For Sceptre and Crown Volume I Part 19

The king rose.

With grave looks and in silence the ministers left the cabinet.

Prince Solms gazed sorrowfully before him.

"Am I right?" asked the king.

The prince looked at his royal brother with an expression of deep veneration.

"You are right," he said in a low tone, "and yet," he added, his eyes growing sadder and his head sinking down, "yet very, very wrong."

"Now, my dear Karl," said the king cheerfully, "you shall go out with me. I wish to go where you must be my guide."

He pressed on a second k.n.o.b at the right hand side of his writing-table. The groom of the chambers of the private apartments appeared, from a door leading to the king's bed-room.

"I am going out," said the king, b.u.t.toning his uniform.

The attendant handed him his cap and gloves.

"Does your majesty wish for a cigar?"

"No. Inform the equerry on duty that I shall not want him. The prince will accompany me."

The king took the prince's arm and walked through the corridor, pa.s.sing various bowing lacqueys in their scarlet livery, to the princ.i.p.al entrance. In the hall leading to the door an animated conversation was heard.

"Who is that?" asked the king.

"Count Alfred Wedell and Devrient."

The persons mentioned stood close together in the vestibule engaged in so engrossing a conversation that they did not perceive the king's approach.

Count Alfred Wedell, the king's chamberlain, and governor of the castle, was a tall, strongly-built young man of about thirty years of age, with a healthy complexion, and handsome, though decidedly marked features. He was in undress uniform, a blue coat with a red collar, and he stood opposite the famous Hanoverian actor, Devrient, a man well past sixty, who had taken part in the German wars for freedom, but who felt so little the burden of his years that he still played Hamlet with great success. Neither when off the stage did his animated face, his sparkling eyes, nor his upright figure, show any sign of age.

"Good morning, Devrient," said the king in his clear voice, stopping in the middle of the hall.

The gentlemen broke off their conversation, and Devrient hastened to the king.

"Well, how are you?" said George V. kindly. "Always fresh and active.

Devrient is an example to us all," he said, turning to Prince Solms, "he has the secret of eternal youth."

"Your majesty," said Devrient, "the youth you so graciously ascribe to me has a behind the scenes. I am not always before the lamps, the gout is a very poor prompter. I came to beg your commands for the next rehearsal, but I see your majesty is going out."

"I am busy to-day, dear Devrient," said the king, "and to-morrow. Will you come to me the day after to-morrow?"

"At your command, your majesty."

And, with a friendly nod, the king went through the great entrance, both doors of which had been opened by the porter.

As they entered the courtyard of the castle, where the sentries on guard presented arms, Prince Karl asked:--

"Where are you going?"

"To the mausoleum," said the king.

Taking his brother's arm, he walked firmly and quickly through the castle courtyard.

Devrient turned to Count Wedell after he had watched the king for a moment.

"When I see our master walking thus, and when I think of the times in which we live, I could wish to conjure all the good angels of heaven to watch over his dear head. It does not please me," he added, gloomily, "to see him leaning on the arm of an Austrian general. G.o.d grant it may be no evil omen."

"You are incorrigible!" cried Count Wedell, "will you again rant on politics, and air your hatred against Austria? All Germany takes the emperor's side; shall the king sacrifice himself for Prussia?"

"I do not love the Austrian uniform," said Devrient, moodily.

"I wish we had thirty thousand of them here," cried Count Wedell; "I will remind you of to-day, Devrient, when the great victory is won, and when grateful Austria----"

"Grat.i.tude from the House of Austria!" cried Devrient, with a theatrical tone and gesture; and without saying another word he put on his hat and rushed through the open door, along the broad alley which led from Herrenhausen to the city.

Count Wedell laughed, and shook his head as he retreated into the interior of the castle.

In a deep wood in the gardens of Herrenhausen is the tomb of King Ernest Augustus and Queen Frederica, similar to the mausoleum at Charlottenburg, where Frederick William III. of Prussia and Queen Louisa rest.

The king and queen lie chiselled in marble by a master's hand upon a sarcophagus, in a building resembling a temple, the light from above falling with wonderful effect upon the beautiful, lifelike figures. The building in its profound stillness and pious simplicity impresses the beholder with the full majesty of death, not to be felt without a shudder, but also with the perfect peace of eternal rest.

A single sentry stood before the entrance.

Four persons were leaving the mausoleum in silence, evidently impressed by the royal tomb. The castellan followed them.

Three of these persons were old acquaintances from Blechow--the pastor Berger, his daughter Helena, and the eldest son of Baron von Wendenstein. Their companion was a young man of about seven or eight and twenty, who was evidently a clergyman, from his plain black dress and white neck-tie; his smooth, fair hair hung low on his temples, and surrounded a round, s.h.i.+ny face, which was neither handsome nor interesting. His small grey eyes, partly concealed by eyelids habitually cast down, were quick and rather hard, and on his thin, firmly closed lips appeared an expression of self-satisfaction and ascetic a.s.sumption, which formed a remarkable contrast to the amiability and calm cheerfulness of old pastor Berger, who wore his usual dress--a closely b.u.t.toned black coat, and the square _berretta_ of the Lutheran clergy.

The whole party advanced slowly up the wide avenue leading from the mausoleum to the park immediately surrounding the castle.

They had not gone far from the mausoleum, when they heard the sentinel present arms, and the castellan said in a low voice:--

"His majesty the king!"

George V. appeared from a side walk, leaning on the arm of Prince Solms.

The three gentlemen removed their hats, and they all respectfully stood still.

"They are acknowledging you," whispered the prince.

The king touched his cap.

"Who is it?" he asked.

"From his dress, a Lutheran clergyman," replied the prince.