CHAPTER XXXVThe Last Meeting between Mother and SonDuring one of the last winters of his life Ludwig unexpectedly invited his mother to visit him at Neuschwanstein.For the first two days he fell in with her habits, driving out with her and keeping her company in the evenings. But he soon returned to his usual mode of life. When he said good-night to her he would go for his long solitary drive; and he slept till late in the forenoon as his habit was.Unluckily this also happened on the day when the Queen-mother was to take her departure. Ludwig had not returned from his drive until the morning hours, and he had not given orders that he should be awakened. His mother’s carriage, with the horses harnessed to it, stood waiting for over an hour in the courtyard of the castle, while she herself paced up and down the great hall. Her nervous impatience went over to a fit of anger when he eventually showed himself, and broke like a thunderstorm over the head of her son. An eye-witness has related that she scolded him as if he were still the little Ludwig who usedto hold fast to her skirts. What was still worse was that she scolded him in the hearing of all his footmen.The King kissed his excited mother repeatedly on the hand, begging her to excuse his tardiness. He conducted her respectfully to her carriage, took his seat beside her, and drove with her to the railway station. The mood he was in upon his return indicated the deep resentment he felt at her corrections. This was the last time she visited him; but upon one later occasion he paid her a visit.The Queen-mother resided for the greater part of the year at Elbingen-Alp, a house more resembling that of a peasant than a royal residence. Reports of her son’s unaccountable conduct penetrated frequently to her; and what she suffered during these bitter years may well be imagined. On the 5th of October, 1885, she was residing at Hohenschwangau, the King being then at Linderhof. It was her sixtieth birthday, and Ludwig was seized with the idea of congratulating her on it in person. At about ten in the evening he arrived at Hohenschwangau. The gates of the castle were locked; on the demand of the porter as to who was without, answer was made that the King desired to speak with his mother. The Queen-mother was in course of preparing to retire; her son’s unexpected appearance brought the wholepersonnelof the establishmentinto commotion. He remained the night at the castle, and dined with Queen Marie and her ladies at Pleckenau the following day.He was now completely incapable, from want of habit, of carrying on a society conversation. During the whole course of the dinner he did not speak a word to anyone but his mother, and was far more silent than heretofore. His intercourse with the Queen-mother was this time stamped by the greatest affection. After dinner he drove back to Linderhof, his mother accompanying him half way; it was the last bright spot in her life. At the defile, where seven months later the peasantry assembled to liberate their captured King, the mother and son took leave of one another, never to meet again. Half-a-year later the Emperor of Austria earnestly begged Queen Marie to visit Ludwig, and endeavour to induce him to show himself before the world, as alarming rumours were in circulation as to his mental condition. The harassed mother addressed herself in writing to her son, who replied that he would receive her Majesty in three days’ time. The period for her departure was fixed, and her equipages and servants despatched to Hohenschwangau; but the latter were informed on their arrival by Ludwig’s stablemen that they might go back again. “The Queen will not be admitted to the King,†they said; “he is unapproachable to everybody.â€Shortly afterwards a telegram was despatched in which it was said that the King greatly regretted that he was prevented by toothache from receiving anybody, and therefore his dear mother likewise.
