CHAPTER XXXIII
As the Regent’s carriage drew near, all eyes being fixed upon it, and principally upon the beautiful young Tsaritsa-elect, I saw Olga push her way so as to be at the very door of it when it should draw up at the steps; and as the wheels stopped she darted forward. Scarcely conscious of what I did, I called aloud, ‘Soltikova, beware!’
I did not suppose that anyone had heard my cry, for a thousand other voices were raised at the time in greeting to the great persons; but Galitsin stood up as Olga was about to strike, and seized the girl’s wrist. In her hand was a Tartar dagger, which, but for Galitsin, would certainly have found its sheath in Praskovia Soltikof’s breast.
Then there was commotion indeed! The Tsar Ivan awoke suddenly from his lethargy and screamed.
‘It is the mad one,’ he cried; ‘take her away, cut her down, Streltsi, kill her—kill her!’
Praskovia Soltikof had grown pale, but she kept her wits. ‘Fear nothing, Ivan,’ she said. ‘This poor maiden would strike me, not thee; she is mad for jealousy. Do not kill her, Streltsi. Bethink thyself, Olga, only one can win; it is the will of God. I have done thee no injury except to gain the prize before thee.’
‘Is not that enough, she-devil?’ shrieked Olga, struggling in the hands of the Streltsi who had seized her. ‘You have gained the prize not by merit but by wicked arts——’
‘I have won because the Tsar has chosen me,’ said Praskovia, and here the Regent interrupted.
‘Listen, people,’ she cried to those who stood near, ‘and judge for yourselves how wisely the Tsar has decided who it is that shall sit with him in the highest place! This other is a rival whom the Tsar has rejected, and for envy she would murder the bride of the Tsar; yet her victim intercedes for her! Such mercy is Christ-like! What shall be done with this mad thing?’
‘Kill her!’ cried the Tsar, and some of the people shouted the same. ‘Spare her and let her go, as the Soltikova has said,’ cried others; and I found myself crying lustily with these. ‘Spare her—she is one of God’s unfortunates—madness is no crime!’ and so forth.