her fleeping fancy during the night. In-
deed, the events of the preceding evening;
appeared more like a vilion than reality,
and fhe had ibme difficulty to perfuade
herfelf Ihe was awake.
Sophia fat by her bed-fide, anxioufly
watching her, for the violent agitation (he
had returned home in the night before,
*' had fo relaxed and wearied her, that flie-
feared her health muft fuffer by it.
" Thank God !" exclaimed fhe> asfoon
as the Landgravine moved, and fhe faw
by the fmile on her countenance fhe was'
well. " Good morning, Albert/' faid
Rifa, throwing a kifs to the faint rays of
the morning fun that peeped through her
window-curtains. — u And good morning
" to you, my dear Sophia," continued
fhe. jSophia embraced her, and it was
with the fincereft pleafure fhe found her
fears were .vain, and that "her amiable
friend was well and happy. She was flill
^^uninformed of the late events, for who
was
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ALBERT DE NORDSNSHILD. 31 1 ,
was compofed enough the night hefore to
relate them to her ? all fhe knew was,
that Albert's affairs had taken a favourable
turn. For after pafflng fome hours in the
moft cruel fufpenft! the preceding evening,
and fending one fervant after the other to
feek the Landgravine, fhe heard a carriage
flop at the gate, fhe impatiently ran to it,
ahd was agreeably furprized at feeing Al-
bert jiimp out of it; who, after affifting
Rifa in alighting, led her to Sophia,
whofe hand he prefled, and then haftily
returned to the carriage without fpeaking
a word. She with difficulty fupported
Rifa, who trembled exceffively ; nor did
Albert feem much lefs agitated. " Look !
" look !" faid Buxar to her, as he fhut
the coach door, iQ that is my old mafter — >
" that is the general." She turned to do
fo, and to welcome him as their guardian
angel,, but before her eyes could cateh a
glimpfeof him, the carriage rolled on 4
" Many would rather have feen the devil
" than him, I believe," faid Buxar, as he
hobbled after it.
Rife
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312 ALBERT X>£ NORDENSHILD.
Rife attempted *to ./peak, but her tears
that flowed in abundance, interrupted her
words. Sophia begged of fter to try to
compofe herfelf, and led her to her apart-
ment, which fhe fyad np foo/ier gained,
than, quite overpowered by tfte yiolenqe of
the contending emotions fhe Ijad fo long
reftrained, flie fainted. f IJer attendants
with fome difficulty undr^fled, ap3 put
s her to bed, when, overcome by weak-
nefs and fatigue, fhe foon fell into a cqnvr
poling flumber. ,
Her firft tranfports of joy were now
abated, and Sophia's fears for the confe-
quence of it happily removed. . " Are you
" quite well this morning ?" faid fhe. —
" EtafcAly fo," was Rifa s anfwer. " But
" did you fee Cafper laft night pV-'.' 1
Sophia* •' Buxar told me he was in the
" carriage at the moment it drove away.
" The pleafure I felt at feeing you again
" w«s fo great, that I hardly perceived
" Albert."
Rifa. " That fcems to me to, be impof-
* € . Able. But you have no idea, Sophia,
" o£tht power Cafper has here; every
" door
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ALBERT DE NORDENSHILD. 313
€t door flew open at his approach. — Let
" me give you an account of the fur-
" prizing things that happened laft
"night/*
Sophia. « But before you begin, let me
i€ difpatch ,Rufh f who has been waiting
"fome time. His matter, 1 d.are fay, is
*'. impatient to know how your Highhefs
u finds yourfelf this morning."
Rifa. " I will get up and fpeak to him
« myfelf."
She did fo,, and throwing her peignoir
v over her (boulders, went into her drefling-
room^and defired Sophia to ring for
Rufh. " Good morning to you, Ruth,"
faid'fhe, as he entered; " how did you fleep
« laft night r— " Sleep, your Highnefs, is
" a night in our debt, for we had enough
u to do the laft without it," replied Rufh ;
"for as all my matter's effe&$ were fealed,
« and every thing was in the greateft con- .
"fufion, we endeavoured to put theflt in
" order as well as we could."
Rifa. " Your cheerful looks, Rufli,
" tell me you do not regret the trouble
" you had."
