MiM / **4r..A THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES GIFT OF Peter Scott V" ' FREDERICK AND THE COUNTESS. FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY f ietorital BY L. MUHLBACH AUTHOR OP JOSEPH II. AND HIS COURT, FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS COURT, BERLIN AND SASS-SOUCI, THE MERCHANT OF BERLIN, ETC. TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY MRS. CHAPMAN COLEMAN AND HER DAUGHTERS FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY NEW YORK AND LONDON 1907 COPYRIGHT, 1867, 1898, Br D. APPLETON AND COMPANY. COOTEOTS. BOOK I. CHAPTER FAOK I. The King, 1 II. Prince Henry 4 HI. Louise von Kleist, 8 IV. At the Masked Ball 12 V. A Secret Captain, 18 VI. The Legacy of Von Trenck, Colonel of the Pandours, . 21 VII. The King and Weingarten .29 VIII. The Unwilling Bridegroom 32 IX. The First Disappointment, ..... 38 X. The Conquered 46 XI. The Travelling Musicians, .... 52 XII. Travelling Adventures, 56 XIII. The Drag- Boat. ........ 63 XFV. In Amsterdam, 63 XV. The King without Shoes, 74 BOOK II. I. The Unhappy News, . 88 n. Trenck on his Way to Prison 93 III. Prince Henry and His Wife, 103 IV. The Fete in the Woods Ill V. Intrigues, 119 VI. The Private Audience, 125 VII. The Traitor 129 VIII. Declaration of War 136 IX. The King and his Brothers, ...... 140 X. The Laurel- Branch, 145 XI. The Ball at Count Bruin's, 147 XII. The Interrupted Feast, .155 XIII. The Archives at Dresden, 161 XIV. Saxony Humiliated. 168 2227653 iv CONTENTS. BOOK III. CHAPTER PAGK I. The Maiden of Brunen, 172 II. News of Battle, ..... ... 177 III. The Certificate of Enlistment, ...... 181 IV. Farewell to the Village, 188 V. The Prisoner 194 VI. The Prison Barricade, 203 VII. The Battle of Collin, 205 VTLL The Inimical Brothers, 211 IX. The Letters, 221 X. In the Castle at Dresden, 225 XI. The Te Deum 232 XII. Camp Scene, 236 XIII. The Watch- Fire 242 XTV. The Battle of Leuthen 248 XV. Winter Quarters in Breslau 255 XVL The Broken Heart, 262 BOOK IV. I. The King and his Old and New Enemies, . . . 268 II. The Three Officers, 273 III. Ranuzi 277 IV. Louise du Trouffle, 287 V. The Fortune-Teller, .293 VI. A Court Day in Berlin, . 302 VII. In the Window-Niche 311 fill. The Nutshells behind the Fauteuil of the Queen, . . 314 IX. The Duel and its Consequences, 319 X. The Five Couriers, 324 XI. After the Battle 331 XII. A Heroic Soul, 337 XIII. The Two Grenadiers, 342 XIV. The Right Counsel, 346 XV. A Hero in Misfortune 356 BOOK V. I. The Teresiani and the Prussiani, ..... 361 n. Frederick the Great as a Saint 366 III. The Cloister Brothers of San Giovanni e Paolo, . . 371 CONTENTS. V CHAPTER PAGE IV. The Return from the Army 381 V. The Brave Fathers and the Cowardly Sons, . . . 388 VI. The Traitor's Betrayal 39.1 VII. The Accusation, ... .... 400 VIII. Revenge 408 IX. Trenck 413 X. "Trenck, are you there?" 417 XI. The King and the German Scholar, .... 423 XII. Gellert 432 XIII. The Poet and the King, 439 XIV. The King and the Village Magistrate, . . . .445 XV. The Proposal of Marriage, 448 XVI. The Ambassador and the Khan of Tartary, . . . 457 BOOK VI. I. The King's Return, 468 n. Prince Henry, 477 m. Mother and Daughter, 482 IV. The King in Sans-Souci, 493 V. The Engraved Cup, 501 VI. The Princess and the Diplomatist, 508 VII. The Royar House- Spy, 514 VHI. The Clouds Gather, 518 IX. Brother and Sister, 525 X. The Stolen Child 532 XI. The Discovery, . . . . . . .540 XII. The Morning at Sans-Souci, 546 XIII. A Husband's Revenge, 557 XIV, The Separation, 664 ILLUSTRATIONS. FACING PAGB Frederick and the Countess frontispiece Baron Trenck in Prison 196 The Interview in Frederick's Tent after the Defeat .... 216 Frederick and the Two Grenadiers 842 The Jeweller and Princess Amelie , ... 504 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY, BOOK I. CHAPTER I. THE KINO. THE king laid his flute aside, and with his hands folded behind his back, walked thoughtfully up and down his room in Sans-Souci. His countenance was now tranquil, his brow cloudless ; with the aid of music he had harmonized his soul, and the anger and dis- pleasure he had so shortly before felt were soothed by the melodious notes of his flute. The king was no longer angry, but melancholy, and the smile that played on his lip was so resigned and painful that the brave Marquis d' Argens would have wept had he seen it, and the stinging jest of Voltaire have been silenced. But neither the marquis nor Voltaire, nor any of his friends were at present in Potsdam. D'Argens was in France, with his young wife, Barbe Cochois ; Voltaire, after a succession of difficulties and quarrels, had departed forever ; General Rothenberg had also departed to a land from which no one returns he was dead 1 My lord mar- shal had returned to Scotland, Algarotti to Italy, and Bastiani still held his office in Breslau. Sans-Souci, that had been heretofore the seat of joy and laughing wit Sans-Souci was now still and lonely ; youth, beauty, and gladness had forsaken it forever ; earnestness and duty had taken their place, and reigned in majesty within those walls that had so often echoed with the happy laugh and sparkling jest of the king's friends and contemporaries. Frederick thought of this, as with folded hands he walked up and down, and recalled the past. Sunk in deep thought, he re- mained standing before a picture that hung on the wall above his secretary, which represented Barbarina in the fascinating costume of a shepherdess, as he had seen her for the first time ten years ago ; it had been painted by Pesne for the king. What recollections, 1 2 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. what dreams arose before the king's soul as he gazed at that bewitch- ing and lovely face ; at those soft, melting eyes, whose glance had once made him so happy ! But that was long ago ; it had passed like a sunbeam on a rainy day, it had been long buried in clouds. These remembrances warmed the king's heart as he now stood so solitary and loveless before this picture ; and he confessed to that sweet image, once so fondly loved, what he had never admitted to himself, that his heart was very lonely. But these painful recollections, these sad thoughts, did not last. The king roused himself from those dangerous dreams, and on leav- ing the picture cast upon it almost a look of hatred. " This is folly, " he said ; " I will to work. " He approached the secretary, and seized the sealed letters and packets that were lying there. "A letter and packet from the queen," he said, wonderingly opening the letter first. Casting a hasty glance through it, a mocking smile crossed his face. " She sends me a French translation of a prayer-book, " he said, shrugging his shoulders. " Poor queen ! her heart is not yet dead, though, by Heaven ! it has suffered enough. " He threw the letter carelessly aside, without glancing at the book ; its sad, pleading prayer was but an echo of the thoughts trembling in her heart. " Bagatelles ! nothing more, " he murmured, after reading the other letters and laying them aside. He then rang hastily, and bade the servant send Baron Pollnitz to him as soon as he appeared in the audience- chamber. A few minutes later the door opened, and the old, wrinkled, sweetly smiling face of the undaunted courtier appeared. "Approach," said the king, advancing a few steps to meet him. "Do you bring me his submission? Does my brother Heniy acknowledge that it is vain to defy my power?" Pollnitz shrugged his shoulders. " Sire, " he said, sighing, " his highness will not understand that a prince must have no heart. He still continues in his disobedience, and declares that no man should marry a woman without loving her ; that he would be contemptible and cowardly to allow himself to be forced to do what should be the free choice of his own heart. " Pollnitz had spoken with downcast eyes and respectful counte- nance ; he appeared not to notice that the king reddened and his eyes burned with anger. "Ah! my brother dared to say that?" cried the king. "He has the Utopian thought to believe that he can defy my wishes. Tell him he is mistaken ; he must submit to me as I had to submit to my father." THE KING. 3 "He gives that as an example why he will not yield. He be- lieves a forced marriage can never be a happy one ; that your majesty had not only made yourself unhappy by your marriage, but also your queen, and that there was not a lady in the land who would exchange places with your wife. " The king glanced piercingly at Pollnitz. "Do you know it would have been better had you forgotten a few of my wise brother's words?" " Your majesty commanded me to tell you faithfully every word the prince said. " " And you are too much a man of truth and obedience, too little of a courtier, not to be frank and faithful. Is it not so? Ah! vraiment, I know you, and I know very well that you are playing a double game. But I warn you not to follow the promptings of your wicked heart. I desire my brother to marry, do you hear? I will it, and you, the grand chamberlain, Baron Pollnitz, shall feel my anger if he does not consent. " "And if he does?" said Pollnitz, in his laughing, shameless man- ner ; " if I persuade the prince to submit to your wishes, what recom- pense shall I receive ?" " On the day of their betrothal, I will raise your income five hun- dred crowns, and pay your debts. " "Ah, sire, in what a pitiable dilemma you are placing me! Your majesty wishes Prince Henry to engage himself as soon as possible, and I must now wish it to be as late as possible. " "And why?" " Because I must hasten to make as many debts as possible, that your majesty may pay them. " " You are and will remain an unmitigated fool ; old age will not even cure you, " said the king, smiling. " But speak, do you think my brother may be brought to reason ?" Pollnitz shrugged his shoulders, gave a sly smile, but was silent. " You do not answer me. Is my brother in love? and has he con- fided in you?" " Sire, I believe the prince is in love from ennui alone, but he swears it is his first love. " " That is an oath that is repeated to each lady-love ; I am not afraid of it, " said the king, smiling " Who is the enchantress that has heard his first loving vows? She is doubtless a fairy a goddess of beauty." "Yes, sire, she is young and beautiful, and declares it is also her first love, so no one can doubt its purity ; no one understands love as well as this fair lady ; no other than Madame von Kleist, who, as your majesty remembers, was lately divorced from her husband. " 4: FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " And is now free to love again, as it appears, " said the king, with a mocking smile. "But the beautiful Louise von Schwerin is a dangerous, daring woman, and we must check her clever plans in the bud. If she desires to be loved by my brother, she possesses knowledge, beauty, and experience to gain her point and to lead him into all manner of follies. This affair must be brought quickly to a close, and Prince Hemy acknowledged to be the prince royal." " Prince Henry goes this evening to Berlin to attend a feast given by the Prince of Prussia, " whispered Pollnitz. "Ah! it is true the prince's arrest ceases at six o'clock, but he will not forget that he needs permission to leave Potsdam. " " He will forget it, sire. " The king walked up and down in silence, and his countenance assumed an angry and threatening appearance. "This struggle must be brought to a close, and that speedily. My brother must submit to my authority. Go and watch his movements ; as soon as he leaves, come to me. " Long after Pollnitz had left him, the king paced his chamber in deep thought. " Poor Henry ! I dare not sympathize with you ; you are a king's son that means a slave to your position. Why has Providence given hearts to kings as to other men? Why do we thirst so for love? as the intoxicating drink is always denied us, and we dare not drink it even when offered by the most bewitching enchantress !" Involuntarily his eye rested upon the beautiful picture of Barba- rina. But he would have no pity with himself, as he dared not show mercy to his brother. Seizing the silver bell, he rang it hastily. " Take that picture from the wall, and carry it immediately to the inspector, and tell him to hang it in the picture-gallery, " said Frederick. He looked on quietly as the servant took the picture down and carried it from the room, then sighed and gazed long at the plane where it had hung. " Empty and cold ! The last token of my youth is gone ! I am now the king, and, with God's blessing, will be the father of my people." CHAPTER II. PRINCE HENRY. PRINCE HENRY sat quiet and motionless in his lonely room ; dark thoughts seemed to trouble him ; his brow was clouded, his lips compressed. Had you not known him, you would have taken him PRINCE HENRY. 5 for the king, BO great was the resemblance of the two brothers ; but it was only an outward resemblance. The prince had not the spir- itual expression, his eyes had not the passionate fire, his face (beau- tiful as it was) wanted the fascinating geniality, the sparkling inspiration, that at all times lighted the king's countenance like a sunbeam. The prince possessed a greater mind, a clearer understanding, but he wanted soul and poetic feeling, and allowed himself at times to ridicule his brother's poetic efforts. The king, knowing this, was inclined to regard the shortcomings of the prince as a determined contempt and resistance to his command ; and as the prince became more reckless and more indifferent, he became more severe and harsh. Thus the struggle commenced that had existed for some time between the two brothers. For the last four days the prince had been in arrest for disobeying orders, but the hour of his release was approaching, and he awaited it with impatience. The bell of the nearest church had just announced the hour of six. The door opened immediately, and an officer, in the name of the king, pronounced his arrest at an end. The prince answered with a low bow, and remained seated, pointing haughtily to the door ; but as the officer left him he arose and paced hastily to and fro. " He treats me like a school-boy, " he murmured ; " but I shall show him that I have a will of my own ! I will not be intimidated I will not submit ; and if the king does not cease to annoy me, if he continues to forget that I am not a slave, but son and brother of a king, no motives shall restrain me, and I also will forget, as he does, that I am a prince, and remember only that I am a free, responsible man. He wishes me to marry, and therefore has me followed, and surrounds me with spies. He wishes to force me to marry. Well, I will marry, but I will choose my own wife !" The prince had just made this resolve, when the door opened, and the servant announced that Messrs. Kalkreuth and Kaphengst awaited his commands. He bade them enter, and advancing smilingly gave them his hand. " Welcome I welcome !" he said ; " the cage is open, and I may enjoy a little air and sunshine ; let us not delay to make use of this opportunity. Our horses shall be saddled. " " They are already saddled, prince, " said Baron Kalkreuth. " I have ordered them to the court, and as soon as it is dark we will mount them." "What ! is it not best that we should mount before my door and ride openly away?" said the prince, wonderingly. 6 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " It is my opinion that is the best plan, " cried Baron Kaphengst, laughing gayly. " Every one will believe your highness to be simply taking a ride, while curiosity would be raised if we left the city on foot." "I think leaving in the dark, and on foot, looks as if I were afraid, " said the prince, thoughtfully. " Secrecy is good for priests and old women, but not for us, " cried Kaphengst. "Secrecy suits all who wish to do wrong," said Kalkreuth, earnestly. The prince glanced hastily at him. " You believe, then, we are about to do wrong?" " I dare not speak of your highness, but we two are certainly doing wrong ; we are about to commit an act of insubordination. But still, my prince, I am ready to do so, as your highness wishes us to accompany you. " The prince did not answer, but stepped to the window, and looked out thoughtfully and silently. In a few moments he returned, look- ing calm and resolute. " Kalkreuth is right we were going to do wrong, and we must avoid it. I shall write to the king, and ask leave for you and myself to go to Berlin. " "That is, unfortunately, impossible, " said a sweet voice behind him, and as the prince turned he saw the smiling face of Pollnitz. " I beg pardon, your highness, for having entered unannounced, but you allowed me to come at this hour and give you an account of the commissions you gave me. " " Why do you say it is impossible to obtain leave of the king to- day?" asked Henry, hastily. " Because his majesty is already in the concert-saloon, and your highness knows that he has strictly forbidden any one to disturb him there." "We shall, then, have to give up our plan and remain here," said the prince. Kaphengst glanced angrily and threateningly at his friend. "And why should your highness do this?" asked Pollnitz, aston- ished. " All your preparations are made, all your commands fulfilled. I have procured your costumes ; no one will recognize you, and if they should, would not dare to betray you to the king. Only two persons know that you are to visit the ball, the Prince of Prussia, and a lovely lady, whose beautiful eyes were misty with tears when I delivered her your message. ' Tell the prince, ' she murmured, in a tender voice, ' I will await him there, even if I knew the king would crush me with his anger. '" PRINCE HENRY. 