e man his
stupidity," said she; "but he deserves some indulgence in so far as he has
only been in our service for a short while, and consequently is not well
acquainted with the plan of the palace. My valet fell sick on the journey
from Koenigsberg here, and we were obliged to leave him behind, which was
so much the more inconvenient as he was our hairdresser besides, and
understood how to arrange the Elector's hair as well as my own and the
young ladies'. Count Schwarzenberg heard of it, and by a piece of good
fortune, was able to spare us one of his valets."

"Oh!" cried the Electoral Prince, smiling. "This fellow, then, has been
transferred from the Stadtholder's service to that of your grace?"

"Yes, and I must say that he is a very useful and efficient servant, who
understands all the newest styles of French hairdressing, and is well
skilled in other ways also. I beg you therefore to excuse him for this
little mistake."

"He is perfectly excusable," said the Electoral Prince, bowing. "So much
the more excusable, as it might well happen that he is not yet familiar
with this castle."

"It is true," cried the Electress, casting her eyes around the room, "it
does look a little dilapidated and desolate here, and care ought indeed to
have been taken to refurnish your apartments and give them a more
comfortable aspect. You know, Frederick, we only expect to tarry here for
a short time, and think of returning to Prussia very soon, and there I
shall see myself that you are provided with handsomer and more commodious
rooms. There I am the princely lady of the house, and everywhere reigning
duchess, while here, in the resident palace of Berlin, I seem to myself
only a guest, who has nothing at all to say in the directing of the
household, but must silently acquiesce in everything. And it _is_ so, too,
and has come to this pass, that the Stadtholder in the Mark is the only
ruling lord and commander, and the Elector seems to come here only as the
Stadtholder's guest."

"The Stadtholder, though, seems at least a right polite and splendid
host," remarked the Electoral Prince, smiling, "a host who lays himself
out to attend to the comfort and entertainment--nay, even to the
wardrobes--of his noble guests."

"Your Electoral Highnesses!" cried an advancing lackey--"your Electoral
Highnesses, the steward of the household is without, and announces that
dinner is served, and that the Elector and the young ladies have already
rep