Count Bruhl Part 26

From France they took the Prince not to England as the original project was, but through Lyons and Ma.r.s.eilles again to Venice, where the _signoria_ did everything to amuse him. Masquerades, regattas, comedies, b.a.l.l.s succeeded each other.

By the advice of Pope Clement XI, it was decided to marry the Prince to a Catholic princess; for this purpose they began to search Venice through Father Salerno; the Count von Harkenberg and the Prince Eugene helped so much that a Princess was promised. They took the Prince to Vienna; he could not take one step without his father's permission.

The conversion was still secret, although the reason for sparing the sensibility of the queen-mother ceased, for she died. In October of 1717, on a certain morning, the Count von Lutzelburg ordered the whole court to be ready at ten o'clock in the anteroom of the Prince. About eleven o'clock, the carriage of the papal nuncio drew up in front of the palace and Monsignor Spinoli alighted from it and was conducted to the Prince. Shortly after that there came a little man with a casket under his arm and the Count von Lutzelburg said to the courtiers that in the Prince's room something was going on, and that the Protestants could look at it or not. The door opened, the nuncio was reading, and the Prince, not being well and lying in bed, listened with great piety.

After the Ma.s.s the nuncio left and the Prince said to his Protestant courtiers:

'Gentlemen, now you know what I am, and I beg of you to follow me.'

To this General Kospoth answered:

'We have not yet had time to realise it, it is difficult to decide at once.'

The Prince said:

'You are right, one must first of all become good Christians, then Catholics.'

The secret was unveiled; the following Sunday the Prince went to the Jesuit church and took the Communion. There was great joy in Rome over this success.

Saxony was again a.s.sured that the Protestant religion should be respected, but it was easy to foresee that efforts would be made towards conversions. They kept the Prince seven months in Vienna, Augustus furnished plenty of money for a splendid court and b.a.l.l.s; and there he was married, in 1719, to the Archd.u.c.h.ess Maria Josephine.

During the whole of that time Sulkowski was continually with the Prince. He returned with the court to Dresden where the Emperor's daughter was received with the greatest honours. Sulkowski by habit and necessity shared in all the amus.e.m.e.nts of the Prince, his hunting parties, theatres and art. During his travels with the Prince in Germany, France and Italy, he saw a great deal and educated himself; he learned to know the world, and what was more important, Frederick's likes and dislikes. He was able to take advantage of them, by pleasing him, to rule him, and he felt that he was so necessary to him that n.o.body could overthrow him. The Prince was very familiar with him, and the critical times made their relations still closer. The friends that Sulkowski made in various courts strengthened him still more, for he knew that in case of emergency he could count on them.

Therefore he neither feared Bruhl's compet.i.tion nor anybody else's.

Through his wife, _nee_ Hein Jettingen, he was sure of having the Princess on his side.

He was less humble than Bruhl, but a more consummate courtier, more daring, in a word he was a 'cavalier' as they said in those times, of the best sort. Tall and polished, Sulkowski had not the ability necessary for a prime minister, but he was proud and very ambitious.

Less familiar with the affairs of state than Bruhl, who for a long time worked in Augustus' private office, he was sure of the help of a man from whom he expected a.s.sistance. Consequently he determined to become a ruler, being persuaded that he would be able to hold the position.

Sulkowski's way of living was more modest than Bruhl's, for he was not fond of luxury. Sulkowski's court was not very numerous, the servants not very refined, the carriages not very elegant.

The portfolio was about to be handed to him, when one morning, before he went to see the Prince, he sent for his man. Sulkowski was reading a French book, waiting, when the councillor Ludovici, whom he had sent for, entered, out of breath. Ludovici held the same position with Sulkowski that Henniche did with Bruhl: he was his factotum, princ.i.p.al clerk in his office and adviser.

One glance at the man was sufficient to indicate who he was. His face bore no special characteristic, but it could change and a.s.sume any expression that was necessary. His whole face was covered with wrinkles; his eyes were black, and his mouth moved so quickly that it was impossible to describe its shape; while in motion it made Ludovici unpleasing. It was necessary to be accustomed to him in order to tolerate him. Fortunately for Sulkowski he was accustomed to him, and by his own dignified manner he could control Ludovici's impatience.

