excellency."

"And such a confounded popinjay has been with me, too!" growled Herr von
Kracht. "He also imparted to me his Electoral message--command, the fellow
called it. I did just like Commandant von Rochow, left him standing while
I hurried off to your excellency."

"An Electoral mandate reached me also!" cried Colonel Goldacker, laughing.
"I simply showed the jackanapes the door, laughed him to scorn, and am
come to get my orders from your excellency!"

"But, gentlemen, with all this I know nothing and can not find out what
has happened. Sir Commandant von Rochow, inform me. What is the matter?"

"The matter is, your excellency," said Herr von Rochow, gnashing his
teeth, "that a commissioner from the Elector has come to me with his
master's orders, to require an oath of allegiance to the Elector from
myself and the whole garrison."

"A like order has the Elector's deputy handed to me!" cried the commandant
of Berlin; "the fellow wanted to swear me and my men into the Elector's
service."

"I, too, must give such an oath to the commissioner!" screamed Goldacker,
"and my troops as well. What do you say to that, Sir Stadtholder in the
Mark?"

Just now, however, the Stadtholder said nothing. He turned pale and
tottered backward, until his hand rested upon a chair into which he sank.
His head swam, a sudden dizziness seized him, and he was obliged to put
his hand over his eyes, for everything was turning and whirling in a
circle around him. In the vehemence of their own excitement the three
gentlemen hardly observed this, and the count, with the energy of his
strong will, speedily recovered his composure and presence of mind.

"Your excellency!" cried Commandant von Kracht, "do you not agree with us?
Do you not find the Elector intolerably assuming?"

"I was silent because I was reflecting, gentlemen," said the count,
drawing a deep breath. "This appearance of the commissioner empowered to
administer to you your oaths of office is a challenge, thrown down to me
by the Elector, for I am Director of the War Department, and to me alone
should that duty have been committed of again binding the troops in the
Mark to him by oath. He insults me, and thereby insults the Emperor, for
you all know that the Emperor is your commander in chief, and that you
dare never break the oath to the Emperor, which I took from you after the
conclusion of the peace of Prague. You swore to do your duty for Emperor
and Elector, and for