read that essential Piece: sound
substance, in very stiff indifferent French of Stratford,--which may as
well be made English at once:--

"TO HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF PRUSSIA.

"SIRE,--It is with the liveliest grief that I find myself under the
necessity,--after what has passed today at the audience I had of your
Majesty, where I neither did nor said anything in regard to that Letter
of Monsieur Grumkow's or to putting it into your Majesty's hands, that
was not by my Master's order,--it is, I say, Sire, with the liveliest
grief that I am obliged to inform your Majesty of the necessity there
lies on me to despatch a Courier to London to apprise the King my Master
of an incident so surprising as the one that has just happened. For
which reason I beg (SUPPLIE) your Majesty will be pleased to cause the
necessary Orders for Post-horses to be furnished me, not only for the
said Courier, but also for myself,--since, after what has just happened,
it is not proper for me to prolong my stay here (_faire un plus long
sejour ici_).

"I have the honor to be, your Majesty's, &c. &c. &c.

"CHARLES HOTHAM."

"About two hours afterwards, General Borck came to me; and told me He
was in the utmost affliction for what had happened; and beseeched me to
have a little patience, and that he hoped means would be found to make
up the matter to me. Afterwards he communicated to me, by word of
mouth, the Answer the King of Prussia had given to the last Orders I had
received by Captain Guy Dickens,"--Orders, "Come home immediately," to
which the "Answer" is conceivable.

"I told him that, after the treatment I had received at noon, and the
affront put upon the King my Master's character, I could no longer
receive nor charge myself with anything that came from his Prussian
Majesty. That as to what related to me personally, it was very easily
made up; but having done nothing but in obedience to the King my
Master's orders, it belonged to him only to judge what satisfaction was
due for the indignity offered to his character. Wherefore I did not look
upon myself as authorized to listen to any expedients till I knew his
Majesty's pleasure upon the matter.

"In the evening, General Borck wrote a Letter to Captain Guy Dickens
and two to me, the Copies of which are enclosed,"--fear not, reader! "The
purport of them was to desire That I would take no farther notice of
what had happened, and that the King of Prussia desired I would come and
dine