Queen in Waiting - Plaidy Jean - Страница 12

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The coming of Caroline to Liitzenberg had been a great joy to her. She had been drawn to the girl from the first since she had always wanted a daughter and she had been distressed when she had heard rumours of what was happening in Saxony; she had blamed herself for having encouraged the marriage and by making herself Caroline's guardian she had hoped to salve her conscience. But what had begun as a duty had become a joy, and when Caroline had been with her a few months she wondered how she could ever endure to be parted from her. However that should not be until she had found a suitable husband for her and secretly she hoped to avoid separation by marrying her ward to her own son Frederick William. Her husband, indulgent as he was, would no doubt oppose that match, for Frederick William was one of the most desirable matches in Germany whereas Caroline had nothing to offer but her beauty, her charm and that alert mind which Sophia Charlotte determined should have all the advantages she could give it.

Neither Sophia Charlotte nor Caroline made any attempt to hide the attraction they felt for each other. The love which had sprung up between them was too deep to be denied. For Sophia Charlotte, Caroline was the perfect companion, intelligent, enquiring, loving learning for its own sake and not only because she wished to please Sophia Charlotte by her grasp of it. And for Caroline, the goddess she had worshipped from the distance was now a loving friend and guardian who had lost none of her perfections through intimacy.

They were constantly together; Sophia Charlotte supervised

Caroline's education which was not only a matter of schoolroom lessons. They would walk together in those magnificent gardens made by Le Notre in the manner of Versailles; they would sit in arbours and talk with Sophia Charlotte's visitors who knew that if they would please her they must take seriously the young girl on whom she doted.

This was not difficult for the young Princess Caroline had much to contribute and in the warmth of discussion her youth was forgotten.

When Caroline had been at Liitzenberg a year Saxony had become like an uneasy nightmare, something that is only remembered now and then. This was her real life, surrounded by beauty, culture and above all love—the love of the person she loved best in the world—and with it that feeling of protection and security, which, but for fears of the past she could not have known was so precious.

She was not so fond of her official guardian who was, naturally, Sophia Charlotte's husband, the Elector of Brandenburg; she found his appearance repulsive and he had no interest in those matters which seemed so vital to her and Sophia Charlotte. He was exclusively concerned with statescraft; he would rise at four o'clock in the morning and retire early which was in complete opposition to the habits of his wife, who liked to S{>end the morning in bed because, for her, the day did not begin until the evening.

He cared for all that seemed empty to his wife. He enjoyed colourful ceremonies and never lost an opportunity of indulging in them. Often it was necessary for Sophia Charlotte to appear with him and this she did, but it was with reluctance that she put on the robes of state, the glittering jewels which so delighted her husband, and took her place beside him; and as soon as possible she would discard them and put on some loose flowing garment, in Caroline's eyes so much more tasteful and beautiful than flamboyant purples and gold, and instead of glorifying the power of the Electorate, talk of art or literature, philosophy or music.

Caroline, while having no affection for the Elector often marvelled at his tolerance towards his wife. He would look at her wistfully and long for her to interest herself in his affairs

and yet he never showed displeasure that she did not do so; only sadness. Whereas Sophia Charlotte had no desire to draw him into her life and was quite content for him to go his own way.

It was only natural that he should resent the girl who had so easily won the love of his wife in a manner which he had been unable to, in spite of everything he had done for her—particularly as, with the coming of Caroline, his wife had grown even further from him.

There were occasions when, on his way to bed, he would look in at her gatherings which were just beginning .He would stay awhile to listen to the music of a young boy named Handel whom she had discovered and was encouraging—for she was constantly discovering and encouraging someone; or exchange a word with one of her Huguenots or Catholics or perhaps Leibniz who was one of the most eminent philosophers of the day. He would not stay; he would be too weary to do anything but yawn at their learned discourse; and in any case he felt unwanted.

Caroline, very much aware of him, always relieved when he left, often felt that their happy home would have been nearer perfection if the Elector had not been there.

But growing in wisdom as she was, she knew that those moments when she and Sophia Charlotte were together could not have been quite so rapturously wonderful if there had been perpetual contentment.

For Sophia Charlotte there were the petty displays of pomp for which she had no feeling; there was the fact that she was married to a man whom she could not love; there were anxieties about the wild nature of her only son—but from all these she had her escape, and she and Caroline were together every day.

So the golden years began to pass and Caroline was growing into a handsome young woman.

Caroline's greatest friend in Berlin, next of course to Sophia Charlotte, was Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, and from him she first became deeply aware of the family at Hanover.

Leibniz had come to Liitzenberg to visit Sophia Charlotte from Hanover, bringing messages from the Electress Sophia and when Caroline began her friendship with him he was in his late fifties. Recognized as one of the most learned men in Europe, he was both philosopher and mathematician, and had originally made a name for himself at two universities and later by the ideas he presented through his writing.

The Electress Sophia, Sophia Charlotte's mother, had welcomed him at Hanover; and because Leibniz was a man who had a great respect for money and f>osition, he allowed himself to be seduced from the universities to the Courts of Princes where he hoped to make his fortune.

The Electress Sophia had given him charge of the archives at the Hanoverian Palace and one of his main duties was to write for the glorification of the house of Hanover.

Sophia, whose favourite child was Sophia Charlotte, liked her daughter to share in her pleasures and so she sent Leibniz to Liitzenberg.

Sophia Charlotte had welcomed him to her band of philosophers and Leibniz was delighted to linger in such an enchanting place. He would sit in the arbours and conduct a discussion between Vota the Catholic, Beausobre, the Huguenot preacher and Toland the English freethinker, while Sophia Charlotte and Caroline listened and now and then offered an opinion. It was all very interesting and as Sophia Charlotte often said if only the same good sense could be shown all over the world as was seen in her arbours and salons, there would be no bloodshed over religion, for men would put their views forward in argument not by torture and the stake.

Although Leibniz was contented at Liitzenburg he often talked affectionately of Hanover.

One day when her son Frederick William had been more difficult than usual Sophia Charlotte spoke to Liebniz of her anxieties about the boy. Caroline was present.

"He seems to grow quite unmanageable," sighed Sophia Charlotte. "His governors and tutors have no power over him."

Caroline frowned to see her adored Sophia Charlotte so worried. The boy was an anxiety. He was several years younger

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