7 The prince blushed with joy. " And you say it is impossible for me to see the king?" "Impossible, my prince. " " Well, we will have to renounce it, " said the prince, sighing. " Renounce seeing the king, yes ! for he will not leave his rooms in Sans-Souci to-day." " Then we would be entirely safe ; he would not notice our depar- ture, " said Kaphengst, quickly. " Entirely safe, '' said Pollnitz. " That is, if Baron Pollnitz does not himself inform the king, " said Baron Kalkreuth, whose quick, clear glance rested upon the smiling face of the courtier, and appeared to read his inmost thoughts. Baron Pollnitz cast a suspicious and angry glance at Kalkreuth. " I did not know that borrowing money from you gave you the right to speak rudely to me 1" " Silence ! gentlemen, " cried the prince, who, until now, had stood quietly struggling with his own wishes. " Take your cloaks and let us walk. Did you not say that horses were awaiting us at the door, Baron Kalkreuth ?" " I said so, your highness. " " And you Pollnitz? Did you not say that three costumes awaited us in Berlin?" " Yes, your highness. " " Well, then, " said the prince, smiling, " we must not allow the horses and costumes to await us any longer. Come, gentlemen, we will ride to Berlin. " " Really it was hard to get him off, " murmured Pollnitz, as he regained the street, and saw the three young men fading in the dis- tance. " The good prince had quite a dutiful emotion ; if the king only knew it, he would forgive him all, and renounce the idea of his marriage. But that would not suit me my debts would not be paid ! I must not tell the king of his brother's inward struggle. " "Well!" said the king, as Pollnitz entered, "has my brother really gone to Berlin?" "Yes, your majesty, and accompanied by the two Messieurs " " Silence !" cried the king, hastily ; " I do not wish to know their names, I should have to punish them also. He has then gone, and without any hesitation, any reluctance?" "Yes, sire, without hesitation. He thinks he has the right to go where he pleases, and to amuse himself as he can. " "Order the carriage, Pollnitz," said the king. "Without doubt my brother has taken the shortest road to Berlin?" 8 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. "Yes, sire." " Then there is no danger of our meeting them and being recog- nized ; and as we have relays on the road, we will reach Berlin be- fore them. " CHAPTER III. LOUISE VON KLEIST. MADAME VON KLEIST was alone in her boudoir. She had just completed her toilet, and was viewing herself with considerable pleasure in a large Venetian glass. She had reason to be pleased. The costume of an odalisque became her wonderfully ; suited her luxuriant beauty, her large, dreamy blue eyes, her full red lips, her slender, swaying form. At twenty-eight, Louise von Kleist was still a sparkling beauty ; the many trials and sorrows she had passed through had not scattered the roses from her cheek, nor banished youth from her heart. Louise von Kleist resembled greatly the little Louise von Schwerin of earlier days the little dreamer who found it romantic to love a gardener, and was quite ready to flee with him to a para- dise of love. The king's watchfulness saved her from this romantic folly, and gave her another husband. This unhappy match was now at an end. Louise was again free. She still felt in her heart tsome of the wild love of romance and adventure of the little Louise ; she was the same daring, dreamy, impressible Louise, only now she was less innocent. The little coquette from instinct was changed into a coquette from knowledge. She stood before the glass and surveyed once more her appear- ance ; then acknowledged with a pleased smile that she was beauti- ful enough to fascinate all men, to arouse in all hearts a painful longing. " But I shall love no one but the prince, " she said, " and when my power over him is sufficient to induce him to marry me, I shall reward him by my faith, and entire submission to his wishes. Oh ! I shall be a virtuous wife, a true and faithful mother ; and my lovely little Camilla shall find in her mother a good and noble ex- ample. I shall promise this to my angel with my farewell kiss ; and then to the ball !" She entered the next chamber, and stood at her child's bed. What a strange sight ! This woman, in a fantastic, luxuriant cos- tume, bending over the cot of the little girl, with such tender, pious looks, with folded hands, and soft, murmuring lips, uttering a prayer or holy wish 1 LOUISE VON KLEIST. 9 " How beautiful she is !" murmured Louise, not dreaming that her own beauty at this moment beamed with touching splendor that mother love had changed the alluring coquette into an adorable saint " how beautiful she is !" The gay, ringing laughter of her daughter interrupted her ; the child opened her large black eyes, and looked amused. " You naughty child, you were not asleep, " said Louise. " No, mamma, I was not asleep ; I was playing comedy. " "Ah! and who taught you to play comedy, you silly child?" said Louise, tenderly. The child looked earnestly before her for a few moments as chil- dren are wont to do when a question surprises them. "I believe, mamma," she said, slowly "I believe I learned it from you. " "From me, Camilla? When have you seen me act?" " Oh, very often, " she cried, laughing. " Just a few days ago, mamma, don't you remember when we were laughing and talking so merrily together, Prince Henry was announced, and you sent me into the next room, but the door was open, and I saw very well that you made a sad face, and I heard the prince ask you how you were, and you answered, 'I am sick, your highness, and how could it be otherwise, as I am always sad or weeping?' Now, mother, was not that acting?" Louise did not answer. Breathing heavily, she laid her hand upon her heart, for she felt a strange sorrow and indescribable fear. Camilla continued, "Oh! and I saw how tenderly the prince looked at you ; how he kissed you, and said you were as lovely as an angel. Oh, mamma, I too shall be beautiful, and beloved by a prince !" " To be beautiful, darling, you must be good and virtuous, " said the fair odalisque, earnestly. Little Camilla arose in her bed ; the white gown fell from her shoulders and exposed her soft childish form, her brown ringlets curled down her neck and lost themselves in her lace-covered dress. The chandelier that hung from the ceiling lighted her lovely face, and made the gold and silver embroidered robes and jewels of her mother sparkle brilliantly. At this moment, as with folded arms she glanced up at her mother, she looked like an angel, but she had already dangerous and earthly thoughts in her heart. " Mamma, " she said, " why should I be virtuous, when you are notV" Louise trembled, and looked terrified at her daughter. "Who told you I was not virtuous?" 10 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. "My poor, dear papa told me when he was here the last time. Oh, he told me a great deal, mamma ! He told, " continued the child, with a sly smile, " how you loved a beautiful gardener, and ran off with him, and how he, at the command of the king, married you and saved you from shame ; and he said you were not at all grateful, but had often betrayed and deceived him, and, because he was so unhappy with you, he drank so much wine to forget his sorrow. Oh, mamma, you don't know how poor papa cried as he told me all this, and besought me not to become like you, but to be good, that every one might love and respect me !" Whilst Camilla spoke, her mother had sunk slowly, as if crushed, to the floor ; and, with her face buried in the child's bed, sobbed aloud. "Don't cry, mamma," said Camilla, pleadingly; "believe me, I will not do as papa says, and I will not be so stupid as to live in a small town, where it is so still and lonesome. " As her mother still wept, Camilla continued, as if to quiet her : " I shall be like you, mamma ; indeed, I will. Oh, you should but see how I watch you, and notice how you smile at all the gentlemen, what soft eyes you make, and then again, how cold and proud you are, and then look at them so tenderly ! Oh, I have noticed all, and I shall do just the same, and I will run away with a gardener, but I will not let papa catch me no, not I. " "Hush, child, hush!" cried the mother, rising, pale and trem- bling, from her knees ; "you must become a good and virtuous girl, and never run away with a man. Forget what your bad father has told you ; you know he hates me, and has told you all these false- hoods to make you do the same. " " Mamma, can you swear that it is not true?" " Yes, my child, I can swear it. " "You did not run off with a gardener?" " No, my child. Have I not told you that a virtuous girl never runs away ?" "You did not make papa unhappy, and, being his wife, love other men?" " No, my daughter. " " Mamma, " said the child, after a long pause, " can you give me your right hand, and swear you did not?" Louise hesitated a moment ; a cold shiver ran through her, she felt as if she was about to perjure herself ; but as she looked into the beautiful face of her child, whose eyes were fixed on her with a strange expression, she overcame her unwillingness. " Here is my hand I swear that all your father told you is false !" Camilla laughed gleefully. "Oh, mamma, I have caught you: LOUISE VON KLEIST. H you always want me to tell the truth, and never give my right hand when a thing is not true, and now you have done it yourself." " What have I done 1" said the mother, trembling. "You gave me your right hand, and swore that all papa told me was false; and I say it is true, and you have sworn falsely." "Why do you believe that, Camilla ?" she asked. "I don't believe it, I know it," said the child, with a sly smile, "When papa spoke to you, for the last time, and told you good-by forever, he told you the same he had told me. Oh! I was there and heard all; you did not see me slip into the room and hide behind the fire-place. Papa told you that you had been the cause of all his unhappiness and shame ; that from the day you had run off with the gardener and he, at the king's command, went after you, and mar- ried you from that day, he had been a lost man, and when he said that, you cried, but did not tell him, as you told me, that it was not true." Louise did not answer. This last taunt had crushed her heart, and silenced her. Still leaning on the bed, she looked at her child with painful tenderness. Camilla's mocking laughter had pierced her soul as with a dagger. " Lost," she murmured, "both of us lost!" With passionate despair she threw her arms around the child, and pressed her closely ; kissed her wildly again and again, and covered her face with burning tears. "No, Camilla, no! you shall not be lost, you must remain good and pure! Every child has its guardian angel ; pray, my child, pray that your angel may watch over you ! " She pressed her again in her arms, then returned to her chamber, sadder and more hopeless than she had ever been before. But this unusual sadness commenced to annoy her ; her heart was not accustomed to feel sorrow, and her remorseful, dreary feel- ing made her shudder. "If the carriage would but come!" she murmured, and then, as if to excuse her thoughtlessness, she added, "it is now my holy duty to listen to the prince ; I must regain the respect of my child. Yes, yes, I must become the wife of Henry! I can accomplish this, for the prince loves me truly." And now, she was again the coquette, whose captivating smile harmonized perfectly with her alluring costume no longer the ten- der mother, no longer the sinner suffering from repentance and self- reproach. She stood before the glass, and arranged her disordered dress and smoothed her dishevelled hair. "I must be bewitching and fascinating." she murmured, with a smile that showed two rows of ponrl-like teeth ; " the prince must 12 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. gain courage from my glance, to offer me his hand. Oh, I know he is quite prepared to do so, if it were only to annoy his brother !" As she saw the carriage drive up, she exclaimed, with sparkling eyes, " The battle begins to victory 1" CHAPTER IV. AT THE MASKED BALL. THE feast had commenced. As Louise von Kleist, the beautiful odalisque, entered the dancing-saloon, she was almost blinded by the gay and sparkling assembly. The fairy-like and fantastic robes sparkled with gold and jewels. The sea of light thrown from the crystal chandelier upon the mirrors and ornaments of the brill- iant saloon dazzled the eye. The entertainments of the Prince of Prussia were renowned for their taste and splendor. Unrecognized, the beautiful Louise slipped through the gay as- sembly of masks, and, when detecting some friends under the muffled forms of their disguise, she murmured their names, and some mis ch ievous and witty remark ; then springing gayly on to shoot again her arrow, and excite astonishment and surprise. " Oh, that life were a masked ball !" she murmured softly to her- self, " mysterious and sweet ! where you find more than you seek, and guess more than is known. No one recognizes me here. The brave and handsome Count Troussel, who is leaning against that pillar, and casting such melancholy glances through the crowd, hunting for the one his heart adores, never dreams that she is stand- ing opposite him, and is laughing at his perplexity. No, he does not recognize me, and no one knows my costume but the prince and Pollnitz, and as they have not yet found me, I conclude they have not arrived. I will therefore amuse myself during their ab. sence. " She was just approaching the sentimental cavalier, when she suddenly felt her arm touched, and, turning around, saw two masks wrapped in dark dominoes before her. " Beautiful odalisque, I bring you your sultan, " murmured one of them, in whom she recognized Baron Pollnitz. "And where is my sultan?" she asked. "Here," said the second mask, offering the beautiful lady his arm. Louise saw those glorious eyes beaming upon her through his mask eyes which the king and Prince Henry alone possessed. "Ah, my prince !" she murmured softly and reproachfully, "you see that it is I who have waited. " AT THE MASKED BALL. 13 The prince did not answer, but conducted her hastily through the crowd. They had soon reached the end of the saloon. A small flight of steps led them to a little boudoir opening on a balcony. Into this boudoir Pollnitz led the silent pair, then bowing low he left them. " My God ! your highness, if we should be surprised here !" "Fear nothing, we will not be surprised. Pollnitz guards the door. Now, as we are alone and undisturbed, let us lay aside our disguises. " Thus speaking, the supposed prince removed his mask and laid it upon the table. " The king !" cried Louise, terrified and stepping back. The king's eyes rested upon her with a piercing glance. " What !" he asked, "are you still acting? You appear astonished; and still you must have known me. Who but the king would show the beautiful Madame von Kleist such an honor? In what other cavalier could you place such perfect confidence as to accompany him into this lonely boudoir? with whom but the king could you have trusted your fair fame? You need not be alarmed ; to be in my presence is to be under my protection the kind guardianship of your king. I thank you that you knew me, and, knowing me, followed me trust- ingly." The searching glance of the king alarmed Louise ; his mocking words bewildered her, and she was incapable of reply. She bowed silently, and allowed herself to be conducted to the divan. " Sit down, and let us chat awhile, " said the king. " You know I hate the noise of a feast, and love to retire into some corner, un- noticed and unseen. I had no sooner discovered the fair Louise under this charming costume, than I knew I had found good com- pany. I ordered Pollnitz to seek out for us some quiet spot, where we might converse freely. Commence, therefore. " "Of what shall I speak, your majesty?" said Louise, confused and frightened. She knew well that the king had not found her by chance, but had sought her with a determined purpose. "Oh ! that is a question whose nawete reminds me of the little Louise Schwerin of earlier days. Well, let us speak on that subject which interests most deeply all who know you ; let us speak of your happiness. You sigh. Have you already paid your tribute? Do you realize the fleetness of all earthly bliss?" " Ah ! your majesty, an unhappy marriage is the most bitter offering that can be made to experience," sighed Madame von Kliest. " My life was indeed wretched until released by your kind- ness from that bondage. " 14 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " Ah, yes, it is true you are divorced. When and upon whom will you now bestow this small, white hand?" Louise looked up astonished. " What 1" she stammered, con- fused, "your majesty means " " That you will certainly marry again. As beautiful a lady as you will always be surrounded by lovers, and I sincerely hope that you will marry. You should go forward as an example to my brothel's, your youthful playmates, and I will tell my brother Henry that marriage is not so bad a thing, as the beautiful Madame von Kleist has tried it for the second time. " " I doubt very much, sire, " said Louise, timidly, " if