“A chance?”
“To show the world that you disdain a vengeance only worthy of the Czar of Muscovy.”
“You are a sick man and I forgive you,” replied Karl, “but speak no more of this affair if you wish ever to come into my presence again.”
CHAPTER IV
KARL, having sufficiently humiliated the Emperor and Augustus, and having firmly established Stanislaus on the uneasy throne of Poland, had no longer any need to prolong his stay in Saxony, and began that autumn of 1707 to make preparations for his departure.
At this moment everything seemed possible to him; no one knew what project he might have in mind or to what enterprise he might be directing his genius.
He had already threatened the Pope, who had interfered with the Emperor’s signing of the treaty in favor of the Silesians, which Karl had wrung from him, and it was considered possible that he might meditate a descent on Italy by way of Persia and Turkey.
All the nations regarded him with terror and admiration, and most trembled as they noticed his preparations for departure from the country where he had completely triumphed over all his enemies.
His spirits rose as the time came for him to leave Saxony where he had been idle a year; even his own generals did not know what his destination was.
“Give me,” he said to one of these, “the route from Leipzig to——”