To Charlotta, at last an expedient
offered to his mind how to avoid both, and yet not be guilty of injuring
the truth.
Alas! my lord, answered he, you little know the heart of Horatio, if you
imagine there be any thing there that would hide itself from you: - I
freely confess, the charms of mademoiselle Charlotta had such an effect
on me, that, had I been in circumstances which in the least could have
flattered me with success, I should long ago have avowed myself her
lover: but when I reflected on the disparity between us, the humour of
her father, and a thousand other impediments, I endeavoured to banish so
hopeless a passion from my breast, and was the more confirmed in my
resolution to do so by the ill treatment monsieur de Coigney
received: - besides, her removal from St. Germains, depriving me in a
great measure of those opportunities I had before of entertaining her,
might very well contribute to wean off a passion, not settled either by
time or expectation, of ever being gratified; and I hope, continued he,
I shall always have so much command over myself as not to become
ridiculous by aiming at impossibilities.
Whether the baron gave any credit to what he said on this account or
not, he had too much politeness to press him any farther; and the
discourse soon after taking another turn, Horatio was very well pleased
to think he had got off so well.
De la Valiere having related to him some particulars of the late
campaign, which the public accounts had been deficient in, they passed
from that to some talk of the brave young king of Sweden, a topic which
filled all Europe with admiration: but the French being a people in whom
the love of glory is the predominant passion, were more than any other
nation charmed with the greatness of that prince's soul.
What indeed has any hero of antiquity to boast of in competition with
this northern monarch, who conquered and gave away kingdoms for the
benefit of others, disdaining to receive any other reward for all his
vast fatigues, than the pleasure of giving a people that person whom he
judged most worthy to reign over them!
The baron, who had attended the Count de Guiscard when he was
residentiary ambassador from his most christian majesty at the Swedish
court, had an opportunity of seeing more of this monarch than any other
that Horatio was acquainted with; he therefore, on his requesting it,
informed him how, at the age of eighteen, he threw off all magnificence,
forsook the pomp and delicacies of a court he had been bred in, and
undertook, and compleated the delivery of his brother-in-law, the duke
of Holstein, from the cruel incursions of the Danes, who had well nigh
either taken or ravaged the greatest part of his territories.
