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In a few moments Madame Pricker announced the rich Mademoiselle Orguelin and her future husband. Pricker advanced to meet them with calm composure, but there was tumultuous joy in his heart. "You will be surprised, my dear Pricker, that we did not send for you, but we should have lost time by that, and our affairs demand the greatest haste." Pricker bowed proudly.
"God forbid that I should do that!" exclaimed M. Orguelin, in a terrified voice. "Father, I detest noisy merry-makings, and insist on a quiet marriage. It shall not be said at court that Mademoiselle Orguelin, with all her acquaintances, had rejoiced over the inestimable happiness of becoming the wife of a count.
Sophia Dorothea drew nearer to her son, and whispered lightly: "Count Rhedern is ruined, and must go to the ground if you forbid this marriage." The king was now attentive and sympathetic. "Is the lady very rich?" "Immensely rich, sire. She will bring the duke a million dollars; she is the daughter of the rich silk merchant Orguelin."
"But I did not sigh only because I would so long be deprived of the happiness of leading my dear Caroline to the altar, but because I should thereby lose the pleasure of presenting her to the court as my wife on the occasion of the large and most magnificent court ball with which the season will be opened." "A court ball is to take place?" asked Caroline Orguelin, with vivacity.
"Ah, this is really a sad and pressing affair!" exclaimed the queen, sympathizingly, "but are there no heiresses among the nobility, whose fortunes might save you?" "None, your majesty, who like Mademoiselle Orguelin would bring me a fortune of three millions." "Three millions! That is a great deal, and I can now perfectly well understand why you are compelled to marry this Orguelin.
But M. Orguelin desired to exhibit to his associates, the manufacturers and merchants, this splendid nobleman who had now become his son; he wished to excite the envy and admiration of his friends by the princely magnificence of his house. But all this was far from being agreeable to Count Rhedern, who had other plans.
"My house is accustomed to receive noble persons; my grandfather had once the happiness to welcome a prince. In what can I serve you?" "I need two complete court toilets," said Mademoiselle Orguelin "the robes for a first presentation, and then for a great court ball."
There you will be lord of your peasants and workmen, and learn if it is not a thankless office to rule. Are you satisfied, my poor Fredersdorf?" Fredersdorf could not answer; he pressed his lips to the hand of the king, and wept aloud. Joy and exultation reigned in the house of the rich manufacturer Orguelin.
"This Mademoiselle Orguelin, thanks to her riches, has many lovers, and at this time a young merchant from Holland seeks her hand; he has the consent of her father, and will also obtain hers, unless the count knows how to undermine him," said the queen, thus springing her last mine. "This must not be," said the king; "this Orguelin shall not marry the rich Hollander!
"And your majesty would then be the noble protectrice of our family," said the count, in a sweet and insinuating tone; "your majesty would not only restore my house to its ancient prestige, but you would retain the three millions of Mademoiselle Orguelin in Prussia; for if I should not be able to fulfil the condition which this lady has made, Mademoiselle Orguelin will marry a rich young Hollander, who is the commercial friend of her father, and has come here for the especial purpose of suing for the hand of his daughter."
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