Could seldom get any sleep till towards four or five in the morning, and then had to be content with an hour or two; after which his Official Secretaries came in with their Papers, and he signed, despatched, resolved, with best judgment,--the top of the morning always devoted to business.

At noon, up if possible; and dines, "in dressing-gown, with Queen and children." After dinner, commonly to bed again; and would paint in oil; sometimes do light joiner-work, chiselling and inlaying; by and by lie inactive with select friends sitting round, some of whom had the right of entry, others not, under penalties.

Buddenbrock, Derschau, rough old Marlborough stagers, were generally there; these, "and two other persons,"-- Grumkow and Seckendorf, whom Fassmann does not name, lest he get into trouble,--"sat, well within earshot, round the bed.

And always at the head was TheirO Majesty the Queen, sometimes with the King's hand laid in hers, and his face turned up to her, as if he sought assuagement"-- O my dim old Friend, let us dry our tears! "Sometimes the Crown-Prince read aloud in some French Book," Title not given; Crown-Prince's voice known to me as very fine.

Generally the Princess Louisa was in the room, too; Louisa, who became of Anspach shortly; not Wilhelmina, who lies in fever and relapse and small-pox, and close at death's door, almost since the beginning of these bad days.
The Crown-Prince reads, we say, with a voice of melodious clearness, in French more or less instructive.