Count Bruhl Part 49

Guarini watched him attentively.

'It is bad,' he said, 'that your Majesty, working so hard, does not try to find some amus.e.m.e.nt. Distraction is necessary to a man. St John in Patmos had a tame partridge.'

'Partridge!' the King repeated thoughtfully. 'I prefer hunting for woodc.o.c.k.'

He resumed his walk, sighing.

'We must have either an opera, or hunting, or pictures.'

Augustus III waved his hand.

'Where is Bruhl?' asked the Padre.

'Ah! Bruhl! Only Bruhl! But he is busy, poor man, let him rest. Bruhl is a good man.'

'Excellent!' affirmed Guarini. 'But it is not with him that your Majesty is angry?'

'The idea! Bruhl--capital fellow, Bruhl!' said the King, but lowered his head.

'Well, I do not suppose that your Majesty is craving for Sulkowski.'

The King stopped suddenly, and Guarini recognised that he had discovered the cause of the King's bad humour.

'Yes, Sulkowski,' said the King, 'just imagine, Josephine does not like him. How can anyone help liking Sulkowski? Tell me that.'

Guarini became silent. The question was straight but he did not answer it.

The King repeated:

'Father, how can one help liking Sulkowski?'

The Jesuit thought for a long time. The moment was decisive, it was necessary that the attack should be skilful, and he thought how to do it.

'Your Majesty,' said he, 'personally I have nothing against Sulkowski.

As a Catholic he is indifferent, that is true. Then it seems to me that he does not show sufficient respect to our saintly Queen.'

'Oh! Oh!' broke in the King.

'At least people think so,' said Guarini imperturbably. 'It is certain that your Majesty's favour made him very proud.'

As the King listened he grew gloomier.

'Your Majesty,' said Guarini with ardour, 'we are alone, n.o.body but G.o.d hears us. Pray tell me, as on confession, did Sulkowski never lead the King into temptation?'

At this Augustus III blushed, turned his back and continued to perambulate the room. His silence was an answer in the affirmative.

Guarini laughed.

'Is it not too daring? I can understand that a servant and friend might sometimes like to take something on his own conscience for his master's sake, but he might at least wait until a sign is given him to act so.'

The King went on with his walk.

'The Queen has a presentiment,' said the Padre. 'And no wonder! But _satis_ of this. It is well known that he has some plans against Austria, against the house from which we have our Queen, and against our promises--'

Augustus sat in an arm-chair as if he were tired and looked at the priest.

'His worse fault is his pride which makes him believe that he can do anything he likes with the King. There are people who have heard him say so. A little humiliation would do him good, for it is not well that people should say he rules over Saxony and not our gracious King.'

'Eh! Eh!' said the King, 'who says so? Whoever it is, hang him!'

'Those who heard Sulkowski boast.'

'Boast! That is bad!' rejoined the King. 'I shall scold him for that!'

Guarini saw that the King was already tired of the subject, and he tried to find something to amuse him, certain that the seed would take root and grow.

At that moment a chamberlain entered again and announced that the Queen was waiting for the King to have some music.

'Let us go!' said Augustus III sighing.

Guarini bowed and they went. The lackeys preceded them with candelabras.

The Queen's apartments were furnished according to Josephine's taste.

There was no luxury, but in the severity one could trace the majesty of the emperor's palace.

The pictures were all religious. Instead of _bibelots_ there were plenty of relics and crosses. The court was composed of elderly ladies and so chosen that their beauty would not prove distracting to the King.

That day, John George Pisendel, the most famous violinist of those times, was going to give a concert in the court music hall. Besides him Pantaleon Heberstreit was going to play on an instrument invented by himself and called a _clavicembolo_. Buffardia and Quanz were to play the flute.

The Queen, already a little annoyed, walked to and fro waiting for her consort. When he entered she came up to him and tried to read his humour in his face and she understood that he was displeased. Music was the best remedy.

As soon as the King sat down and Buffardia began to play the flute, the clouds dispersed and the forehead became serene. The Queen remained behind the King for a moment and made a sign to Guarini. The Jesuit had only time to whisper:

'_Poca roba_--Sulkowski.'

The Queen hastened her pace and reached her chair beside that of the King. The orchestra struck up an overture and the King listened to it with great attention.

During the concert it was evident that the Queen was thinking about something more important than the music. Pisendel in vain did his best, the Queen did not seem to hear him. Bruhl's wife was also present at the concert; she was sitting beside her mother; the minister stood behind the King and looked as modest as if he were not prime minister and also the only minister.

Padre Guarini pa.s.sing by him, whispered:

'The war has begun, the enemy defends himself, we must concentrate all our forces, be on your guard.'

Bruhl stood quiet as though he had not heard anything. Buffardia and Quanz played a duet. The King closed his eyes and enjoyed the music.

Anyone seeing the scornful looks of Bruhl's wife directed at the King, would have been surprised and frightened at the contempt with which she dared to look at him.

Behind her chair stood the minister's retinue who were admitted to the concert, and among them might have been seen a young man looking so much like Watzdorf that he might have been taken for his ghost. Frau Bruhl's eyes often wandered in that direction, rested on the beautiful face of the youth and tried to meet his eyes; their glance met and the youth blushed.

After the concert supper was announced, with a separate table for their Majesties. The King had such a famous appet.i.te that he seemed to forget about everything else: but after supper he asked Bruhl to follow him to his apartment.