"Neither will I do it for your Majesty. I should prefer to leave your service."
"You villain!" screamed Cosel. "His Majesty's favours have made you arrogant; but it is not far from Dresden to Königstein, thank God!"
"Cosel, for Heaven's sake!" interrupted Augustus.
"Your Majesty will permit me to be frank; for I likewise do not know how to lie. I must tell him what I think of him. He declared war against me, let him have it."
"I do not propose to make war against you, Countess," said Flemming. "I have something better to do."
"Leave my house!" screamed the Countess, stamping her foot on the floor.
"This house is not yours; there is not one thing that belongs to you; this is a palace belonging to my King and my lord, and I shall not leave it without his orders," replied Flemming.
Cosel began to weep and tear her dress. Then, addressing Flemming, the King said, gently and calmly,--
"General, I beg you to make peace. I love you both; I require both of you. Why must I suffer because of you?"
"Your Majesty does not need to listen to our quarrels; it were better to leave them to be decided by fate."