nel of a Musketeer Regiment, favorite old soldier,--who
did vote on the mild side in that Court-Martial on the Crown-Prince
lately; but I hope has been forgiven by his Majesty, being much esteemed
by him these long years past;--this Donhof, early one morning, calls
upon the King, with a grimly lamenting air. "What is wrong, Herr
General?"--"Your Majesty, my best musketeer, an excellent soldier, and
of good inches, fell into a mistake lately,--bad company getting round
the poor fellow; they, he among them, slipt into a house and stole
something; trifle and without violence: pay is but three halfpence, your
Majesty, and the Devil tempts men! Well, the Criminal-Collegium have
condemned him to be hanged; an excellent soldier and of good inches,
for that one fault. Nobleman Schlubhut was 'to make restitution,' they
decreed: that was their decree on Schlubhut, one of their own set; and
this poor soldier, six feet three, your Majesty, is to dance on the top
of nothing for a three-halfpenny matter!"--So would Donhof represent
the thing,--"fact being," says my Dryasdust, "it was a case of
house-breaking with theft to the value of 6,000 thalers and this
musketeer the ringleader!"--Well; but was Schlubhut sentenced
to hanging? Do you keep two weights and two measures, in that
Criminal-Collegium of yours, then?

Friedrich Wilhelm feels this sad contrast very much; the more, as the
soldier is his own chattel withal, and of superlative inches: Friedrich
Wilhelm flames up into wrath; sends off swift messengers to bring these
Judges, one and all instantly into his presence. The Judges are still in
their dressing-gowns, shaving, breakfasting; they make what haste
they can. So soon as the first three or four are reported to be in the
anteroom, Friedrich Wilhelm, in extreme impatience has them called in;
starts discoursing with them upon the two weights and two measures.
Apologies, subterfuges do but provoke him farther; it is not long till
he starts up, growling terribly: "IHR SCHURKEN (Ye Scoundrels), how
could you?" and smites down upon the crowns of them with the Royal
Cudgel itself. Fancy the hurry-scurry, the unforensic attitudes and
pleadings! Royal Cudgel rains blows, right and left: blood is drawn,
crowns cracked, crowns nearly broken; and "several Judges lost a few
teeth, and had their noses battered," before they could get out. The
second relay meeting them in this dilapidated state, on the staircases,
dashed home again without