Józef Ignacy Kraszewski

“ At present, I wish to remain faithful to Hoym, and it is only love that would ever make me unfaithful to him. The moment I love, I shall leave Hoym and go openly to the one I love; and the man who loves me shall be my husband."
"But the King! the King!"
"Whether he be a king or no, matters not to me," said Countess Hoym.
"Do you know that the King is married, although he does not live with his wife?"
"He will be obliged to obtain a divorce and marry me," rejoined Anna. "I have no wish to play the rôle of either Esterle, or Königsmark, or of Teschen." ”

“ Augustus did not answer; and Cosel laughed bitterly.
"To expect pity from you, vile tyrant! From you who break your promises and then imprison those who ask you to fulfil them! What do you care for human life? What do you care for human heart? Cosel, a prisoner, despises you and curses you: yourself, your family and your country! Die, you villain!"
She aimed and fired at the King. The pistol shot resounded in the castle mingled with laughter. The King, hearing the whizz of the ball, came to his wits; he saluted smiling, and galloped off in the direction of Pillnitz. ”

“ Mlawa was thoughtful.
"What are you going to tell me?" whispered Cosel uneasily.
"You are going on towards your destiny. Who has ever avoided his fate? Who has ever seen its precipices? After long happiness, there awaits you a still longer, oh, far longer season of penitence, a rigorous captivity, sleepless nights, unaccustomed tears. Having children, you will be childless; with a husband, you will be a widow, you will be an imprisoned Queen; you will be free, but you will throw away your freedom--you will be--oh! don't ask me--"
Cosel was as white as marble, but still she tried to smile. ”

“ Hoym smiled bitterly.
"Your carriage!" he repeated. "You do not realize where you are. You are almost a prisoner, you cannot leave this house. I should not be surprised to find that guards had been placed before the door. Even should you succeed in escaping, the dragoons would pursue and bring you back. No one would dare to help you."
The Countess wrung her hands in despair. Hoym looked at her with mingled feelings of jealousy, grief, meanness, and sorrow.
"Listen to me," said he, touching her hand, "perhaps it is not so bad as I think. Those who wish to perish, can easily perish here. ”

“ His face was crimson, his eyes misty, and his speech indistinct.
"Anna," said he, "I wished to bid you goodbye. Well, to-day you were triumphant, as women very seldom can be. At least you will thank me for it."
Cosel turned towards him--she was sad.
"Alas! my lord," she replied, "I have not sufficient words to express my gratitude. But had you seen the jealous glances cast at me, you would understand why I have returned sad."
Augustus smiled.
"The tragi-comedy of life," he returned indifferently. "I had my Charles XII.--you have your Flemming! Every one has some pain, and life--is life. ”

“ Von Sinen could hold no longer. Pity was stronger within him than any other consideration.
"I implore you," said he, "to go away from here! I can say no more."
"What!" said Cosel. "Is it possible that even here I am threatened? Would the King of Prussia surrender a woman as Augustus surrendered Patkul?"
Von Sinen stood silent; it was evident he could not say any more.
"Where is there to go?" she murmured to herself. "I could not live too far from him; my heart still longs for him. Let them do with me what they please. I am disgusted with life. ”

“ Anna Hoym frowned.
"Never!" she exclaimed. "I am not so feeble as you think. I am aware that I am surrounded by peril, but I have no desire for a life of luxury. No, the life of the court has no attractions for me. I despise it!"
"You must not trust in your own strength; flee, flee from this hell!"
As he spoke, he stretched out his arms, as though he would have liked to drive her away. But Anna stood motionless, and smiled scornfully.
"But where could I go?" she inquired. "My fate is bound up with that of my husband. I cannot break the ties that unite me to him. I am a fatalist. ”

“ The King is a man of strange taste; for two days he is in love with the lady dressed in silks; then tiring of her he is ready to love the woman in rags. Königsmark is still beautiful; Spiegel is by no means plain; Princess Teschen still enjoys his favours; but he is tired of them all. Again he is seeking whom he may devour! Ah! he is a great lord! He is beautiful as Apollo, strong as Hercules, lecherous as a Satyr, and terrible as Jupiter."
"Why are you telling me all this?" exclaimed Anna angrily. "Do you think I am so wicked, that at the King's desire I should forsake the path of honour? ”

“ Over the earth there blew a warm air, mingled with the scent of flowers. Even around the castle some life appeared; the ploughmen went freely to the fields--she alone could not move. Cosel used to stay at the window for hours deep in thought, and did not notice that a soldier, astonished at her beauty, would often look at her, and ask himself what this angel-like woman could have done to merit imprisonment. Old Von Wehlen, smoking his pipe on the ramparts, looked also at her windows, and his thoughts were bitter; his heart heaved, for he felt that he loved his lord Friederich Augustus less. ”

“ Before Countess Reuss could reply, the King had descended the stairs. The conversation that ensued between him and such an intimate friend as Fürstenberg was different.
"The woman is enchanting," said the King, "but at the same time she repels, and is cold as an icicle."
"Your Majesty, women are of different temperaments; it is no wonder that she protects herself."
"But she speaks frankly about marriage."
"Every woman thinks that love for her must be everlasting, and one can promise that to every one."
"It will not be done very easily with this one," added Augustus, "Teschen was much easier." ”

