History of Friedrich II of Prussia — AppendixCarlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Appendix
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
ICH. "'Since Trinity-term.'
KING. "'Since Trinity-term! What was he before?'
ICH. "'Kanonious' [a canon].
KING. "'Kanonicus? Kanonicus? How the Devil comes a Kanonicus to be a
Beamte?'
ICH. "'Your Majesty, he is a young man who has money, and wanted to have
the honor of being a Beamte of your Majesty.'
KING. "'Why did n't the old one stay?'
ICH. "'Is dead.'
KING. "'Well, the widow might have kept his AMT, then!'
ICH. "'Is fallen into poverty.'
KING. "'By woman husbandry!'
ICH. "'Your Majesty's pardon! She cultivated well, but a heap of
mischances brought her down: those may happen to the best husbandman.
I myself, two years ago, lost so many cattle by the murrain, and got no
remission: since that, I never can get on again either.'
KING. "'My son, to-day I have some disorder in my left ear, and cannot
hear rightly on that side of my head' (!).
ICH. "'It is a pity that Geheimer-Rath Michaelis has got the very same
disorder!'--I now retired a little back from the carriage; I fancied his
Majesty might take this answer ill.
KING. "'Na, Amtmann, forward! Stay by the carriage; but TAKE CARE OF
YOURSELF, THAT YOU DON'T GET HURT. SPEAK LOUD, I UNDERSTAND VERY WELL.'
These words marked in Italics [capitals] his Majesty repeated at least
ten times in the course of the journey. 'Tell me now, what is that
village over on the right yonder?'
ICH. "'Langen.'
KING. "'To whom does it belong?'
ICH. "'A third part of it to your Majesty, under the AMT of Alt-Ruppin;
a third to Herr von Hagen; and then the High Church (DOHM) of Berlin has
also tenants in it.'
KING. "'You are mistaken, the High Church of Magdeburg.'
ICH. "'Your Majesty's gracious pardon, the High Church of Berlin.'
KING. "'But it is not so; the High Church of Berlin has no tenants!'
ICH. "'Your Majesty's gracious pardon, the High Church of Berlin has
three tenants in the village Karvesen in my own AMT.'
KING. "'You mistake, it is the High Church of Magdeburg.'
ICH. "'Your Majesty, I must be a bad Beamte, if I did not know what
tenants and what lordships there are in my own AMT.'
KING. "'Ja, then you are in the right!--Tell me now: here on the right
there must be an estate, I can't think of the name; name me the estates
that lie here on the right.'
ICH. "'Buschow, Rodenslieben, Sommerfeld, Beetz, Karbe.'
KING. "'That's it, Karbe! To whom belongs that?'
ICH. "'To Herr von Knesebeck.'
KING. "'Was he in the service?'
ICH. "'Yes, Lieutenant or Ensign in the Guards.'
KING. "'In the Guards? [COUNTING ON HIS FINGERS.] You are right: he
was Lieutenant in the Guards. I am very glad the Estate is still in the
hands of the Knesebecks.--Na, tell me though, the road that mounts
up here goes to Ruppin, and here to the left is the grand road for
Hamburg?'
ICH. "'Ja, your Majesty.'
KING. "'Do you know how long it is since I was here last?'
ICH. "'No.'
KING. "'It is three-and-forty years. Cannot I see Ruppin somewhere
here?'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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