“I, too, believe that the end will not be perfect peace,” said the Stadtholder, smiling.  “Let the Elector learn that governing is not such an easy matter as he supposes, but that a man may know a good deal, and yet be an unskillful ruler.  Go then, gentlemen, issue your orders, but forget not that in an hour our entertainment begins, and that we must not allow our feast to be disturbed by such little follies of the new regime.”

“No, we will not allow ourselves to be disturbed!” cried Herr von Rochow.  “In one hour expect us here again, and you shall see, most gracious sir, that we have brought with us our cheerfulness, our fine appetites, and our thirst.”

“Yes, yes, your excellency, guard well your keys and bottles; we shall take the field against them.”

“Do so, gentlemen,” said the count.  “But go now, to return the sooner.”

He nodded kindly to the officers and followed them with his eyes until the door closed behind them.  Then the composure of his features, the smile on his lip, vanished, and his whole being seemed to express agitation and bitterness of wrath.

“He will insist upon war,” he said fiercely.  “He smiles upon and strokes me with one hand, while with the other he stabs me, inflicting wound upon wound.  Yes, yes, stone by stone he would crumble to dust the tower of my strength, and thinks to crush me to atoms, supposing that I will voluntarily bend to avoid being bent by him.  Oh, you are mistaken, little Elector; I am not afraid of you, I shall not bend before you!  The Emperor alone I serve, to him alone I am subject.  But to me the Emperor is a gracious master.  He will ruin you and exalt me; he will protect me against your arrogance.  To me belongs the future, presumptuous young Prince! who would rule here, where I have held undisputed sway for twenty years.  To me alone belongs the Mark, and I shall hold it for my lord and Emperor!  The crisis has come, and finds me prepared and resolute.  The troops will revolt, and then shall I step out among them, appease them in the Emperor’s name, with lavish hand scatter money among them, and again bind them by oath to the Emperor!  Oh, my heart leaps for joy, for the hour of action has come.  Only one thing I lack.  I would just like to have certain news from my son, to be sure that the Emperor approves of my plan, that he will lift me up where the Elector would cast me down.  But this, too, will come, this wish will also be gratified.  For I am a son of good fortune, and all goes in accordance with my wishes!  Away then with all sad and gloomy thoughts!  I would present a cheerful countenance to my guests—­I would appear before them in the full splendor of my glory!”