CHAPTER XXXVThe Last Meeting between Mother and SonDuring one of the last winters of his life Ludwig unexpectedly invited his mother to visit him at Neuschwanstein.For the first two days he fell in with her habits, driving out with her and keeping her company in the evenings. But he soon returned to his usual mode of life. When he said good-night to her he would go for his long solitary drive; and he slept till late in the forenoon as his habit was.Unluckily this also happened on the day when the Queen-mother was to take her departure. Ludwig had not returned from his drive until the morning hours, and he had not given orders that he should be awakened. His mother’s carriage, with the horses harnessed to it, stood waiting for over an hour in the courtyard of the castle, while she herself paced up and down the great hall. Her nervous impatience went over to a fit of anger when he eventually showed himself, and broke like a thunderstorm over the head of her son. An eye-witness has related that she scolded him as if he were still the little Ludwig who usedto hold fast to her skirts. What was still worse was that she scolded him in the hearing of all his footmen.The King kissed his excited mother repeatedly on the hand, begging her to excuse his tardiness. He conducted her respectfully to her carriage, took his seat beside her, and drove with her to the railway station. The mood he was in upon his return indicated the deep resentment he felt at her corrections. This was the last time she visited him; but upon one later occasion he paid her a visit.The Queen-mother resided for the greater part of the year at Elbingen-Alp, a house more resembling that of a peasant than a royal residence. Reports of her son’s unaccountable conduct penetrated frequently to her; and what she suffered during these bitter years may well be imagined. On the 5th of October, 1885, she was residing at Hohenschwangau, the King being then at Linderhof. It was her sixtieth birthday, and Ludwig was seized with the idea of congratulating her on it in person. At about ten in the evening he arrived at Hohenschwangau. The gates of the castle were locked; on the demand of the porter as to who was without, answer was made that the King desired to speak with his mother. The Queen-mother was in course of preparing to retire; her son’s unexpected appearance brought the wholepersonnelof the establishmentinto commotion. He remained the night at the castle, and dined with Queen Marie and her ladies at Pleckenau the following day.He was now completely incapable, from want of habit, of carrying on a society conversation. During the whole course of the dinner he did not speak a word to anyone but his mother, and was far more silent than heretofore. His intercourse with the Queen-mother was this time stamped by the greatest affection. After dinner he drove back to Linderhof, his mother accompanying him half way; it was the last bright spot in her life. At the defile, where seven months later the peasantry assembled to liberate their captured King, the mother and son took leave of one another, never to meet again. Half-a-year later the Emperor of Austria earnestly begged Queen Marie to visit Ludwig, and endeavour to induce him to show himself before the world, as alarming rumours were in circulation as to his mental condition. The harassed mother addressed herself in writing to her son, who replied that he would receive her Majesty in three days’ time. The period for her departure was fixed, and her equipages and servants despatched to Hohenschwangau; but the latter were informed on their arrival by Ludwig’s stablemen that they might go back again. “The Queen will not be admitted to the King,†they said; “he is unapproachable to everybody.â€Shortly afterwards a telegram was despatched in which it was said that the King greatly regretted that he was prevented by toothache from receiving anybody, and therefore his dear mother likewise.
CHAPTER XXXVThe Last Meeting between Mother and Son
During one of the last winters of his life Ludwig unexpectedly invited his mother to visit him at Neuschwanstein.For the first two days he fell in with her habits, driving out with her and keeping her company in the evenings. But he soon returned to his usual mode of life. When he said good-night to her he would go for his long solitary drive; and he slept till late in the forenoon as his habit was.Unluckily this also happened on the day when the Queen-mother was to take her departure. Ludwig had not returned from his drive until the morning hours, and he had not given orders that he should be awakened. His mother’s carriage, with the horses harnessed to it, stood waiting for over an hour in the courtyard of the castle, while she herself paced up and down the great hall. Her nervous impatience went over to a fit of anger when he eventually showed himself, and broke like a thunderstorm over the head of her son. An eye-witness has related that she scolded him as if he were still the little Ludwig who usedto hold fast to her skirts. What was still worse was that she scolded him in the hearing of all his footmen.The King kissed his excited mother repeatedly on the hand, begging her to excuse his tardiness. He conducted her respectfully to her carriage, took his seat beside her, and drove with her to the railway station. The mood he was in upon his return indicated the deep resentment he felt at her corrections. This was the last time she visited him; but upon one later occasion he paid her a visit.The Queen-mother resided for the greater part of the year at Elbingen-Alp, a house more resembling that of a peasant than a royal residence. Reports of her son’s unaccountable conduct penetrated frequently to her; and what she suffered during these bitter years may well be imagined. On the 5th of October, 1885, she was residing at Hohenschwangau, the King being then at Linderhof. It was her sixtieth birthday, and Ludwig was seized with the idea of congratulating her on it in person. At about ten in the evening he arrived at Hohenschwangau. The gates of the castle were locked; on the demand of the porter as to who was without, answer was made that the King desired to speak with his mother. The Queen-mother was in course of preparing to retire; her son’s unexpected appearance brought the wholepersonnelof the establishmentinto commotion. He remained the night at the castle, and dined with Queen Marie and her ladies at Pleckenau the following day.He was now completely incapable, from want of habit, of carrying on a society conversation. During the whole course of the dinner he did not speak a word to anyone but his mother, and was far more silent than heretofore. His intercourse with the Queen-mother was this time stamped by the greatest affection. After dinner he drove back to Linderhof, his mother accompanying him half way; it was the last bright spot in her life. At the defile, where seven months later the peasantry assembled to liberate their captured King, the mother and son took leave of one another, never to meet again. Half-a-year later the Emperor of Austria earnestly begged Queen Marie to visit Ludwig, and endeavour to induce him to show himself before the world, as alarming rumours were in circulation as to his mental condition. The harassed mother addressed herself in writing to her son, who replied that he would receive her Majesty in three days’ time. The period for her departure was fixed, and her equipages and servants despatched to Hohenschwangau; but the latter were informed on their arrival by Ludwig’s stablemen that they might go back again. “The Queen will not be admitted to the King,†they said; “he is unapproachable to everybody.â€Shortly afterwards a telegram was despatched in which it was said that the King greatly regretted that he was prevented by toothache from receiving anybody, and therefore his dear mother likewise.
