Eastern times., 1853-10-13


and found that ever since my accession had
been exceeding my revenue. My first act of
sovereignty had been considerable diminu-
tion of the taxes paid to my predecessors.
Hence the evil, which had annually augment
ed, and now I am ruined, loaded with debts.
and without means of repairing the disas-
ter. My privy councillors certainly proposed
way; it was to double the taxes, raise ex-
traordinary contributions-to squeeze nv sub-
jects, in short. A fine plan, indeed to make
the poor pay for my improvidence and dsor-
der Such things may occur in other States,
but they shall not occur IN mine Justice be-
fore everything. prefer enduring my diff
culties to making my subjects suffer-
Excellent prince = exclaimed Balthasar.
touched by these generous sentiments. The
Grand Duke smiled
Do you turn fattererl' he said. Be
ware it is an arduous post, and you will
have none TO help you. | have no longer
wherewith to pay fatterers my courtiers have
fled. You have seen the emptiness of my an
terooms you met neither chamberlain nor
equerry upon your entrance. All those gen.
tlemen have given in their designations. The
civil and military officers of my house, secre-
taries, aides-de-camp, and others, left me be-
cause could no longer pay them their wages.
am alone; few faithful and patient SER
wants are all that remain, and the most impor-
tant parsonage Of my court is now honest Sig
ismund my old valet-de-chambre.
These last words were spoken in a melan-
choly tone, which panied Balthasar. The
eyes of the honest manager glistened. The
Grand Duke detected his sympathy.
Do not pity me, he said with a smile
1T is no sorrow to me to have got rid of pack
Of spies and hypocrites, by whom was for
merly from morning till night beset'
The cheerful frankness of the Grand Dukes
manner forbade doubt of his sincerity Bal
thasar congratulated him on his courage
Il need it more than you think!' replied
Leopold, 'and | cannot answer for having
enough to support the blows that threaten me.
The desertion Of my courters would be moth
ing, did ! owe it only to the bad state of my
finances as soon as I found myself in funds
again could buy others or take back the old
ones, and amuse myself by putting my foot
upon their servile necks. Then they would
be as humble as they are now insolent. But
their detection is an omen of other dangers
AS the j!plomatists say, clouds are at the po-
litical horizon. Poverty alone would not have
suffced to clear my palace Of men who arc as
greedy of honors as they are of money; they
would have waited for better days their van
ity would have consoled their avarice. If
they fed it was because they felt the ground
shake beneath their feet, and because they are
in league with my enemies. | cannot shut
my eyes to impending dangers. am on bad
terms with Austria Metternich looks askance
at me; at Vienna l am considered too liberal,
too popular; they say that | set bad exam
pie; they reproach me with cheap govern
ment, and with not making my subjects sufi-
ciently feel the yoke. Thus do they accumu-
late pretexts for playing me scurvy trick
One of my cousins, colonel in the Austrian
service, covets my Grand Duchy. Although
| say grand, it is but ten leagues long and
eight leagues broad but such as it is, it suits
me | am accustomed to it. have the habit
of ruling it, and should miss it were | de-
prived of it. My cousin has the audacity to
dispute my incontestible rights; this is a mere
preteXt for litigation, but he has carried the
case before the Aulic Council, and notwith-
standing the excellence of my right, | still
may lose my cause, for have no money
wherewith to enlighten my judges. My
enemies are powerful, treason surrounds me
they try to take advantage of my financial
embarrassments, first to make me bankrupt,
and then to depose me. In this critical con-
juncture, should be only too delighted to
have company of players to divert my
thoughts from my troubles-but have neither
theatre nor money So it is impossible for
me to keep you, my dear manager, and, be-
lieve me, | am as grieved at it as you can be.
All | can do is to give you, out of the little
HdNC lClI, lIu6lHnlIy W OO'OA JouA
travelling expenses and take you back to
France Come and see me tomorrow morn
ing we will settle this matter, and you shall
take your leave
Balthasar's attention and sympathy had
been so completely engrossed by the Grand
Dukes misfortunes, and by his revelations of
his political and financial difficulties, that his
own troubles had quite gone out of his
thoughts. When he quilted the palace they
came back upon him like thunder-cloud.-
How was he to satisfy the actors, whom he
had brought two hundred leagues away from
Paris! What could he say to them, how ap-
pease them! The unhappy manager passed
miserable night At daybreak he rose and
went out into the open air, to calm his agita-
tion and see a mode of extrication from his
difficulties. During two hours walk he had
abundant time to visit every corner of Karl
stadt. and to admire the beauties of that cele-
brated capital. He found it an elegant town,
with wide straight streets cutting completely
across it, so that he could see through it at
glance. The houses were pretty and uniform,
and the windows were provided with small in
discreet mirrors, which reflected the passers-
by and transported the street into the drawing
roono so that the worthy Karlstadters could