the example of so insignificant a person would have the desired effect upon the prince. " " You do yourself injustice. The prince has too strong an ad- miration for you, not to be influenced by your encouraging example. My brother must and shall marry according to his birth. I am assured that, contrary to my wishes and commands, he is about to make a secret and illegitimate marriage. I am not yet acquainted with the name of his wily mistress, but I shall learn it, and, when once noted in my memory, woe be unto her, for I shall never acknowledge such a marriage, and I shall take care that his mis- tress is not received at court she shall be regarded as a dishonored woman. " " Your majesty is very stern and pitiless toward the poor prince, " said Madame Kleist, who had succeeded in suppressing her own emotions, and, following the lead of the king, she was desirous to let it appear that the subject was one of no personal interest to her- self. " No, " said the king, " I am not cruel and not pitiless. I must forget that I am a brother, and remember only I am a king, not only for the good of my family, but for the prosperity of my people. My brother must marry a princess of wealth and influence. Tell Prince Henry this. Now, " said the king, with an engaging smile, " let us speak of your lovely self. You will, of course, marry again. Have you not confidence enough in me to tell me the name of your happy and favored lover?" " Sire, " said Louise, smiling, " I do not know it myself, and to show what unbounded confidence I have in your majesty, I modestly confess that I am not positively certain whether among my many followers there is one who desires to be the successor of Kleist. It is easy to have many lovers, but somewhat difficult to marry suitably. " "We need a marrying man to chase away the crowd of lovers," said the king, smiling. "Think awhile let your lovers pass in AT THE MASKED BALL. 15 review before you perhaps you may find among them one who is both ardent and desirable. " Louise remained thoughtful for a few moments. The king ob- served her closely. "Well," he said, after a pause, "have you made your selection?" Madame von Kleist sighed, and her beautiful bright eyes filled with tears. She took leave of her most cherished and ambitious dream bade farewell to her future of regal pomp and splendor. " Yes, sire, I have found an epouseur, who only needs encourage- ment, to offer me his heart and hand. " "Is he of good family?" "Yes, sire." "Military?" "Yes, sire. He wears only a captain's epaulets. Your majesty sees that I am modest. " " On the day of his marriage he shall be major. When the Church pronounces her blessing, the king's blessing shall not be wanting. We are, of course, agreed. When will you be engaged?" " Sire, that depends upon my lover, and when I succeed in bring- ing him to terms. " "We will say in eight days You see I am anxious to become speedily acquainted with one blissful mortal, and I think that the husband of the beautiful Madame Kleist will be supremely happy. In eight days, then, you will be engaged, and, to complete your good work, you must announce this happy fact to my brother Henry. Of course, he must not even surmise that you sacrifice yourself in order to set him a good example. No, you will complete your noble work, and tell him that a love which you could not control induced you to take this step ; and that he may not doubt your words, you will tell your story cheerfully yes, joyously. " " Sire, it is too much I cannot do it, " cried Madame von Kleist. " It is enough to trample upon my own heart ; your majesty cannot desire me to give the prince his death-blow. " The king's eyes flashed angrily, but he controlled himself. "His death!" he repeated, shrugging his shoulders, "as if men died of such small wounds. You know better yourself. You know that the grave of one love is the cradle of another. Be wise, and do as I tell you : in eight days you will be engaged, and then you will have the kindness to acquaint Prince Henry with your happy pros- pects. " " Ah, sire, do not be so cruel as to ask this of me, " cried Louise, gliding from the divan upon her knees, " be merciful. I am ready to obey the commands of my king, to make the sacrifice that is asked of me let it not be too great a one. Your majesty asks that 16 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. I shall draw down the contempt of the man I love upon myself ; that this man must not only give me up, but scorn me. You require too much. This is more than the strongest, bravest heart can endure. Your majesty knows that the prince loves me passionately. Ah, sire, your brother would have forfeited his rank and your favor by marrying me, but he would have been a happy man ; and I ask the king if that is not, at last, the best result? Are you, sire, content and happy since you trampled your breathing, loving heart to death at the foot of the throne? You command your brother to do as you have done. Well, sire, I submit not only to resign the prince, but to marry again, to marry without love. Perhaps my soul will be lost by this perjury, but what matters that it is a plaything in the hands of the king? He may break my heart, but it shall not be dis- honored and trodden in the dust. The prince shall cease to love me, but I will not be despised by him. He shall not think me a misera- ble coquette, despise, and laugh at me. Now, sire, you can crush me in your anger. I have said what I had to say you know my decision. " She bowed her head almost to the earth ; motionless, kneeling at the foot of the king, her hands folded on her breast, she might in reality have been taken for an odalisque but that her sad, tearful face was not in unison with the situation or costume. A long pause ensued a solemn, fearful pause. The king strug- gled with his rage, Louise with her disappointment and distress. Sounds of laughter, the gay notes of music reached them from the dancing-saloon. The ball had commenced, and youth and beauty were mingling in the dance. These sounds aroused the king, and the sad contrast made Louise shudder. "You will not, then, comply with my request?" said the king, sternly. " Sire, I cannot !" murmured Louise, raising her hands implor- ingly to the king. "You cannot!" cried the king, whose face glowed with anger; "you cannot, that means you will not, because your vain, coquettish heart will not resign the love of the prince. You submit to resign his hand, because you must ; but you wish to retain his love : he must think of you as a heavenly ideal, to be adored and longed for, placed amongst the stars for worship. Ah, madame, you are not willing to make the gulf between you impassable ! You say you wish, at least, to retain the respect of Prince Henry. I ask you, madame, what you have done to deserve his respect? You were an ungrateful and undutiful daughter ; you did not think of the shame and sorrow you prepared for your parents, when you arranged your flight with the gardener. I succeeded in rescuing you from dishonor by marrying you to a brave and noble cavalier. It depended upon AT THE MASKED BALL. 17 you entirely to gain his love and respect, but you forgot your duty as a wife, as you had forgotten it as a daughter. You had no pity with the faults and follies of your husband, you drove him to de- spair. At last, to drown his sorrows, he became a drunkard, and you, instead of remaining at his side to encourage and counsel him, deserted him, and so heartlessly exposed his shame that I, to put an end to the scandal, permitted your divorce. You not only forgot your duty as a wife and daughter, but also as a mother. You have deprived your child of a father, you have made her an orphan ; you have soiled, almost depraved her young soul ; and now, after all this, you wish to be adored and respected as a saint by my poor brother ! No, madame ! I shall know how to save him from this delusion ; I shall tell to him and the world the history of little Louise von Schwerin ! Fritz Wendel still lives, and, if you desire it, I can release him, and he may tell his romantic story. " " Oh, for the second time to-day I have heard that hateful name !" cried Louise ; " the past is an avenger that pursues us mercilessly through our whole lives. " " Choose, madame !" said the king, after a pause ; " will you announce your betrothal to my brother in a gay and unembarrassed tone, or shall I call Fritz Wendel, that he may sing the unhappy prince to sleep with his romantic history?" Whilst the king spoke, Louise had raised herself slowly from her knees, and taken a seat upon the divan. Now rising, and bowing lowly, she said, with trembling lips and tearful voice : " Sire, I am prepared to do all that you wish. I shall announce my betrothal to the prince cheerfully, and without sighs or tears. But be merciful, and free me forever from that hideous spectre which seems ever at my side !" "Do you mean poor Fritz Wendel?" said the king, smiling. " Well, on the day of your marriage I will send him as a soldier to Poland ; there he may relate his love -adventures, but no one will understand him. Are you content?" " I thank you, sire, " said Louise, faintly. "Ah, I see our conversation has agitated you a little !" said the king. " Fortunately, we are now at an end. In the next eight days, remember, you will be engaged !" "Yes, sire." "The day of your marriage, I will make your captain a major. You promise to tell my brother of your engagement, and that it is in accordance with the warmest wishes of your heart?" "Yes, sire ; and you will banish the gardener forever?" "I will; but wait one thing more. Where will you tell my brother of your engagement, and before what witnesses?" 18 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " At the place and before the witnesses your majesty may select, " said Madame von Kleist. The king thought a moment. "You will do it in my presence," said he ; " I will let you know the time and place through Pollnitz. We have arranged our little affairs, madame, and we will descend to the saloon where, I think, your epouseur is sighing for your presence. " " Let him sigh, sire ! With your permission, I should like to retire. " "Go, madame, where you wish. Pollnitz will conduct you to your carriage. " He offered her his hand, and, with a friendly bow, led her to the door. "Farewell, madame ! I believe we part friends?" "Sire," she answered, smiling faintly, "I can only say as the soldiers do, 'I thank you for your gracious punishment !'" She bowed and left the room hastily, that the king might not see her tears. CHAPTER V. A SECRET CAPTAIN. THE king looked long after her in silence ; at first with an ex pression of deep pity, but this soon gave place to a gay, mocking smile. " She is not a woman to take sorrow earnestly. When mourning no longer becomes her, she will lay it aside for the rosy robes of joy. She is a coquette, nothing more. It is useless to pity her. " He now stepped upon the balcony that overlooked the saloon, and glanced furtively from behind the curtains upon the gay assem- bly below. " Poor, foolish mankind ! how wise you might be, if you were not so very childish if you did not seek joy and happiness precisely where it is not to be found ! But how is this?" said the king, in- terrupting himself, "those two giant forms at the side of the little Armenians are certainly Barons Kalkreuth and Kaphengst, and that is my brother with them. Poor Henry ! you have made a bad use of your freedom, and must, therefore, soon lose it. Ah ! see how searchingly he turns his head, seeking his beautiful odalisque! In vain, my brother, in vain ! For to-day, at least, we have made her a repentant Magdalen ; to-morrow she will be again a life-enjoying Aspasia. Ah, the prince separates himself from his followers. I have a few words to whisper in the ear of the gay Kaphengst. " A SECRET CAPTAIN. 19 The king stepped back into the room, and after resuming his mask, he descended into the saloon, accompanied by his grand chamberlain. Mirth and gayety reigned ; the room was crowded with masks . here stood a group in gay conversation ; there was dancing at the other end of the saloon. Some were listening to the organ-player, as he sang, in comical German and French verses, little incidents and adventures: that had occurred during the present year at court, bringing forth laughter, confused silence, and blushes. Some were amusing themselves with the lively, witty chat of the son of the Prince of Prussia, the little ten-year-old, Prince Frederick William. He was dressed as the God of Love, with bow and quiver, dancing around, and, with an early-ripened instinct, directing his arrow at the most beautiful and fascinating ladies in the room. Prince Henry paid no attention to all this ; his wandering glance sought only the beautiful Louise, and a deep sigh escaped him at not having found her. Hastily he stepped through the rows of dancers which separated the two cavaliers from him. "It appears," murmured Baron Kalkreuth to his friend, "it ap- pears to me that the prince would like to get rid of us. He wishes to be entirely unobserved. I think we can profit by this, and there- fore I shall take leave of you for a while, and seek my own adven- tures. "* " I advise you, " murmured Baron Kaphengst, laughingly, " to appoint no rendezvous for to-morrow. " "And why not, friend?" " Because you will not be able to appear ; for you will doubtless be in arrest. " " That is true, and I thank you for your prudent advice, and shall arrange all my rendezvous for the day after to-morrow. Farewell. " Baron Kaphengst turned laughingly to another part of the saloon. Suddenly he felt a hand placed on his shoulder, and a low voice murmured his name. Terrified, he turned. " I am not the one you seek, mask, " he said ; but as he met those two large, burning eyes, he shuddered, and even his bold, daring heart stood still a moment from terror. Only the king had such eyes ; only he had such a commanding glanca " You say you are not the one I seek, " said the mask. " Well, yes, you speak wisely. I sought in you a brave and obedient officer, and it appears that you are not that. You are not, then, Lieutenant von Kaphengst?" Kaphengst thought a moment. He was convinced it was the king that spoke with him, for Frederick had not attempted to dis- 20 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. guise his voice. Kaphengst knew he was discovered. There re- mained nothing for him but to try and reconcile the king by a jest. He bowed close to the king, and whispered : " Listen, mask as you have recognized me, I will acknowledge the truth. Yes, I am Lieutenant von Kaphengst, and am incognito. You understand me I came to this ball incognito. He is a scoundrel who repeats it '." and, without awaiting an answer, he hastened away to seek the prince and Baron Kalkreuth, acquaint them with the king's pres- ence, and fly with them from his anger. But Prince Henry, whose fruitless search for his sweetheart had made him angry and defiant, declared he would remain at the ball until it was over, and that it should be optional with the king to insult his brother openly, and to punish and humble a prince of his house before the world. " I, unfortunately, do not belong to the princes of the royal house, and I therefore fear that the king might regard me as the cat who had to pull the hot chestnuts from the ashes, and I might suffer for all three. I therefore pray your highness to allow me to withdraw. " "You may go, and if you meet Kalkreuth, ask him to accompany you. You officers must not carry your insubordination any furthei. I, as prince, and Hohenzollern, dare the worst, but, be assured, I shall pay for my presumption. Farewell, and hasten ! Do not for- get Kalkreuth. " Kaphengst sought in vain. Kalkreuth was nowhere to be found, and he had to wend his way alone to Potsdam. " I shall take care not to await the order of the king for my arrest, " said Baron Kaphengst to himself, as he rode down the road to Potsdam. " I shall be in arrest when his order arrives. Perhaps that will soften his anger. " Accordingly, when Kaphengst arrived at the court guard, in Potsdam, he assumed the character of a drunken, quarrelsome offi- cer, and played his role so well that the commander placed him in arrest. An hour later the king's order reached the commander to arrest Baron Kaphengst, and with smiling astonishment he received the answer that he had been under arrest for the last hour. In the mean time, Kaphengst had not miscalculated. The prince was put under arrest for eight days, Kalkreuth for three. He was released the next morning, early enough to appear at the parade. As the king, with his generals, rode down to the front, he imme- diately noticed the audacious young officer, whose eye met his askance and pleadingly. The king beckoned to him, and as Baron Kaphengst stood erect before him, the king said, laughingly . THE LEGACY OF VON TRENCK. 