VoL - L P Rujh.
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3T4 ALBERT DE NORX>£NSH}LD.
ifc^fl. "No! for I affure your Highnefs
" I never pi fled fo happy a night."
/2^. " I am convinced of your attach-
" ment to your mailer, and value, you
^ for if. But tell rae, is ypjir raaftei:
"well?" / ' / " '
ifc/^. " He is qujte wefl, and I am fqre
" he will be quite happy ,whep h? |iear$
" your Hfghnefs is fp — for j(ie is very urieafy .
" on your, account." . ,
Ri/a. " Then return to him. this mp-
<* ment, and tell him I fhall be glad to fee
4t him as foon as he pleafes."
Rujk. " I am certain he will, very foon
"have the honour of paying his refpe£ls to
" your Highnefs."
Rifa\ " Wait a moment, . Rufh, (fl\e
" opened a jewel-cafe, and took a ring put
4C of it) carry this to your matter, and der
" fire him to tvear it for jny fake ; tell him
" it is the ring my father received from, my
* i mother when Ihe was betrothed to him.:
i£ loi)k, htere is a motto, whigh is To -fin all
" that perhaps your matter may not imme-
>" diately take notice of it, therefore fhew
" it him-*— Inferrable — do you fee it? And
" do
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ALBERT BE NORDENSHILD. 315
<#> do yoa take this watch, for I can find
" nothing elfe at prcfent that will be ufe-
" fal to you (throwing her jewels about)
" you may fell your own, and give ybur
* c money to the pdor, for I will take care
" to provide for you, Buxar, and all your '
u fellow ferv&nts. (Rufti attempted tokifs
tc her petticoat, but fhe puihed him back,
" and gave him her hand.) For fh&me,
** Rulh, never offend me again by fuch
** mean obfefquioufnefs — am I not a mortal
"like yourfelf ? But tell me, Rulh, how
" did it happen that j-qu wete all aflembled
« at the forlrefs laft iiight ?*
Rujh. " In the evening a man that was
<€ muffled up in foch a manner that it was
cc impoffibte to dlfcover who he was,
A * tapped at our window, and told us to
"iaddle our hbrfesy and wait with them
u near the fortrefs.— By whofe orders ? M
fajd Stiri.— " Fool !" replied he, and left
us.
Rifa. " Do you know who theperfon
;"was?"
Rujh: (whifpering) « I think it was
«f Prince Heftor. However, I followed
Pa « the
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3
<.<,
l6 ALBERT DE NORDENSHILD.
the perfon : in the fired I law and
*? heard feveral things that alarmed me.
tt Thank God, the affair took the turn it
" did, or I believe the grave-diggers would
" have had plenty of work* to do to-day ?
€e I therefore thought it would be better,
" in cafe there fhould be danger, to go
4( home and fetch my gun, and whilfl 1
" was loading it, my old mailer arrived.,
" He immediately ordered the carriage
u and Buxar to attend him to the King.
" We all kept near the fortrefs, deter-
" mined, if any harm was intended pur
€€ mafter, either to refcue him, or die in his
u defence — but I am glad our affiftance
" was not neceflary."
Rifa. " Was the General up when you
" went out ?"
J&ujk. " He went with Prince He6lor to
" the King above an hour before my mafter
** fent me to your Highnefs ; and I heard
*' him fay to his father as he helped him
" info the carriage, he hoped he would
** fucceed in his intention of reconciling
« them."
Rijlu
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*
ALBERT DE NORDENSHILD, 317
Itifa. "What events have happened
u whilft I was afleep ! and how peaceful
" were my flumbers !"
Sophia. " An ever-watchful guardian
" angel prote&s the favourites of heaven
" when they fleep."
^tifa. "I will only afk you another
" qiie/Uon, Rufh, and then difmifs you.
u Have you heard who that flrangc wo-
" tfcan was ?"
Rujh. ". TJpon my word I have not ;
" Ihe came with the general, and went
" with him to the King, and was nearly
" in the fame ftate when flie left him, as
" Ihe was in when Buxar and the ftrange
" fervant carried her from the fortrefs to
" the carriage that was waiting for her
#< near it. It was a plain travelling coach,.
