Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 3 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of EnglandWraxall, Lascelles, Sir
History
Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 3 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of England
Wraxall, Lascelles, Sir
Caroline Mathilde, Queen, consort of Christian VII, King of Denmark, 1751-1775; Denmark -- History -- Christian VII, 1766-1808
On Mr. Wraxall's return to the inn, Mantel, the queen's valet, came to
him. Mr. Wraxall gave him, in consequence of the order he brought, the
letter of the Danish nobility to George III., and also a letter from
himself, addressed to the queen, containing the heads of the instructions
with which he was charged. It was afterwards fixed, between Baron von
Seckendorf and Mr. Wraxall, that, on Saturday morning, March 25, as soon
as the hereditary princess had returned to Brunswick, Mr. Wraxall should
be brought to the castle, where the queen would be ready to receive him.
But, after mature deliberation, the baron thought that it would be safer
for him to repair to the castle during the night before the princess
left Celle. The circumstance of her then being at Celle was favourable,
because no one would be tempted to suppose that the queen could venture
on so hazardous an experiment when her sister was under the same roof. It
was therefore agreed, that precisely at eight o'clock on the evening of
the 24th, Mr. Wraxall should wrap himself in his great-coat, and proceed
to the entrance of the drawbridge over the great moat of the castle,
where Mantel should punctually meet him, and conduct him to the queen.
The circumstances of this last interview are so interesting, that I shall
allow Mr. Wraxall to speak in the first person.
* * * * *
I set off about a quarter of an hour before eight for the inn. The
darkness of the night was accompanied by a tempest of wind and rain. When
I got to the spot, no valet appeared, and directly afterwards the guard
was relieved. I was therefore compelled to hide myself as well as I could
while the whole guard passed close to me. The rain was so heavy, and the
darkness such, that fortunately I was not discovered. I waited in this
unpleasant predicament a full quarter of an hour, anxious and impatient
to the greatest degree. At length Mantel came. He said not a word to me,
but, wrapping his cloak all over me, and covering me with his umbrella,
he led me in silence over the drawbridge, under the arch, into the square
court of the castle.
We went up a private staircase, and he conducted me along the great
gallery or corridor into the queen's library. Two candles were burning,
and the book-cases were thrown open, as it was uncertain at what hour
the queen could come to me. Mantel left me, but returned in less than
a quarter of an hour with a note from Baron von Seckendorf, to the
following effect:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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