“The King of Prussia,” said she, in a low, whispering voice, as she reached the queen, “demands that the key to the state archives be delivered at once to his messenger, Major von Vangenheim.”
The queen raised herself proudly from her seat.
“Say to this Major von Vangenheim that he will never receive this key!” said she, commandingly.
The countess bowed, and left the room.
“He has left,” said she, when she returned to the queen; “though he said that he or another would return.”
“Let us now consult as to what is to be done,” said the queen. “Send for Father Guarini, so that we may receive his advice.”
Thanks to the queen’s consultation with her confessor and her maid of honor, the King of Prussia’s messenger, when he returned, was not denied an audience. This time, it was not Major von Vangenheim, but General von Wylich, the Prussian commandant at Dresden, whom Frederick sent.
Maria Josephine received him in the room next to the archives, sitting upon a divan, near to the momentous door. She listened with a careless indifference, as he again demanded, in the king’s name, the key to the state archives.
The queen turned to her maid of honor.
“How is it that you are so negligent, countess?” said she; “did I not tell you to answer to the messenger of the king, that I would give this key, which is the property of the Prince-Elector of Saxony, and which he intrusted to me, to no one but my husband?”