her Prince,
without character and lasting means of support, after his forceful
withdrawal from Wuertemberg, should again show face there. "That my
Father," adds he, as ground of this refusal, "give his name to such a
petition can help me little; for every one will at once, so long as I
cannot make it plain that I no longer need the Duke of Wuertemberg,
suspect in a return, obtained on petition (by myself or by another is
all one), a desire to get settled in Wuertemberg again. Sister,
consider with serious attention these circumstances; for the happiness
of thy Brother may, by rash haste in this matter, suffer an incurable
wound. Great part of Germany knows of my relations to your Duke and of
the way I left him. People have interested themselves for me at the
expense of this Duke; how horribly would the respect of the public
(and on this depends my whole future fortune), how miserably would my
own honour sink by the suspicion that I had sought this return; that
my circumstances had forced me to repent my former step; that the
support which I had sought in the wide world had misgone, and I was
seeking it anew in my Birthland! The open manlike boldness, which I
showed in my forceful withdrawal, would get the name of a childish
outburst of mutiny, a stupid bit of impotent bluster, if I do not make
it good. Love for my dear ones, longing for my Fatherland might
perhaps excuse me in the heart of this or the other candid man; but
the world makes no account of all that.

"For the rest, if my Father is determined to do it, I cannot hinder
him; only this I say to thee, Sister, that in case even the Duke would
permit it, I will not show myself on Wuertemberg ground till I have at
least a character (for which object I shall zealously labour); and
that in case the Duke refuses, I shall not be able to restrain myself
from avenging the affront thereby put upon me by open fooleries
(_sottisen_) and expressions of myself in print."

'The intended Petition to the Duke was not drawn out,--and Father
Schiller overcame his anger on the matter; as, on closer consideration
of the Son's aversion to this step, he could not wholly disapprove
him. Yet he did not hide from Schiller Junior the steadfast wish that
he would in some way or other try to draw near to the Duke; at any
rate he, Father Schiller, "hoped to God that their parting would not
last forever; and that, in fine, he might still live to see his only
Son near him again."

'In Mann