t
Vienna once: King had appointed Gotter and two others; not to say
that two of the Princess's Brothers, with her Sister the Margravine of
Schwedt, were to accompany as far as Schwedt: six in all; though one's
poor memory fails one on some occasions!]--to escort the Princess to
Stralsund, where two Swedish Senators and different high Lords and
Ladies awaited her. Her Majesty the Queen-Mother, judging by the
movements of her own heart that the moment of separation would produce
a scene difficult to bear, had ordered an Opera to divert our
chagrin; and, instead of supper, a superb collation EN AMBIGU [kind
of supper-breakfast, I suppose], in the great Hall of the Palace. Her
Majesty's plan was, The Princess, on coming from the Opera, should,
almost on flight, taste a morsel; take her travelling equipment, embrace
her kinsfolk, dash into her carriage, and go off like lightning.
Herr Graf von Gotter was charged with executing this design, and with
hurrying the departure.

"But all these precautions were vain. The incomparable Ulrique was
too dear to her Family and to her Country, to be parted with forever,
without her meed of tears from them in those cruel instants. On entering
the Opera-Hall, I noticed everywhere prevalent an air of sorrow, of
sombre melancholy. The Princess appeared in Amazon-dress [riding-habit,
say], of rose-color trimmed with silver; the little vest, turned up with
green-blue (CELADON), and collar of the same; a little bonnet, English
fashion, of black velvet, with a white plume to it; her hair floating,
and tied with a rose-colored ribbon. She was beautiful as Love: but this
dress, so elegant, and so well setting off her charms, only the more
sensibly awakened our regrets to lose her; and announced that the hour
was come, in which all this appeared among us for the last time. At the
second act, young Prince Ferdinand [Youngest Brother, Father of the JENA
Ferdinand] entered the Royal Box; and flinging himself on the Princess's
neck with a burst of tears, said, 'Ah, my dear Ulrique, it is over,
then; and I shall never see you more!' These words were a signal given
to the grief which was shut in all hearts, to burst forth with the
greatest vehemence. The Princess replied only with sobs; holding her
Brother in her arms. The Two Queens could not restrain their tears; the
Princes and Princesses followed the example: grief is epidemical; it
gained directly all the Boxes of the first rank, where the Court and