" the fame they came in, and four poft-
u horfes ; a woman was fitting in it wtu>
"received the fainting lady; Buxar or-.
" dered the poftillion to drive on, and it
« was out of light in a moment/*
Rifa. " The wholy ftory is a riddle to
'< me."
P3 ' Rujh.
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3*8 .ALBERT J>E NOIU>E2rSHILI>»
Rufh. « And to me likewife. : , But per-
" haps Buxar will inform yowv Highnefs
" of it, if you wiH,<afk him. I have find
" nothing to him about it, . for 1 know my
" afkingliim would be to no purpcrfe; I
" happened to be in the room next to that
" the General flecps in, .when my mafier
" led him to it laft night ; and I heard
" him afk his father the fame queftipn
" your Highnefs did me ju# now. His
" anfwer was, Mt is.a fecret:I «n bound
" by an oath never to difclofe."
Rtfa. " Then go-a,nd c^y e h\ffi the
".agreeable information that I vazp t vyell,
i€ a#d wilh to fee him."
.Rulh went, and Rifa throwing herfelf
into her friend's arms, (aid, " Am lawake,
u Sophia ! for I can hardly perfuade.my*
";fc)f to believe I am."-r u I ttQpe," was
the reply, " that Albert's arrival will foon
"convince you."^-" But in the mean
" time," faid the Landgravine, <*<let me
u relate the marvellous ftory to you/'
They featcd themfelves on an ottoman;
and Rifa began— *-" When I left you, 1
" went towards the fortrefs ; near it I met
" Prince
ALBERT BE NORDENSHILPv 3T9'
" Prince He&or, whaled me to Albert ;
" we found him fitting f in his iblitary
" prifon, in a melancholy pofture— -he
a feemed forfaken by the whole world,
lf When the door opened and he few mc,,
ff he flcfw as quick as lightning acrofs the-
u room, without being' awed by He&or's
" prefence, into thefe arms, which gladly
'* received liira. I thought I had touch to
u fay to him, but I forgot 6very thing at
" that mdtoeht, except the pleafure I felt.
u Hedtor walked Up afcd down the room ;
" he feemed to be our guard, and often
" looked* at Us' with the moft frateriial af-
"fe<5tioh. Never, Sophia, fhall I be
f able' to repky that worthy man for his af-
u fedlionate kindnefs to me. We might
c< have been near an hour together;. I was
u endeavouring, and had nearly fucceeded
•' in banifhing a frown that wrinkled At-
" bertYbrqw. Heftor flood at the win*
" dow, and feemed loft in tlwught : we
$i heard a noife in the paffage, and the
" door was fuddenly thrown open. I
%t cannot fay I was frightened, but I re-
« member I caught hold of Albert's hand.
. - P 4 " He&or
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3*0 ALBERT DE KpRDENSHILD.
" Hcdtef drew his fword at the moment
€t Calper entered. I am certain, Sophia,
" I ihould havii known him, even if AU
" bfcrt h&d not faid Father ! for never was
" courage and worth mote ftrongly marked
" than on every feature of his* expreffive
" countenance, which, although fur-
" rowed by the iron hand of age, is one
" of the fineft I ever faw. * Cafpet was
" followed by a woman, fhe was veiled,*
"and feemed to gafp for breath as flie
V entered the room ; fhe eagerly embraced
" Albert, and then me, and heaving a
ft deep figfr, fainted in my arms. Al-
" though no longer young, Are retained
" the remains of beauty, and her form
'< was extremely elegant. In the agony 1
" was in, I could not find my fmellkig-
"' bottle ; I called for water and help, but
" there was none to be had. Cafper
" called on Buxar to take her away,
" which the* hard-hearted old man' did,
" notwithftanding my earneft entreaties to
"the contrary. I am certain, Sophia,
''this woman's fate is by ibme means
" nearly connetSiect with our'sj but there
" feems
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" feems no probability of our ever fathom^
" ing the myftery."
