The king looked down on his graceful figure, and
pierced to the soul by the more graceful feelings which dictated the
action, the tear which stood in his eye, rolled over his cheek, and
was followed by another before he could add--pented the too ready
zeal of his friends in having saved him from the general destruction
at Villanow.
The voice of the venerable Stanislaus became fainter as he resumed--
"Perhaps had a Sobieski reigned at this time, these horrors might not
have been accomplished. That resistless power which has overwhelmed
my people, I cannot forget is the same that put the sceptre into my
hand. But Catherine misunderstood my principles, when assisting in my
election to the throne; she thought she was planting merely her own
viceroy there. But I could not obliterate from my heart that my
ancestors, like your own, were hereditary sovereigns of Poland, nor
cease to feel the stamp the King of kings had graven upon that heart--
to uphold the just laws of my fathers! and, to the utmost, I have
struggled to fulfil my trust."
"Yes, my sovereign," replied Thaddeus; "and whilst there remains one
man on earth who has drawn his first breath in Poland, he will bear
witness in all the lands through which he may be doomed to wander
that he has received from you the care and affection of a father. O!
sire, how will future ages believe that, in the midst of civilized
Europe, a brave people and a virtuous monarch were suffered, unaided,
and even without remonstrance, to fall into the grasp of usurpation!--
nay, of annihilation of their name!"
Stanislaus laid his hand on the arm of the count.
Pages:
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169