Here he paused, not wishing to betray his secret, and added with a laugh--“to all the capitals of Europe.”
This was brought him; at the top of the list was _route to Stockholm_ in large letters.
Karl saw the meaning; he knew that the Swedes were longing to return home.
“I see,” he said, “where you would lead me--but we do not return to Sweden so soon.”
A few days after the army was in marching order, and proceeded through Saxony towards Dresden.
The forces of Karl consisted of 43,000 men, 8,500 cavalry, 19,200 foot, and 16,000 dragoons.
All the regiments were complete, and to many of them were attached supernumeraries. These did not complete the resources of Karl; he had an army of 20,000 men in Poland, under Lewenhaupt, 15,000 men in Finland, and new recruits were on their way from Sweden.
Karl had the satisfaction of hearing that on the first rumor of his approach the Muscovites in Lithuania, where the Czar was endeavoring to regain some of the ground Augustus had abandoned, had fled to Grodno, a hundred leagues from Lublin.
As the army approached the capital of Saxony, Karl, who always rode a few paces in front of his guard, galloped off with a few of his officers, giving no one a hint of his design, and throwing the whole army into consternation by his sudden disappearance.
The whim had taken him to visit Augustus, and within an hour of his leaving the army he had presented himself at the private apartments of the Elector, leaving his officers below.
Augustus was then in his bed-chamber, in poor health and melancholy humor, lounging in a white brocade dressing-gown by the wood fire, while Aurora von Königsmarck, who had recovered something of her ancient splendor, but who was also negligently gowned in pink taffetas, frothed the chocolate over a silver lamp.
Count Fleming, the Elector’s minister, had seen the King enter the town, and had rushed to advise his master; but Karl, who had entered the gates under an assumed name, and passed as a member of the King’s guard, was before him, and had entered the chamber of Augustus before that prince knew that he was in the town.
Augustus vested himself in haste, being utterly bewildered and amazed.
“The King of Sweden in my ante-chamber!” he kept saying.