when you are not with me what do you think of it I should account my self very happy replied Wesselini if that were true You should not long enjoy this Happiness replied Joshua looking upon his Rival with Eyes wherein his Jealousie was flaming And who should disturb my Happiness answered Vladislaus with a scornful Air would you Methinks our Birth makes a difference great enough between us for me not to have any cause of fearing your Competition You thing replied Joshua sharply you are yet in Hungary but I desire you will remember we are in Croatia and if a man be born a Gentleman and have Courage he may account himself equal to all that are not Princes If you were elsewhere you should it may be not have reason to doubt of what I say but I know the respect which is due to my Lady and I shall take a better time to Convince you of it Finishing these words he went out of the Garden without waiting for his Rival's Answer My Lady Veronica informed her Father of what had passed between these two Rivals and the Count immediately caused Joshua to be searched for with care but it was impossible to find him He remained concealed for eight days near the Castle and took his time so well that one morning when he was no more thought of Wesselini being gone out of the Castle to walk in the cool of the Morning he came out of his Ambuscade and coming up fiercely to the Palatine's Son forced him to draw his Sword They both fighting with great eagerness the Combate would have been fatal to one or the other and it may be to both if Count Serini had not come to part them He caused Wesselini to be carried to the Castle he being wounded in many places But Joshua who was least hurt went a way with all speed no body discovering which way he took Madam de Serini did not in along time hear any news of this desperate Lover and found him not again until ten years after this time by a strange surprising Accident vvhich I shall relate in the end of this following Discourse Count Serini having given an Account to the Palatine of his Sons being wounded he came over immediately to Lapsina and was glad by discharging this natural Obligation to be able to lay the foundation of a Plot which he had in his Head He found his Son in a pretty good Condition by the Care which had been taken of him and therefore he would no longer defer breaking the Matter to the Countess of Serini The first time he found himself alone with her he intrusted her with the thoughts he had of delivering Hungary from the Bondage under which the Emperour kept the Nobility and Commonalty The Palatine had no sooner made this overture but she promis'd to concur with him with all her Power and to speak of it to her Husband and to Count Frangipani her Brother who was to be at Lapsina within two days The Countess perform'd her promise to the Palatine and represented to her Husband who was dissatisfied at the refusal which had been made to him of the Government of Carolstad that he might by the means of this League make himself Soveraign of Croatia The Count was caught by this Bait and finding his Brother-in-Law of the same mind they conferred both with the Palatine by the means of the Countess The only thing which staid the Execution of their Design was to finde out a Fond great enough to raise and maintain the Forces which they should be oblig'd to have on foot The Countess being an Italian Lady could not want Expedients proposed engaging in their Party Prince Ragotski whose Father who had been Prince of Transylvania had heaped up great Riches which his Widow kept at Mencatz a strong Place in upper Hungary and that not to fail of what would be absolutely necessary for their undertaking it would be convenient to marry the young Lady Serini to that Prince The Palatine having relished this Proposition told the Company that this Prince intended to go for a Month to Drontheim to take the Waters and it was resolved that the Countess should go thither with her Daughter to shew her to the Prince and endeavour to make him in Love with her Whilst these four Persons took measures for the making of War Count Teckeli who was Wesselini's Friend having heard of his Duel and of his Wounds at the Castle of Kuss being then with his Father came to Lapsina to give him a visit The Countess to whom his Courage was known knew that it would be of great Advantage to the Conspirators for them to get this Young Count to enter into the Confederacy To succeed in this Design she thought she ought to make Love be of use to Ambition and commanded her Daughter to make use of all her Charms to endeavour to please Teckeli She could not command a more pleasant thing to Lady Veronica for the first time she had seen Count Teckeli she had felt some Inclination towards him and did wish he loved her Teckeli on his part had had the same thoughts and they passed some days without explaining themselves than by their Looks and emotions of their Hearts Teckeli being very familiar with young Wesselini he asked him the ground of his Quarrel with Joshua