al appearance they presented, in their long
black gowns and broad white collars plaited around the neck. They would
have been taken, not for burgers of the two first cities of the land, but
for gravediggers and undertakers, who had come here in the discharge of
their melancholy offices.

When George William heard the approaching steps of the burgers, he gave
his chair a sudden push, so that it turned upon its strong rollers, and
thus gave to the men the benefit of his Electorial countenance.

Forthwith the burgers sank upon their knees, and imploringly stretched out
their hands toward the Prince.

"Wherefore have you come and what will you have of me?" inquired the
Elector in a severe voice.

"Your Electoral Highness, we have been informed by the magistrate that
your grace was angry with the corporations of Berlin and Cologne because
we ventured, in our anxiety and distress, to have recourse to our own
liege lord, and to implore in a petition his support and protection."

"How could you dare to do such a thing? Did you not know that the Count
von Schwarzenberg had been appointed by me stadtholder within the Mark,
and that to him alone you should have gone with your complaints and
grievances?"

"But we knew, besides, that our despair had reached its height, and that
we longed for the protection and presence of our own Sovereign, as weak,
delicate children long for the sight of a strong, tender parent. Therefore
have the united corporations of the cities of Berlin and Cologne
determined to send a memorial in writing to your Electoral Highness, to
conjure our liege lord not to deal with us as step-children, since we are
children of one and the same father, and inferior to the Prussians neither
in love nor obedience, but only more visited by misfortune and the
calamities of war. But on this account we implored our hereditary
Sovereign most graciously to turn his eye upon us, and to come to our aid,
since we stood in such great need of his help and his protecting arm.
This, Electoral Highness and most gracious lord, this is our sole crime.
We longed after the presence of our Sovereign, in his own most sacred
person, and told him so."

"But in what way have you presumed to speak?" cried the Elector with
vehemence. "Not as in reverence and duty bound, but as if you would
reproach us! What a rude expression is this when you say, in your
petition, that you hope we shall no longer leave the Markgraviates as
sheep without