inheritance! Not the smallest part of it should be abstracted
from him! In his father's lifetime he had been appointed his coadjutor in
the Order of the Knights of Malta; now, since his father was dead he must
be his successor, must be Grand Master of the Order of St. John. He sent
orders to Sonnenberg, summoning a solemn chapter of the order to hold its
sitting, and to send in the oath of service due him. In his father's
lifetime he had been his associate in the office of Stadtholder; now, his
father being no more, he claimed the stadtholdership in the Mark as his
lawful heritage. And his friends and adherents strengthened the ambitious
young count in these pretentions. As soon as John Adolphus had taken up
his residence in Berlin, Commandant von Kracht placed guards before the
gates of his palace, and every evening demanded a watchword from the young
nobleman.

Commandant von Rochow of Spandow placed himself and his garrison wholly at
the disposal of the "young Stadtholder," and Colonel von Goldacker swore
that he would obey the orders of none other than Count John Adolphus,
Grand Master of the Order of St. John and Stadtholder in the Mark.

Count John Adolphus allowed himself to be rocked in these olden dreams of
power and ambition, believed in their realization, and was firmly
determined to do everything to prove their truth. He accepted the guard,
gave the watchword, and sent orders to Sonnenburg, as if he were already
elected grand master; he required an oath of fealty from all those places
which had been pledged to his father by the Elector George William. He
also issued his mandates in Berlin, and toward magistrates and judiciary
he assumed the attitude of Stadtholder in the Mark. And nobody ventured to
contradict him, no court had the spirit to oppose him, for the young count
stood at the head of a host of powerful and influential friends; the
courts were weak and powerless, and as yet no instructions had been
received from the Elector at Koenigsberg.

Count John Adolphus husbanded his time well. He sent messengers in all
directions, corresponded with all his father's friends and adherents,
summoning them to rally around him, and to come sword in hand. He held
correspondence also with the father confessor Silvio at Vienna, nay, even
with the Emperor himself. Restlessly active was he from morning till
night, his whole being absorbed in this one effort--to ruin the Elector,
and to win for himself his rank and po