But
When He Mentioned The Princess, And Delivered The Message She Sent By
Him, A More Lively Colour Flushed Into
The king's cheeks, and he
replied, well, we shall do all we can to comply with her commands; then
turned
Quick about, and resumed the discourse he was in, before
Horatio's entrance, with his officers, as much as to say, the business
of his love must not interrupt that of the war; and Horatio had
afterwards the opportunity of observing, that tho' he often looked upon
the picture of that amiable princess, which he always wore in his bosom,
yet he would on a sudden snatch his eyes away, as fearing to be too
much softened.
Horatio was ordered to be lodged in the castle where the garrison was
kept; but he was every day at the king's levee, and received the most
extraordinary marks of his favour and affection; for which, as he looked
upon himself entirely indebted to the recommendations of his friends in
France, he wrote letters of thanks, and an account of all that
happened to him.
Poland being now entirely subdued by the valour and fortune of Charles
XII. and having received a king of his nomination, submitted cheerfully,
glad to see an end of devastation, as they then flattered themselves;
but the troubles of that unfortunate kingdom were yet to endure much
longer. - Augustus, impatient of recovering what he had lost, and the
czar of Muscovy jealous and envious of the king of Sweden's glory, came
pouring with mighty armies from Saxony and Russia. Shullenburgh, the
general of the former, had passed the Oder; and the other, at the head
of a numerous body, was plundering all that came in his way, and putting
to the sword every one whom he even suspected of adhering to king
Stanislaus: so that nothing now was talked of but war, and the means
concerted how to put a stop to the miseries these two ambitious princes
made, not only in that country, but all the adjacent parts.
It was agreed that general Renchild should go to meet Shullenburgh, and
the two kings drive out the Muscovites; who being divided into several
parties, Stanislaus went at the head of one army, and the king of Sweden
led another; and taking different routs, had every day what he called
skirmishes, but what the vanquished looked upon as terrible battles.
The king of Sweden, before their departure from Warsaw, told Horatio
that all his officers were gallant men, and it was not his custom to
displace any one for meer favour to another; he must therefore wait till
the fate of war, or some other accident, made a vacancy, before he could
give him a commission, in the mean time, said he, with a great deal of
sweetness, you must be content to be only my aid-de-camp. On this
Horatio replied to his majesty, with as much politeness as sincerity,
that it was the post he wished, tho' dare not presume to ask; for he
looked upon the honour of being near, and receiving the commands of so
excellent a monarch, preferable to the highest commission in the army.
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