circumvent me, and hardly has the lord of the land come hither before you
must gain favors from himself. Well, see what favors you have obtained!
Hardly an hour ago you walked with quick, proud steps into the castle of
his Electoral Grace, and now you stand with humble, sad countenances in
the antechamber of the Stadtholder in the Mark! What will you have here,
and what have those to do with the Stadtholder who can converse with the
Elector himself?"

"Pardon, your excellency, as faithful and humble children of the country,
we turned first to our father and lord--"

"Now stick to that!" interrupted the count warmly, "and desire not to
obtain from me what the fatherly heart of your beloved liege lord has
denied you. Go, and never again appear in these parts! And you, too, my
lords, deputies from the duchy of Cleves," continued the count, striding
forward toward the deputies--"you, too, might reasonably have spared
yourselves the trouble of appearing here. Who has enjoyed the honor of
being received by his Electoral Highness need have no necessity for
antechambering at the house of his minister and Stadtholder, for all
favors and all honors flow from the almighty and exalted person of the
Elector himself, and what he has done is good, and what he has said stands
fast and is the law. Therefore, also, whoever has obtained dismissal from
his Electoral Grace need no more turn to me, for the sun has shone upon
him, and like myself he stands in the shade."

With these ambiguous words the Stadtholder moved forward, leaving the
deputies covered with shame and swelling with indignation, while his
countenance had speedily brightened. With more friendly gestures he now
accepted the written petitions, and even listened patiently and
condescendingly to those who had only come with oral supplications;
promised them redress for their difficulties, exhorted them with loud
voice to place confidence in their Stadtholder, appointed by the Elector,
and to be assured that whoever turned to him would not sue and plead in
vain, if his cause were just, fair, and practicable.

When the count had finished his circuit and stood again at his cabinet
door, the baskets were piled high with written petitions, and the count,
pointing to these with outstretched right hand, on whose fingers sparkled
many a costly jewel, asseverated with loud voice that he would himself
open, read, and examine all these writings, and do whatever was in his
power. Then,