Count Bruhl Part 20

'I understand,' said the guest, 'it is of the greatest importance that we do not expose ourselves to calumny. The question is about the salvation of our souls, about holding our position here, where previously Luther was omnipotent. We have tools, it would be sinful if we dropped them for the sake of scruples, we must rather lose one soul than sacrifice thousands.'

Guarini listened humbly.

'Father,' said he quietly, 'I have told myself the same a hundred times, and that is why I serve as best I can, not always in the direction conscience would direct, but often like a _pulcinello_ of the Prince, like an impresario behind the stage, like a councillor there, where advice is necessary. When the question is how to take a stronghold, and when one cannot take it by force of arms, one takes it by strategy. _Media sunt licita_.'

'We don't need to repeat that to each other,' said the guest. 'Tell me all about your plans.'

'We must act with caution,' began Guarini. 'You must not be scandalised at our actions; sometimes you will have cause to sigh over our wickedness, but weak people must be guided by the cords of their own pa.s.sions.--We are sure of the Princess; our first duty is, if possible, to make her influence stronger. But that most pious lady, I am forced to admit, is the most unbearable in private life, and the King must have some distraction, for he could not live without it. If we do not furnish it, he will supply it for himself--'

He paused and then continued:

'Sulkowski will not listen to anybody, he will sacrifice everything for himself; in order to keep the King under his domination, he will give him everything he wishes for. We never can be certain of him; we must overthrow him.'

'By what means?'

'I shall come to that; Providence has given us a tool. We have a man.

Bruhl is that man.'

'Protestant,' said the stranger.

'He is a Protestant in Saxony and publicly; but in Poland and in his private life he is a Catholic. We must permit that; you know what our Maldonatus says:--_Onando vobis dissimulantibus religio vera aliquod detrimentum acceptura sit aut aliqua religio falsa confirmaretur, alias ittam dissimulare licet, aliqua causa legitima interveniente_.[1] Bruhl shall be or rather is a Catholic. We shall find him a Catholic wife, whom he will accept from the Prince's and our hands; we shall help him to overthrow Sulkowski; with Bruhl we are lords here. n.o.body will suspect that we have had a hand in the matter, for n.o.body could suspect us of helping a Protestant against a Catholic.'

'But are you sure of him?'

Guarini smiled.

'He shall be dependent upon us; should he attempt to betray us, he would fall to-morrow; we have plenty of means to accomplish that.'

'I cannot deny that the plan is excellent,' said the stranger after a moment of thought, 'but the execution of it seems to me doubtful.'

'Yes, just at present,' said Padre Guarini, 'it may take us one or perchance two years' work, using all possible means, but with G.o.d's help victory is certain as far as in human affairs one can be certain of anything.'

'Do you count on the Prince's character?'

'Yes,' answered Guarini, 'having been his confessor for so many years I know him well.'

'What about the Princess?' asked the guest.

'She is a worthy lady and a saint, but G.o.d has not endowed her with any feminine charm. She will not satisfy the Prince.'

'For G.o.d's sake! I hope you will not persuade him to lead the lascivious life that his father did!'

'We need not restrain him from that,' said Guarini, 'his natural disposition will not allow him to create a public scandal, but it would be impossible to put a bridle on his pa.s.sions. They will be secret but stubborn. We must overlook many things in order to make him remain a Catholic.'

The stranger became sad.

'What an awful thing it is to be obliged to soil oneself for the sake of the holy truth!'

'Well, there must be some scapegoat, such as I,' said Guarini jocosely.

'The people envy me--'

'Not I,' interrupted the visitor, 'not I!'

'What are your orders?' asked Guarini.

'Your plans shall be considered by our council,' answered the stranger.

'In the meanwhile you must act. We shall send you our instructions soon.'

'Bruhl shall remain. The Prince, with tears, has promised his wife to fulfil his father's last wish. Sulkowski shall only be the apparent ruler, Bruhl shall be the true one, and then--'

'You think you will be able to overthrow him?'

'We are certain; we all act against the man, who has not the slightest idea of danger, and Bruhl's ambition is the best weapon in our hands.'

'But Bruhl!'

'He is a devil in human form, but a devil who prays and is equally ready to crush his enemy, and suffers from no qualms of conscience.

Then he is sweet, polite and winning to the highest degree.'

They became silent, the stranger thoughtful.

'Any progress in conversion?' asked he after a moment's pause.

'In this nest of heresy?' said Guarini, 'here, where Protestantism dominates? The progress is very small, and the souls, which our fishermen's nets pull to the sh.o.r.e, are not worth much. Their descendants may pay for our labour. And then there is a new heresy spreading rapidly, the fight against which may be more difficult than against the others.'

'What is it?'

'Nothing new, any more than other heresies; but the apostle of it is a powerful, exalted, self-satisfied man. We have to fight not only a dogma, for with him dogma is of secondary importance, but a new social organisation, which he proposes to build. Falsehood takes the brightness from truth. In the woods beyond the town, the committee of the Moravian Brothers, something like a monastic order without any rules, was organised and prospers.'

'Tell me more about it,' said the guest, with animation. 'I have heard nothing about it.'

'A strange fanatic, not of religion but of the social organisation and the way of living, attempted in the name of Christ and his teaching, to create a new State. Christ is the King of that republic. Separated, but living in the same spot, there dwell troops of women, girls and children. They are united by joining in common prayers and meals. The powerful lord, Count Zinzendorf, granted land to the community and became its minister and preacher. Work and prayer, strict discipline and brotherly love, rule over the Moravian Brothers of Herrnhut.'

The stranger listened attentively.

'And you permitted the spreading of heresy?' he exclaimed.

'I tried to stop it, but in vain,' said Guarini. 'Investigations were made, and I hope Zinzendorf will be banished.'

'But they must have committed some abominations!' said the guest.

'The most careful investigations failed to discover anything vicious.

Those people confess different creeds, but they are united in one strange community, in which there is no private property, no poor people, no orphans; they const.i.tute one family, the father of which is Christ.'

'_Horrendum!_' exclaimed the stranger. 'And the marriages?'

'They are strictly observed, but as they believe that they are directly ruled by Christ, you may guess how marriages are contracted. The young men draw their wives by lots and the couples live an exemplary life.'