He had soon an opportunity of showing his usefulness in an extraordinary case. The arrangements of the Court were in every respect exemplary, and not least when the Sovereign wished to show some mark of attention. A confidential councillor kept a list of the birthdays on which the Sovereign was bound to make a present, and also of the popular festivals where it was necessary for him to present a silver cup or some other testimony of his royal sympathy. On this list was noted down the fixed value of the present; and as the time approached the councillor sent the necessary information to the Chamberlain, whose business it was to choose a suitable present. On the birthday of any member of the princely family the Chamberlain only made suggestions; the Sovereign himself decided what was to be given.
Now the birthday of the Princess was approaching. The gentleman-in-waiting, therefore, made a visit to her lady-in-waiting, in order to discover secretly what the Princess would like. In this not uncommon way many things were proposed; the Chamberlain of his own idea added modern trifles, among them copies of colored initial letters, which just then were painted in albums and letter-sheets, for he knew that the Princess had wished for things of the kind. The Sovereign glanced over the list, and at last stopped at the initial letters.
"These Parisian manufactures will hardly please the Princess. Could she not have painted letters copied from old parchments by a draughtsman? Did you not extol Magister Knips to me? He could prepare very pretty little designs."
The Chamberlain expressed deferent surprise at his Highness's idea, and sought the Magister. Knips promised to paint all the letters of the alphabet in the old characters, and the Chamberlain meanwhile looked after the cover. When the work of the Magister was laid before the Sovereign he was indeed surprised.
"These are like the beautiful old rubrics," he exclaimed; "how do they come here?"
Every letter was so painted on the old parchment that at cursory glance it could not be discovered whether the work was old or new.
"This shows wonderful talent; take care that the man is compensated according to the value of his service."
Knips lapsed into a state of respectful transport when the Chamberlain demonstrated to him the satisfaction of the Sovereign in shining coins. But it did not end there. For shortly afterwards the Sovereign visited the museum at the time when Knips was working. The Sovereign stopped again in front of the Magister, and said:
"I was delighted with your pictures. You possess a rare aptitude: both eyes and judgment might be deceived by the counterfeit of antiquity."
"Your most gracious Highness must pardon me if, on account of shortness of time, the imitation was imperfect," replied the bowing Knips.