Count Bruhl Part 42

He laughed, made a movement with his head, opened the door, and having stepped out into the dark labyrinth of pa.s.sages behind the stage, disappeared.

Bruhl presently appeared in the King's box.

The opera house was profusely illuminated. The court, as splendid as in Augustus II's time, was gathered there. The Polish n.o.bles, clad in their rich national costumes, s.h.i.+ning with precious stones, occupied the first places. The King looked towards them with a friendly smile.

Among the ladies one could see the most brilliant stars of the court; the richly dressed Countess Moszynski, proud Frau Bruhl, quiet Countess Sulkowski, the wives of the envoys, the Queen's ladies-in-waiting, everybody who had access to the court.

The King turned towards the stage every time the beautiful Faustina came upon it, and listening to her voice, closed his eyes as if he dreamed of angels. Sometimes he would applaud _la diva_, and then everybody clapped their hands.

The King very seldom looked towards the beautiful ladies and when he did glance their way, his eyes immediately returned to Faustina.

His admiration for her was justified by her voice.

Frau Bruhl, luxuriously dressed, was sitting opposite the King, looking thoughtful. Her great challenging beauty attracted everyone's attention; the King alone remained unconscious of it, or did not wish to see her, and had not Augustus III been a simple-minded man, one might have suspected that he wished to hide something.

Beside Frau Bruhl, sat, modestly dressed, the Countess Sulkowski, formerly the Queen's lady-in-waiting, nee von Stein Jettigen. Her beautiful face had not the irresistible charm so attractive in Frau Bruhl. With the Countess Sulkowski was a young girl. n.o.body knew her.

But being with the Countess as well as by her face and dress, one could guess that she belonged to a distinguished family.

The beautiful women of those times, more than any other, were remarkable for their ample, round figures. Small and frail girls found no admirers. Those famous favourites of Augustus II's were almost all bold riders, fond of hunting, of rifles and horses, looking like silvan G.o.ddesses, not frightened to meet a wild beast.

The unknown young girl, sitting with the Countess Sulkowski, was one of those beauties and looked like a flower blossoming on a strong stem.

Pink and white, built like Diana, black-eyed and black-haired, she looked about her boldly and proudly. But in that daring manner there was yet a childlike innocence of any experience of the world. Her eyes looked at everything with childlike enthusiasm and boldness.

A black dress with some scarlet ribbons and a few jewels enhanced her wonderful beauty; all eyes were turned inquisitively towards her, and their owners asked feverishly:

'Who is she?'

Frau Bruhl also looked at her neighbour.

The Countess Moszynski did not take her eyes off her, and the young men went in search of the Countess Sulkowski's servants in order to learn something from them; but they learned nothing more than that the young lady was the Countess' relation, and that she came from Vienna.

In the meanwhile Sulkowski, having noticed that Bruhl went to his wife, bent to the King's ear and whispered:

'Your Majesty, works of art are worthy of admiration, but the work of the Creator also deserves attention. Although the Countess Stein is my wife's relation, I venture to draw your Majesty's attention to her extraordinary beauty. Neither t.i.tian nor Paul Veronese ever created anything like her.'

On hearing this, the King turned, as though frightened, to his minister, looked at him reproachfully and in surprise, and plunged into further admiration of Faustina's voice and charms. Sulkowski withdrew.

He knew the King so well that he was certain that, struggle with himself as he might, he would play the same comedy as he did with t.i.tian's Venus. He was right in his supposition. The King with great caution, pretending that he looked elsewhere, directed his eyes to the beautiful Countess Stein. Then as though alarmed by her loveliness, he turned his eyes back to the stage. Some time elapsed and the King looked again at her. Augustus III's head still turned towards the stage, but his half-closed eyes gazed on that s.h.i.+ning star.

As he looked round the King's eyes met Frau Bruhl's, whose white finger lay against her little nose as if she were threatening him.

At that moment the King began to clap his Hands applauding the singer, and everybody followed his example. A keen observer would have seen how Faustina frowned at the King; how Frau Bruhl looked at him impatiently, how Moszynski eyed her husband, and how Bruhl smiled maliciously.

