it the hcnd of a detachment of his guards and'bsd
scut him to Bfii/.c a troop of gipsies who were prowl-
ing about Xiel and commitiing, lie said, fi-ightftil'
roijljcries. Those !ie would relate in detail, as als&'
the several stratagems he had made use of to exir-
roiuul the robbers and engage thorn in one or many
battles, in which he pretpnded to have performed'
proiligiea of skill aiidvaloni', after iThich he had taken
thrm prisoners and carried them to Kiel. At first
he took care not to tell all this to any but those
^vho were ignorant of his histoiy. By degrees ho ■
grew bold enough to produce liis composition heftjte
those on whose discretion he could so far rely as not'
to feoi" a contradiction from them; but when he-
ventured to relate the story to me, I asked him how
long before hia father's death it had taken place;
lie replied, without hesitation, " Tlircc or fouryearef."
"Well," I said, "yon began to show your prnwe:»
icrj' young; for, three or four yeara before yom*
lather's death, you were not more than six or seven>
years old, having been left, at the age of eleven;
under the guardianship of my uncle, the Priiiue

^O)

EMPIieSS CATIIERINE II, 203

lyal of Sweden. And wha,t equally astouiahes me/'
i oljserved, " ia, that youi- fatber, of whom you were
the oidy sou, and one besides whose health, accord-
ing to wliat I have been told, was always delicate
at that period, should have sent you to fight agaiust
brigands, at the early age of six or seven years."
The Grand Duke b.-'came terribly angi'y at these
remarks, saying that 1 disbelieved him and wished
to represent him as a liar in the eyes of the world.
I told him it was not I, but the almanac who threw
discredit on his story ; and that I left it to himself
to judge whether it was possible, in the nature of
things, that a child of six or seven, an only son,
the heir-apparent of a principality, and the sole
hope of his father, should be sent to catch gipsies,
lie held his tongue, and I too; but he sulked
with me for a long while. When, however, he had
forgotten my remonstrances, be still eontiuued to
reiate, o\'en iu my presence, tliis story, of which he
gave endless variations. lie afterwai'ds made up
another one far more disgraceful, as well as more
JBJurious to himself, whidi I will relate in its proper
place. It would be impossible for me at present to
tell all the dreams which he occasionally imagined
and gave out as facts, but in whicii there was not a
skadow of truth. The illustration I have givtm, will,
I' think, be sufficient for the present.

OacThursday, towards the end of the Carnival, at
a ball held in our apartments, I was sitting between
the sister-in-law of Leon Naiîcbkiuc and his sister.

2&1 MliJlOIltS OV TUK

Madame Siniavinc, and looking at Marine Oasipovna
Sakrelskaia, Maid of Honour to the Empreas and
niece of Count Ilazoumowsky, wlio was dancing a
minuet. She was at this time alight and active, and
it ivas said that Count Horn was very much in love
ivith her. But as he was always iu love with three
women at a time, he also paid his addresses to the
.Countess Marie Romanovna Voronzofl' and to Aiiue
Alexiev iia Hitrofi^ who were likewise Maids of Honour
to her Imperial Majesty. Wc thought that the first-
mentioned danced well, and that she was rather
pretty. She was dancing with Leon Nariehkine,
While talking on this subject, his sister-in-law and
sister told me that Lis mother talked of marrying
him to Mademoiselle Hitroff, a niece of the Schou-
valoffs, ou the side of her motlicr, who was the sister
of Peter and Alexander Schouvaloff, and married to
the father of Mademoiselle Hitroff. This gentleman
was often at the Narichkines, and had so managed
that Leon's mother had conceived the idea of this
marriage. Neither Madame Siniavine nor her sister-
in-law were at all anxious for a connection with the
Sehouvaloffs, whom, as I have already said, they
did not like, and as for Leon, he was not at all
aware that his mother was thinking of marrying
1dm, while he was actually in love with the Countess
Marie Voronzoff just spoken of. On hearing this, I
told Madame Siniavine and Madame Narichliîae that
we must not permit this marriage, as Mademoiselle
Hitroff was a person very much disliked, being

265

intriguing, disagreeable, and boisterous ; and that, to
cut abort all sucb ideas, ire ougbt to give Ijeon a.
ivjfc of our own sort. For tbis purpose I suggested
the above-named niece of Count Razoumowskj-j a
lady of wlionij bcsides, tbev were botb very fond, and
who was always at their bouse. My two friends
greatly approved of my advice, and next day, as there
was a masquerade at court, I addressed myself to
Marshal Razoumowsky, who was at that time Hetman
of tbe Ukraine, and told him iu plain terms tbat be
was doing very wrong to allow his niece to lose sucli
a desirable husband as Leon Narichkine; that Ms
mother wished bim to marry Mademoiselle Hitrofij
but that Madame Siniavinc, liis sister-in-law, and
myself, were agreed that his niece would be a more
suitable person ; and that therefore he ought, without
loss of time, to make the proposal to the parties
interested. The Marshal relished our project, spoke
of it to his then factotum, Teplofl", who at onee went
and mentioned it to the elder Count Razoumowsky,
who also gave his consent. The very next morning
Teploff went to the lîishop of St. Petersburg, and pur-
chased, for fifty roubles, the necessary dispensation.
Having obtained it, the Marshal and his wife went
to their aunt, Leon's mother, and managed so well
tbat they gained her consent even against her own
wishes. They were but just in time, for that very
day she was to give her decision to M. Hitrofi'. All
this being settled. Marshal Razoumowsky, Madames
Siniavine and Narichkine, broke the matter to Leon,

ami persuaded him to marry one to whom he liad
not given a thought, and while actually in love with
aiiodier. This otlier, however, was as good es pro-
mised to Count Boutouriine. As for Mademoigelle
Hitroff, he did not care for her at all. This consent
heing gained, the Marshal sent for lus niece, and she
felt tliat the match was too good to he refused. The
next day, which was Sunday, the two Counts Razou-
mowslcy asked the Empress' consent to the_ match,
whicli she gave at once. The Schouvaloffs were
astonished at the manner in which M. Ilitroft' and
themselves also had bi-en outwitted, for it was
not until the consent of the Erapress had been
obtained that they even heard of the matter. How-
ever, the afibir being settled, there was no help for it,
and thus Leon, in love with one woman, and Ms
mother wishing him to marry another, married a
third, of whom neither he nor any one else had
thought three days before, This marriage of Leon
Narichkine united mc still more closely than ever
ia friendship with the Counts Riizoumowskj^, who
were really gratefnl to mc for having procured 80'
excellent and so high a match for their niece ; nor
wei'C they at all sorry at liaving got the better of the
Schouvalotfa, who could not even complain, but were
obliged to conceal their mortification. It was, more-
over, an additional distinction which I had thus pro-
cured for the Eazoumowskys.

The amours of the Grand Duke with Madame
Tcploff were now im a rather languishing condition.

3G7

One of the greatest obstacica in their way w^ the
difBculty of seeing one aiiothcrj and this vexed his
Imperial Highness, who was no foudur of difficulties
than he was of answering letters. At the end of the
Camivul, his amours began to be a matter of party.
Tite Pj-iiicess of Coarland informed me one day that
Count Roman YoroiizofF, the fatlier of the two youiig
ladies who were at the court, and who by the way
was the horror of the Grand Duke, as were also his
five chikiren, was in the habit of speaking of the
Duke with very little respect or i-eeerve.

Among other thiugs, ho said that if bethought
proper he eoultl easily convert the Duke's antipathy
into favour, it being only necessary to give a dinner
to Brockdorf, let him have plenty of English beer to
. drink, and when going away, put sis bottles of it into
his pocket for liis Imperial Highness, and then he and
his youugeat daughter would at once take the highest
places in the Grand Duke's favour. At the bail the
same evening, I observed a good deal of wîiisperiug
between Ids Imperial Highness and the Countess
Marie Voronzofli the eldest daughter of Count Roman,
for this family had really become very intimate with
the Schouvabffs, with whom Brockdorf was always
welcome. It would have given me anything but
pleasure to have seen Mademoiselle ElizabetSi Voi-on-
I zoff come again into favour, and therefore, to put an
additional obstacle in the way, I told the Grand
Dtike what the father had said, and what I have just
related. He became almost furious, and demanded

MBMOIllS

THE ■

III whom

bad heard this. For a

unwilling

tell him, but he said

at name

one, he should believe

long while 1 wai
that as I coiild
that I had myself made up this stoiy in order to da-
mage the character of both the father and daughters.
It was in vain that I told him I bad never in mj life
made up any such tale ; I was obliged at last to
name the Princess of Coiirland, He said he would
instantly write to her and Icani whether I had
spoken the truth, and should there be the least
variation between our accounts, he would complain to
the Empress of my intrigues and lies ; and with these
remarks ho left my room. Fearing that the answer
of the Princess might be iu some degree equivocal, I
wrote her a note, saying, "In Heaven's name, tell
the truth purely and simply on the matter which yon
are going to be asked about." My note was instantly
despatched, and reached bei- in time, for it got before
the Grand Duke's. The Princess of Courland gave
a truthful answer to liis Imperial Higlmcss, and he
found that I had not told him a falsehood. This
withheld him for some time from his liaisons with
these two daughters of a man who had but little
esteem for liim, and whom, besides, he himself dis-
liked. But in order to put an additional obstacle in
the way, Leon Narichkinc persuaded Count Razou-
mowsky to invite the Duke to his house one or two
evenings each week, quite in private. It was almost
a partie carrée, for no one was present at it but
Mai-sbal, Marie Paoloma Karichkine, the Grand

lost H

the ■

and ■

EMPKESS C;

Duke, Madame Teploff, and Leon Nariclikine. This
went on for a good part of Lent, and gave rise to
another idea. The Marshal's honsc was at this time
of wood. He received company in his wife's apart-
ments, and as they were both fond of play, there was
always play there. The Marshal used to go back-
wards and forwards, and iu his private apartments he
had his own coterie, when the Grand Duke was not
there. But as the IMarshal had often been at ray
rooms iu my little furtive parties, he wished our
coterie to come iu tiu'u to his house. With this
view, what he called his hermitage, which consisted
of two or three rooms on the ground-floor, was des-
tined for US. Every one was carefully concealed,
because, as I have already said, we dared not go out
without permission. By this aiTangcment there were
three or four parties in the house ; the Marshal went
from one to the other, and ours was the only one
that knew all that was going on in the house, whereas
none knew that we were there.

Towards the spring, M. Pechliu, the Grand
Didte'a minister for Holstein, died. The High Chan-
cellor, Count Bestoujeff, foreseeing his death, had
advised me to ask the Grand Duke to give the place
to a certain M. Stambke. At the commencement
of spring we went to Oranienbaum. Here our
mode of life was the same as in previous years, with
this exception, that the number of Holstein troops,
and of adventurers who were appointed as officers
over them, was augmented year by year ; nud as it was

270 MKiioiKs ui' THi:

impossible to jiud quarters for titem in the little
village of Oranicnbauni, wlierc, at the first, there
were uo more tUau twcuty-ciglit cottages, tents
were pitched for these troops, whose number never
exceeded 1300 men. The otKcers dined and supped
at court; but as the number of ladies belonging, to
the court, together with the wives of the gentlemen,
did not exceed fifteen or sixteen, aud aa his Imperial
IlighucbS was passionately fond of great entertain-
ments, which he frequently gave, both in his camp,
and in every nook and corner of Oranieubaum, he
admitted to these entertainments, not only the
female singers and ballet-girls of his opera, but also
a great many women of tlie middle class, of very bad
character, who were brought to him from St, Petera-
burg. Aa soon as I was aware tlmt these singing
women, etc., were to be admitted, I abstained from
attending, under pretest, at iirst, that I was tating
the waters ; and the greater part of the time I took
my meals in my own rooms with two or three per-
sons. I afterwards told the Grand Duke that I was
afraid the Empress would be displeased if I appeared
in so mixed a company; and, in fact, I never went
when I knew that the hospitality was general, and
therefore, whenever the Grand Duke wished me to
come, none were admitted but tbe ladies of the
court. In the masquerades wlùch the Grand
Duke gave at Oianicnbaum, I never appeared other-
wise than very simply dressed, without jewels or
ornaments. Tliis, too, h::d a good effect with

EMPRESS CATHERIN

271

the Empresa, wko neither liked nor approved of
these fetes, which really hecame orgies ; and yet
she tolerated them, or at least did not forbid theui.
I was informed that her Imperial lliglmess aaid,
''These fêtes give no more pleasure to the Grand
Puchess than they do to me ; she goes to them
1 in the simplest manner possible, and never
iap3 with tJie crowd admitted to them." I occupied
myself at this time at Oranienbaum in budding and
planting nhat is there called my garden, and the
rest of the time I spent in esereisej either walking,
(aiding, or diiviug; or I read in ray own room.

In the month of July we heard that Memel had
irrendercd, on terms, to the Russian troops, on the
Hth of June, and in August the nCM's ariived of the
Battle of Gross -Jsegersdorf, won by the Russian
ffmy on the 19th of that month. On the day of
^ ,the Te Deum, I gave a grand entertainment in my
garden to the Grand Duke, and to all the most
distinguished people at Oranienbaum. The Duke
I .and all the company appeared very gay, and
fcvery much pleased. This diminished for the mo-
ment the pain which the Cinind Duke felt at the
wai' which had just broken out between Russia
and the King of Prussia, for whom ever since
his boyhood he had felt a singular inclination.

KThis, at first, was natural enough, hut in the end
it degenerated into madness. At this time' the
public joy at the success of the arma of Russia
obliged him to dissemble his real sentiments, for, at

'3 MSMOIKS Of THIS

heart, he saw ivitli regret tlic defeat of the Prussian
troops, whom he had looked upon as inviucible. On
that day I had an ox roasted for the masoos and
labourers at Oranienbaum.

A few days after this enter taînmeiifc we returned
to the capital, where we oecupied the Summer
Palace. Here Count Alexander Schouvaloff came
one evening to tell me that tlie Empress was in hia
wife's room, and had sent word to me to come there
and speak to her, as I had desired last winter.
I went without delay to the apai-tmcnts of the
Count and Countess Sehouvalofl", which were at
the end of my own rooms, and found the
Empress there quite aloue. After kissing her
hand and receiving her embrace in return, she did
nie the honour to say that, having been informed
of my wish to speak to her, she had come to-
day to know what it was I wanted. It was now
eight montlis and more since my conversation with
Alexander Schouvaloff on the subject of Bvockdorf.
I replied to her Imperial I\raje8ty that last winter,
seeing, the way in which M. Broekdorf acted, I
bad thought it necessary to speak of it to Count
Alexander Schouvaloff, in order that he might
apprise her Imperial ilajesty of it ; that he had
asked if he might name mc as his authority, and
I had told him that, if her Imperial Majesty
wished it, I would repeat to her all I knew. There-
upon I related the story of Elendsheim as it had
taken place. She seemed to listen to me very coldly.

EfllPRLSS CATHKJtlNE II.

273

and then asked me for details of tlie private life of
the Grand Duke and of his associations. I told her
with the greatest truth all I knew of them, and
when, with regard to the affaira of Holstein, I entered
into some details wliich showed her that I was well
aequtainted with tlicra, she said to me, " You seem
to be well informed in regard to that eouiitry." 1
eaid very siraply that that was not diflicult, as
the Grand Duke had ordered me to make myself
aequaiuted with them. I saw from her countenance
that this confidence made a disagreeable impression
on her mind, and altogether she appeared to me
unusually eloae during this conversation, in which
she questioned me, and made me talk, scarcely say-
ing a word herself, so tliat the interview appeared
rather a kind of inquisition on her part, than a confi-
dential conversation. At last she dismissed me
quite as coldly as she had received me, and I was
very little pleased iritli my audience. Alexander
Schouvaloff recommended me to keep it quite secret,
which I promised him to do ; and indeed there was
nothing in it to boast of. On my return, I attri-
buted the coldness of the Empress to tlie antipathy
with which, as I had long been informed, the
Schouvaloffa had inspired her against me. It will be
seen, as we pj'oceed, what a detestable use, if I ma}-
venture to say so, they persuaded her to make of this
private conversation.