and Vladislaus made no difficulty of trusting him with it he added also that his Father was come on purpose to Lapsina to conclude a marriage between him and Lady Veronica de Serini and that he believed she would consent to it without much repugnance because she had always shewn to him a great deal of Favour since he had been at the Castle Teckeli seemed struck as witha Thunderbolt when he heard this news and in the fear wherein he was that Wesselini should perceive his Concern he went out of the Room upon a pretence which he made upon the sudden Teckeli since this fatal Confidence fell into a deep Melancholly which surpriz'd every body at Lapsina Lady Veronica who had a greater share in it than the others was most earnest to clear her doubts One Night as Teckeli led her walking with her she could not forbear saying to him seeing him wrapped up in so deep a study I see my Lord you are weary of Lapsina and you are troubled at your having quitted the Diversions which you had in Hungary to come into Croatia where you find none of those Sports From whence comes it Madam replied the Count that you make this judgment of me Do you think I have so little understanding as to be tired with a Place where you are It looks as if you found little satisfaction in my Company replied Lady Veronica since you speak to me only when Civility forces you to answer me and I am forced to keep up the Conversation which you suffer to fall every moment you must necessarily have your mind prepossest with some trouble It is not replied the Count sending forth a sigh
Croatia she would not marry her Daughter to any but a Soveraign Prince and that he should consider with himself whether he had Courage enough to make himself Master of Stiria The Conversation was carried no farther this day but Count Serini had many other discourses with Tachtembach wherein they discussed this matter to the Bottom Tachtembach objected several diffidulties viz. the Number of the Forces fit to be raised the money necessary to keep them up and what Places could be had convenient to retire into Count Serini answered all these Objections and told him he was Master of Schachthorn the Palatine of Murano and that Ragotski whom they intended to get into the Confederacy would deliver up Mencatz and would raise Forces with the Money which his Father had gathered and kept in that Castle that therefore Tachtembach should only need to make himself Master of Gratz In that he knew so well how to manage this Counts humour that he made him sign a Treaty of which he had drawn a Project with the Palatine before he went away Tachtembach after having been a fortnight at Lapsina took leave of Count Serini and desired him to come to see him at the Castle of Krantzfield with the Countess his Wife and the Charming Aurora Veronica which the Count easily promised him being desirous to keep him in the good disposition into which he brought him The season for drinking the Waters drawing near Count Serini thought it requisite not to defer any longer his Journey to Krantzfield that he might afterwards go to Drontheim without passing by Lapsina again Tachtembach having had notice by a Letter from Count Serini that he was setting out to go to visit him with all his Family prepared to entertain him with his usual Magnificence and having sent for Actors and Violins to Gratz he set out at the head of fifty Gentlemen very richly dressed and bravely mounted and went to meet Count Serini as far as Puttow which is the last Town of Stiria towards Croatia He then conducted this lovely Company which came to visit him to Krantzfield always riding by the Coach side entertaining the Ladies During the eight days which Count Serini remained at this Castle Tachtembach invented every day some new Divertisement sometimes Hunting another time Fishing or Hawking sometimes the wrestling of Peasants or the running of Boat-men at each other upon a great Canal giving every Night a Play and a Ball with very pleasant Masquerades and Musick in Recitativo I do not mention good Chear that being the usual Regale of the Germans and it may be said that there was never seen so great an abundance and so many Delicacies on the Emperour's Table as there were at Krantzfield whilst this entertainment lasted But Tachtembach loving Debauchery a little too much when the Ladies were retired to their Chambers they fell to drinking which they continued the greatest part of the Night It is easie to imagine that after excesses of this kind Tachtembach could not make his Court agreeably to his Mistress and that he chose rather to absent himself from her than let her perceive his sighs smelled too much of Wine In the height of all these Diversions Aurora Veronica began to be weary of Krantzfield whether because the behaviour of Tachtembach was unpleasing to her or that she was impatient to see Teckeli again She said every moment to the Countess that the season of the Waters was going over and prevailed with her at last to go to Drontheim She found there Teckeli