nment
in my hands, if he could have wrested it from me, and perhaps I would not
have remained Stadtholder in the Mark had it been in his power to displace
me!"

The count had thrown himself into a fauteuil, and supported his head on
his hand. The triumphant expression had long since faded from his
features, which were mow grave and lined by care.

"It pleases me not," he murmured, after a long pause--"no, it pleases me
not at all that my son associates so constantly with Goldacker, Kracht,
and Rochow at Spandow. They are disorderly fellows, who recognize no law
or restraint, and find their sole pleasure in tumult and strife. It would
seem fine to them if they could embroil father and son, for they would
surely fish in the troubled waters, and draw out some advantage for
themselves, which is ever their only concern. They exert an evil influence
over my son, I know that, and it would be infinitely better for him to go
away from here and--Ha! a good thought! I shall immediately carry it out."

He started up and grasped the large gold bell, which had been recently
presented to him by the Emperor. The clear, sonorous tones called a smile
to the count's lips.

"Yes, yes," he said, "the old Elector is dead, and I ring the new times
in; yet the new era is but a repetition of the old, and the end remains
ever the same, although the means by which we attain it differ. I used to
whistle, now I ring, but the object remains identically the same--to
summon serviceable spirits to my side.

"They do not come, though," he continued after a long pause, in which he
had awaited in vain the appearance of a lackey. "No, these, my serviceable
spirits come not; they incline not to the new order of things, and prefer
clinging to the old."

He took the little golden whistle, lying on the table beside the bell,
and gave a loud, shrill call with it. Immediately the door opened and a
lackey appeared.

"Why have you kept me waiting?" asked the count imperiously. "Did you not
hear the bell?"

"Yes, your excellency," replied the lackey, with reverential mien, "I
heard ringing. It was the beadle, giving notice that two women were to be
put in the pillory on the fish market for committing twenty thefts between
them!"

"Stupid fool! It was I who rang!" cried the count. "Did I not yesterday
notify you through the majordomo that I should no longer call you with a
whistle, but with a bell?"

"It is true, your excellency, and I beg your pardon f