Some time after this, we learned that Msrshal
Apraxine, far from profiting by his success, after the

974

lIEMOIIUi OF THE

captnrc of Memel and the victory of Gross- Jœgersdorf,
and pusliing ouwards, -w as retiring with such precipita-
tion, that his retreat resembled a flight ; for he threw
away or burned his cairisgcs and spiked his guns.
No oue could uudcrstaud these operations: his
Meads, even, could not justify him, and it was there-
fore suspected that there must be some foul play.
Although I do not myself know to what exactly to
attribute this precipitate and inconsistent retreat,
never having seen Marshal Aprasine since, yet I
think the cause of it may have been that he re-
ceived from his daughter, the Princess Kourakine,
(always connected by policy, though not by inclina-
tion, with Peter Schouvaloff), and also from his son-
in-law, Prince Kourakine, and other friends and rcla-
tiTea,very precise news of the health of the Empress,
which was constantly getting worse and worse. At
this time it began to be generally believed that she had
very violent convulsions every month, regularly ; tliat
these convulsions visibly enfeebled her faculties;
that after eveiy one she was for three or four
days in a state of weakness and exhaustion which
resembled lethargy ; and that during this period she
could not be spoken to on any subject whatever.
Marshal Aprasine, perhapa thinking the danger more
urgent than it really was, did not judge it advisable
to advance farther into Prussia, but thought it best
to make a retrogr.ide movement, in order to draw
aearer to the frontiers of Russia, under pretest of
want of provisions, foreseeing that, in the event of

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 275

the Empreas' death, the vrai- would be brought at
once to a. close. It was dUHcuIt to justify the pro-
ceedings of Marshal Apraxine. But such may have
been his views, and the more so as he believed hia
presence necessary in Russia, as I have already men-
tioned, when speaking of his departure. Count
Bestoujeff informed me, through Stambkc, of the
turn which the conduct of the Mai-shal had taken,
and hoir the Ambassadors of Austria and France
loudly complained of it. He begged me to write
to the !^[arsha), as being his friend, and join
my persuasions to his, to induce him to retrace his
steps and put an end to a flight to which his enemies
gave an odious and injurious interpretation. I did
write to him, infonning of the reports current at
St, Petersburg, and of the difficulty whicli his friends
found in justifying the precipitancy of his retreat,
I Kii begging him to retrace his steps and fulfil the
s he had received from the (Joveiument. This
was sent througli Bestoujeff, but I received no
(ply to it. Meanwhile General Fermor, Director-
saeral of Works to her Imperial Majesty, came
I take leave of us on his departure from St.
Petersburg. We learned that he was appointed to
the army. Tic had formerly been Quarier-m aster-
general to Count Munich. The first thing he
asked for was to have with him his empisyéa or au-
perintendents at the Board of Works, the Brigadiers
Reaznoffand Mordvinoff; and with them beset oS
r the arrov. These were soldiers who had scarcely

ever done anything but make contracts for buildiogi
On liis arrival lie was directed to take the command, \
in place of Marshal ApraxiiiCj who was recalled, audi
who, on his return, found at Trihorsky an order t
await there the commands of the Empress. Thee
were long in reaching him, because his friends, hisM
daughter, and Peter Schouvaloff moved heaven and V
earth to calm the anger of the Empress, fomented as. I
it was by the Counts Voronzoif, Boutourlirie, Johii 1
SchouA'aloff, and others, who were urged on by the:!
ambassadors of the courts of A'ienna and Versailles, I
who were anxious to have tlie Marshal brought to I
trial. At last, commissioners were named to esamini
liim. After the first interrogatory, the IMarahal wasl
seized with a fit of apoplexy, of which he died iitl
about twenty-four hours. In this trial. General f
Lieven would assuredly Iiave also been included. 1
He was the friend and confidant of Aprasine. I ^
should have had an additional grief, for Lieven ti
sincerely attached to me. But whatever friendship I ■
may have had forApraxine and Lieven, 1 can swear tbatfl
I was entirely ignorant of the cause of tlieir oondm
and even of their conduct itself, although a goM
deal of trouble was taken to circulate a report that!
it was to please the Grand Duke and me that the^'l
had retreated instead of advancing. Lieven ooca-|
sionally gave very singular proofs of his attachment!
to me; among others, the foUomug; the Ambassa-I
dor of Austria, Count Esterhazy, gave a masquerade,r
at which the Empress and all the court were present. J

^^^oou

EMPRESS CATEEKINE II. 277

Lieven, seeing mc paas tlirough tlie room where he
was, said to his neighbour, who happened to be
Count Poniatowsky, " There is a woman for whom a
fellow might take some blows of the knout without
complaining," I have this anecdote from the Count
himself, who has since become King of Poland.

As soon as General Fennor had assumed the
command, he hastened to fullil his instrnetions, which
were precise. He instantly moved forward, in spite
of the rigour of the season, and occupied Kooiga-
berg, which sent deputies to him on 18th January,
1758.

During this ivinter I suddenly perceived a great
change in the behaviour of Leon Nariehkine, He
began to be disrespectful and rude, no longer
visited me except unwillingly, and talked in a man-
ner which made it evident that some one was filling
hisheadwith prejudices against me, against his sister-
in-law, hissister. Count Poniatowsky, and all who held
to me. I learned that he was constantly at the house
of John Schouvaloff, and I easily guessed that they
were turning him against mc, in order to punish me
for having prevented his marriage with Mademoi-
selle liitrotf, and that they would certainly go on
until they had led him into indiscretions which might
be injurious to mc. His sister-in-law, his sister, and
his brotlier were equally angry with him on ray
account, aud, literally, he conducted himself like a
fool, and took delight in offending us as much as lie
could, and that, too, while I was furnishing, at my

278

MEMOlils Ol ■

own expense, the house iii which Le was to live when
married. Every one accused him of ingratitude,
and told him that he had nothing to gain Ijy
\rhat he was doing, nor anything whatever to
comphiin of. It was evident that he was a, mere tod
in the hands of those who had got possession of
him. He was more regular in pajing court to the
Grand Dnke, whom he amused as much as he could,
leading him on more and more to courses which lie
knew I disapproved of. He sometimes pushed his
incivility so far as not to reply wlien I spoke to him.
To this very hour I eanuot conceive what eould have
offended him, for I had literally loaded him with
favours and friendship, as well as all his family, from
the first moment I knew them, I fancy he was also
induced to cajole the Grand Duke, hy the advice
of the Sehouvalotfs, who told him that the Duke's
favour would be more advantageous thau miuc, since
I was in ill odour both with him and tlic Erapreaa,
neither of whom liked ine, and that he woidd inter-
fere with his own prospecta if he did not detach
himself from me; that as soon as the Empress died, the
Grand Duke would put mc into a convent ; and other
such like statements which tlie SchouvalofFa made to
him, and which were reported to me. Jïcsides, they
showed him in perspective the order of t^t. Anno as
the symbol of the Grand Duke's favour. By these
and such like reasonings and promises, they obtained
from this weak-minded young man all the little
treacheries they wished ; indeed, they made him go

liMPnESS CATHEEINi; II. 270

not only as far, but evcu farther than they wisiied,
although now and then, as will hereafter be seen, he
liad his fits of repentauce. He also endeavoured, as
much as possible, to alienate the Grand Duke front
nie, so that bis Imperial Highness manifested an
altnost continuous ill-huroour towards me, wliile Uu
again renewed his connection with tlie Counteas
Elizabeth Voronzofl'.

In the beginning of tlie spriug of this year it wa£
rumoured that Prince Charles of Saxony, son of
Augustus HI, King of Poland, intended to visit St.
Petersburg. Tîie prospect of this visit gave no
pleasure to the Grand Duke, for many reasons. In
the first plaee, he feared that it would be an addi-
tional restraint upon him, jind he did not like the
course of life wliicli he had traced out for himself
to be in the least disturbed. In the next place, tlie
house of Saxony stood opposed to the King of Prus-
sia, while a third reason may have been that he
feared to sufier by comparison; if so, this, at all
events, was being very modest, for the poor Prince
of Saxony was a mere nonentity and wholly devoid
of education. Except huntijig and dancing, he knew
absolutely nothing, and he told me himself that îu
the whole course of his life he never had a book in
his hand except the prayer-books given him by
a& mother, who was a great bigot. However, the

incB arrived at St. Petersburg on the 5th of April,
r. lie was received with much ceremony,

1 a great display of magni ficcncc. His suite was

very numerous, and he was accompanied hj many
Poles and Basons, among whom there was a
Liibomirsky. a Pototsky, a Rzevusky, who enjoyed
the appellation of "the hnndsome," two princes,
Soulkowsky, a Count Sapieha, the Count Branitsky,
since G rand- General, a Count Einsiedel, and many
others, wliose names do uot noiv occur to me. He
had a kind of sub-governor or tutor with him,
named Lachinal, who directed his conduct and his
correspondence. The . Prince took up his residence
in the lionae of the cliamhorlain, John Schouvaloif,
recently finished, and on which, its owner had ex-
hausted his taste, without producing a tastefii]
result, for though richly furnished, it was badly ar-
ranged. There were numerous paintings, but
mostly copies. One of the rooms was ornamented
with tchinar wood, but as this wood does not
take a polish it had been varnished ; this turned
it yellow, but of a very disagreeable hue, which
being pronounced iigly, they sought to remedy
it by covering it with very elaborate carvings, which
they silvered. Externally, this mansion, though
imposing in itself, resembled in its decorations,
rufflea of Alengon lace, so loaded was it with orna-
ment. Count John Czcraicheft' was appointed to
attend on the Prince, who was provided with every-
thing he required at the expense of the court, and
waited on by the servants of the court.

The night preceding the day on which he was
to visit lis, I suffered so sevcrdv from a violent

EMPKESS CATHERINE II.

281

attack of cholic, with suet looseness of the bowels
that they were moved more than thirty times. Not-
■withstandiug this, and the fever consequent upon
it, I dressed the next morning to receive the
Prince of Saxony. He was presented to the Em-
press about two o'clock in the afternoon , and,
upon leaving her, was presented to me. The Grand
Duke was to enter a moment after liim. Three
arm-chairs had heen placed side by side along the
same wall, the centre one was for me, that on my
right for the Grand Duke, and the one on my left
for the Prince of Saxony. The task of keeping up
the conversation devolved entirely upon me, for the
Grand Dake had hardly a word to say, and the Prince
had no conversational powers. In short, after a
brief interview of a quarter of an hour's length.
Prince Charles arose to present his immense »uile to
us. There were with him, I think, more than twenty
persons, to whom were added, upon this occasion,
the Polish and Sasou Envoys who resided at the
Russian Court, together with their employés. After
half an hour's interview the Prince took leave, and I
undressed and went to hed, where I remained three
or four days in a very violent fever, at the end of
which I showed some signs of pregnancy. At the
close of April we went to Oranienbaum. Before our
departure we learnt that Prince Charles of Saxony
intended to join the Russian aniiy as a volunteer.
Before leaving for the army, he went with the Empress
to Peterhoff where he was feted. AVe took no part in

theae festivities, ra in those given ia the capital, %
remaiaed at our cooutrr-house, wLcre Le came to take
Icare of us, and then departed on the 4t!i of July.

As the Grand Duke was almost always in very
bad humour with me, for which I could and no other
reasous than mj- not receiving either JI. BrockdOTf
or the Countess Voronzoff, who again was becoming
the reigning favourite, it occurred to mc to give s
/été to his Imperial Highness in my garden at Oranien-
baum, in order, if possible, to mitigate this ill-feeling.
A fete was a thing always welcome to iiis Imperial
Higlmess. Accordingly, I ordered an Italian architect,
who was at that time in my serricc, Antonio Binaldi,
to construct, in a retired spot in the wood, a large
car capable of containing an orchestra of sixty pc*-
S0U8, singers and instiumen talis ts. 1 had verses cosi-
po^cd by the Italian poet of the court, and set to
music by the chapel-master, Axa j a. In the large avenue
of the garden was placed an illuminated decoration
with a curtain, opposite to which a. table was laid out
for supper. On the 17th of July, at the close <rf
day, bis Imperial Highness, and all who wen
at Oranienbaum, with numerous spectators firom
St. Petersburg and Cronstadt, assembled in the
gardens, wliich they found illuminated. We eat down
to table, and, after the first course, the curtain which
concealed the grand avenue was raised, and ia the
distance the ambulatory orchestra was seen approach-
ing, drawn by twenty oxen decorated with garlands
and surrounded bv all the dancers, male and female,

IMPRESS CATHEKINK II. 383

ttat I lad been able to get together. Tlie avenue
was illuminated, and so bright that everything could
be plainly distinguished, AVhen the car stopped, it so
happened that the moon stood directly over it— a cir-
cuniBtance which produced an admirable effect, and
took the company quite by surprise ; the -weather,
besides, was most delightfuL The guests sprang from
table, and advanced nearer to enjoy more fully the
beauty of the symphony and of the spectacle. When
this was ended the curtain dropped, and we sat down
again to table for the second course ; after which a
flourish of trumpets and cymbals was heard, and
then a mountebank cried out, " This way, ladies and
gentlemen ; walk in here, and you will find lottery-
tickets for nothing," At each side of the curt^ed
iration two small curtains were now raised, dis-
laying two little shops brightly illuminated, in one
-^ which tickets were distributed gratis for a lottery
of the porcelain it contained; and, in the other, for
flowers, fans, combs, purses, ribbons, gloves, sword-
knots, and other similar trifles. When the shc^
were emptied dessert was served, and afterwards came
dancing, which was kept up till six the next nuHTiing.
tïor once in the way, no intrigue or ill-will occurred
mar the effect of my fHv, and his Imperial Iligh-
Bs and every one besides was in ecstasies. Notliing
ras to be heard but laudations of the Grand Duchess
id her fêle; and, indeed, I had spared no expense.
!y wine was pronounced delicious ; the repast the
[lest possible. All was at ray om'u expense, and cost

S84

from 10,000 to 15,000 roubles : it must 1
membered that I had 30,0(X) roubles a-year. But
this fete was near costing mc still more dearly; for,
during the day of the 17th of July, having gone in a
cabriolet with Madame Narichkine to see the prepara-
tions, and wishing to descend from the carriage, just
as I placed my foot on the step, a sudden movement
of the liorse threw me on my knees on the ground.
I was then four or five mouths advanced in pregnancy.
I pretended to make light of the accident, and re-
mained the last at the entertainment, doing the
honours. However I was very much afraid of a mie-
carriage, but no ill result occurred, and I escaped with
nothing worse than the fright.

The Grand Duke, and all his coterie, all his
Holstein retainers, and even my most rancorous
enemies, for days afterwards, were never tired of
singing my praises, and those of my fete, there being
no one, either friend or foe, who did not carry
off some trifle or other, as a souvenir; and the
entertainment being a i^asquei'adc, there was a
numerous assemblage of all ranks. As the company
in the garden was very mixed, and included a
number of women who could not elsewhere have
appeared at court, or in my presence, all made a
boast and display of my gifts, which were, in reality,
mere trifles, none of them, I believe, exceeding a
hundred roubles in value ; but they came from rae,
and every one was delighted to be able to say, " I
received that from her Imperial Highness the Grand

ILUntESS tATUERI.VE II. 28j

Ducliess; she is goodness itself ; slitt has made pre-
sents to every one ; she is charming ; she gave me
a kind sinilej and took pleasure in making us all eat,
dance, and divert ourselves ; she was always ready
to find a place for those who had none, and wished
every one to see all that was to he seen. She was
very lively," etc. In short, on that day, I was
'found to possess qualities which had not before been
recognized, and I disarmed ray enemies. This was
■what I wanted; but it did not last long, as will
■shortly appear.