who was one of the first come thither and who was as much in love as at Lapsina he complained of her having deferred coming so long but she obligingly gave him to understand that if the day of her departure had depended upon her own will she would not have stayed so long from thence Prince Ragotski was also come thither with the Princess his Mother and having heard of the arrival of the Countess of Serini he went to give her a visit he was not less Charmed with the Beauty and the Wit of this young Lady than the other Lords which had seen her saying like a Courtier to these Ladies that although it might make him pass for an undutiful Son he could not be sorry for the troubles which this Journey cost to his Mother since they had furnisht him with an opportunity of making so agreeable an acquaintance they rallied a long time upon the effect of the Waters The Countess said that she was of opinion that the Diversions of these places where they went to drink them contributed more to the restoring of Health than the vertue of them Prince Ragotski added that he very much doubted whether the coldness of the Vitriol with which the Waters were tinged would be able to put out that flame with which he of late found himself consumed The Countess rallied this Prince for this pleasant way of declaring his Love and told him that certainly he was very easie to be inflamed if any fair Lady had already kindled in his Heart so great a Flame But Aurora Veronica did not concern her self in this Conversation and seemed always very reserved After Ragotski was gone the Countess asked her Daughter why she had been so serious and commanded her to look upon this Prince as a Man that was designed by her Relations to be her Husband Lady Veronica was extreamly surprized at her Mother's discourse and not being willing to discover to her her real thoughts she made some slight indisposition her excuse So soon as she could have opportunity of discoursing with Teckeli in private she did not fail of letting him know what force they intended to put upon her inclinations but she not engaging her self so far as to disobey her Fathers orders the Count accused her for being more sensible of Ambition than Love and swore to her that if she would always be faithful to him he would set a Crown upon her Head otherwise he would dye in the execution of his design But although he said at the same time to her the most passionate things in the World he could obtain nothing more of her Ragotski whose passion grew greater every moment did not fail of asking Lady Veronica the first time he had the opportunity of discoursing with her in private whether she would give any ear to his Suit and whether she would allow him to make his Propositions to her Father Although the amiable Veronica answered him with great indifferency yet he spoke to Count Serini concerning this Affair who seemed to him to be very glad that he should seek his Alliance that he could not let him have his Daughter unless he would enter into the League which was made against the Emperour and promised him that he would seise upon Mencatz and of his Fathers Treasures which was extreamly necessary to make so great a design succeed Ragotski was too much in Love to refuse any thing to Count Serini he promised him to follow blindly his Orders
all his losses And yet so soon as he hears I am a Widow and in a Condition to dispose of my Person he renounces all his fair hopes and comes to make a Sacrifice of them to me what can I desire more Princess Ragotski setled her self so firmly in this last thought that she resolved to explain her self to Count Teckeli she caused him to be looked for in the whole Town but in vain He had ordered one of his Gentlemen to give him notice at Mencatz when the Ambassadour which Prince Abafti had sent to the Imperial Court should return to Alba Julia. He heard by this Officer that the Emperor had refused to restore the Counties of Zathmar and Kalo and that they stayed only for him to begin the Campagne which forced him to depart with great speed So soon as he was returned to Alba Julia he made the Forces of Transilvania march and the first of the Acts of Hostilities which they committed was the siege of Zathmar in less than a Fortnight he reduced this Town to such extremity as would have forced it to capitulate had not Prince Abafti sent him orders to come back to oppose one of the greatest Lords of all Transilvania called Pedi Pol who having been invested with this Principality by the Grand Seignior and had made a considerable Party in the Country which intended to dispossess their Soveraign Count Teckeli was too grateful to abandon his Benefactor in so imminent a danger he no sooner had notice of it but he raised the siege of Zathmar and returned to Transilvania not only with the Army which he commanded but also with the Auxiliary Forces which Forval had conducted thither under the command of the Count of Boham and who had newly beaten a Detachement out of the Imperial Army commanded by Major General