rd to her dignity, and takes it very ill if
she is not treated with due reverence and extreme devotion."

"Was my missive wanting in these respects?" asked Frederick William.

"I beg your highness's pardon, but the young Queen seemed to be rather of
this opinion. She was visibly delighted when I handed her your letter, and
especially delighted that she received it secretly, without witnesses, and
not in the presence of Chancellor Oxenstiern, whose guardianship seems to
be very irksome and unpleasant to her. The young Queen blushed, sir, when
she took your letter, and I must confess that at this moment she looked
pretty and graceful enough to be the wife of my gracious master. But her
countenance soon became clouded, as she read your communication, whose
contents seemed to afford her little satisfaction."

"But she answered my letter, did she not, and you bring me her reply?"

"Oh, yes, most gracious sir, she answered it, and I have with me Queen
Christina's reply. But I must beforehand make your grace an apology for
this answer."

"Well, let me see it, Leuchtmar. Give me the answer."

Leuchtmar drew a folded paper from his pocket, and handed it to the
Elector, who unfolded it. A number of torn bits of paper fell to the
floor.

"What is that, Leuchtmar?" asked the Elector in amazement.

"Your highness," replied Leuchtmar, "that is Queen Christina's answer."

The Elector picked up a few of the larger scraps of paper, and examined
them attentively. "It seems to me, Leuchtmar," he said, "that I recognize
specimens of my own penmanship. Yes, yes, it is my writing!"

"Yes, indeed, your highness, it is your own writing. It is your letter to
Queen Christina of Sweden."

"She sends it back to me torn?"

"She tore it with her own exalted hands, trampled it under her royal feet,
and literally wept for rage."

"My heavens! what have I done to enrage her little Majesty so?"

"In the first place, noble sir, you wrote to the Queen in German instead
of Latin, and she found that very wanting in respect, and thought you
might have given yourself the trouble to write to her in the language most
agreeable to her.[50] In the second place, you addressed the young Queen
as 'Your highness,' when she is entitled to be called 'Most serene
highness.' She is certain of that, for Oxenstiern had told her that he
gained the title for her as an especial prerogative for her from your
father and the house of Brandenburg. And in the third