The Youth of the Great ElectorMühlbach, L. (Luise)
General
The Youth of the Great Elector
Mühlbach, L. (Luise)
Friedrich Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg, 1620-1688 -- Fiction
Dietrich sorrowfully shook his head. "You are mistaken, Sir Chamberlain;
this is not the effect of wine. The Electoral Prince is much too fine and
noble a gentleman for that; he never drinks more than he can stand. Just
see how pale and wretched he looks. My dear young master is sick, very
sick. They have murdered him, they have killed him, they--"
"Hush, Dietrich, for God's sake, hush!" interposed the chamberlain,
turning pale. "Guard your tongue, that it never again utter such horrible
words; guard your thoughts, that they dare not even think anything so
dreadful."
"It is true, nevertheless," murmured the old man, and, as he bent over the
Electoral Prince and watched him with loving looks, the tears fell hot and
fast from his eyes upon Frederick William's pale face. These tears roused
the latter, restored him to consciousness.
There was yet one man who loved him, who sympathized with him, who wept
when he saw him suffer!
The Electoral Prince opened his eyes, and, on recognizing old Dietrich,
nodded to him and murmured softly, "Dietrich, I am suffering fearfully."
"Hear, Sir Chamberlain," said Dietrich; "the dear Prince recognizes me, he
has his reason, he knows what he sees and says, so you see it is not wine
that--But he says that he suffers fearfully, and I believe it indeed; for
what burns his vitals is--I must go for the physician, Dr. White; he must
try every means; he must know what ails the Prince--what they have done to
him; and he must apply remedies. Stay here, Sir Chamberlain; I will run
for Dr. White."
And old Dietrich hastily started to leave the couch, but the Prince's hand
was laid upon his arm, and held him fast.
"Stay, Dietrich, stay! You, dear Götz, go you, I beg, for Dr. White and
fetch him here; he must come immediately, for I am really sick. I suffer.
Make haste, dear Götz. You are younger, brisker than my good old Dietrich;
therefore I choose you."
The chamberlain pressed a kiss upon the Prince's burning, trembling hand.
"Dearest sir, as swiftly as a man's anxious heart can move his feet I
shall hasten to the doctor and bring him here!"
The chamberlain flew on tiptoe from the apartment, and all was still.
Nothing was heard but the low moans and sighs of the Prince, who lay there
with pallid features and shaking limbs, while over him bent weeping his
faithful old servant.
After a while the Prince raised himself a little, slowly opened his eyes,
and cast a sad, sweeping glance around the room.
"Dietrich, are we alone?" he asked, in a hoarse, almost inaudible voice.
"Quite alone, gracious sir."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account