Alan Guy
A DIFFICULT EXISTENCE
I am told I must fear for my life and those of my wife and children. The people do not like me and I do not understand at all. I awakened in my sleeping room and as usual the servants entered from a secret door covered by the same silken patterned wall covering so as to make it seem invisible. My bed’s canopy is draped on the sides so the servants must pull them aside to place my breakfast tray of poached salmon, caviar, assorted pastries and imported black tea. I eat a bit of it, but must hurry to be dressed by my wardrobe manager in an embroidered fitted suit and matching cape. I must make rounds of this dwelling I have had built to my specifications. After all I am Lord of the Manor.
The craftsmen labor to apply gilding to the baroque cornices in the recently refurbished rooms; the sun room, the card room, public room, and library. They are very sloppy and must be admonished. As I walk across the parquet inlay Brazilian and German Chestnut wood floors I give a swift kick to the maid on her knees polishing as I see streaks left behind. Totally unacceptable!
Lunch was served after a tedious morning in the music room listening to the sounds of the court musicians and having written letters to my cousins in Austria, Finland, andEngland, sealing the envelopes with hot wax using my signet ring. Damn the cook! She knows I prefer the crusts of bread removed and the slices triangular to fit into my mouth with less effort. She shall be sent to cook for the men in my livery, where the horses, golden carriages, golden trimmed harnesses are kept in a constant state of readiness should I desire to move about the countryside or further. Let them deal with her ineptness!
My new powdered wig fits so precisely that I personally flattered the wig maker. Rather out of character for me but it does make me appear more youthful. I shall wear it tonight at the formal ball that I am giving to receive the new Ambassador from Germany, my nephew’s bother-in –law. I have ordered new full candles to be placed in the ballroom chandeliers and all the mirrored walls that reflect them to be perfectly cleaned.
I saw the children playing in the fountains of the garden from my marble staircase window and realized that the gardener had miraculously created a sculptured hedge in the shape of the German Emperor’s crest for this evening’s reception. I must remember to point that out to the Ambassador. Of the four outfits I tried on today for this evenings affair, I prefer the white silk with gold thread embroidery.
Dinner of froie gras and venison steak from our own force-fed geese and surrounding forest shall be consumed with the finest of French wines and complimented with chocolate sweets imported from Belgium. As Nikolas II, Czar of all of Russia, Prussia,Finlandia, Estonia, and Poland, am I not expected to live my life this miserably? My subjects must surely understand how exceedingly difficult it is to rule.
