The Shadow of Tyburn Tree (36 page)

Roger made an appropriately sympathetic face. He had not known the circumstances leading up to Gustavus's marriage, and while they could not possibly excuse his abominable treatment of the unfortunate Sophia Magdalena, they certainly gave grounds for his initial prejudice against her.

‘Yet the protests of all my family were of no avail,' Gustavus hurried on. ‘I was forced to marry her whether I would or no; and, year by year we became more obviously naught but prisoners in a gilded cage. The insolence of the Senate grew to be insupportable. They took to nominating their creatures as our chaplains, ordered our clothes and decided what we should have to eat. The final limit was reached when they announced that in future they meant to dispense with the King's signature on documents of State and, instead, use a name-stamp.'

Gustavus's handsome but slightly foxy face had gone a bright pink, and his prominent eyes were popping with anger as he repeated indignantly, ‘A name-stamp! Just think of it; name-stamp!

‘But that was too much, even for my father. He was a studious and kindly man, but a poor weak creature. I doubt if he would have jibbed even then had it not been for myself and my mother. Louisa Ulrica was a worthy sister of Frederick the Great. For her wisdom, taste and learning she well deserved the appellation of “the Minerva of the North.” And she had courage, too; abundant courage. That rabble of a Senate feared her, and endeavoured to bring discredit on her by an accusation of sending to Berlin some of the jewels which had rightfully been presented to her from the Royal Treasury. She flung the lot back in their faces and told them to keep their trash. When the crisis arose she and I, between us, forced my father to threaten to abdicate unless they abandoned their project of the name-stamp. For a few days he feared that he would share the fate of your Charles the First; but we kept him firm, for once, and I made a personal tour of every department of State, forbidding them to act on any order that did not bear the King's written signature. The Senate found that
it could not govern without even the shadow of a King, and collapsed like a pricked bubble.'

Abruptly the speaker relapsed into silence, evidently becoming absorbed in his memories; so Roger, thinking it to be the end of the tale and that some comment was called for, said: ‘That was indeed a most satisfactory outcome to your Majesty's fine display of initiative.'

‘Nay, nay!' cried the King, looking up. ‘That was but the beginning; the testing time which taught me that when called to book the Senate were no more than a pack of craven fools. The affair of the name-stamp occurred over two years before I came to the throne. While still Crown Prince I had to bide my time, but I began to make my preparations for a
coup d'état
in secret. When my father died I was in France. The Estates busied themselves against my return by wrangling over the terms of an even more stringent coronation oath than any that had been forced upon my predecessors; those stupid babblers little knew that I was already taking measures for their overthrow. For my project I needed an ample supply of money wherewith to bribe key-men and suborn my own troops. I managed to persuade old Louis XV to subsidise me to the tune of six million
livres
; though what that cost me by way of a
pourboire
to the Du Barry, I shudder to recall.'

Gustavus gave a sudden laugh. ‘Still, 'twas worth it; even though the Comte de Vergennes arrived as the new French Ambassador to my Court having failed to bring the first instalment with him, and I had to borrow on the promise of it from the Dutch. But I anticipate. On my return I found the Four Estates at loggerheads among themselves. Those of the Peasants, Burgesses, and Clergy were entirely dominated by the Caps, and so controlled by my enemy Catherine, who was prepared to spend a fortune as long as by so doing she could keep me in chains. Only the First Estate still showed some spark of independence; yet even in that the nobles were thinking not of the monarchy, but of themselves. Things were in the very devil of a mess, and that firebrand Count Pechlin caused me endless trouble. He was an extraordinarily astute political intriguer; as dangerous, self-seeking and unscrupulous as your Charles James Fox. Do you know Mr. Fox?'

‘I know him slightly, Sire,' Roger bowed in answer to the abrupt question. ‘He has great personal charm but I consider his political machinations utterly despicable. 'Tis clear that your Majesty had the most appalling difficulties to contend against.'

‘I had indeed. The people knew nothing then of the reforms I intended for their benefit; so the whole country was against
me; except for a few nobles who had the sense to see that we were on the verge of a revolution. Yet even they thought me too young and inexperienced to handle the situation myself, and relegated me to a minor part in the
coup d'etat
we planned to save the situation. However, they soon learned their mistake.'