21 " It is truly difficult to exchange secrets with one of your height ; bow down to me, I have something to whisper in you ear. " The comrades and officers, yes, even the generals, saw not with- out envy that the king was so gracious to the young Lieutenant von Kaphengst ; whispered a few words to him confidentially, and then smiling and bowing graciously, moved on. It was, therefore, natural that, when the king left, all were anx- ious to congratulate the young lieutenant, and ask him what the king had whispered. But Baron Kaphengst avoided, with dignified gravity, all inquiries, and only whispered to his commander softly, but loud enough for every one to hear, the words, " State secrets ;" then bowing profoundly, returned with an earnest and grave face to his dwelling, there to meditate at his leisure upon the king's words words both gracious and cruel, announcing his advancement, but at the same time condemning him to secrecy. The king's words were : " You are a captain, but he is a scoundrel who repeats it !" Thus Baron Kaphengst was captain, but no one suspected it ; the captain remained a simple lieutenant in the eyes of the world. CHAPTER VI. THE LEGACY OP VON TRENCK, COLONEL OF THE PANDOURS. BARON WEINQARTEN, the new secretary of legation of the Aus- trian embassy in Berlin, paced the ambassador's office in great dis- pleasure. It was the hour in which all who had affairs to arrange with the Austrian ambassador, passports to vise, contracts to sign, were allowed entrance, and it was the baron's duty to receive them. But no one came ; no one desired to make use of his ability or his mediation, and this displeased the baron and put him out of humor. It was not the want of work and activity that annoyed him ; the baron would have welcomed the dolcefar niente had it not been un- fortunately connected with his earnings ; the fees he received for passports, and the arrangement of other affairs, formed part of his salary as secretary of legation, and as he possessed no fortune, this was his only resource. This indigence alone led him to resign his aristocratic independence and freedom of action. He had not entered the state service from ambition, but for money, that lie might have the means of supporting his mother and unmarried sis- ters, and enable himself to live according to his rank and old aristo- cratic name. Baron Weingarten would have made any sacrifice, submitted to any service, to obtain wealth. Poverty had demoral- 22 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. ized him, pride had laid a mildew on his heart and stifled all noble aspirations. As he read a letter, just received from his mother, complaining of wants and privations, telling of the attachment of a young officer to his sister, and that poverty alone prevented their marriage, his heart was filled with repining, and at this moment he was prepared to commit a crime, if, by so doing, he could have obtained wealth. In this despairing and sorrowful mood he had entered the office, and awaited in vain for petitioners who would pay him richly for his services. But the hours passed in undisturbed quiet, and Baron Weingarten was in the act of leaving the office, as the servant announced Baron von Waltz, and the court councillor, Zetto, from Vienna. He advanced to meet the two gentlemen, with a smiling counte- nance, and welcomed his Austrian countrymen heartily. The two gentlemen seated themselves silently ; Weingarten took a seat in front of them. A painful, embarrassed pause ensued. The majestic Baron von Waltz looked silently at the ceiling, while the black, piercing eyes of the little Councillor Zetto examined the countenance of Wein- garten with a strangely searching and penetrating expression. "You are from Vienna?" said Weingarten at last, puting an end to this painful silence. *' We are from Vienna, " answered the baron, with a grave bow. " And have travelled here post-haste to have an interview with you." "With me?" asked the secretary of legation, astonished. " With you alone, " said the baron, gravely. " We wish you to do the King of Prussia a great service, " said Zetto, solemnly. Weingarten reddened, and said confusedly : " The King of Prus- sia ! You forget, gentlemen, that my services belong alone to the Empress Maria Theresa. " "He defends himself before he is accused," said Zetto, aside. "It is then true, as we have been told, he is playing a double game serves Austria and Prussia at the same time. " Turning to Baron Weingarten, he said : " That which we ask of you will be at the same time a service to our gracious empress, for certainly it would not only distress, but compromise her majesty, if an Austrian officer committed a murder in Prussia. " "Murder !" cried the secretary of legation. " Yes, an intentional murder, " said Baron Waltz, emphatically " the murder of the King of Prussia. If you prevent this crime, you will receive ten thousand guilders," said Zetto, examining THE LEGACY OF VON TRENCK. 23 Weingarten's countenance closely. He remarked that the baron, who was but a moment ago pale from terror, now reddened, and that his eyes sparkled joyously. "And what can I do to prevent this murder?" asked Weingarten, hastily. " You can warn the king. " " But to warn successfully, I must have proofs. " "We are ready to give the most incontrovertible proofs." "I must, before acting, be convinced of the veracity of your charges. " " I hope that my word of honor will convince you of their truth, " said Baron Waltz, pathetically. Weingarten bowed, with an ambiguous smile, that did not escape Zetto. He drew forth his pocket-book, and took from it a small, folded paper, which he handed to Weingarten. "If I strengthen my declaration with this paper, will you trust me?" Weingarten looked with joyful astonishment at the paper ; it was a check for two thousand guilders. "My sister's dowry," thought Weingarten, with joy. But the next moment came doubt and suspicion. What if they were only trying him only convinc- ing themselves if he could be bought? Perhaps he was suspected of supplying the Prussian Government from time to time with Austrian news of communicating to them the contents of important dis- patches ! The fire faded from his eye, and with a firm countenance he laid the paper upon the table. " Your are mistaken, gentlemen ! that is no document, but a check. " " With which many documents could be purchased, " said Zetto, smiling. Placing the paper again in his pocket-book, he took out another and a larger one. It was a check for three thousand guilders. But Weingarten had regained his composure. He knew that men acting thus must be spies or criminals ; that they were testing him, or luring him on to some unworthy act. In either case, he must be on his guard. " I beg you to confirm your charge in the usual manner, " said he, with a cold, indifferent glance at the paper. " Murder is a dreadful accusation you cannot act too carefully. You say that an Austrian officer intends to murder the King of Prussia. How do you know this?" " From himself, " said Baron Waltz ; " he communicated his in- tentions to me, and confided to me his entire plan. " 24 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " It appears, " remarked Weingarten, mockingly, " that the officer had reason to believe he might trust you with this terrible secret. " "You see, however, that he was mistaken," said the baron, smil- ingly. " I demand of you to warn the King of Prussia of the danger that threatens him. " "I shall be compelled to make this danger clear, give all particu- lars, or the king will laugh at my story and consider it a fairy tale." "You shall give him convincing proof. Say to him that the murder is to be committed when his majesty attends the Austrian review at Konigsberg. " "How will the officer cross the Prussian border?" " He is supplied with an Austrian passport, and under the pre- tence of inheriting a large property in Prussia, he has obtained leave of absence for a month. " " There remains now but one question : why does the officer wish to murder the king? what motive leads him to do so?" "Revenge," said Baron von Waltz, solemnly "an act of ven- geance. This Austrian officer who is resolved to murder the king of Prussia, is Frederick von Trenck. " Weingarten was embarrassed, and his countenance bore an un- easy and troubled expression. But as his eye fell upon the weighty paper that lay before him, he smiled, and looked resolved. " Now I have but one thing more to ask. Why, if your story is authentic, and well calculated to startle even the brave king, have you thought it necessary to remove my doubts with this document?" Baron Waltz was silent, and looked inquiringly at Zetto. "Why did I hand you this document?" said the councillor, with a sweet smile ; "because gold remains gold, whether received from an Austrian councillor or from a Prussian prince. " "Sir, do you dare to insult me?" criec 1 the secretary of legation, fiercely. Zetto smiled. "No, I only wish to notify you that we are aware that it is through you that Baron von Trenck receives money from a certain aristocratic lady in Berlin. It is, therefore, most impor- tant that the king should be warned by you of his intended murder otherwise you might be thought an accomplice. " Weingarten appeared not to be in the least disconcerted by this statement he seemed not even to have heard it. "Before I warn the king," he said, with calm composure, "I must be convinced of the truth of the story myself, and I acknowl- edge to you that I am not convinced, cannot understand your motives for seeking the destruction of Baron von Trenck. " " Ah 1 you search into our motives you mistrust us, " cried Zetto, THE LEGACY OF VON TRENCK. 25 hastily. " Well, we will prove to you that we trust you, by telling you our secret. You know the story of the inheritance of Trenck?" "He is the only heir of the pandour chieftain, Franz von Trenck. " " Correct. And do you know the history of this pandour chief- tain Trenck?" " I have heard a confused and uncertain statement, but nothing definite or reliable. " "It is, however, a very interesting and instructive story, and shows how far a man with a determined will and great energy can reach, when his thoughts are directed to one end. Baron Trenck wished to be rich, immensely rich that was the aim of his life. Seduced by his love of money, he became the captain of a band of robbers, then a murderer, a church-robber ; from that a brave sol- dier, and, at last, a holy penitent. Robbing and plundering every- where, he succeeded in collecting millions. The pandour chieftain Trenck soon became so rich, that he excited the envy of the noblest and wealthiest men in the kingdom, so rich that he was able to lend large sums of money to the powerful and influential Baron Lowen- walde. You see, baron, it only needs a determined will to become rich. " " Oh ! the foolish man, " said Weingarten, shrugging his shoul- ders ; " lending money to a noble and powerful man, is making an irreconcilable enemy. " " You speak like a prophet. It happened, as you say. Lowen- walde became Trenck 's enemy. He accused him of embezzling the imperial money, of treachery and faithlessness and Trenck ws imprisoned. " "His millions obtained his release, did they not?" "No. His riches reduced him to greater misery. His lauds were sequestered, and a body of commissioners were selected to at- tend to them. Baron Waltz and myself belonged to this commis- sion. " " Ah ! I begin to understand, " murmured Weingarten. Baron Zetto continued, with a smile : " The commissioners made the discovery that report had greatly exaggerated the riches of Trenck. He had not many treasures, but many debts. In order tc liquidate those debts, we desired his creditors to announce them- selves every day, and promised them a daily ducat until the end ot the process. " "I hope you two gentlemen were among his creditors," said Weingarten. " Certainly, we were, and also Baron Marken. " "Therefore you have a threefold advantage from Trenck 's im- 26 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. prisonment . first, your salary as a member of the commission ; secondly, as a creditor " "And thirdly you spoke of a threefold advantage?" " And thirdly, " said Weingarten, laughing, " in searching for the missing treasures of Baron Trenck which had disappeared so unfortunately. " "Ah, sir, you speak like those who suspected us at court, and wished to make the empress believe that we had enriched ourselves as commissioners. Soon after this Trenck died, and Frederick von Trenck hastened from St. Petersburg to receive his inheritance. How great was his astonishment to find instead of the hoped-for millions a few mortgaged lands, an income of a hundred thousand guilders, and sixty-three creditors who claimed the property. " " He should have become one of the commissioners, " remarked Weingarten, mockingly. " Perhaps it would have then been easier for him to obtain his possessions. " " He attempted it in another way, with the aid of money, bribery, and persuasion. He has already succeeded in obtaining fifty-four of his sixty-three processes, and will win the others in a few days. " "And then he will doubtless cause the commissioners to give in their accounts, and close their books. " " Exactly. He has already commenced to do so. He ordered an investigation to be made against the quartermaster, and the com- mander of the regiment to which Franz von Trenck belonged. This man had accused Trenck of having embezzled eight thousand of the imperial money, and Trenck succeeded so far, that it was declared that it was not he, but his accusers, who had committed the crime. The consequence was, that the quartermaster was deposed ; and it would have fared as badly with the commander, had he not found powerful protection. " "And now the dangerous Frederick von Trenck will seize the property of the commissioners. " " He would do so if we did not know how to prevent him. We must employ every means to remove him, and, believe me, we are not the only men who wish for his disappearance. A large and powerful party have the same desire, and would joyfully pay ten thousand guilders to be freed from his investigations. " Weingarten's eyes sparkled for a moment, and his heart beat quickly ; but he suppressed these joyful emotions, and retained his calm and indifferent expression. "Gentlemen," he said, quietly, "as you are speaking of a real criminal, one who intends committing so great a crime, I am at your service, and no money or promises are necessary to buy my assistance. " THE LEGACY OF VON TRENCK. 27 "Is he really a man of honor, and have we received false infor- mation?" thought Zetto, who was misled for a moment by the quiet and virtuous looks of the secretary of legation. " In the mean while you will not prevent those for whom you are about to do a great service from showing their gratitude, " said Baron "Waltz. "Every one has a right to give or to receive a present. " . "Gentlemen," said Baron Weingarten, smilingly, "no one has spoken of a present, but of a payment, a bribery, and you can readily understand that this is insulting to a man of honor. " " Ah, he leaves open a door of escape, " thought Zetto. " He is won, he can be bought. You are right, baron," he said aloud, "and we are wrong to offer you now that which hereafter will be a debt of gratitude. We will speak no more of this, but of the danger that threatens the king. You alone can save him by warning him of his danger. " "You really believe, then, that Trenck has the intention of mur- dering the king?" said Weingarten. "We will believe it," said Zetto, with an ambiguous smile. "We must believe it!" cried Baron Waltz, emphatically. "We must either believe in his murderous intentions, or be ourselves re- garded as traitors and robbers. You will think it natural that we prefer the first alternative, and as he resolved to ruin us, we will anticipate him, and set the trap into which he must fall. " "Why could you not lay your snares in Austria, gentlemen? Why could you notaccusehim of intending to murder the empress?" Zetto shrugged his shoulders. " That would not be credible, be- cause Trenck has no motive for murdering Maria Theresa, while he might very well thirst to revenge himself upon Frederick. You know that the king and Trenck are personal enemies. Trenck has boasted of this enmity often and loud enough to be understood by the whole world, and I do not believe that this animosity has dimin- ished. Enemies naturally desire to destroy each other. Trenck would succeed if we did not warn the king, and enable him to an- ticipate his enemy. " "How can fH 5 be done? Will the king really go to Konigsberg to be present at the Austrian festivities?" " It has been spoken of. " " Well, Trenck now proposes to go to Dantzic, and he has boasted that he will enter Konigsberg at the same time with the King of Prussia, who will not dare to arrest him." "We have made a bet with him of a hundred louis d'or on this boast," said Baron Waltz, "and for greater security we have put it in writing. " 28 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. "Have you it with you?" "Here it is." The baron handed Weingarten a paper, which he seized hastily, unfolded, and read several times. " This is indeed written in very ambiguous language, and calcu- lated to ruin Trenck should it reach the hands of the king," said Baron Weingarten with a cruel smile. Zetto returned this smile. " I wrote the document, and you will naturally understand that I measured the words veiy closely. " " Who copied the letter ?" asked Weingarten. " Doubtlessly Baron Trenck was not magnanimous enough to do that. " " Baron Waltz is a great adept in imitating handwriting, and he happily possessed original letters of Trenck's, " said Zetto, smilingly. " You will find it most natural that I should try to win my bet, " said Baron Waltz. " If Trenck is arrested before he goes to Konigs- berg, I have won my bet, and will receive the hundred louis d'ors from the commissioners. " All three laughed. "These commissioners will soon have to pay you ten thousand guilders," whispered Zetto. "Here is a bond. On the day that Trenck is a prisoner of the king of Prussia, this bond is due, and you will then find that the commissioners are not backward in pay- ing. " Zetto laid the document upon the table. " You will now have the kindness to receive our testimony, and, if you desire it, we will add our accusations, or you can mention that this can be done. " Weingarten did not answer ; a repentant fear tormented his heart, and for a moment it appeared as if his good and evil genius were struggling for his soul. " This involves probably the life of a man," he said, softly; "it is a terrible accusation that I must pronounce : if not condemned to death, the king will imprison him for many long years, and I shall be responsible for this injustice. " Councillor Zetto 's attentive ear heard every word ; he stood near him like the evil one, and his piercing eyes rested upon the agitated countenance of Weingarten and read his thoughts. " Have you not lived the life of a prisoner for many years ?" asked Zetto, in a low, unnatural voice ; " have you not always been a slave of poverty? Will you now, from weak pity, lose the opportunity of freeing yourself from this bondage? Ten thousand guilders is no fortune, but it may be the beginning of one it may be the thread of Ariadne to lead you from the labyrinth of poverty to freedom and light ; and who will thank you if you do not seize this thread who recompense you for your generosity and magnanimity? If you tell THE KING AND WEINGARTEN. 