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Elizabeth knew she was beautiful and attractive, and this was her

pride and her joy She could easily pardon the Ger the throne that was rightfully her own, but

she would never have forgiven the regent had she been handsomer than

herself Anna Leopoldoas the most powerful woman in Russia, but

she, Elizabeth, was the handsomest woman in Russia, which was all she

coveted, and she had nothing ht neither of Anna Leopoldowna nor of her

own beauty, but only of the singer arbling to her those Russian

popular songs so full of love and sadness that they bring tears into the

eyes and fill the heart with yearning

Elizabeth had forgotten all around her--she heard only hilances hich she observed hi smiles peculiar to her

in moments of joy and satisfaction, and which her courtiers knew and

observed

He was very handsoer, and as Elizabeth saw hiratulated herself that her connoisseur-glance had

quickly remarked him, when, some weeks previously, she had first seen

him as the precentor of the imperial chapel

Surprised and excited by the beauty of his fored him of the lord-marshal for her private

service, and since then Alexis Razumovsky had entered her house as her

private secretary and thewith his sweetly- eyes to the twoin respectful