And on the 7th of October, 1641, Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg made his entry into Warsaw.  At the head of his splendidly equipped regiment rode old Conrad von Burgsdorf, his broad, bloated face flushed crimson, and, as he stroked his long, light moustache, he bowed right and left, saluting the fair ladies, who looked down upon the glittering procession from windows hung with tapestry and decorated with flowers and ribbons.  But the fair ladies took but little notice of old Burgsdorf.  Their bright eyes were all turned to the handsome young nobleman, who, quite alone, followed the regiment of soldiers.  Behind him was seen a brilliant array of gentlemen in handsome uniforms; but all this vanished unnoticed.  Only upon him, yon youth who rides his horse so proudly and so gracefully, upon him alone were all eyes fixed.  How finely his figure was outlined in that closely fitted velvet coat, trimmed with golden “Brandenburgs,” and crossed by the golden shoulder belt from which hung his German broadsword.  How gracefully fell his long brown hair over his shoulders, how boldly sat upon his head the cocked felt hat, with its crest of black and white ostrich plumes!  How fiery and penetrating the glance of those dark-blue eyes, and how sweet and captivating the smile of those full, fresh lips.

Oh, King’s daughter, King’s daughter, shield your heart, lest it glow with love for the handsome stranger who now draws near, and whom they call the young Elector of Brandenburg!  He looks not at you, he thinks not of you.  But you—­you look at him and think of him.  They have told you that they will wed you to him, that the little Elector will esteem it a great honor to become the husband of a daughter of the King of Poland.  Why, she is a princess of imperial blood, for her mother is an archduchess of Austria, a daughter of Emperor Ferdinand I!  It will, indeed, be a great honor to the little Elector, if they bestow upon him the hand of a king’s daughter, an emperor’s grandchild, and happy will he be to be allowed to receive it, and to become great by means of his great connections!

Look closely at him, Princess Hildegarde; look at him with your heart and soul, rejoice in his youth, beauty, and proud bearing, for he is to be your husband!  Your father will do him the honor to receive him as his son-in-law, and the Emperor will condescendingly admit him to his relationship!  See now he has approached quite near the throne which has been erected upon the square fronting the palace.  On the throne sits King Wladislaus in the rich national costume.  Beside him stands his brother, Prince Casimir, while to the right and left on the steps of the throne stand the magnates with their insignia of rank, the bishops and prelates.  Close behind the throne is the kingly palace, and there, upon a balcony hung with gold brocade, stands the Queen; to the right and left of her the two royal Princesses, both so lovely to look upon in their picturesque Polish garb, their raven tresses surmounted by the Polish cap with its heron’s plumes.