29 it to the wise and cunning, they will laugh at you ; and if the fool- ish hear it, they will not understand you. Every one is the moulder of his own happiness ; and woe unto him who neglects to forge the iron while it is hot !" Baron Weingarten felt each of these words. He did not know if they were uttered by human lips, or if they came from the depths of his own base soul. " It is true, it is true !" he cried, in a frightened voice ; " he is a fool who does not seize the hand of Fortune when tendered by the laughing goddess a fool who does not break his fetters when he has the power to rend them. Come, gentlemen ! we take the testimony, and when that is done, I will conduct you to our ambassador, Baron Puebla." " Not so when that is done, we shall depart with post-haste ; you alone shall receive thanks and recompense. Now to work !" CHAPTER VII. THE KINO AND WEINGARTEN. THE king paced his room hastily ; he was very pale, his lip trem- bled, and his eyes sparkled angrily. He suddenly remained standing before the Austrian secretary of legation, and gazed long and earnestly into his face ; but his glance, before which so many had trembled, was sustained by the secretary with so quiet and innocent a countenance that it deceived even the king. " I see that you are convinced of the truth of what you tell me, " the king said at last ; "you really believe that this madman has the intention of murdering me?" " I am convinced of it, sire, " replied Weingarten, humbly, " for I have the proof of his intention in my hand. " "The proof what proof?" " This paper which I allowed myself to hand to your majesty, and which you laid upon the table without reading. " " Ah, it is true ! I forgot that in my excitement, " said the king, mildly. " I beg you to read me the contents of this paper. " Baron Weingarten received the ^aper from the king with a re- spectful bow ; his voice did not tremble in the least as he read the important words which refined malice and cruel avarice had writ- ten there words which, if literally interpreted, would fully con- demn Trenck. The words were : 30 FEEDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. "'In consequence of a bet, I pledge myself to be in Konigsberg the same day in which the King Frederick of Prussia, my cruel enemy and persecutor, shall arrive there. I shall go there to do, in the king's presence, that which no one has done before me, and which no one will do after me. If I do not succeed in accomplish- ing my purpose, or if I should be arrested, I have lost my bet, and shall owe Baron Waltz one hundred louis d'or, which must be paid him by the commissioners of the Trenck estate. "'BARON FREDERICK VON TRENCK."' "And Trenck wrote this note himself?" said the king. "If your majesty is acquainted with Trenck 's handwriting, you will perhaps have the goodness to examine it yourself. " " I know his handwriting 1 ; give me the paper. " He took the paper and glanced over it searchingly. " It is his handwriting, " he murmured ; " but I will examine it again. " Speaking thus, he stepped hastily to his escritoire, and took from a small box several closely written yellow papers, and compared them with the document which Weingarten had given him. Ah, how little did Trenck dream, as he wrote those letters, that they would witness against him, and stamp him as a criminal ! They were already a crime in the king's eyes, for they were tender letters that Trenck had dared to write from Vienna to the Princess Amelia. They had never reached her ! And not those tender epistles of a tearful and unhappy love must bear witness against the writer, and condemn him for the second time ! "It is his handwriting," said the king, as he laid the letters again in the box. " I thank you, Baron Weingarten ; you have saved me from a disagreeable occurrence ; for, if I will not even be- lieve that Trenck intended murder, he was at all events willing to create a scene, if only to gratify his vanity. It appears that he has now played out his role at Vienna, as well as in St. Petersburg and Berlin ; and the world would forget him if he did not attract its attention by some mad piece of folly. How he intended to accom- plish this I do not know ; but certainly not by a murder no, I can- not believe that !" "Your majesty is always noble and magnanimous, but it appears tome that these words can have but one meaning. 'I shall go to Konigsberg, ' writes Baron Trenck, ' and there do in the presence of the king what no one has done before me, and what no one will do after me. ' Does not this make his intention pretty clear?" " Only for those who know his intentions or suspect them, for others they could have any other signification ; some romantic threat, nothing more. Baron Trenck is a known adventurer, a species THE KING AND WEINGARTEN. 31 of Don Quixote, always fighting against windmills, and believing that warriors and kings honor him so far as to be his enemies. I punished Trenck when he was in my service, for insubordination ; now he is no longer in my service, and I have forgotten him, but woe be unto him if he forces me to remember him !" "Your majesty will soon see if he is falsely accused. These reliable and irreproachable men came especially to warn your ma- jesty, through me. You will discover if they have calumniated Trenck, by giving this testimony. If he does not go to Dantzic, does not enter Prussia, they have sworn falsely, and Trenck is inno- cent." " He will not dare to cross the borders of my state, for he knows he will be court-martialled as a deserter. But I am convinced that he is a bold adventurer ; he has boasted that he will defy me ; that is certainly what no one has done before him, and what no one will do after him ; but it will rest there, you may believe me. " Baron Weingarten bowed silently. The king continued, with an engaging smile : "However, monsieur, I owe you many thanks, and it would please me to have an opportunity of rewarding you. " Until this moment, Weingarten had been standing with bowed head ; he now stood erect, and his eye dared to meet that of the king. "Sire," he said, with the noble expression of offended innocence, " I demand and wish no other reward than that you may profit by my warning. If the fearful danger that threatens your majesty is averted through me, that will be my all-sufficient recompense. I must decline any other. " The king smiled approvingly. " You speak emphatically, and it appears that you really believe in this danger. Well, I thank you only as that is your desire. I will respect your warning and guard myself from the danger that you believe threatens me ; but to do that, and at the same time to convince ourselves of Trenck's evil in- tentions, we must observe the most perfect silence in this whole affair, and you must promise me to speak of it to no one. " " Sire, secrecy appeared to me so necessary, that I did not even communicate it to Baron Puebla, but came to your majesty on my own responsibility. " " You did well, for now Trenck will fall unwarned into the trap we set for him. Be silent, therefore, upon the subject. If you should ever have a favor to ask, come to me with this tabatiere in your hand. I will remember this hour, and if it is in my power will grant you what you wish. " He handed Weingarten his gold, diamond-studded tabatidre, and received his thanks with approving smiles. 32 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. After he had dismissed the secretary of legation, and was alone, the smile faded from his face, and his countenance was sad and disturbed. "It has come to this," he said, as he paced his room, with his hands folded behind his back. "This man, whom I once loved so warmly, wishes to murder me. Ah ! ye proud princes, who imagine yourselves gods on earth, you are not even safe from a murderer's dagger, and you are as vulnerable as the commonest beggar. Why does he wish my death ? Were I a fantastic, romantic hero, I might gay he hoped to claim his sweetheart over my dead body ! But Amelia is no longer a person for whom a man would risk his life ; she is but a faint and sad resemblance of the past her rare beauty is tear-stained and turned to ashes, but her heart still lives ; it is young and warm, and belongs to Trenck ! And shall I dissipate this last illusion ? Must she now learn that he to whom she sacrificed so much is but a common murderer? No, I will spare her this sorrow ! I will not give Trenck the opportunity to fulfil his work ; even his intention shall remain doubtful. I shall not go to Konigsberg ; and if, in his presumptuous thirst for notoriety or for vengeance, he should enter Prussia, he shall be cared for he shall not escape his punishment. Let him but try to cross my borders he will find a snare spread, a cage from which he cannot escape. Yes, so it shall be. But neither the world nor Trenck shall suspect why this is done. If my brothers and envious persons hold him up in future as an example of my hardness of heart, what do I care for their ap- proval, or the praise of short-sighted men ! I do my duty, and am answerable only to God and myself. Trenck intends to murder me I must preserve myself for my people. My mission is not yet accomplished ; and if a poisonous insect crosses my path, I must crush it. " CHAPTER VIII. THE UNWILLING BRIDEGROOM. PRINCE HENRY had again passed eight days in arrest eight tedi- ous days, days of powerless anger and painful humiliation. This arrest had been, by the king's express orders, so strict, that no one was allowed to see the prince but Pollnitz, who belonged, as the king said, to the inventory of the house of Hohenzollern, and, therefore, all doors were open to him. Pollnitz alone had, therefore, the pleasure of hearing the com- plaints, and reproaches, and bitter accusations of the prince against his brother. Pollnitz always had an attentive ear for these com- THE UNWILLING BRIDEGROOM. 33 plaints ; and after listening to the prince with every appearance of real feeling and warm sympathy, he would hasten to the king, and with drooping eyelids and rejoicing heart repeat the bitter and hateful words of the unsuspicious prince words that were well calculated to increase the king's displeasure. The prince still de- clared that he would not marry, and the king insisted that he must submit to his will and commands. Thus the eight days had passed, and Pollnitz came to-day with the joyful news that his arrest was at an end, and he was now free. " That means, " said the prince, bitterly, " that I am free to wan- der through the stupid streets of Potsdam ; appear at his table ; that my clothes may be soiled by his unbearable four-legged friends, and my ears deafened by the dull, pedantic conversation of his no less unbearable two-legged friends." "Your highness can save yourself from all these small annoy- ances, " said Pollnitz ; " you have only to marry. " "Marry, bah ! That means to give my poor sister-in-law, Eliza- beth Christine, a companion, that they may sing their sorrows to each other. No, I have not the bravery of my kingly brother, to make a feeling, human being unhappy in order to satisfy state poli- tics. No, I possess not the egotism to purchase my freedom with the life-long misery of another. " " But, mon Dieu ! my prince, " said Pollnitz, in his cynical way, " you look at it in too virtuous a manner. All women are not as good and pure as poor Elizabeth Christine, and know how to com- pensate themselves in other quarters for the indifference of their husbands. We are not speaking here of a common marriage, but of the betrothal of a prince. You do not marry your heart, but your hand. Truly such a marriage- ceremony is a protecting talisman, that may be held up to other women as an iron shield upon which all their egotistical wishes, all their extravagant demands must re- bound. Moreover, a married man is entirely sans consequence for all unmarried women, and if they should love such a one, the happy mortal may be convinced that his love is really a caprice of the heart, and not a selfish calculation or desire to marry. " The prince regarded the smiling courtier earnestly, almost angrily. " Do you know, " he said, " that what you say appears to me very immoral?" "Immoral?" asked Pollnitz, astonished; "what is that? Your princely highness knows that I received my education at the French court, under the protection of the Regent of Orleans and the Princess of the Palatinate, and there I never heard this word immoral. Per- haps your highness will have the kindness to explain it to me. " " That would be preaching to deaf ears, " said the prince, shrug- 34 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. ging his shoulders. "We will not quarrel about the meaning of a word. I only wish to make you understand that I would not marry at my brother's bonplaisir. I will not continue this race of miser- able princes, that are entirely useless, and consequently a burden to the state. Oh ! if Heaven would only give me the opportunity to distinguish myself before this people, and give to this name that is eo small, so unworthy, a splendor, a color, a signification !" " Your highness is ambitous, " said Pollnitz, as the prince, now silent, paced his room with deep emotion. " Yes, I am ambitious I thirst for action, renown, and activity. I despise this monotonous, colorless existence, without end or aim. My God ! how happy I should be, if, instead of a prince, I could be a simple private man, proprietor of a small landed estate, with a few hundred subjects, that I should endeavor to make happy ! But 1 am nothing but a king's brother, have nothing but my empty title and the star upon my coat. My income is so small, so pitiful, that it would scarcely suffice to pay the few servants I have, if, at the same time, they were not paid by the king as his spies. " " But all this will cease as soon as you speak the decisive word ; as soon as you declare yourself prepared to marry. " "And you dare to tell me this?" cried the prince, with flashing eyes " you, that know I love a lady who is unfortunately no prin- cess ; or do you believe that a miserable prince has not the heart of a man that he does not possess the ardent desire, the painful long- ing for the woman he loves?" " Oh, women do not deserve that we should love them so ardently ; they are all fickle and inconstant, believe me, my prince." The prince cast a quick, questioning glance at the smiling coun- tenance of the courtier. "Why do you say this to me?" he asked, anxiously. " Because I am convinced of its truth, your highness ; because I believe no woman has the power to preserve her love when obstacles are placed in the way, or that she can be faithful for the short spac of eight days, if her lover is absent. " The prince was startled, and looked terrified at Pollnitz. " Eight days, " he murmured ; " it is eight days no, it is twelve since I saw Louise. " " Ah, twelve days ! and your highness has the really heroic be- lief that she still loves you ?" The prince sighed, and his brow clouded, but only for a few mo- ments, and his countenance was again bright and his eyes sparkled. "Yes, I have this belief; and why should I not have it, as my own heart had stood the trial? I have not seen her for twelve days, have not heard of her, and still my love is as great and as ardent as THE UNWILLING BRIDEGROOM. 