robe and a large cap of black crape. In her white hands, half
covered with black silk gloves, she held a gorgeous fan, which she
now impatiently opened and closed, and then again slowly moved up
and down like a musical leader's baton.

If anybody had been present to observe her, the noble mistress of
ceremonies would not have permitted herself such open manifestations
of her impatience. Fortunately, however, she was quite alone, and
under these circumstances even a mistress of ceremonies at the royal
court might feel at liberty to violate the rules of that etiquette
which on all other occasions was the noble lady's most sacred
gospel. Etiquette, however, was just now the motive of her intense
excitement, and in its interest she was going to fight a battle on
that very spot in Queen Louisa's anteroom.

"Now or never!" she murmured. "What I was at liberty to overlook as
long as Frederick William and Louisa were merely 'their royal
highnesses, the crown prince and crown princess,' I cannot permit
any longer now that they have ascended the royal throne. Hence I am
determined to speak to the young king on this first day of his reign
[Footnote: footnote: November 17, 1797.] in as emphatic and sincere
a manner as is required by a faithful discharge of my responsible
duties."

Just at that moment the large folding doors were opened, and a tall
and slender young man in a dashing uniform entered the room. It was
young King Frederick William III., on his return from the interior
palace-yard where he had received the oath of allegiance at the
hands of the generals of the monarchy.