Eastern times., 1853-10-20
GBt Storp Geller,
From Blackwood's Magazine.
THE DUKES DILEMMA
A CHRONICLE OF NIEsENsTEIN
CONCLUDED.

Defate condition increased his courage. w ltn
ioyful intrepidity he accepted and adopted Bal
thasar's scheme.
Bravo = cried the manager you shall
have no cause to repent. You behold in me
sample of your future courtiers; and since
heners and dignities are to be distributed, it is
with noe, if you please, that we will Begin
In this request act up to the spirit of my
part A courtier should always be asking for
something, should lose no opportunity, and
should profit by his rivals absence to obtain
the best place. entreat your Highness to
have the goodness to name me prime minis
ter
sGranted = galyreplied the prince. your
Exceliency may immediately enter upon your
functions
MY ErcelIency will not fail to do SO, and
begins by requesting your signature to few
DEGREES am about to draw up. But IN the
first place, your Highness must be 50 good as
to answer two or three questions, that may
understand the position of affairs. A new
conner in country, and novice in minis
ters office, has need of instruction. If it be-
came necessary to enforce your commands,
have you the means of so dOingp
Undoubtedly
Your Highness has sOldiersr
"a regiment
How many menp
One hundred and twenty, besides the mu-
sicians'
Are they obedient, devOtedp z
Passive obedience, unbounded devotion !;
soldiers and officers would die for me to the
last man.
1t is their duty. Another question Have
you a prison in your dominions 7!
Certainly
Imean good prison, strong and well
guarded, with thick walls, solid bars, stern
and incorruptible jailorsp
Il have every reason to believe that the
Castle of Zwingenberg combines all these req
uisites. The fact is, have made very little
use of it but it was built by man who un-
derstood such matters-by my fathers great
grandfather, Rudolph the lnfiexible.'
"A fine surname for a sovereign Your in
flexible ancestor ! am very sure, never lacked
either cash or courtiers. Your Highness has
perhaps done wrong to leave the state-prison
untenanted A prison requires TO be lnhabl-
ted, like any other building and the first act
of the authority with which you have been
pleased to invest me, will be salutary meas
ure Of incarceration. | presume the Castle OF
Zwingenberg will accommodate score Of pris-
oners!'
what are you going to imprison twenty
persons
sMore or less. | do not know the exact
number of the persons who composed your late
court They it is whom | propose lodging
within the lofty walls constructed by the In
flexible Rudolph. The measure is indispen-
sable
6 But it is illegal Y
Il crave your Highness's pardon you use
word do not understand. 1t seems to me
that, in every good German government, that
which is absolutely necessary is necessarily
legal That is my policy. Moreover, as
prime minister, am responsible. What
would YOU have more! 1t is plain that, if we
leave your courtiers their liberty, it will be
impossible to perform our comedy; they will
betray us. Therefore the welfare of the state
imparatively demands their Imprisonment t.
Besides, you Yourself have said that they are
traitors, and therefore they deserve punish
ment. For your own safety's sake, for the
success of your project-which will ensure
the happiness of your subjects-write the
names, sign the order, and inflict upon the de-
serters the lenient chastisement Of a week S
captivity
The Grand Duke wrote the names and
signed several orders, which were forthwith
Entrusted to the most active and determined Of
fcers of the regiment, with instructions to
znake the arrests at once, and to take their
prisoners to the Castle of Zwingenberg, at
three quarters Of league from Karlstadt.
All that now remains to be done is to send
for your new court said Balthasar Has
your Highness carriagesl' 3
q Certainly berlin, barouche, and a
cabriolet.'
And horsesr
six draught and two saddle
/ take the barouehe, the berlin, and four
horses go to Krusthal, put my actors up to
their parts, and bring them here this evening.
We install ourselves in the palace, and shall
be at once at your Highness's orders
sKery good but, before going write an
answer to Baron Pippinstir, who asks an au-
dience.'
Two lines, very dry and official, putting
him off till tomorrow. We must be under
arms to receive him. =
Here is the note written, but how shall sign
it, The name of Balthasar is not very suita-
BILE to a German Excellency.'
sTrue, you must have another name, and a
title | create you Count LipandOrf'
Thanks, your Highness. will bear the
title nobly, and restore it to you faithfully,
with nv seals of office, when the comedy is
played out
Count LipandOrf signed the letter. which