Count Bruhl Part 36

'The Chamberlain Watzdorf? Watzdorf junior?' repeated Frederick. 'But what do you propose?' Saying this he wiped the perspiration from his forehead.

'Konigstein,' said Sulkowski shortly.

There was a moment of silence. The Prince walked slowly, with bowed head. It was the first offence that he was obliged to punish.

'Where is Bruhl?' he asked.

'Bruhl left it to me,' answered the Count.

'Watzdorf! Konigstein!' repeated Frederick sighing. Then stopping he turned to Sulkowski and said:--I don't wish to hear any more about it; do what you please.'

Sulkowski turned to Guarini, who walked behind them, and signed to him to approach, for he was the best man to amuse the Prince. The Padre ran as quickly as he could, guessing that he was needed.

'I am in despair!' cried he, 'my goose _Angelo o l'amorosal_ is lost, flew away, seeing that Bandissin did not care for it; I am sure it will commit suicide in the forest. I rushed after it and was unfortunate to take three ladies for my goose; they will never forgive me this.'

The Prince's gloomy face brightened up; his white teeth appeared from beneath tightened lips. He looked at the Jesuit as if wishing to find the necessary cheeriness in the bright smiling face, remembering the Italian _puleinello_.

Guarini having guessed that something must have saddened the good lord, did his best to counteract its bad influence.

And in proportion as the Italian's jokes came out, the Prince seemed to forget all else and smiled. But the merry Father was obliged to renew his efforts to disperse the returning cloud, and he did not stop his joking until he heard the loud, hearty laughter, which announced that the Prince had forgotten about the sorrows of this world.

The next day the Chamberlain Watzdorf disappeared; he was the first victim of that reign. A few days later they began to whisper that Watzdorf had been escorted to Konigstein. The Prince never mentioned his name; Sulkowski and Bruhl did not wish to know anything about the affair.

Fear fell on the court and on the secret enemies of the two ministers.

In _The Historical Mercury_, a newspaper published in Paris, there appeared the following paragraph:

'Those who were familiar with the playful and satirical mind of that young n.o.bleman, who was mixed up in certain affairs after the death of Augustus the Strong, and who showed his cutting wit, will not be astonished at the sad lot which befel him.'

Watzdorf never again appeared in this world. He died in Konigstein after fourteen years of seclusion, killed by longing and solitude.

CHAPTER XII

A year after the preceding events, the palace occupied by Bruhl was profusely illuminated. Nowhere was greater magnificence displayed during festivities than in Dresden, nowhere more enjoyment than in the capital of Saxony, where the tradition of luxury had been left by Augustus the Strong. From the court the luxury spread amongst those who surrounded the Prince, and on those who came in contact with them, even extending to rich burghers. The banks in those times gave b.a.l.l.s for the court; everyone who furnished opportunity for enjoyment and could do something unusual in the way of entertaining, was welcomed.

Fireworks, illuminations, flowers, music, pictures were employed whenever there was opportunity for displaying them.

Bruhl was one of the greatest spendthrifts among the _nouveaux riches_; he astounded even those whom nothing could surprise. The illumination of his palace surpa.s.sed everything of the kind ever seen in Dresden. A great crowd gazed from a respectful distance at the house of such a grandee; the palace shone with multi-coloured lanterns and wreaths of flowers. Over the _porte-cochere_, on a shield, from which two garlands of pink and white flowers hung down were the letters F and H lovingly blent. A little lower were placed two transparent shields with heraldic hieroglyphics unintelligible to the crowd. The courtiers explained that these were the coats of arms of the newly married couple.

The crowd had been standing for a long time when from the palace came a carriage preceded by runners and postillions on horseback. The carriage contained the mother, and the newly-married couple, coming to their home after the reception at the court. The beautiful young wife was about to enter the house for the first time.

Although no other guests were expected, on both sides of the stairs up to the first floor stood numerous lackeys wearing magnificent scarlet livery; on the first floor stood butlers and the minister's pages.