The King was silent for a minute, then he ceased his excited pacing. ‘Johan Kristoffer Toll and Baron Sprengtporten, Colonel of the Nyland Dragoons, were the ringleaders. The first has since become my faithful Minister; the other has turned against me. He and Count Yagerhorn are the leaders of the Finnish nobility, who wish to hand their country over to Russia.'

‘ 'Twas Count Yagerhorn who set those rogues upon me, Sire,' Roger interjected. ‘Despite his mask I recognised him plainly.'

‘That surprises me not at all, seeing that he is Russia's best-paid lackey, and tied both by interest and love, if you can call it that, to Razumofsky's daughter.'

‘I crave your pardon for interrupting,' said Roger after a moment. ‘Your Majesty was saying….'

‘Ah, yes. The plan was that Sprengtporten should proceed to Finland, seize the fortress of Sveaborg and muster an army there. Meanwhile Toll was to secure Christianstadt as a rendezvous for our supporters in Sweden. When both had accomplished their tasks the two armies were to advance from east and south on Stockholm. Then, as Sprengtporten had the impudence to put it to his colleagues, “we must thrust a weapon into the young King's hand and trust him to use it”.'

Gustavus sniffed indignantly. ‘They had yet to learn that I have two weapons of my own; my sword and my tongue, and that I can use both better than most men. As so often happens with conspiracies, the affair went wrong at the last moment. Contrary winds prevented Sprengtporten from sailing, and before Toll could assemble an army at Christianstadt news of their activities leaked out to the Senate. I was left high and dry in the capital, surrounded by my enemies and with scarcely a man I could count on. On the evening of the 18th of August I learned that on the following day the Senate intended to arrest me.'

For a moment the King paused dramatically; then, throwing himself into his role of hero like a born actor, he cried: ‘That night and the day that followed were the most exciting of my life. 'Twas my wits against those of the whole governing class of Sweden. If I won, Sweden would have a real King for the first time in seventy years; if I lost, my life would be the
forfeit. But my years of secret preparation stood me in good stead. I had taken the trouble to cultivate the goodwill of a number of Army officers. While darkness lasted I sent messages requesting them to meet me the following morning in the great square facing the arsenal. Some two hundred obeyed the summons. I led them to the guardroom of the barracks and there addressed the soldiery. I spoke to them in Swedish, which no monarch had done within living memory. I made the speech of my life, painting in vivid colours the sad state into which our dear country had fallen. I ended by crying “If you will follow me as your forefathers followed Gustavus Vasa and Gustavus Adolphus, I will venture my lifeblood for the safety and honour of my country”.'

Again Gustavus paused, then he threw up his right hand. ‘On that they cheered me to the echo. The Senate was in secret session debating the question of my arrest. I sent a picket to lock them in, dictated a new oath of allegiance binding the troops to my person, and took possession of the artillery-yard for my headquarters. Then I tied a white handkerchief round my left arm as a mark of recognition and bade all my adherents do the same. Within the hour the whole city had donned my symbol. The gates of the capital were closed at my order, the fleet, which was lying off the Skepperholm, was secured, and I returned to my palace absolute master of the situation.'

‘What a triumph!' Roger could not help exclaiming in genuine admiration.

The King's eyes gleamed. ‘Ah, but my crowning triumph took place two days later. On the 20th I sent out heralds to proclaim that the Four Estates should meet in the
Riksaal
at four o'clock the following afternoon. On the 21st I had my troops line the streets of the city and one hundred cannon trained on the
Riksaal
with a grenadier behind each holding ready a lighted match. My terrified enemies crept to the meeting place in twos and threes. When they had assembled I appeared before them in my full regalia and from the throne trounced them for their lack of patriotism. Then I read to them the new Constitution, which I had already prepared with my own hand. Not one of those loud-tongued bullies who, all my life, had treated me with such insolence, had the courage to say a single word in protest. To a man they swore to keep the new Constitution inviolable, and at last there was a real King in Sweden once more.'

