Count Bruhl Part 19

'Just what everyone expected; Sulkowski is prime minister.'

'Very interesting indeed!' Henniche hissed. 'Sulkowski, being a Catholic, cannot preside at state councils in Protestant Saxony, unless he becomes a Lutheran, and should he do this the Prince would spit in his face, not to speak of the Princess.'

'You are right,' said Councillor Globig, 'I never thought of that.'

'You forget,' said Loss showing a row of long teeth, 'that his majesty can change the law.'

'Without convocation of the diet?' asked Henniche.

'Yes, here he is ruler,' replied Loss, 'and Saxony is not Poland, where the n.o.bles do as they please and the King is obliged to bow to their will.'

Henniche cleared his throat, for steps were heard at the door and at that moment there appeared a large, fat man, who without taking off his hat, looked at the three men.

He was another councillor. Hammer.

'What is it, a diet?' said he slowly uncovering his head.

'This is quite unexpected,' said Henniche angrily 'speaking frankly, one would think that we conspire.'

'Who does anything to-day? The work will not begin till to-morrow,'

said Hammer. 'To-day everyone thinks of himself and makes a compromise with his conscience, lest he should seem to be against the rising sun by saluting the setting one; it is well known that if one turns one's face towards the West, one turns something else to the East.'

They all laughed.

'Hammer,' said Globig, 'you who know everything, tell us, what news have you?'

'Bells, bells, bells!' answered Hammer. 'Even if I knew anything I would not say, for who knows to-day, who is his friend and who his foe?

One must be silent, one must cry with one eye and laugh with the other and be silent, silent! Henniche has his hat,' said he after a pause, 'are you going out?'

'I must,' said the host, 'duty!'

^Yes! it is the most important thing,' said Hammer. 'To-day, everybody serves himself--there is no more exacting master.'

'Don't you know anything new?' said Globig in a low voice coming near Hammer.

'On the contrary, I have much news, but I shall not tell it, except one item.'

All drew nearer.

'We Saxons do not count at present, Poles are the most important. They are sure of the succession to the princ.i.p.ality of Saxony, but to get the Polish crown Sapiechas, Lipskis, Czartoryskis, Lubonirskis, Moszynskis, and Sulkowskis are necessary.'

'You have put Sulkowski last?'--asked Loss ironically.

'For this reason, that he should be at the head,' said Hammer; 'and now, gentlemen, I wish you good-bye.'

He put on his hat and went out first followed by the others. The host remained behind evidently wis.h.i.+ng to go alone.

At the door of the house everyone of them looked round cautiously, and they all went in different directions.

In the square could be seen groups of people and soldiers marching. The same curiosity was aroused in other houses of the capital of Saxony, but until the evening n.o.body could say anything for certain.

The dusk was falling, when a _porte-chaise_ stopped at the house in which Padre Guarini lived. He was in the same room in which we saw him previously with Bruhl. Here, the confessor to the Prince and Princess, the most powerful although the most modest man in the court, received his friends. The modest old man would have contented himself with a couple of rooms, but as he was obliged to receive many distinguished guests, he occupied the whole house. According to the rank of his visitor, he received him either in his study or his drawing-room, the latter being beautifully furnished and ornamented with pictures by old masters.

A tall man alighted from the _porte-chaise_ dressed in dark clothes and wearing a sword. By his face one could see he was a foreigner; his features were delicate, aristocratic but faded. A sweet smile brightened his face. His forehead was high and white, his eyes were large and dark; a Roman nose, thin lips, and a clean shaven face showed that he was a man of gentle birth. He wore a black cloak and white lace cuffs to his dress.

He ran upstairs, rang the bell, and when Guarini's old servant opened the door, he entered without asking any questions and without giving his name. The old servant hastened to open not the door of the study but that of the drawing-room.

The room was dark and unoccupied, but Padre Guarini entered almost at the same moment; not a little surprised at seeing the new-comer, he bent his head humbly and crossed his arms on his chest.

The stranger drew near and they kissed each other's shoulders, Guarini bending almost to his hand.

'You didn't expect me,' said the guest, 'I did not know myself that I should come to-day. You can guess what brings me here--the present situation is of the greatest importance.'

'Yesterday I sent a letter asking for instructions,' answered the host.

'I have brought them to you. Lock the door. We must be alone.'

'It is not necessary,' answered Guarini, 'we are quite safe here.'

'Then let us not waste time! How do things stand? What is going to happen? Are you afraid of anything? Do you need any help? Speak and let us be advised beforehand.'

Guarini became silent, weighing that which he was going to say.

Although the stranger wore civil dress, he said to him:

'Most Reverend Father, you know as well as I do the state of affairs at the court. The Prince is a zealous Catholic, the Princess, if it were possible, is still more zealous. The first favourite Sulkowski is also a Catholic. Everyone about them confesses to our holy faith.'

'But Sulkowski! I heard that he will be the most important figure in the future. The Prince is good, of weak character, and lazy, consequently someone must rule for him. Can we trust Sulkowski?'

Guarini became thoughtful, looked into the eyes of the stranger, put one hand on his mouth and shook his head.

'He is a Catholic,' said he after a pause, 'but he is cold, his ambition is stronger than his faith; his longer influence would be perilous both for us and Catholicism. There is no doubt.'

'But, as far as I know, it is impossible to overthrow him,' said the guest. 'Is the Princess strong enough?'

'By her face and character?' whispered the Jesuit. 'Do you think, then, that in that quiet nature of the Prince, there will ever arise the blood and the pa.s.sions of Augustus the Strong? Is it possible? Then of what account would the Princess be? Sulkowski will suggest other women to him, in order to rule through them.'

The stranger frowned.

'Your views are too gloomy,' said he 'we must find some remedy.'

'I have thought it over beforehand,' began Guarini seating his guest on the sofa and taking a chair beside him. 'We must have near the Prince a man whom we can be sure will serve us, who would also depend upon us.

Frederick is lazy, we must make him a soft bed, provide him with his favourite amus.e.m.e.nts, give him operas, hunting and pictures. Who knows, perhaps something more,' said he sighing.

Again the stranger frowned.

'It is too bad,' he interrupted, 'that for so great a purpose, we must use base means; it is sad--'

'_c.u.m finis est licitus, etiam media licita sunt_,' quoted Guarini quietly. 'We cannot limit the means: they are different in every case.'