He was attended by 10,000 Swedish horse, and
twice the number of foot, in order to make good his claim against any of
his rebellious subjects.
Charles having now accomplished all he could desire in relation to the
Polish affairs, began to grow weary of the idle life he led at
Alranstadt, and was thinking which way he should turn his arms; he had
been used ill by the czar, who, as has been before observed, plotted his
destruction while a minor, and began hostilities when he thought him not
in a condition to defend himself, much less to make any reprisals: his
resentment therefore against him was no less implacable than it had been
against Augustus, - But the emperor had also disobliged him. Count Zobor,
the chamberlain, had taken very indecent and unbecoming liberties with
his character, in the presence of his own Ambassador at Vienna; and that
court had given shelter to 1500 Muscovites, who having escaped his arms,
fled thither for protection. As he was now so near, he therefore thought
best to call the emperor first to account, and then proceed to
attack the czar.
To this end he sent to demand count Zobor, and the 1500 Muscovites
should be given into his hands: the timid emperor complied with the
first and sent his chamberlain to be punished as the king thought fit;
but it was not in his power to acquiesce with the other; the Roman envoy,
then at Vienna, having intelligence of it, provided for their escape by
different routs. The king of Sweden then sent a second mandate,
requiring protection for all the Lutherans throughout Germany,
particularly in Silesia, and that they should be restored to all the
liberties and privileges established by the treaty of Westphalia. The
emperor, who would have yielded any thing to get the king of Sweden out
of his neighbourhood, granted even this, disobliging as it was to the
pope and his own catholic subjects: and having ratified these
concessions, the king vouchsafed to let his chamberlain return, without
any other punishment than imprisonment, so long as these affairs
remained in agitation.
Having thus given laws to Germany and terror to the emperor, he resolved
to turn where he might expect more opposition; and accordingly he
ordered count Piper to acquaint the officers, that they must now begin
to think of preparing for a march.
In the mean time ambassadors from all the courts of Europe were sent to
his camp, most of them being apprehensive that they should be the next
who felt the terror of his arms: but those who had nothing of this kind
to dread, and more really his friends, made use of all the arguments in
their power to prevail on him to return to Stockholm. France in
particular sent courier after courier, remonstrating to him that his
glory was complete; that he had already exceeded Alexander, and should
now return covered, as he was, with lawrels, and let his subjects enjoy
the blessing of his presence. The court of St. Germains added their
entreaties to that of Versailles, but each were equally ineffectual; nor
could even the thoughts of the beautiful princess Louisa, his betrothed
spouse, and whom he was to marry at the end of this war, put a stop to
the vehemence of his impatience to revenge the many injuries he had
received from the czar of Muscovy.
These were the sentiments by which this conquering monarch were
agitated; but Horatio, tho' no less fond of glory, had a softness in his
nature, which made him languish for the sight of his dear Charlotta,
whom he had been absent from near two years; and being now blessed with
a fortune from the plunder of Saxony, which might countenance his
pretensions to her, passionately longed for an opportunity of returning
without incurring the censure of cowardice or ingratitude. By these
couriers he received letters from the baron de la Valiere, and several
others of his friends, but none from the father of Charlotta; nor did
any of them make any mention of that lady, tho' he knew the passion he
had for her was now no secret to any of them.
He was very much surprized that the baron de Palfoy had not wrote,
because as he had in a manner promised to correspond with him by
desiring him to write, he had a right to expect that favour when they
came to Alranstadt; for till then it was scarce possible, by reason of
the army's continual and uncertain motions; but he was much more so,
that the baron de la Valiere had not been so good as to give him some
information of an affair, of which he could not be insensible his peace
so much depended: that he did not do it, he therefore presently
concluded, was owing to the having nothing pleasing to acquaint
him with.
As love is always apprehensive of the worst that can possibly befal, he
thought now of nothing but her being obliged to give her hand to some
rival approved by her father: - what avails it, cried he, that fortune
has raised me to an equality with her, if, by other means, I am
deprived of her!
He was beginning to give way to a despair little befitting a soldier,
when another courier arriving from Versailles with dispatches to the
king, he also received a packet, in which were three letters. The first
he cast his eye upon had on it the characters of Charlotta: amazed and
transported he hastily broke the seal, and found it contained
these lines:
To Colonel HORATIO.
SIR,
"I have the permission of my father to pursue
my inclinations, in giving you this testimony
how sincerely I congratulate your good fortune;
tho' I ought not to call it by that name, since I
find every-body allows your rewards have not
exceeded your merits; but as neither has been
found deficient either for your ambition or the
satisfaction of your friends, all who are truly such
think you ought to be content, and run no future
hazards.
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