Sophia, (after muling : for fame time)
44 I wonder if my fufpicions are ground-
" lefs !, You fay, Rife, this woman went
« with Cafper to the King ?'* ;
Rifa. « You heard what Rufli faid> I
€€ know no mqre about it ; for I had no
*' opportunity of mentioning it to Albert
" laft night.'*
Sophia. " You without doubt remember
" whatBuxar laid to- you, when you were
44 fo alarmed on the Major's account ; 'he
« cannot die,' faid he, < as long as Cafpef
4 and I live, and a woman can pronounce
4 Arno's name.' He talked of the voice?
44 of nature ; and when he was alarmed at
44 the difcovery he had made, in his con-
4 < fufion, afked, 4 if the King could haya
4 confented to He&br's death !' Sum up
44 all thefe circumftanees, my dear Rifa,
44 and tell me what you think of them.
44 Love is unjuftly called blind,, for m
" manyrefpe&s its eye is more penetrating
« than that of the greateft politician."
P 5 Rif^
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322 ALBERT DE KORI>EN$*niiI><
&ifa. * " I recoiled perfe&ly the cireupa-
" fiances you mention, and have often
** thought on them ; but, in fa& 9 ' it js
" immaterial whether we are acquainted
" with the fecret or not, for Albert will
" neither be more nor lefs amiable, let his
*' origin be what it will. {But I wonder,
" Sophia, he does not come ! T>
" Sophia. ." If Cupid had lent £uih his
" wings, he could hardly be at home yet;
" and impatient as you are, you expedt
iC his matter to be here already. But I be*
" lieve it is time to drefs."
Rifa.. " Drefs ! what nonfcnfe ! Albert
" in prifon was not lefs dear to me than
t€ Albert at court ; and do you think I
" fhall be lefs eflimable in his eyes #i this
u limple cloak, than if he fees me in the
" moft coftly apparel and gayeft orna-
" ments ? I thought, Sophia, you were
" better acquainted wuu love."
Sophia. " Herman was a beggar, and
* f yet I loved him."
Rifa. (fmilirig) " Well, then, I will
€ * dreis ; but I aflure you I do not intend
V doing io> becaufe I expeft Albert ; coiiie,
", Sophia,
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AfcBtiRT BE NORPEKSftlXfc* 323
" Sophia, let <ufc . begin, the • important
«'tafc;"
. Jufi as flie was going to ring for her at-
tendtfpfc, Falk knocked at the door, and
told Sophia:, that the poor people tyere
watting for their weekly allowance, and'
ddaxed her to afk the Landgravine for it,
'Rifadiftributed a hundred and fifty florins-
every week to a number of indigent per-
fans, and this was the firfl: time-there was^
odcafion taremindhcr of her bounty ? but to-
d^yihehad entirely forgotten it. — " They
" (hall have double iheir ufual allowance,"
faid ihe ; ks and I thick, Sophia, as it is fuchi
c< A £ he day; we will give it th<?m- otnv
v felves— tell them, Falk, to wait in the
" garden > and bring our breakfaft to the
" feat under the balcony." She went ta
her eferutoir, and holding up the fide of
hex. peignoir put money into it, without
flaying to coilnt it ;, and then* with a heart
*s light as innocence could make it, ran.
with Sophia, to her penfioaTs, whom iW
©rderfed to aflemble about her. §he diilri-
buted her bounty to them,, apd was amply
xepaid by thp tear or. fmil$ pf gratitude
P6 each:
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324 ALBERT 0E NOR0ENSHILD.
each face expreffed. The fcene was be-
yond defcription interefiing, to fee. the
great Theflalo's daughter, furroundecl bjr
a number of poor and infirm perfbup> re-
lieving their wants, and familiarly con-
verting with them ; and the pleafhreiheir
countenances expreffed was more osring
to the condefcenfion of the giver, than thc %
gift itfelf.
1 In the mean time Albert arrived — So-
phia faw him firft, but he made a fign to
her not to notice htm, and fhe did the lame
to the poor ; he therefore had the pleafiire
of enjoying for a moment the beauteous
fight, of his Rifa in a fituation that re*
flefted the greateft honour on her hqart,
relieving the wants, and alleviating the
difbreffes of the indigent and affli&ed. She
was too much occupied at firfi: to perceive
that their eyes frequently wandered in a cer-
tain dire&ion, where they fixed, till fhe
happened to remark Sophia's chiding ones —
fhe turned her head, and faw Albert lin-
ing againft a marble pillar, of the Corin.
thian order, looking at her: — "Albert/?
