Queen in Waiting - Plaidy Jean. Страница 92

Sophia Dorothea was excited; there was so much she wanted to know about George Augustus and Caroline. She had heard such stories of the quarrel and how Caroline had managed to become popular in England. But it was hopeless to expect interesting gossip from her father. All she could do was welcome him as well as she could manage; but even that wasn't easy for the King of Prussia was miserly in the extreme and grudged spending money on anything but his armies.

What a life I lead! thought Sophia Dorothea and inwardly grimaced; for in fact she did not hate it as much as it might have seemed natural for her to do. Frederick William was so violent at times that she thought he was verging on madness; her son and daughter were terrified of him; and so was she ... in a way, a rather exciting fear, like a child who begs for stories of horror even though she knows they will bring nightmares. Oh yes, life was certainly not dull with Frederick William— neither for her nor the children. They were used to their father's ungovernable rages and the punishment he seemed to enjoy giving them; they thought nothing of it when he kicked them or beat them with his own hands; he liked to lock them in their apartments and starve them and then he would gloat over the amount of money he was saving by not feeding them.

He never attempted to beat her, although at one time he had tried; he contented himself with swearing at her, calling her abusive names and spitting in her food, especially if it was a dish she particularly enjoyed.

She was by no means meek; she would retaliate by telling him he was a brute, that he was a madman and ought to be put into a cage. Then he would laugh and there might follow a reconciliation—on the other hand there might not. One could never be sure with Frederick William. That was the joy of living with him.

What a dull life Caroline and George Augustus must lead! And her mother too ... her poor mother to whom she wrote from time to time and had tried to bring out of her prison ... what a misery her life was!

No, Sophia Dorothea, oddly enough, regretted nothing and would not have changed her life if she could. Now she assured herself she was about to see realized her most cherished plan: the Double Wedding; her son married to her brother's daughter; her brother's son married to her daughter. What an excellent plan I Her Wilhelmina would be Queen of England and George Augustus's daughter Queen of Prussia.

Thus, she had promised herself, we keep the crowns in the family.

And her enemies had tried to prevent it by spreading lies about Wilhelmina. Epileptic indeed! They should see her daughter who was clever and good looking enough to please anyone—even the English.

"Your Majesty will wish to see your granddaughter, I am sure," she told her father. **She is all eagerness for the honour."

Wilhelmina stepped forward, and knelt before the King. He saw a tall girl who appeared to be sound, but one could never tell with epilepsy.

He did not smile but merely stared at her.

"She's tall," he said.

Then his daughter gave him her hand and led him to her apartments whither the King of Prussia and Wilhelmina followed with some of their attendants. No sooner had they reached the apartment than the King demanded a candle and when it was brought to him summoned his granddaughter to stand before. When she did so he held the candle so close to her that she thought he would catch her hair alight, and examined her as though she were a horse or cow.

Wilhelmina felt very agitated and was relieved when her grandfather told her mother that he wished to speak with her alone.

Poor Wilhelmina knew that she was under discussion and felt embarrassed until some of the King's English suite began to talk to her, although she was sure that they too were trying to put her to the test, but when they told her that she had the manners and bearing of an Englishwoman she smiled wryly knowing tliey were trying to be complimentary.

She thought her grandfather terrifying. He never smiled; he seemed melancholy; and his only interest in her was whether she would make a suitable wife for his grandson of whom in any case he saw very little. She would be glad when he left; and almost preferred her violent father to this dour man.

That evening there was a banquet to honour the King of England. He was seated beside the Queen who talked to him as though she were not in the least in awe of him. Wilhelmina who now and then stole glances at him noticed that he had his eyes closed.

Lord Townsend was whispering to her. "I think His Majesty is unwell. Could you sign to your mother to prepare to leave the table. I am sure the King should be in his bed."

Wilhelmina rose from her chair and went to her mother and whispered what Lord Townsend had suggested.

The Queen gave her father a startled look and said: "I see Your Majesty is a little tired. We will now retire."

**I am not tired." said the King gruffly. "Pray be seated, and go on talking."

But Sophia Dorothea thought there was something strange about him and insisted that she was now going to give the sign for all to leave the table.

As she spoke she stood up. The King rose too, but even as he stood on his feet, he swayed ... and in a few seconds had collapsed on to the floor where he lay unconscious.

There was pandemonium in the hall. The King of Prussia gave orders that cushions should be brought with blankets to cover the King of England who lay still unaware of what was happening.

"He has had a paralytic seizure," said the Queen. "That this

should have happened here! My poor father. Send for the physicians at once."

But before the physicians arrived the King had recovered. Almost immediately he seemed to know where he was and reaching for his wig which had fallen off, put it on his head.

**It is nothing," he said. "Here! Help me to my feet."

With the aid of the King of Prussia and Lord Townsend he stood up.

**I will conduct you to your apartments," he told his daughter.

"Your Majesty..."

"I will conduct you to your apartments," he repeated.

The assembly looked on in amazement while he did so.

Then he returned to his own apartments. There was no sign of paralysis.

*'It is nothing," was the verdict. "The King merely fainted."

And after that, since it was his wish, no mention was made of the incident.

He was not inclined however to complete the negotiations for the double wedding.

"I shall come back to Hanover," he told his daughter. "The children are young yet... too young for marriage."

"I hear Frederick already has a mistress in Hanover," pointed out Sophia Dorothea.

"They are too young yet," said the King obstinately.

And that was all the satisfaction she could get.

The Ghost of the Old Leine Schloss

In spite of the fact that the King had wished to keep the news of his collapse secret he was unable to do so, and accounts of it reached England.

The Prince received them exultantly, Caroline inwardly so, but outwardly she was more restrained than her husband.

George Augustus strode up and down his wife's apartment, his wig awry, his blue eyes brilliant.

"This is the end of him," he declared. "A paralytic seizure at his age! "

"They are saying that he appears to be as veil as he vas on the day he left England."

"Impossible. I tell you this, my tear. It is my turn now. King of Englandt! How you like that, eh? King George II! "

"It sounds very veil, but let us vait a bit and be careful."