King John was silent.
"I must give up my minister von Beust," he said after a pause.
"Do they demand this at Berlin?" asked the King of Hanover.
"Not exactly, but it comes almost to the same thing; besides, his position would be almost an impossible one. I am sorry, for his talents would have a.s.sisted me greatly in the difficulties arising from the new arrangements. Perhaps," continued the king, "a wider field will be opened to his genius. The emperor gave me an intimation from which it appears the idea has occurred to him of employing Beust, instead of Mensdorff, who neither can nor will remain in office."
"Herr von Beust here in Austria?" exclaimed the king in great surprise.
"Yes," said the King of Saxony thoughtfully, "he would meet with difficulties; the Archduke Albert and the Archd.u.c.h.ess Sophia feel a great repugnance to the plan; it is, of course, a matter of profound secrecy during the present uncertain state of affairs."
"Certainly," said King George. "What does Beust think he can do with Austria? he is taking a difficult position, the more difficult from the many inimical elements he would have to encounter at home."
"One important element he thinks he can overcome, and reconcile to the House of Hapsburg: Hungary, who has so long been discontented, will find it impossible to continue her displeasure, as he will at once restore to her the self-government she demands."
"Remove the centre of gravity to Pesth," said King George with some bitterness, "as Bismarck advised."
"A second centre of gravity will remain in Vienna," returned the King of Saxony, "and the balance of power between the two will create the future strength of Austria."
"But the Church," asked the King of Hanover, "will she regard Beust favourably?"
"I avoid speaking upon Church questions," said King John gravely, "happily, from the const.i.tution of Saxony, I have never been placed in the painful position of deciding between political necessity and my religions convictions. Have you good news of the queen?" he said, changing the subject.
"I thank you," replied King George, "she is as well as painful circ.u.mstances permit."
"I admire her heroic courage and her dignified bearing," said the King of Saxony; after a short pause he added--
"Shall you remain here, or go to England?"
"To England?" cried King George, "to England, who moved not a finger to a.s.sist me, or to defend the country that had given her a glorious race of kings, the country whose sons had shed their blood in England"s wars? No! I will remain here, here in the house my cousin has so kindly placed at my disposal. Here, at least, I am upon Guelphic soil," he tapped his foot on the ground, "here I will remain until the tide of misfortune turns."
"You believe a change is possible in our present fate?" asked King John with some surprise.
"I do believe it," said the King of Hanover firmly.
"But," said King John, "we shall embarra.s.s Austria, about whose power we were so much deceived, if we stay here; our position will be painful."
"Here in quiet Hietzing," replied King George, "I shall not embarra.s.s the political world of Vienna, though perhaps," he added with dignity, "I may be a living reminiscence of duties that cannot be stripped off."
The King of Saxony stood up. King George also rose.
"I expect my son," said King John, "he will pay his respects to you."
"I shall be delighted to see the crown prince," said King George.
The King of Saxony pressed the King of Hanover"s hand,--he rang, the folding doors were thrown open, and arm in arm the two princes walked through the reception room. King George accompanied his guest to the door of the house, and then returned, guided by Count Wedel who had followed him, to his cabinet.
Count Platen and Herr Meding had in the meantime arrived in the ante-room.
The groom of the chambers announced them to the king.
"Call the crown prince and the privy councillor," said King George.
After a few minutes Prince Ernest Augustus and Herr Lex entered the king"s cabinet, Count Platen and Herr Meding followed them. At a sign from the king they all seated themselves around the table.
The king began in a grave voice:
"The incorporation of Hanover with Prussia is determined upon irrevocably; I am in a great difficulty, gentlemen, and I wish to hear your advice. As you are aware, the English government has offered to mediate for the recovery of the property belonging to my family; it has also expressed a wish that my army should be released from its oath of fealty, by which means the negotiations as to my property would be made much easier. My personal inclination prompts me simply to decline the negotiations, and to await a change in our unhappy fortunes; but this is a question which concerns not only the interests of my family, but those of many of my officers. What do you think ought to be done, Count Platen?"
"Your majesty," replied the count, bowing slightly, "my opinion is that your present position requires as much money as possible, for the means at your disposal are very limited. If then, as I believe is the case, the Prussian government sets great value upon the release of the army from its oath, much may be gained by your consent. I think your majesty cannot hesitate to engage in negotiations; nevertheless, the oath of fealty must not be released until a favourable result is gained."
"Above all things," said the crown prince, "our family domains and the hunting grounds must be preserved."
"And what do you think?" said the king, turning his head towards Meding, with marked attention.
"Your majesty," he replied, "I am quite of the opinion that you must enter upon these negotiations, yet I do not share the views either of his royal highness the crown prince or of Count Platen. From what your majesty has always firmly expressed, I believe you will not accept the fate that war has brought upon Hanover, but that you will make every effort in your power to recover your rights."
"That I will," cried the king, slightly striking the table with his hand; "should my exile endure twenty or thirty years, I will never cease to struggle for my rights!"
"Your majesty is perfectly justified in this resolution," said Meding.
"War has been declared against you, and no peace concluded with you.
Your majesty is a recognized enemy, and you can act accordingly; but you must then expect the other side to proceed in a similar way. For us, your majesty"s servants, duty is clearly defined. Since your majesty has willed to continue the struggle, all our opinions must be governed by this determination. The possession of domains in the kingdom of Hanover would make you completely dependent upon the Prussian government. Every landowner, in concluding arrangements, must recognize almost daily the authority of the present possessors of the country. All this does not accord with the att.i.tude your majesty desires to maintain. Besides--forgive me, your majesty, but I cannot forget a maxim taught me by my great master in politics, Herr von Manteuffel----"
"A Prussian maxim," said the crown prince, laughing.
"Your royal highness," replied Meding gravely, "the maxims I learnt and followed in the Prussian service, I will never deny. From following these maxims implicitly, I have now the honour of standing beside my king in his misfortunes. Circ.u.mstances,--my love and my duty to my royal master,--may make me the enemy of the land of my birth, but deny and scoff at it I never will."
The crown prince was silent.
"You are perfectly right," cried the king energetically. "You would be no true servant to me if you denied your former masters. Well, then, Herr von Manteuffel--?"
"Herr von Manteuffel," continued Meding, "used to say, "A good general thinks first of a retreat." In the struggle which your majesty undertakes, I think anxiously of a retreat; and it appears to me unworthy of the Guelphs to continue to be landowners in the country where they wore the crown. An independent capital will be the basis of obtaining fresh possessions in a country which, after the loss of the throne of Hanover, opens a great and glorious future to princes of the house of Guelph--in England."
"But shall we then give up all the possessions of our family, so full of remembrances?" cried the crown prince.
"If his majesty recovers the crown of Hanover," said Meding, "he will also recover possession of the royal domains; if not, these remembrances can only be painful. I certainly believe, too," he added, "that Prussia will grant no domains without an express recognition of her sovereignty."
The king was thoughtfully silent.
"Your majesty," said Count Platen, "the remarks of Herr Meding are certainly worthy of attention. But the wish of his royal highness is also very right. We might reconcile these views, and demand a portion of your possessions in the domains--say a third part, especially in the capital."
"That would place the whole negotiation on a difficult basis, and draw it out to a tremendous length," said Meding.
"Let us seize this method of escaping from the difficulty," said the king. "What do you think, my dear Lex?"
"I am quite of Count Platen"s opinion," he replied.
Meding was silent.