- Therefore, As It Is
A Long Journey You Are To Take, The Sooner You Provide For Your
Departure The Better:
- I will order you out of my privy purse 2000
crowns towards your expences.
Horatio found it impossible to express how much this goodness touched
his soul; nor could do it any otherwise than by prostrating himself a
second time, embracing his knees, and uttering some incoherent
acclamations, which more shewed to his master the sincerity of his
gratitude, and the perfect love he bore him, than the most elegant
speeches could have done.
After all possible demonstrations of the most gracious benignity on the
one side, and reverence on the other, Horatio quitted the presence, and
went to sir Thomas Higgons, who at that time was privy purse, and one of
the finest gentlemen that ever England bred, and acquainted him with the
chevalier St. George's goodness to him, and the change that was going to
be made in his fortune: he thanked him in the politest manner for being
made the first that should congratulate him, and told him, he did not
doubt but he should see him return covered with laurels, and enriched
with honours, by the most glorious and grateful monarch the world had to
boast of. The whole court, whose esteem the good qualities, handsome
person, and agreeable behaviour of Horatio had entirely gained, seemed
to partake in his satisfaction, and he was so engrossed with the
preparations for his departure, and receiving the compliments made him,
that tho' he was far from forgetting Charlotta, yet the languishment
which her absence had occasioned was entirely banished, and he now
appeared all life and spirit. - So true it is that idleness is the food
of soft desires.
It must be confessed, indeed, that love had a very great share in
reviving in him those martial inclinations, which for a time had seemed
lulled to rest, since it was to render himself in a condition which
might give him hope of obtaining the object of his love that now pushed
him on to war. He resolved also to make Rheines in his way to Poland,
where the king of Sweden then was pursuing his conquests, and see, if
possible, his dear Charlotta, before he left France; and as he was of a
more than ordinary sanguine disposition, he was much sooner elated with
the prospect of success in any undertaking he went about, than dejected
at the disappointment of it.
The baron de la Valiere, whose friendship over-balanced his resentment,
now gave an instance of his generosity, which, as things had stood of
late between them, Horatio was far from expecting. That nobleman came to
his apartment one day with a letter in his hand, and accosting him with
the familiarity he had been accustomed to treat him with before their
estrangement, - Horatio, said he, I cannot suffer you to leave us without
giving you what testimonies of good-will are in my power: - you are now
going among strangers, and tho' after the recommendations I hear you are
to carry with you from the chevalier St. George, nothing can be added to
assure you of the king of Sweden's favour, yet as many brave actions are
lost for want of a proper representation of them, and the eyes of kings
cannot be every where, it may be of some service to you to have general
Renchild your friend:
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