35 ever. Yes, I believe that at the thought of her my heart beats more quickly, more longingly than if I had her in my arms. " " The reason of this, " said Pollnitz, almost sympathetically, " is that it is your first love. " Prince Henry looked at him angrily " You are wrong and most unjust to this beautiful woman, who remained good and pure in the midst of the corrupting and terrible circumstances in which destiny placed her. She preserved a chaste heart, an unspotted soul. Her misfortunes only refined her, and therefore I love her, and believe that God has placed me in her way that, after all her sufferings, I might make her happy. Oh, pre- cisely because of her sorrows, the shameful slanders with which she is pursued, and all for which she is reproached, I love her. " " Well, my prince, " sighed Pollnitz, with a tragical expression, " I never saw a bolder hero and a more pious Christian than your highness. " " What do you mean by that, Pollnitz?" "That an enormous amount of bravery is necessary, prince, to believe Madame von Kleist chaste and innocent, and that only a pious Christian can count himself so entirely among those of whom Christ says, 'Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have be- lieved. ' May a good fairy long preserve you your bravery and your Christianity ! But surely your highness must have important and convincing proofs to believe in the innocence and faithfulness of this woman. I confess that any other man would have been dis- couraged in his godlike belief by facts. It is a fact that for twelve days Madame von Kleist has sent you no message through me ; it is a fact that she was not at the masked ball ; that as often as I have been to her in these last days, to deliver letters for your highness, and to obtain hers in return, she has never received me, always excused herself ; and, therefore, I could not receive her letters, nor deliver those of your highness." "And were you not in Berlin early this morning? Did you not go to her as I ordered you, and tell her she might expect me this evening?" " I went to her house, but in vain ; she was with the queen mother, and I was told that she would not return until late in the evening, I therefore could not deliver the message, your highness." The prince stamped his foot impatiently, and walked hastily to and fro ; his brow was clouded, his lips trembled with inward emotion. The sharp eye of the baron followed with an attentive, pitiless glance every movement of his face, noted every sigh that came from his anxious heart, that he might judge whether the seeds of mistrust that he had sown in the breast of the prince would grow. 36 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. But Prince Henry was still young, brave, and hopeful ; it was his first love they wished to poison, but his young, healthy nature withstood the venom, and vanquished its evil effects. His counte- nance resumed its quiet, earnest expression, and the cloud disap- peared from his brow " Do you know, " he said, standing before Pollnitz, and looking smilingly into his cunning face "do you know that you do not descend, as the rest of mankind, from Adam and Eve, but in a direct line from the celebrated serpent? And truly you do honor to your ancestor ! No paradise is holy to you, and to do evil gives you pleasure. But you shall not disturb my paradise ; and as much of the old Adam as is still in me, I will not be foolish enough to eat of the bitter fruit that you offer me. No, you shall not succeed in making me jealous and distrustful ; you shall not destroy my faith : and see you, those that believe are still in paradise, notwithstanding your ancestor, the serpent. " " My prince, " said Pollnitz, shrugging his shoulders, " your high- ness looks upon me as a kind of Messiah at least it pleases you to give me a mother and no father. But oh, my prince ! if you are right about my descent, philosophers are certainly wrong, for they maintain that the serpent of paradise left gold as a fearful inheri- tance to mankind. I shall accuse my great-grandmother the serpent of disinheriting me and condemning me to live upon the generosity of my friends and patrons. " He looked at the prince, with a sly, covetous glance, but he had not understood him ; engaged in deep thought, he had stepped to the window, and was gazing up at the heavens, where the clouds were chasing each other. " She will be the entire day with my mother, and I shall not see her," he murmured. Then, turning hastily to Pollnitz, he asked, "How is the queen-mother? Did I not hear that she was suffer- ing?" " Certainly, your highness, a severe attack of gout confines her to her chair, and holds her prisoner. " " Poor mother ! it is long since I saw you. " " It is true, the queen complained of it the last time I spoke with her, " said Pollnitz, with a perfectly serious face, but with inward rejoicing. Another pause ensued. The prince appeared to reflect, and to struggle with his own thoughts and wishes. Pollnitz stood behind him, and noted every motion, every sigh that he uttered, with his malicious smiles. " I believe, " said the prince, with still averted face, perhaps to prevent Pollnitz from seeing his blushes "I believe it would be THE UNWILLING BRIDEGROOM. 37 proper for me to inquire to-day personally after my mother's health ; it is not only my duty to do so, but the desire of my heart. " " Her majesty will be pleased to see her beloved son again, and this pleasure will hasten her recovery. " The prince turned hastily and glanced sharply at Pollnitz, as if he wished to read his inmost thoughts. But the countenance of the courtier was earnest and respectful. "If that is your opinion, " said the prince, with a happy smile, "my duty as a son demands that I should hasten to the queen, and I will go immediately to Berlin. But as I am going to my mother, and solely on her account, I will do it in the proper form. Have, therefore, the kindness to obtain my leave of the king bring me my brother's answer immediately, I only await it to depart. " "And I hasten to bring it to your highness," said Pollnitz, with drawing. Prince Henry looked thoughtfully after him. " I shall see her, " he murmured ; " I shall speak with her, and shall learn why she withdrew herself so long from me. Oh, I know she will be able to justify herself, and these slanders and evil reports will flee before her glance as clouds before the rays of the sun. " In the mean while, Pollnitz hastened to Sans Souci, where he was immediately received by the king. " Your majesty, " he said, joyfully, " the young lion has fallen into the net that we set for him. " " He goes then to Berlin, to the queen-mother?" asked the king, quickly. "He begs your majesty's permission to take this little trip." "He really charged you with this commission?" M Yes, sire : it appears that his obstinacy is beginning to relent, and that he thinks of submitting. " The king was silent, and walked thoughtfully to and fro, with clouded brow, then remained standing before Pollnitz, and looked sharply and piercingly at him. " You rejoice, " he said, coldly, " but you only think of your own advantage. You are indifferent to the sorrow we are preparing for my brother. You only think that your debts will be paid. Yes, I will pay them, but I shall never forget that you have betrayed my brother's confidence." "I only acted according to your majesty's commands," said Poll- nitz, confounded. " Certainly, but if you had resisted my commands, I would ha.ve esteemed and prized you the more. Now, I shall pay your debts, but I shall despise you. No one has reasons for thanking you. " "Sire, I desire no other thanks. Had I been paid with money 38 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. for my services, instead of fine speeches, I would have been as rich as Croesus. " "And a beggar in virtue," said the king, smiling. "But go, I was wrong to reproach you. I shall now go to Berlin, and when my brother arrives he shall find me there. Go now, my grand chamberlain, and take the prince my permission for a three days' absence. " CHAPTER IX. THE FIRST DISAPPOINTMENT. A FEW hours later the equipage of Prince Henry arrived in the court-yard of Monbijou, and the prince demanded of his mother, the widowed queen, permission to pay her his respects. Sophia Dorothea was suffering greatly. The gout, that slow but fatal disease, which does not kill at once, but limb by limb, had already paralyzed the feet of the poor queen, and confined her to her chair. To-day her sufferings were greater than usual, and she was not able to leave her bed. Therefore, she could not receive the prince as a queen, but only as a mother, without ceremony or eti- quette. That the meeting might be entirely without constraint, the maids of honor left the queen's room, and as the prince entered, he saw the ladies disappearing by another door ; the last one had just made her farewell bow, and was kissing respectfully the queen's hand. This was Louise von Kleist, for whose sake the prince had come, and for whom his heart throbbed painfully. He could have cried aloud for joy as he saw her in her bewildering loveliness, her luxu- riant beauty. He longed to seize her hands and cover them with kisses to tell her how much he had suffered, how much he was still suffering for her sake. But Louise appeared not to have seen him, not to have noticed his entrance. She had only eyes and ears for the queen, who was just dismissing her with winning words, telling her to remain in the castle and return when she desired to see her. "I shall remain and await your majesty's commands," said Louise, withdrawing hastily. The queen now greeted the prince as if she had just observed him, and invited him to be seated on thefauteuil near her couch. The prince obeyed, but he was absent-minded and restless, and the more the queen endeavored to engage him in harmless and un- constrained conversation, the more monosyllabic and preoccupied THE FIRST DISAPPOINTMENT. 39 he became. The poor prince remembered only that his beloved was so near, that only a door separated them, and prevented him from gazing on her beauty. Yes, Louise was really in the next room, in the cabinet of the queen, sorrowful and exhausted ; she had fallen upon the little sofa near the door, the smile had left her lips, and her brilliant, bewitch- ing eyes were filled with tears. Louise wept ; she wept for her last youthful dream, her last hope of happiness and virtue, for her sad, shadowed future and wounded pride ; for to-day she had to resign forever the proud hopes, the brilliant future for which she had striven with so much energy. But it was vain to struggle against this hard necessity. The king had given her his orders and was there to see them carried out. He sat behind that portiere that led into the grand saloon ; he had just left Louise, and, before going, had said to her, in a stern, com- manding tone : * You will fulfil my commands accurately. You know that Fritz Wendel still lives, and that I shall be inexorable if you do not act as you have promised. " Louise submitted respectfully to the king's commands ; she ac- cepted her fate, but she wept bitterly, and when she felt that the king's eyes were no longer upon her, her tears flowed unceasingly. Perhaps Frederick still saw her, or suspected her weakness, for the portiere opened slightly, and his noble, but stern countenance appeared. " Madame, " he said, " if the prince sees you with tearful eyes, he will not believe in your happiness. " Louise smiled painfully. " Ah ! sire, he will believe I am weep- ing for joy. I have often heard of joyful tears. " The king did not reply ; he felt for her agony, and closed the portiere. " I will cry no more, " she said ; " I have accepted my destiny, and will fulfil it bravely for the sake of my daughter. It concerns Camilla's happiness more than my own. I will deserve the respect of my unfortunate child. " In saying this, a smile like a sunbeam illuminated her counte- nance. But now she started up, and laid her hand in terror upon her heart. She heard steps approaching. The door moved, and in a moment the king appeared and motioned to her. " Courage, courage !" murmured Louise, and with instinctive fear she flew away from the door and placed herself in the niche of the last window. To reach her, the prince must cross the saloon ; that would give her a few moments to recover. The door opened and Prince Henry 40 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. entered ; his glance flew quickly over the saloon, and found the one he sought. Louise could have shrieked with agony when she saw the tender smile with which he greeted her. Never had he appeared so hand- some, so noble as at this moment, when she must resign him for- ever. But there was no time to think of this, no time for complaints or regrets. He was there, he stood before her, offered both his hands, and greeted her with the tenderest words of love. Louise had a stern part to play, and she dared not listen to her heart's pleadings. " Ah, my prince, " she said, with a laugh that sounded to herself like the wail of a lost soul "ah, my prince, take care ! we women are very credulous, and I might take your jesting words for truth. " " I advise you to do so, " said the prince, happy and unconcerned " Yes, Louise, I advise you to do so, for you know well that my jest- ing words have an earnest meaning. And now that we are alone, we will dispense with ceremony. You must justify yourself before a lover a lover who is unfortunately very jealous. Yes, yes, Louise, that is my weakness ; I do not deny it, I am jealous jealous of all those who keep you from me, who prevent my receiving your letters. " " My letters !" said Louise, astonished ; " why should I have written letters to your highness? I do not believe it is the custom for ladies to write to gentlemen voluntarily. It has been two weeks since I received a letter from your highness. " " Because it was impossible for my messenger to deliver them, Louise ; you were so unapproachable, at least for me. But you must have known that my thoughts were always with you, that my heart pined for news and comfort from you. " " Non, vraiment, I did not know it," said Louise, laughingly. "You did not know it?" asked Henry, wonderingly. "Well, what did you suppose ?" " I thought, " she said, carelessly " I thought that Prince Henry had overcome or forgotten his little folly of the carnival. " "And then?" " Then I determined to follow his example. Then I preached a long sermon to my foolish eyes they were misty with tears. Listen, I said to them: 'You foolish things you have no reason to weep; you should always look bright and dazzling, even if you never see Prince Henry again. Really, the absence of the prince has been most fortunate for you. You might have whispered all kinds of foolish things to my weak heart. The prince is young, handsome, and amiable, and it amuses him to win the love of fair ladies. Had you seen him more frequently, it is possible he might have succeeded THE FIRST DISAPPOINTMENT. 41 with poor Louise, and the little flirtation we carried on together would have resulted in earnest love on my part. That would have been a great misfortune. Laugh and look joyous, beautiful eyes, you have saved me from an unrequited love. You should not weep, but rejoice. Look around and find another suitor, who would, per- haps, love me so fondly that he could not forget me in a few days ; whose love I might return with ardor. ' This, my prince, is the sermon I preached to my eyes when they grew dim with tears. " "And was your sermon effective?" said the prince, with pale, trembling lips. " Did your eyes, those obedient slaves, look around and find another lover?" " Ah ! your highness, how can you doubt it? My eyes are indeed my slaves, and must obey. Yes, they looked and found the happi- ness they sought. " " What happiness, " asked Henry, apparently quite tranquil, but he pressed his hand nervously on the chair that stood by him " what happiness did your eyes find?" Louise looked at him and sighed deeply. " The happiness, " she said, and against her will her voice trembled and faltered " the happiness that a true, earnest love alone can give which I have received joyously into my heart as a gift from God. " The prince laughed aloud, but his face had a wild, despairing ex- pression, and his hands clasped the chair more firmly. "I do not understand your holy, pious words. What do they mean? What do you wish to say?" " They mean that I now love so truly and so earnestly that I have promised to become the wife of the man I love, " said Louise, with forced gayety. The prince uttered a wild cry, and raised his hands as if to curse the one who had wounded him so painfully. "If this is true," he said, in a deep, hollow voice "if this is true, I despise, I hate you, and they are right who call you a heart- less coquette." " Ah, my prince, you insult me, " cried Louise. "I insult you!" he said, with a wild laugh; "verily, I believe this woman has the effrontery to reproach me I who believed in and defended her against every accusation I that had the courage to love and trust, when all others distrusted and despised her. Yes, madame, I loved you ; I saw in you a goddess, where others saw only a coquette. I adored you as an innocent sacrifice to envy and malice ; I saw a martyr's crown upon your brow, and wished to change it for the myrtle-crown of marriage. And my love and hopes are dust and ashes ; it is enough to drive me mad enough to stifle me with rage and shame. " 4 42 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. Carried away by passion, the prince ran wildly through the sa- loon, gasping for air, struggling for composure, and now and then uttering words of imprecation and despair. Louisea waited, in silence and resignation, the end of this stormy crisis. She questioned her heart if this bitter hour was not sufficient atonement for all her faults and follies ; if the agony she now suffered did not wipe out and extirpate the past. The prince still paced the room violently. Suddenly, as if a new thought had seized him, he remained standing in the middle of the saloon, and looked at Louise with a strangely altered countenance. She had forgotten for a moment the part she was condemned to play, and leaned, pale and sad, against the window. Perhaps he heard her sorrowful sighs perhaps he saw her tears as they rolled one by one from her eyes, and fell like pearls upon her small white hands. Anger disappeared from his face, his brow cleared, and as he approached Louise his eyes sparkled with another and milder fire. "Louise," he said, softly, and his voice, which had before raged like a stormy wind, was now mild and tender "Louise, I have divined your purpose I know all now. At first, I did not under- stand your words ; in my folly and jealousy I misconceived your meaning ; you only wished to try me, to see if my love was armed and strong, if it was as bold and faithful as I have sworn it to be. Well, I stood the test badly, was weak and faint-hearted ; but for- give me forgive me, Louise, and strengthen my heart by confi- dence and faith in me. " He tried to take her hand, but she withdrew it. "Must I repeat to your highness what I have said before? I do not understand you. What do you mean?" " Ah, " said the prince, " you are again my naughty, sportive Louise. Well, then, I will explain. Did you not say that you now love so truly, that you have promised to become the wife of the man you love ?" "Yes, I said that, your highness. " " And I, " said the prince, seizing both her hands and gazing at her ardently " I was so short-sighted, so ungrateful, as not to un- derstand you. The many sorrows and vexations I suffer away from you have dimmed my eyes and prevented me from seeing what is written with golden letters upon your smiling lips and beaming eyes. Ah, Louise, I thank you for your precious words ; -at last you are captured, at last you have resolved to become the wife of him who adores you. I thank you, Louise, I thank you, and I swear that no earthly pomp or power could make me as proud and happy as this assurance of your love. " THE FIRST DISAPPOINTMENT. 