She felt conquered, humbled, and
powerless.
The imperious expression fled from her brow, and found refuge in her
eyes only. "And this, too!" murmured she, sinking back on her seat.
She barely heard Count Neal's introduction. She acknowledged his
respectful greeting with a slight inclination of the head, and
remained silent.
The king, who to-day seemed to be in a conciliatory mood, again came
to the rescue.
"Madame," said he, "Count Neal is indeed an enviable man; he has
seen what we will probably never see. He has been in the lovely,
luxurious, and dreamy South; he has seen the sun of India; he was
governor of Surinam."
"Pardon me, your majesty," said the count, proudly; "I was not only
governor, but vice-regent."
"Ah," said the king, "and what are the prerogatives of a vice-
regent?"
"I was there esteemed as your majesty is here. The governor of
Surinam is approached with the same submission, humility, and
devotion, he enjoys the same homage as the King of Prussia."
"Ah, you are then an equal of the King of Prussia? Baron Pollnitz,
you have been guilty of a great oversight; you have forgotten to
provide a seat for my brother, the King of Surinam. You must be
indulgent this time, my dear brother, but at the next ball we will
not forget that you are a vice-regent of Surinam, and woe to the
baron if he does not then provide a chair!"
He then took his mother's arm, and signing to Prince Augustus
William to follow him with the reigning queen, proceeded to the
ball-room.
Pages:
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491