History of Friedrich II of Prussia, appendix | Page 8

if I did not know what
tenants and what lordships there are in my own AMT.'
KING. "'Ja, then you are in the right!--Tell me now: here on the right
there must be an estate, I can't think of the name; name me the estates
that lie here on the right.'
ICH. "'Buschow, Rodenslieben, Sommerfeld, Beetz, Karbe.'
KING. "'That's it, Karbe! To whom belongs that?'
ICH. "'To Herr von Knesebeck.'
KING. "'Was he in the service?'
ICH. "'Yes, Lieutenant or Ensign in the Guards.'
KING. "'In the Guards? [COUNTING ON HIS FINGERS.] You are
right: he was Lieutenant in the Guards. I am very glad the Estate is still
in the hands of the Knesebecks.--Na, tell me though, the road that
mounts up here goes to Ruppin, and here to the left is the grand road
for Hamburg?'
ICH. "'Ja, your Majesty.'
KING. "'Do you know how long it is since I was here last?'
ICH. "'No.'
KING. "'It is three-and-forty years. Cannot I see Ruppin somewhere
here?'
ICH. "'Yes, your Majesty: the steeple rising there over the firs, that is
Ruppin.'
KING (leaning out of the carriage with his prospect-glass). "'Ja, ja, that
is it, I know it yet. Can I see Drammitz hereabouts?'
ICH. "'No, your Majesty: Drammitz lies too far to the left, close on
Kiritz.'
KING. "'Sha'n't we see it, when we come closer?'
ICH. "'Maybe, about Neustadt; but I am not sure.'
KING. "'Pity, that. Can I see Pechlin?'

ICH. "'Not just now, your Majesty; it lies too much in the hollow. Who
knows whether your Majesty will see it at all!'
KING. "'Na, keep an eye; and if you see it, tell me. Where is the
Beamte of Alt-Ruppin?'
ICH. "'In Protzen, where we change horses, he will be.'
KING. "'Can't we yet see Pechlin?'
ICH. "'No, your Majesty.'
KING. "'To whom belongs it now?'
ICH. "'To a certain Schonermark.'
KING. "'Is he of the Nobility?'
ICH. "'No.'
KING. "'Who had it before him?'
ICH. "'The Courier (FELDJAGER) Ahrens; he got it by inheritance
from his father. The property has always been in commoners'
(BURGERLICHEN) hands.
KING. "'That I am aware of. How call we the village here before us?'
ICH. "'Walcho.'
KING. "'To whom belongs it?'
ICH. "'To you, your Majesty, under the Amt Alt-Ruppin.'
KING. "'What is the village here before us?'
ICH. "'Protzen.'
KING. "'Whose is it?'
ICH. "'Herr von Kleist's.'
KING. "'What Kleist is that?'
ICH. "'A son of General Kleist's.'
KING. "'Of what General Kleist's.'
ICH. "'His brother was FLUGELADJUTANT [WING-adjutant,
whatever that may be] with your Majesty; and is now at Magdeburg,
Lieutenant- Colonel in the Regiment Kalkstein.'
KING. "'Ha, ha, that one! I know the Kleists very well. Has this Kleist
been in the service too?'
ICH. "'Yea, your Majesty; he was ensign in the regiment Prinz
Ferdinand.'
KING. "'Why did the man seek his discharge?'
ICH. "'That I do not know.'
KING. "'You may tell me, I have no view in asking: why did the man
take his discharge?'

ICH. "'Your Majesty, I really cannot say.'
"We had now got on to Protzen. I perceived old General van Ziethen
standing before the Manor-house in Protzen,"--rugged brave old soul;
with his hanging brows, and strange dim-fiery pious old thoughts!--"I
rode forward to the carriage and said:--
ICH. "'Your Majesty, the Herr General von Ziethen is [are, SIND] also
here.'
KING. "'Where? where? Oh, ride forward, and tell the people to draw
up; they must halt, I'll get out.'
"And now his Majesty got out; and was exceedingly delighted at the
sight of Herr General von Ziethen; talked with him and Herr von Kleist
of many things: Whether the draining of the Luch had done him good;
Whether the murrain had been there among their cattle?-- and
recommended rock-salt against the murrain. Suddenly his Majesty stept
aside, turned towards me, and called: 'Amtmann! [THEN CLOSE
INTO MY EAR] Who is the fat man there with the white coat?'
ICH (ALSO CLOSE INTO HIS MAJESTY'S EAR). "'Your Majesty,
that is the Landrath Quast, of the Ruppin Circle.'
KING. "'Very well.'
"Now his Majesty went back to General von Ziethen and Herr von
Kleist, and spoke of different things. Herr von Kleist presented some
very fine fruit to his Majesty; all at once his Majesty turned round, and
said: 'Serviteur, Herr Landrath!'--As the Landrath ["fat man there with
the white coat"] was stepping towards his Majesty, said his Majesty:
'Stay he there where he is; I know him. He is the Landrath von
Quast!'["Very good indeed, old Vater Fritz; let him stand there in his
white coat, a fat, sufficiently honored man!-- Chodowiecki has an
engraving of this incident;--I saw IT at the British Museum once, where
they have only seven others on Friedrich altogether, all in one poor
GOTHA ALMANAC; very