43 Louise gazed into his beautiful, smiling face with terror. " Ah, my prince, my words have not the meaning you imagine. I spoke the simple truth. My heart has made its choice since yes- terday, I am the betrothed wife of Captain du Trouffle. " " That is not true, " cried the prince, casting her hands violently from him. "You are very cruel to-day ; you torture me with your fearful jests. " "No, your highness, I speak the truth. I am the betrothed of Captain du Trouffle. " " Since yesterday you are the betrothed of Captain du Trouffle !" repeated the prince, staring at her wildly. " And you say you love him, Louise?" "Yes, your highness, I love him," said Louise, with a faint smile. " It is impossible, " cried the prince ; " it is not true. " "And why should I deceive your highness?" "Why? ah, I understand all. Oh, Louise, my poor darling, how short-sighted I have been ! Why did I not immediately suspect my brother ? he has spies to watch all my movements ; they have at last discovered my love for you. Pollnitz, who would do any thing for gold, has betrayed us to the king, who condemns me to marry according to my rank, and, to carry out his purpose surely, he now forces you to marry. Oh, Louise, say that this is so ; ac- knowledge that the power of the king, and not your own heart, forced you to this engagement. It is impossible, it cannot be that you have forgotten the vows that we exchanged scarcely two weeks ago. It cannot be that you look upon the heart that loved you so deeply, so purely, as an idle plaything, to be thrown away so lightly ! No, no, Louise, I have seen often in your beaming eyes, your elo- quent smiles, I have felt in your soft and tender tones, that you loved me fondly ; and now in your pale, sad face I see that you love me still, and that it is the king who wishes to separate us. My poor, lovely child, you have been intimidated ; you think that my brother, who reigns supreme over millions, will yield to no obstacle, that it is vain to resist him. But you are mistaken, Louise ; you have forgotten that I am Frederick's brother, that the proud, un conquerable blood of the Hohenzollerns flows also in my veins. Let my brother try to force me to his purpose ; I shall be no weak tool in his hands. You had not firm confidence in your lover, Louise ; you did not know that I would resign cheerfully rank and all family ties for your sake ; you did not know that I had sworn to marry only the woman I lovr . This I must do to satisfy my heart and my honor, and also to show the king that Prince Henry is a free man. Now tell me, Louise, if I have not divined all. Is not this the 44 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. king's cruel work? Ah, you do not answer, you are silent. I un- derstand the king has made you swear not to betray him. Now look at me, Louise ; make me a sign with your hand, tell me with your eyes, and I will comprehend you I will take you in my arms and carry you to the altar. My God ! Louise do you not see that I am waiting for this sign? that you are torturing me?" Louise raised her head, her heart was melting within her ; she forgot her terror, and was ready to resist God, the king, and the whole world, to grasp the noble and unselfish love that the prince offered her. But her glance fell involuntarily upon the curtain, be- hind which the king stood, and it seemed to her as if she saw the angry, burning eyes of Frederick threatening to destroy her. She remembered her daughter, Fritz Wendel, and the world's mocking laughter, and was overcome. " You are still silent, " said the prince ; " you give me neither sign nor glance. " Louise felt as if an iron hand was tearing her heart asunder. " I really am at a loss what more to say or do, " she said, in a careless tone, that made her own heart shudder. " It pleases your highness to make a jest of what I say. I am innocent, my prince, of any double meaning. Five weeks have passed since I saw you I believed you had forgotten me ; I did not reproach you, neither was I in despair. I soon found that it was stupid and dreary to have my heart unoccupied, and I sought for and soon found a lover, to whom my heart became a willing captive. Therefore, when Captain Trouffle pleaded earnestly for my hand, I had not the cour- age to say no. This is my only crime, your highness. I was not cruel to myself ; I received the happiness that was offered. I have been called a coquette, my prince ; it is time to bind myself in mar- riage bonds, and show the world that love can make an honest woman of me. Can your highness blame me for this?" The prince listened with breathless attention ; gradually his countenance changed, the color faded from his cheeks, the light from his eyes ; a smile was still on his lips, but it was cold and mocking ; his eyes burned with anger and contempt. "No, madame, " he said, with calm, proud indifference, "I do not blame you I praise, I congratulate you. Captain du Trouffle is a most fortunate man he will possess a most beautiful wife. When will this happy ceremony be performed?" Madame von Kleist was unable to reply. She gazed with wild terror into his cold, iron face she listened with horror to that voice, whose mild, soft tone had become suddenly so harsh, so stern. The prince repeated his question, and his tone was harder and more imperious. THE FIRST DISAPPOINTMENT. 45 "The day is not fixed," said Louise; "we must first obtain the king's consent to our marriage." " I shall take care it does not fail you, * said the prince, quietly. " I will strengthen your petition to the king. Now, madame, you must forgive me for leaving you. Many greetings to your betrothed I shall be introduced to him to-morrow at the parade. Farewell, madame !" The prince made a slight bow, and, without glancing at her again, left the room slowly and proudly. Louise gazed after him with mournful eyes, but he did not see it ; he did not see how she fell, as if broken, to the floor, as if struck by lightning ; and when the door closed on him she held her hands to Heaven pleadingly for mercy and forgiveness. The portiere now opened, and the king entered ; his countenance was pale, his eyes tearful, but they sparkled with anger when he saw Louise upon the floor. For him she was but a heartless coquette, and he was angry with her because of the suffering she had caused his brother, for whom he felt the deepest pity and compassion. But that was now past ; the brother could weep a tear of pity, the king must be firm and relentless. As he approached her, she raised herself from the ground and made a profound and ceremonious bow. " You have repaired much of the evil you have done, madame, " said the king, sternly. "You have played a dishonorable game with my brother. You enticed him to love you. " " I think I have atoned, sire, " said Louise, faintly ; " the prince no longer loves but despises me. Your commands are fulfilled to the letter, and I now beg your majesty's permission to withdraw. " " Go. madame ; you have done your duty to-day, and I will also do mine. I shall not forget what I promised you when you are Madame du Trouflfle. We will forget all the faults of Madame von Kleist." He dismissed her with a slight bow, and gazed after her until she had disappeared. At this moment, a heavy fall was heard in the antechamber. The door opened immediately, and the pale, disturbed face of P611- nitz appeared. "What is the matter, Pollnitz?" asked the king, hastily. " Oh, sire, poor Prince Henry has fainted. " The king was startled, and stepped quickly to the door, but he remained standing there until his features resumed their calm expression. " He will recover, " he said " he will recover, for he is a man ; in my youthful days I often fainted, but I recovered. " 46 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. CHAPTER X. THE CONQUERED. PAINFUL and bitter were the days for Henry that followed his first disappointment. He passed them in rigid seclusion, in his lonely chambers ; he would see no one, no cheerful word or gay laughter was allowed in his presence. The servants looked at him sorrowfully ; and when the prince appeared at the parade the day after his painful interview with Louise, even the king found him so pale and suffering, he begged him to take a week's leave and strengthen and improve his health. The prince smiled painfully at the king's proposition, but he accepted his leave of absence, and withdrew to the solitude of his rooms. His heart was wounded unto death, his soul was agonized. Youth soon laid its healing balm upon his wounds and closed them ; anger and contempt dried his tears, and soothed the anguish of his heart. The king was right when he said of his brother, " He is a man, and will recover." He did recover, and these days of suffering made a man of him ; his brow, once so clear and youthful, had re- ceived its first mark of sorrow ; the lines of his face were harsh and stern, his features sharper and more decided. He had experienced his first disappointment it had nerved and strengthened him. Before his eight days' leave of absence had expired, his door was again open to his circle of friends and confidants. His first invited guest was the grand chamberlain, Baron Poll- nitz. The prince welcomed him with a bright and cheerful face. " Do you know why I wished to see you ?" he asked. " You must tell me the chronique scandaleuse of our most honorable and virtuous city. Commence immediately. What is the on dit of the day?" " Ah, " sighed Pollnitz, " life is now stupid, dull, and monotonous. As you say, every one has become most honorable and virtuous. No scandals or piquant adventures occur ; baptisms, marriages, and burials are the only events. This is really a miserable existence ; for as I do not wish to be baptized or to marry, and as I am not yet ready for burial, I really do not know why I exist. " "But those that are married and baptized, doubtless know why they exist," said the prince, smiling. "Tell rne something of this happy class. Whose, for example, is the latest marriage?" "The latest marriage?" said Pollnitz, hesitating " before answer- ing, I must allow myself to ask after the condition of your heart. Does it still suffer?" THE CONQUERED. 47 "No," cried the piince, "it does not suffer ; it received a heavy shower of cold water, and was cured instantly. " "I rejoice to hear it, your highness, and congratulate you on your recovery, for truly there is no more painful disease than a suffering heart. " " I told you that I had recovered fully ; tell me, therefore, your news without hesitation. You spoke of a marriage. Who were the happy lovers?" "Your highness, Madame von Kleist has married," murmured Pollnitz. The prince received this blow without betraying the slightest emotion. "When did the marriage take place?" he asked, with perfect composure. " Yesterday ; and I assure your highness that I never saw a hap- pier or more brilliant bride. Love has transformed her into a blushing, timid maiden. " Prince Henry pressed his hand upon his heart with a quick, un- conscious movement. " I can well imagine that she was beautiful, " said he, controlling his voice with a great effort. " Madame von Kleist is happy, and happiness always beautifies. And the bridegroom, M. du Trouffle, was he also handsome and happy?" " Your highness knows the name of the bride-groom, " said Poll- nitz, appearing astonished. " Yes, Madame von Kleist told me herself when she announced her approaching marriage. But I am not acquainted with Du Trouffle is he handsome?" "Handsome and amiable, your highness, and besides, a very good officer. The king gave him, as a wedding present, a major's commission. " " Then the beautiful Louise is now Mrs. Major du Trouffle, " said the prince, with a troubled smile. " Were you present at the wedding ?" " Yes, in the name of the king. " "Did she speak the decisive Yes, the vow of faith and obedience, with earnestness and confidence? Did she not blush, or droop her eyelids in doing so?" " Oh, no ; she smiled as if entranced, and raised her eyes to heaven, as if praying for God's blessing upon her vows." " One thing more, " said the prince, fixing his large, grave eyes with a searching expression upon Pollnitz "what is said of me? Am I regarded as a rejected lover, or as a faithless one ; for doubt- less all Berlin knows of my love for this lady, you having been our confidant. " 48 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " Oh, my prince, that is a hard insinuation, " said Pollnitz, sadly. " Your highness cannot really believe that " " No protestations, I pray you, " interrupted the prince, " I believe I know you thoroughly, but I am not angry with you nor do I re- proach you : you are a courtier, and one of the best and rarest type ; you have intellect and knowledge, much experience and savoir vivre ; I could desire no better company than yourself ; but for one moment cast aside your character as a courtier, and tell me the truth : what does the world say of this marriage in regard to me?" " Your highness desires me to tell you the truth ?" Yes, I do." "Now the important moment has come," thought Pollnitz. " Now, if I am adroit, I believe I can obtain the payment of my debts." "Well, then, your highness," said Pollnitz, in answer to the prince, "I will tell you the truth, even should I incur your dis- pleasure. I fear, my prince, you are regarded as a rejected lover, and Madame du Trouffle has succeeded in throwing a holy lustre around her beautiful brow. It is said that she refused your dishon- orable proposals, and preferred being the virtuous wife of a major, to becoming the mistress of a prince." " Go on, " said the prince, hastily, as Pollnitz ceased, and looked searchingly at him. " What do they say of me?" "That you are in despair, and that you have retired to your chambers to weep and mourn over your lost love. " "Ah, they say that, do they?" cried the prince, with flashing eyes and darkened brow ; " well, I will show this credulous world that they are mistaken. Is the king in Sans-Souci?" " Yes, your highness. " "Well, go to him, and announce my visit ; I will follow you on foot." "We have won the day," cried Pollnitz, as he approached the king ; " the prince desires to make you a visit. He will be here immediately. " "Do you know what my brother wishes of me?" asked the king. " I do not know, but I suspect, sire. I think he wishes to marry, in order to pique his faithless sweetheart." " Go and receive the prince, and conduct him to me ; then remain in the antechameber, and await until I call. " When Pollnitz left, the king seized his flute hastily and began to play a soft, melting adagio. He was still playing, when the door opened, and the prince was announced. Henry stood in the door- way, and made the king a ceremonious bow. THE CONQUERED. 