Part 44 (1/2)
Lowendahl was sitting at the other end of the table.
”It seems to me,” said the King to him, ”that I have noticed Von Sinen.”
”He has returned from Halle,” answered the Marshal sourly, looking at the King.
”Von Sinen was sent to Cosel, what news has he brought?”
”The same as always,” answered Lowendahl.
”You should have offered her anything she wished in exchange for that paper, even freedom.”
”She said that she would not part with it.”
Augustus frowned.
”One must have done with her once for all,” added Lowendahl.
”Yes, to-morrow we will send a letter to the King of Prussia, asking for her extradition,” said the King. ”Then we will see what can be done.”
”And where does your Majesty order her to be put in the meantime?”
”Let her be taken to Nossen Castle, perhaps she will think it over there. I cannot bear the daring war she has declared against me. I have had enough of it. Denhoff splits my head with her!”
Those words, spoken in a moment of anger and under the influence of wine, were seized upon and utilized the next day. Flemming reminded Augustus of them.
In the letter to the King of Prussia, asking for Countess's extradition, they gave as the reason daring speeches against Augustus, as well as a plot against his life. The public threat justified it. The letter was sent by a courier to Berlin.
King Frederick did not hesitate for a moment. Lieutenant Ducharmoi, of the regiment of the Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, was called by his order.
”You will go to Halle,” said the King to him, ”and there you will find the Countess Cosel. You will take her under escort, on your responsibility, and you will conduct her to the frontier of Saxony; there you will give her into the hands of a Saxon officer, who will give you a receipt.”
Ducharmoi went immediately to Halle, where he found Cosel.
Although prepared for anything bad, she paled at the sight of an officer. Ducharmoi, after having saluted her, told her that he was commanded by the King to conduct her to the frontier of Saxony, where she would be delivered to the Saxon authorities.
She stood for a moment as if struck by a thunderbolt.
”What an injustice! What barbarity!” she exclaimed, and two streams of tears flowed down her cheeks.
From that moment she said not a word more.
They ordered her to pack her things, and put them in a hired carriage.
Ducharmoi offered her his arm, and she descended to her carriage without looking at anybody. The horses went off; the carriage being escorted by a detachment of Prussian cavalry. During the whole of the journey she gave no signs of life. At last the carriage stopped. Cosel s.h.i.+vered; through the window she saw the Saxon uniforms worn by a detachment of dragoons, who were to conduct her further. She called Lieutenant Ducharmoi, who approached her carriage. Then she emptied her pockets; she found a gold box and a beautiful watch, and handed them to the officer.
”Pray, take that as a souvenir from me.”
Ducharmoi hesitated.
”I beseech you to accept,” said she, ”it must not become a prey to those horrid Saxons.”