, for Waldow has
gone himself to Koenigsberg to hold a consultation with Count Martinitz,
and to concert with our loyal friends a fixed plan of operations."

"We shall be obliged to go very slowly and cautiously to work," said Count
Adam thoughtfully. "We must first secure ourselves on all sides, and be
sure of the result before we venture to assume the offensive. The most
important thing now is to assure ourselves of the Emperor's favor and
approval. You, my son, must repair forthwith to Regensburg, where the
Emperor is at present. You will inform him that I have obtained orders
from the Elector to release the troops from their oath to the Emperor, and
to swear them into the Elector's service alone. You will say to his
Majesty that I have declined to yield to this order, and in the oath
administered to the officers have made their allegiance to the Elector
quite secondary to their obligations to himself. You will further notify
the Emperor that the soldiers' pay has been in arrears for a month,
because all our coffers are empty. Therefore ask, in my name, if it would
not perhaps be advisable, if we come to extremities, to take the
Brandenburg troops into the Emperor's pay, to give them rations in the
Emperor's name, and renew their oath to his Imperial Majesty. To effect
this, we have only to stimulate a little the discontent of the troops.
They are already tolerably desperate because they have not received their
wages. If the Elector does not speedily pay off the troops, the
desperation will reach its height, and a revolt break forth spontaneously."

"Thence it follows, most gracious sir, that they will become as wax to be
molded at your will."

"You are right, my son; we must manage to retain authority over friend and
foe. The troops here are a wild, lawless horde, knowing little of
discipline and order, and bearing much closer resemblance to a robber band
than a princely army. We must aim at having disciplined troops at hand,
such as are accustomed to obedience, and to this end must introduce
imperial troops into the Mark. Nothing further is necessary for this than
to begin hostilities against the Swedes with renewed activity, drawing
them down upon Berlin. It will then seem quite natural, considering the
weakness of the forces here, to invite the aid of the Emperor and his
troops in defending Berlin and protecting ourselves against the Swedes,
but in truth to help us in this great movement against the seditious
E