The Countess Cosel Part 34

"What?" exclaimed Cosel. "You would dare employ force against me?"

"I have a formal order to compel you to return to Dresden," said Montargon, "and I shall obey it."

Then the Countess's anger burst forth.

"Leave the room!" she cried, seizing a pistol. "If you do not go, I will shoot you through the head."

Zaklika stood ready on the threshold.

Montargon, who knew well that the Countess would keep her word, slipped out quickly. La Haye, who up to the present had not uttered a word, remained. The lesson his comrade had received had been good for him, and he now began very delicately,--

"Countess," said he, "amba.s.sadors are never fired on; I pray you, calm yourself. We are not responsible for bringing such an unpleasant message. I should be in despair, should I incur your displeasure; but for Heaven's sake, consider; to a military man, the King's order is a sacred thing, and must be accomplished."

"Have you seen the King?" inquired Cosel.

"Yes; I received my orders from his own lips. I beseech you to give heed to it!"

This soft tone completely disarmed Cosel, she sank trembling into an arm-chair.

"Be calm," continued La Haye. "It seems to me that there is nothing serious for you in all this."

"And that Denhoff?"

"That is only a pa.s.sing fancy," said La Haye; "something like the amour with Duval, which he has already forgotten. Moreover, Denhoff is married, her husband is in the country, and knows nothing of all this; should he learn the truth, there would be no chance of his allowing her to come to Dresden. But the King must return thither, then you will see him, and regain your former influence over him."

Cosel began to ask questions about everything, and La Haye laid the whole story before her in such a light, that he considerably modified the appearance of danger to herself. After a quarter of an hour's conversation, the Countess was persuaded that it would be better for her to return to Pillnitz.

Montargon did not show himself again, but sent a messenger immediately to the King with the good news. Being afraid, however, that Cosel might change her mind, he followed her with La Haye and the soldiers from afar, till they were sure she would not return.

In the meantime the Countess Denhoff began to attract attention by receiving the too frequent visits of the King. The respectable people were scandalized at the behaviour--at her dishonouring the good name of a married woman, during her husband's absence. They were much more shocked at the fact that her own mother was an intermediary agent, that her own sister was a witness, that they boasted of such conduct. Count Denhoff's whole family began to press him to call his wife to his country estate; and Denhoff sent her imperative letters, urging her to leave Warsaw immediately.

But the young woman sent her mother instead. When she came to her son-in-law's chateau, she said to him pointedly,--

"You must not plague us with these demands to return, for it cannot be done. We are not going to give up the happiness of our whole family for your fancies; the King is in love with Marie, and we intend to keep him. Do you wish me to bring her here for the sake of stupid prudery, and neglect our interests?"

Denhoff was a man of the old school, and he had already heard of his wife's flightiness.

"Madam," said he, "I am not inclined to share my wife's heart with the King; and, frankly speaking, there would remain very little of it for me, for, as it seems, many people court your daughter."

"Then," said the Countess, "you must either be silent, and thus a.s.sure for yourself the King's favour, or else consent to a divorce. The papal nuncio, Monsignor Grimani, is quite friendly towards us; he will secure the divorce in Rome."

"Deliver me from the King's favours; but if you would free me from my wife, I shall be only too thankful to you for it," said the Count.

The Countess was greatly astonished that her son-in-law should so readily give up all chances of the King's favour; but having received his written consent to the divorce, she returned with it to Warsaw. The nuncio wrote to Rome, and Clement XI. ordered the divorce to be granted.

There was thus no longer any objection to Countess Denhoff accompanying the King to Dresden; except, to be sure, that Cosel would be in her way.

In order to get rid of her rival, Countess Denhoff feigned that she lived in continual fear of her, and she incited the King to send her from Pillnitz, so that she would not be able to return to Dresden. Then Flemming helped her, reminding the King that he should take from her his promise of marriage, so that she would not be able to compromise the King. Augustus found he was right, and ordered Count Watzdorf to be written to, to try and obtain that doc.u.ment from Cosel and persuade her to leave Pillnitz.

Cosel was obliged to receive him, knowing that he came on an errand from the King.

"The best proof," said he, "that I wish you well is my coming here. I would like to help you to come to some understanding with the King; but you must show some goodwill, and finish peacefully like Aurore and Teschen."

Cosel blushed.

"Aurore and Teschen," exclaimed she, "were his favourites, while I am his wife. I have his written promise."

Watzdorf laughed.

"Ah! dear Countess," said he, with offensive familiarity, "it is an old story. You know well how tyrannical pa.s.sion is; a man is not master of himself under its influence. Our King also signed the peace at Altranstadt, but does not consider himself bound by it; it is the same with his promise to marry you."

Cosel could hardly contain her indignation.

"No! I still believe he is an honest man who knows what he does, and deceives neither himself nor any one else."

She began to pace to and fro.

"Tell me, then, frankly," said Watzdorf, "what are your conditions? The King is willing to grant them to you, only you must not ask anything impossible or attach too much weight to trifles. You will give me back that paper."

Cosel turned towards him excitedly.

"Did you come for that?" she asked.

"Well, yes."

"Then return," said Cosel angrily; "for as long as I have life I shall not surrender that paper; it is a defence of my honour, and that is more precious to me even than life. Do you think I had consented, for all the King's riches, to stretch out my hand to him if he had not given me the promise of marriage?"

"But you well understand," said Watzdorf, "that it is of no value, for the Queen is living."

"Then why do you want it back?" asked Cosel. "You must be ashamed that the King has deceived me."

"I cannot hear any reproaches against the King," said Watzdorf.

"Then return from whence you came," said Cosel, leaving the room.

The Count stopped her.

"Think of what you are doing; you are forcing the King to be severe with you. He can use force! You cannot hide the paper so that it cannot be taken from you."

"Let him try, then," said the Countess.

"It would be a very sad extremity," rejoined Watzdorf, "and we would like to avoid it. If you oblige us to use force, you cannot expect anything else."

Cosel did not let him finish, but said to him,--

"You wish me, then, to sell my honour? I a.s.sure you that there is not money enough in the King's treasury to pay for the honour of such a woman as I am. I shall not return that doc.u.ment for anything! I wish to let the world know how I have been deceived."

Tears rolled down her cheeks.