Smith Count Teckeli met Pedi Pol going to besiege Zebin and having charged him without giving him time to know his strength he put him to slight and forced him to retreat into Walachia with the Chancellor Berthlaeus who had embraced his side It was not enough that Teckeli delivered Prince Abafti from so powerful a Competitour but it was also necessary to hinder the Grand Signior from taking Pedi Pol's part Teckeli who thought nothing impossible when the Service of his Friends required any thing and who had not less Skill in managing Affairs of the Closet than Valour to beat his Enemies when he is at the Head of an Army offered Prince Abafti to go to Constantinople to defend there his Cause His Offers being accepted of he departed immediately laden with very rich Presents for the Chief Officers of the Ottoman Court. As soon as he was arrived at Constantinople he desired Audience The Grand Vizier Kara Mustapha who was so pleased with his Wit that after two or three Conferences he intrusted him with his most secret Affairs and confessed to him that Sultaness Validé Mother to the Grand Signior for whom he had but a bare indifferency and that he had disposed of all his Inclinations to the Princess Basclari Sister to his Highness and Widow to Aslam Bassa Beglierby of Asia but that the Jealousie of Sultaness Validé was an Obstacle to all his Pleasures but that there now came into his mind a way of freeing himself from the Importunities of this Princess which was to afford her Love another Object that for this it was necessary it should be a Man endowed with the Graces of the Body as well as the Charms of the Mind and that all this Concurring in his Person he desired him to go in his place the night following to an assignation appointed with him by the Sultaness The Proposition was nice and he ventured his Life in case he was discovered but the desire of so powerful a Minister as this was were commands to him This last consideration out-weighed the first Teckeli shewed he thought himself honoured with the Viziers trust and protested he was ready to obey his Commands This Minister having given him the Instructions necessary for getting the Doors opened and how to deceive the Kistler Agasi who had the chief care of the Seraglio disposed himself to venture his Fortune and abandoned himself to it which was so favourable to him that he got without opposition to the Apartment of Sultaness Validé she was surprized to see an Unknown Person come in but she being informed of the Intrigue between the Vizier and the Princess Basclari she easily understood that he had a mind to put the change upon her but Count Teckeli's Person not displeasing her she was willing to spare him so difficult a Complement as his Circumstances obliged him to make She told him she saw very well that he came in the room of Kara Mustapha who probably had more important Affairs upon his hands than that of making his Court to her and that she was very willing to pardon the scorn he shewed of her Goodness since he gave her an opportunity of so happily recovering the loss which she made by being deprived of his Company Teckeli endeavoured to excuse him by reason of the weight of Affairs which he was under being charged with all the Affairs of the Ottoman Empire The Sultaness soon passed from this Discourse to another sort more tender and remained so well satisfied with Teckeli that she often desired to see him This Count had soon learned the way of making Love in the Seraglio and how Selams were to be composed which are the Love-Letters made use of in this Amorous Commerce he made one as tender as if he had lived all his time at Constantinople and received in Answer Musk Amber and other Aromatick Gums by which he might perceive his Services were acceptable but he had Affairs which were more pressing than this Amour It was necessary to destroy Pedi Pol's Faction and it was to this he applied himself with so much diligence that the Vizier granted him whatsoever he pleased Although Teckeli's Person pleased Sultaness Validé extreamly yet she did not forget the Vizier's Perfideousness and to be revenged of him she perswaded the Grand Signior to marry Basclari to the Bassa of Buda This Prince who did not penetrate into the motives which induced his Mother to this Affair easily consented to what she had proposed and gave at her request Count Teckeli the Charge of Conducting his Sister into Hungary The Count's Affairs being now finished and it not being now safe for him to stay longer in Constantinople without doing a prejudice to his Party she would not keep him longer and thought that Teckeli being very handsom might in this long Journey affect the Heart of her Rival and blot out of it the Image of Kara Mustapha Teckeli would not notwithstanding leave Constantinople without acquainting the Vizier with the Employment which had been given to him This unfortunate Lover was seized with a violent Grief when he learned the trick that Sultaness Validé had plaid him he however comforted himself