Page 243 - A Jacobite Exile

he was attacked in the streets of Warsaw.

"So it was you, Captain Carstairs, after whom there was so keen a search in
September. The death of Ben Soloman made a great stir, and I can assure

you that there are a great many people who owe you a debt of gratitude.
The man had no sons, and all his property passed to his widow, whom he
had, it seems, treated harshly during his lifetime. She was from Holland,

and wished to return to her people, so, as his means were very large, she
made the easiest terms with all those on whose estates her husband had held

mortgages, in order to wind up her affairs as soon as possible. Thus, his
death was the subject of wide rejoicings. However, if you had been caught
at the time, I fear it would have gone hard with you; for the Jews were all

very keen about it--as the man, rascal though he was, was one of the chief
heads of their religion--and were you to fall into their hands in any of the

towns, they would either kill you or send you to Warsaw."

"And now, sir, will you tell me what has taken place since September?"

"Things have moved slowly. Augustus endeavoured, after his defeat on the

Dwina, to make peace with Charles on his own account, and without the
knowledge of the diet, but Charles refused to give audience to any of his
agents, and would not even see the beautiful Countess of Konigsmark, who

is, you know, herself a Swede, and whom Augustus sent, thinking that her
blandishments might win over the young king. It was useless. Charles

maintained the ground that he took up from the first--namely, that he would
treat with the diet, but would have nothing whatever to say to Augustus. So
the diet sent an embassy of four senators.

"Instead of receiving them with every pomp and ceremony, as they

expected, the king met them on horseback. He demanded that, as a first
condition, they should dethrone Augustus. Parties in the diet were pretty
equally divided; but the proposal was rejected, for even those most hostile

to Augustus resented the proposal that we, a free and unconquered people,
should be ordered by a foreign prince to change our king. So nothing came

of it.