Chapter 604: A Ray of Hope
Stanisław II, in an exceedingly humble tone, said:
"Your Majesty, Poland is always under your protection. Every nation knows that any progress we make is thanks to your benevolence."
"Is that so?" Catherine the Great raised an eyebrow, shaking her head slightly. "I've heard that in Warsaw, you're constantly indoctrinating people into believing they're Polish, regardless of whether they speak Polish, Russian, or German."
A cold sweat instantly formed on the Polish king's back. He knew that one wrong word here could doom Poland to disaster. But his face betrayed nothing but a brighter smile.
"Your Majesty, it's just a trick to make those Prussians and Romanians, who are reluctant to pay taxes, feel like they're part of Poland. Only then will they pay taxes to the Polish king."
Poland's main ethnic groups, Poles and Lithuanians, were not a majority. The kingdom also housed many Prussians, Russians, Austrians, and Romanians, which made it difficult to unify its population against foreign invasions.
Stanisław II elaborated:
"The foolish officials in Warsaw, somehow, have spread this 'trickery' to Ukraine, where it isn't even needed.
"Oh, if this displeases you, I'll issue an order immediately to stop such propaganda."
The nationalist ideology of a "Greater Poland" had already taken root deeply over the past two years. There was no longer any need for the government to promote it further.
Later, he planned to have parliament issue a ban on such nationalist rhetoric. However, ideological movements are not so easily curtailed by decrees; such a ban could even provoke public backlash and spark another wave of enthusiasm for the cause.
In doing so, Russia would lose its justification to criticize the Polish government. The response would essentially say: Look, we're trying, but these stubborn commoners won't listen. What can we do?
Catherine narrowed her eyes but seemed to accept Stanisław's explanation. Then she asked another question:
"And the large-scale military expansion in Warsaw over the past few months—was that also meant to frighten these unwilling taxpayers?"
Stanisław felt his scalp tighten. If not for the meticulous preparations by his nephew and Monsieur Sieyès, he would've been too nervous to answer. Fortunately, the empress's question had been anticipated.
"Your Majesty, it's merely a business venture," he said with a pitiful expression. "You know how dire Poland's debt situation is."
"I think more soldiers will only increase the strain on your finances," Catherine replied icily. "Tell me, what do you need all these troops for?"
Stanisław struggled to maintain composure and feigned a tone of grievance:
"Your Majesty, these troops truly are just a business arrangement.
"Count Młodowski came up with a way to generate revenue for the treasury: by organizing the idle poor into mercenary forces, much like the Bulgarians do.
"Austria expressed a need for support against the Slavonian rebels, so I allowed him to recruit a few people to earn commissions.
"Rest assured, Your Majesty, once this business with Austria is concluded, I'll disband these troops immediately. Besides, I don't even have the money to maintain them for long."
This was, of course, just a stalling tactic. The plan was to keep training these new recruits, and once they matured, Poland wouldn't have to worry about Russian objections.
"Very well," Catherine finally smiled again. "Staszek, I must remind you that only Russia sincerely supports Poland's strength and prosperity. Without Russia, Poland would be in grave danger."
Stanisław quickly bowed deeply.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Please believe that this is my thought as well."
An Uncertain Future
The next afternoon, Catherine received a letter from Potemkin, warning her not to trust Stanisław II.
The letter stated that with the passing of its new constitution, Poland was gradually distancing itself from Russia and moving toward becoming a sovereign nation. Potemkin advised that Russia must be prepared for war with Poland, as it always had been.
Although Potemkin was stationed in Iași, he had received a tip from his rival Platon Zubov about the Polish king's attempts to influence Catherine. Thus, he immediately wrote this letter.
Catherine hesitated for a moment before placing the letter in a drawer.
She didn't need Potemkin to point out the obvious. As one of the most capable rulers in Europe, she had already discerned Stanisław's ulterior motives behind his flattery.
However, she felt uncharacteristically conflicted. Despite the evidence suggesting that Poland was preparing for something, Stanisław had assured her that these issues would be corrected.
For reasons she couldn't quite explain, she suddenly thought of his melancholic, weathered eyes. In that moment, she felt inclined to trust him—just this once. Perhaps Poland would remain the obedient protectorate it had always been...
Ostend, Southern Netherlands
Edmond Henri Demville gazed at the dozen or so ships docked in the sunset and felt a surreal wave wash over him.
In his 20-something years of life, he had never imagined becoming a sailor—just as he had never imagined paying off his crippling debts.
Old Demville had tormented him for 16 years and left behind a legacy of 4,300 livres in debt. The old drunkard's life revolved around cheap alcohol and drunken rages. Six years ago, in one of his drunken fits, he had accidentally killed a nobleman. The court sentenced him to 20 years in prison and fined him 3,000 livres in compensation.
Luckily for him, he died before serving his sentence. Demville's mother had sold everything and borrowed from every possible relative and friend to pay the fine, only to die from exhaustion shortly after.
Over the years, the original 3,000 livres had ballooned into over 4,000 due to compounding interest.
Just as Demville was on the brink of despair, a distant relative—and one of his largest creditors—introduced him to a highly lucrative job.
The offer: 900 francs a year. In less than five years, he could clear his debts.
The job? Sailing with the "Purcell Trading Group" on maritime ventures.
Initially, Demville was disheartened—he had never set foot on a ship, let alone worked as a sailor.
But his creditor explained that the Walloon Trade Council had recently established a new Maritime Commerce School where he could learn the skills to become a crew member. Tuition was only 30 francs, and students could defer payment until after training.
After four months of intensive training, Demville passed the "apprentice deckhand" exam and secured a position aboard the Leisure, earning an annual salary of 950 francs, with just six voyages a year required.
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