faid fhe, ftarting from her chair— the re-
maining
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ALBERT DE NORDENSWLD. 325
maining part of the money fell as fbtedid
fi>.*~" Take it,V was all &e could fey, as
fhe ran to meet him. , " D<* I . fee you
" again, Albert?" .was all (lie could arti-
culate, for her tears prevented the , ut-
terance of words, till recovering herfelf,
and turning to the poor, ftie continued*
" perhaps the Almighty has bleffed me on
" your account. Lafl week you partook
<c of my ibrrows, now fhare my joy, and
" tell every one you fee, that Rifa is hap-
u#.pjk M They did not go, but we will leave
them for the prefent, to fetch Cafper.
We left him, fupportedbytheKing, at
the bottom of the flairs, and the drunken
Buxar* with his drawn fabre, reeling to-
wards them. " Buxar, Buxar !" faid
Cafper* " what is the meaning of this ?"
for he had too much penetration not to
difcover, that Ibmething extraordinary muft
have happened to him.
But as Buxar does not feem to be in a
Situation to relate his ftory, we will do it
for him.
Aftes
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326 ALBERT DE »N0 ROT ITCHED*
After he had ted his rnafter to tte door
of the King's 'apartment, he returned to the
room we mentioned before— 4faere ivks no-
body in it ; he therefore' fat down and "re-*
Medoli tht ftfenge chaWges the «laft
night had produced, an4 wfendfered hdw ;
they would end* He hitd hot fet J lo*$gy
when one of the King's footmen edterid,
and afked him if he would drink a glafe of
wine, which he willingly accepted; for as
he had fpent afleeplefs night, he was ttttd,.
and felt a croaking and tumbling in iiis*
ftomach, that made it tfee more accep&blm
The wine and fome*bifcuiis were brought,
and he eat and drank with his ufual appe-
tite. Soon after another fervant came in,,
and pretended great joy at. feeing hira,~-~
" I have fome better wine than that you.
" are drinking," faid he, "I will treat you
" with it." Buxar did not need much pe&
fuaiion ; for his throat was of fuch a tex-
ture, that when once moiftened it received:
every fluid that was offered it without
any refinance. With "fuch temptations*
therefore, it was no wonder his heart grew "
light, his little pig's eyes fparkled, and
3 *" s
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ALBERT 3>E NOR;J>ENSHILP. 3*7
his tongue ran with extreme volubi-
lity. He related 3 number of .adventures
he and his old ma&er had been engaged
in-r-good .and had, juft as they came into
his heakl. This was exa&ly what .they
wanfod ; for I have aip -doubt but that my
readers ha\je already difcovered the tra#
that was- kid, 'to draw the Secret from the
fenfelefs Buxar. After feveral artful turn*
ings and windings, jfhey led the difcourfe
to the Major, whom they praifed in the
moft extravagant terms, and hinted, in
confidence, thai they were not unacquaint-
ed with the private reafons of the extreme
power his fother had over the King; but
to.be fine, as Buxar had lived fo many
years in tbefemily, he muii know the par-
ticulars jof them better than they did, and
that a$ none but friends were prefent, he
need not be afraid to mention them — they
^dded, that they had been told, that a wo-
man had 'been with the General, in the
garden the night before, when he law the
King*— that fhe went with him to the for-
trefs, and that the fentries had told an odd
ilory about her being carried' away in a fit *
hut
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*
328 ALBERT SE NOfcDENSHILI>.
but for their part they fuppofed it to be a
pack of lies. " A-ha P* laid Bfcxar, " are
" you thereabout ;" and, laying his head
on the table, pretended to fall faft afieep r
They did what they could to wake him,
but not another word could they get out of
him. When they found all their efforts
were vain, they lefjt the room one after the
other, and Buxar really then did what he
before pretended — fell afleep.
But he was foon difturbed by a violent
noife at the door — he ftartcd up ; it was a
gentleman, who faid he wanted his rafcal
of a footman, and thought, perhaps, he
might find'him there. " How do you do,
"Buxar?" faid he, « I little thought to-
u have feen you here this morning.'*—
" Hum," faid Buxar> laying his head on
the table again.
Gentleman. " I afked you how you di<f y
" Buxar (tapping his fhoulder) I think yon
" might give me a civil anfwer."