“ I have come here by the King's command."
"And what, pray, does His Majesty command?" inquired Hoym sarcastically.
"He wishes your consent to the divorce, in return for which he promises you his favour," replied Vitzthum. "If you do not consent, I pity you, my dear fellow, but I must warn you that you expose yourself to great danger. You cannot fight against the King. The slightest wrong done to the Countess will be regarded as lèse majestatis."
"But why do you wish for my consent?" exclaimed Hoym. "The King can do anything he chooses without that. ”

“ Countess Vitzthum took her sister's arm, and taking advantage of the moment when her brother could not hear what she said, whispered,--
"Dear Anna! there is no reason for you to fear, or to excuse yourself; now at last your captivity is at an end. You shall see the court, the King, and all our splendour, which is unrivalled throughout the whole of Europe. I congratulate you. I am convinced that a most splendid future awaits you." ”

“ The King has issued his commands."
"I do not care!" retorted Anna.
"You intend to disobey the King?" inquired Hoym.
"Why not? He rules over everything, I know, but he does not rule over family life. What can he do to me?"
"Nothing to you," replied Hoym, uneasily. "He is only too polite to beautiful women, but he will send me to Königstein, and confiscate our estates. Misery and death threaten us!"
He covered his face with his hands.
"You do not know him," he whispered. "He beams and smiles like Apollo, but all the time he is terrible as the god of thunderbolts. ”

“ Life here was quite different from what it was in Dresden, at which they quietly laughed here, especially at Augustus' military amusements, which nobody took seriously in Berlin. The gorgeously dressed Saxon soldiers could not be compared with those of Prussia, clad in their modest blue uniforms. Instead of fanciful flags, here was used only a white one, with the proud motto, over a flying eagle, Nec soli cedit. In these times the motto seemed too bold; the future justified it.
There were no two characters more opposite than those of Frederick of Prussia and Frederick Augustus of Saxony. ”

“ Augustus was intoxicated at the sight of her beauty, and the moment Countess Vitzthum had separated her from her husband, he approached Hoym, and clapping him on the shoulder, said confidentially,--
"My dear Count, you have won that thousand ducats off Fürstenberg. I congratulate you on your good fortune, and also on your wife's beauty. There is no doubt that she is the most beautiful lady at our court. Oh, Hoym, what a happy man you must be!"
But seeing Hoym, as he stood with drooping head, listening to the King's congratulations, no one would have supposed him to be happy. ”

“ But Anna, Countess Hoym, had been educated in strict principles; she felt indignant at the light-hearted conduct of those women, who consented to serve as playthings for their wearied lord. She realized the possibility of a divorce from Hoym, for she was disgusted with him, but she would not give up her husband save for love of the King, and for a marriage with him.
Such an idea would have excited the mirth of any one to whom she mentioned it. To wish to chain so frivolous a man as Augustus seemed an utter absurdity. ”

“ But whilst at Dresden all was sad and quiet, the King, in the best of spirits, and full of hope, was hastening to Warsaw. Flemming was with him, the Countess Przebendowska preceded him. It was an open secret that they wished to find a new lady for the King at Warsaw. They did not wish her to be as beautiful as Cosel, for beauty such as hers threatened a long attachment; neither must she be witty, for the King was content with giddiness, and she must not possess a heart, for it was only at the commencement that Augustus played a sentimental part. ”

“ The King, however, is fascinating and beautiful, and life with him may become a paradise."
"But he is inconstant, and I do not understand capricious love. It disgusts me! Such love is not for me!"
"It is the women who are at fault," responded Countess Reuss, "if they do not know how to make such relations permanent. It would be useless to bind him with an oath, for the first priest would release him from it. Your best guarantee of stability will lie in your common sense, tact, and beauty. Every woman must know how to keep a husband, or a lover--it is our business." ”

“ He asked the commandant to let Zaklika stay at the castle. The commandant, being unwell, and needing Von Kaschau to do his duty for him, consented. The two friends went to Kaschau's rooms, drank beer and chatted, naturally about the prisoner.
"I do not like to judge others," said the old soldier, "especially His Majesty, our King, but I do not see any reason for his severity to that woman! What could she do? The most would be that some one would fall in love with her, like Helm, for she is still beautiful. Nothing has injured her charms--neither prison, nor grief, nor tears." ”

“ Zaklika pointed to his uniform.
"Now is my turn," said he. "I will try to be more intelligent, and perhaps I shall be more lucky."
Cosel smiled bitterly.
"Everything is written above, predestinated, unchangeable--no one can escape his fate."
"And why should it not be my fate to give you liberty?"
She shook her head.
"For this reason, that I shall be free in another way," said she. "Formerly I was blind, but now I see my destiny in this book. There is no favour in this world; there is only iron, unbreakable, unavoidable necessity. One must submit to it. In the Old Testament alone is wisdom." ”

“ Teschen sank on the sofa, her head drooped, and she began to weep. Her heart-breaking sobs aroused Countess Hoym's pity, and she approached her sympathetically.
"Everything that has happened to me to-day is so mysterious," said she. "Who are you?"
"Teschen," murmured the Princess softly, raising her eyes as she spoke. "You have heard of me, and you can guess why they have brought you here. A fresh face is necessary for their weary lord."
Anna uttered an indignant cry. ”

“ During all this time, no one had noticed the pale face of a young man, whose head towered above all the others in the crowd around the door. His glance rested continually on Anna, and when the King approached her, his eyes gleamed with anger. At first Countess Hoym did not observe him, but when the King had left her, and she had more leisure to look around her, she perceived and recognized Zaklika. ”