lleisle has only to give signal
to a fit Kur-Pfalz. In all Kurfurst Courts, the French Ambassadors sing
diligently to the tune Belleisle sets them; and Courts give ear, or will
do, when the charmer himself arrives.

Kur-Sachsen, as above hinted, was his most delicate operation, in the
charming or trout-tickling way. And Kur-Sachsen--and poor Saxony, ever
since--knows if he did not do it well! "Deduct this Kur-Sachsen from the
Austrian side," calculates Belleisle; "add him to ours, it is almost an
equality of votes. Kur-Baiern, our own Imperial Candidate; Kur-Koln, his
Brother; Kur-Pfalz, by genealogy his Cousin (not to mention Berg-Julich
matters); here are three Wittelsbachers, knit together; three sure
votes; King Friedrich, Kur-Brandenburg, there is a fourth; and if
Kur-Sachsen would join?" But who knows if Kur-Sachsen will! The poor
soul has himself thoughts of being Kaiser; then no thoughts, and again
some: thoughts which Belleisle knows how to handle. "Yes, Kaiser you,
your Majesty; excellent!" And sets to consider the methods: "Hm, ha, hm!
Think, your Majesty: ought not that Bohemian Vote to be excluded, for
one thing? Kur-Bohmen is fallen into the distaff, Maria Theresa herself
cannot vote. Surely question will rise, Whether distaff can, validly,
hand it over to distaff's husband, as they are about doing? Whether,
in fact, Kur-Bohmen is not in abeyance for this time?" "So!" answered
Kur-Sachsen, Reichs-Vicarius. And thereupon meetings were summoned;
Nightmare Committees sat on this matter under the Reichs-Vicar, slowly
hatching it; and at length brought out, "Kur-Bohmen NOT transferable by
the distaff; Kur-Bohmen in abeyance for this time." Greatly to the joy
of Belleisle; infinitely to the chagrin of her Hungarian Majesty,--who
declared it a crying injustice (though I believe legally done in every
point); and by and by, even made it a plea of Nullity, destructive to
the Election altogether, when her Hungarian Majesty's affairs looked
up again, and the world would listen to Austrian sophistries and
obstinacies. This was an essential service from Kur-Sachsen. [Began,
indistinctly, "in March" (1741); languid "for some months" (Adelung, ii.
292); "November 4th," was settled in the negative, "Kur-Bohmen not to
have a vote" (_Maria Theresiens Leben,_ p. 47 n.)].

After which Kur-Sachsen's own poor Kaisership died away into "Hm, ha,
hm!" again, with a grateful Belleisle. Who nevertheless dexterously
retained Kur-Sach