With that tact which was one of Roger's greatest assets he again went down on one knee, as the most suitable way in which he could express his admiration for the royal actor.

Nothing could have pleased Gustavus more, and this time he
gave Roger a friendly pat on the shoulder, as he said: ‘Rise, Chevalier; or perhaps I should say Mr. Brook, since it was in that name you signed your letter. We still have much to discuss before morning, and the night advances.'

As Roger obeyed he said with feeling: ‘Your story, Sire, has but added to the high admiration I had already conceived for your Majesty's courage and abilities. This detailed knowledge of your brave handling of the discontented nobility in '72 also gives me more confidence that if the need arises you will again succeed in circumventing their evil machinations. And in that was my greatest fear for you should it be your royal will to go to war with Russia.'

‘It is my royal will,' declared the King proudly. ‘The die is cast, and I sail for Finland on the 24th.'

Prebendary Nordin gave a deferential but warning cough.

Gustavus swung round towards him. ‘Be easy, my friend. We know from this young man's letter to Mr. Elliot that his interests march with our own. If he is to be of any value to us we must trust him, or he will not know how to serve us best.'

Roger bowed. ‘I thank you, Sire, and vow that I will never abuse any confidence which you may do me the honour to make me. May I be permitted to inquire if Count Razumofsky has yet been officially informed of your intention to go to war with his country?'

A crafty smile flickered over Gustavus's thin lips. ‘The Count made his
demarche
today. He demanded to know the reason for our military preparations and seemed mightily perturbed about them. He has good cause for his anxiety, seeing that the Empress has entirely denuded her Finnish frontier in order to reinforce her armies on the Black Sea. She knows my hatred of her and of my alliance with the Turks; but she counts upon my not daring to declare openly against her without the sanction of my Estates, and relies upon her paid hirelings in them to thwart me. 'Twas clear to me that Razumofsky counts upon that too, and believes that I intend only a gigantic bluff for the purpose of drawing pressure off my allies. I gave him fresh grounds for continuing to think it.'

A little shocked at such duplicity, Roger murmured: ‘Then your Majesty has no intention of sending the Czarina an ultimatum; and intends to attack her without warning?'

The King nodded. ‘ 'Tis a chance in a lifetime, and I am not the man to miss it. With the Finnish frontier virtually undefended I'll be at the gates of Petersburg within a month; and that proud, evil woman will have no option but to submit to such terms as I'll dictate—unless she wants her capital burned about her ears. But I told Razumofsky that I intended only to
journey to Finland to make further inspections of my troops, and that I had no mind to offer any fuller explanation until I arrived there.'

Roger smiled, which brought the swift question: ‘What matter do you see for merriment in that, Monsieur?'

‘Knowing the Russian, Sire, I was thinking how baffled and angry he must have been at receiving so ambiguous an answer.'

‘Aye, he was angry as a bull before which a matador waves a red cloak.' Gustavus gave an abrupt laugh. ‘But I gave him more reason for that than I have so far said. For once I allowed myself the pleasure of carrying the war into the enemy's camp. I accused him of fomenting internal treachery here, and aiming at sowing discord between my people and myself. Then I ordered him to leave my Kingdom.'

‘If I may be permitted to say so, Sire, 'twas a bold step; for is not the dismissal of an Ambassador without asking for him to be recalled by his own Court almost tantamount to a declaration of war? Will not the Empress read your intention in it?'

‘Nay, I made it a personal matter; and by the time he reached Petersburg 'twould be too late for anything that the Empress might deduce from his return to be of value to her. I was anxious to have him out of the way before I left Stockholm myself. But, unfortunately he foiled me in that. He declared that he would accept his dismissal from his post only on receiving a direct order signed by his Imperial mistress. 'Twould bring discredit on my Crown to seize the person of an Ambassador and forcibly put him aboard a ship; so he remains. But to some extent I have curbed his power to do mischief in my absence. I insisted that, apart from his personal servants, all his staff should go, and his daughter too, since she is one of his principal links with those of my subjects who conspire against me. For the purpose I have placed a ship at their disposal, and she will sail on the afternoon tide tomorrow.'