3G6 Ten Years of ony Life. 



cherish it as one of the most precious recollections of my life • 

 nut on account of its material results, but far more because it 

 made me love and admire still more our kind Emperor, and as 

 I, in this audience, which lasted nearly an hour, had the satis- 

 faction of seeing that my views about what I owed to the 

 memory of my husband, were not ridiculed, but fully approved 

 as correct and proper by the highest authority, — the first 

 Prince and gentleman of the world, the great Emperor of Ger- 

 many. 



His Majesty was extremely kind and gracious, and listened 

 with great attention and patience to my lengthy explanation 

 and request. When I asked frankly whether I was right or 

 wrong in feeling bound in duty to pay the debts of my hus- 

 band, which were made whilst I lived with him in Coblentz, 

 though I had refused to accept his heritage, and declared that 

 I would abide by the decision of His Majesty, the Emperor 

 answered, with a certain emphasis and a glow of honest indig- 

 nation in his noble face, that I certainly was right in wishing 

 to pay the poor honest tradespeople, though I might accept 

 the benefit of the common law in reference to Salm's old debts 

 contracted with usurers and sharpers. 



I told the Emperor that I had borrowed two thousand 

 thalers from Baron Edward Oppenheim, which I should have 

 to refund first ; but that I required four thousand thalers more 

 to come to an arrangement with that class of creditors whom I 

 intended to pay. His Majesty referred me to General von 

 Treskow, his adjutant-general, saying that he would arrange 

 with me that matter. I declared to this well-meaning, excellent 

 gentleman, that I would not accept this money otherwise than 

 as a loan, which I would repay by giving up my whole widow's 

 pension until it was repaid. The Emperor, fully understanding 

 the feeling which dictated this offer, was gracious enough to 

 approve and accept it, with the modification, however, that I 

 should repay only four of the six thousand thalers, and give 

 annually only half of my pension for this purpose. 



General von Treskow proposed to request Field-Marshal von 

 Herwarth to arrange the settlement of my affairs, as I would 

 not receive the money myself: but considering that it would 

 be a great trouble for the veteran general, and that a man of 

 business was more used to such thmgs, I insisted on requesting 

 Baron Oppenheim to take charge of that bui^jness, with which 

 he kindly complied. 



