He took the handbell and rang; a page appeared.  “Request her Electoral Grace the Princess Charlotte Louise to have the kindness to come to me.”

“Your Electoral Grace,” said the page, “Colonel von Burgsdorf has just come into the antechamber, and urgently insists upon my announcing him to your grace.”

“Admit him and call the Princess.  When the gracious young lady has entered the antechamber, let me know.  Admit the colonel.”

“Here I am, your highness, here I am!” cried Conrad von Burgsdorf, coming in with hasty steps.  “I am just from Berlin, and bring my dearest lord good news, and—­But what is that?” interrupted he, fixing his lively gray eyes upon Count Schwarzenberg, who, pale and visibly disconcerted, had withdrawn into one of the window niches.

For one moment Burgsdorf stood still, as if bewildered by the unexpected sight, then he sprang forward like a tiger, and laid his hands like iron claws upon the count’s shoulders.

“In the name of the Elector and the law, I arrest you Count Schwarzenberg!” he shrieked.

“Let him go, Burgsdorf,” commanded Frederick William.

“No, gracious sir,” cried Burgsdorf, “I can not, must not let him go.  I must hold fast to my prisoner until I have put him in a safe prison.  If I take my hands off him, he will surely find some mousehole to creep through.  I know the fine gentleman, and have had experience of his mouselike nature.  I thought I had him safe at Berlin, imprisoned in his own palace, and sentinels stationed everywhere.  A man could not have escaped, but a mouse can find a hole to retire to almost anywhere.  Master Mousy here slipped off through an underground passage.  Fortunately I had stationed a couple of spies in front of the park, and one of them came to inform me that they had seen two suspicious personages issue from the park, while the other dogged their footsteps.  I flew to horse, and, thinking that the young count would make for Spandow, raced with my men to the Spandow Gate.  Exactly, they had just fled on before.  We gave them chase.  Huzza! that was a hunt!  Already I thought I had the fugitives within my reach, and stretched out my hand to grasp them, when they galloped into the fortress, the gate was shut, and I stood baffled on the outside, and had my mortification increased by hearing Colonel Rochow’s mocks and jeers from the wall above.  And now when I can take my revenge, when I at last have my prisoner trapped and caught, now, your highness commands me to let him go.  No, your highness, it is impossible; for trust me, as soon as I let him go he will find his way to some mousehole.  I arrest you in the name of the Elector and the law, Count John Adolphus von Schwarzenberg!”

“Burgsdorf!” cried the Elector in a commanding tone, “once more, I command you to let him go, and come here.  Obey without delay!”

The colonel muttered between his teeth a few wild words of wrath, but released the count, and with bowed head and chagrined air slunk toward the Elector.