Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

54SUMMER HOUSES OF CATHERINE.

been entrusted to them. They immediately appeared, and three of these murderers having closely tied a napkin round the neck of the unhappy emperor, OrloíF pressed his knees upon his breast until he lay lifeless in their hands.

<¢ It is not known with certainty what part the empress took in the event; but it is known, that on the day that it took place this princess was sitting down to dinner in a very good humour, when the same OrlofF, covered with sweat and dust, his hair dishevelled, his clothes torn, his countenance agitated and full of horror, appeared before her. On entering, his anxious eyes sought those of the empress. She rose without speaking, entered a cabinet, into which he followed her, and some minutes after she called Count Panin, already appointed her minister, and informed him that the emperor was dead. Panin advised her to let the evening pass in silence, and to spread the news in the morning, as though it had been received during the night. This counsel being agreed upon, the empress returned to the table with the same unperturbed countenance, and continued her dinner in the good humour with which it had been commenced. On the morrow, when it was spread abroad that Peter had died of a hemorrhoidal colic, she appeared bathed in tears, and published her grief by an edict."

In looking over the park of Oranienbaum, which is large and beautiful, I visited several of the summer-houses, which were the scenes of the Empress's amorous assignations. Some of them were splendid pavilions, others exhibited bad taste. In general their architecture lacked purity of style, though