History of Friedrich II of Prussia, Volume 07 by Thomas Carlyle

At Berlin dark rumors of this intended flight, and actual Arrest of the Crown-Prince, are agitating all the world; especially Lieutenant Katte, and the Queen and Wilhelmina, as we may suppose. The first news of it came tragically on the young Princess. [Apparently some rumor FROM FRANKFURT, which she confuses in her after-memory with the specific news FROM WESEL; for her dates here, as usual, are all awry (Wilhelmina, i. 246; Preuss, i. 42, iv. 473; Seckendorf, in Forster, iii. 6).]

"Mamma had given a ball in honor of Papa's Birthday," -- Tuesday, 15th August, 1730; -- and we were all dancing in the fine saloons of Monbijou, with pretty intervals in the cool boscages and orangeries of the place: all of us as happy as could be; Wilhelmina, in particular, dancing at an unusual rate. "We recommenced the ball after supper. For six years I had not danced before; it was new fruit, and I took my fill of it, without heeding much what was passing. Madame Bulow, who with others of them had worn long faces all night, pleading 'illness' when one noticed it, said to me several times: 'It is late, I wish you had done,' -- 'EH, MON DIEU! ' I answered, 'let me have enough of dancing this one new time; it may be long before it comes again. ' -- 'That may well be! ' said she. I paid no regard, but continued to divert myself. She returned to the charge half an hour after: 'Will you end, then! ' said she with a vexed air: 'you are so engaged, you have eyes for nothing. ' -- 'You are in such a humor,' I replied, 'that I know not what to make of it. ' -- 'Look at the Queen, then, Madam; and you will cease to reproach me! ' A glance which I gave that way filled me with terror. There sat the Queen, paler than death, in a corner of the room, in low conference with Sonsfeld and Countess Finkenstein. As my Brother was most in my anxieties, I asked, If it concerned him? Bulow shrugged her shoulders, answering, 'I don't know at all! ' A moment after, the Queen gave Good-night; and got into her carriage with me, -- speaking no word all the way to the Schloss; so that I thought my Brother must be dead, and I myself took violent palpitations, and Sonsfeld, contrary to orders, had at last to tell me in the course of the night. " Poor Wilhelmina, and poor Mother of Wilhelmina!