After this fHe, Leon Narichkine renewed his
Ti&its to me. One day, on entering my boudoir, I
ibund him impertinently stretched on a couch there,
and singing an absurd song; seeing tliis, I went ont,
closing the door after me. Going immediately
■ to liis sister-in-law, I told her we mnst get a good
bundle of nettles, and with them chastise this
fellow, who had for some time past behaved so
insolently towards us, and teach him to respect us.
His sister-in-law readily consented, and we forth- „
vith had brought to us some goad strong rods,
surrounded with nettles. Wc took along with us
one of my women, a widow, named Tatiana
Jourievua, and wc all three entered the cabinet,
where we found Leon Narichliine singing his song at
the top of his voice. When he s^w us he tried to
make off, but we whipped him so well with our rods
and nettles, that his hands, legs, and face were
swollen for two or three days to such a degree that

386

MFMOIHS OP THi;

he could not accompany ,us tu I'ctei'hoff on the
morrow, wMch was a court day, but was obliged to
remain in his room. He took care, besides, not to
boast of wliat Lad occurred, bccansc we assured him
tltat on the least sign of impoliteness, or ground
of complaint, we would renew the operation, seeing
lliat there was no other means of managing hina.
All this was done as a mere joke, and without anger,
but our gentleman felt it sufficiently to recollect
it, and did not again expose himself to it, at least,
not to the same exteut as before.

In the month of August, while at Oraiiienbdurn,
we learnt that the battle of ZomdorQ', one of the
iiiost sanguinary of the century, had been fought on
the 14th of that month. The number of killed and
wounded, on each side, was ralculatcd at upwards of
20,000. Our loss in ofBccrs icas cousiderable, and
exceeded 1200. This battle was aunounced to ua as
a victoiy, but it was whispered that the loss was
equal on both sides; that for the space of three dajs
neither army ventured to claim the victory; that
fiQally, on the third day, the King of Prussia, in bis
camp, and the Count Pcnnor on the field of battle,
had each caused the Te Deitm to be .sung, The
vexation of the Empress and the coiistcmation of
the city were extreme when they learned all the
details of this bloody day, in ivhich so many people
lost relatives, friends, or acquaintances. For a long
time all waa soitow; a great many generals were
slain or wounded or taken prisoners. At last, it

i CATUERIXC 11.

a87

1 N

■was acknowledged, that the conduct of Count Fer-
mer was anything but soldierly and skilful. He was
recalled, and the command of the Ruasiaii forces
ÎU Prussia was given to Count Peter SoUikoff. For
this purpose, he was aummonod from the Ukraine,
where he commanded, and, in the interim, the com-
mftDd of the ar\ny was gireu to General Froloff |
Bagreetf, but with secret instructions to do nothing^p
■without the concurrence of the I,ieuteuant- Generals '
Count Roumiaczoff and Prince Alexander Galitzine,
his brother-in-law. A charge was brought against
BonmiaDzoff, to the effect that, being at no great dis-
iKncc from the field of battle, with a force of 10,0IKl
men upon the heights, whence he could hear the
cannonade, he might have rendered the action more
decisive, had he attacked the Prussian army in the
TEar while engaged with ours. He neglected to
do this, and when his brother-in-law. Prince Ga-
Ittztne, came to his camp, after the battle, and
detailed the butchery that had taken place, he re-
ceived him very ill, said many disagreeable things to
him, and refused to see him afterwards, treating him
as a coward, which Prince Galitzine by no means
■was, the entire army being more convinced of his
intrepidity than of that of Roumianzoff, notwith-
standing his present glory and victories. At the
beginning of September, the Empress was at Zarskoe-
Scfci, where, on the Hth of the month, the day of the
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, she went on foot from
Sbe palace to the parish church to hear mass, the dis-

288

tance being only a few steps northwards from
palace-door to the church. Scarcely had the se
commenced, when, feeling unwell, she left the
church, and descended the little flight of steps which
turns towards the palace, aud, on arriving at the re-
entering angle of the side of the church, she fell
down insensible ou the grass, in the midst of, or rather
surrounded by, a crowd of people who had come to
hear mass from all the neighbouring villages. None
of her attendants had followed lier when she left the
church, but heing soon apprised of her condition, the
ladies of her suite, and her other intimate atteudants,
ran to her aasiatauee, aud found her without con-
sciousness or movement in the midst of the crowd,
who gazed upon her without dariug to approach.
The Empress was tall aud poMcrfid, and could not
fall down suddenly without doing herself a good deal
of injury by the mere fall, Tlicy covered her with a
white handkerchief, and went to fetch the physician
and surgeon. The latter arrived first, and instantly
bled her, just as she lay on the groimd, and in the
presence of all the crowd, but this did not bring her
to. The physician was a long time in coming, being
himself ill, and unable to walk. lie was obliged to
be carried in an arm-chair. The physician waa the
late Condoijdij, a Greek by nation, aud the sui^eon,
Fouzadier, a French refugee. At last screens were
brought from the palace as well as a couch, on wliich
she was placed, and by dint of care, and the remediea
applied, she began to revive a little; but, on opening

EMPKESS CATHEBINE II.

ner eyes, slie recognized no one, and asked, in a
scarcely intelligible manner, where she was. AH this
lasted above two hours, at the end of which it was
determined to carry her Majesty on the couch to the
palace. The consternation into which this event
threw all who were attaclicd to the court may easily
be imagined. The publicity of the affair added to
its unpleasantness. Hitherto, thestateoftheEmpress
liad been kept very secret, but in this case the acci-
dent was public. The next morning I was informed
of the event at Oranienbaum by a note from Coimt
Poniatowsky. I immediately went and told the Grand
Duke, who knew nothing of it ; because, generally
speaking, everything was carefully concealed from us,
and more especially all that concerned the Empress
herself; only that it was customary, whenever we
happened not to be in the same place as her Majesty,
to send every Sunday one of the gentlemen of our
court to make inquiries after her health. This we
did not fail to do on the following Sunday, and we
learnt that for several days the Empress had not
recovered the free use of speech, and that even yet
she articulated with difficulty. It was asserted that
during her swoon she had bitten her tongue. All
this gave reason for supposing that this weakness
partook more of the nature of convulsions than mere
fainting.

At the end of September we returned to the
capital, and as I began to get large, I no longer
appeared in pubhc, believing tliat the period of my

290 MSMOIKS OF TU£

oonSaement was mueli nearer than it really proved
to be. TliU «as % source of anuo^ance to the Graoi
Dake, because, when I appeared in public, he veiy
often complained of indisposition, in order to be abls
to remain in his own apartments, and, aa the EmprsH
also rarely appeared, the burden of the réception
days, the /ties, and the balls of the court de^'olved
upon me, and Y.'hen I could not be there, his Imperii
Highness was teased to be present, in order that some
GOB might represent her Majesty. He, therefore,
began to lie annoyed at my pregnancy, and one day
took it in his head to say, in his apartment, heSoso
Leon Nariehkine, and seseral others, " God knows
where my wife gets lier pregnancies, I don't veryweU
kuow whettier this chQd is mine, and whether I ought
to take the responsibility of it." Leon Nariehkine ci
running to me with these words, fresh from the Duke's
lips. I was naturally enough alarmed at sucli
speech, and said to him, " How stupid you all w
Go and ask him to swear that he has not slept with
his wife, and tell liim if he will take this oath, yoa
will go immediately and give information of it to
Alexander Schouvaloff as grand inquisitor of tha
empire. Leon actually went to his Imperial High.
neas, and asked him for this oath, but the answer he
got was, " Go to the devil, and don't talk to me any
more about it." This speech of the Graud Puke,
made so indiscreetly, gave me great pain, and I saw
from that moment that three paths, almost equally
perilous, presented themselves for my choice : first, to

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 391

ihare the fortunes of the Grand Dnke, be they what
they might ; aeconcUy, to be exposed every moment
to cvciy thing he chose to do either for or against me;
or, lastly, to take & path entirely independent of all
eyentualities ; to speak more plainly, I had to choose
the alternative of perishing with him, or by him, or
to save myself, my children, and perhaps the empire
also, from the wreck of which all the moral and phy-
sical qualities of this Prince made me foresee the
danger. This last choice appeared to me the safest.
I resolved, therefore, to the utmost of my power, to
continue to give him on all occasions the \'ery best
advice I conld for his benefit, but never to persist in
this as I had hitherto done, so as to make him angry ;
to open his eyes to his true interests on every oppor-
tunity that presented itself; and, during the rest of
the time, to maintain a mournful alienee ; and, on the
other hand, to take eare of my own interests with the
public, so that in the time of need they might see in
me the saviour of the commonwealth. In the month
of October, I was iiiformed by the High Chancellor,
Count Bestoujeft', that the King of Poland had just
sent Count Poniatowaky his letters of recall. Count
Bestoujeffhad liad a violent dispute upon this subject
■with Count Briihl and the Cabinet of Saxony, and
was annoyed tliat he had not been consulted in the
matter as heretofore. He learned at last that the
Vice-Chancellor, Count Voronzofi", and John Schou-
valoff had, with the assistance of Prasse, the resident
minister of Saxony, secretly manoeuvred the whole

292 MBJ^OIRS OF THE

affair. This M. Prasse, moreover, often appeared toi
be well iuformed of a rnimber of secrets which it!
puzzled every one to conjecture w hence he had'l
obtained them. Many jeai's afterwards their sourool
was discovered. He carried on a love intriguEfr
though very secretly and very discreetly, with thi
Vice- Chancellor's wife, the Countess Anna Karlorns,!
whose maiden name was Scavrousky. This ladya
waa the intimate friend of the wife of Samarine, the I
master of the ceremonies, and it was at the house offl
the latter that the Countess saw M. Pi-asse. The Chan> m
cellor Bestoujoff bad the letters of recall brought toi
him, and sent them back to Saxony under pretext o
informality.

In the night between the 8th and 9th
December, I began to feel the pains of childbirth. I
sent to inform the Grand Duke by Madame Vladia-
lava, and also Count Schouvaloflj that he might
announce the fact to her Imperial Majesty. In a
short time the Grand Duke came into my room
dressed in his Holstein uniform, booted and spurred,
with his scarf round his body, and an enormous
sword at his side, having made an elaborate toilet.
It was about half-past two in the morning. Asto-
nished at his appearance, I inquired the reason of
this grand dress. He replied that it was only on an
emergency that true friends could be discerned ; that
in this garb he was ready to act as duty demanded ;
that the duty of a Holstein officer waa to defend,
according to his oath, the ducal palace against all its

.^J.

EMPRESS CATHEKINB II.

enemies, and that, as I was ill, he had hastened to my
assistance. One would have supposed him jesting;
but not at all, he was quite serious. I saw at once
that he was intoxicated, and advised him to go to
bed, that the Empress when she came might not
have the double annoyance of seeing him in such a
state, and armed cap-a-pie in the Holstein uniform,
which I knew she detested. I had great difficulty in
getting him to leave ; however, Madame Vladislavs
and myself finally persuaded him, with the lielp of
the midwife, who assured him that I should not be
delivered for some time yet. At length he went
away, and the Empress arrived. She asked where
the Grand Duke was, and was informed that he
had just quitted the room, and would not fail to
return. When she found that the pains abated, and
that the midwife told her I might not be confined for
some hours yet, she returned to her apartments,
and I went to bed and slept till the next morning,
when I got up as usual, feeling, however, occasional
pains, after wliich I continued for hours together
entirely free from them. Towards supper time I felt
hungry, and ordered some supper to be brought.
The midwife was sitting near me, and seeing me eat
ravenously, she said, "Eat, eat; this supper will
bring you good luck," In fact, having finished my
supper, I rose from the table, and the moment I did
so was seized with such a pain, that I gave a loud
scream. The midwife and Madame Vladislava seized
mc under the arms, and placed mc on the prepared

S94 MEMOI&S OF TUK

bed, and went to seek the Empresa and the Grand
Duke. Scarcelyhadthey arrived when I was delivereâ
(between ten and eleven o'clock at night, on the 9th
of December) of a daughter, whom I begged the
Empress to allow me to name after her, But she
decided that she ahouid be named after her eldest
sister, Anne Petrovna, Duchess of Holstein, mother
of the Grand Duke. His Imperial Highness ap-
peared much pleased at the birth of this child; he
made gVeat rejoicings over it in his own apartments,
ordered rejoicings to be made iu Holstein also, and
received all the compliments paid to him on the
subject with gi-eat manifestations of pleasure. On
the sixth day the Empress stood godmother to the
child, and brought me an order on the cabinet for
60,000 roubles. A similar present was sent to the
Grand Duke, which added not a Uttle to his satisfac-
tion. After the baptism, the fêles commenced, which
were very magnificent, according to report. I saw
none of them, but remained in my bed, very delicate,
and quite alone, not a living soul to keep me com-
pany ; for no sooner was I deUvered than the Empress
not only carried oÉf the child to her own apartments
as before, but under the plea of my requiring
repose, I was left there, and abandoned like any poor
wretch, no one entering my room to ask how I
was, or even sending to inquire. As, on the fonner
occasion, I had suifered a great deal irom this
neglect, I had this time taken all possible precautions
against draughts, and the other inconveniences of

! CATHERINE II.

bed

the place ; and as soon as I was delivered, I arose
and went to my own beJ, and as no one dared to
visit me, unless secretly, I had also taken care to
provide fof tliia contingencj'. My bed stood neariy
in the middle of a rather long room, the windoWe
being on the right side of the bed. There was also a
door, which opened into a kind of wardrobe,
ich served also as an ante-chamber, and which was
ill barricaded with screens and trunks. Prom the
bed to this door I had placed an iramense screen,
which concealed the prettiest little boudoir I could
devise, considering the locality and the circumstance».
In tiia boudoir were a couch, mirrors, moveable
tables, and some chairs. When the curtains of my
bed on that side were drawn, nothing conld be seen;
when they were pulled aside, I could see the
lodoir, and those who happened to be in it. But
any one entering the room could only see the screens.
If any one asked what was behind the screen, the
answer was, the commode ; and this being within
the screen, no one was anxious to see it; or even if so,
it could be shown without getting into the boudoir,
which the screen effectually conccalcrl.

On the 1st of January, 1759, the court festivities
terminated with a grand display of fireworks between
the ball and the supper, As I still kept my room, I

296

UEMOIRB OF THE

did not appear at court. Before the fireworks
let off. Count Peter ScliOUvaloH' took it into his bead
to present himself at my door, to show me the plan
of them before they were let off. Madame Vladislava
told him I was asleep, but, howeverj she would go and
see. It was not true that I was asleep ; I was merely in
bedj and had my usual bttle party, which then, as for-
merly, consisted of Mesdames Narichkine, Siniavine,
lamaïloff, and Count Poniatowsky. The latter, siuoe
his recall, had given out that he was ill, but came to
visit me, and these ladies loved me sufficiently to
prefer my company to the balls and fetes. Madame
Vladislava did not exactly know who was with me,
but she was a great deal too shrewd not to suspect
that there was some one. I had told her early that
I Bhould go to bed, as I felt weary ; and then she
did not afterwards disturb me. Upon the arrival of
Count SchouvalofF, she came and Iraoeked at my door.
I drew the curtain on the side of the screen, and
told her to enter. She came in, and brought me the
message of Count Peter Schouvaloff, and I ordered
her to admit him. While she went to execute this
order, my friends behind the screen were bursting
with laughter at the extreme absurdity of this scene.
I was about to receive Count Schouvaloff, who
would be able to swear that he had found me
alone, and in bed, while there was only a curtain se-
parating my gay little party from this most important
personage, who was at that time the oracle of the
court, and possessed the confidence of the Empress

EMPKESa CATHERINE II. 297

to a very high degree. In, therefore, he came, and
brought me his plan far the fireworks. He was at
that time Grand Master of Artillery. I began by
making apologies for keeping him waiting — only
having, I said, just awoke; I rubbed my eyes, say-
ing that I was still quite sleepy. I here told a story,
not to make Madame Vladislava out a story-teller.
After this, I entered into a rather long conversation
with him, so much so, that he appeared anxious
to leave, in order not to keep the Empress waiting
for the commencement of the fireworks. I then dis-
missed him. He took his departure, and I again
drew aside the curtaiu. My company, from laughing
so heartily, was beginning to feel hungry and thirsty.
"Very well," I said, "you shall have something to
eat and drink ; it is only fair that while you are kind
enough to give me your company, you should not die
of hunger or thirst." I closed the curtain and rang :
Madame Vladislava presented herself. I told her
that I was starving, and desired her to bringme some
supper, I said I must have at least six good dishes.
"When it was ready it was brought to me, and I
had it placed by the side of my bed, and told the
servant not to wait. Then my friends from behind
the screen came out like so many famished creatures
to eat whatever they could find ; the fun of the thing
increased their appetite. In fact, this evening was
one of the merriest I have ever passed in the whole
course of my life. When the supper had been
devoured, I had the remains cleared awav in the

298

MEMOIRS OF THE

Bame manner as it had been serrecl. I fancy, bon*
ever, the servauta wEsre a little surprised at my apfw^
tite. About the time the court supper liad concluded/
my party also retired, very well pleased with th^
evening. Count Poniatowsky, when going out, i
wore a wig of fair hair anil a cloak, and to the qum
tion of the sentinels, " Who goes there 'f" was ace
tomed to answer that he was a musician to the Gts
Duke. This wig made us laugh a good deal that dsjri

This time my churching, after the bis wceha, t
place in the Empress' cLapel; but no one nsnstfi
at it except Aleiander Schouvaloff. Towards tlu
end of the Carnival, and when all the /fleg of \
city were finished, three weddings took plaee ai
court : that of Count Alexander Strogonoff with t^M
Countess Anne Voronzofl', daughter of the Viw
Chancellor, was the first ; and, two days after, that A
Leon Narichkinc with Mademoiselle Zakrefsky ; s
on the same day also, that of Count Boutourline wi'
the Countess Marie Voronzoffi Tliese three youa
ladies were Maids of Ilouonj to the EmpresB.
the celebration of these weddings, a bet was made i
court between the Hetman Count Razoumowsky aoi
the Minister of Denmark, Count d'Oaten, as to whieU
of the three newly-made husbands should be tl]i
first to be deceived, and it turned out that thou
who had hei on Strogonoff, whose bride appeared
the plainest of the three, and at the time the n
innocent and childlike, won the wager.

