The lackey made haste to obey the order given him, and the Electress turned to the Prince.  “I beg you, my son, to pardon the man his stupidity,” said she; “but he deserves some indulgence in so far as he has only been in our service for a short while, and consequently is not well acquainted with the plan of the palace.  My valet fell sick on the journey from Koenigsberg here, and we were obliged to leave him behind, which was so much the more inconvenient as he was our hairdresser besides, and understood how to arrange the Elector’s hair as well as my own and the young ladies’.  Count Schwarzenberg heard of it, and by a piece of good fortune, was able to spare us one of his valets.”

“Oh!” cried the Electoral Prince, smiling.  “This fellow, then, has been transferred from the Stadtholder’s service to that of your grace?”

“Yes, and I must say that he is a very useful and efficient servant, who understands all the newest styles of French hairdressing, and is well skilled in other ways also.  I beg you therefore to excuse him for this little mistake.”

“He is perfectly excusable,” said the Electoral Prince, bowing.  “So much the more excusable, as it might well happen that he is not yet familiar with this castle.”

“It is true,” cried the Electress, casting her eyes around the room, “it does look a little dilapidated and desolate here, and care ought indeed to have been taken to refurnish your apartments and give them a more comfortable aspect.  You know, Frederick, we only expect to tarry here for a short time, and think of returning to Prussia very soon, and there I shall see myself that you are provided with handsomer and more commodious rooms.  There I am the princely lady of the house, and everywhere reigning duchess, while here, in the resident palace of Berlin, I seem to myself only a guest, who has nothing at all to say in the directing of the household, but must silently acquiesce in everything.  And it is so, too, and has come to this pass, that the Stadtholder in the Mark is the only ruling lord and commander, and the Elector seems to come here only as the Stadtholder’s guest.”

“The Stadtholder, though, seems at least a right polite and splendid host,” remarked the Electoral Prince, smiling, “a host who lays himself out to attend to the comfort and entertainment—­nay, even to the wardrobes—­of his noble guests.”

“Your Electoral Highnesses!” cried an advancing lackey—­“your Electoral Highnesses, the steward of the household is without, and announces that dinner is served, and that the Elector and the young ladies have already repaired to the dining hall.”

“Then let us go too, my son,” said the Electress, offering her hand to the Electoral Prince.

“But, most gracious mother, I still have on my traveling suit, and—­”

“My son,” sighed the Electress, “your traveling suit is so showy and elegant that I can only wish that in the future your court dress may always be so handsome.  Come, give me your arm, and let us hurry, for your father does not like to be kept waiting, and is very punctual at mealtimes.  You, Baron von Leuchtmar, follow us.  We herewith invite you to be our guest, and to accompany us to table.”