This Lady, Whose Name Was Edella, Happened To Be Walking With Some Of
Her Attendants Near Where These Unfortunate Gentlemen
Were buried, at a
time when three of them were dragged to their wretched sepulchre, was
touched with compassion to
See any thing that had a human shape thus
coarsely treated, tho' after death, and had the curiosity to order one
of her people to enquire who those persons were, and what they had done,
which hindered them from being allowed a christian burial.
She was no sooner informed that they were Swedish prisoners, than her
soul shuddered at the thoughts of the Russian barbarity; and not
doubting but their usage during life had been of a piece with that after
their death, she resolved, if possible, to procure some abatement of the
miseries of those who yet survived.
To this end she made it her business to examine what number of prisoners
had been brought, of what condition they were, and where lodged; and
being well acquainted with all she wanted to know, went to the governor
of Petersburg, and so well represented how dishonourable it was to the
czar, and how opposite to the law of nations, to treat prisoners of war
in a worse manner than they would do condemned felons, that he knowing
the power of prince Menzikoff, and fearing to disoblige one so dear to
him by a refusal, consented they should be removed into an upper part of
the prison where they would have more air, and also that they should
have an allowance of meat every day.
As the governor was a true Muscovite in his nature and had an implacable
hatred to the king of Sweden and all that belonged to him, this was
gaining a great deal; but it was not enough to satisfy the charitable
disposition of Edella; after their removal, she went in person to visit
those of them whom she heard were gentlemen, and finding them covered
only with rags, which some of the soldiers had put on them after having
stripped them of their own rich habits, she ordered others lined with
furs to be made for them, to defend them from the coldness of the
season; and not content to retrench a great part of her own table, sold
several fine jewels, and other trinkets the prince had bestowed on her,
to supply them with wine, and whatever necessaries she supposed them to
be accustomed to. That she might be certain those entrusted by her did
not abuse her good intentions, she went often to the prison herself to
see how they were served, and would sometimes enter into discourse with
them concerning the battles they had been in, the settlement of
Stanislaus, and many other things relating to the Polish affairs. The
gallant and courtly manner in which Horatio expressed himself on every
occasion, made her take a particular pleasure in hearing him speak: that
rough blunt behaviour to which she had been accustomed since her being
brought a captive into Muscovy, gave double charms to the politeness
with which she found herself entertained by our young warrior; his
blooming years, and the gracefulness of his person, contributed not a
little also towards rendering every thing he said more agreeable. Her
liking of him grew by degrees into a friendship, no less tender than
that one feels for very near relations, and who have never done any
thing to disoblige us, are more endeared by being under undeserved
calamity: but as the inclination she had for him was perfectly innocent,
and no ways prejudicial to the prince who was in possession of her
person, she made no secret of it either to himself or those she
conversed with, and was always talking of the wit, delicacy, and
handsomeness of one of those prisoners, whom it was well known were
pensioners to her bounty. But how dangerous is it to be too open before
persons who, void of all true generosity, or the lead principle of
honour themselves, never fail to put the worst construction on the
actions of others. Edella was very near being undone by her sincerity in
acknowledging the distinction she paid to merit, or the compassion she
felt for misfortunes, in a country where humanity to enemies is looked
upon as a crime, friendship to those of the same party altogether
unknown, and even common civility never practised but for the
gratification of self-interest, or some favourite passion.
This beautiful Polander however being treated by the Muscovites, on
account of the influence she had over the prince Menzikoff, with as much
complaisance as it was in their power to shew, imagined their
disposition less savage than it was in reality; and when she testified
the pity she had for those unhappy gentlemen, it was with design to
excite it in others, and engage them to join with her in petitioning the
czar, at his return, for their enlargement, there being no cartel or
exchange of prisoners subsisting between him and the king of Sweden.
Among the number she hoped to gain to her party was Mattakesa, the
relique of a general who had been in great favour with his prince. This
lady, who could speak French, having learned it of a recusant that took
shelter in Russia, consented to go with her one day to the prison, and
no sooner saw Horatio, than, unfortunately for him, Edella, and herself,
she became charmed with him: as she was of the number of those who think
nothing a crime that suits their own inclination, she took not the least
pains to subdue the growing passion, but rather indulged it, in order to
receive the highest degree of pleasure in the gratification. She doubted
not but Edella was her rival, and that it was for his sake alone she had
been so beneficent to his fellow-sufferers: to supplant her, therefore,
was the first step she had to take, and she resolved to omit nothing for
that purpose.
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