At last the grand _finale_ resounded with the power of all the voices; the opera was ended. The ladies rose and with them the beautiful Countess Stein, the star of that evening; her graceful figure appeared then in all its splendour. The King dared not look again in her direction.

The court, after supper, retired before midnight. Bruhl having received the King's orders went home; Sulkowski remained. Frosch and Horch slept in the corners. Augustus III donned _a robe de chambre_ and smoked a pipe in his own apartment, for the smell of tobacco was forbidden in the rooms which he shared in common with the Queen. All those who smoked had separate rooms for the purpose; the ladies, feeling an aversion to the fumes, would not suffer smoking in theirs.

'I don't know' Sulkowski said, 'whether your Majesty deigned to look at Adelaida Stein, but I venture to insist that she is unusually beautiful. If our lord the King, Augustus the Strong, of blessed memory, were alive, I am sure he would admire her extremely.'

The King turned, looked at Sulkowski, but said not a word. Sulkowski laughed, took the King's hand and kissed it.

'I am your Majesty's old servant,' continued he, 'and I admire my lord's virtue. Your Majesty lives like a model n.o.bleman, although kings have some privileges. During the performance to-day I noticed with what admiration the women looked towards your Majesty. Adelaida Stein told my wife that she never saw a better-looking man than your Majesty.'

He became silent. The King played with his china pipe and did not look at him, pretending that he heard not the tempter.

'Faustina sang like a nightingale,' said the King, changing the drift of the conversation.

'But Faustina looks well only on the stage. If I am not mistaken she is nearly forty and Italian women grow old quickly; Adelaida Stein is lovely.'

Augustus III, instead of answering, shrugged his shoulders.

'May it be permitted me to express my admiration? Your Majesty might be a saint, and yet not a happy man. The court is not a monastery.'

Augustus III listened, looking at the ceiling.

'Would your Majesty permit my wife to present her relation at court?'

asked Sulkowski not abashed at the King's silence.

'Ask the Queen,' impatiently said the King.

'Adelaida Stein is an orphan: her only relation is my wife. We should like to do something for her future. If she were to win your Majesty's favour, here in the court, she might find a husband, and I know that she would like to stay here.'

Again he was silent, waiting for a word in reply. The King's reticence led him into an error: he thought he must be more explicit. Therefore he continued:

'If your Majesty should care for Adelaida Stein, n.o.body would guess your fancy.'

He looked at the King, whose face grew pale, his hands trembled and his eyes fell. Sulkowski became frightened and ceased speaking. Augustus III rose.

'Sulkowski,' he said in a suppressed voice. 'I do not wish to be angry with you--but you forget yourself.'

He paced up and down, his face flushed; evidently he was struggling with himself, trying to prevent his anger from bursting forth.

Never had his favourite seen him so angry with him. He was alarmed and kneeling on one knee put out his hand for the King's hand. Augustus III hesitated, but at length he gave it to him.

'Not a word more; everything is forgotten. Stein must leave Dresden at once.'

Thus saying, he turned away.

'To-morrow,' the King said after a moment of silence, 'send hounds and huntsmen to Hubertsburg. I have not hunted for a long time. Bruhl and you shall come with me--the Queen also. I wish to hunt for three days.

First day reindeer, the second _par force_, the third woodc.o.c.k.'

Sulkowski bowed.

'I shall give orders at once.'

'Yes, have everything ready--we start in the morning.'

And having dismissed Sulkowski with a nod of his head, Augustus directed his steps towards the Queen's apartment. The minister followed him, and silently asked for the King's hand. Augustus III seemed to have already forgotten all that had happened, gave it willingly, and smiled as carelessly and cordially as usual.

The next and the following days they hunted in Hubertsburg and the forests by which it was surrounded. The King was in a good humour, which was the case every time the hunt was successful. Bruhl and Sulkowski accompanied him. The first day the Queen mentioned that she had heard from Padre Guarini, who loved Sulkowski, that the Count would like to make a military excursion on the Rhine and into Hungary. It was attributed to his desire to get military experience in order to be better able to serve Saxony. The King listened to his consort and shook his head.