Page 360 - Revelation

Svetlana de Rohan-Levashova. Revelation

methods of keeping in touch with her, although deep in my heart I perfectly knew that
nothing would work. Caraffa had his reliable plan which he was not going to change
to meet my wishes. Rather on the contrary, the more I wanted to see Anna, the longer
he was going to hold her under lock and key preventing us from meeting. Anna has
changed, becoming very sure and strong which frightened me a little, because I knew
she took after her father in her stubborn character and could only imagine how far she
could go in her persistence... I wanted so much that she should live! I wanted so much
that Caraffa’s executioner did not encroach upon her fragile, still unblossomed, life! I
wanted so much that my dear girl had everything yet to come.

I heard a knock at the door. Caraffa appeared on the threshold...
– How did you sleep, dear Isidora? I do hope that the immediate proximity of your
daughter did not affect your sleep?

– Thank you for your concern, Your Holiness! To my surprise I slept splendidly!
Perhaps, it was exactly Anna’s closeness that calmed me. Will I be able to talk to my
daughter today?
He was shining and fresh, as if he had already broken me, as if his greatest dream
had already come true... I hated his confidence in himself and his victory! ... even if he
had all reasons for this... even if I knew that very soon I would go away forever at this
mad Pope’s will... I was not going to surrender so simply. I wished to fight to the last
sigh, to the last minute of my life on Earth.
– So what have you decided, Isidora? – The Pope merrily asked. – As I already
told you before, exactly on it depends how soon you will see Anna. I hope you will not
force me to take the cruellest measures? Your daughter doesn’t deserve her life being
cut short so early, does she? She is really very talented, Isidora, and I sincerely would
not like to harm her.

– I thought you knew me quite well enough, Your Holiness, to understand that
threats would not change my decision... even the most frightful ones. I can die being
unable to endure pain, but I will never betray which I live for. Forgive me, Holiness.
Caraffa stared hard at me, as if he heard something highly unreasonable which
very much surprised him.

– Will you really not spare your wonderful daughter?! But you are more fanatic
than me, Madonna!
On exclaiming that, Caraffa leaped to his feet and withdrew. I stood absolutely
rigid, unable to feel my heart or retain my scattering thoughts, as if I had spent what
was left of my strength on this short negative answer.
I knew that it was an end... that now he will take Anna in hand and I was not sure
whether I could find the strength to endure all that. I did not have any forces left to
think of revenge or of anything at all... My body got tired and refused to resist. Perhaps
there was a limit after which "another" life began.

I desperately wanted to see Anna and at least give her a farewell hug, to feel her
impetuous force and tell her once again how strongly I loved her...
I heard a noise at the door turned around and saw her! My dear girl stood there,
upright and proud, thin, unbent, like a reed which the oncoming hurricane tries to

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