The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
Elizabeth. and married his daughter to q Prince
sApicha. a member OF an illustrious Polish
family we'll known in France.


VI.
Was Catherine faithful to Potor after he HAD
publicly married her and had crowned her Elm
press She was not; II was through AN act Of
inldolity that, ut the topnost height of proc
pcrity. she came within a hairs breadth OF ruin.
GATHERINGS coronation took place. ne wo have
said. on May 10, l724, and IL was performed
under circumstances OF exceptional magnln-
ccncc. The crown specially ordered for the 90
cnsion was far more splendid than any used By
former Cars; It was adorned with diamo~ds
and pearls; there WIS an enormous ruby on the
top; 1t weighed four pounds, and was valued at
one and a half millions OF roublcs. Tho crown
wns made at st. Petersburg by a Russian jewell
ler. but the new capital was quito unequal to
supplying the Czarina's dress. This was sent
from Paris. and cost four thousand rou.
blcs. Peter himself set the crown on his
wifo's head. Catherine knclt before the
altar, weeping, and would have embraced the
Cars knees. he raised her smilingly and in
vested her with the orb, the symbol Of sovers
eighty, but he kept the sceptrc. the token Of
power, in his own hands. When tho Csarina
left the church she entered q coach tsent, like
her dress, from Parlsl. richly gilt and painted,
and surmounted by an imperial crown. Just
six months later an event took place In the
Winter Palace which pushed the CzarinA. newly
crowned and anointed as she was, to the vory
DTlnk OF n preC1plce. foteT, returning from an
excursion to Revel. received warning of .
suspicious intimacy which had existed for some
time between Catherine and ono OF her cham
berlains. When one considers the extent
to which the Gar had carried his inquisi-
torial system, It seems, at first sight, aston
ishing that no should not have discovered
earlier the Czarina's liaison with young WI.
liam Mons. the brother Of tho Cars carly mis-
tress, which had, according to Trustworthy au.
--fst l--- .--- na.----IA
easily have gathered this fact from q secret exam
ination Of the chamberlain's correspondence. for
therein he would have seen lettors signed BY
the greatest personagrs In tho country, Minis
tiers Of State, Ambassador. and oven Bishops,
who all addressed the young man in terms
which clearly indicated tho place they believed
him to hold in the imperial household. The
inquisitorial policy. however. Of the great Gear
had be- un to bear its final and inevitable fruit,
universal espionage had cngendered universal
watchfulness against possible spies. Men did az
they were done By. and Peter paid for his too
great eagcrness to know the secrets of other
houses by being left In ignorance of what was
occurring in his own. Tho first intimation oftho
liaison reached him from an anonymous sourca.
Thereupon a well-prepared trap was laid, and
the lovers fell into it Catherine Is said to have
dallied one moonlight night within an arbor in
her garden. before which her lovers sister
mounted guard, and there Peter himself dis
covered her. Whether this be true or not, It II
certain that the anonymous informer. a sub
ordinate Of Mons. was quickly discovered and
arrested. The Gar held a h"sty inquiry in the
torture chamber. but, contrary 20 the general
expectation. failed to act with his usual light
ming %rapidity. Though both his honor md his
life were affected. for the informcr had spoken
os n nlo. npains, bis lie he seemed IN he.i,a,.
IT. limos, Iook.d as tbough this mn inna,i.nt
and impul.iye bevond ali o,be,s was sn.kin, IN
gain time Fif,eep davs after HE di.cov.-v n,
tho in, rigr, he r.trr,ed IN tho noI.r. u,,h,,,
a sign Of nerturn.tion n, his co,n,ennncc
summed. as usnal with the Empress ANA held
n lopp and familiar conversstion ,vitb
Mons. who. like every one else fol, ,r
assured. At n som.wba. carly ho,r tb. c,ar
complained Of WEAKNESS and inuuire, what
o'clock Il was. Catherine consulted her watch
and renliea- SHINE O'Clock" With n suddsn
fash OF anger. His first Peter seizeo the watch.
on.nca the case qavc .be h,nts tbre. ,,,rn.
and in the well.known tone which no on. ever
dared to answer. shouted. Won ar. mi.taksn,
II is miinieht. and every ono will 90 to bed,,'
The lion was awake again. The comnanv scp.
arated, and a few moments later Mons via ar
rested in his own room. Peter himself. 40 We
are told, acting as his taller and examining
Judge. Throughout the ensuing examination
GATHERINGS name was never mentioned. The
Car deliberately put her outside OF the oueo.
ton, although Mons, Handsome "a he vas. had
| nothing OF the hero about him and proved will.
ing to confess anything. Mons was beheaded On
Nov. 2s, 1874. The Saxon Resident in st.
| Petersburg declares that, before the execution.
Peter went to see him, and expressed his regret
at being Obliged TO part with him. Catherine.
! throughout the ordeal. behaved with e1traor-
binary courage. On the day OF her lovers exc
cution she al, cted the greatest cheerfulnesa.
In the evening she sent for the princessee, sum
moned their dancing master, and practised the
! nlinuet with them. In one of Campredop's de-
s~patches, however. our author has found these
words: Although the princess hides her grief.
as far as that is possible, 1t is clearly written ON
! her countenance; SO much so. that all the world
wonders what is going to happen 10 her." On
that very day she had a painful surprise. A ukase
written by the Cars own hand and addressed
to all tho administrative bodies forbade them.