Frederick the Great and His Court. L. Muhlbach
my thoughtless repetition of that hypocritical man's words, I procured him the new house, but I have also given him a coat-of-arms; and I wager the privy councillor would willingly relinquish the former, if he could thereby get rid of the latter."
"Pollnitz, why are you looking so grave?" asked the king at this moment. "I wager you are in a bad humor, because the handsome house in Jager Street was not given to you."
"By no means, your majesty; as handsome as the house is, it would not suit me at all."
"Ah, yes, you are right; it would be much too large a one for you!" said Frederick William, laughing.
"No, your majesty, it would be much too small for me. When a cavalier of my quality once determines to build a house, it should be arranged in accordance with his rank and standing, and that costs a great deal of money, much more than I ever possessed. It is true that my father left me a fortune of about two hundred thousand dollars, but what is such a trifle to a nobleman? It was not enough for a decent support, and it was too much to go begging on. I calculated how long this sum might be made to last, and finding that, with considerable economy, it would perhaps do for four years, I lived like a noble and generous cavalier for that time; and during that period I was fortunate enough to have the most devoted friends and the truest sweethearts, who never deserted me until the last dollar of my fortune was expended!"
"Do I understand you to say that you expended two hundred thousand dollars in four years?" asked the king.
"Yes, your majesty; and I assure you that I was obliged to practise the most, rigorous economy."
Frederick William regarded him with surprise, almost with admiration. To the king there was something in this man's nature which was imposing. It was perhaps the great contrast between the unlimited extravagance of the baron and his own frugality, which exerted so great an influence on the king, excited his astonishment, and enlisted his admiration in behalf of this ready, witty, and ever-merry courtier.
"An income of fifty thousand dollars is, therefore, not sufficient for a decent support?" asked the king.
"Your majesty, if one attempted to live in a style befitting a nobleman, on that sum, he might die of hunger."
"Ah, explain that. What sum would you consider necessary to enable you to live in a style befitting a nobleman?"
Pollnitz remained lost in thought for a moment, and then replied:
"You majesty, in order to live somewhat respectably, I should require four hundred thousand dollars yearly."
"That is not true, not possible!" exclaimed the king.
"That is so very possible, sire, that I hardly know whether it would suffice or not."
"Gentlemen, do you believe that?" asked the king.
"I, for my part, have not the fourth part of this income," said the Duke of Holstein, smiling.
"I not the tenth!" said Count Von der Goltz.
"And I not the twentieth!" exclaimed General Von Schwerin and Count Hacke at the same time.
"And yet," said the king, "you all live as respected cavaliers, as esteemed gentlemen of my court. Let us hear how Pollnitz would manage to spend so much money. Quick, Jochen, quick, give us a sheet of paper and a pencil."
The valet hastily executed this commission, and handed the king paper and pencil.
"Fill the glasses, Jochen," ordered the king, "and then seat yourself at the foot of the table, and pay attention to what Von Pollnitz is about to explain. It is worth the trouble to learn how an income of four hundred thousand dollars can be spent in a respectable manner. You shall dictate, and I will be your secretary. Woe to you, however, if you do not keep your word, if you expend less! For every thousand which you fail to account for, you shall drink ten glasses of beer, and smoke a pipe of the strong Havana tobacco recently sent me by the stadtholder of Holland."
"But what shall I receive for every thousand which I expend over and above that sum?" asked Von Pollnitz, laughing.
"Oh, it is impossible that a nobleman should need more, that is, provided he does not expend it in a foolish manner, like a madman."
"And if, in order to live in a style befitting a nobleman, I should nevertheless need more, what am I to receive for every thousand?"
"Well, then, for every thousand, I will pay a hundred of your oldest debts," said the king. "But commence. And you, gentlemen, drink and smoke, and pay attention to what he has to say."
CHAPTER IV.
AIR-CASTLES.
"I will begin," said Pollnitz. "First of all, I shall need a respectable house, to receive my guests in, to exhibit my collections, and entertain my friends; to pursue my studies, without being disturbed by the slightest noise; a house, in which my wife must have her separate apartments, and as I shall wish to have my friends with me, every now and then, to smoke, my wife's reception-rooms must be entirely separated from mine."
"But," exclaimed the king, "your wife will certainly allow you to smoke in her rooms!"
"And if she permitted it, your majesty, I would not do so; it becomes not a cavalier to smoke in a lady's room."
The king reddened a little, and carried the mug to his lips, to hide his embarrassment; he remembered how often he had smoked in the queen's rooms, notwithstanding her sighs.
Pollnitz continued quietly: "I must then have several different reception-rooms, and as my wife and myself will frequently be at variance with each other, two different and widely-separated staircases will be necessary, that we may not meet, unless we wish it!"
"Oh! you mean to lead a wretched life with your wife; to quarrel with her every now and then, do you?"
"No, sire, we will never quarrel; it ill becomes a cavalier to have a contest with his wife."
The king reddened again, this time from anger. This exposition of a cavalier began to offend him; it seemed to be a satire upon himself; for unhappily the king not only smoked in the queen's rooms, but the world knew that his wife and children were often the objects of his violent temper, and that the queen had more than once been terribly frightened by his thundering reproaches and unbearable threats.
"Your highness sees that my house must be large, and as it is so, a host of servants and a large income will be necessary. But of this hereafter. Let us speak of my houses, for it is easily understood that I must have a country residence."
"Yes, that is a reasonable demand," said the king, in adding the country house to his list.
"But as I do not go to the country to live as I do in the city, but to enjoy the beauties of nature and scenery, I must have a garden, with vineyards, and beautiful walks, and, for their cultivation, many servants. And, as I cannot ask my friends to visit me simply to pluck my flowers, and eat my fruits, I must procure for them other and rarer pleasures. I must have a park for hunting, and a lake for fishing."
"Yes, that is well argued and true," said the king, noting the park and the lake on his paper.
"Now we are coming to the most important points—the kitchen and wine-cellar. On these two I must bestow most particular care. It would be most unworthy a cavalier to present such dishes to his friends as they can enjoy every day at home. No, if I invite my friends, they must be certain of having such luxuries as they cannot procure elsewhere—such rare and costly viands as will recall the wonders of fairy land!"
"I