The evening preceding the day on which Leofi

299

Rancbkîne aud Count Boutourliue were married, waa
an unfortunate one. For a long time, it had been
whispered tiiat the credit of the High Chancellor
was vravering, and that his enemies were getting the
upper hand of him. He had lost liis friend. Genera
Apraxiue. Couut Razoumowaky, the elder, had for a
long time supported him, but since the influence of the
Schouvaloffs had preponderated, he rarely meddled
witli anything, unless it were to ask for some trifling
favour, for Iiis friends or connections, when occasion
offered. ^ The hatred of Schouvaloff aud Voronzoff
against the Chancellor was further increased by the
efforts of the Ambassadors of Austria and France,
Count Esterhazy, and Marsha! de l'Hôpital. The
latter thought Count Bestoujcff more disposed for an
alliance with England than with France, and the
Ambaaaador of Austria caballed against him, because,
while he wished Russia to adhere to her treaty of
alliance with the court of Vienna, and give aid
to Maria Theresa, he did not wish that she should
take a leading part in a war against the King of
Prussia. The views of Count Bcstoujeff were those
of a patriot, and he was not easily led ; whereas the
Messrs. Voronzoff and John Schouvaloff were the
tools of the two ambassadors to such an extent
that a fortnight before the Chancellor's disgrace,
the Marquis de l'Hôpital, Ambassador of France,
went to Count Voronzoff, despatch in hand, and said
to him, " Monsieur Ic Comte, here is the despatch of
my court, which I have just received, and in which

300

MEMOinS oy THB

it is said that if, within a fortnight, the High
Chancellor is not displaced by you, I am to address
myself to him, aud treat with no one but bim,"
this the Vice -Chancellor took fire, and went to John
Schonvaloff, aud tliey represented to the Empress
that her glory was suffering from the credit which
Count Bestoujeff enjoyed throughout Europe. She
ordered that a conference should be held that very
evening, and that the High Chancellor should be
summoned to it. The latter sent word that he
was ill. This illness was represented as a disobe.
diencc, and word was sent to him to come without
delay. He went, and, on his arrival, he was arrested
in full conference. He was deprived of his offices,
his titles, and his orders, without any one being able
to say for what crimes or delinquencies the first
personage of the empire was thus despoiled. He
was scut back to his house a prisoner. As all this
was pre-arranged, a company of grenadiers of the
guard was called out. ITiese, as they passed along
the Moika, where the Counts Alexander and Peter
Schonvaloff lived, said to one another, "Thank
God, we are going to arrest those cursed Schouva-
loffs, who do nothing but invent monopolies." But
when they found that it was Count Bestoujeff whom
they had to arrest, they gave evident signs of dis-
pleasure, saying, "It is not this man, it is the others,
who trample on the people."

Though Count Bestoujeff had been arrested in the
very palace of which we occupied a wing, and not

EMFKESS CATHEKIKE II. 301

T^ery far &om our apai-tmenta, we heard nothing of it
that evening, so careful were they to keep from us
all that was going on. The next day, Sunday, i
received, on awatiug, from Leon Nariclikine, a
note, which Count Poniatowsky forwarded to me by
this channel, which had long since become of very
questionable security. It commenced with these
words : — " Man is never without resources. I em-
ploy this means of informing you, that last night.
Count Bestoujefi' was aiTcated and deprived of his
offices and dignities, and with him your jeweller
Bernard], Yelagine, and AdadouroiT." I was thun-
derstruck upon reading these iiues, and, at once
saw that I must by no means flatter myself that
this affair did not affect me more nearly than yet
appeared. Now, to make this understood, a few
comments are necessary. Eemardi was an Italian
jeweller, not without talent, and whose business
gave him the entrée to every house. I think there
was scarcely one which did not owe him something,
or to which he bad not rendered some little service
or other, as he went continuaUy to and fro every,
where. He was also intrusted sometimes with eom-
missions from one to the other. A note sent through
Bemardi always reached its destination sooner and
more safely than if sent by the servants. Now the
arrest of Bernard! interested the whole city, since he
executed commissions for everybody, and for me
among the rest. Yelagine was the former Adjutant
of the Master of the Hounds, Count Raaoumowaky,

302

who had had the giiardianship of lîeketoff. He tuH
remained attached to the house of Razoumowsky.
He had also beeome the friend of Count Poniatowskyi
He was a man of integrity, and one who could be
relied on ; and when once his affection was gained,
it was not easily lost. He had always shown a pre-
dilection for me, and zeal in my interest, Adadouroff
had been formerly my master in the Russian lan-
guage, and had remained much attached to me. It
was I who had recommended him to Count Bestoti-
jefF, who, within the last two or three years only,
had begun to place confidence in him. Formerly,
he did not like him, because he held to the party <rf
hia enemy the Procurator- General, Prince Nikita
Yourie witch Troubctskoy.

After the perusal of the note, and the reflections
which I have just made, a crowd of ideas, one more
disagreeable than another, presented themselves to
my mind. With the iron in my soul, so to speak, I
dressed, and went to mass, where it seemed to me
that the greater part of those 1 saw had faces as long
as my own. No one made any remark to me daring
the day J it was just as if every one was in total
ignorance of what had happened. I was silent also.
The Grand Duke, who had never liked Count Beston-
jeff, appeared to be rather gay on this occasion, yet
behaved without affectation, though he i-ather kept
away from me a good deal. In the evening I waa
obliged to go to the wedding ; I changed my dress, was
present at the benediction of the marriages of Count

BMPRKSS CATHEKIKE II, 303

[ôutourline and Leon Narichltine, at the ball, and
at tlie supper, during wliich I approached the marshal
of the wedding. Prince Nibita Troiibetzkoyj and,
under pretence of examining the ribbons of his mar-
slial's baton, I whispered to him, " "What do all these
fine doings mean ? Have you found more crimes
than criminals, or more criminals than crimes?" To
which he replied — " We have done what we were
ordered ; but as for the crimes, they are still to be
discovered. Thus far, the search haa not been suc-
cesaful." Having finished with him, I approached
Marshal Eoutourline, who said to mc — " Bestoujeff
is arrested, but we have yet to leam why lie is bo."
Thus spoke t'.ie two commissioners appointed by the
limprcsa to investigate the causes that had led to his
arrest by Count Alexander Schouvaloff. I also per-
ceived StambliB at the bail, but at a distance, and I
saw that his countenance wore an expression of suf-
fering and despondency. The Empress was not
present at either of these two marriages, neither in
cliurch nor at the feast. The next day, Stambte
came to my apartments, and told me that he had
juafc received a note &om Count EestoujefF, which
hegged that he would inform me that I need be
under no apprehension coucetDing what I knew;
that he had had time to burn everything, and that he
would commmiicate to liim (Stambke), by the same
chauuel, the interrogatories which might be put to
him. I asked what that channel was. He told me
; it was a horn-player in the Count's service,

304 MEMOIEa OF THE

who had brought him the note, and that it had bees
arranged that, for the future, any communication» if
might be desirable to make should be placed in a'

particular spot, among some bricks, not far from the'
Count's house. I told Stambke to take care that
this dangerous correspondence was not discovered,
though he appeared to be sufTering great anxiety'
himself. However, he and Count Poniatowsky still'
continued it. As aoon as Stambke had left, I called
Madame Viadislava, and told her to go to her brother-
in-law, PougowichnikofF, and give Li m the note
I was wi'iting. It contained only these words : —
"You have nothing to fear; there has been time
to burn all." This tranquillized hira ; for, it appearsj
that ever since the arrest of the High Chancellor, he
had been more dead than alive. I must now explain
the cause of his anxiety, and what it was that Count
Bestoujeff had had time to destroy.

The weak state of the Empress's health, and the
convulsive fits to which she was subject, veiy
naturally made all eyes turn to the future. Coont
Bestoujeff, both from his position and abilities, was
certainly not one of the last to do so. He knew well
the antipathy that had long heen escited against him
in the mind of the Grand Duke. - He was also well
aware of the feeble capacity of this Prince, bom
heir to so many crowns. It was only natural that
this statesman, hke every one else, should wish
to maintain himself in his position. For several
years past he had seen me laying aside my prejudices

XMFKESS CATHERINE IT.

305

against him ; perhaps, also, he regarded me per-
sonally as the ouly one upon whom at that time the
hopes of the public could rest, in the event of the
Empress' death.

These and such hke reflections had induced h'm to
form the plan that, on the decease of the Empressj
the Grand Duke should be proclaimed Emperor
as of right, but that, at the same time, I should he
declared a participator with him in the administra-
tion; that all existing offices should he continued,
and that, for himself, he should receive the lieute-
nant-colonelcy of the four regiments of guards, and
the Presidency of the three Colleges of the Empire,
that of Foreign Affairs, of War, and of the Admiralty.
His pretensions were consequently excessive. He
had forwarded to me, through Count Poniatowsky,
the draught of this project, written by the band of
Pougowichnikoff. I had agreed with the former that
I should thank him verbally for his good inten-
tions, but say that I regarded his plan as difficult
of execution. He had had this project written and
re-written several times, had altered, amplified, re-
trenched, and appeared to be quite absorbed by it.
To speak the truth, I looked upon it as the efi'ect
of mere dotage, and as a bait which the old man was
throwing out in order to obtain a firmer hold on my
friendship ; but I did not catch at this bait, because
; I regarded it as prejudicial to the empire, that every
quarrel between my husband (who did not love me)
and myself should convulse the State; hut as the

occasion for such a courae did not yet exist, I did not
wish to oppose an old man who, when once he 1
a thing into his head, was self-willed and immovab!
This, then, was the project which he bad foul
time to destroy, and concerning which he had e
me word, in order that I might tranqoillize
who had been privy to it.

In the meantime, my valet de chambre, Skouriiu^
came to tell me that the captain who guarded Cm
Bestoujeff waa a man who had .always been
friend, and who dined with him every Sunday, whi
he left court and went home. I said that if thi
were the case, and if he could be rehed on, he should
endeavour to sound him, and see if he would allow
any communication with the prisoner. This had l
come the more necessary as Count Bestoujeff h,
communicated to Stambke, by the mode already
mentioned, that he wished Bemardi to be told from
him to speak the simple truth when interrogated, a
to let him know what were the questions .
When I perceived that Skourine willingly undertook
to discover some means of communicating witl
Count BestoujeiF, I told him also to try and iq>eii
some means of communication with Bernardi ai
well, and see if he could not gain over the sergeant^
or some soldier who kept guard in his quarter. On
the evening of the same day, Skourine told me that
Bemardi was guarded by a sergeant of the guards'
named Kalichkine, with whom he was to have an ii
terview on the morrow; but that having sent to

EMPRESS CATHEl

his friend the captain, who was with Count Bea-
toxtjeff, to ask if he could see him, the latter had in-
formed him that if he wished to see him he must
come to his house. One of hia subalterna, however,
whom he also knew, and who was his relation, had
cautioned him not to go there, because if he did,
the captain would arrest him, and make a merit of
80 doing at his expense, as he had already boasted
to a confidant, Skourine therefore kept away from
hia pretended friend, However, Kaliclitine, whom
I had ordered to be gained over in my name, told
Bernardi all that was necessary ; besides, he was only
asked to speak the simple truth, and to this both
willingly lent themselves.

At the end of a few days, early one morning,
Stambke came into my room, very pale and greatly
frightened, telling me that his correspondence and
that of Count Bestoujeff with Count Poniatowsky liad
been discovered ; that the httle horn-player had been
airested, and that there was every reason to fear that
their last letters had fallen into the hands of Count
Bestoujeff's keepers; that he himself espected every
moment to be dismissed, if not arrested ; and that he
bad come to tell me this, and to take his leave
of me. This information caused me no little anxie^.
However, I consoled him aa well as I could, and sent
him away, not doubting but that his visit would tend
to augment against me, if that were possible, all
kinâs of ill-feeling, and that I should, perhaps, be
IS a person suspected by the Government.

I waa, however, well satisfied in my own mind that I
had nothing to reproach myself with against 1
Government. With the exception of Michel Vo
ronzoff, John SchouvalofF, the two Ambassadors o
Austria and Prance, and those whom thesis partie
made to believe whatever they wished, the geoa
publie, every one in St. Petersburg, great and small,
was persuaded that Count Bestoujefl' waa innocen^
and that there was neither crime nor delinquency to
be Itdd to his charge. It was known that the di^
following the evening of his arrest, a manifest
had beeu concocted in the chamber of Ivan Schouva
, which the Sieur Volkoff, formerly first Com-
missary of Count Bestoujeff, and who, in the ;
1755, had absconded from his house, aud after warn,
dering some time in the woods, had allowed htmse
to be taken, and who, at this moment was first Seen
tary to the Conference, had to draw up this instnt
ment, which they intended to publish, in order t
explain the reasons which had constrained the Em
press to act towards the Grand Chancellor in l3i
way slie had done. Now, in this secret conferetice,
in which they had to torture their brains to discover

they agreed to state that it was for 1
crime of high treason, and because BestoujefF 1
endeavoured to sow dissension between her Imperiat
Majesty and their Imperial Highnesses ; and it v
their wish, the very day after his arrest, to baniak
him to one of his estates, and deprive him of the
icBt of his property, without trial or judgment. But

EMFBE8S CATHERINE II. 309

there were some who thought that it was going too
far to exile a man without crime or trial, and that it
was, at least, necessary to look about and see if some
crime could not be laid to his charge ; and if not, that,
in any case, it was indispensable to make the prisoner —
who, for some unknown reason, had been shorn of his
offices, dignities, and decorations — pass under the judg-
ment of Commissioners. Now, these Commissioners,
as I have already stated, were Marshal Boutourline,
the Procurator- General Prince Troubetskoy, General
Count Alexander Schouvalotf, and the Sieur Volkoff
as Secretary. The first thing tiiese Commissioners
did was to give directions, through the department
of foreign affairs, to the ambassadors, envoys, and
employés of Russia at foreign courts, to send copies of
the despatches which Count Bestoujeff had written to
them since he had been at the head of affairs. The
object of this was to discover in these despatches
some crime or other. It was alleged against him
that he wrote just what he pleased, and made
statements opposed to the orders and wishes of the
Empress; but as her Majesty neither wrote nor
signed anything, it was difficult to act against her
orders ; and, as to verbal orders, she could hardly
have given any to the High Cbancellor, who for
whole years had no occasion to see her; while, as for
verbal orders delivered through a third party, they
might easily be misapprehended, as they might be
imperfectly delivered, as well as imperfectly received
and understood. £ut nothing came of all this except

310

MEMOIRS OF THE

the order I have mcntioued, because none of the e
ploijés would give himaelf the trouble of exsmimin
and copying out papers ranging over twenty years, i
all for the purpose of discovering crimes committi
by one whose instructions and orders he himself h
followed outj and with whom, therefore, lioweverw
meant his efforts, he might become implicated in k
faults which might be traced in them. Besides:, 1
mere transmission of these papers would put
crown to a considerable expense; and when, after a
they reached Ht. Petersburg, there would be enougU
in them to try the patience of several pereona for mftnn
years in their attempts to discover and uiu'avel s
thing which, after all, they might not contain.
order thci'cfore was never executed; nay, even tbo8e~
who sent it, at last grew tired of the businees itself
and at the end o£ a year it was concluded by the pub»
lication of the manifesto, which they had begi
compose the day after the Chaueellor'B arrest.