Having entered he leaned on the chair nearest to hand and awaited the new minister's orders.

Sulkowski seemed to be thinking whether or not he would make a confidant of the councillor, and his thoughtful att.i.tude excited the latter's curiosity.

'It is very unpleasant,' he said at length rising and looking out of the window, 'that living in the court, and having the confidence of the Elector as I have, I must yet resort to certain precautions.'

Ludovici smiled, lowered his eyes, but did not dare to interrupt.

'I can say frankly,' continued Sulkowski, 'that I am not afraid of anybody, but in the meanwhile I must not trust anybody.'

'Excellent! Beautiful!' said Ludovici, 'we must trust no one. A very intelligent man once said to me that one must treat one's friends in such a way as though we expected that to-morrow they would become our foes.'

'The question is not that they might become my foes, but that they shall not harm me; but I must know about their plans and movements.'

'Excellent! Beautiful!' Ludovici repeated.

'Until now this was not necessary, to-day it seems to me unavoidable.'

'Excellent! Beautiful!' Ludovici repeated. 'Yes! we must have men who will keep their eyes open on everything.'

'Yes, even on people in high positions,' said Sulkowski emphatically.

Ludovici looked and being uncertain that he rightly caught the meaning of the words, waited. He did not know how high his suspicions would reach.

Sulkowski was unwilling to explain himself better.

'I cannot,' he said with some hesitation, 'look into all the official doings of my colleagues.'

'Official doings!' said Ludovici, laughing, 'that is a trifle; their private doings are more important to your Excellency.'

'Consequently I should like to have--'

'Excellent, beautiful--a little report,' rejoined Ludovici, 'every day, regularly. Written or verbal?'

They both hesitated.

'Verbal will do,' said Sulkowski, 'you might bring it to me in person, after getting the necessary material.'

'Yes, truly, yes. I--and I can a.s.sure your Excellency, that you cannot have a more faithful servant.'

Here he bowed very respectfully and then raised his head.

'I would take the liberty of making some suggestions,' Ludovici said softly. 'The foreign resident ministers should be carefully watched, for what else are they than official spies of their countries? I do not exclude even the Count von Wallenstein although he is the master of ceremonies. And then the Prussian Waldburg, the Marquise de Monte, the resident minister Woodward, the Count Weisbach, and the Baron Zulich.'

'Ah! my dear Ludovici, very often the foreign countries are not as dangerous as home intrigues.'

'Excellent, beautiful,' Ludovici said. 'Yes! Yes! Yes! n.o.body respects the minister Bruhl more than I do.'

At that moment Sulkowski looked at Ludovici, the councillor at him, laughed, raised his hand, turned his head aside, and became silent.

Thus they understood each other.

'He is my friend,' said Sulkowski, 'a man whose great talents I appreciate.'

'Talents--great, unusual, enormous, fearful,' Ludovici affirmed with animation. 'Oh, yes!'

'You must know that the late King recommended him very strongly to the Prince, that he is going to marry the Countess Kolowrath, that the Princess thinks much of him. Notwithstanding all that, you would be wrong in interpreting my thoughts if you suppose that I distrust him, that I fear him--'

'Yes, but it is better to be cautious, and it is necessary to watch--through him flows the river of silver and gold.'

Sulkowski changed the subject of conversation and said:

'They complain to me that Watzdorf has too ready a tongue.'

'The younger one,' Ludovici interrupted, 'yes, yes unbridled, but it is a mill that grinds away its own stones; his talk will harm himself alone, and then he cannot help being angry, because--'

He did not finish, for a loud noise was heard in the ante-room.

Sulkowski listened, Ludovici became silent, and his face and manner changed; from a courtier he became a dignified official. Pus.h.i.+ng, interrupted by a woman's laughter, was heard. Evidently someone was trying to enter by force.