If there is anything that can arouse the greatest contempt for mankind it is the sight of the sudden downfall of the favourite of fortune, who, not long since, was idolised by his fellows.

There is in that something so vile and degrading, that the heart shudders; but in such situations a man learns to value others at their right price and tests his best friends. No one who has not passed through a similar crisis, can understand how bitter is the feeling that arises in the heart.

Sulkowski, who from childhood had been with Augustus and who was accustomed to be treated as his friend, bore his fate with dignity; he could not, however, restrain the scorn excited in him by the two gentlemen dispatched to him by the King.

He at once sent for Ludovici. The councillor owed him everything; but fear for his future, for his position, prompted him not to come, excusing himself on the plea that he was very busy.

'It will be necessary,' the Count said quietly, 'for me to pay the knave a visit and get my papers back, if he has not already given them to BrÜhl, in order in that way to purchase his pardon.'

In the afternoon of the same day, the Count went to the Castle. On his way he endured a veritable martyrdom.

The news of Sulkowski's downfall was already known in town, and although he had never wronged anybody, and could have sinned only by his pride against his subordinates, being even too good to many of them, all felt it their duty to show him how glad they were to hear of his disgrace.

He passed by BrÜhl's offices; the clerks noticed him through the windows, and, putting their pens behind their ears, with their hands in their pockets, they rushed out into the street in order to sneer at their former master.

Sulkowski saw and heard what was going on around him, but he exercised so much self-control that neither by sign nor glance did he betray that he saw or felt anything. He passed on slowly, hearing their ironical exclamations.

At every step of the way he met those who only yesterday bowed humbly as they passed him, but to-day they pretended not to see him, or looked at him impertinently, in order to show that they might disregard him.

Carriages passed by from which heads would be stretched and eyes follow him. In the castle the apparition of a ghost would not have caused greater fear.

They dared not shut the doors in his face, but even the lackeys would not make way for him.

Sulkowski seeing this would perhaps have withdrawn but he determined to see the King once more.

Being familiar with the King's regular habits, he knew that he passed that hour in the Queen's apartments. It was possible that the servants would warn the King but he determined to take his chance.

He entered a certain room in which fortunately there was no one, and this man, whose orders were formerly obeyed by the whole court, stood modestly in a corner, thinking over his situation. At that moment the King entered with a chamberlain; when Sulkowski kneeled the King was frightened and wished to retreat.

The count seized his legs.

'Sire!' he exclaimed, 'do not send your servant away, without a hearing.

'Ever since childhood I have been fortunate in faithfully fulfilling my duties towards your Majesty.'

The King's face depicted the greatest alarm.

'Sulkowski--' he said, '--I cannot--I do not wish to hear anything--'

'I beseech your Majesty,' rejoined the Count, 'to listen to me; I ask for nothing, except that I may go away cleared, for my conscience is clean. Sire, kindly remember the years we spent together; have I ever forgotten myself or overstepped the boundaries of respect? Those who wish to get rid of me, are afraid that someone watching over them might discover their deeds, and they send me away because I am faithful to your Majesty--Sire--'

Augustus covered his eyes with trembling hands and tapping the floor with his feet, repeated:

'I do not wish to hear--'

'I only want to justify myself.'

'Enough!' cried the King, 'my firm resolution is to part with you; that cannot be changed. Neither to yourself nor to your family shall any evil befall--be at ease, but go, go, go!'

The King said this with evident fear, afraid lest he might give way should no one come in.

'Sire,' cried the Count desperately rising from the ground, 'may it be permitted me to thank your Majesty for the favours I have received from the King, and to kiss his hand for the last time?'

The King was near to tears, but there was a chamberlain present, a witness and spy in one; therefore he put out his trembling hand, which the Count covered with kisses.

'Sire!' he cried, 'that hand repulses an innocent man! I repeat that I am innocent, because I could have sinned only by the excess of my love towards your Majesty.'

The uneasiness and alarm on the King's face increased.

'Enough!' he exclaimed, 'I cannot listen to you, I command you to leave.'

Sulkowski bowed in silence and withdrew--Augustus rushed to the door leading to the Queen's apartment.

The count needed a few minutes to collect his thoughts and gather strength; he leaned against the wall, pressed his forehead with his hands, and stood there for some time; he was about to go when a chamberlain entered and told him in the most impertinent tone to leave the room.