On the afternoon of the day on which StamW
came to take leave of me, the Empress sent
order to the Grand Duke to dismiss him, and sex
him back to Holstciii, for that his correspondem
with Eestoujeff liad been discovered, and that I
deserved to be arrested, but that out of eousidcratioi
for bis Imperial HighnesB, whose minister he v
he should be left at liberty, provided he was inime- ■
diately sent away. Stambke was, therefore, Bent I
off, and with his departure ended my interference in 1
the affairs of Holstein. The Grand Duke was given j

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 311

to underatand that the Empress was not pleased at
my having to meddle with them, and his Imperial
Highness was himself inclined that way, I do not
well remember who it was that Bucceeded Stambke,
but I rather think it was a person named Wolff.
In the next place, the Empress' ministry formally
demanded of the King of Poland, the recall of Count
Poniatowsky, as a letter of his, addressed to Count
Bestoujeff, had been discovered. It was innocent
enough, in fact, but nevertheless was addressed to a
so-called prisoner of state. As soon as I heard of
the dismissal of Stambke, and the recall of Count
Poniatowsky, I prepared myself to expect nothing
good, and this is what I did. I summoned my valet
de chambre, Skourine, and ordered him to collect
and bring me all my account books, and every-
thing among my effects which could iu any way be
regarded as a paper. He executed my orders with
zeal and exactitude, and when all were brought into
my room I dismissed him. As soon as he left the
room, I threw all the books into the fire, and when
I saw them half consumed, I recalled Skourine, and
said to him, " Look here, and be witness that all
my papers and accounts are burnt, in order that if
you are ever asked where they are, you may be able
to swear that you saw me burn them," He thanked
me for the care I took of him, and told me that a
singular alteration had been made in the guard over
the prisoners. Since the discovery of Stambke's
correspondence with Count Bestoujeff, a stricter

312

MEMOIRS OF -i

watcli had been kept upon him, and with this object
they had taken from Beriiardi the sergeant Ealich'
kine, and had placed him in the chamber, and near
the person of the late High Chancellor. "When
Kalichkiiie saw this, he asked to have some of the
trusty soldiers who were under hiiu when he was oa
guard at Beraardi's. Here, then, was the most re-
liable and intelligent man we had introduced into the
very apartment of Count Bestoujeft^ without having
lost all means of communication with Bemai'di. In
the meantime the interrogatories of the Count were
going on. Kalichkine made himself known to Mxa-
as a man devoted to me, and, in fact, he rendered him
a thousand good ofBces. Like myself, he was con-
vinced that the Chancellor was innocent, and the
victim of a powerful cabal — and such, also, was the
persuasion of the public. As for the Grand Duke,
I saw that they had irlghtened him, and had led
him to suspect that I was aware of the eorresponi-
ence of Stambke with the state- prisoner. I per-
ceived that his lloyal Highness was almost afraid to
speak to me, and avoided entering my apartment,
where I remained for the time, quite alone, seeing
no one, I would not, in fact, allow any one to
come to me, fearing to expose them to some misfor-
tune or inconvenience, and when at com't, in order
not to be avoided, I refrained from approaching any
one I thought likely to feel compromised by my
notice. On the last days of the Carnival there was
to be a Eussian play at the court theatre, and

^^^o

EMFBESS CATHERINE II. 313

Count Poniatowsky begged me to be present, because
rumours had been spread that it was iateuded to send
me back to my own country ; to prevent my appear-
ance in public ; and I know not what besides, and
every time I did not appear at court or at the
theatre, every one was anxious to know the reason
of my absence, as much perhaps from curiosity as from
interest in me. I knew that the Russian drama was
one of the things his Imperial Highness least liked,
and even to talk of going there was enough to dis-
please him seriously. On this occasion, too, in addition
to his dislike of the national drama, he had another
and more personal objection, namely, that it would
deprive him of the company of the Countess Eliza-
beth Voronzoff; as she was in the ante-chamber
along with the other maids of honour, it was there
that his Imperial Highness enjoyed her conversation
or her company at play. If I went to the theatre
these ladies were obliged to follow me — a circum-
stance which annoyed his Imperial Highness, who
had then no other resource than to retire to his own
apartments and drink. Notwithstanding all this, as I
had promised to go to the play, I sent a message to
Count Alexander Schouvaloff, desiring him to order
a carriage for me, as I intended that day to go to
the play. The Count came and told me that my in-
tention of going to the theatre was anything bat
agreeable to the Grand Duke. I replied that as I
ibrmed no part of the society of his Itoyal Highness,
lought it would be the same to him whether I

314

MEMOIRS OF THE

was alone in my room or in my box at the theatre,
lie went away, winking his eyes, as he always did
whenever anything disturbed him. Sometime after^
wards, the Grand Duke came into my room. He
was in a fearful passion, screeching like au eagle;
accusing me of taking pleasure in enraging him, and
saying that I had chosen to go to these plays becaoee
I knew he disliked them. I represented to him
that he ought not to dislike them. He told me
he would forbid my having a carriage. I replied
that if he did I should go on foot, and that I could
not imagine what pleasure he could find in compel-
ling me to die of ennui in my rooms, with no other
company but my dog and my parrot. After a long
and very angry dispute on both sides, he went awa;*,
in a greater rage than ever, and I atill persisted in
my intention of going to the play. When it got
near the time for starting, I sent to ask Count
Schouvaloff if the carriages were ready; he ci
and told me that the Grand Duke had forbidden
any to be provided for me. Then I became reaJly
angry, and told him that I would go on foot, and
that if he forbade the ladies and gentlemen from
attending me I would go alone; and, besides, that I
would write and complain to the Empress, both trf
the Duke and of him, "What will you aay to
her?" he asked. "I will tell her," I said, "the
manner in which I am treated, and that you, in
order to secure for the Grand Dulie a rendezvous
with my maids of honour, encourage him to prevent

EMPRESS CATHERINE 1

315

my going to tbe theatre, where I might, perhaps,
have the pleasure of seeing her Imperial Majesty;
and besides this, I will beg of her to send me hack
to my mother, because I am weary of, and disgusted
with, tbe part I play here : left alone and deserted
in my room, hated by the Grand Duke, and not
liked by the Empress; I want to be at rest, and a
burden to no one ; I want to be freed from the
ncecHsity of making every one who approaches me
unhappy, and particularly my poor servants, of
whom so many have been exiled, heeanse I was
kind to them, or wished to be so. It is thus that
I shall write to her Imperial Majesty, and I will see,
moreover, whether yon yourself will not he the
bearer of my letter." My gentleman got frightened
at the determined tone I assumed ; he left me, and
I sat down to write my letter to the Empress in
Russian, making it as pathetic as I could, I began
by thanking lier for the kindnesses and favours
with wiiieb she had loaded me ever sinee my arrival
in Eussia, saying that, unfortunately, tlie event
proved I did not deserve them, since I had only
drawn upon myself the hatred of the Grand Duke
and tbe very marked displeasure of her Imperial
Majesty; that as I was unhappy and shut up in
ray own room, where I was deprived of even the
most innocent amiiaementa, I begged her earnestly
to put an end to my sufferings, by sending me to
my relations in any manner she judged proper ;
that as for my children, as I nei'cr saw them.

tha^ liriitg in the Mate home «itli the
made Ëtâe AS b xaaa e to ne wWeikeil was is tka
ame place wiA tbem or sone kmidmla of ieaçata
SttMot; thatliTM Tell nrare tkitt abe took better
cne of them dnm idt poor povere voold enafale me
to do ; that I TmttEred to intieat her to oaotnue
this care to dietn; that confiJart of this, I vonli
paai the rest of nr time vidi m j relations, in pnf>
ing £» hcT, the Gmtd Dake, mr chiUrra, and dB
those «ho had done me either good or erii ; bat that
m; health was reduced, br grief, to such a state, ihat
I ou^t to do what I coold to presemr dit hie, at
least; aod that with this object I addressed mj^elf
to her for permtsnon to go to the waters, and
thenœ to my relations.

Harisg written this letter, I sommoned Conol
SchooT^ofr, who, on entering, informed me that the
carriages I had ordered were ready. 1 t<^d him,
while banding him my letter for the Empress, that
be might inform those gentlemen and ladies who did
not wish to accompany me to the theatre, that X
would dispense with their attendance. The CooiA
received my letter, winking as usual, but as it was
addressed to her Imperial Majesty, be dared not
refuse it. He also gave my message to the equerries
and ladies, and it was his Imperial Highness who
decided who was to go with me, and who was to
remain with him. I passed through the ante-
chamber, where I found him seated with the Cono-
tess Voronzoff, playing at cards in a corner. He

EMPRESS CATHESINE II. 317

roae, and she also, when he saw me — a thing which,

on other occasions, he never did. To this ceremony
I replied by a low curtsey, and passed on. I went
to the theatre, where the Empress did not come on
that occasion. I fancy it was my letter which pre-
vented her. On my return. Count Schouvaloff told
me that her Imperial Majesty would have an inter-
view with me herself. The Count would seem to
have informed the Grand Duke of my letter and the
reply of the Empress, for, although from that time
he never set foot in my room, he used his utmost
endeavours to be present at the interview which the
Empress was to have with me, and it was cousidered
that this could not well be refused. While waiting for
this interview to take place, I kept myself quiet in my
own apartments. I felt persuaded that if the Schou-
valoffs had had any idea of sending me home, or of
frightening me with the threat of doing so, I had
taken the best method of disconcerting the project ;
for nowhere were they likely to meet with greater
resistance to it than in the mind of the Empress
herself, who was not at all inclined to strong mea-
sures of this kind ; besides, she remembered the old
misunderstandings in her own family, and certainly
would not wish to see them renewed in her time.
Against me there could be only one point of com-
plaint, which was, that her worthy nephew did not
appear to me the most amiable of men, any more
than I appeared to him the most amiable of women;
iftod, as regarded this nephew, her opinions exactly

^viUUl,

818

ctÀnàâed with my owo. She knew him so
that for many rears past ahe coula not spend s qtuurter
of an hour in his society vithout feeling disgust, <K
anger, or sorrow ; »jid in bcr own room, wbeD he
pened to be the subject of conversation, she wooU
either melt into tears at the misforttme of haviiy
SDch a successor, or she would be unable to speak
him without exhibiting her contempt, and oft
applied to him epithets which he bat too well meiitad.
I have proofs of this in vaj hands, having
among her papers two notes written by her own b&ttâ,
to whom I do not know, thoagh one of them sappean
to have been for John Schouvaloff, and the othcx for
Coimt Razoumowsty, in which she curses
nephew, and wishes him at the devil. In one o*
this expression, IIpoKiHTbiH xoh njeMiHSEKi. jocajiajK
KaifB BCJbsa Oojfe (" My damned nephew has great^
vexed me") ; and in the other she says, DjeaiaHiun
MOÉ ypoiti, lepTberoBoabVB ("Mynephewisafool^tlw
devil take him"). Besides, my mind W3s made up, and
I looked upon my being sent away, or not, with a vvaj
philosophic eye. In whatever position it should pleaae
Providence to place me, I should uever be without
those resources which talent and détermination givç
to each one according to his natural abilities, and I
felt myself possessed of sufficient courage either to
mount or descend without being carried away by
undue pride on the one hand, or feeling humbled and
dispirited on the other. I knew that I was a humim
being, and, therefore, of limited powers, and conse-

EMPRESS CATHEIUNE 11. 319

qneutlyincapableofperfection, but my intentions had
always been pure and good. If from the very begia-
ning I had perceived that to love a husband who was
sot amiable, and who took no pains to be so, was a
thing difficult, if not impossible ; yet, at least, I had
devoted myself both to him and to his interesta with
all the attachment which a friend, and even a ser-
vant, coidd devote to his friend and master. My
counsel to him had always been the very best I could
devise for his welfare, and, if he did not choose to
follow it, the fault was not mine, but that of Ids own
judgment, which was neither sound nor just. ^Vhen
I came to Russia, and during the first years of our
union, had this Prince shown the least disposition to
make himself supportable, my heart would have been
opened for him, but whca I saw that of all possible
objects I was the one to whom he showed the least
attention, precisely because I was his wife, it is not
wonderful I should find my position neither agreeable
nor to my taate, or that I should consider it irksome,
or even miserable. This latter feeling I suppressed
more resolutely than any other; the pride and cast
of my disposition rendered the idea of being unhappy
most repugnant to me. I used to say to myself,
happiness and misery depend on ourselves ; if you
feel unhappy, raise yourself above your misery, and
so act that your happiness may be independent of
all accidents. To such a disposition I naturally
joined great sensibility, and a face, to say the least
of it, interesting — one which pleased at first sight,

320

UeUOIRB OF THE

without art or effort. ^\y disposition was bo oo
ciliating, that no one ever passed a quarter
an hour îu my company nitbout feeling perfectly
ea«e, and couverslng with me as if we had been f>t4
acquaintances. Naturally indidgent, I won the i
fidi-nce of those who had any relations with
because every one felt that the strictest probity
good-will were the impulses which I most readil;^
obeyed, and, if I may be allowed the expressioii, I
venture to assert, iu my own behalf, that I was a
true gentleman — one wliose cast of mind was more
male than female ; and yet I was anything but
masculine, for, joined to the mind and character o£
a man, I possessed tlie charms of a very agreealde^
woman. I trust 1 shall be pardoned for giving this'
candid expression of my feelings, instead of seeking
to throw around them a veil of false modesty.
Besides, this very writing must prove what I have
asserted of my mind, disposition, and character. i

I have just said that I was pleasing, consequenHy
half the road of temptation was already traversed,'
and it is in the very essence of human nature that, m>
such cases, the other half should not remain un-,
tracked. For to tempt, and toie tempted, are thijigB
very nearly allied, and, in spite of the finest maxims of
morality impressed upon the mind, whenever feeling
has anything to do in the matter, no sooner is it ex-
cited than we have already gone vastly farther than
we are aware of, and I have yet to learn how it is
possible to prevent its being excited. Flight

it alone ^fl

i CATUHRI\E 1

331

IB, perhapSj the only remedy ; but there are cases and
cir cum stances in which flight becomes impossible, for
how is it possible to fly, shun^or turn one's back in
the midst of a court ? The very attempt would giïc
rise to remarks. Now, if you do not fly, there is
nothing, it seems to me, so difficult as to escape from
that which is essentially agreeable. All that caii be
said in opposition to it will appear but a prudery
quite out. of harmony with the natural instincts of
the human heart; besides, no one holds his heart
in his hand, tightening or relajcing his grasp of it at
pleasure.

But to return to my narrative. The morning
after the play, I gave out that I was unwell, and kept
my room, waiting patiently for the decision of her
Imperial Majesty upon my humble request. How-
ever, the first week in Lent, I judged it prudent
to go to my duty, in order to show my attach-
ment to the Orthodox Church. The second or
third week of Lent brought me another bitter
affliction. One morning after I had risen, my ser-
vants informed me that Count Alexander SchouvalofF
had sent for Madame Vladislava. This I thought
somewhat strange. I waited her return anxiously,
but in vain. About an hour after noon. Count
Schouvaloff eame to apprise me that her Majesty
the Empress had thought fit to remove Madame
Vladislava from me. I burst into tears, and said,
that of course her Imperial Majesty had a right
to remove or place with me whomsoever she

plcaited, bnttlintl was grieved to find, morea]
that all who camo near me were so many t
devoted to the displeasure of her Imperial Majea^i

and that, in order that there might be fewer eâé
victims, I begged aiid entreated him to request hi
Majeaty to send me home to my relations as soaaM
possible, and thus put an end to a state of tlnsgl
which compcilcd me to be continually making H
one or other miserable. I abo assured him tliat Ût
removal of Madarao Vladislava would not n
throw any light upon anything whatever,
neither slie nor any one else possessed my confidmei
The Count was about to reply, but hearing my sofae^hf
began to weep with mc, and told me that the £!iii^Cât
woiild herself speak to ma on the subject. I eatreatt^
him to liasten the moment, which he promised to 3a..
I then went to my attendants, related what. faa4
occurred, and added that if any duenna I happened
to dislike took the place of Madame Vladislav», ■d
might make up her mind to reeeive from mo. #C
worst possible treatment, not even excepting bloM
and I begged them to repeat this wherever tl
pleased, so as to deter all who might wish to be pl&i
about me from being in too great haste to accept tin
charge, for that I was tired of suffering, and i
saw that my mildness and patience had produced bq
other result than that of making everything coit*
nected with me go from bad to worse, I had made tip
my mind to change my conduct entirely. My peo{^
did not fail to repeat aîl I wished.