Buxar. (muttering, and without raifing
his head) " I am very well, and I wifh you
" would let me alone." ' *
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ALBERT DE NORDENSHJI/D. 329
Gent r " I do not wonder at ypur being
%( ileepy, you have had a fatiguing night."
Bicxar. (in the fame pofture) " Not fo
" fatiguing as fome I palled at Stralfund.'*
Gent. " What, were you there ?"
• Buxar. (jumping up.) " I there, to be
" fure I was — why, Sir, I have ferved his
" moft graciousMajefty thefe two and fifty
€€ years; and know, Sir, (reeling) that
" whatever battle has been within that
"time, Buxar was at it." , .
Gent. " Were you ever wounded ?"
Buxar. " If yo;u had ever looked at me,
" you might have faved«yourfelf the trou-
" ble of afking."
• Gent. " I love to hear accounts of bat-
"ties."
Buxar. " Yes, 1 dare fay you do; for
** there is no danger in talking about them
" at the fire-tide (laying his head on the
" table again, and muttering again) you
"fop."
Gent % " 1 fhould like to hear a circum-
" fiantial account of an a£Hon/\
Buxar. " And I fhould like to^leep."
Genu
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33<> ALBERT DE NORDENSHILD.
Gent. cc You had , better rotife yourfelt*
" or you will not hear when your mailer
" goes away."
Buxar. " That is my affair; if I do not
" hear him, 1 warrant you he will call mey
" as I have often done him, when the ene-
" my was at our heels."
Gent, (fhaking him) " Hark ye, Buxar !â–
€i I have juft recolledled fomething."
Buxar. « It is more than I have.*'
Gent. « It is in your power to do me,
" and a certain gentleman that belongs to
" the court, a great Favour ; arid he, as
" well as myfelf (pulling out bis.purfe) will
u reward you for it."
Buxar. " I wiifli you "would do' me the
" favour to let me fleep now—you know
" where I live, andean come in'd tell me
" what you want fome other time."
Gent. " But it muft be done immedi-
" ately— -it will not hinder you a minute,
€t #nd then you may fleep as long as you
" pleafe."
Buxar. " Well then, to have done with
€€ it ; for I am tired of talking — 'what do
" you want me to do ?"
- GenK
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ALBERT DE NORDENSIHLD. 33 I
Cent, (offering him the purfe) " Here,
ff friend, take this, and tell me where fhe
" is to be found— you understand rae.
" (Btikar flared at him, and he Continued)
♦(I am informed of the whole affair ; you
" run no rifque in telling me ; no onefhall
" ever know what pafles between us ; God
"."forbid that I fhould do you an injury—
" fhe fent me word a few days ago, that fhe
" fhould come here with the General, but
"a certain reafen made it neceflary for
iC her to remain incognito, but that fhe
u would fenime word when I might fpeak
$€ to her 5 but I ' fuppofe^ fhe has been pre-
" vented fending to me; and as I have
" fbmething pf confequeace to fay to her, I
'* wifh you would tell me where I can find
M her. It is true, I could afk the General,
" but as mybufinefs ooly concerns herfelf,
" it is not neceflary for him to know any
Ci thing about it; I therefore preferred ap-
u plying to you^ who can inform me juft
" as well 4 and as one civility defervesan-
u other, take this to drink my health (of-
" fcring him the purfe) and tell me."
Buxar
Digitized by LjOOQ IC
3J2 ALBERT DB NORDENSHILD.
Buxir ftarted up, knocked the piirie out
of his hand, And pulhed him down, ex-
claiming at thfc fame time, in the Aioft Ai-
rbus* manner; *' Y<*ii have got the wrong
" fow hy the ear, you dog you*; n and/
drawing his fabre, " but Twitf do for you/'
The". gentleman g6t up; and ran but of the
room as faft as he could. Buxar, in at-
tempting to overtake him, fell over a chair,
and lay fprawling -on the floor for lome '»
time* but at lafl recovering himfetf, 'he
got up, and ran out of the roomi brari-
difhing his fabre; and it was at that mo-*
raent the King and Cafper came down
Hairs, and faw him. " Buxar, Buxarl w faid
Cafper, holding up his cane, " what is the'