For Sceptre and Crown Volume II Part 64

The king was silent for a moment.

"What are your views for the future?" he then asked.

"Your majesty," said Captain von During sadly, "I will not enter the Prussian service; they want officers in Turkey, so does the Viceroy of Egypt. I know Eastern affairs from the permission your majesty gave me to serve for two years with the French army in Algeria, I think of seeking a career in the East."

"Will you stay with me?" he then asked.

"Your majesty," cried Captain von During, "my wishes are nothing, you have but to command,--it would be my greatest happiness; yet," he added with some hesitation, "I must tell your majesty plainly, that idleness is contrary to my whole nature."

"You shall not be unemployed, my dear During," said the king, proudly raising his head. "I have every intention of again obtaining my inheritance, and when the political situation permits the attempt I shall require men capable of forming an army, and of leading it."

Captain von During's face brightened.

"Your majesty," he cried, "I can only lay my sword, my life, and my future at the feet of my king."

"I appoint you my equerry," said the king, "remain here, you shall do no court duty," he added, laughing. "Au revoir, I shall expect you to dinner at five o'clock."

Captain von During bowed low.

"I cannot express to your majesty the grat.i.tude I feel," he said; "may I have the opportunity of proving it by my deeds!"

And he left the cabinet.

"Has your majesty any commands for me?" asked Count Wedel.

"Did the queen give you no commission to me?" asked the king in a penetrating voice.

"Commission?" said the count, "no, only to deliver the letters which I have had the honour of presenting to your majesty, but--"

"But?" asked the king anxiously.

"I perceived," said the count, "that the queen ardently wishes your majesty could follow the advice given you by so many well-wishers, and--"

"And that I should abdicate?" said the king pa.s.sionately.

"Her majesty believes that thus the crown would be preserved in the royal family," said the count, "and she regrets that your majesty does not seize upon this sad and deplorable means of safety; the queen thinks you might still be in time; but that your majesty is withheld by those around you."

"And what do you think? I wish to hear your honest opinion," asked King George.

"Your majesty," said Count Wedel slowly, "is convinced of my entire devotion to your person; but since you ask the question, I must reply uprightly and honestly, that if by your majesty's abdication the crown could be saved for the house of Guelph--"

"_If_ it could!" said the king earnestly.

He came a few steps nearer, feeling his way with his hand, and seized the count's arm.

"I wish," he said, "that this point should be perfectly plain to you; for no accusation could pain me more, than that I had sacrificed the future of my family to my personal inclinations. I do not know by whom, or with what views the queen and the country have been told that my abdication would preserve the independence of Hanover, and prevent her annexation to Prussia; that it is only with me that Prussia refuses to conclude peace; I will not try to discover what motives have induced various persons to speak in this manner."

"Counts Munster, Windthorst," said Count Wedel, "they certainly hope to be all-powerful ministers under the rule of the crown prince."

"No matter who it is," proceeded the king; "I can understand how the queen, how several of the most important members of my family, may credit these a.s.surances; only it hurts me to think that they can believe I should not long ago have seized upon this means of saving the crown, if it would have saved it. When this opinion was urged upon me from every side; when the queen telegraphed begging me to abdicate,"

continued the king more slowly, "I determined to take a step which should make my duty upon this point plain. If my abdication could preserve my crown for my descendants," he said with emphasis, "it was my duty to abdicate, if not, it was my duty to refuse all such propositions. I sent the minister for education, von Hodenburg, who was here, to Berlin, to ask Count Bismarck plainly, whether my abdication would preserve the crown for my son."

"Ah!" exclaimed Count Wedel.

"Late one evening," added the king, "Herr von Hodenburg had a long interview with Count Bismarck. He declared with a candour and honesty that did him honour, that the incorporation of Hanover was quite resolved upon, that for the interests and the safety of Prussia the step was absolutely necessary, and that my abdication would not affect it in the least. Hodenburg told the count that the people of Hanover would greatly resent an incorporation with Prussia, and that it would create endless difficulties; the count replied that he knew well it would be so, but that he could not be in error in doing what he believed to be his duty towards his king and his country. But," he said, interrupting himself, "this is only hearsay; through Lex, I will give you Herr von Hodenburg's report, read it all through, it is very interesting; but, you now know the answer I received to my direct question,--tell me, what do you think?"

"Your majesty is right,--right a thousand times," cried Count Wedel; "I see afresh how easy it is to judge falsely when you do not know all the circ.u.mstances."

The groom of the chambers opened both the folding doors and exclaimed:

"His majesty the King of Saxony!"

King George took the count's arm. Supported by his chamberlain he walked quickly through the Chinese anteroom.

At the further door of this apartment appeared the somewhat bent and slender form of King John, with his sharply-cut profile, his bright eyes full of genius, and his grey hair. Behind him walked his equerry, Colonel von Thielau. The king wore the uniform of a Saxon general. He hastened to meet King George and seized his hand. Count Wedel stepped back.

King George took the King of Saxony's arm, and guided by him returned to his cabinet. The groom of the chambers shut the doors.

King John led the King of Hanover to the chair before his table, and drew forward one of the arm-chairs standing near for himself. They both seated themselves.

"I wished to come to you at once," said the King of Saxony, "to tell you that the foundations of my peace with Prussia were concluded."

"You will then return?" asked King George.

"Not yet," replied the King of Saxony, "the completion of the conditions requires some time, and the troops cannot return until all the new arrangements are definitely made."

"And you are satisfied?" asked the King of Hanover.

King John sighed.

"I am satisfied," he said, "thus far,--Saxony will not be taken from my family; for the rest, the cause for which I fought is defeated,--the vanquished must accept their fate."

"My fate too is that of the vanquished," said King George in a sad voice.

The King of Saxony seized his hand, in great emotion.

"Believe me," he said affectionately, "that no one feels for you more deeply, more heartily than I do; but," he added, "believe me also when I say, that as far as my personal feelings go, I would far rather be in your position than in my own. Rather, far rather would I abandon public life, withdraw into seclusion, and devote the remainder of my days to philosophy and the arts, than begin life afresh under new and strange, oppressive and humiliating conditions."

King George bowed his head with a sorrowful look.

"And," added King John pa.s.sionately, "Germany will be divided; instead of one united, federal Germany, we shall be split into two warring halves. Oh!" he cried, "for Germany, for her greatness and her power, I would make any sacrifice; but will the end be reached by this path?"

And thoughtfully he gazed before him.

"What do the Saxons themselves say to this new state of affairs? will it not create great difficulties?" asked the King of Hanover.

"The Saxon people, as well as myself, will have to go through many sorrowful experiences," replied King John gravely; "but when I have once signed my name beneath the Treaty of Peace, my word must be respected and held sacred under all circ.u.mstances, and my people will support me. I have but one wish," he added, with a deep sigh, "that the painful sacrifices I make may give to Germany unity and greatness."

"Germany will not in this way attain to real safety, or to true greatness!" cried the King of Hanover.