A few hours after Charlie's arrival home, Major Jervoise and Harry
came round to the house.
"I congratulate you, Jervoise, on your new rank," Sir Marmaduke
said heartily, as he entered; "and you, too, Harry. It has been a
great comfort to me, to know that you and Charlie have been
together always. At present you have the advantage of him in looks.
My lad has no more strength than a girl, not half the strength,
indeed, of many of these sturdy Swedish maidens."
"Yes, Charlie has had a bad bout of it, Carstairs," Major Jervoise
said cheerfully; "but he has picked up wonderfully in the last ten
days, and, in as many more, I shall look to see him at work again.
I only wish that you could have been with us, old friend."
"It is of no use wishing, Jervoise. We have heard enough here, of
what the troops have been suffering through the winter, for me to
know that, if I had had my wish and gone with you, my bones would
now be lying somewhere under the soil of Livonia."
"Yes, it was a hard time," Major Jervoise agreed, "but we all got
through it well, thanks principally to our turning to at sports of
all kinds. These kept the men in health, and prevented them from
moping. The king was struck with the condition of our company, and
he has ordered that, in future, all the Swedish troops shall take
part in such games and amusements when in winter quarters. Of
course, Charlie has told you we are going to have a regiment
entirely composed of Scots and Englishmen. I put the Scots first,
since they will be by far the most numerous. There are always
plenty of active spirits, who find but small opening for their
energy at home, and are ready to take foreign service whenever the
chance opens. Besides, there are always feuds there. In the old
days, it was chief against chief. Now it is religion against
religion; and now, as then, there are numbers of young fellows glad
to exchange the troubles at home for service abroad. There have
been quite a crowd of men round our quarters, for, directly the
news spread that the company was landing, our countrymen flocked
round, each eager to learn how many vacancies there were in the
ranks, and whether we would receive recruits. Their joy was extreme
when it became known that Jamieson had authority to raise a whole
regiment. I doubt not that many of the poor fellows are in great
straits."
"That I can tell you they are," Sir Marmaduke broke in. "We have
been doing what we can for them, for it was grievous that so many
men should be wandering, without means or employment, in a strange
country. But the number was too great for our money to go far among
them, and I know that many of them are destitute and well-nigh
starving. We had hoped to ship some of them back to Scotland, and
have been treating with the captain of a vessel sailing, in two or
three days, to carry them home."
"It is unfortunate, but they have none to blame but themselves.
They should have waited until an invitation for foreigners to
enlist was issued by the Swedish government, or until gentlemen of
birth raised companies and regiments for service here. However, we
are the gainers, for I see that we shall not have to wait here many
weeks. Already, as far as I can judge from what I hear, there must
be well-nigh four hundred men here, all eager to serve.
"We will send the news by the next ship that sails, both to
Scotland and to our own country, that men, active and fit for
service, can be received into a regiment, specially formed of
English-speaking soldiers. I will warrant that, when it is known in
the Fells that I am a major in the regiment, and that your son and
mine are lieutenants, we shall have two or three score of stout
young fellows coming over."
The next day, indeed, nearly four hundred men were enlisted into
the service, and were divided into eight companies. Each of these,
when complete, was to be two hundred strong. Six Scottish officers
were transferred, from Swedish regiments, to fill up the list of
captains, and commissions were given to several gentlemen of family
as lieutenants and ensigns. Most of these, however, were held over,
as the colonel wrote to many gentlemen of his acquaintance in
Scotland, offering them commissions if they would raise and bring
over men. Major Jervoise did the same to half a dozen young
Jacobite gentlemen in the north of England, and so successful were
the appeals that, within two months of the return of the company to
Gottenburg, the regiment had been raised to its full strength.
A fortnight was spent in drilling the last batch of recruits, from
morning till night, so that they should be able to take their
places in the ranks; and then, with drums beating and colours
flying, the corps embarked at Gottenburg, and sailed to join the
army.
They arrived at Revel in the beginning of May. The port was full of
ships, for twelve thousand men had embarked, at Stockholm and other
ports, to reinforce the army and enable the king to take the field
in force; and, by the end of the month, the greater portion of the
force was concentrated at Dorpt.
