of that the populace should have prepared such a triumph for the young home-returning lord.  It is plainly to be seen that all has been settled and arranged beforehand.  For it is not merely the offscourings of the streets, but burghers, magistrates, and officials, who have extended a welcome to the Electoral Prince.  At Spandow, for example, all the citizens, with the magistracy at their head, issued from the town to pay their respects to him—­yes, even Commandant von Rochow has found it necessary to join in the universal rejoicings, and has ridden out with his officers in their dress uniforms to do honor to the Prince’s arrival.  Here at Berlin, too, your own residence, all is uproar and excitement.  They are putting on their holiday suits, and making ready to meet the Electoral Prince.  That proves quite clearly that his speedy approach to the city has been already announced to the citizens, and communicated to the magistrates even before any tidings of the sort had reached your highness or myself, the Stadtholder in the Mark.  For as soon as I obtained this intimation from Colonel von Rochow, I hastened hither to bring to your highness the glad news of your son’s return home, and on the way I was stopped by whole crowds of festive men and women hastening to the suburb Spandow, to plant themselves near the Pomegranate Bridge and along the meadow dike.[21] Indeed, it strikes me that I even saw some gentlemen of municipal authority going the same way in full official dress.”

“And you suffered this?” asked the Elector angrily.  “You allowed them to prepare such an insult and affront as to do for the son what they have not found needful to do for the father?  But I will not bear it; I shall not be humiliated by my own son.  You are the Stadtholder in the Mark, you must provide against their offering me any cause of vexation.  Send out your officers, Sir Stadtholder, to clear the streets of this gaping multitude, send the magistrates home, and order the people to remain quietly within their houses, to do their work and not to lounge about the streets.”

“My much-loved lord and Elector, I sue for a favor in behalf of your most faithful servant, your poor Adam.  I beg you out of consideration for me to retract these stringent orders, for I should be ruined if I were to execute them.  Throughout the whole Mark, yea, throughout all Germany, they would raise the cry of murder against me, would everywhere blazon it, that Count Schwarzenberg is so inimically disposed toward the Electoral Prince that he would not even grant him an honorable reception on his return home after an absence of three years.  Oh, most gracious sir, you will not increase yet more the number of my enemies and opposers, you will not excite public opinion yet more against me, and render it more favorably disposed to the Electoral Prince!  If we now forcibly restrain these testimonials of pleasure on the part of the people, then will it be said that I misuse my power and am jealous of the Electoral Prince; that I am seeking to thrust him aside from his exalted position.  If, on the other hand, it is seen how joyfully I acquiesce in the Electoral Prince’s reception with acclamations everywhere, then will they be forced to acknowledge that it is not I who meet the young Prince with hatred, but that I willingly concede to him all honors and triumphs.”