as a result the Elector sent Father Orban, his Jesuit confessor, to Lützenburg to instruct Caroline and show her that the Catholic Faith was the only true one.
The Electress Sophia, hearing that the Archduke Charles had made Caroline an offer, came to visit Lützenburg.
When she saw Caroline, she was not surprised that the Archduke was eager for the marriage.
‘She reminds me more than ever of what you were at her age,’ she told her daughter. ‘So they are going to make a Catholic of her!’
‘If she will become one,’ Sophia Charlotte reminded her mother.
‘Surely anyone in their right senses would be ready to say a few masses for the sake of a crown?’
‘You are cynical, Mother.’
‘I call it being reasonable.’
‘You have never been a religious woman.’
‘And have you?’
‘I have never been able to see that one way is all good, the other all bad. There are so many sides to all questions.’
‘And so you have talked and talked with your philosophers to try and find the answers. How have you succeeded?’
‘Not with any real success. We always seem to arrive back at the point where we started. The answer is: “It may be this, it may be that, but the truth is wrapped in doubt.” And until I die I shall not be sure what happens after death.’
‘And Caroline?’
‘She believes as I do.’
‘So…’
‘I am uncertain. It is a brilliant offer.’
‘Queen of Spain,’ mused the old Electress. ‘But he has to win his own crown before he has one to place on her head. But still she’d be a Queen of Spain if he is victorious. I can think of a crown I’d rather wear.’
Sophia Charlotte smiled at her mother. ‘Might it be the crown of England?’
‘I’d like to see George Augustus married. I’d say he has as much likelihood of getting a crown as Master Archduke Charles.’
‘Do you mean you would like Caroline for George Augustus?’
‘Why not? She would not have to change her religion for him.’
‘But the changing of religion does not shock you. I remember you had me brought up in such a manner that you could pop me either into Catholicism or Protestantism at a moment’s decision, according to the offers you received for me. A Catholic Prince and then it would be “Oh she is a Catholic”. A better offer from a Protestant and “All her life she has been a Protestant.” Worldly wise and theologically deplorable.’
‘And, my darling, what happened? I have the best of daughters.’
‘You were determined to do the best for me, as I am for Caroline. Our views differ. As I see it she shall not be forced intomarriage. I despair of losing her, yet I shall make no effort to detain her. She has been brought up to respect the freedom of individuals. Now she shall have it and use it as she will.’
The old Electress’s shrewd eyes were speculative.
Sophia Charlotte wanted this girl for her daughter-in-law. She would say nothing to her as yet. George Augustus had not a good reputation and this girl had been brought up to make her own decisions. But a little persuasion would be reasonable… and worldly wise.
Caroline listened to the words of Father Orban.
The Catholic Faith was the true faith, the only faith, and only by adhering to it could she enter the Kingdom of Heaven. ‘This is the undefiled, the genuine, the pure holy truth. Break from the heretics and for the sake of your soul cling to the truth…’
Caroline was thinking: I should be Queen of Spain. And she saw herself riding through the streets of Madrid; she heard the shouts of the people. ‘Long live the Queen of Spain! Long live Queen Caroline!’
And the young man who would ride beside her was pleasant and courteous.
She would have children… and when she held the first of them in her arms the pain of separation would begin to be numbed. She would love the child as she loved Sophia Charlotte and all her hopes and ambitions would be for her son.
Poor Father Orban! He was so earnest. He did not know that
The Electress Sophia, hearing that the Archduke Charles had made Caroline an offer, came to visit Lützenburg.
When she saw Caroline, she was not surprised that the Archduke was eager for the marriage.
‘She reminds me more than ever of what you were at her age,’ she told her daughter. ‘So they are going to make a Catholic of her!’
‘If she will become one,’ Sophia Charlotte reminded her mother.
‘Surely anyone in their right senses would be ready to say a few masses for the sake of a crown?’
‘You are cynical, Mother.’
‘I call it being reasonable.’
‘You have never been a religious woman.’
‘And have you?’
‘I have never been able to see that one way is all good, the other all bad. There are so many sides to all questions.’
‘And so you have talked and talked with your philosophers to try and find the answers. How have you succeeded?’
‘Not with any real success. We always seem to arrive back at the point where we started. The answer is: “It may be this, it may be that, but the truth is wrapped in doubt.” And until I die I shall not be sure what happens after death.’
‘And Caroline?’
‘She believes as I do.’
‘So…’
‘I am uncertain. It is a brilliant offer.’
‘Queen of Spain,’ mused the old Electress. ‘But he has to win his own crown before he has one to place on her head. But still she’d be a Queen of Spain if he is victorious. I can think of a crown I’d rather wear.’
Sophia Charlotte smiled at her mother. ‘Might it be the crown of England?’
‘I’d like to see George Augustus married. I’d say he has as much likelihood of getting a crown as Master Archduke Charles.’
‘Do you mean you would like Caroline for George Augustus?’
‘Why not? She would not have to change her religion for him.’
‘But the changing of religion does not shock you. I remember you had me brought up in such a manner that you could pop me either into Catholicism or Protestantism at a moment’s decision, according to the offers you received for me. A Catholic Prince and then it would be “Oh she is a Catholic”. A better offer from a Protestant and “All her life she has been a Protestant.” Worldly wise and theologically deplorable.’
‘And, my darling, what happened? I have the best of daughters.’
‘You were determined to do the best for me, as I am for Caroline. Our views differ. As I see it she shall not be forced intomarriage. I despair of losing her, yet I shall make no effort to detain her. She has been brought up to respect the freedom of individuals. Now she shall have it and use it as she will.’
The old Electress’s shrewd eyes were speculative.
Sophia Charlotte wanted this girl for her daughter-in-law. She would say nothing to her as yet. George Augustus had not a good reputation and this girl had been brought up to make her own decisions. But a little persuasion would be reasonable… and worldly wise.
Caroline listened to the words of Father Orban.
The Catholic Faith was the true faith, the only faith, and only by adhering to it could she enter the Kingdom of Heaven. ‘This is the undefiled, the genuine, the pure holy truth. Break from the heretics and for the sake of your soul cling to the truth…’
Caroline was thinking: I should be Queen of Spain. And she saw herself riding through the streets of Madrid; she heard the shouts of the people. ‘Long live the Queen of Spain! Long live Queen Caroline!’
And the young man who would ride beside her was pleasant and courteous.
She would have children… and when she held the first of them in her arms the pain of separation would begin to be numbed. She would love the child as she loved Sophia Charlotte and all her hopes and ambitions would be for her son.
Poor Father Orban! He was so earnest. He did not know that
Similar Books