'His majesty commands you by me,' he said, 'to leave the castle at once and not to show yourself at the court. His Majesty's will is that you live at Nebigan.'

Sulkowski glanced proudly at the man, made no reply and went out.

His last effort was frustrated, and there remained nothing, but to drink the cup without shrinking. A craving for revenge arose in his heart, but he quelled it, for he knew that his enemies had the advantage.

He returned home in order to tranquillise his wife and assure her that she need fear nothing worse.

The banishment to Nebigan, situated near Dresden, permitted the hope of meeting the King and of justifying himself. To this his wife replied:

'BrÜhl will not be satisfied with banishment, we shall be in his hands! He will find some reasons to renew his attack; let us leave this cursed Saxony immediately: let us go to Vienna, to Poland, anywhere you please, except remain here!'

During the whole evening, the people gathered round Sulkowski's palace, looking in at the windows, anxious to see the ashes of the sacrifice.

From time to time Sulkowski came to the window and looked at the vile crowd. Nobody called on him that evening. But an official document was handed to the porter, in which the King dismissed the Count from his duties of Grand Chamberlain and Grand Equerry of the court.

The Count laid the paper on the table.

The same evening there was a reception at BrÜhl's palace. The minister's face expressed uneasiness; he was tired after the fight. He threw himself into an arm-chair when his wife came into the drawing-room.

She looked at him scornfully.

'I ought to congratulate you,' she said, 'you are master of the situation, king of Saxony and Poland; Henniche is the lieutenant general; Loss, Hammer and Globig viceroys.'

'And you are the queen,' rejoined BrÜhl smiling, 'À double titre.'

'Yes,' she said laughing, 'I am beginning to get accustomed to my situation, I find it quite bearable.'

She shrugged her shoulders.

'Provided it lasts longer than Sulkowski's reign.'

'I should add, that you are very clever, having laid your throne on women's shoulders. The Queen, I, the Countess Moszynski, and FrÄulein Hernberg--not counting Abbuzzi, for she is a supernumary.'

'It is your fault that I must seek for hearts outside my own house.'

'Ah! hearts! hearts!' interrupted his wife, 'neither you nor I have any right to speak about hearts. We have fancies, but not hearts; we have senses, but not sentiments, but--it is better so.'

She turned from him.

'One word,' said BrÜhl, 'later the guests will arrive and I shall not have a chance of talking to you.'

'What is it?'

BrÜhl bent close to her ear.

'You are compromising yourself.'

'The idea!'

'That young employÉ from my office--'

She blushed and said angrily:

'I have my fancies! Nobody can stop them. Pray do not mix yourself up in my affairs, as I do not mix in yours.'

'Madam!'

Here the Countess Moszynski entered: she was beaming with animation. She put out her hands to Frau BrÜhl and said:

'There is victory sur tout la ligne! In town they speak of nothing else; they wonder, they tremble--'

'They rejoice,' added BrÜhl.

'I am not certain of that,' the Countess interrupted, 'but we are pleased at the downfall of that proconsul. Once and for all we are en famille and are not required to bow to that proud lord.'

'What news? What does he intend to do?' asked BrÜhl.

'If you know him,' the Countess said, 'you should readily guess. Naturally he will go to Nebigan, where he will shake his head as he used to do and try to see the King, and to intrigue in order to regain his favour.'

BrÜhl laughed.

'Yes, it is very probable; but, dear Countess--from Nebigan it is not far to Dresden, neither is it far from KÖnigstein--I doubt--'

At that moment a new-comer, Countess Hernberg, the wife of the Austrian envoy, entered. She was a beautiful, black-eyed Viennese, with aristocratic features, who was also BrÜhl's Egeria, and said without any greeting:

'I make a wager that they go to Vienna.'

BrÜhl made a grimace.

The two ladies began to converse together and the Countess Moszynski took BrÜhl aside.

'You make a mistake,' she said. 'Never do anything by halves; you ought to have shut him--'

'The King would never consent,' said BrÜhl, 'by asking too much, we might make him resist, and Sulkowski would have our heads cut off. Then, I know the Count too well, and that is why I do not fear him, he is a weak-minded man, he cannot make a plot. Before he leaves Nebigan I shall find proofs that he appropriated two million thalers and then KÖnigstein will be justified--'

'BrÜhl!' laughed the Countess, 'two million thalers--and you--'

'I do not have one single penny for myself,' exclaimed BrÜhl, 'only for the receptions, by which I endeavour to do honour to my King. I am in debt.'

