“You are of opinion, then, that this is very necessary, and that these gentlemen might refuse to swear allegiance to me alone?”

“Yes, sir, I am strongly of that opinion, and would venture to lay a wager that Colonel von Rochow at Spandow, and Goldacker and Kracht in Berlin, will not take oath to your Electoral Highness.”

“Woe to them if they do it not!” cried the Elector, with flashing eyes.  “I shall prove to them that they must bow in obedience to me, and that I recognize no other lord but myself within the limits of my own dominions.  Now go back to the Mark, Burgsdorf, and do as I have bidden you.  You may also, as would once have been so pleasant to you, go over right often to Berlin.  Attend well to all that is going on, for it may be that I shall soon have occasion for you there.  Be on your guard, therefore, colonel, and be pretty circumspect in word and deed.  Ponder upon the advice given you by the little Electoral Prince once:  ‘Learn and wait.’”

“Sir, you give me another thrust!” cried Burgsdorf; “but it does me good, and I am glad of it.  Yes, I shall learn and wait, for I see plainly the last night of the world has not come yet, and my dearest master will not always have to act so on the defensive as now; when the right time comes, he will strike and prove to all his enemies, even the mightiest of them, that he is more powerful than they.  Mark now, mark my words; Schwarzenberg may look out!”

“But meanwhile let Burgsdorf look out!  Farewell now, Burgsdorf, you have received my orders.  Execute them.”

“Now,” cried the Elector, after the colonel had left the room—­“now, my dear Leuchtmar, you know all my views and plans.  But the most weighty, important, and difficult task I have reserved for you.”

“I think I know what your highness means,” said Leuchtmar, smiling.  “Your precautionary measures have been taken in all directions; as early as yesterday your envoys departed laden with most submissive messages of respect for the Emperor.  Only in one direction have you done nothing, and that remains for me.  I am to go to Sweden, am I not?”

The Elector nodded and smiled.  “It is as you say—­you are to go to Sweden.  A great danger threatens my country.  The Swedes are on the frontiers, or rather within my territories, for they hold possession of Pomerania, which is mine.  They are on the point of invading the Mark, Banner again threatens my poor, exhausted lands, and it is said that he has already issued orders for the demolishing of Berlin.  Schwarzenberg for that very reason had the suburbs of Berlin and Cologne burned down, thus laying the city open to assault; from Saxony, also, the Swedish general Stallhansch advances upon Brandenburg, and all is in a fair way to encircle the Mark in the flames of war.  But, as you know, I have no money and no soldiers, no power and no lands.  I can not conduct a war!  My single purpose must now be, in the first place, to withdraw my oppressed