Part 20 (1/2)
”His Majesty will be pleased to see your Imperial Highness in a quarter of an hour,” he said sweetly.
Frederick Augustus was a painted sepulchre when I coolly replied: ”Pray inform His Majesty that I am not well and about to retire for the night.”
At this Baumann looked like a whipped dog. He probably thought it impossible for anyone to refuse to answer the summons of His Majesty.
With the most downcast mien in the world, he seemed singularly anxious to render himself ridiculous. ”Maybe the Crown Prince will do in my stead,” I suggested maliciously.
Baumann grabbed at the straw and withdrew. A little while later a lackey came, summoning Frederick Augustus to Prince George. When he came back, he was all undone.
”Father treated me very well,” he said. ”He says the King regrets that your uncontrollable temper causes so many misunderstandings, and both His Majesty and father have no objection to your staying in Dresden if you like. Loschwitz was suggested because you and the children seem to need country air.
”As to your proposed visit to England, the King begs you to consider that such a journey at this time is liable to provoke a scandal which would reflect not only on you, on us, but on your poor parents.”
The old story of the penurious relations, I thought bitterly, but on the whole I was well pleased. I had beaten and out-generaled them all.
”If Loschwitz isn't meant for punishment, I accept with pleasure,” I said. ”It's a very pretty place.” Poor Frederick Augustus' face lit up.
”But there must be an end to the talk about I being in disgrace. If the King is as friendly to me as he makes out, let him come and see me and the babies. As to summonses by Baumann or others, I won't accept them.”
”Very well,” said Frederick Augustus, and I saw that I had risen mile-high in his estimation, ”when will it be your pleasure to leave for Loschwitz?”
”Tonight, if I have permission to invite Leopold for a week or so.”
”Are you stark, staring mad?” shouted my husband,--”Impose conditions after the King moderated?”
”Go and tell Baumann I'll have Leopold or all is off,” I said.
Next morning: Ceremonial visit from the Queen. The tip of her nose was redder than ever and she seemed prepared to weep at the flicking of an eye-lash. She gave me a list of her troubles, mental, physical, political, matrimonial and otherwise, since the day she was born, but said: ”Obedience to my father, the King, and obedience to my husband, the King, has enabled me to weather all storms. You, too, must learn obedience, Louise. It's women's only salvation and especially a princess's.”
I answered that I fully recognized my obligations to the King. ”I only object to being buffeted around like a piece of furniture.”
”I know, I know,” said the Queen, ”and hope all is arranged satisfactorily. The King will be glad if you invite your parents to Loschwitz.”
”I asked permission to invite Leopold.”
”But, no doubt, your parents would take more interest in the children than your brother.”
”I don't dispute that, Your Majesty. But if my parents joined me at the present time, people might think they came to condole with me or else to scold me. I want Leopold.”
The Queen said she wouldn't dare mention Leopold to His Majesty.
”Well, then,” I concluded, ”I shall stay in Dresden, regarding Baumann's fine promises as mere talk.”
The Queen went away with the air of a martyr, but three days later Baumann came and said His Imperial Highness was welcome.
A triumph all along the line. I left Dresden without seeing the King.
Frederick Augustus is at the manoeuvres.