“Sire, Prince Mentchikoff will demand Patkul, Mdle. D’Einsiedel will rouse Russia—better, at least, compromise.”
Augustus seized the pen and hastily wrote an order for the secret and immediate release of Patkul; Aurora von Königsmarck took it from him and left the room.
Everything was lost, but the brilliant and wayward woman did not think of that; she went to her bed-chamber, threw on a mantle, and hastened to a little closet in her suite of apartments, now all dismantled and in confusion.
A pale girl stood with locked hands at the window, staring out at the chill September morning.
The Countess thrust into her hands the order for General Patkul’s release.
“That goes to-day, dear, by our fleetest courier.” In the evening Augustus signed the terms dictated by Karl XII.
BOOK VI
THE BETRAYAL
“Il y a un vulgaire parmi les princes, comme parmi les autres hommes.”—Voltaire.
CHAPTER I
PRINCE MENTCHIKOFF returned at once to Russia to put before the Czar the new turn of events in Poland.