ongs it now?'

ICH. "'To a certain Schonermark.'

KING. "'Is he of the Nobility?'

ICH. "'No.'

KING. "'Who had it before him?'

ICH. "'The Courier (FELDJAGER) Ahrens; he got it by inheritance from his
father. The property has always been in commoners' (BURGERLICHEN) hands.

KING. "'That I am aware of. How call we the village here before us?'

ICH. "'Walcho.'

KING. "'To whom belongs it?'

ICH. "'To you, your Majesty, under the Amt Alt-Ruppin.'

KING. "'What is the village here before us?'

ICH. "'Protzen.'

KING. "'Whose is it?'

ICH. "'Herr von Kleist's.'

KING. "'What Kleist is that?'

ICH. "'A son of General Kleist's.'

KING. "'Of what General Kleist's.'

ICH. "'His brother was FLUGELADJUTANT [WING-adjutant, whatever that may
be] with your Majesty; and is now at Magdeburg, Lieutenant-Colonel in
the Regiment Kalkstein.'

KING. "'Ha, ha, that one! I know the Kleists very well. Has this Kleist
been in the service too?'

ICH. "'Yea, your Majesty; he was ensign in the regiment Prinz
Ferdinand.'

KING. "'Why did the man seek his discharge?'

ICH. "'That I do not know.'

KING. "'You may tell me, I have no view in asking: why did the man take
his discharge?'

ICH. "'Your Majesty, I really cannot say.'

"We had now got on to Protzen. I perceived old General van Ziethen
standing before the Manor-house in Protzen,"--rugged brave old soul;
with his hanging brows, and strange dim-fiery pious old thoughts!--"I
rode forward to the carriage and said:--

ICH. "'Your Majesty, the Herr General von Ziethen is [are, SIND] also
here.'

KING. "'Where? where? Oh, ride forward, and tell the people to draw up;
they must halt, I'll get out.'

"And now his Majesty got out; and was exceedingly delighted at the sight
of Herr General von Ziethen; talked with him and Herr von Kleist of many
things: Whether the draining of the Luch had done him good; Whether the
murrain had been there among their cattle?--and recommended rock-salt
against the murrain. Suddenly his Majesty stept aside, turned towards
me, and called: 'Amtmann! [THEN CLOSE INTO MY EAR] Who is the fat man
there with the white coat?'

ICH (ALSO CLOSE INTO HIS MAJESTY'S EAR). "'Your Majesty, that is the
Landrath Quast, of the Ruppin Circle.'

KING. "'Very well.'

"Now his Majesty went back to General von Ziethen and Herr von Kleist,
and spoke of different things. Herr von Kleist presented some very fine
fruit to his Majesty; all at once his Maje