their sense of right; and to
assign this suit to the imperial court at Vienna would be in the highest
degree derogatory to the Electoral power and jurisdiction. I can not
therefore gratify his Imperial Majesty in this wish.[53] As concerns his
right to the place of grand master, that appointment belongs not to me,
but to the members of the order. They, however, will not elect the young
count, and I can not compel them to do so. Lastly, as regards the estates
claimed by the heir of the Stadtholder in the Mark, his title to them is
wanting, and, moreover, there are no accounts to prove that the money for
which the estates were mortgaged was ever used by the Stadtholder for my
father's benefit. Besides, even if such contracts existed, they were
entered into without the consent of the States, and consequently by the
laws of the land were null and void. This is the reply I have to make to
the imperial envoy, of which I can alter and abate nothing, however I may
deplore any apparent disrespect to his Imperial Majesty's wishes. Return
to Vienna, Dr. Gebhard, return with your associate and _attache_, and
repeat to the Emperor what I have said to you. You are dismissed,
gentlemen."

"Your Electoral Highness will pardon me for venturing to add one more
word," said Count Martinitz, "but I am empowered to do so by the imperial
order. The Emperor Ferdinand commissioned me in his own handwriting, in
case that your highness refused to accede to the demands made by Dr.
Gebhard--"

"Demands?" broke in the Elector. "I did not hear Dr. Gebhard make use of
any such term. Mention was made only of imperial wishes and requests. You
mean that in case I do not grant Dr. Gebhard's requests--Proceed, Count
Martinitz."

"I am in that case commissioned to desire your highness in the Emperor's
name to grant a private audience to the _attache_ of the imperial embassy,
the Emperor's privy counselor and chamberlain, Count Adolphus von
Schwarzenberg, as he wishes to make an important and confidential
communication to your highness."

Frederick William's piercing eyes were fixed with a questioning expression
upon the count's face, whose eyes returned the look with a bold and steady
gaze.

"You presume greatly upon the respect I owe the Emperor," said the Elector
after a pause. "I have wished to regard you hitherto merely as a piece of
paper hallowed by the Emperor's superscription. But now you voluntarily
step forth from behind the protecting paper