“You compelled this gentleman to take off his shoes at the door.”
“Well, and what of that?”
“Well,” said Mr. Witte, solemnly, as he laid his arm upon his wife’s shoulder and tried to force her to her knees, “this is his majesty the King of Prussia!”
But the all-important words had not the expected effect. Madame Witte remained quietly standing, and looked first upon her own bare feet and then curiously at the king.
“Beg the king’s pardon for your most unseemly conduct,” said Witte.
“Why was it unseemly?” asked his better-half. “Do I not take off my shoes every time I enter this room? The room is mine, and does not belong to the King of Prussia.”
Witte raised his hands above his head in despair. The king laughed loudly and heartily.
“You see I was right, sir,” he said. “Only obedience could spare the King of Prussia a humiliation. [Footnote: The king’s own words. See Nicolai’s “anecdotes of Frederick the Great, “collection V., P.31] But let us go to your business room and arrange our moneyed affairs. There, madame, I suppose you will allow me to put on my shoes.”
Without a word, Mr. Witte rushed from the room for the king’s shoes, and hastened to put them, not before the king, but before the door that led into his counting room.
With a gay smile, the king stepped along the border of the carpet to his shoes, and let Balby put them on for him.