He Had The Good Fortune To Arrive On The Very Day That Stanislaus And
His Queen Were Crowned, And Was Witness Of Part Of The Ceremony.
The
king of Sweden was there incognito, and being shewn to Horatio, he could
not forbear testifying his surprize
To see so great a prince, and one
who, in every action of his life, discovered a magnamity even above his
rank, habited in a manner not to be distinguished from a private man;
but it was not in the power of any garb to take from him a look of
majesty, which shewed him born to command not only his own subjects, but
kings themselves, when they presumed to become his enemies. There was a
fierceness in his eyes, but tempered with so much sweetness, that it was
impossible for those who most trembled at his frowns to avoid loving him
at the same time.
Stanislaus had in him all that could attract respect and good wishes;
beside the most graceful person that can be imagined, he had a certain
air of grandeur, joined with an openness of behaviour, that shewed him
equally incapable of doing a mean or dishonourable action: his queen was
one of the greatest beauties of her time; and every one present at their
coronation, confessed, that never any two persons more became a throne,
or were more worthy of the dignity conferred upon them.
The whole court was too much taken up that day, for Horatio to think of
presenting himself before the king of Sweden; but the officer, who
commanded the party that general Renchild had sent with him, introduced
him in the evening to count Hoorn, governor of Warsaw, who provided him
an appartment, and the next morning introduced him to count Piper. That
minister no sooner read the baron de Palfoy's letter, and heard he had
others to deliver to the king from the chevalier St. George, and the
queen dowager of England, than he treated him with the utmost marks of
esteem; and assured him that, since he had an inclination to serve his
majesty, he would contribute every thing in his power to make him not
repent the long fatigues he had undergone for that purpose; but, said he
with a smile, you will have no need of me; you bring, I perceive,
recommendations more effectual, and have besides, in yourself,
sufficient to engage all you have to wish from a monarch so just and
generous as ours.
Horatio replied to this compliment with all humility; and as the count
perceived by his accents that he was not a Frenchman, tho' he spoke the
language perfectly well, he asked him of what country he was; to which
Horatio replied, that he was of England, but made him no farther
acquainted with his affairs, nor that the motive of his having remained
so long in France, was because he was not ransomed by his friends: not
that he concealed this out of pride, but he knew the character of most
first ministers, and thought it not prudence to unbosom himself to one
of those, whose first study, when they come into that employment, is to
discover as much as they can of others, without revealing any thing of
themselves.
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