Marchalwaysinsistedthattheystoodasideapologetically，butsheheldasfirmlythattheystoodasideimpertinently，oratleastindifferently，andthattheinsulttoherAmericanwomanhoodwasperfectlyideal。Itistruethatnothingofthekindhappenedagainduringtheirstayatthehotel；theprince’sofficerswereafterwardsaboutinthecorridorsandonthestairs，buttheyofferednoshadowofobstructiontohergoingandcoming，andthelandlordhimselfwasnotsopreoccupiedwithhishighhotesbuthehadtimetoexpresshisgriefthatshehadbeenobligedtogooutforsupper。
TheysatisfiedthepassionforthelittleobsoletecapitalwhichhadbeengrowinguponthembystrollingpasttheoldResidentatanhoursofavorableforafirstimpression。Itloomedinthegatheringduskevenvasterthanitwas，anditwasreallyvastenoughfortheprideofaKingofFrance，muchmoreaMargraveofAnsbach。TimehadblackenedandblotcheditscoarselimestonewallstoonecomplexionwiththestatuesswellingandstruttinginthefigureofRomanlegionariesbeforeit，andstandingoutagainsttheeveningskyalongitsbalustradedroof，andhadsoftenedtotherighttintthestretchofhalfadozenhouseswithmansardroofsandrenaissancefacadesobsequiouslyinkeepingwiththeVersaillesidealofaResident。Intherear，andelsewhereatfitdistancefromitscourts，anativearchitectureprevailed；andatnogreatremovetheMarchesfoundthemselvesinasimpleGermantownagain。
Theretheystumbleduponalittlebookseller’sshopblinkinginaquietcorner，andboughtthreeorfourguidesandsmallhistoriesofAnsbach，whichtheycarriedhome，andstudiedbetweendrowsingandwaking。ThewonderfulGermansyntaxseemsatitsmostenigmaticalinthissortofliterature，andsometimestheylostthemselvesinitslabyrinthscompletely，andonlymadetheirwayperilouslyoutwiththehelpofcumulativedeclensions，pastarticlesandadjectivesblindlyseekingtheirnouns，tolong-procrastinatedverbsdancinglikeswamp-firesinthedistance。Theyemergedalittlelessignorantthantheywentin，andbetterqualifiedthantheywouldotherwisehavebeenfortheirsecondvisittotheSchloss，whichtheypaidearlythenextmorning。
Theyweresoearly，indeed，thatwhentheymountedfromthegreatinnercourt，muchtoobigforAnsbach，ifnotforthebuilding，andrungthecustodian’sbell，asmilingmaidwholetthemintoanante-room，whereshekeptonpickingovervegetablesforherdinner，saidthecustodianwasbusy，andcouldnotbeseentillteno’clock。Sheseemed，inhernookofthepretentiouspile，asinnocentlyunconsciousofitshistoryasanyhen-sparrowwhohadbuilthernestinsomecoignofitsarchitecture；andherfriendly，peacefuldomesticityremainedawholesomehumanbackgroundtothetragediesandcomediesofthepast，andheldtheminapicturesquereliefinwhichtheywerealiketolerableandevencharming。
ThehistoryofAnsbachstrikesitsrootsinthesoiloffable，andabovegroundisagnarledandtwistedgrowthofgoodandbadfromthetimeoftheGreatCharlestothetimeoftheGreatFrederick。Betweenthesetimesshehadhervariousrulers，ecclesiasticalandsecular，invariousformsofvassalagetotheempire；butfornearlyfourcenturieshersovereigntywasinthehandsofthemargraves，whoreignedinaconstantlyincreasingsplendortillthelastsoldheroutrighttotheKingofPrussiain1791，andwenttoliveinEnglandontheproceeds。
ShehadtakenherpartinthemiseriesandgloriesofthewarsthatdesolatedGermany，butaftertheReformation，whensheturnedfromtheancientfaithtowhichsheowedhercloisteredoriginunderSt。
Gumpertus，herpeoplehadpeaceexceptwhentheirlastprincesoldthemtofightthebattlesofothers。Itisinthislasttransactionthatherhistory，almostinthemomentwhensheceasedtohaveahistoryofherown，linkstothatofthemodernworld，andthatitcamehometotheMarchesintheirnationalcharacter；fortwothousandofthosepoorAnsbachmercenarieswereboughtupbyEnglandandsenttoputdownarebellioninherAmericancolonies。
