[HOTHAM _and the_ PRINCE OF BAIREUTH _come in_.]

ALL.

The Prince of Baireuth?

PRINCE.

Good evening.

KING.

Right, oh! Prince, that you are come. Now, at least, you will have
something good about my family to tell them in Rheinsberg. [_Aside_.]
Spy! [_Aloud_.] But your pipe is cold.

PRINCE (_with suppressed anger_).

I am hoping that I may find fire enough here.

[_The company sit down, the_ KING _and_ GRUMBKOW _at one end of the
table,_ HOTHAM _and the_ PRINCE _at the other_.]

KING.

Lay on, gentlemen--there stand the care-chasers.

SECKENDORF.

To His Majesty's health!

KING.

No, let us rather drink, after such a day of annoyance and sorrow--let
us rather drink to cheer, jollity, and a happy turn of wit!

[_They touch glasses with one another._ EVERMANN _moves about, serving
the guests, passing coal for the pipes, and so forth_.]

KING (_aside_).

Grumbkow, I wager it will be right jolly tonight.

GRUMBKOW (_aside_).

We'll soon begin to tap the Prince.

KING (_aside_).

Be merciful. His brow is already bedewed with the sweat of anxiety.
[_Aloud_.] Tell me. Prince, since you have windbagged yourself about so
much of the world--do they smoke tobacco in Versailles also?

[Illustration: KING FREDERICK WILLIAM I AND HIS "TOBACCO COLLEGIUM"
ADOLPH VON MENZEL]

PRINCE.

No. Your Majesty, but I've seen sailors in London who chew it.

KING.

Brr! Grumbkow, we'll not introduce that fashion here. It's not because
of the taste, but such meals would be right costly.

HOTHAM.

Our sailors use tobacco as a remedy for scurvy.

SECKENDORF.

What is scurvy?

PRINCE.

The scurvy, Count, is a disease which begins with an evil tongue.

KING (_aside_).

Take notice, Grumbkow, he's pricked. On with the attack.

GRUMBKOW.

Eversmann, have the newest Dutch journals arrived?

EVERSMANN.

Yes, Your Excellency; full of lies, as usual.

KING.

Lies? Then, according to the proverb, that explains why our beer is so
sour.

GRUMBKOW.

Tell me, Eversmann, is there no news from Ansbach in the journals?

HOTHAM (_aside to_ PRINCE).

Arm yourself.

EVERSMANN (_impertinently_).

Why should there be news from such a little country?

KING.

Be quiet! Prussia also was once a little country. Tell me rather, what
do the Dutch write about Prussia?

EVERSMANN.

Outrageous things. They say that many deserters have again fled from
Potsdam.

KING.

That's not a lie, unfortu