will obey this call, and burn with enmity and wrath against the rash
little Elector. We have spread our net, and its meshes are entangling him,
even there in Prussia, where he thinks himself quite safe and secure. True
friends and trusty messengers have been sent by Goldacker and myself to
Prussia, to concert measures there with your adherents, and to rouse them
to strong, energetic action. Sebastian von Waldow, superintendent of the
palace and captain of Ruppin, assembles your friends together in perfect
secrecy, and I daily expect from him exact accounts as to the success of
his operations. In Koenigsberg itself we now have a powerful and efficient
friend, who co-operates with us and is like-minded with ourselves. It is
the ambassador whom the Emperor has sent to condole with the Elector. He
is my best, most confidential friend, Count von Martinitz. He is
acquainted with all my plans, he is the confidant of all my hopes and
views, and will second them with all his might. This ambitious, heretical
little Elector shall not rise, shall not arrive at power and distinction!
That is not only the view the Emperor takes of it, but all German princes.
The Elector of Brandenburg is a source of terror and embarrassment to them
all. He threatens Saxony, he threatens Brunswick and Hesse; of all he
claims land and property now in their possession. He has no friends,
adherents, nor allies, this little Elector Frederick William. Holland will
not side with him, because it will not relinquish Julich and Cleves,
Sweden contends with him for Pomerania, and Poland about the investiture.
He has only enemies and accusers! If, then, we attack him, he is lost! No
hand will be lifted in his defense, no arm outstretched to save him. The
Emperor will grant us his support and countenance, and all German princes
will secretly rejoice that so dangerous a rival has been happily removed.
O father! you see I have not abandoned hope of becoming some day Elector
of Brandenburg! Only, I shall not be indebted for it to the Princess
Charlotte Louise, but to you. I shall inherit the dignity as my father's
son! And this shall be my revenge upon the faithless, treacherous
Princess! I will ruin her and her whole house; I will put my father in her
brother's place; I will one day enter as master the palace before whose
closed portals they once insolently kept me two hours waiting. I swore
that night to be revenged for that insult, and now the moment has come.
Fath