SCOLDED FOR BEING POPULAR
Entourage spied upon by George's minions--My husband proves a
weakling--I disavow the personal compliment--No more intelligent
than a king should be.
DRESDEN, _September 5, 1893_.
I wrote the foregoing at one sitting, without interruption. It's not so
easy a matter to put down the consequences of our triumph, or rather
mine and baby's.
When I entered my apartments, I met a whole host of long faces. The
Commander of the Palace, in great gala, offered a most stiff and icy
welcome. The adjutants, the chamberlains, the _maitre d'Hotel_, all
looked ill at ease. They evidently felt the coming storm in their bones
and didn't care to have it said of them, by George's spies, that they
lent countenance, even in a most remote way, to my carryings-on. Even
the Schoenberg--my own woman--shot reproachful glances at me when the
Commander of the Palace happened to look her way.
Frederick Augustus looked and acted as if he was to be deprived of all
his military honors.
"Your courage must have fallen into your _cuirassier_ boots, look for it
there," I said to him in an undertone when he seemed ready to go to
pieces at the entrance of the King's grand marshal, Count Vitzthum.
With that I advanced towards His Excellency and, holding out my hand to
be kissed, took care to say to him with my most winning smile,
"I trust His Majesty will be pleased with me, for of course our grand
reception was but a reflex of the love the people have for their King. I
never for a moment took it as a personal compliment."
My smart little speech disconcerted the official completely. Maybe he
had orders to say something disagreeable, but my remark disarmed him,
forestalled any quarrel that might have been in the King's or Prince
George's mind.
Frederick Augustus, who is no more intelligent than a future king should
be, was so amazed, he had to think hard and long before he could even
say "Good evening" to the Count. As for the latter, he hawed and coughed
and stammered and cleared his throat until finally he succeeded in
delivering himself of the following sublime effort:
"I will have the honor to report to His Majesty that during the time of
your Imperial Highness's entry, your Imperial Highness thought of
naught but the all-highest approval of His Majesty."
Whereupon I shook his hand again and dismissed him. "It will please me
immensely, Count," I said, "immensely."