tilence and war. The Stadtholder in the
Mark, however, feels no pity for our sufferings, and just recently,
despite our entreaties, has had all the suburbs burned down, because the
Swedish general Stallhansch was on the march against us. We most urgently
entreat your highness to have compassion upon us in our low estate, and to
instruct the Stadtholder to slacken the severity of his rule and to spare
us in our grief." [29]

Sighing, Frederick William laid aside the melancholy writing, and took up
the next in order. It was a petition from the town of Prenzlow, not less
sad, not less moving than the first. The magistracy of Prenzlow likewise
prayed for compassion and redress of grievances, and painted in moving
words the misery of town and country. "Since," they wrote, "on account of
the unhappy war existing, the fields hereabout had been lying idle for
some years, such unheard-of scarcity had ensued that the people had not
only been driven to making use of unusual articles of diet, such as dogs,
cats, nay, even dead asses lying in the streets, but impelled by the
fierce pangs of hunger, in town as well as in the country, had fallen
upon, cooked, and devoured one another!" [30]

"Much to be pitied land, and much to be pitied Prince as well," sighed
Frederick William. "A heavy, an almost intolerable burden of government
has fallen upon my shoulders. God help me to sustain it worthily!" [31]

He stretched out his hand for a third paper, when the door opened and old
Dietrich entered.

"Well, old man," asked the Elector, "what brings you here? And why is your
old face so merry to-day?"

"Because I have something pleasant to communicate to your highness. The
two gentlemen whom your honor has been expecting are here. Colonel von
Burgsdorf and--"

"Leuchtmar?" joyfully inquired the Elector, and, upon Dietrich's assent,
he hurried himself toward the door. But after he had already stretched out
his hand to turn the knob, he paused and slowly resumed his place in the
middle of the room.

"Who is in the antechamber, besides?" he asked.

"Your highness, there are also without the gentlemen whom you summoned to
an audience, the Chamberlain von Schulenburg, Herr von Kroytz, Herr von
Kospoth, and the jeweler Dusnack."

"Those gentlemen may wait. Desire Herr von Kalkhun to come in."

Dietrich withdrew to the antechamber. The Elector's eyes were fastened
upon the door with an expression of joyful expectancy. When it opened, and