the sight of her did not
inspire in him so much horror as in his father." [Wilhelmina, i.
112.]--Very likely not!--And in fact, "he obtained her from the King
of Poland, in a rather singular way _(d'une facon assez
singuliere)"_--describable, in condensed terms, as follows:--

Wilhelmina says, her poor Brother had been already charmed over head and
ears by a gay young baggage of a Countess Orzelska; a very high and
airy Countess there; whose history is not to be touched, except upon
compulsion, and as if with a pair of tongs,--thrice famous as she once
was in this Saxon Court of Beelzebub. She was King August's natural
daughter; a French milliner in Warsaw had produced her for him there.
In due time, a male of the three hundred and fifty-four, one Rutowski,
soldier by profession, whom we shall again hear of, took her for
mistress; regardless of natural half-sisterhood, which perhaps he did
not know of. The admiring Rutowski, being of a participative turn,
introduced her, after a while, to his honored parent and hers; by whom
next--Heavens, human language is unequal to the history of such things!
And it is in this capacity she now shines supreme in the Saxon Court;
ogling poor young Fritz, and driving him distracted;--which phenomenon
the Beelzebub Parent-Lover noticed with pain and jealousy, it would
appear.

"His Polish Majesty distinguished her extremely," says Pollnitz,
[_Memoires,_ ii.261.] "and was continually visiting her; so that the
universal inference was"--to the above unspeakable effect. "She was
of fine figure; had something grand in her air and carriage, and the
prettiest humor in the world. She often appeared in men's clothes, which
became her very well. People said she was extremely open-handed;" as
indeed the Beelzebub Parent-Lover was of the like quality (when he had
cash about him), and to her, at this time, he was profuse beyond limit.
Truly a tempting aspect of the Devil, this expensive Orzelska: something
beautiful in her, if there are no Laws in this Universe; not so
beautiful, if there are! Enough to turn the head of a poor Crown-Prince,
if she like, for some time. He is just sixteen gone; one of the
prettiest lads and sprightliest; his homage, clearly enough, is
not disagreeable to the baggage. Wherefore jealous August, the
Beelzebub-Parent, takes his measures; signifies to Fritz, in direct
terms, or by discreet diplomatic hints and innuendoes, That he can have
the Cabinet Venus (Formera her na