During this time of general rejoicing among the great and noble of the realm in the brilliant imperial halls above, the palace was surrounded by dense masses of people looking up with curiosity at the bright windows, and listening with astonishment to the joyful shouts that reached their ears below.  And when they heard the cause of the rejoicing above, they shrugged their shoulders and murmured low:  “The empress will henceforth punish no one with death!  What is that to us?  That the great shall no more be put to death by the empress, is no concern of ours, the serfs of the great!  The empress is powerful, but our lords and masters have yet more power over us.  They will still scourge us to death, and the empress cannot hinder them!”

That a word of authority from the czarina had abolished the punishment of death, did not stir them up from their dull, expectant silence; but when a messenger from the empress came and announced that Elizabeth had ordered a flask of brandy to be given to each one of the crowd assembled below, that they might drink her health, then came life and movement to these stupid masses, then their dull faces were distorted into a friendly grin, then they screamed and howled with a brutish ecstasy, and they all rushed to the opened door to avail themselves of the promised benevolence of the empress and receive the divine liquor!

For the great, the abolition of capital punishment—­for the people, a flask of brandy—­these were the first rays that announced the appearance of the newly-rising sun Elizabeth in the horizon of her realm!

No,—­Elizabeth did yet more!—­in this hour she remembered with a grateful heart the faithful friends who had assisted her to the throne; to reward these was her next and most sacred duty!

A nod from her called to her presence the thirty grenadiers of the Preobrajensky regiment whom Grunstein had won over, and the empress with a gracious smile gave them her hand to kiss.

Then, rising from her throne, and glancing at the assembled magnates and princes, she said, in a clear and flattering tone:  “It is service that ennobles, it is fidelity that lends fame and splendor.  And service and fidelity have you rendered and shown to me, my faithful grenadiers!  I will reward you as you deserve.  From this hour you are free; nay, more, you are magnates of my realm; you belong, with the best of right, to their circle, for, in virtue of my imperial power, I raise you to the nobility by creating you barons, all of you, my thirty faithful grenadiers, and you, Grunstein, the leader of this faithful band!  Receive them into your ranks, my counts and barons, they are worthy of you!”

Hesitating, not daring to mingle with those proud magnates, stood the new barons; but the princes and counts advanced to them with open arms, with exclamations of tenderness and assurances of friendship.  The empress had spoken, the slaves must obey; and these princes and counts, these generals and field-marshals, who yesterday would hardly have thrown away a contemptuous glance upon these grenadiers, now called them friends and brothers, and were most happy to admit them into their circle.