During one of the last winters of his life Ludwig unexpectedly invited his mother to visit him at Neuschwanstein.
For the first two days he fell in with her habits, driving out with her and keeping her company in the evenings. But he soon returned to his usual mode of life. When he said good-night to her he would go for his long solitary drive; and he slept till late in the forenoon as his habit was.
Unluckily this also happened on the day when the Queen-mother was to take her departure. Ludwig had not returned from his drive until the morning hours, and he had not given orders that he should be awakened. His mother’s carriage, with the horses harnessed to it, stood waiting for over an hour in the courtyard of the castle, while she herself paced up and down the great hall. Her nervous impatience went over to a fit of anger when he eventually showed himself, and broke like a thunderstorm over the head of her son. An eye-witness has related that she scolded him as if he were still the little Ludwig who usedto hold fast to her skirts. What was still worse was that she scolded him in the hearing of all his footmen.
The King kissed his excited mother repeatedly on the hand, begging her to excuse his tardiness. He conducted her respectfully to her carriage, took his seat beside her, and drove with her to the railway station. The mood he was in upon his return indicated the deep resentment he felt at her corrections. This was the last time she visited him; but upon one later occasion he paid her a visit.
The Queen-mother resided for the greater part of the year at Elbingen-Alp, a house more resembling that of a peasant than a royal residence. Reports of her son’s unaccountable conduct penetrated frequently to her; and what she suffered during these bitter years may well be imagined. On the 5th of October, 1885, she was residing at Hohenschwangau, the King being then at Linderhof. It was her sixtieth birthday, and Ludwig was seized with the idea of congratulating her on it in person. At about ten in the evening he arrived at Hohenschwangau. The gates of the castle were locked; on the demand of the porter as to who was without, answer was made that the King desired to speak with his mother. The Queen-mother was in course of preparing to retire; her son’s unexpected appearance brought the wholepersonnelof the establishmentinto commotion. He remained the night at the castle, and dined with Queen Marie and her ladies at Pleckenau the following day.
He was now completely incapable, from want of habit, of carrying on a society conversation. During the whole course of the dinner he did not speak a word to anyone but his mother, and was far more silent than heretofore. His intercourse with the Queen-mother was this time stamped by the greatest affection. After dinner he drove back to Linderhof, his mother accompanying him half way; it was the last bright spot in her life. At the defile, where seven months later the peasantry assembled to liberate their captured King, the mother and son took leave of one another, never to meet again. Half-a-year later the Emperor of Austria earnestly begged Queen Marie to visit Ludwig, and endeavour to induce him to show himself before the world, as alarming rumours were in circulation as to his mental condition. The harassed mother addressed herself in writing to her son, who replied that he would receive her Majesty in three days’ time. The period for her departure was fixed, and her equipages and servants despatched to Hohenschwangau; but the latter were informed on their arrival by Ludwig’s stablemen that they might go back again. “The Queen will not be admitted to the King,†they said; “he is unapproachable to everybody.â€
Shortly afterwards a telegram was despatched in which it was said that the King greatly regretted that he was prevented by toothache from receiving anybody, and therefore his dear mother likewise.