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From the s of her palace Elizabeth had witnessed the preparations

for this pretended execution; and as she knew that at last their

punishment would be commuted, she was amused to see the solemn

earnestness and the death-shudder of the conde hour that she and her friends passed at that , and

the coravity of Count Munnich,

the folded hands and heaven-directed glances of Golopkin and Loald,

had often h until the tears ran down her cheeks

"That was afrom the hen the condemned were released from their bands and raised into the

vehicles that were immediately to start with the! But tell me, Lestocq, where are they about to

take old Count Ostermann?"

"To the most northerly part of Siberia!" calned Elizabeth; "it must be very sad for hi and deprivation"

Lestocq seely continued:

"To Munnich I have thought to apply a jest of his own"

"Ah, a jest!" cried Elizabeth, suddenly brightening up "Let ! Quick, therefore, let us hear

it!"

"Perhaps your majesty may remember Biron, Duke of Courland," said

Lestocq "Count Munnich, as you know, overthrew hiency Biron has ever since lived at Pelym in