CHAPTER VI.
THE SECRET AGENT.
THE COURT AT CELLE—MR. WRAXALL—PRESENTATION TO THE QUEEN—HAMBURG—THE DANISH NOBILITY—THE PROPOSITION—THE CREDENTIALS—RETURN TO CELLE—BARON VON SECKENDORF—THE QUEEN'S ACCEPTANCE—ANOTHER VISIT TO CELLE—THE INTERVIEW IN THE JARDIN FRANCOIS—CAROLINE MATILDA'S AGREEMENT—THE INN IN THE WOOD—BARON VON BULOW—A STRANGE ADVENTURE—ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND.
There is but little information to be derived about the life of Caroline Matilda during the year 1773. All we know is, that she continued to devote her life to charity and literary pursuits. Being endowed with a rare desire for learning and a splendid memory, she soon became versed in the beauties of German literature. Every evening before supper she had either German works read to her or read them herself. "The Death of Abel" moved her to tears, and Gellert was another of her favourite poets. She knew many of his hymns by heart, and was fondest of the one beginning "I ne'er will seek to injure him, who seeks to injure me." She arranged a small hand library in a turret room hung with green damask, where she liked most to sit, and amused herself in turn with music and reading. Although she was a first-rate musician, she continued to take lessons in the art; but only cared for serious and tragical compositions, and might frequently be heard confiding to the instrument the grief that agitated her sorrowing heart.
In order to distract her thoughts, a theatre was arranged in the palace. On January, 1773, Schröder's celebrated company of comedians came to Celle, and gave their first performance on the court stage, a spacious box having been railed off in the pit for the queen, the court, and the nobility. The queen attended nearly every performance, and the court chamberlain carefully obeyed the instructions he had received from London, only to allow amusing performances to take place, so that Holberg's comedies were frequently played, but never tragedies, or even serious dramas. That this precaution was necessary, was seen on the performance of the play "Appearances are Deceptive," in which the appearance of some children on the stage produced so violent an impression on the queen, that she at once quitted the playhouse, and, in spite of the rough breeze, was obliged to walk about for a long time in the gardens ere she could regain her self-possession. Afterwards, the court at times acted plays, in order to provide a slight amusement for their beloved queen.
An idea of Caroline Matilda's mode of life will be best formed, however, from a perusal of the following letter to her sister, written in the summer of 1773:—
MADAM AND DEAR SISTER,
Thanks to Heaven for having made me sensible of the futility and delusion of all worldly pomp and stately nothingness. Believe me when I tell you that I have not once wished to be again an enthroned queen. Were my dear children restored to me, I should think, if there is on this earth perfect happiness, I might enjoy it in a private station with them; but the Supreme Disposer of all events has decreed that my peace of mind should be continually disturbed by what I feel on this cruel and unnatural separation. You are a tender mother, and I appeal to your own fondness. Pray give my love to the dear Augusta[47] and all her brothers; now that she is in her seventh year, she is, I dare say, an agreeable, chatty companion. As for Charles, he is, I understand, like his father, born a warrior: nothing but drums, swords, and horses can please his martial inclination. George, Augustus, and William equally contribute to your comfort and amusement. Tell them I have some little presents I shall send them the first opportunity.
You desire to know how I vary my occupation and amusements in this residence. I get up between seven and eight o'clock; take a walk in the garden if the weather permits; give my instructions to the gardener for the day; observe his men at work with that contented mind which is a perpetual feast; return to my castle for breakfast; dress myself from ten to eleven; appear in my little circle at twelve; retire to my apartment about one; read, and take an airing till dinner; walk again about an hour in the garden with the ladies of my retinue; drink tea, play upon the harpsichord, sometimes a little party at quadrille before supper; and, am commonly in bed before twelve. Every Monday, I receive petitions from real objects of compassion, and delight in relieving their necessities according to my power; and thus, every week passes in a regular rotation of rational conversation, lectures amusantes et instructives, musical entertainments, walks, and a little curious needlework. I see everybody happy around me, and vie with each other in proofs of zeal and affection for my person. Now, I can truly say, I cultivate friendship and philosophy, which are strangers to the throne. I expect to see you soon, according to your promise; this visit will add greatly to the comfort of your most affectionate sister,
CAROLINE MATILDA.
But all these efforts were impotent to dispel the expression of gnawing sorrow, which was imprinted on the countenance of the queen, and was spread over her whole manner. Toward the middle of 1774, a great pleasure, however, was caused the queen, by the receipt of a portrait of her son, the crown prince Frederick, which was sent her from Copenhagen. Shortly after she had received the picture, her grande maîtresse, Madame d'Ompteda, entered the room, because she had heard the queen speaking loudly, and was much surprised at finding her alone. With tears in her eyes, but with the sweet smile which, even in sorrowful moments, played round her mouth, she said to the grand mistress:
"You cannot account for hearing me speaking loudly and yet not finding any one with me? Well, do you know with whom I was conversing? It was with this dear picture."
And she then produced the portrait of the youthful prince.
"And now that you have surprised me," the queen continued, "you shall also know what I was saying to the picture. I employed the words which you a few days ago placed in the mouth of a daughter who had found her lost father again, except that I have altered them as follows: