“You would justify yourself!  Do you dare to attempt this?” asked the Elector indignantly.  “Look, here on my table lies the paper which the States of the Mark have addressed to me, and in which they accuse you.  The Emperor’s Majesty has sent me a scholar, who can certainly read it aright, if I perchance have made some mistake.  Read, if you please, Dr. Gebhard, read these lines, and hear what the States write to me!”

He handed the imperial legate the document and pointed out with his finger the passage in point.

Dr. Gebhard read:  “Count John Adolphus Schwarzenberg, however, eluded the investigation by flight in the night-time, and despite a guard set.  In an unusual way and in utter contempt of your highness’s received orders, he secretly escaped."[51]

“Now,” cried the Elector passionately, “would you maintain, that my States have reported to me what is not true?”

“It is true,” said Count Schwarzenberg.  “I saw myself forced to escape unjust pursuit, and—­”

“Forced by your bad conscience, sir,” interrupted the Elector impatiently.  “You left it for others to draw out of the fire the chestnuts which you had thrown in, and when you found out that I was not the timid, powerless Prince you supposed me to be, who could be frightened at a contest with you and your faction and awed by your glory and dignity; when you saw that I would bring you to justice, you evaded the course of law and fled precipitately from the judges.”

“Because I knew that these judges were my enemies, and that he who was at their head, President von Goetze, had been my father’s implacable foe of old.”

“That is to say, he had been of old an honest, true Brandenburger, not merely having proved himself an incorruptible man, but never having condescended to bribe others for the sake of obtaining honor, position, or wealth for himself.”

“Your highness,” called out the count hastily, “would you defame my father even in his grave?”

“Have I pronounced your father’s name?” asked the Elector, with dignity.

“Is it not rather you who asperse your late father’s fame by referring to him what I said with regard to bribery?”

The count cast down his eyes and was silent.  Frederick William now turned by a slow movement of the head to Count Martinitz.

“Sir Count,” he said gravely and ceremoniously, “I interrupted you in your presentation.  Continue it, and introduce this gentleman to me.  I must know in what capacity he dares return to my dominions and intrude upon my presence.”

“Your Electoral Highness, I have the honor of presenting to you the count of the empire, Adolphus John von Schwarzenberg, imperial privy counselor and chamberlain, also attache and associate of the Emperor’s ambassador extraordinary, furnished with a safe conduct signed by the Emperor himself.”