“Permit me, your highness, to answer the last question first, and thus will you understand the rest.  Count Schwarzenberg is answerable for all the distress, wretchedness, and misery which envelop the Mark, Prussia, indeed all parts of your devastated and distracted land, for he acts contrary to the true interests of the Elector and his land, being wholly devoted to the interests of his own master, the Emperor of Germany.  To this end all is worked and manoeuvred, with this aim all efforts are undertaken, to ruin Brandenburg, and take from it all power and consideration, yea, all hope, in order that it may be rendered dependent upon the Emperor and empire, and become less dangerous.  For the benefit of the Emperor, and to the detriment of the Elector and his land, has Count Schwarzenberg concluded the treaty of Prague.  Up to that time Brandenburg was the ally of Sweden, now it is neutral—­that is to say, it is the prey of both parties; it is visited, laid under contribution, and plundered by the Swedish and Imperialist troops, and can apply for redress to no one, expect aid from no one.  With each day the misery increases more and more.  All trade and commerce languish; in the country the fields remain untilled, in the towns the artisans are unemployed, nobody finds work or wages.  Hunger and want, and in their retinue sickness and death, daily demand hundreds of victims.  The Swede has possession of your rightful heritage, Pomerania, and the Imperialists press to invade the Pomeranian towns and lay them under contribution, without thinking of leaving the vanquished cities wherewithal to pay tribute to their Sovereign, the Elector of Brandenburg.  Imperialist is to become the whole Mark, the whole of Pomerania and Prussia, Westphalia and the duchy of Cleves.  Imperialist and Catholic—­that is Count Schwarzenberg’s plan, and with cruel consistency he puts in motion everything that can conduce to its accomplishment.  To prevent the recovery, the prosperity of Prussia and the Mark is the aim of all his policy.  He exhausts the land, and yet more than the enemy plunders and taxes the towns, enriching himself through the blood and tears of the tortured citizens and hungry peasantry, living in luxury and splendor, while the Elector is suffering want, while his land is starved and unproductive.”

“Abominable! horrible!” groaned the Electoral Prince, covering his face with both his hands, probably to conceal from Marwitz the tears which stood in his eyes.

“Prince,” cried Marwitz joyfully, “you are moved!  The afflictions of your country touch your noble heart!  Oh, may God be with you in this hour, and strengthen you for noble and great resolves!”

“What do you require of me?” asked the Prince, after a pause, slowly withdrawing his hands from his livid face.  “What can I do?”