"Be calm," continued La Haye. "It seems to me that there is nothing serious for you in all this."
"And that Denhoff?"
"That is only a passing fancy," said La Haye; "something like the amour with Duval, which he has already forgotten. Moreover, Denhoff is married, her husband is in the country, and knows nothing of all this; should he learn the truth, there would be no chance of his allowing her to come to Dresden. But the King must return thither, then you will see him, and regain your former influence over him."
Cosel began to ask questions about everything, and La Haye laid the whole story before her in such a light, that he considerably modified the appearance of danger to herself. After a quarter of an hour's conversation, the Countess was persuaded that it would be better for her to return to Pillnitz.
Montargon did not show himself again, but sent a messenger immediately to the King with the good news. Being afraid, however, that Cosel might change her mind, he followed her with La Haye and the soldiers from afar, till they were sure she would not return.
In the meantime the Countess Denhoff began to attract attention by receiving the too frequent visits of the King. The respectable people were scandalized at the behaviour--at her dishonouring the good name of a married woman, during her husband's absence. They were much more shocked at the fact that her own mother was an intermediary agent, that her own sister was a witness, that they boasted of such conduct. Count Denhoff's whole family began to press him to call his wife to his country estate; and Denhoff sent her imperative letters, urging her to leave Warsaw immediately.
But the young woman sent her mother instead. When she came to her son-in-law's château, she said to him pointedly,--
"You must not plague us with these demands to return, for it cannot be done. We are not going to give up the happiness of our whole family for your fancies; the King is in love with Marie, and we intend to keep him. Do you wish me to bring her here for the sake of stupid prudery, and neglect our interests?"
Denhoff was a man of the old school, and he had already heard of his wife's flightiness.
"Madam," said he, "I am not inclined to share my wife's heart with the King; and, frankly speaking, there would remain very little of it for me, for, as it seems, many people court your daughter."