ted work to exhibit."

"Your excellency will not understand me," said Gabriel, while drops of
agony trickled from his cold brow.

"No," proudly retorted the count, "it is for you to understand
_me_, Sir Court Painter Gabriel Nietzel. Were you not sent to The Hague to
complete your studies there? Why have you returned home so soon?"

"Because I was homesick, most gracious sir--because I longed inexpressibly
after my child, my wife!"

The painter ventured to lift his eyes with earnest anxiety and entreaty to
the face of the count, but Schwarzenberg's glance remained cold.

"Ah, you have a wife?" he asked, with indifference. "You left her behind
and went alone to The Hague?"

"Yes, I went there quite alone, because I had a great and important work
to accomplish there; but before I had even stretched my canvas and
sketched the outlines, an unexpected hindrance interposed which
annihilated all my plans."

"What sort of hindrance?" asked the count carelessly, while he played with
the heavy golden chain about his neck, to which was attached the portrait
of the Elector set in brilliants. "What sort of hindrance?"

"The Electoral Prince, to whom the Electress had recommended me, and who
received me into the number of his attendants, suddenly and unexpectedly
determined to take his departure from The Hague, and straightway carried
his resolution into effect. He himself, together with Baron von Marwitz,
Baron Leuchtmar von Kalkhun, secretary Mueller, and his chamberlain
repaired forthwith to Amsterdam, in order to take ship there. He, however,
ordered his majordomo and myself to break up his household, to pack up
his books and paintings, and to journey with them by land to Berlin. I
ventured to protest against this, and even preferred the request to be
permitted to accompany the Electoral Prince upon his sea voyage; this,
however, Baron Leuchtmar refused, and nobody was allowed to speak with the
Electoral Prince himself. Up to the time of his departure he remained shut
up in his chamber, and only left it to get into the carriage which
conveyed him to Amsterdam. There, as was known, lay a passenger vessel
ready to sail for Hamburg, and in this the Electoral Prince took passage."

"And you did not see the Electoral Prince at all before he set out?"

"Oh, your excellency, I had ranged myself along with all his other
household officers at the side of his traveling carriage, and the Prince
very condescendingly held out his ha