Charlie had long since regained his full strength. As soon as he
was fit for duty, he had rejoined, and had been engaged, early and
late, in the work of drilling the recruits, and in the general
organization of the regiment. He and Harry, however, found time to
take part in any amusement that was going on. They were made
welcome in the houses of the principal merchants and other
residents of Gottenburg, and much enjoyed their stay in the town,
in spite of their longing to be back in time to take part in the
early operations of the campaign.
When they sailed into the port of Revel, they found that the
campaign had but just commenced, and they marched with all haste to
join the force with which the king was advancing against the
Saxons, who were still besieging Riga. Their army was commanded by
Marshal Steinau, and was posted on the other side of the river
Dwina, a broad stream. Charles the Twelfth had ridden up to Colonel
Jamieson's regiment upon its arrival, and expressed warm
gratification at its appearance, when it was paraded for his
inspection.
"You have done well, indeed, colonel," he said. "I had hardly hoped
you could have collected so fine a body of men in so short a time."
At his request, the officers were brought up and introduced. He
spoke a few words to those he had known before, saying to Charlie:
"I am glad to see you back again, lieutenant. You have quite
recovered from that crack on your crown, I hope. But I need not
ask, your looks speak for themselves. You have just got back in
time to pay my enemies back for it."
The prospect was not a cheerful one, when the Swedes arrived on the
banks of the Dwina. The Saxons were somewhat superior in force, and
it would be a desperate enterprise to cross the river, in the teeth
of their cannon and musketry. Already the king had caused a number
of large flat boats to be constructed. The sides were made very
high, so as to completely cover the troops from musketry, and were
hinged so as to let down and act as gangways, and facilitate a
landing.
Charlie was standing on the bank, looking at the movements of the
Saxon troops across the river, and wondering how the passage was to
be effected, when a hand was placed on his shoulder. Looking round,
he saw it was the king, who, as was his custom, was moving about on
foot, unattended by any of his officers.
"Wondering how we are to get across, lieutenant?"
"That is just what I was thinking over, your majesty."
"We want another snowstorm, as we had at Narva," the king said.
"The wind is blowing the right way, but there is no chance of such
another stroke of luck, at this time of year."
"No, sir; but I was thinking that one might make an artificial
fog."
"How do you mean?" the king asked quickly.
"Your majesty has great stacks of straw here, collected for forage
for the cattle. No doubt a good deal of it is damp, or if not, it
could be easily wetted. If we were to build great piles of it, all
along on the banks here, and set it alight so as to burn very
slowly, but to give out a great deal of smoke, this light wind
would blow it across the river into the faces of the Saxons, and
completely cover our movements."
"You are right!" the king exclaimed. "Nothing could be better. We
will make a smoke that will blind and half smother them;" and he
hurried away.
An hour later, orders were sent out to all the regiments that, as
soon as it became dusk, the men should assemble at the great forage
stores for fatigue duty. As soon as they did so, they were ordered
to pull down the stacks, and to carry the straw to the bank of the
river, and there pile it in heavy masses, twenty yards apart. The
whole was to be damped, with the exception of only a small quantity
on the windward side of the heaps, which was to be used for
starting the fire.
In two hours, the work was completed. The men were then ordered to
return to their camps, have their suppers, and lie down at once.
Then they were to form up, half an hour before daybreak, in
readiness to take their places in the boats, and were then to lie
down, in order, until the word was given to move forward.
This was done, and just as the daylight appeared the heaps of straw
were lighted, and dense volumes of smoke rolled across the river,
entirely obscuring the opposite shore from view. The Saxons,
enveloped in the smoke, were unable to understand its meaning.
Those on the watch had seen no sign of troops on the bank, before
the smoke began to roll across the water, and the general was
uncertain whether a great fire had broken out in the forage stores
of the Swedes, or whether the fire had been purposely raised,
either to cover the movements of the army and enable them to march
away and cross at some undefended point, or whether to cover their
passage.
The Swedish regiments, which were the first to cross, took their
places at once in the boats, the king himself accompanying them. In
a quarter of an hour the opposite bank was gained. Marshal Steinau,
an able general, had called the Saxons under arms, and was marching
towards the river, when the wind, freshening, lifted the thick veil
of smoke, and he saw that the Swedes had already gained the bank of
the river, and at once hurled his cavalry against them.
