FORCED TO DO PENANCE LIKE A TRAPPIST MONK
"By the King's orders"--I submit for the sake of my children--Must
fast as well as pray--In delicate health, I insist upon returning to
Dresden--Bernhardt, to avoid being maltreated by King, threatens him
with his sword--The King's awful wrath--Bernhardt prisoner in
Nossen--I escape, temporarily, protracted _ennui_.
PILLNITZ, _May 28, 1901_.
Though I am in delicate health, the King, having recovered from his
illness, commanded me to do penance,--almost public penance.
Fast and pray, pray and fast is the order of the day for the next two
weeks.
I arise every morning at five. At six a closed carriage takes me to a
distant nunnery of the Ursulines, a good hour's travel. I am forced to
attend mass, which also lasts an hour. Then a half-hour's sermon,
dealing with fire and brimstone, hell and damnation.
When that's over the Mother Superior kindly asks me to her cell and
lectures me for an hour on the duties of a wife and mother, and on the
terrors that follow in the wake of adultery.
(I wonder where she gets her wisdom. She isn't married, she isn't
supposed to have children, and she ought to know that the founder of her
religion was most kind to the adulteress.)
Then back to Pillnitz and breakfast, for it's the King's express command
that I worship on an empty stomach; some Jesuit told George my sins
would never be forgiven unless the torture of the fast was added to that
of early rising, travel, prostration before the altar and listening to
pious palaver.
I stand it for my children's sake. They will be returned to me after I
did penance full score. My only satisfaction: I compel the Tisch to
attend me on my trips, and make her sit on the back seat of the
carriage. I know this turns her stomach and watch her twitching face
with devilish glee.
* * * * *
DRESDEN, _June 15, 1901_.
With the authority of the pregnant woman I demanded that I be allowed to
return to town.
"If compelled to see Prince George and the rest of my enemies daily, my
child will be mal-formed, or I will suffer an _avortement_," I told the
King.
They let me go and I am breathing more freely. I still wear the chain
and ball, but they don't cut into my flesh as in Pillnitz.
Yesterday I learned that Bernhardt was in Dresden, and sent for him. He
came in company of two army officers who remained in the anteroom.
"I am a prisoner," he said resignedly, "those fellows outside will
conduct me to Nossen."
The audience granted him several months ago took place only after my
departure from the summer residence, and developed into a fearful scene.
"His Majesty," said Bernhardt, "was in a rage when I entered. 'State
what you have to say,' said the King, 'and be brief.'
"'If Your Majesty will graciously permit me to reside in Dresden, I will
promise to lead a life in accordance with Your Majesty's intentions and
will obey your slightest wish.'
"'What?' cried the King, 'You dare name conditions for your good
conduct?'"
Bernhardt denied any intention to impose conditions, but begged to
submit to His Majesty that he couldn't exist in those small garrisons.
If in Dresden, it would come easier to him to turn over a new leaf.
"Sure, all you young rakes want to live in the capital," sneered the
King, "because it's easy in a big town to hide one's delinquencies."
"Your Majesty," cried Bernhardt, "if I ever did a reprehensible thing,
it was forced upon me by intolerable conditions."
The King grew white with rage.
"No excuses," he thundered. "You are a rip and ugly customer and you
will stay in the garrison I designated."
Even before the King had finished, Bernhardt interrupted him with a
fierce: "Don't you call me names, Majesty. I won't stand for that."
"Won't stand for anything that I think proper to mete out to you,
rascal? I will make you." The King had risen and was about to box
Bernhardt's ears.
Bernhardt jumped back two paces and shouted like mad: "Don't you dare
touch me. I will defend my honor sword in hand, even if I have to shoot
myself on the spot."
For several seconds the King stood speechless, then he reached out his
hand and touched an electric button. Marshal Count Vitzthum responded.
"Take him," said the King hoarsely--"he is your prisoner."
Bernhardt drew his sword and threw it at the King's feet. He was
conducted to a room, and sentinels were posted outside his door and
under his windows. Presently the telephone called together a council of
war and it was decided that Bernhardt go to Nossen during the King's
pleasure, or rather displeasure.
"The army officers that act as my guards are not allowed to speak to
me," said Bernhardt, "and the garrison in Nossen will likewise be
muzzled." He laughed as he added: "I suppose I shall have to make
friends with the spirits of the great Augustus's mistresses haunting the
old burg. They were gay ones! If the King remembered that, he would send
me to the Trappists rather than to Nossen."
* * * * *
DRESDEN, _July 1, 1901_.
I never dreamt that science would come to my rescue, but a clever woman
has more than one trick up her sleeve. On a visit to a book store I
happened to see a new publication on the Hygienics of Pregnancy and had
it sent to the palace.
Last night, when nearly dead with _ennui_, I turned over the leaves of
the volume and came across an article advising women in my condition to
seek plenty of merry company. My mind was made up at once.
First thing in the morning I sent for the Court Physician, and with many
a sigh and groan gave him to understand that I feared to have melancholy
if I continued the monotonous life I was leading.
I happened to strike one of the doctor's pet theories, and he recited
whole pages from the book I had been reading. Then he asked me a hundred
questions, and rest assured that my answers were in accordance with my
wishes.
"I will have the honor to report to His Majesty at once," said the
Councillor at the end of the examination, "that some diversion is
imperative in Your Imperial Highness's case. Would Your Imperial
Highness be pleased to visit the theatre or the Opera if the King
approves?"
The King did approve, and the Crown Princess of Saxony is once more
permitted the privilege of _Frau_ Schmidt and _Frau_ Mueller; namely, to
go to the theatre when she feels like it.
[Illustration: THE LATE KING GEORGE OF SAXONY
Louise's Father-in-Law]