EMPKJESS CATHERINE II. 323

The evening of this day, during which I had
wept a great deal, walking up and down my room^
much agitated both in mind and body, one of my
maids, named Catherine Ivanovna Cheregorodskaya,
came into my bed-room, where I was quite alone,
and said to me very affectionately, and with many
tears, " We are all very much afiraid you will sink
under these affictions; let me go to-day to my
unde — he is your own confessor as well as the
Empress^ — I will talk to him, and tell him every-
thing you wish, aûd I promise you he will speak
to the Empress in a manner that will give you
satisfaction/^ Perceiving her good disposition to-
wards me, I told her without reserve the state
of matters; what I had written to her Imperial
Majesty, and everything else. She went to her
uncle, and having talked the matter over, and
disposed him to favour my cause, she returned
about eleven o^clock to tell me that her uncle
advised me to give out, in the course of the night,
that I was ill, and wanted to confess, and thus send
for him, in order that he might be able to repeat to
the Empress what he should hear, from my own lips.
I very much approved of this idea, and promised
to carry it out, and then dismissed her, thanking
both herself and uncle for the attachment they dis-
played for me. Accordingly, between two ajid three
o^clock in the morning, I rang my beD. . One of my
women entered. I told her I felt so unwell that
I wished to confess. In place of a confessor. Count

3i4

UCHOIU or TBC

Alexander Schouvaloff came nmning to me, ;
weak aud hrokca voice I reaeirea my rcqueat
my confessor should be sent to me. He sent
doctors, and to these I said that it
>uccour I stood iu need of; that I vas
felt my pulse, and said it nas ireak; I
my soul was in danger, and that my
fartliLT need of doctors. At length
r.rrived, aud wc were left alone. I made
the side of my bed, and we had a conversai
least an hour and a-half in length.
to him the state of things past and
Grand Duke's conduct to me, and mine
him ; the hatred of the Sebouvaloffs, and the
Btaiit banishment, or dismissal, of ray pet^
and always of those who had grown most atta^
to me J and, finally, the hatred of her Imperii
Majesty, drawn upon me by the Schouvaloffi ; i
short, the whole present position of affairs,
what had led me to write to the Empress Û
letter in which I demanded to be sent home,
I begged him to procure me a speedy reply to
prayer. I found him with the best disposition
aiblc for serving rae, and by no means sueh a foot'
he was reported to be. He told me that myletti
did aud would produce the eifect I wished j thî
I must persist in my demand to be sent home — i
demaud which most certainly ivould not be com
plied with, because such a step could not he justifie
in the eyes of the public, who had their attentio:

325

directed towards me. He agreed that I luid been
treated very cruelly; that the Empress, having
chosen me at a very tender age, had abandoned me
to the mercy of my enemies; and that she would
do far better to banish my rivals, and especially
Elizabeth Voronzoff, and keep a check upon her
favourites, who had become the blood-suckers of the
people, by means of the new monopolies which
the Schouvaloffa were every day devising ; besides
which, they were daily giving the people cause to
complain of their injustice, as witness the effair of:'
Bestoujeff, of whose innocence the public were fully
persuaded. He concluded by telling me that he
would immediately proceed to the Empress' apart-
ments, where he would wait until she awoke, in order
tospcak to her on the subject; and that he would then
press for the iutervieiv which she had promised mc,
and which ought to be decisive; and that I woidd do
well to keep my bed ; he would add, he said, that grief
and affliction might cause my death, if some Speedy
remedy were not applied, and I was not removed,
by some means or other, from my prescut state of
loneliness and abandonmeot.

He kept his word, and painted so vividly
my unfortunate state, that the Empress sum-
moned Alexander Schouvaloff, and ordered him to
inquire if my condition would allow me to come
and speak to her the following evening. Count
Schouvaloff came with this message, and I told
him that for such an object I would summon all

:j2fi

M>:»OIRS OF THE

the Btrengtli I had ieft. Towards evening Il'V
■and Schouvaioff iuformcd mc tiiiit, after saidiù^
lie would accompaiiy mc to the apartments of hi
Imperial Majesty. My confeesor sent me word, 1)
}iis niece, that everything was going on well, ai
tlittt the Empress would speak to me that ew
iiig. I thei-eibre dressed about ten o'clock .
night, and, while waiting, stretched myself upOgt.
(wueh, and fell asleep. About lialf-paat one. Cot
Schonvaloff entered the apartmeut, and told me tl
the Empress had asked for mc. I ai'ose, and foUoWf
him. Wc passed through several aiite-charaljers, e
tireiy empty, and on an-iving at the door of the ^
Icry, I saw the Grand Duke enter by the oppod
door, and perceived that he too was about to visit tl
Empress. I had never seen lira since the day of ■tf
play ; even when I had given out that my life ivaa-i
danger, he neither came nor acnt to iuquii-e a&et Al
Jiealth. 1 afterwards learned that on this very.d
lie had promised Elieabeth Voronzoff to marry hec^
I happened to die, and that both were r^oûcài
greatly at my condition.

Having at last reached her Imperial Majesty
room, I there fonnd the Grand Duke, As sood^sb^
perceived the Empress, I threw myself at b»>. jeo
mid begged her earnestly, and with tears, to sends
l)ack to my relations. The Empress wished to ruH
me, but I remained at her feet ; she appeared ta<n
grieved than angry, Mid said to mc, witli tears in ht
eyes, " Why do you wish rae to send you home ? E

EMPEESS CATHEEINE II. 327

ymi not remember that you have children?" I rcpliedj
"My children arc ia your Majesty's hands, and can-
uot be better placed, and I trust you will not abandon
them." She then said to me, "But what excuse
could I give to the public in justification of this
step?" " Your Imperial Majesty," I replied, "will
state, if you think fit, the causes which have brought
upon me your Majesty's displeasure, and the hatred
of the Grand Duke," " But how will you manage to
live when yon are with your relatives?" I replied,
" As I lived before your Majesty did mc the honour of
biinging me here." To this she answered, " Your
mother ia a fugitive; she has been compelled to
retire, and has gone to Paiis." "1 am aware of
that," I aaid ; " she was thought to be too much
attached to the interests of Russia, and the King of
Prussia has therefore persecuted her." The Empress
again bad me rise, which I did, and slie walked av&j
from me to some distance, musing.

The apartment in which we were was long, and had
three windows, between which were two tables, con tain-
iag the gold toilet-service of the Empress. No one was
ia the room but myself, the Empress, the Grand Duk^
aad Alexander Sohouvaloff. Opposite the Empress
wexe some large screens, in front of which was a couch.
I' 6iispecteil from the lirst that John Scliouvaioft' cer-
tainly, and perhaps also his cousin Peter, were behind
these. I learnt afterwards that my coiijccture was
in part correct, and that John Scbouvaloff actually was
tlierc. I stood by the side of the toilet-table, nearest

MEMOIRS OF THE

to the door by which I entered, and noticed nr'
toilet-basin some letters folded up. The EmpKts
again approached nic, and said, " God is my witneti
Low I wept when you were dangerously ill, just afitr
your arrival in Russia, If I had not liked you, I
should not have kept you." This I looked upon tt
an answer to what I had just said in reference to my'
having incurred her displeasure. I replied by thank-
ing her Majesty for all the kindness and favour she
had shown me then and since, aaying that the
recoUeetion of them would never be effaced from my
raeraory, and that I should always regard my having
incurred her displeasure as the greatest of my misfor''
tunes. She then drew still nearer to me, and aaiii,
" You are dreadfully haughty : do you remembo',
that at the Summer Palace I one day approached
you, and asked if you had a stiff neck, because I
noticed that you hardly bowed to me, and that it wa»
from pride you merely saluted me with a nod?'
" Gracious heavens ! madame," I said, " how could
your Majesty possibly suppose that I should be
haughty to you? I solemnly declare that it never
once occurred to me that this question,
four years ago, could have reference to any such
thing." Upon this she said, " You fancy there-
is no one so clever as yourself." " If I ever had
any such conceit," I replied, "nothing could be
better calculated to undeceive me than my present
condition and this very conversation, since I see that)
I have been stupid enough not to understand, till

EMPRESS CATHEIHNE II. 329

this moment, what you were pleased to say to me
four years ago,"

During my conversation with her Majesty, the
Grand Duke was whispering to Count Schouvaloff.
She perceived this, and went over to them. They
were both standing near the middle of the room. I
could not I'ery well hear what they were saying,
as they did not speak loud, and the room was
large. At last I heard tlie Grand Dnkc raise his
voice and say, " She is dreadfully spiteful, and very
obstinate." I then perceived they were talking of
me, and, addressing the Grand Duke, I observed,
"If it is of me you are speaking, I am very glad to
have this opportunity of telling you, in the presence
of her Imperial Majesty, that I am indeed spiteful
to those who advise you to commit injustice; and
that I have become obstinate because I see that I
have gained nothing, by yielding, hut your hostility."
He immediately retorted, "Your Majesty can see
how malicious she is by what she says herself."
But my words made a very different impression
on the Empress, who had infinitely more intellect
than the Grand Duke. I could plainly see, as the
conversation progressed, that although she had been
recommended, or had herself, perhaps, resolved to
treat me with severity, her feelings softened by de-
grees in spite of herself and her resolutions. She,
however, turned towards him, and said, " Oh, you do
not know all she has told me against your ad-
's, and against Brockdorff, relative to the man

BIBMOIBS OP TUE

you Bave had arrested, " Tliis must naturally have
appeared to tbc Duke a formal treason on my part.
He did not know a word of my conversation witli
the Empress, at the Smamer Palace, aiid he saw his
dear Brockdorff, who )iBd become so precious m hn
eyes, accused to her Majesty, and that by me. This,
thei-efore, was to put us on worse terms than eva,
and perhaps render ve irreconcilable, as well a&
deprive me, for the future, of all &hare in his confi-
dence. I was thunderâtruck when I heard her re-
lating to bim, in my presence, what I had told ber,
and, as I believed, for his own good, aud found it
thna turned against me like a weapon of destructioH.
The Grand Duke, very much astoniBbcd at this di»-
elosnrC;, said, "Ah! here is an anecdote quite ne*
to me ; it is very interesting, and proves her spite-
fulnesB." I thoi^lit to myself, " God knows whose
spitofulneaa it proves," J?rom Brockdorff her Ma^
jeaty passed abruptly to the connection diacoversA-
between Stambke and Count Beatoujeflj and said to-
me, "I leave you to imagine bow it is possible tO'
excuse him for having held communication with a
state-prisoner," As my name had not appeared in
this affair, I was silent, as if the mattei' did not con-
cern me. Upon which the Empress approached me,
and said, " You meddle with many things which
do not concern you. 1 should not have dared to
do so in the time of the Empress Anne. How,
for instance, could you presume to send orders to
Marshal Apr axine ?" Irepiieiî, "I, madame? Never

EMPOESS CATHERINE II. 331

sucli an idea entered my head." "What !" she
said, " will you deny having written to him ? There
ai'e your letters in that basin," and she pointed to
them as she spoke. " You are forhidden to write."
" True," I replied, " I have transgressed iii this re-
spect, and I beg your pardon for it ; but since my
letters are there, those three letters will prove to
your Imperial Majesty that I have never sent him
any orders ; but that in one of them infoimed him
of ivhat was said of his conduct." Here she inter-
rupted me by saying, " AaA why did you write this
to him ?" I replied simply, " Because I took a

lat interest in the Marshal, whom I like very
I begged him to follow your orders. Of the
otlier letters, one contins only my congratula-
tions on the birth of his son; and in the other I
merely presented to him the compliments of the new-
yeai'." Upon this ehe said, " BestoujeiT aaserts that
there were many others," I replied, "If Beatoujeff
says that he lies," "Very well, then," she said,
" ahiee he has told lies concerning jou, I will have
him put to the tortm-e." She thought by this to
frighten me, but I answered that she could, of
course, act according to her sovereign pleasure, but
that I had never written more than those three
letters to Apraxine. She was silent, and appeared
to be meditating.

I relate the most salient ptmits of this conversa-
tion which have remained in my memory; but it
would he impossible for me to recollect all that was

^^to hi]
^^UBeat
^^Ptoch.
^Bmo o

MliMOIUS UF TUB

said in the course of an interview which lasted an
tour and a-lialf at tlie least. The Empress walited
to and fro in the apartment, sometimes addressing
herself to me, aometimca to her nephew, but more
frequently to Count Alexander Schouvaloff, with
whom the Grand Dnke conversed the greater part of
the time, while the Empress was speaking to me. I
have already said tliat I remarked iu her Majesty's
manner less of anger than of anxiety. As to the
Grand Duke, daring the whole interview he mani-
fested much bitterness, animosity, and even passion.
towards me. lie endeavoured as much as he could
to exeite the displeasure of her Majesty against me,
hut aa he did it so stupidly, and displayed more anger
than justice, he failed in his object, and the
penetration and sagacity of tlie Empress disposed
her rather to take my part. She Hstened, with
marked attention and a kind of involuntary approval,
to my firm and temperate replies to my hus-
band's outrageous statements, from which it was
perfectly evident that hia object was to clear out my
place, in order to establish in it the favourite of the
moment. But this might not be to the Empress'
liking, neither might it suit the fancy of the Messrs.
Schouvaloff to give themselves Count Voronzoff
for a master J but all this transcended the judicial
penetration of his Imperial Highness, who always
believed in what he wished, and never would listen
to anything which opposed the dominant idea of the
and on this occasion he dwelt so mnch

EMPRESS CATHERINE II.

upon it that the Empress approached mc and said, in
a low voicGj " I have many other things to say to
yoUj but I do not wish you to he emhroiled more
than you are already." And, with a look and a
movement of her head, she intimated that it was ou
account of the presence of the others that she would
not speak. Perceiving this mark of sincere goodwill
at so critical a momeut, my heart was moved, and I
said to her, in a similar tone, "And I also am
prevented from speaking, however earnest my desire
to open to yon my mind and heart." 1 saw that
this made a favourable impression on her. Tears
came into her eyes, and to conceal her emotion, and
the extent to which she was moved, she dismissed
-BS, observing that it was very late ; and, in fact, it
nearly three o'clock in the morning. The
rand Duke went out first, I followed, and just as
ixander Seliouvaloff was passing out after me.
Majesty called him hack, and he remained with
The Grand Duke strode on rapidly, as usual,
it on this occasion I did not hurry myself to follow
He entered his apartments, and I mine. 1
tas beginning to undress, in order to go to bed,
[hen 1 heard some one knocking at the door by
(Hch I had entered. On asking who was there,
lunt SchouvalofF replied that it was he, and begged
; to admit him, which I did. lie desired me to
diKmiss my maids. They left the room. He then told
me that the Empress had called him back, and that,
after talking to him for some time, slie had charged

him to bear to me her compliments, and to teli- 1
not to distress myself, and that she would hare
another conversation M'ith me quite alone. I made
a low bow to the Countj and begged hi m to preseat
my most humble respects to her Imperial Maj^r^,
and thank her for her kindness, which had restored
me to life. 1 told him that I should look forward
to this second inten'iew with the utmost impatience,
and entreated him to hasten its time. He requested
me not to speak of it to any one whatever, espe-
cially the Grand Duke, who, her Majesty saw, witfc
regret, was greatly irritated against me. Thi» I
promieed; though I eould not help thinking to
myaelf, " But if she regrets his irritation, why in-
crease it by repeating our conversation at the Sum-
mer Palace, coneerning those people whose societf
was brutalizing him?"