The Swedish formation was not complete and, for a moment, they were
driven back in disorder, and forced into the river. The water was
shallow, and the king, going about among them, quickly restored
order and discipline, and, charging in solid formation, they drove
the cavalry back and advanced across the plain. Steinau recalled
his troops and posted them in a strong position, one flank being
covered by a marsh and the other by a wood. He had time to effect
his arrangements, as Charles was compelled to wait until the whole
of his troops were across. As soon as they were so, he led them
against the enemy.
The battle was a severe one, for the Swedes were unprovided with
artillery, and the Saxons, with the advantages of position and a
powerful artillery, fought steadily. Three times Marshal Steinau
led his cavalry in desperate charges, and each time almost
penetrated to the point where Charles was directing the movements
of his troops; but, at last, he was struck from his horse by a blow
from the butt end of a musket; and his cuirassiers, with
difficulty, carried him from the field. As soon as his fall became
known, disorder spread among the ranks of the Saxons. Some
regiments gave way, and, the Swedes rushing forward with loud
shouts, the whole army was speedily in full flight.
This victory laid the whole of Courland at the mercy of the Swedes,
all the towns opening their gates at their approach.
They were now on the confines of Poland, and the king, brave to
rashness as he was, hesitated to attack a nation so powerful.
Poland, at that time, was a country a little larger than France,
though with a somewhat smaller population, but in this respect
exceeding Sweden. With the Poles themselves he had no quarrel, for
they had taken no part in the struggle, which had been carried on
solely by their king, with his Saxon troops.
The authority of the kings of Poland was much smaller than that of
other European monarchs. The office was not a hereditary one; the
king being elected at a diet, composed of the whole of the nobles
of the country, the nobility embracing practically every free man;
and, as it was necessary, according to the constitution of the
country, that the vote should be unanimous, the difficulties in the
way of election were very great, and civil wars of constant
occurrence.
Charles was determined that he would drive Augustus, who was the
author of the league against him, from the throne; but he desired
to do this by means of the Poles themselves, rather than to unite
the whole nation against him by invading the country. Poland was
divided into two parts, the larger of which was Poland proper,
which could at once place thirty thousand men in the field. The
other was Lithuania, with an army of twelve thousand. These forces
were entirely independent of each other. The troops were for the
most part cavalry, and the small force, permanently kept up, was
composed almost entirely of horsemen. They rarely drew pay, and
subsisted entirely on plunder, being as formidable to their own
people as to an enemy.
Lithuania, on whose borders the king had taken post with his army,
was, as usual, harassed by two factions, that of the Prince Sapieha
and the Prince of Oginski, between whom a civil war was going on.
The King of Sweden took the part of the former, and, furnishing him
with assistance, speedily enabled him to overcome the Oginski
party, who received but slight aid from the Saxons. Oginski's
forces were speedily dispersed, and roamed about the country in
scattered parties, subsisting on pillage, thereby exciting among
the people a lively feeling of hatred against the King of Poland,
who was regarded as the author of the misfortunes that had befallen
the country.
From the day when Charlie's suggestion, of burning damp straw to
conceal the passage of the river, had been attended with such
success, the king had held him in high favour. There was but a few
years' difference between their ages, and the suggestion, so
promptly made, seemed to show the king that the young Englishman
was a kindred spirit, and he frequently requested him to accompany
him in his rides, and chatted familiarly with him.
"I hate this inactive life," he said one day, "and would, a
thousand times, rather be fighting the Russians than setting the
Poles by the ears; but I dare not move against them, for, were
Augustus of Saxony left alone, he would ere long set all Poland
against me. At present, the Poles refuse to allow him to bring in
reinforcements from his own country; but if he cannot get men he
can get gold, and with gold he can buy over his chief opponents,
and regain his power. If it costs me a year's delay, I must wait
until he is forced to fly the kingdom, and I can place on the
throne someone who will owe his election entirely to me, and in
whose good faith I can be secure.
