his week began yesterday. Then said the
Electoral Prince: 'Well, Dietrich, I want you to exchange with him this
time, for I would like to have you to wait upon me this week, and Eberhard
shall have a holiday the whole week. I only want to see your old face
about me!' Is not that strange, Sir Baron? Until yesterday Eberhard stood
in such high favor, and my gracious master always preferred being dressed
by him. Only yesterday evening Eberhard must accompany him to the feast,
and now, all at once, my gracious master will not see him! Something must
have happened, for last night Eberhard came home much later than the
Electoral Prince, and asked, as if bewildered, whether his highness had
been back long; and when I told him that the Electoral Prince had bidden
me change with him, he turned deadly pale, trembled in every limb, and
said, 'It is all over with me!' Baron, something surely happened last
night."

"Probably Eberhard has been guilty of some negligence," said Leuchtmar
carelessly. "He has often been negligent of late, as it seems to me. He
has some love affair on hand, has he not?"

"Yes, Sir Baron, he has gotten in with that artful chambermaid of the
Princess Ludovicka, out there at Doornward, and they are engaged to one
another. But people do not say much good of Madame Alice: she is a cunning
French girl and--"

"Do not trouble yourself about what people say," interrupted the baron.
"Do your own duty and rejoice that for this week the Electoral Prince
gives you the preference over Eberhard. Go, now, and announce to his
highness the chamberlain, Baron von Marwitz, from Berlin."

A few minutes later the gentleman announced entered the Prince's drawing
room. Frederick William advanced into the middle of the room to meet him,
and greeted him with grave courtesy.

"I was expecting you, baron," he said coldly.

"Your highness was expecting me?" asked the baron, astonished. "Your
highness knew already that I would come?"

"Yes, I knew it, baron. My mother's court painter, Gabriel Nietzel,
arrived yesterday, and through him my gracious mother informed me that the
Elector would send you to me with a very serious and angry message. You
see, I am prepared. Deliver your message now, baron. Let us be seated."

The Prince sat down in the armchair and made the baron sit opposite him.
His large eyes were fixed upon Marwitz, and burned with a strange, sad
light. His noble pale countenance was of touching beauty.

"You he