Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Valerine Blas and PG Distributed
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An Historical Romance
1909
Portrait of George William, Elector of Brandenburg
The Jewess in her Bridal Dress
Robbery of Peasants
Portrait of Wladislaus IV, King of Poland
[Illustration: George William, Elector of Brandenburg.
From an engraving by H. Jacopsen]
With hasty strides George William, the Elector, paced to and fro thelength of his cabinet. His features wore a dark, agitated expression, hisblue eyes flashed with indignation and wrath; his hands were folded behindhis back, as if he would shut out from sight the paper they held with sofirm a grasp, and which he had crumpled within his fist, until it boregreater resemblance to a ball than a letter. Yet he must look at it oncemore—that unfortunate epistle, which had stirred within him such atempest of fury; he must withdraw his hands from his back, and againunfold the paper, for nothing else would satisfy his rage.
"Would that I could thus crush between my hands the insolent, seditiousauthors of this letter!" he murmured, as with a sigh he smoothed the paperand read it over. "I see it plainly," he said then to himself; "with rightunworthy motive, these lords of the duchy of Cleves intend to vex andmortify me. To ask me to give them the Electoral Prince for theirstadtholder, to fix his residence among them! That were a fine storyforsooth, to send our son away, that he, too, may perchance rebel againstus. It is an abominable thing, which I shall never suffer, and I shallforwith give them my mind on the subject."
He stepped up to the great table of carved oak-wood, took from it a silverwhistle, and gave a loud shrill call.
"Are the deput