The Last Meeting between Mother and Son
During one of the last winters of his life Ludwig unexpectedly invited
his mother to visit him at Neuschwanstein.
For the first two days he fell in with her habits, driving out with
her and keeping her company in the evenings. But he soon returned to
his usual mode of life. When he said good-night to her he would go
for his long solitary drive; and he slept till late in the forenoon
as his habit was.
Unluckily this also happened on the day when the Queen-mother was
to take her departure. Ludwig had not returned from his drive until
the morning hours, and he had not given orders that he should be
awakened. His mother's carriage, with the horses harnessed to it,
stood waiting for over an hour in the courtyard of the castle, while
she herself paced up and down the great hall. Her nervous impatience
went over to a fit of anger when he eventually showed himself, and
broke like a thunderstorm over the head of her son. An eye-witness has
related that she scolded him as if he were still the little Ludwig
who used to hold fast to her skirts. What was still worse was that
she scolded him in the hearing of all his footmen.
The King kissed his excited mother repeatedly on the hand, begging
her to excuse his tardiness. He conducted her respectfully to
her carriage, took his seat beside her, and drove with her to the
railway station. The mood he was in upon his return indicated the
deep resentment he felt at her corrections. This was the last time
she visited him; but upon one later occasion he paid her a visit.
The Queen-mother resided for the greater part of the year at
Elbingen-Alp, a house more resembling that of a peasant than a royal
residence. Reports of her son's unaccountable conduct penetrated
frequently to her; and what she suffered during these bitter
years may well be imagined. On the 5th of October, 1885, she was
residing at Hohenschwangau, the King being then at Linderhof. It
was her sixtieth birthday, and Ludwig was seized with the idea of
congratulating her on it in person. At about ten in the evening
he arrived at Hohenschwangau. The gates of the castle were locked;
on the demand of the porter as to who was without, answer was made
that the King desired to speak with his mother. The Queen-mother was
in course of preparing to retire; her son's unexpected appearance
brought the whole personnel of the establishment into commotion. He
remained the night at the castle, and dined with Queen Marie and her
ladies at Pleckenau the following day.
He was now completely incapable, from want of habit, of carrying on
a society conversation. During the whole course of the dinner he did
not speak a word to anyone but his mother, and was far more silent than
heretofore. His intercourse with the Queen-mother was this time stamped
by the greatest affection. After dinner he drove back to Linderhof, his
mother accompanying him half way; it was the last bright spot in her
life. At the defile, where seven months later the peasantry assembled
to liberate their captured King, the mother and son took leave of one
another, never to meet again. Half-a-year later the Emperor of Austria
earnestly begged Queen Marie to visit Ludwig, and endeavour to induce
him to show himself before the world, as alarming rumours were in
circulation as to his mental condition. The harassed mother addressed
herself in writing to her son, who replied that he would receive her
Majesty in three days' time. The period for her departure was fixed,
and her equipages and servants despatched to Hohenschwangau; but the
latter were informed on their arrival by Ludwig's stablemen that they
might go back again. "The Queen will not be admitted to the King,"
they said; "he is unapproachable to everybody."
Shortly afterwards a telegram was despatched in which it was said
that the King greatly regretted that he was prevented by toothache
from receiving anybody, and therefore his dear mother likewise.