He added other highly complimentary remarks.
A pause ensued, during which I noticed, on the opposite wall, a picture of the deceased Princess, who, as I had often heard, had been a great benefactress to the country during the famine of 1817. This picture revived my recollections of Gustava, and I felt as if I were not alone, but as if she were with me.
All this passed through my mind during the few moments of silence.
The Prince went on to say that he had been informed of what I had said an hour ago at the popular meeting. It had, for several days, been his desire to act in union with me, but that he had entertained doubts on various points,--among others as to whether I could attach myself to him; and that the information he had just received had at last aided him to form his conclusion.
"Excuse the question, but are you a republican?"
"I have sworn to support the government," was my answer.
"Are you a republican in theory?"
"In theory? The days of Pericles and Scipio are reflected in the soul of every German who has received a classical education, and, logically considered, a republic is the only form of free government. But neither the life of nature, nor that of human history, is absolutely logical, for actual necessity sets aside the systems erected by abstract reason."
"That is well, and we shall, therefore, no doubt agree on all that follows. But let me ask you one other question: Do you candidly and heartily desire the continued existence of my sovereign dynasty?"
"Sovereign--no; dynasty--yes."