"That done, I can turn my attention to Russia, which, by all
accounts, daily becomes more formidable. Narva is besieged by them,
and will ere long fall; but I can retake Narva when once I can
depend upon the neutrality of the Poles. Would I were king of
Poland as well as of Sweden. With eighty thousand Polish horse, and
my own Swedish infantry, I could conquer Europe if I wished to do
so.
"I know that you are as fond of adventure as I am, and I am
thinking of sending you with an envoy I am despatching to Warsaw.
"You know that the Poles are adverse to business of all kinds. The
poorest noble, who can scarcely pay for the cloak he wears, and who
is ready enough to sell his vote and his sword to the highest
bidder, will turn up his nose at honest trade; and the consequence
is, as there is no class between the noble and the peasant, the
trade of the country is wholly in the hands of Jews and foreigners,
among the latter being, I hear, many Scotchmen, who, while they
make excellent soldiers, are also keen traders. This class must
have considerable power, in fact, although it be exercised quietly.
The Jews are, of course, money lenders as well as traders. Large
numbers of these petty nobles must be in their debt, either for
money lent or goods supplied.
"My agent goes specially charged to deal with the archbishop, who
is quite open to sell his services to me, although he poses as one
of the strongest adherents of the Saxons. With him, it is not a
question so much of money, as of power. Being a wise man, he sees
that Augustus can never retain his position, in the face of the
enmity of the great body of the Poles, and of my hostility. But,
while my agent deals with him and such nobles as he indicates as
being likely to take my part against Augustus, you could ascertain
the feeling of the trading class, and endeavour to induce them, not
only to favour me, but to exert all the influence they possess on
my behalf. As there are many Scotch merchants in the city, you
could begin by making yourself known to them, taking with you
letters of introduction from your colonel, and any other Scotch
gentleman whom you may find to have acquaintanceship, if not with
the men themselves, with their families in Scotland. I do not, of
course, say that the mission will be without danger, but that will,
I know, be an advantage in your eyes. What do you think of the
proposal?"
"I do not know, sire," Charlie said doubtfully. "I have no
experience whatever in matters of that kind."
"This will be a good opportunity for you to serve an
apprenticeship," the king said decidedly. "There is no chance of
anything being done here, for months, and as you will have no
opportunity of using your sword, you cannot be better employed than
in polishing up your wits. I will speak to Colonel Jamieson about
it this evening. Count Piper will give you full instructions, and
will obtain for you, from some of our friends, lists of the names
of the men who would be likely to be most useful to us. You will
please to remember that the brain does a great deal more than the
sword, in enabling a man to rise above his fellows. You are a brave
young officer, but I have many a score of brave young officers, and
it was your quick wit, in suggesting the strategy by which we
crossed the Dwina without loss, that has marked you out from among
others, and made me see that you are fit for something better than
getting your throat cut."
The king then changed the subject with his usual abruptness, and
dismissed Charlie, at the end of his ride, without any further
allusion to the subject. The young fellow, however, knew enough of
the king's headstrong disposition to be aware that the matter was
settled, and that he could not, without incurring the king's
serious displeasure, decline to accept the commission. He walked
back, with a serious face, to the hut that the officers of the
company occupied, and asked Harry Jervoise to come out to him.
"What is it, Charlie?" his friend said. "Has his gracious majesty
been blowing you up, or has your horse broken its knees?"
"A much worse thing than either, Harry. The king appears to have
taken into his head that I am cut out for a diplomatist;" and he
then repeated to his friend the conversation the king had had with
him.
Harry burst into a shout of laughter.
"Don't be angry, Charlie, but I cannot help it. The idea of your
going, in disguise, I suppose, and trying to talk over the Jewish
clothiers and cannie Scotch traders, is one of the funniest things
I ever heard. And do you think the king was really in earnest?"
"The king is always in earnest," Charlie said in a vexed tone;
"and, when he once takes a thing into his head, there is no
gainsaying him."
"That is true enough, Charlie," Harry said, becoming serious.
"Well, I have no doubt you will do it just as well as another, and
after all, there will be some fun in it, and you will be in a big
city, and likely to have a deal more excitement than will fall to
our lot here."
