Frederick the Great and His Family [35]
with the two cases and the bag, and laid them upon the table, then placed himself at the door.
"Now, madame, leave us," ordered the king, "and do as I told you."
Madame Niclas left, and the gentlemen were once more alone.
"Now, what shall we do?" said the king, smilingly. "I believe there is danger of our wonderful trip falling through."
"It is only necessary for your majesty to make yourself known to the postmaster," said Colonel Balby.
"And if he will not believe me, this fripon who declares that no one could tell by my appearance whether I was a rascal or not, this dull-eyed simpleton, who will not see the royal mark upon my brow, which my courtiers see so plainly written there? No, no, my friend, that is not the way. We have undertaken to travel as ordinary men-- we must now see how common men get through the world. It is necessary to show the police that we are at least honest men. Happily, I believe I have the means to do so at hand. Open our ominous bag, friend Balby, I think you will discover my portfolio, and in it a few blank passes, and my state seal."
Colonel Balby did as the king ordered, and drew from the bag the portfolio, with its precious contents.
The king bade Balby sit down and fill up the blanks at his dictation.
The pass was drawn up for the two brothers, Frederick and Henry Zoller, accompanied by their servant, with the intention of travelling through Holland.
The king placed his signature under this important document.
"Now, it is only necessary to put the state seal under it, and we shall be free; but how will we get a light?"
"I cannot tell who is a rascal, you may be one for aught I know."
Balby uttered an angry exclamation and stepped nearer to the daring postmaster, while his servant shook his fist threateningly at Niclas.
The king dispelled their anger with a single glance.
"Sir," he said to Niclas, "God made my face, and it is not my fault if it does not please you, but concerning our passports, they are lying well preserved in my carpet-bag. I should think that would suffice you."
"No, that does not suffice me," screamed Niclas. "Show me your passports if I am to believe that you are not vagabonds."
"You dare to call us vagabonds?" cried the king, whose patience now also appeared exhausted, and whose clear brow was slightly clouded.
"The police consider everyone criminal until he has proved he is not so," said Niclas, emphatically.
The king's anger was already subdued.
"In the eyes of the police, criminality is then the normal condition of mankind," he said, smilingly.
"Sir, you have no right to question the police so pointedly," said Niclas, sternly. "You are here to be questioned, and not to question."
The king laughingly arrested the uplifted arm of his companion.
"Mon Dieu," he murmured, "do you not see that this is amusing me highly? Ask, sir, I am ready to answer."
"Have you a pass?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then give it to me to vise."
"To do so, I should have to open my bag, and that would be very inconvenient, but, if the law absolutely demands it, I will do it."
"The law demands it."
The king motioned to his servant, and ordered him to carry the bag into the house.
"Why this delay--why this unnecessary loss of time?" asked Niclas. "The postilion can wait no longer. If he arrives too late at the next station, he will be fined."
"I will not wait another minute," cried the postilion, determinately. "get in, or I shall start without you."
"Show me your passports, and then get in," cried Niclas.
The strangers appeared confused and undecided. Niclas looked triumphantly at his immense crowd of listeners, who were gazing at him with amazement, awaiting in breathless stillness the unravelling of this scene.
"Get in, or I shall start," repeated the postilion.
"Give me your passports, or I will not let you go!" screamed "We can demand them if we wish to do so."
"And why do you wish it now?" said the same voice.
"I wish it simply because I wish it," was the reply.
A stern face now appeared at the
"Now, madame, leave us," ordered the king, "and do as I told you."
Madame Niclas left, and the gentlemen were once more alone.
"Now, what shall we do?" said the king, smilingly. "I believe there is danger of our wonderful trip falling through."
"It is only necessary for your majesty to make yourself known to the postmaster," said Colonel Balby.
"And if he will not believe me, this fripon who declares that no one could tell by my appearance whether I was a rascal or not, this dull-eyed simpleton, who will not see the royal mark upon my brow, which my courtiers see so plainly written there? No, no, my friend, that is not the way. We have undertaken to travel as ordinary men-- we must now see how common men get through the world. It is necessary to show the police that we are at least honest men. Happily, I believe I have the means to do so at hand. Open our ominous bag, friend Balby, I think you will discover my portfolio, and in it a few blank passes, and my state seal."
Colonel Balby did as the king ordered, and drew from the bag the portfolio, with its precious contents.
The king bade Balby sit down and fill up the blanks at his dictation.
The pass was drawn up for the two brothers, Frederick and Henry Zoller, accompanied by their servant, with the intention of travelling through Holland.
The king placed his signature under this important document.
"Now, it is only necessary to put the state seal under it, and we shall be free; but how will we get a light?"
"I cannot tell who is a rascal, you may be one for aught I know."
Balby uttered an angry exclamation and stepped nearer to the daring postmaster, while his servant shook his fist threateningly at Niclas.
The king dispelled their anger with a single glance.
"Sir," he said to Niclas, "God made my face, and it is not my fault if it does not please you, but concerning our passports, they are lying well preserved in my carpet-bag. I should think that would suffice you."
"No, that does not suffice me," screamed Niclas. "Show me your passports if I am to believe that you are not vagabonds."
"You dare to call us vagabonds?" cried the king, whose patience now also appeared exhausted, and whose clear brow was slightly clouded.
"The police consider everyone criminal until he has proved he is not so," said Niclas, emphatically.
The king's anger was already subdued.
"In the eyes of the police, criminality is then the normal condition of mankind," he said, smilingly.
"Sir, you have no right to question the police so pointedly," said Niclas, sternly. "You are here to be questioned, and not to question."
The king laughingly arrested the uplifted arm of his companion.
"Mon Dieu," he murmured, "do you not see that this is amusing me highly? Ask, sir, I am ready to answer."
"Have you a pass?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then give it to me to vise."
"To do so, I should have to open my bag, and that would be very inconvenient, but, if the law absolutely demands it, I will do it."
"The law demands it."
The king motioned to his servant, and ordered him to carry the bag into the house.
"Why this delay--why this unnecessary loss of time?" asked Niclas. "The postilion can wait no longer. If he arrives too late at the next station, he will be fined."
"I will not wait another minute," cried the postilion, determinately. "get in, or I shall start without you."
"Show me your passports, and then get in," cried Niclas.
The strangers appeared confused and undecided. Niclas looked triumphantly at his immense crowd of listeners, who were gazing at him with amazement, awaiting in breathless stillness the unravelling of this scene.
"Get in, or I shall start," repeated the postilion.
"Give me your passports, or I will not let you go!" screamed "We can demand them if we wish to do so."
"And why do you wish it now?" said the same voice.
"I wish it simply because I wish it," was the reply.
A stern face now appeared at the