e, Your Majesty. When I parted from him, his last
words, called after my moving carriage, were these: "Dear friend, my
gracious mother, the Queen, will inform you as to all further details
concerning the affair in question."

QUEEN.

That sounds very like him. I am quite ready to do as he says.

PRINCE (_aside_).

The plot thickens.

QUEEN.

You know that the Electors of Brandenburg have but recently become Kings
of Prussia. Although a Hanoverian Princess myself, I find my happiness
in Prussia's greatness, my pride in Prussia's fame. No state has such
need to be careful in the choice of its alliances, political or
matrimonial, as our own. And hence there is no subject so interesting
and so important to our country at the moment as a certain question
which is already exciting the Cabinets of Europe, a question--the answer
to which you have doubtless already guessed.

PRINCE.

I think--I may say--that I understand Your Majesty entirely. [_Aside_.]
What can she mean?

QUEEN.

No one can call me unduly proud. But if one belongs to a family which
has recently had the honor of being chosen to fill the throne of
England--if one is the daughter of a King, the wife of a King, the
mother of a future King--you will understand that in this matter of my
daughter's future--there are weighty considerations which force me to
avoid any possible political mesalliance.

PRINCE.

Mesalliance? The Princess? Your daughter [_Bewildered_.] I must
confess--I was but superficially informed of all these matters.

QUEEN.

What I am about to tell you, Prince, under the seal of your utmost
discretion, is a secret and the result of the gravest negotiations and
plans. You know what kind of a Court this is at which I live. I am
denied the influence which should be my right as mother of my country.
The King has surrounded himself with persons who have separated him from
me. I dare not think how this company of corporals and sergeants will
receive my deeply thought-out plans. How will the King be inclined in
regard to a matter that is of such decisive importance for the happiness
of his children and the fair fame of his house? In this, Prince, you see
my need of a man of your intelligence, your insight, that I may know
what to hope--or [_firmly_] if need be--what to dare!

PRINCE.

I shall be most eagerly anxious to justify Your Majesty's confidence.
[_Aside_.] Good Heavens!

QUEEN.

Let me then inform you of a secret but compl