It Would Be Endless To Recite The Farewels Of These Equally Sincere, And
Passionate Lovers; So I Shall Only Say
That never any parting was more
truly touching; and the grief, which both of them endured, was only
alleviated by
The confidence they had in each other's affection, and the
mutual promises of communicating the assurances of persevering in it, by
letters as often as opportunity would permit.
Melanthe being recovered of the indisposition of her body, tho' not of
her mind, was informed of every particular of her perfidious lover's
conduct as he had quitted Venice before she did her chamber, was obliged
to bear the load of discontent her too easy belief had brought upon her,
without even the poor ease of venting it in reproaches on him. The
carnival soon after ending, and finding that change of place was no
defence from misfortunes of the kind she had sustained, without she
could also change her way of thinking, took the first convenience that
offered, and returned to England, rather in worse humour than she
had left it.
CHAP. XVII.
Horatio arrives at Warsaw, sees the coronation of Stanislaus and his
queen: his reception from the king of Sweden: his promotion: follows
that prince in all his conquests thro' Poland, Lithuania and Saxony. The
story of count Patkul and madame de Eusilden.
While these things were transacting in Italy, Horatio, animated by love
and glory, was pursuing his journey to Poland. His impatience was so
great, that he travelled almost night and day, already imitating the
example of the master he was going to serve; no wood, no river was
impassable to him that shortened the distance to the place he so much
longed to approach: and thus by inuring himself to hardship, became
fitly qualified to bear his part in all the vast fatigues to which that
prince incessantly exposed his royal person.
Not a city, town, or even village he puffed thro', but echoed with the
wonders performed by the young king of Sweden: - new victories, new
acquisitions met him wherever he came: - all tongues were full of his
praises; and even those who had been ruined by his conquests, could not
help speaking of him with admiration. - Horatio heard all this with
pleasure, but mixed with a kind of pain that he was not present at these
great actions. - How glorious is it, cried he to himself, to fight under
the banners of this invincible monarch! - What immortal honour has not
every private man acquired, who contributed the least part to successes
that astonish the whole world!
But notwithstanding his eagerness which carried him thro' marshes, over
mountains, and ways, which to an ordinary traveller would have seemed
impassable, he met with several delays in his journey, especially when
he got into Germany, where they were extremely scrupulous; and he was
obliged to wait at some towns two or three days before he could obtain
passports: he also met several parties of flying horse and dragoons, who
were scouting about the country, as he drew nearer Saxony; but his
policy furnished him with stratagems to get over these difficulties, and
he got safe to Punitz, in the Palatinate of Posnania, where a great part
of the king of Sweden's army was encamped. - He immediately demanded to
be brought to the presence of the grand marshal Renchild, to whom he
delivered the letter of the baron de la Valiere, and found the good
effects of it by the civilities with which that great general vouchsafed
to treat him. He would have had him stay with him; but Horatio, knowing
the king was at Warsaw, was too impatient of seeing that monarch to be
prevailed upon, on which he sent a party of horse to escort him to
that city.
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.
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