Humanly，theyweremoreconcernedfortheLastMargrave，becauseofcertainqualitieswhichmadehimtheBestMargrave，inspiteofthedefectsofhisqualities。HewasthesonoftheWildMargrave，equallyknownintheAnsbachannals，whomaynothavebeentheWorstMargrave，butwhohadcertainlyabadtrickofputtinghissubjectstodeathwithouttrial，andincaseswheretherewasspecialhaste，withhisownhand。HesenthissontotheuniversityatUtrechtbecausehebelievedthattherepublicaninfluencesinHollandwouldbewholesomeforhim，andthenhesenthimtotravelinItaly；butwhentheboycamehomelookingfrailandsick，theWildMargravechargedhisofficialtravellingcompanionwithneglect，andhadtheunhappyHofrathMeyerhangedwithoutprocessforthiscrime。Oneofthegentlemenofhisrealm，forapasquinadeontheMargrave，wasbroughttothescaffold；hehad，atvarioustimes，twenty-twoofhissoldiersshotwitharrowsandbulletsorhangedfordesertion，besidesmanywhosepenaltieshisclemencycommutedtothelossofanearoranose；aHungarianwhokilledhishunting-dog，hehadbrokenaliveonthewheel。Asoldier’swifewashangedforcomplicityinacaseofdesertion；ayoungsoldierwhoelopedwiththegirlhelovedwasbroughttoAnsbachfromaneighboringtown，andhangedwithheronthesamegallows。AsentryatthedoorofoneoftheMargrave’scastlesamiablycompliedwiththeMargrave’srequesttolethimtakehisgunforamoment，onthepretenceofwishingtolookatit。
Forthisbreachofdisciplinetheprincecoveredhimwithabuseandgavehimovertohishussars，whoboundhimtoahorse’stailanddraggedhimthroughthestreets；hediedofhisinjuries。Thekennel-masterwhohadchargeoftheMargrave’sdogswasaccusedofneglectingthem：withoutfurtherinquirytheMargraverodetotheman’shouseandshothimdownonhisownthreshold。AshepherdwhomettheMargraveonashyinghorsedidnotgethisflockoutofthewayquicklyenough；theMargravedemandedthepistolsofagentlemaninhiscompany，butheansweredthattheywerenotloaded，andtheshepherd’slifewassaved。Astheyreturnedhomethegentlemanfiredthemoff。“Whatdoesthatmean？”criedtheMargrave，furiously。“Itmeans，graciouslord，thatyouwillsleepsweetertonight，fornothavingheardmypistolsanhoursooner。”
Fromthisitappearsthatthegraciouslordhadhismomentsofregret；
butperhapsitisnotaltogetherstrangethatwhenhedied，thewholepopulation“stormedthroughthestreetstomeethisfuneraltrain，notinawe-strickensilencetomeditateonthefallofhumangrandeur，buttouniteinaneagertumultofrejoicing，asifsomecruelbrigandwhohadlongheldthecityinterrorweredeliveredovertothemboundandinchains。”Fornearlythirtyyearsthisblood-stainedmiscreanthadreignedoverhishaplesspeopleinasovereignplenitudeofpower，whichbythetheoryofGermanimperialisminourdayisstilladivineright。
TheycalledhimtheWildMargrave，intheirinstinctiverevoltfromthebeliefthatanymannotuntamablysavagecouldbeguiltyofhisatrocities；andtheycalledhissontheLastMargrave，withatouchofthepoetrywhichperhapsrecordsaregretfortheirextinctionasastate。Hedidnotharrythemashisfatherhaddone；hismildrulewastheeffectpartlyoftheindifferenceanddistasteforhiscountrybred，byhislongsojournsabroad；butdoubtlessalsoitwastheeffectofakindlynature。Eveninthematterofsellingafewthousandsofthemtofightthebattlesofabadcauseontheothersideoftheworld，hehadthebestofmotives，andfaithfullyappliedtheproceedstothepaymentofthestatedebtandtheembellishmentofthecapital。
HismotherwasayoungersisterofFredericktheGreat，andwassoconstantlyatwarwithherhusbandthatprobablyshehadnothingtodowiththemarriagewhichtheWildMargraveforcedupontheirson。Lovecertainlyhadnothingtodowithit，andtheLastMargraveearlyescapedfromittothesocietyofMlle。Clairon，thegreatFrenchtragedienne，whomhemetinParis，andwhomhepersuadedtocomeandmakeherhomewithhiminAnsbach。Shelivedthereseventeenyears，andthoughalwaysanalien，sheboreherselfwithkindnesstoallclasses，andisstillrememberedtherebytherollofbutterwhichcallsitselfaKlarungsweckeinitsimperfectFrench。
