“And to what end have you read all that,” responded Elizabeth, with vehemence, “to what end, since you are so sluggish a servant that you make no effort to fulfil any wish of your mistress?  To what end, since you are so disregardful of your word as not to hold even your oath sacred?”

“I was at the ball precisely because I remembered my oath,” said Lestocq, “because I was intent upon redeeming my word and delivering over to you this Countess Lapuschkin as a criminal!  But you could not recognize me, as I was in the disguise of a lackey of the Countess Eleonore Lapuschkin.”

Elizabeth springing up from her seat, stared with breathless curiosity into Lestocq’s face.

“Well?” she anxiously asked, as Lestocq remained silent.  “Speak on; then what further?”

“Illustrious empress,” said Lestocq, “I am now here to redeem my word.  This Countess Eleonore Lapuschkin is a criminal!”

“Ah, thank God!” cried Elizabeth, breathing more freely.

“By various intrigues and stratagems, by bribery of her servants, I have finally succeeded in spying out her secrets, and last evening, when as her lackey I conducted her from the ball and afterward waited at table at an entertainment given by her husband to some confidential friends, last evening her whole plan was made clear to me.  It is a great and very important conspiracy that I have detected!  This Countess Eleonore Lapuschkin is guilty of high-treason; she conspires against her legitimate empress!”

“Ah, she conspires!” exclaimed Elizabeth, with a fierce laugh.  “For whom, then, does she conspire?”

“For one whose name I dare not utter without the express permission of my empress!”

“Speak, speak quickly!”

Lestocq bent down close to the ear of the empress.  “She conspires for the Schlusselburg prisoner Ivan!” said he.

“I shall therefore be able to punish her,” said Elizabeth, smilingly.  “I shall no longer be obliged to suffer this hated woman within the walls of my capital!”

“Siberia has room for her and her fellow-conspirators!” replied Lestocq.  “For this fair countess is not alone guilty, although she is the soul of the conjuration, as it is love that animates her.  Eleonore Lapuschkin conspires for her lover!”

“Oh, this adored saint has, then, a lover!” exclaimed the empress.  “And I believed her spotless as a lily, so pure that I felt abashed in her presence!”

“You have banished her lover to Siberia, the lover of Eleonore, Count Lowenwald.  You may believe that that has caused her a mortal grief.”

“Ah,” joyfully exclaimed Elizabeth, “I have, therefore, unknowingly caused her tears to flow!  But I will yet do it with a perfect consciousness!  Relate to me in detail exactly what you know of this conspiracy!”

And Lestocq related that Eleonore Lapuschkin, in connection with her husband, the chamberlain Lilienfeld, and Madame Bestuscheff, who was the sister of the condemned Golopkin, had entered into a conspiracy for the overthrow of Elizabeth and the placing of Ivan upon the throne, and thus releasing the prisoners banished to Siberia.