Part 53 (2/2)

He turned and went off.

Orders of the King were always executed, notwithstanding all difficulties. The cannons were sent to Stolpen during the night.

Zaklika was sleeping in his solitary house, when, about midnight, he was awakened by a great noise and shouting of impertinent soldiers. He thought that Saxony was being invaded by the Prussians, but soon he recognized the Saxons by the exclamation, ”_Herr Jesus!_” repeated continually. Then he went out and asked the officer what had happened--why such haste.

”The King,” shouted the officer, ”will be here this morning.”

”The King! In Stolpen?”

”Yes, yes; he will try cannons against the basalt rocks.”

”Where?” cried Zaklika, amazed.

”Here, at the rocks on which the castle stands,” said the officer.

The conversation was interrupted. Zaklika could not believe his own ears. The King was going to fire at the castle in which he had imprisoned that unfortunate woman! The King in Stolpen! His hair stood on end to think what suffering it would cause the Countess. He wanted to rush and tell her, to give her courage to bear such a trial bravely.

”It cannot be!” repeated he to himself. ”At the last moment the King will be ashamed, and will not come! It could not be!”

The dawn was breaking when Zaklika left his house and rushed to the castle, where everybody was awake. The news that the King was coming electrified the soldiers and officers. In the town and villages soldiers were urging the population to make the emplacements. Crying, shouting, and loud commands were heard all around.

One of the batteries they had already begun to build in the park near Rohrpforte, the other at Hanewald.

When Zaklika arrived at the castle he found the gates already open.

They were sweeping and cleaning; the commandant was hoa.r.s.e with shouting; the officers did not know what to do. Round the St. John's Tower the Countess's servants stood half-dressed, for they thought it was an alarm of fire. They asked each other questions as to what they should do. At the open window was Cosel. She was pale and trembling.

Zaklika rushed up the stairs.

She met him at the door with the exclamation,--

”The King is coming to me!”

”Not to you,” interrupted Zaklika, ”he comes to try his cannon b.a.l.l.s on the rocks.”

Cosel laughed.

”You are a simpleton!” cried she. ”I have dreamed of him for a week. My spirit hovered over him and attracted him. He was searching for a pretext; he wishes to see me. He knows that I love him, that I shall forgive him. He is free; he wishes to marry me as he promised. I wish to be beautiful! I want to remind him of that Anna before whom he used to kneel. The King!” exclaimed she in ecstasy, ”my king! my lord!”

”Call the servants,” added she. ”Tell them to take out my dresses!”

Zaklika rushed out and called the servants, then sat on the stairs, silent, full of grief, half-dead, unable to move.

The day was bright. They counted minutes and seconds. Merciless soldiers slashed at the peasants, urging them to work; the batteries were rising before their eyes. It was a most charming May morning. The scented trees were sprinkled with dew; all nature, like a baby in the cradle, was awake smiling. Amid the quietude of nature, everything in the castle was noisy, moving, seething like a bee hive.

The soldiers dressed in their best uniforms; the officers in new armour. The commandant learned, to his great despair, that the King's provisions were not coming to Pillnitz, and it was necessary to receive the lord. What could they find worthy of His Majesty's palate? They killed a couple of deer in the park, they found a few bottles of wine; but how could the simplicity of the camp table agree with the King's accustomed luxury! In fact they had only one decent gla.s.s with the arms of Saxony worthy of lordly lips, but the plates and the other things were very poor. The priest lent a table cloth from the church; the innkeeper furnished a great many things.

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