"He will do what he is ordered."
As a result of this conversation, a letter was despatched to Dresden, to Lowendhal, ordering him to compromise Cosel.
CHAPTER XV.
Augustus wished to get rid of Cosel, but he wished to do it quietly. Sometimes he regretted her, but he was weak; he could not resist the intrigues. Fresh faces did with him what they pleased; novelty amused him, and he gladly entered on fresh amours, ended by laughter and gaping on his part, and tears on the part of others.
The example of Königsmark, Teschen, Spiegel, Esterle, and many more, who had been consoled, and provided with comforters, quieted his mind with regard to Cosel, although he well knew that there was a great difference between her and the others. But then she had threatened to kill him, and her threats were not vain. One might expect she would fulfil it. Orders were therefore given in Dresden that Cosel's movements should be watched; they feared she would come to Warsaw, and, knowing the King's character, Flemming was sure that did Cosel once make her appearance, she would regain her former influence over the King by her beauty and superiority.
It was important that Lowendhal should act speedily. Cosel was still young and beautiful.
One day Cosel's friend, Baron Haxthausen, found her weeping; she rushed towards him, wringing her hands with indignation.
"Could you believe it!" she cried, "that villain Lowendhal, who owes me everything, dared to tell me he loved me."
Haxthausen could scarcely soothe her.
"A few years back," she continued, "he would not have dared to insult me in that way. Have you heard about that Denhoff?"