Tales from the German. Volume I.

by C. F. van der Velde

'Hope?' asked Arwed. 'You have seen the cold, inimical, hypocritical face of the queen, and dream you yet of hope?'

'If Ulrika remain queen,' answered Conradi, 'then indeed is Goertz lost; but she has received as yet but the allegiance of the senate and army, and not that of the country. Before she obtains the latter many things may happen. I spoke yesterday with the counsellor count Tessin, who is most favorably disposed towards our poor friend. The queen has committed a great political error. She has, in convoking the members of the diet, styled herself hereditary queen. This has injured her cause. The senate has been severely reproached on account of the readiness with which it acknowledged her hereditary right. They have also sought to awaken dissatisfaction among the people; and in the last sitting of the senate, the president, count Horn, did not hesitate to desire of the queen that she should surrender the conferring of the royal dignity to the decision of the diet. That only would insure her the crown, which she else may lose.'

'Elected or hereditary queen! is it not all one?' asked Arwed.

'Not for the diet,' answered Conradi; 'and as little for the queen. The hereditary king is indebted only to God and his forefathers; the elected king is the creature of the electors, and must be dependent upon them.'

'And if Ulrika should now stand upon her hereditary right?' asked Arwed further.

'Then,' answered Conradi, 'she would by this exercise of arbitrary power, provoke the diet to inquire into the hereditary right of the duke of Holstein, which would perhaps stand the scrutiny much better than her's.'

'That would little help the good cause!' replied Arwed. 'What can be expected of a prince who is capable of giving up his faithful minister to the rage of his enemies?'

'Or the throne would be declared vacant,' proceeded Conradi, 'and a regent of the empire seated upon it. To that end are many Swedish lords laboring, as I am well informed from good sources. At all events let there be a change in the government, and there may be also a change of feeling in relation to Goertz, to his advantage.'

'I doubt that,' observed Arwed. 'Though the contending parties may oppose each other ever so bitterly on other subjects, all unite in their hatred of the foreigner. He is the common enemy against whom they all, as one man, array themselves.'

'You shall not thus frivolously deprive me of my best joy,' said Conradi, struck by the weight of his objection.