The house was furnished with princely magnificence; china, silver, bronzes, rugs and thousands of _bibelots_ ornamented it. Bruhl explained this luxury by saying that he wished to do honour to his lord; he declared that he spent his last penny in order to contribute to the magnificence of the house of Saxony. When the carriage stopped in front of the house, the Countess, a.s.sisted by her son-in-law, alighted first and went upstairs. Bruhl offered his arm to his wife but she pretended not to see his movement and walked independently beside him. Her beautiful face was sad, stern and proud. There was not the slightest trace of joy on her gloomy features. She looked with indifference on the luxury of the house, as though she did not care to see it; she walked like a victim, who knows that she cannot change her fate and does not expect any happiness. She evidently had had time to grow cold, to think the matter over, to become familiar with her situation, for her face was chilly as a piece of marble. If there was grief within her, it had become chronic, slowly devouring.

The Countess Kolowrath stopped in the drawing-room and turned to look after the married couple. Frances came to her and was silent. On her other side Bruhl, wearing a blue and gold velvet dress, stood smiling sweetly at his mother-in-law.

The Countess kissed her daughter silently on the forehead, and although the life of the court had hardened her, tears appeared in her eyes, while the newly married lady remained indifferent.

'Be happy,' the mother whispered. 'I bless you. Be happy!' and she pressed her hands to her eyes to hide her emotion. Bruhl seized the other hand and kissed it.

'You need not be left alone,' the mother continued in a broken voice.

'It was my duty to accompany you here and to give you my blessing; but I don't wish to intrude upon you; I myself need rest after such emotion.'

She turned to Bruhl.

'I commend you to your wife,' she said, 'be kind to her, love her.

Frances will become accustomed to you; be happy! The happiness of this world is fragile and unstable--one must try to make life sweet and not embitter it. Frances, I hope that you will be good to him--'

She covered her eyes, as though some thought had prevented her from finishing what she had had in her mind.

Once more she bent over her daughter's forehead and kissed it. The son-in-law graciously offered his arm and conducted her downstairs to the court-carriage waiting for her, which she entered and hid herself from the gaze of the crowd.

The young bride remained alone for a time and when Bruhl returned and wished to take hold of her arm, she looked at him surprised as if she had forgotten where she was and that she had become his wife.

'For G.o.d's sake,' the minister whispered, 'let us look happy at least before strangers. On the stage of life, we are all actors'--it was his favourite saying--'let us play our part well.'

Having said this he offered her his arm and conducted her through the row of lighted rooms, to her apartment. Everything she looked at was so magnificent, that to anyone but her it would have been a succession of surprises. She walked not looking and not seeing. At length they came to her dressing-room, situated in front of the chamber, in which two alabaster lamps were throwing a pale, mysterious light.

The young lady, seeing the open door before her, stopped; looked round for a chair, sat on one standing near the dressing-table, and became thoughtful.

They were alone; only the murmuring of the crowd admiring the illuminations was heard.

'Madam,' said Bruhl sweetly, 'you are in your own house, and your most obedient servant stands before you.'

He wished to kneel; Frances rose suddenly, sighed, as if throwing off a burden, and said with a voice in which there was sadness:

'I have had enough of this comedy, played the whole day, and it is not necessary for us to continue it. We must be sincere and frank; let us be so from the first day. We have contracted, not matrimony, not a union of hearts, but a bargain; let us try to make it advantageous to us both.'

Speaking thus and not looking at her husband, she began to take off her wreath and veil. There was no emotion in her voice.

'If you do not wish anyone to overhear our conversation,' she added, 'be so kind as to a.s.sure your-self that n.o.body listens at the door.'

'I am sure of that, for I have given orders,' said Bruhl, 'and usually my orders are executed.'

Frances took some perfume from a bottle standing on the dressing-table and put it on her temples.

'I cannot be happy,' she continued while undressing, 'as other women are; the man whom I loved, I don't conceal that, is in a dark prison; you love another woman, therefore we are indifferent to each other: although n.o.body told me what kind of sacrifice I am destined for, I understand it all the same. But I wish to enjoy life and I shall enjoy it--I must have all its pleasures. The poison must be sweetened; that I deserve. I like luxury and I shall have it; I must have distraction in order not to cry; I must have noise in order not to hear the voice of my heart: I must have all that.--You are a stranger to me, I am a stranger to you.--We may be good friends, if you try to deserve my friendship. Who knows, I may take a fancy and be good to you for a few days, but I will not be anybody's slave--even--'

She turned to Bruhl who stood silent and embarra.s.sed.

'Do you understand me?'

The minister remained silent.