"I don't think it will be at all the sort of excitement I should
care for, Harry. However, my hope is, that the colonel will be able
to dissuade him from the idea."
"Well, I don't know that I should wish that if I were in your
place, Charlie. Undoubtedly, it is an honour being chosen for such
a mission, and it is possible you may get a great deal of credit
for it, as the king is always ready to push forward those who do
good service. Look how much he thinks of you, because you made that
suggestion about getting up a smoke to cover our passage."
"I wish I had never made it," Charlie said heartily.
"Well, in that case, Charlie, it is likely enough we should not be
talking together here, for our loss in crossing the river under
fire would have been terrible."
"Well, perhaps it is as well as it is," Charlie agreed. "But I did
not want to attract his attention. I was very happy as I was, with
you all. As for my suggestion about the straw, anyone might have
thought of it. I should never have given the matter another
moment's consideration, and I should be much better pleased if the
king had not done so, either, instead of telling the colonel about
it, and the colonel speaking to the officers, and such a ridiculous
fuss being made about nothing."
"My dear Charlie," Harry said seriously, "you seem to be forgetting
that we all came out here, together, to make our fortune, or at any
rate to do as well as we could till the Stuarts come to the throne
again, and our fathers regain their estates, a matter concerning
which, let me tell you, I do not feel by any means so certain as I
did in the old days. Then, you know, all our friends were of our
way of thinking, and the faith that the Stuarts would return was
like a matter of religion, which it was heresy to doubt for an
instant. Well, you see, in the year that we have been out here
one's eyes have got opened a bit, and I don't feel by any means
sanguine that the Stuarts will ever come to the throne of England
again, or that our fathers will recover their estates.
"You have seen here what good soldiers can do, and how powerless
men possessing but little discipline, though perhaps as brave as
themselves, are against them. William of Orange has got good
soldiers. His Dutch troops are probably quite as good as our best
Swedish regiments. They have had plenty of fighting in Ireland and
elsewhere, and I doubt whether the Jacobite gentlemen, however
numerous, but without training or discipline, could any more make
head against them than the masses of Muscovites could against the
Swedish battalions at Narva. All this means that it is necessary
that we should, if possible, carve out a fortune here. So far, I
certainly have no reason to grumble. On the contrary, I have had
great luck. I am a lieutenant at seventeen, and, if I am not shot
or carried off by fever, I may, suppose the war goes on and the
army is not reduced, be a colonel at the age of forty.
"Now you, on the other hand, have, by that happy suggestion of
yours, attracted the notice of the king, and he is pleased to
nominate you to a mission in which there is a chance of your
distinguishing yourself in another way, and of being employed in
other and more important business. All this will place you much
farther on the road towards making a fortune, than marching and
fighting with your company would be likely to do in the course of
twenty years, and I think it would be foolish in the extreme for
you to exhibit any disinclination to undertake the duty."
"I suppose you are right, Harry, and I am much obliged to you for
your advice, which certainly puts the matter in a light in which I
had not before seen it. If I thought that I could do it well, I
should not so much mind, for, as you say, there will be some fun to
be got out of it, and some excitement, and there seems little
chance of doing anything here for a long time. But what am I to say
to the fellows? How can I argue with them? Besides, I don't talk
Polish."
"I don't suppose there are ten men in the army who do so, probably
not five. As to what to say, Count Piper will no doubt give you
full instructions as to the line you are to take, the arguments you
are to use, and the inducements you are to hold out. That is sure
to be all right."
"Well, do not say anything about it, Harry, when you get back. I
still hope the colonel will dissuade the king."
"Then you are singularly hopeful, Charlie, that is all I can say.
You might persuade a brick wall to move out of your way, as easily
as induce the King of Sweden to give up a plan he has once formed.
However, I will say nothing about it."
At nine o'clock, an orderly came to the hut with a message that the
colonel wished to speak to Lieutenant Carstairs. Harry gave his
friend a comical look, as the latter rose and buckled on his sword.
"What is the joke, Harry?" his father asked, when Charlie had left.
"Do you know what the colonel can want him for, at this time of the
evening? It is not his turn for duty."
"I know, father; but I must not say."
