"I cannot say. It depends upon the offers he makes. Stay in this room, Gregory; and I will receive Von Gortz in the next one, where you can hear what passes between us."
CHAPTER CXXXVIII.
A DIPLOMATIC DEFEAT.
The empress entered the small audience-chamber adjoining her cabinet, and ringing a bell, gave orders that Count von Gortz and Count Partin should be admitted. Then she glided to an arm-chair, the only one in the room, and awaited her visitors, who, conformable to the etiquette of the Russian court, bowed three times before the all-powerful czarina. Panin's salutation was that of a serf who is accustomed to kiss the dust from his tyrant's feet; Von Gortz, on the contrary, had the bearing of a man of the world, accustomed to concede homage and to exact it.
"Well, count," said the empress, graciously, "what pleasant news do you bring from Sans-Souci? Has your accomplished sovereign recovered from his indisposition?"
"The king has recovered, and will be overjoyed to learn that your majesty takes so much interest in his health."
"Oh," exclaimed Catharine, "the great Frederick knows how much interest
I feel in his life—perhaps as much as he has in my death!"
Count von Gortz looked in astonishment at the smiling face of the empress. "What! Your majesty says that my sovereign has an interest in your majesty's death!"
"Did I say so?" said Catharine, carelessly. "It was a slip of the tongue, my dear count. I should have said TAKES, not HAS; for many people fancy they have what they would like to take. I should have said then, that the king cannot TAKE more interest in my death than I do in his life."
"The king, your majesty, is much older than you, and war has added to his years."