. The
emperor, who would have yielded any thing to get the king of Sweden out
of his neighbourhood, granted even this, disobliging as it was to the
pope and his own catholic subjects: and having ratified these
concessions, the king vouchsafed to let his chamberlain return, without
any other punishment than imprisonment, so long as these affairs
remained in agitation.

Having thus given laws to Germany and terror to the emperor, he resolved
to turn where he might expect more opposition; and accordingly he
ordered count Piper to acquaint the officers, that they must now begin
to think of preparing for a march.

In the mean time ambassadors from all the courts of Europe were sent to
his camp, most of them being apprehensive that they should be the next
who felt the terror of his arms: but those who had nothing of this kind
to dread, and more really his friends, made use of all the arguments in
their power to prevail on him to return to Stockholm. France in
particular sent courier after courier, remonstrating to him that his
glory was complete; that he had already exceeded Alexander, and should
now return covered, as he was, with lawrels, and let his subjects enjoy
the blessing of his presence. The court of St. Germains added their
entreaties to that of Versailles, but each were equally ineffectual; nor
could even the thoughts of the beautiful princess Louisa, his betrothed
spouse, and whom he was to marry at the end of this war, put a stop to
the vehemence of his impatience to revenge the many injuries he had
received from the czar of Muscovy.

These were the sentiments by which this conquering monarch were
agitated; but Horatio, tho' no less fond of glory, had a softness in his
nature, which made him languish for the sight of his dear Charlotta,
whom he had been absent from near two years; and being now blessed with
a fortune from the plunder of Saxony, which might countenance his
pretensions to her, passionately longed for an opportunity of returning
without incurring the censure of cowardice or ingratitude. By these
couriers he received letters from the baron de la Valiere, and several
others of his friends, but none from the father of Charlotta; nor did
any of them make any mention of that lady, tho' he knew the passion he
had for her was now no secret to any of them.

He was very much surprized that the baron de Palfoy had not wrote,
because as he had in a manner promised to correspond with him by
desiring him to