"The lad has not been getting into a scrape, I hope?"
"Nothing serious, I can assure you; but really, I must not say
anything until he comes back."
Harry's positive assurance, as to the impossibility of changing the
king's decision, had pretty well dispelled any hopes Charlie might
before have entertained, and he entered the colonel's room with a
grave face.
"You know why I have sent for you, Carstairs?"
"Yes, sir; I am afraid that I do."
"Afraid? That is to say, you don't like it."
"Yes, sir; I own that I don't like it."
"Nor do I, lad, and I told his majesty so. I said you were too
young for so risky a business. The king scoffed at the idea. He
said, 'He is not much more than two years younger than I am, and if
I am old enough to command an army, he is old enough to carry out
this mission. We know that he is courageous. He is cool, sharp, and
intelligent. Why do I choose him? Has he not saved me from the loss
of about four or five thousand men, and probably a total defeat? A
young fellow who can do that, ought to be able to cope with Jewish
traders, and to throw dust in the eyes of the Poles.
"I have chosen him for this service for two reasons. In the first
place, because I know he will do it well, and even those who
consider that I am rash and headstrong, admit that I have the knack
of picking out good men. In the next place, I want to reward him
for the service he has done for us. I cannot, at his age, make a
colonel of him, but I can give him a chance of distinguishing
himself in a service in which age does not count for so much, and
Count Piper, knowing my wishes in the matter, will push him
forward. Moreover, in such a mission as this, his youth will be an
advantage, for he is very much less likely to excite suspicion than
if he were an older man.'
"The king's manner did not admit of argument, and I had only to
wait and ask what were his commands. These were simply that you are
to call upon his minister tomorrow, and that you would then receive
full instructions.
"The king means well by you, lad, and on turning it over, I think
better of the plan than I did before. I am convinced, at any rate,
that you will do credit to the king's choice."
"I will do my best, sir," Charlie said. "At present, it all seems
so vague to me that I can form no idea whatever as to what it will
be like. I am sure that the king's intentions are, at any rate,
kind. I am glad to hear you say that, on consideration, you think
better of the plan. Then I may mention the matter to Major
Jervoise?"
"Certainly, Carstairs, and to his son, but it must go no farther. I
shall put your name in orders, as relieved from duty, and shall
mention that you have been despatched on service, which might mean
anything. Come and see me tomorrow, lad, after you have received
Count Piper's instructions. As the king reminded me, there are many
Scotchmen at Warsaw, and it is likely that some of them passed
through Sweden on the way to establish themselves there, and I may
very well have made their acquaintance at Gottenburg or Stockholm.
"Once established in the house of one of my countrymen, your
position would be fairly safe and not altogether unpleasant, and
you would be certainly far better off than a Swede would be engaged
on this mission. The Swedes are, of course, regarded by the Poles
as enemies, but, as there is no feeling against Englishmen or
Scotchmen, you might pass about unnoticed as one of the family of a
Scottish trader there, or as his assistant."
"I don't fear its being unpleasant in the least, colonel. Nor do I
think anything one way or the other about my safety. I only fear
that I shall not be able to carry out properly the mission
intrusted to me."
"You will do your best, lad, and that is all that can be expected.
You have not solicited the post, and as it is none of your
choosing, your failure would be the fault of those who have sent
you, and not of yourself; but in a matter of this kind there is no
such thing as complete failure. When you have to deal with one man
you may succeed or you may fail in endeavouring to induce him to
act in a certain manner, but when you have to deal with a
considerable number of men, some will be willing to accept your
proposals, some will not, and the question of success will probably
depend upon outside influences and circumstances over which you
have no control whatever. I have no fear that it will be a failure.
If our party in Poland triumph, or if our army here advances, or if
Augustus, finding his position hopeless, leaves the country, the
good people of Warsaw will join their voices to those of the
majority. If matters go the other way, you may be sure that they
will not risk imprisonment, confiscation, and perhaps death, by
getting up a revolt on their own account. The king will be
perfectly aware of this, and will not expect impossibilities, and
there is really no occasion whatever for you to worry yourself on
that ground."
Upon calling upon Count Piper the next morning, Charlie found that,
as the colonel had told him, his mission was a general one.
