The Deluge: An Historical Novel of Poland, Sweden, and Russia. Vol. 1Sienkiewicz, Henryk
History
The Deluge: An Historical Novel of Poland, Sweden, and Russia. Vol. 1
Sienkiewicz, Henryk
Historical fiction; Poland -- History -- John II Casimir, 1648-1668 -- Fiction
"Yes. You must make your way to the marshal of the kingdom, Pan
Lyubomirski. It is of great moment to me that he come to our views. He
is a powerful man, and in Little Poland much depends on him. Should he
declare sincerely for the Swedes, Yan Kazimir would have no place in
the Commonwealth. Conceal not from the King of Sweden that you are
going from me to Lyubomirski to win him for the Swedes. Do not boast of
this directly, but speak as it were inadvertently. That will influence
him greatly in my favor. God grant that Lyubomirski declare for us. He
will hesitate, that I know; still I hope that my letters will turn the
scale, for there is a reason why he must care greatly for my good will.
I will tell you the whole affair, that you may know how to act. You see
Pan Lyubomirski has been coming around me for a long time, as men go
around a bear in a thicket, and trying from afar to see if I would give
my only daughter to his son Heraclius. They are children yet, but the
contract might be made,--which is very important for the marshal, more
than for me, since there is not another such heiress in the
Commonwealth, and if the two fortunes were united, there would not be
another such in the world. That is a well-buttered toast! But if the
marshal were to conceive the hope that his son might receive the crown
of the Grand Principality as the dower of my daughter! Rouse that hope
in him and he will be tempted, as God is in heaven, for he thinks more
of his house than he does of the Commonwealth."
"What have I to tell him?"
"That which I cannot write. But it must be placed before him with
skill. God preserve you from disclosing that you have heard from me how
I desire the crown,--it is too early for that yet,--but say, 'All the
nobles in Lauda and Lithuania talk of crowning Radzivill, and rejoice
over it; the Swedes themselves mention it, I have heard it near the
person of the king.' You will observe who of his courtiers is the
marshal's confidant, and suggest to that courtier the following
thought: 'Let Lyubomirski join the Swedes and ask in return the
marriage of Heraclius and Radzivill's daughter, then let him support
Radzivill as Grand Prince. Heraclius will be Radzivill's heir.' That is
not enough; suggest also that once Heraclius has the Lithuanian crown
he will be elected in time to the throne of Poland, and so the two
crowns may be united again in these two families. If they do not grasp
at this idea with both hands, they will show themselves petty people.
Whoso does not aim high and fears great plans, should be content with a
little baton, with a small castellanship; let him serve, bend his neck,
gain favor through chamber attendants, for he deserves nothing better!
God has created me for something else, and therefore I dare to stretch
my hands to everything which it is in the power of man to reach, and to
go to those limits which God alone has placed to human effort."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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