which the prudent notary explained by informing me that the princess’s secretary had taken a great interest in my friend, and was to meet him that day at his house. The doctor had not many invitations. He accepted at once, and we went; but no secretary appeared till the dinner was almost spoiled, and then the notary received a message to the effect that her Excellency was indisposed, and he was obliged to remain in attendance. When we returned home in the evening, Frau Subert met us with a face of despair; the commissary of police had sent a company of his familiars to her house an hour after our departure, who arrested the two Hessings with all their goods and papers, and carried them off to the police office. The honest woman said she knew not why or wherefore; but all our endeavours to comfort or quiet her were fruitless: she went about the house wringing her hands and crying, so unlike her usual composed ways, that we felt sure she had some part or lot in that matter. Still it was not possible that the Hessings could have been guilty of any crime. I hurried to the office of the commissary to do a friend’s part, as the doctor did not care for venturing into that locality. The only answer I could obtain was, that I must return on the following day, for business was not to be talked of on Sunday, and on applying next morning, I was told that the Hessings were Russian subjects, and had been arrested on a serious accusation; that they were now in the hands of the Russian authorities, and my most prudent course was to keep clear of the business. Nevertheless, in my folly and friendship I thought of the princess. Might not her Excellency be induced to use her powerful influence in behalf of the friends she had seen with me at supper, and talked of in the winter garden. I forthwith despatched a most moving petition, together with a letter to Karlowitz, to secure his good offices, but both were returned to me unopened the same evening, and the Brunswick papers announced that her Excellency and suite had left the palace en route for St. Petersburg.
It was now clear even to myself that I had been flattered and duped for some purpose involving