than you imagine; advise, therefore, your friends to make no opposition, as they value their heads." This information being rapidly circulated, Bassevitz gave the appointed signal, and the two regiments of guards, who had been gained by a largess to declare for Catherine, and had already surrounded the palace, beat to arms. "Who has dared," exclaimed Prince Repnin, the commander in chief, "to order out the troops without my knowledge?"—"I," returned general Butterlin, "without pretending to dispute your authority, in obedience to the commands of my most gracious mistress." This short reply was followed by a dead silence. In this moment of suspense arid anxiety, Menzikof entered, preceding Catherine, who came supported by the duke of Holstein. She attempted to speak, but was at first prevented by sighs and tears from giving utterance to her words; but at length recovering herself, said, that in obedience to the will of her husband, she was ready to devote her days to the painful occupations of government. She desired them to deliberate maturely on this important subject, and promised to adopt whatever was the result of their decisions.
In fine, Catherine was unanimously declared empress of all the Russias. About eight o'clock in the morning they were introduced to the empress by prince Menzikof (the first instrument of her elevation, and to whose advice she afterwards paid great deference), when they presented the act of their submission in writing, and took the usual oaths of fidelity. She received them very graciously, and assured them she would be a mother to her country, as the emperor had been its father. The general grief which appeared amongst all ranks and degrees of people is not to be expressed; even the soldiers were dissolved in tears, and would not be comforted till they
