ch,
which stood in the center of the square between the palace and Broad
Street, their lofty personages had not been discernible behind the glass
panes of the Electoral gallery. But to-day they were not to be seen in the
seriousness of devotion, with their solemn, church-going faces, but in the
pomp and splendor of their exalted station, in the glitter of their
earthly greatness. And, above all things, they were to see the Electoral
Prince, the Prince who had but just returned home, the hope of the
downtrodden land, the future of the Mark Brandenburg!

How the good people hurried with joyful, eager faces along toward Broad
Street, with what hasty movements did they rush across the Spree Bridge! A
black, surging throng of men stood before the castle on the cathedral
square, a dense, motionless mass before Count Schwarzenberg's palace. Only
one passage was left free, broad enough to allow the carriage to drive
across the castle square to the palace, and on both sides of this stood
the halberdiers of the Stadtholder's bodyguard, threateningly presenting
their halberds toward those who ventured to step forward. The Stadtholder
in the Mark had his own bodyguard--fine, athletic fellows, of proud
bearing, in splendid uniforms, trimmed everywhere with genuine gold and
silver lace, while, as everybody knew, the members of the Electoral
bodyguard wore nothing but imitation lace upon their uniforms. The
Elector's bodyguard, indeed, were paid and clothed by citizens, and they,
on account of their want and distress, had refused to pay the last
bodyguard tax, while the Stadtholder's bodyguard consisted of members of
his household and was paid and clothed by himself. And Count Schwarzenberg
was very rich, and the citizens were very poor, but still the count had
never once practiced mildness and mercy, and relieved the poor cities of
their taxes and imposts, or given of his wealth to their poverty.

To-day, however, he gave a _fete_, a splendid _fete_, and however much at
other times they dreaded and hated him, his _fete_ they could still look
upon, and with longing eyes behold all its magnificence. It was, indeed,
glorious to look upon, and they saw, moreover, how much the Stadtholder
honored and esteemed the Elector, for never before had he displayed such
splendor, when he merely invited the high nobility. Above the grand door
of entrance was stretched a canopy of crimson cloth, edged with gold, the
golden pillars of the canopy reach