This unexpected reatoration of the favour and cbo-
fidenee of the Empress gave me, however, great ple&-' '
sure. The nest day I desired my confessor's nièce
to thank her uncle, from me, for the signal aervjoe
he had rendered me, by procuring for me this intee-
view with her Majesty. On her return she tcJd
me her uncle had heard that the Empress had
called her nephew a fool, but said that the Grand
Duchess had a great deal of sense. This remaik
came to me from more quarters than one, as well
as that her Majesty, among her intimate asso-
ciâtes, was constantly extolling my talents, often
adding, " She loves truth and justice; she is

^lie p

. Demj

^^p^ui

I of great sense; but my nepliew is a

I atill continued to keep my room, as before, under
pretest of bad health. I recollect that I read at
this time, with the map before mc, the first five
volumes of the " Histoire des ^'oyagcs," aiid that 1
was both amused and instructed by the perusal ; when
tired of these, I turned over the early volumes of
the " Encyclopedia." While waiting until it should
please her Majesty to admit me to a second interview,
I renewed, from time to time, my request to Count
Schouvaloff, telling him that I was very anxious to
ffe my destiny decided. As to the Grand Duke, I
■d nothing more about him. I only know that
was impatiently waiting for my dismissal, and that
he confidently calculated on afterwards marrying
Elizabeth Voronzoff. She came into his apartments,
and already did the honours there. It appeared that
her uncle, the Vice -Chancellor, who was a hypocrite,
if ever there was one, had become aware of the pro-
jects of Ilia brother, perhaps, or rather, it may be, of
his nephews, who were then very young, the eldest
being only twenty, or thereabouts, and fearing that
newly-revived credit with her Majesty might
by it, he intrigued for the commission of dis-
ing me from demanding my dismissal ; for this is
lat occurred.

One morning, it was announced to me that the
Vice-chancellor Count Voronzoff requested to speak
xne en the part of the Empress. Surprised at this

33lj

extraordinary deputation, I ordered him to be adimP<
ted, though I waa not yet dressed. He bcgau hy.
kissing my hand, and pressing it warmly, and tiieo
wiped his eyes, from which a few tears fell. A* 1
was a little prejudiced against him at that time, I did .
not put much faith in this prcamblcj by which he
intended to show his zeal, but allowed him to go oa
with what I looked upon as a piece of buffooneary*
I begged him to be seated. He was a little out of
breath, owing to a species of goitre which troubled
him. He sat dowu by me, and told mc that the
Empress had charged him to speak to me, and dis-
suade me from insisting ou my dismissal ; that her
Majesty had even gone so far as to authorize him to
beg me, in her name, to renounce a wish to which she
never would give her consent, and that for his owùi
part, especially, he conjured rae to promise him th^.
I would not speak of it again ; adding, that the
project was a source of great grief to the Empress,
and to all good men, among whom he begged to
include himself. I replied that there was nothing
I would not wUliugly do to please her Majesty and
satisfy good men; but that I believed my health
and life were endangered by my present mode
of existence, and the treatment to which I wa»
exposed ; that 1 made everybody miserable ; that
all who came near mc iverc either driven into
esile or dismissed; that the Grand Duke was em-
bittered against me even to hatred, and that,
besides, he had never loved mc ; that her Imperial

EMPEESS CATHERIN!

337

Majesty had sliown me almost unceasing marks of
her displeasure, and that seeing myself a burden to
everybody, and nearly worn out with ennui and
grief, I had asked to be sent back to my home,
in order to free tbem all from the presence of so
troublesome a personage. He spoke to me about
my children ; I told him I never saw them, aud
that I had not seen the youngest since my con-
finement, nor could I see them without an express
permission from the Empress, as their apartment
was only two rooms distant from her own, and
formed part of her suite ; that I had not the least
doubt she took great care of them, but that being
deprived of the pleasure of seeing them, it was a
matter of indiffereuce to me whether I was a hun-
dred yards or a hundred leagues away from them. He
informed me that the Empress would liave a second
conversation with me, and that it was greatly to he
desired that her Majesty should become reconciled
to me. To this I replied by begging him to accelerate
this second interview, and that I, for my part, would
neglect nothing that could tend to realize his wishes.
He remained more than an hour with me, and spoke
at great length upon a multitude of things. I re-
marked that the increase of his influence had given
him a certain advantage in speech and deportment
which he did not formerly possess when I saw him in
the crowd; and when discontented with the Empress,
with the state of affairs, and with those who possessed
her confidence and favour, he said to me one day at

;;8H

court, eeciug the Empress speaking for along t
the Austrian Ambasaatlor, while he and T, and i
besides, were kept standing, and tired to (
'■"What will you wïigcr that she is not tatkiug i
fiddle-faddle to him?" "Good henveiis!" I r
laughing, "What is it you say?" He a
inc in Russian, in the characteristic words, "Obk^

iijiiipo.ibi " (She is by nature ....*)

length he left me, assuring me of his zeal, asd^
his leave, again kissing my hand.

For the present, then, I might feel sore of fl
being sent home, since I was requested not t
speak of it ; but I deemed it as well not to quit n
room, and to eontinnc there as if I did not «
my fate to Ijb finally decided until the second :tudieR
which the Empress was to give me. For tills I ll
to wait a long time. I reroernber that on the 31st q
April, 1759, my birth-day, I never went ont.
Empress, at her dinner-hour, sent me word l)y C
Alexander Schouvaloff that she drank to my h
I requested my thanks to he given to her ibr 1
kind remembrance of mc upon this day of my v
Iiappy birth, which I could curse, I added, i
not also the day of my baptism. When the ^
Duke learned that the Empress had sent this r
sage to me, he took it into his head to do 1
same. When his message was aimoimced,
and with a low courtesy expressed my thanks.

After the fêles in honour of my birth-day,' i
* A fool (DotTEA, in RuBsion).— Eb.

£MFB£SS CATHERINE II. 339

the Empress^ coronation-day, which occurred within
four days of each other, I still remained in my cham-
ber, and never went out imtil Count Poniatowsky sent
me word that the French Ambassador, the Marquis
de THôpital, had been eulogizing the firmness of my
conduct, and observed that the resolution I main-
tained of never leaving my room could not but be
productive of advantage to me. Talcing this speech
as the treacherous praise of an enemy, I determined
to do exactly the contrary to what he advised; and
one Sunday, when it was least expected, I dressed,
and came out of my private room. The moment
I entered the apartment occupied by the ladies and
gentlemen in waiting, I remarked their astonishment
at seeing me. Some minutes after my appearance,
the Grand Duke also entered. He looked equally
astonished, and, while I was conversing with the
company, he joined in the conversation, and ad-
dressed some remarks to me, to which I civilly
replied.

About this time. Prince Charles of Saxony paid a
second visit to St. Petersburg. The Grand Duke had
treated him cavalierly enough oh the first occasion,
but this time his Imperial Highness thought himself
justified in observing no terms with him, and for this
reason : It was no secret in the Kussian army that in
the battle of Zorndorf Prince Charles had been one of
the first to fly ; and it was even asserted that he had
fled without once stopping until he reached Landsberg.
Now his Imperial Highness having heard this, resolved

i40

that, as a proved coward, he would not speak to him,
nor have anything to do with Iiiiii. There was excrf
reason to helieve that the Princess of Courlaiid,
daughter of Biren, had not a little contributed M
this ; for it already began to be whispered that there
was an intention of malting Prince Charles Duke of
Courland. The father of the Princess of Courtand
was constantly retained at Yaroslav. She comniu.
iiicated her hostility to the Grand Duke, over whom
she had always contrived to retain a kind of aseeud-^
ancy. She was then engaged, for the third time, to
Baron Alexander Tcherkassoff, to whom she was
married the winter following.

At last, a few days before our going into the
country, Count Alexander Schouvaloff came to inform
me, on the part of the Empress, that I was to ask this
afternoon, through him, permission to visit mv chil-
dren, and that then, upon leaving them, I should have
that second audience of her Majesty which had
been so long promised. I did as Iwasdiiected, and,
in presence of a number of people, begged Count
SchouTalofF to ask her Majesty's permission for me
to see my children. He went away, and on His
return told me that I could see them at three o'clock.
I was pimctual to the time, and remained with
them until Count Sehouvaloff came to tell me
that her Imperial Majesty could he seen. I went to
her, and found her quite alone, and this time there
were no screens in the room, and consequcntlv we
were able to speak freely. I began by thanking her

EMPRESS CATHERINE II. 341

for the audience she gave me, saying that her gracious
promise of it had restored me to life. Upon which
she said, ^^I expect you to reply with sincerity
to all the questions that I may put to you/^ I
assured her that she should hear nothing but the
strict truth from me, and that there was nothing I
desired more than to open my heart to her without
reserve. Then she again asked if there really had
been no more than three letters written to Apraxine.
I solemnly assured her, and with perfect truth, that
such was the fact. Then she asked me for details
of the Grand Duke^s mode of life

APPENDIX

LETTERS OF THE GBAIST) DUKE PBTEE.

[The following letters, by the Grand Duke Peter, were dis-
covered at Moscow about a year ago, and have been com-
municated by M. A. Herzen. We take them from the second
edition of these Memoirs, just issued, where they appear in
print for the first time. They are curious and interesting, as
illustrative of the defective education and low mental con-
dition of the writer, but it would be impossible to translate
them without depriving them of the very peculiarities which
give them this value ; for to attempt to represent, by English
equivalents, their defects of style, and their grammatical and
orthographical blunders, would be simply to produce a ridi-
culous travesty. We, therefore, present them in their original
form, with their special orthography faithfully preserved.

—Te.]

Lettre à la Grande-DucJiesse Catherine.

Madame*, — Je vous prie de ne point vous incommodes
cette nuis de dormir avec moi car il n'est plus tems de me
trompes, le let a été trop étroit, après deux semaines de
séparation de vous aujourd'hui après mide.

Votre
très infortuné
mari qui vous ne
daignez jamais de
ce nom

Le Xr Petbb.

1746.

* This letter was sent by one of the Grand Dnke's servants, named André,
but it was intercepted by Stohclin, and the Grand Duchess never received it.

APPENDIX. 3^3

IT.

Lettres à Jean Schoti/caloff,

MoNSiETB, — Je vons aie fait prier par Lef Alexandwtz
pour qne je puisse aller a Oramenbaum, mais je vois que ca
n'a point a'epet, je snis maJade et mélancolique jusqu'au sup-
preme degré, je vous prie pour Tamour de Dieu de faire en-
sorte auprès de sa Majesté pour que je puisse partir bientôt
a Oranienbaum si je ne vient point dehors de cette belle vie
de cour pour être un peu dans ma volonté et jouir a mon aise
Tair de la campagne je crèverai sûrement ici d'aneui et de
déplaisir vous me ferez revivre si vous ferez cela vous
obligerez celui qui sera toute sa vie.

Votre affectioné,

Plbjelbe.

in.

MoNsiEUB, — Comme je suis assure que vous ne cherchez
autre chose qua me faire plaisir, je suis donc assuré que vous
le faire dans l'affaire d'Alexandre Iwanitz Narischkin pour
prier sa Majesté de me faire la grace de le faire gentilhomme
de chambre auprès de moi pour la feste de paoques, cest un

Î>arfait hoûette homme que je ne recommenderai pas si je ne
e coûoissois pour tel, pressé cette affaire je vous en seré
bien redevable et au rest je suis.

Votre affectioné

PlEBBX.

IV.

Mon Chbe Amy, — Vous m'avez encore demonstré vostre
amitié en faisant auprès de sa Majesté impériale qu'elle me
donne dix mille ducats pour pajer ma"deste que jai faite aux
jeux, je vous prie de remercier de ma part sa Majesté de cette
nouvelle grace qu'elle m'a faite et assuré la que jetacherai toute
ma vie de m'en rendre de plus en plus digne de touts des graces
dont elle m'a comblé. Pour vous Monsieur recevez les remer-
ciemens sincere d'un amy qui voudraint estre en état de vous
pouvoir convaincre combien il souhaitairai de vous en pouvoir
rendre la pareille. Aureste en vous priant destre toujour
de ses amis comme auparavant je reste.

.Vostre afDsctione amy,

PiBBBE.

MoKSiBTTE, — Je voua aie tnnt de fois prie de Eilpplitf d»1
ma part Sa Majesti! impririale de mo laisser voyager vota I
deux ans hors du pais, je tous le répète encore une fois vmaC
priant trea iDstaraent de faire enaorte poux qu'on me raceords^J
ma santo sai^ faiblissant de jour en jour plus, faites moi poiIC&
l'amour le Dieu cette neule amitié de le faire et de ne ^tl
laiescr pas mourir de chagrin mon état n'étant plus en eU '
de HOutcoir mes chagrin et ma meiancolia empirant de jm
en îour. ai vous croyez quil eat besoin de la Kiontrer ft ïL
icferei! le plue grand plaisir du inonde et de pjpjgfl

n prie. Au ri

MoNsiEUH, — Je V'

^jesi

VI.

'Oiame je acais qne voua estes l
e faire le plasir d'aider le père du porteur J
de cette lettre qui est le lieutenant Gudowitz de mon régi- ■
ment, sa fortune en depandt, il tous instruira de houcLe Sk ■
même comment l'aSaire est tout ce que je scai ee sont iea I
intrigues de mocficiir TeplolT qui n'en a fait pas la iHre>J
miere, le lietmau se laisse mener par cotte liommo par le j
et je no peut plus tous dire que ca n'est pas la premiere ni
dernière affaire dont janrai prie le hetmann, qui m'a raflisé ; _
jespere que roua fairez cette affaire, roua me fairez pUisiF ■
par ca pnrceque jaime cet officier encore je vous prie n'oublicB m
pas me» interest et moi je cliercheré tÂujoura de vous co&-l
Toinore que je suis de vos amis.

VoBtre ûffectionÉ,

PiBBSB.
TII.

MonsiEus, — J'ai esté extrêmement étonna que sa Majec^fl
s'est fach^ de ce que j'aj fait la mascarade et l'opéra j'ai anal
le faire de pin» qu'à Peterabourg Monsieur Locatclli l'a - — ■
tout les semainea deux fobc encore je me resouviena très '

S[ue quant il j arait le dœuil pour ma grand More none sratw I
ait le bol obez nous et trois jour quo lu dœuil avoit comment I
noua avons esié a la comédie au petit teatre, je vous prie dosC I
Monaieur d'avoir la bonti5 de prier Sa Majesté de me p«|^-l
mettre de me divertir à mon aise et sana que jo sois empeoKS^fl
let^ vous savez assez combien ontsannuye déjà l'hiver de phnl
ajaut déjà fait la dépense du nouvau opera je ne croi pas qiiôil
8a Majesté voudra me faire faire une dépense inutile au tcstg
je suis Vostro affection^.

APPENDIX.

345

Till.

Zetlre à M. le Saron de Shahetlerg « Oranienhaum.

Mon Cbkb i'heiie kt Amt, — Je voua prie aujourd, Iiui de
nepoiut oublier de faire ma commisgîoo auprËsdelaperaoïme
en queetinu et de l'easurer que je suis prêt à liû démontres
mon parfait amour et que ce que je fait dans t'egli d
la ■pas parier est que je ne veux pae faire trop devant l g ns
et a«snre lui eocore que si eUe voudra une fois ulem nt
venir chez moy quo je lui demontreré que je l'avm b p

si Tona voulez mon cber et mon vray amy mont luy la
lettre et en croyant que je ne peut estre mieux is qa

THE LETTER OF CATHEEI3SE H
TO P0OTAT0W8KY.'

