Poland -- History -- Stanislaus II Augustus, 1764-1795 -- Fiction
Here he remained a few days, and during that interval the firmness of
his mind was restored. He felt a calm arising from the conviction
that his afflictions had gained their summit, and that, however heavy
they were, Heaven had laid them on him for a trial of his faith and
virtue. Under this belief, he ceased to weep; but he never was seen
to smile.
Having entered into an agreement with the master of a vessel to carry
him across the sea, he found the strength of his finances would
barely defray the charges of the voyage. Considering this
circumstance, he saw the impossibility of taking his horse to
England.
The first time this idea presented itself, it almost overset his
determined resignation. Tears would again have started into his eyes,
had he not by force repelled them.
"To part from my faithful Saladin," said he to himself, "that has
borne me since I first could use a sword; that has carried me through
so many dangers, and has come with me even into exile--it is painful,
it is ungrateful!" He was in the stable when this thought assailed
him; and as the reflections followed each other, he again turned to
the stall. "But, my poor fellow, I will not barter your services for
gold. I will seek for some master who may be kind to you, in pity to
my misfortunes."
He re-entered the hotel where he lodged, and calling a waiter,
inquired who occupied the fine mansion and park on the east of the
town. The man replied, "Mr. Hopetown, an eminent British merchant,
who has been settled at Dantzic above forty years."
"I am glad he is a Briton!" was the sentiment which succeeded this
information in the count's mind. He immediately took his resolution,
but hardly had prepared to put it into execution, when he received a
summons from the vessel to be on board in half an hour, the wind
having set fair.
Thaddeus, somewhat disconcerted by this hasty call, with an agitated
hand wrote the following letter:--
"TO JOHN HOPETOWN, ESQ.
"Sir,
"A Polish officer, who has sacrificed everything but his honor to the
last interests of his country, now addresses you.
"You are a Briton; and of whom can an unhappy victim to the cause of
loyalty and freedom with less debasement solicit an obligation?
"I cannot afford support to the fine animal which has carried me
through the battles of this fatal war; I disdain to sell him, and
therefore I implore you, by the respect that you pay to the memory of
your ancestors, who struggled for and retained that liberty in
defence of which we are thus reduced--I implore you to give him an
asylum in your park, and to protect him from injurious usage.
"Perform this benevolent action, sir, and you shall ever be
remembered with gratitude by an unfortunate
"POLANDER.
"DANTZIC, _November_, 1794."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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