This Not Satisfying The King, He Hated Patkul From That Moment;
And The Rivals Soon After Meeting In Madam D'
Ensilden's apartment, some
hot words arose between them, which being by Flemming reported to his
master, he sent, in the
Moment of his passion, to require Patkul to
resign his office of general: he did so, but with a murmur that was far
from abating the royal resentments; and he had then ordered him into
confinement, but that private intelligence being given him, he made his
escape before the officers, commissioned for that purpose, reached his
house. He then went to the czar, who knowing him an experienced general,
of which at that time he stood greatly in need, gladly received him; and
it was there he first merited the hate of all good men, by countenancing
and abetting those ambitious projects his new master was then forming
against the king of Sweden: but see the fate of treason, he persuaded
him to enter into an alliance with, Poland and Saxony against Sweden,
which laid the foundation of this unjust war, and for which Augustus has
so dearly paid; and being sent Ambassador, in order to negotiate these
affairs, again renewed those of his love. Augustus, now obliged to the
czar for the preservation of his dominions, durst not openly espouse
chancellor Flemming, but no sooner heard that the marriage was near
being compleated, than he ventured every thing to prevent it; and, under
a pretence of his own forging, confined Patkul in the castle of
Konisting, where he lay a considerable time; the czar being too much
taken up with combating the fortune of our victorious king, to examine
into this affair, and besides, unwilling to break with Augustus, as
things then stood. Madam d' Ensilden did all this time whatever could be
expected from a sincere affection, in order to procure his enlargement;
but the interest of her friends, at least of those who would be employed
in this intercession, were infinitely too weak to oppose that of
Flemming and the king's own inclination, so that he remained a prisoner,
without being permitted either to write to madam d' Ensilden or see her,
till the time of his being delivered into our hands. But on hearing he
was so, my friend informs me her great spirit, which till now had made
her support her misfortune without discovering to the world any part of
the agonies she sustained, in an instant quite forsook her: she
abandoned herself to despair and grief, equally exclaiming against the
Czar, Augustus, and Charles XII; has ever since shut herself up in her
apartment, which she has caused to be hung with black, the windows
closed, and no light but what a small lamp affords, and only adds more
horror to the melancholy scene: she weeps incessantly, and, as she
expects her lover will obtain no mercy, declares, she only waits till
she hears the sentence of his fate is given, to dye, if possible, at the
same moment of his execution.
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