NorollofbutterrecordsinfalteringaccentsthenameofthebrilliantanddisdainfulEnglishladywhoreplacedthispoortragicmuseintheMargrave’sheart，thoughtheladyherselflivedtobethelastMargravineofAnsbach，whereeverybodyseemstohavehatedherwithapassionwhichshedoubtlessknewhowtoreturn。ShewasthedaughteroftheEarlofBerkeley，andthewifeofLordCraven，asufficientlyunfaithfulandunworthynoblemanbyheraccount，fromwhomshewaslivingapartwhentheMargraveaskedhertohiscapital。ThereshesetherselftooustMlle。
Claironwithsneersandjestsforthetheatricalstylewhichtheactresscouldnotoutlive。LadyCravensaidshewassureClairon’snightcapmustbeacrownofgiltpaper；andwhenClaironthreatenedtokillherself，andtheMargravewasalarmed，“Youforget。”saidLadyCraven，“thatactressesonlystabthemselvesundertheirsleeves。”
ShedroveClaironfromAnsbach，andthegreattragediennereturnedtoParis，wheresheremainedtruetoherfalsefriend，andfromtimetotimewrotehimlettersfullofmagnanimouscounselandgeneroustenderness。
ButshecouldnothavebeensogoodcompanyasLadyCraven，whowasaverygiftedperson，andknewhowtocomposesongsandsingthem，andwritecomediesandplaythem，andwhocouldkeeptheMargraveamusedinmanyways。WhenhislovelessandchildlesswifediedhemarriedtheEnglishwoman，buthegrewmoreandmorewearyofhisdulllittlecourtandhisdulllittlecountry，andafterawhile，consideringtheuncertaintenuresovereignshadoftheirheadssincetheFrenchKinghadlosthis，andthefactthathehadnoheirstofollowhiminhisprincipality，heresolvedtocedeitforacertainsumtoPrussia。Tothisendhisnewwife’surgencewasperhapsnotwanting。TheywenttoEngland，wheresheoutlivedhimtenyears，andwrotehermemoirs。
ThecustodianoftheSchlosscameatlast，andtheMarchessawinstantlythathewasworthwaitingfor。Hewasasvaingloriousofthepalaceasanygrand-monarchingmargraveofthemall。Hecouldnothavebeenmorepersonallysuperbinshowingtheirdifferenteffigiesiftheyhadbeenhisownfamilyportraits，andhewouldnotsparethestrangersasinglesplendorofthetwentyvast，handsome，tiresome，Versailles-likeroomsheledthemthrough。Theroomswerefatiguingphysically，butsopoignantlyinterestingthatMrs。Marchwouldnothavemissed，thoughsheperishedofherpleasure，oneofthethingsshesaw。Shehadforonceasurfeitofhighhotinginthepictures，theporcelains，thethronesandcanopies，thetapestries，thehistoricalassociationswiththemargravesandtheirmarriages，withtheGreatFrederickandtheGreatNapoleon。TheGreatNapoleon’smanBernadottemadetheSchlosshisheadquarterswhenheoccupiedAnsbachafterAusterlitz，andherehecompletedhisarrangementsfortakingherbargainfromPrussiaandhandingitovertoBavaria，withwhomitstillremains。TwicetheGreatFrederickhadsojournedinthepalace；visitinghissisterLouise，thewifeoftheWildMargrave，andmorethanonceithadwelcomedhernextneighborandsisterWilhelmina，theMargravineofBaireuth，whoseautobiographicvoice，piercinglyplaintiveandreproachful，seemedtoquiverintheair。Here，oddlyenough，thespelloftheWildMargraveweakenedinthepresenceofhisportrait，whichsignallyfailedtojustifyhisfameoffurioustyrant。
Thatseems，indeed，tohavebeenratherthepopularandhistoricalconceptionofhimthantheimpressionhemadeuponhisexaltedcontemporaries。TheMargravineofBaireuthatanyratecouldsofarexcuseherpoorblood-stainedbrother-in-lawastosay：“TheMargraveofAnsbach……wasayoungprincewhohadbeenverybadlyeducated。
Hecontinuallyill-treatedmysister；theyledthelifeofcatanddog。
Mysister，itistrue，wassometimesinfault……Hereducationhadbeenverybad……Shewasmarriedatfourteen。”