"It will be your duty," the minister said, "to have interviews with
as many of the foreign traders and Jews in Warsaw as you can, only
going to those to whom you have some sort of introduction from the
persons you may first meet, or who are, as far as you can learn
from the report of others, ill disposed towards the Saxon party.
Here is a letter, stating to all whom it may concern, that you are
in the confidence of the King of Sweden, and are authorized to
represent him.
"In the first place, you can point out to those you see that,
should the present situation continue, it will bring grievous evils
upon Poland. Proclamations have already been spread broadcast over
the country, saying that the king has no quarrel with the people of
Poland, but, as their sovereign has, without the slightest
provocation, embarked on a war, he must fight against him and his
Saxon troops, until they are driven from the country. This you will
repeat, and will urge that it will be infinitely better that Poland
herself should cast out the man who has embroiled her with Sweden,
than that the country should be the scene of a long and sanguinary
struggle, in which large districts will necessarily be laid waste,
all trade be arrested, and grievous suffering inflicted upon the
people at large.
"You can say that King Charles has already received promises of
support from a large number of nobles, and is most desirous that
the people of the large towns, and especially of the capital,
should use their influence in his favour. That he has himself no
ambition, and no end to serve save to obtain peace and tranquillity
for his country, and that it will be free for the people of Poland
to elect their own monarch, when once Augustus of Saxony has
disappeared from the scene.
"In this sealed packet you will find a list of influential
citizens. It has been furnished me by one well acquainted with the
place. The Jews are to be assured that, in case of a friendly
monarch being placed on the throne, Charles will make a treaty with
him, insuring freedom of commerce to the two countries, and will
also use his friendly endeavours to obtain, from the king and Diet,
an enlargement of the privileges that the Jews enjoy. To the
foreign merchants you will hold the same language, somewhat
altered, to suit their condition and wants.
"You are not asking them to organize any public movement, the time
has not yet come for that; but simply to throw the weight of their
example and influence against the party of the Saxons. Of course
our friends in Warsaw have been doing their best to bring round
public opinion in the capital to this direction, but the country is
so torn by perpetual intrigues, that the trading classes hold aloof
altogether from quarrels in which they have no personal interest,
and are slow to believe that they can be seriously affected by any
changes which will take place.
"Our envoy will start tomorrow morning. His mission is an open one.
He goes to lay certain complaints, to propose an exchange of
prisoners, and to open negotiations for peace. All these are but
pretences. His real object is to enter into personal communication
with two or three powerful personages, well disposed towards us.
"Come again to me this evening, when you have thought the matter
over. I shall then be glad to hear any suggestion you may like to
make."
"There is one thing, sir, that I should like to ask you. It will
evidently be of great advantage to me, if I can obtain private
letters of introduction to Scotch traders in the city. This I
cannot do, unless by mentioning the fact that I am bound for
Warsaw. Have I your permission to do so, or is it to be kept a
close secret?"
"No. I see no objection to your naming it to anyone you can
implicitly trust, and who may, as you think, be able to give you
such introductions, but you must impress upon them that the matter
must be kept a secret. Doubtless the Saxons have in their pay
people in our camp, just as we have in theirs, and were word of
your going sent, you would find yourself watched, and perhaps
arrested. We should, of course wish you to be zealous in your
mission, but I would say, do not be over anxious. We are not trying
to get up a revolution in Warsaw, but seeking to ensure that the
feeling in the city should be in our favour; and this, we think,
may be brought about, to some extent, by such assurances as you can
give of the king's friendship, and by such expressions of a belief
in the justice of our cause, and in the advantages there would be
in getting rid of this foreign prince, as might be said openly by
one trader to another, when men meet in their exchanges or upon the
street. So that the ball is once set rolling, it may be trusted to
keep in motion, and there can be little doubt that such expressions
of feeling, among the mercantile community of the capital, will
have some effect even upon nobles who pretend to despise trade, but
who are not unfrequently in debt to traders, and who hold their
views in a certain respect."
"Thank you, sir. At what time shall I come this evening?"
"At eight o'clock. By that time, I may have thought out farther
details for your guidance."