The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-04-15

have sacrificed my own life TO obtain it--and
God forgive me, / thought little of what i
would cost another" 81 y
This plan was soon arranged, and, at III,
time appointed, my resolute heroine drove NJ
to the palace in . splendid equipase, precedes
BY Q running footman, with three hcqueys, Il
fall dress, mounted behind. She wa ANNOUNCED
a. the Countess Elise 80, who supplicatsd
particular audience of his Majesty. The door
flew open, and, in q few minutes, abe was il
the presence Of the Emperor, who advances
one or two steps 10 meet her, with an cir o
gallantry, but suddenly started back
Here could not help asking her whether, il
that moment, she did not feel her heart sink?
3No," she said, firmly, "on the contrary,
felt my heart beat quicker and higher. / spranf
forward, and kneit at his feet, ENCHANTING, viii
elssped hands, Pardon, Imperial Majesty
"Who are you ?" said the Emperor, aston
"hed and what can ! do for you s".
he spoke gently, more gently than any O
bis Ministers; and overcome. even bv NV ovr
hopes, burst into food of tears, and said
May it please your Imperial Majesty, an
not Countess Eiise -; am only the sister
of the unfortunate Henri Ambos, who has beer
condemned on false accusation. o pardon
pardonl Here are the papers-the proofs. o
Imperial Majesty pardon my poor brotherI"
held ont the petition and the papers, and
at the same time, PROSTATE on my knees,
seized the skirt of his embroidered coat, and
pressed it to my lips. The Emperor said
"Rise, risei" but would not rise / still held
out my papers, resolved not to rise till he had
taken them. At last the Emperor, Who seem
ed much moved, extended one hand towards
me, and took the papers with the other, saying
Rise, Mademoisele-I command you tc
rise"A
l ventured to kiss his hand, and said, with
tears, 81 pray of your Majesty to read tha,
paper"
He said, 81 will read it."
| then rose from the ground, and stood watch
ing him while he unfolded the petition and read
it. His countenance changed, and he exclaim
ed once or twice; " Is it possibeI This is dread
full"
When he had finished, he folded the paper
and said at once:
"Mademoiselle Ambos, your brother is par
doned.n r -
The words rung in my ears, and l again flung
myself at his feet, saying-and yet / scarce
knew what said:
" Your Imperial Majesty is q god upon earth
do you indeed pardon my brother Your Min
listers would never suffer me to approach you
and even yet fear -"
He said, " Fear nothing; you have my
promise
He then raised me from the ground, and
conducted me himself to the door. l tried to
thank and bless him, but could not; he held
out his hand for me to kiss, and then bowed
his head as left the room.
"Ach jG! the Emperor is a good msn-ein
eahn IL -
how cruel his Ministers are, and all the evil
they 40, and all the justice they refuse in his
namel"
have given you this scene as nearly as DOS
sible in her own words. She not only related
it, but almost acted it over again; she initiated,
alternately, her own and the Emperor's voice
and manner; and such was the vivacity of her
description, that l seemed to hear and behold
both, and YVES more profoundly moved than BY
any scenic representation can remember.
On her return, she received the conRratula.
tons of her benefactress, the Countess Elise,
and of her good friend the pastor, but both ad.
vised her to keep her audience and the Emne-
ror premise profound secret. She was the
more inclined to this, because, after the first
burst of joyous emotion, her spirit sank Rec.
ollecting the pains that had been taken to shut
her from the Emperor's presence, she feared
some unforeseen obstacle, or even some knavery,
on the part of the officers of Government She
described her sufferings during the next few
days as fearful her agitation, her previous
fatIgues, and the terrible suspense, apparently
threw her into fever, or acted on her excited
nerves 80 as to produce species of delirium,
though OF course she would not admit this
After assuring me very gravely that she did
not believe In ghosts, she told me that, one
night, after her interview with the Emperor,
she was reading in bed, being unable to sleep,
and, on raising her eyes from the book, she
saw the figure of her brother standing at the
other end of the room. She exclaimed, "My
God, Henril is that you ?" but, without making
any reply, the form approached nearer and
nearer to the bed, keeping its melancholy eyes
liked on her, till it came quite close to the bed
side, and laid cold, heavy hand upon her.
Aedon.-The nightmare, evidently.
Aida. Without doubt; but her own impress.
sion was as of reality. The figure, after
looking at her sadly for some minutes, during
which she had no power either to move or
speak, turned away. She then made despe-
rate effort to call out to the daughter of her
hostess, who slept in the next room, "Luise |
Luise!" Luise ran in to her. "Do you not
see my brother standing there?" she exclaimed
with horror, and pointing to the other end of the
room, whittier the image, conjured up by her ex.
cited fancy and fevered nerves, appeared to have
receded. The frightened, staring Luise an
swered, "Yes." You see," said she, appeal.
ing to me, that though / might be cheated
by my own senses, could not doubt those of
another. / thought to myself, then, my poor
Henri is dead, and God has permitted him to
visit me. This idea pursued me all that night
and the next day; but on the following day,
which was Monday, just FIVE days after had
seen the Emperor, laquais, in the imperial
livery, came to my lodgings, and put into my
hands packet, with the Emperor's compli
n,ents to Mademoiselle Ambos' 1t was the
pardon for my brother, with the Emperor's seal
and signature; then l forgot everything but
joy!"
Those mean, Official animals, who had before
spurned her, now pressed upon her with offers
of service, and even the Minister c. offered
to expedite the pardon himself to Siberia, in
order to sGpe her trouble; but she would not
not suffer the precious paper opt of her hands
she determined to carry it herself, to be her
self the bearer Of glad tidings. She had
resolved that none but herself should take
off those letters, the very description of which
had entered her soul; SO, having made her
as quickly as possible, she set off
for Moscow, where she arrived in three days.
According to her description, the town in Sibe-
ria, to the governor Of which she carried an
official recommendation, was nine thousand
versts beyond Moscow and the fortress to
which the wretched malefactors were exiled
was at great distance beyond that. I could
not well make out the situation of either, and,
unluckily, had no map with me but road
map eff Germany, and it was evident my hero
inc was no geogrspher. She told me that,
after leaving Moscow, she travelled post seven
days and seven nights, only sleeping in the
carriage. She then reposed for two DAYS, and
then posted on for another seven days and
nights.
Medon-Alone?