Petbb III bad lost tlie small sbare of sense ivLicL. naturally
belonged to Mm ; he openly ofi'ended all parties i he wished
to dismiss the gnarda, and was on the point of leading them
into the country for tbÎB purpose, intending to replace them
by his Holetein troops, who were to be stationed in the city ;
he wiehed also to change the religion of the country, marry
Elizabeth Voronzoff, repudiate me, and place me in confine-
On the occasion of the celebration of peace with the King
of Prussia, after having publicly insulted me at table, he
gave, in the evening, an order for my arrest. My uncle.
Prince George, had the order retracted, and it was omy from
this time that I listened to the propoaals which had been
made to me since the death of the Empresa Elizabeth. It
was intended to seize him in his room, and imprison him,
aa had formerly been done in the case of the Princess
Anne and her children. He went to Oranienhaum. We

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and tb> rader, ne doubt

346 APFENDIX.

had in our interest a great number of captains in the regi-
ments of the guards. The fate of the secret was in the
hands of the three brothers Orloff, the elder of whom Osten
remembers to have seen following me ereiywhere, and perpe-
trating a thousand follies ; his passion for me was notorionSy
and everything he has done has been inspired br it. All
three are men of great determination, and very rmjuax bdoved
by the soldiery, as they have served in the guards. X am
under the greatest obligations to them» as all St. Petersburg
can bear witness. The minds of the guards were prepared, and,
towards the end, some thirty or forhr officers and neariy ten
thousand men were in the secret ïn this number there was
not a single traitor during the space of three weeks. There
were four distinct parties, the chiefs of which were united
for the execution, and the true secret was in the hands of the
three brothers. Panin wished to have it in favour of my son,
but they would not listen to this. I was at Peterhoff;
Peter III was residing and carousing at Oranienbaum. It
had been agreed that, in case of treason, they would not
await his return, but at once assemble the guards and pro-
claim me. Their zeal for me did what treason would have
eflfected. A report was spread on the 27th that I liad been
arrested. The soldiers became excited ; one of our offio^rs

Îuieted them. Then came a soldier to a captain, named
*acik, the head of a party, and told him that I was cer-
tainly lost. Pacik assured him that he had just heard from
me. The man, still alarmed for my safety, went to another
officer and told him the same story. This person was not in
the secret ; terrified at learning that an officer bad dismissed
the man without arresting him, lie went to the major ; the
latter had Pacik arrested, and sent, during the night, a
report of the atrest to Oranienbaum. Instantly the whole
regiment was in commotion, and our conspirators in alarm.
It was resolved, in the first instance, to send to me the
second brother OrloflT, to bring me into the city, while the
other two brothers went about everywhere reporting that I
had arrived there. The Hetman, Volkonsky, and Panin
were in the secret.

I was almost alone, at Peterhoff, amongst my women,
seemingly forgotten by every one. My days, however, were
much disturbed, for I was regularly informed of all that was
plotting both for and against me. At six o'clock on the
morning of the 28th, Alexis Orloff entered my room, awoke
me, and said very quietly, " It is time to get up ; everything

APPENDIX. 347

is prepared for proclaiming you." 1 atkei for details. Ho
repHedj "FamkAag been arreated." I no longer hesitated, but
dressed hastllj. witiiont waiting to make any toilet, and
enteredthe carriage which he had brought withtim. Another
officer, (lieguiaed as a vaiet, was at the carriage-door; a dûrd
met UB at the distance of aome veratea from PeteAoff. At
five veratea irom the cîtf, I met the elder Orloff with the
younger Prince Baratinsky, The hitter gave mo up hifl aeat
m his carriage, my horaea being tired out, and we drove to
the barracka of the Isniiulofsky regiment. We found there
only twelve men and a drummer, who instantlv boat the
alarm. The soldiers come running in, embraced me, kissed
my feet, my liaude, my dress, calling me their saviour. Two
of them brought in a priest between them, with the crow,
and the oath waa at once administered. ïbia done, I vra»
requested to enter a carriage. The prieat walked in front,
bearing the oroea, and we proceeded to the regimentofSimeon-
ofaky, which advanced to meet us with shouts of Tlvat!
We neit went to the church of Kaaan, where I alighted.
The regiment of Preobr^ijensky came up with like shouts of
Vivat! at the same time saymg to me, "Pardon ua Sot
having come laat, our officia detained ua, but here are four
of them whom we have brought to you under arreat, to show
you our Keal, for we are of the aame mind as our brethren."
Then came the horse-guards in a perfect dehrium of dehght.
I have never seen anything like it. Ihoy shouted, they wept
for very joy at the deliverance of their country. Thia scene
took place between tlie garden of the Hetman and the
Easanski. The horse-guards were in a body, with their
offleerg at their head. As I knew that my uncle. Prince
George, to whom Peter HI had given this regiment, was
ttorooghlyhatedby it, Iseutaomo foot-guards to him, begging
him to remain at heme for fear of a/!cident. Put the gnards
had anticipated me, and bad sent a detacliment to arrest him.
Hia house wm pillaged, and he himself ill-treated. I went
to the new Winter Palace, where the aynod and senate had
assembled. The manifesto and oath wore drawn up in haste.
Thence I descended, and made, on foot, the inspectbn of the
troops ; there were more than fourteen thouaand men, gnardi
and country regiments. The instant I appeared, the air waa
rent with stiouta of joy, which were caught up and repented
by an iumimerable multitude. I then proceeded to the old
^^^^inter Palace, to take the necessary measures for completing
^^^bt work. There a council was held, and it was determined

Aie AFPE3ÎDIX.

thas I sfaonLi go at the head of the troopa to 'Be^eAoS, where
Pen^r HI wsa to dine. Posts wefe atitaoned on. mEthe roaiis;
juid we received informatioa firom. momoit to mcaaesat, I
sent Admiral TalieaziiL &> Cromcadt. Then, cnne ihe Chsn-
celior VoroiLzof to reprove me tor hsrinjç left Pleteriiaffl He
waa led to the charch to swear tealtr to me ; diat was mr
answer. ^ exi eazne Prince Troabetzko j and Comit Alexsader
SchooTalof. oho nrom Peterhof : thej came to aasare thent-
aelves of die ddelitr ot the régiments* and pus me to deadi.
Thev alâ«} xere qTiiecIv led awaj to take the osth.

fiarin^r despatcketl ail oar couriers, and taken, all oar pre-
caaxtionâ, I dresâed, aboat ten o'clock at ni^t. in the nnzfoKXii
o£ the gnards, and had mjaeli jproclaimed Colonel amid
acclamationa ot inexpresdible entnanaam. I moonted oa
horaefaack, and we letc behind na only a snail detaiduneiit
firoQ every regin<*nû I'jr the protection of mj aon, who
remained in the city.

Thna I set out at the head of the troops, and we Tgarrhacl
all night toward» Peterholf . Havim: reached the little inonw-
tery, the Vice-Chancellor Galrtain oroxi^ht me a very flat-
tering leaer ârom Peter m, I tor^ot to aav that, on. LesviB^
the ciny, three soldiers, sent firom ^eterhoJT to diatribate m
manifesto amon^ç the peo -pie. brought it to me. saying, **Here ;
this is what Pecer ITf has charged us with : we give it to yon,
and we are very §iad to have this opportunity of joining our
brethren." Alter fn\* first letter nrom Peiir tit, another
was brought to me by General ilichael Ismailoff. wibo, throw-
ing himself at my feet, said, ** Do you take me for an honest
man?" I replied, "Yes." "Well, then,'' he said, -it is
pleasant to have to deal with sensible people. The Smperor
oâers to resign. I will bring him to you after his resignatifxi,
which is entirely voluntarv, and I shiU save mv eountrv &tm
a civil war." 1 willin^jlv clian^d him with this commission,
and he departed to falM it.

Peter HI renounced the empire at Oranienbaum, in full
liberty, STirrounded by fifteen hundred Holstein troops, and
came to Peterhoff, accompanied by Elizabeth Toronxoff.
Godowit2, and Michael Ismailoîf. There, as a guard, I
assigned him five officers and some soldiers» This was on the
29th of June, the Feast of Sn. Peter, at noon. TVhile dinner
was being prepared for every one, the soldiers got it into their
heads that Peter UI had been brought by the Field-^Iazsbai
Prince Troubetzkoy, and that the latter was endeavouring to
make peace between us. Instantly they charged all the

3-19

puiers-b;

ly, among othera tlie Hetniaii, the OrlofFs, and many
oinerE, snpng that thej had not Been me for three hours, and
that theywere dyingwitli fear lest that old rogue, Troubetzkoy,
should deceive me " by mating," they aaid, " a, pretended
peace betwepn yonr husband and you, and thus ruining you.
uiduE also, but n'e will cut them in pieces." TLeee were tbeir
espresflions. I went and spoke to Troubelzkoy, and paid to
him, " Pray get into yonr carriage, while I mate, on foot,
the tour of these troopa." I related what had occurred ; he
was much frightened, and inBtsntly set off for the city, while
I was received by the Boldiers with unbounded joy. After
tlufl, I placed the deposed Emperoc under the command of
Aleiis Orloff, wilh four eboaen officers, and a detachment of
quiet and sober men, and sent him to a distance of twonty-
Beven Terstea from St. Petersburg, to a place called Eapacha,
very retired, but verv pleasant, where he was to remain while
decent and comfortable apartments were prepared for him at
SchluBselbnrg, and relays of horses placed on the rood. But
it pleased Gh»d to dispose otherwise. Terror had brought on
a dysentery, which continued for thrte days, and stopped on
the fourth. He drank to excess on that day, for he bod
everything he wanted except his iibertt". He had, however,
asked me for nothing but his mistress, his dog, his negro, and
hia violin; but, for fearof scandal, and not wishing toiacrease
the general excitement, I sent him only the three last-named.
The hemorrhoidal cholie again came on, accompanied by deli-
i he was two days in this condition, which was followed
Lceesive weakness, and, notwithstanding the cflbrtB of the
lysiciaca, ho at last sunk, demanding a Lutheran clergy-
I was afraid the ofBoers might have poisoned him, so
n'as he hated. I liad him opened, but not a trace of
could bo discovered. The stomach was very healthy,
lut the bowels were inflamed, and he hod been carried off
by a stroke of apoplexy. His heart was excessively small,
and also dried up.

After his departure from Peterhoff, I was advised to go
atroight to tlio city. I foresaw that the troopa would be
alarmed, and I therefore had the report spread, under the

Sretest of ascertaining at what hour tliey wou]d,be in a eon-
ition to march. After three days of such excessive fatigne,
tJiey died the time for ten o'clock that night, "provided,"
they added, "that she comes with us." I departed, there-
'""s, with them, and midway stopped to rest at the conntry
idence of Souratin, where I iluug myself on a bed, dressed

APPENDIX.

alw

An officer U)ok oïï my boots. I àagt tv<i>.b

And E-balf, and then we resBmed our marcU by the Osl
Koad. I n-iis on horseback; a regiment of
in Irout ; tlieu my escort, which vee the lioT»e-j^uaiiJa ; that
inunediately after me came my conrt, behind nhich naavkad
the regiments of the enarda, according to senioiity, and iJinO'
country régiments . lentei'edthe city amid loud acclamatioa*.
and proceeded thua to Ijie Summer Palace, irhere the coniti
the B^od, my Bon, and all pririleged to approadi me, Kwe
Bwaitinzme. I went to mass i then the Te lieum was stuigij
then I had to receive felicitationa — I wUo had acarody eates,'
or drank, or alept since aii o'clock on Priday mocoiiu;. Î
was veiy glad to be able to retire to reat on Sunday ni^Elt.

Scareely was I asloep, when, at midnight. Captain. Pftok
eBtcred my room and awoke me, saying, "Oar people ara luVr
ribly dmnk : a hiuaar, in the same condition, haa gone emoog.
thent ciying, 'To arma! three thousand Fruaeian s are coming;
they want to carry off our mother I' "Dpon this they han
eeified their arma, and bare oome to inqnire how you aivj
sayinf; that it is three honra since they hare seen yoo, and
that they will go quietly home, [Provided they find th&t joa
ore well. They will notlieten to theii- chiefs, nor eyen to tiw
Orlo&." So I had to get up again ; and, not to alarm itlu
guard of the court, irluch conEisted of a hattalion, X finfe
went to them, and explained the reason, of my going oat ^
such an hour. I then entered my carriage wiUi two offieeiS^
and proceeded to the troops. I told them I tras quite 'Wt£f '
that they must go home to bed, and allow me oIbo to hen
some rest, oa I had only just laid dowu, having hod no slaep
for three nights, and tlûit I trusted they would in lutwe
liaten to their officon. They replied that they had besa
frightened with those euraed Pruaaiana, and that they were
ready to die forme. " Very well, then," I said, "I am very
mucn obliged to you, bnt go to bed." IJpon this they wiali^
me good night and good health, and went off like buubs,
every now and then turning back to look nt my carriage as
they went. The next day they sent me their apologies aad.
regreitB for having broken my rest.

It would require a volume to describe the conduct of eaeH
of the chiefs. The OrloS's have shone by their skill in gnidiBe
others, their pnident dering, their great presence of mind, and
the authority which this conduct gave them, TheyliaTS«
L^eat deal of good sense, a generous courage, an enwiuimilii]
patriotism, and an honourable mind. They arc passion^^lf

APPENDIX. 351

devoted to mc, and united amongst each other to a degree
that I have never before seen in brothers. There are five of
them, but only three were here. Captain Pacik has greatly
distinguished himself by remaining for twelve hours under
arrest, although the soldiers opened doors and windows for
him; and this he did in order not to alarm his regiment
before my arrival, although he expected every moment to be
led to Oranienbaum, and put to the question. Fortunately,
this order from Peter III did not arrive until I had entered
St. Petersburg. The Princess Dashko£P, the yoimgest sister
of Elizabeth Voronzoff, although she wishes to arrogate to
herself all the honour of this revolution, was in very bad
odour on account of her connections, while her age, which is
only nineteen, was not calculated to inspire confidence. She
pretends that everything passed through her to reach me, yet
I was in communication with all the chiefs for six months
before she even knew one of their names. It is quite true
that she has great talent, but it is spoilt by her excessive
ostentation and her naturally quarrelsome disposition. She
is hated by the clnefs, and liked by the giddy and rash, who
communicated to her all they knew, which was only the
minor details. Ivan SchouvalolF, the basest and most cowardly
of men, has written, I am told, to Voltaire, that a woman of
nineteen had overturned the government of this empire. Pray
undeceive this distinguished writer. It was necessary to con-
ceal from the Princess Dashkofi' Ûie channels through which
others reached me, five months before she knew anything ;
and, during the last four weeks, no more was told her than
was absolutely unavoidable. The strength of mind of Prince
Baratinsky, who concealed this secret from a beloved brother,
adjutant to the late Emperor, simply because a disclosure
would have been in this case useless, also deserves great com-
mendation. In the horse-guards an officer named Chitron (P),
only twenty-two years old, and an inferior officer of seventeen,
named Potiemkin, directed everything with great courage and
activity.

Such, pretty nearly, is our history. The whole was
managed, I confess, under my immediate direction, and to-
wards the end I had to check its progress, as our departure
for the country prevented the execution ; everything, in fact,
was more than ripe a fortnight beforehand. The late Empe-
ror, when he heard of the tumult in the city, was hindered
by the women about him from following the counsel of old
Eield-Marshal Munich, who advised him to throw himself

353 APPENDIX.

into Cronstadt, or proceed with a small retinue to the army ;
and when, finally, ne went in a galley to Cronstadt, the place
was in our hands by the good management of Admiral
Talieszin, who disarmed Greneral Lievers, previously sent
there on the part of the Emperor. After the arrival of
Talieszin, an officer of the port, on his own responsibility,
threatened to open fire on the galley of the unfortunate Prince
if he attempted a landing. In a word, God has brought every-
thing about in his own good pleasure, and the whole is more
of a miracle than a merely human contrivance, for assuredly
nothing but the Divine will could have produced so many
felicitous combinations.

We will close this letter of Catherine II hy a short
extract from a despatch ofM^ Birengei\ Charge d^ Affaires
of France, dated tlie 2^rd of July, and hearing on these
occurrences : —

" What a sight for the nation itself, a calm spectator of
these events ! On one side, the grandson of Peter 1 dethroned
and put to death ; on the other, the grandson of the Czar
Ivan languishing in fetters ; while a Princess of Anhalt usurps
the throne of their ancestors, clearing her way to it by a
regicide."

THE EÎÎD.

JOHN CHILSS ASH BOSS, PSINXSBS.

' »

■

Memoir» of itie Emproro
Sljnford Unlvarsit

3 6105 041 508 495

4 14

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STANFORD UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

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