Then he whispered:

'Do not think that I am so stupid as to let the prey go before it is killed; but I was obliged to do it with two blows. I shall get him away from Nebigan as soon as I wish. In the meanwhile I gather proofs. In a few weeks' time the King will consent to anything.'

He laughed strangely, when the Grand Minister of Ceremonies, entering, obliged him to leave the Countess, who joined the ladies.

'How did he receive the news?' asked BrÜhl.

'At first he was dismayed, but after a time, bravely and proudly.'

'But the Chamberlain Frisen told me,' hissed BrÜhl, 'that having surprised the King in the castle, he crawled to his feet.'

'It is possible,' said Lowendhal, 'But--'

He did not have time to finish the sentence, for the butler made signs to BrÜhl from the door, and he was obliged to leave his guest and go and find out why he had been called. He passed through the drawing-room with some uneasiness, for although the King was carefully watched, he feared that the former favourite had succeeded in stealing into the castle.

Henniche was waiting in the study, sitting comfortably in an armchair. Although he made some movement as the minister entered, one could see that he played with him, knowing that he was more necessary to BrÜhl, than BrÜhl to him.

'What is this urgent business you have to communicate?' said BrÜhl reproachfully. 'The people will think that something has happened.'

'Let them think,' said Henniche impatiently. 'Your Excellency amuses himself and I work; I cannot satisfy your fancies.'

'Are you mad?'

'I?' asked Henniche quickly.

'You forget yourself,' said BrÜhl.

Henniche laughed.

'Let us drop that; to others you may be a great man, but not to me.'

He waved his hand.

'To what would you amount without me?'

'And what about you, without me?' cried BrÜhl vehemently.

'I am a fork, with which every minister must eat; it's quite different.'

BrÜhl quieted down.

'Well, tell me, what news?'

'Instead of thanking me, your Excellency scolds me. It is true that Henniche was a lackey, but precisely for that reason, he does not like to be reminded of the fact.'

Saying this he unfolded some papers.

'Here is what I have brought; I made Ludovici drunk, I have assured him that we shall appoint him a councillor in the secret department, and I guarantee that he shall keep it in such secrecy that nobody shall learn about it! I have already some accusations. There are sums taken from the custom house, there are receipts of money not paid to the army. Ho! ho! plenty to accuse him of. How could he buy estates otherwise?'

'You must have proofs,' said BrÜhl.

'Black and white,' Henniche returned.

'When could you have them ready?'

'In a few days.'

'There is no hurry,' said BrÜhl, 'the King must rest after his first effort. Faustina shall sing, Guarini shall make him laugh, we shall shoot; the incident in the corridor will be forgotten, then we shall be able to act. The essential thing is to keep all in secrecy; he must not suspect anything and run away.'

Henniche, who looked attentively at his master, added:

'We must watch him at Nebigan; we must tell some of our lackeys to enter his service; they will act as spies.'

'Very good,' said BrÜhl.

'I should think it is very good, as I never suggest anything bad,' rejoined Henniche.

'If he escapes to Vienna, or to Prussia, even to Poland,' said BrÜhl thoughtfully, 'it would be a very unpleasant and dangerous occurrence.'

'Yes, dangerous,' said Henniche fixing his wig, 'for although he is not very cunning, it is never wise to despise an enemy.'

'Then it is understood,' whispered BrÜhl, 'you collect proofs of guilt. It would not be proper for me, who succeed him, to act openly against him.'

Before leaving he added:

'Listen, Henniche, you cannot go away, it will be better to send Globig. Such a man as Sulkowski cannot be put in one room, especially when it is probable that he will remain there a long time. Do you understand? Tell Globig to go to the commandant and let him choose a few good rooms for the Count, that he may be quite comfortable. They might clean the rooms and have them ready, but they must not know for whom they are destined.'

Henniche laughed.

'Your Excellency forgets that for such a game I must be rewarded.'

'When he is in the cage,' BrÜhl said. 'And it seems to me that you do not forget yourself.'

'We are both alike,' rejoined Henniche folding the papers. 'Why should we cheat each other? We know each other well.'

BrÜhl, although the ex-lackey treated him so brutally, did not dare to answer; he needed him.

The minister returned with a serene face to the drawing-room, where the card tables were quite ready. The Countess Moszynski, tapping the table with her fingers, waited for him.

'Sit down,' she said, 'at this hour all business goes to bed.'