49 The king continued to play. The low, pleading notes of the flute floated softly through the room ; they touched the heart of the prince, and quieted its wild, stormy beating. Was that the king's intention, or did he intend to harmonize his own spirit before speaking to his brother? Perhaps both, for Frederick's glance softened, and his face assumed a kind and mild expression. When the adagio was finished, the king laid his flute aside and approached the prince. " Forgive me, brother, " he said, offering his hand " forgive me for keeping you waiting, I always like to conclude what I com- mence. Now, I am entirely at your service, and as I am unfortu- nately not accustomed to receive such friendly visits from you, I must ask you what brings you to me, and how I can serve you ?" The fierce, violent nature of the prince slumbered but lightly. The king's words aroused it, and made his pulse and heart beat stormily. "How you can serve me, my brother?" he said, hastily. "I will tell you, and truthfully, sire. " The king raised his head, and glanced angrily at the burning face of the prince. " I am not accustomed to have my words repeated, and all find that out here to their cost," he said, sternly. " Have the goodness, then, to tell me why you have pursued me so long and unrelentingly? What have I done to deserve your dis- pleasure and such bitter humiliations?" " Rather ask me what you have done to deserve my love and con- fidence, " said the king, sternly. " I refer you to your own heart for an answer. " " Ah, your majesty promised to answer my questions, and now you evade them ; but I will reply frankly. I have done nothing to deserve your love, but also nothing to make me unworthy of it. Why are you, who are so good and kind to all others, so stern and harsh with me ?" " I will tell you the truth, " said the king, earnestly. " You have deserved my displeasure ; you have desired to be a free man, to cast aside the yoke that Providence placed upon you ; you had the grand presumption to dare to be the master of your own actions. " " And does your majesty desire and expect me to resign this most natural of human rights?" said the prince, angrily. " Yes, I desire and expect it. I can truthfully say that I have given my brothers a good example in this particular. " "But you did not do this willingly. You were cruelly forced to submission, and you now wish to drive us to an extremity you have, 50 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. doubtlessly, long since forgotten. Now, you suffered and struggled before declaring yourself conquered. " " No, " said the king, softly, " I have not forgotten. I still feel the wound in my soul, and at times it burns. " "And yet, my brother?" "And yet I will have no pity with you. I say to you, as my father said to me : 'You must submit ; you are a prince, and I am your king !' I have long since acknowledged that my father was right in his conduct to me. I was not only a disobedient son, but a rebellious subject. I richly deserved to mount the scaffold with Katte." "Ah, my brother, there was a time when you wept for this faith- ful and unfortunate friend, " cried the prince, reproachfully. " The sons of kings have not the right to choose their own path, destiny has marked it out for them ; they must follow it without wavering. I neither placed the crown upon my head, nor the yoke upon your neck. We must bear them patiently, as God and Provi- dence have ordained, and wear them with grace and dignity. You, my brother, have acted like a wild horse of the desert I have drawn the reins tight, that is all !" "You have caught, bound, and tamed me," said the prince, with a faint smile ; " only I feel that the bit still pains, and that my limbs still tremble. But I am ready to submit, and I came to tell you so. You desire me to marry, I consent ; but I hold you respon- sible for the happiness of this marriage. At God's throne, I will call you to justify yourself, and there we will speak as equals, as man to man. What right had you to rob me of my most holy and beautiful possession? What right have you to lay a heavy chain on heart and hand, that love will not help me to bear? I hold you responsible for my miserable life, my shattered hopes. Will you accept these conditions? Do you still wish me to marry?" " I accept the conditions, " said the king, solemnly. " I desire you to marry. " "I presume your majesty has chosen a bride for me?" "You are right, mon cher frere. I have selected the Princess Wilhelmina, daughter of Prince Max, of Hesse- Cassel. She not only brings you a fortune, but youth, beauty, and amiability. " " I thank you, sire, " said the prince, coldly and formally. " I would marry her if she were ugly, old, and unamiable. But is it allowed me to add one condition ?" " Speak, my brother, I am listening. " The prince did not anwser immediately ; he breathed quickly and heavily, and a glowing red suffused his pale, trembling face. " Speak, my brother. Name your conditions, " said the king. THE CONQUERED. 51 " Well, then, so be it. My first condition is that I may be allowed to have a brilliant wedding. I wish to invite not only the entire court, but a goodly number of Berliners ; I desire all Berlin to take part in my happiness, and to convince every one, by my gay de- meanor and my entertainment, that I joyfully accept my bride, the princess. " The king's eyes rested sorrowfully upon his brother's counte- nance. He fully understood the emotions of his heart, and knew that his brother wished to wound and humiliate his faithless sweet- heart by his marriage ; that Henry only submitted to his wishes be- cause his proud heart rebelled at the thought of being pitied as a rejected lover. But he was considerate, and would not let it appear that he understood him. " I agree to this first proposition, " said the king, after a pause, "and I hope you will allow me to be present at this beautiful fete, and convince Berlin that we are in hearty unison. Have you no other conditions?" " Yes, one more. " "What is it?" " That my marriage shall take place, at the latest, in a month. " " You will thus fulfil my particular and personal wish, " said the king, smiling. " I am anxious to have this marriage over, for, after the gayeties, I wish to leave Berlin. All' the arrangements and contracts are completed, and I think now there is no obstacle in thf way of the marriage. Have you another wish, my brother?" "No, sire." " Then allow me to beg you to grant me a favor. I wish to leave a kind remembrance of this eventful hour in your heart, and I there- fore give you a small memento of the same. Will you accept my castle of Rheinsberg, with all its surroundings, as a present from me? Will you grant me this pleasure, my brother?" The king offered his hand, with a loving smile, to Henry, and received with apparent pleasure his ardent thanks. "I chose Rheinsberg," he said, kindly, "not because it is my favorite palace, and I have passed many pleasant and happy days there, but because none of my other palaces are so appropriate for a prince who is discontented with his king. I have made that expe- rience myself, and I give you Rheinsberg, as my father gave it to me. Go to Rheinsberg when you are angry with me and the world : there you can pass the first months of your marriage, and God grant it may be a happy one !" The prince answered him with a cold smile, and begged leave to withdraw, that he might make the necessary preparations for his wedding. 52 FEEDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " We will both make our preparations, " said the king, as he bade the prince farewell "you with your major-domo, and I with Baron Pollnitz, whom I shall send as ambassador to Cassel. " CHAPTER XI. THE TRAVELLING MUSICIANS. THE feasts, illuminations, and balls given in honor of the newly- married couple, Henry and his wife, the Princess Wilhelmina, were at an end. The prince and his followers had withdrawn to Rheinsberg, and many were the rumors in Berlin of the brilliant feasts with which he welcomed his beautiful bride. She was truly lovely, and the good Berliners, who had received her with such hearty greetings when she appeared with the prince on the balcony, or showed herself to the people in an open carriage, declared there could be no happier couple than the prince and his wife ; they de- clared that the large, dark eyes of the princess rested upon the prince with inexpressible tenderness, and that the prince always returned her glance with a joyous smile. It was therefore decided that the prince was a happy husband, and the blessings of the Berliners fol- lowed the charming princess to Rheinsberg, where the young couple were to pass their honeymoon. While the prince was giving splendid fetes, and seeking distrac- tion, and hoping to forget his private griefs, or perhaps wishing to deceive the world as to his real feelings, the kingleftSans-Souci, to commence one of his customary military inspection trips. But he did not go to Konigsberg, as was supposed ; and if Trenck really had the intention of murdering him during his sojourn there, it was ren- dered impossible by the cnange in the king's plans. Frederick made a tour in his Rhine provinces. At Cleves he dismissed his followers, and they returned to Benin. The king declared he needed rest, and wished to pass a few days in undisturbed quiet at the castle of Moyland. No one accompanied him but Colonel Balby, his intimate friend, and his cabinet-hussar, Deesen. The king was in an uncommonly good humor, and his eyes sparkled with delight. After a short rest in his chamber, he desired to see Colonel Balby. To his great astonishment, the colonel found him searching through a trunk, which contained a few articles of clothing little calculated to arrest the attention of a king. " Balby, " said the king, solemnly, but with a roguish sparkle of the eye, "I wish to present you this plain brown suit. I owe you a THE TRAVELLING MUSICIANS. 53 reward for your hearty friendship and your faithful services. This is a princely gift. Take it as a mark of my grateful regard. That you may be convinced, Balby, that I have long been occupied in preparing this surprise for you, I inform you that these rich articles were made secretly for you in Berlin, by your tailor ; I packed them myself, and brought them here for you. Accept them, then, my friend, and wear them in memory of Frederick. " With a solemn bow, the king offered Balby the clothes. The colonel received this strange present with an astonished and somewhat confused countenance. The king laughed merrily. "What, "he said, pathetically, "are you not contented with the favor I have shown you ?" Balby knew by the comic manner of the king that the sombre suit hid a secret, and he thought it wise to allow the king to take his own time for explanation. " Sire, " he said, emphatically, " content is not the word to express my rapture. I am enthusiastic, speechless at this unheard-of favor. I am filled with profound gratitude to your majesty for having in- vented a new costume for me, whose lovely color will make me appear like a large coffee-bean, and make all the coffee sisters adore me." The king was highly amused. "This dress certainly has the power of enchantment. When Colonel Balby puts on these clothes he will be invisible, but he shall not undergo this transformation alone. See, here is another suit, exactly like yours, and this is mine. When I array myself in it, I am no longer the king of Prussia, but a free, happy man. " "Ah, you are speaking of a disguise, " cried the colonel. "Yes, we will amuse ourselves by playing the role of common men for a while, and wander about unnoticed and undisturbed. Are you agreed, Balby, or do you love your colonel's uniform better than your freedom ?" "Am I agreed, sire?" cried the colonel; "I am delighted with this genial thought." "Then take your dress, friend, and put it on. But stay. Did you bring your violin with you, as I told you ?" "Yes, sire." " Well, then, when you are dressed, put your violin in a case, and with the case under your arm, and a little money in your pocket, go to the pavilion at the farthest end of the garden ; there I will meet you. Now hasten, friend, we have no time to lose." According to the king's orders, Colonel Balby dressed and went to the pavilion. He did not find the king, but two strange men there. One of them had on a brown coat, the color of his own 54 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. Ornamented with large buttons of mother-of pearl ; black panta- loons, and shoes with large buckles, set with dull white stones ; the lace on his sleeves and vest was very coarse. He wore a three-cor- nered hat, without ornament ; from under the hat fell long, brown, unpowdered hair. Behind this stranger there stood another, in plain, simple clothes ; under one arm he carried a small bag, and under the other a case that contained either a yard-stick or a flute. He returned the colonel's salutation with a grimace and a profound bow. A short pause ensued, then the supposed strangers laughed heartily and exclaimed : " Do you not know us, Balby ?" Their voices started the colonel, and he stepped back. " Sire, it is yourself. " " Yes, it is I, Frederick not the king. Yes, I am Frederick, and this capital servant is my good Deesen, who has sworn solemnly not to betray our incognito, and to give no one reason to suspect his high dignity as royal cabinet-hussar. For love of us he will, for a few days, be the servant of two simple, untitled musicians, who are travelling around the world, seeking their fortunes, but who, un- fortunately, have no letters of recommendation. " "But who will recommend themselves by their talents and accomplishments. " The king laughed aloud. " Balby, you forget that you are a poor musician, chatting with your comrade. Truly your courtly bow suits your dress as little as a lace veil would a beggar's attire ; you must lay your fine manners aside for a short time, for, with them, you would appear to the village beauties we may meet like a mon- key, and they would laugh at instead of kissing you. " "So we are to meet country beauties," said Colonel Balby, no longer able to suppress his curiosity. " Tell me, sire, where are we going, and what are we going to do? I shall die of curiosity. - "Make an effort to die," said the king, gayly ; "you will find it is not so easy to do as you imagine. But I will torture you no longer. You ask what we are going to do. "Well, we are going to amuse ourselves and seek adventures. You ask where we are going. Ask that question of the sparrow that sits on the house-top ask where it is going, and what is the aim of its journey. It will reply, the next bush, the nearest tree, the topmost bough of a weeping willow, which stands on a lonely grave ; the mast of a ship, sailing on the wide sea ; or the branch of a noble beech, waving before the window of a beautiful maiden. I am as incapable of telling you the exact aim and end of our journey, friend, as that little bird would be. We are as free as the birds of the air. Come! THE TRAVELLING MUSICIANS. 55 come ! lot us fly, for see, the little sparrow has flown let us fol- low it." And with a beaming smile illuminating his countenance, like a ray of the morning sun, the king took the arm of his friend, and followed by his servant and cabinet- hussar, Deesen, left the pavilion. As they stood at the little gate of the garden, the king said to Deesen : " You must be for us the angel with the flaming sword, and open the gates of paradise, but not to cast us out. " Deesen opened the gate, and our adventurers entered " the wide, wide world. " u Let us stand here a few moments, " said the king, as his glance rested upon the green fields spread far and wide around him. " How great and beautiful the world appears to-day ! Observe Nature's grand silence, yet the air is full of a thousand voices ; and the white clouds wandering dreamily in the blue heavens above, are they not the misty veils with which the gods of Olympus conceal their charms?" "Ah ! sire," said Balby, with a loving glance at the king's hand- some face "ah, sire, my eyes have no time to gaze at Nature's charms, they are occupied with yourself. When I look upon you, I feel that man is indeed made in the image of God." " Were I a god, I should not be content to resemble this worn, faded face. Come, now, let us be off ! Give me your instrument, Deesen, I will carry it. Now I look like a travelling apprentice seeking his fortune. The world is all before him where to choose his place of rest, and Providence his guide. I envy him. He is a free man !" "Truly, these poor apprentices would not believe that a king was envying them their fate, " said Balby, laughing. "Still they are to be envied," said the king, "for they are free. No, no, at present I envy no one ; the world and its sunshine belong to me. We will go to Amsterdam, and enjoy the galleries and museums. " "I thank your majesty, " said Balby, laughing, "you have saved my life. I should have died of curiosity if you had not spoken. Now, I feel powerful and strong, and can keep pace with your ma- jesty's wandering steps." Silently they walked on until they reached a sign-post. " We are now on the border let us bid farewell to the Prussian colors, we see them for the last time. Sire, we will greet them with reverence. " He took off his hat and bowed lowly before the black and white 56 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. colors of Prussia, a greeting that Deesen imitated with the fervor of a patriot. The king did not unite in their enthusiasm ; he was writing with his stick upon the ground. " Come here, Balby, and read this, " he said, pointing to the lines he had traced. " Can you read them?" "Certainly," said Balby, "the words are, 'majesty' and 'sire. "' " So they are, friend. I leave these two words on the borders of Prussia ; perhaps on our return we may find and resume them. But as long as we are on the soil of Holland there must be no majesty, no sire. " "What, then, must I call my king?" " You must call him friend, voila tout. " "And I?" asked Deesen, respectfully; "will your majesty be so gracious as to tell me your name?" " I am Mr. Zoller, travelling musician ; and should any one ask you what I want in Amsterdam, tell them I intend giving a concert. En avant, ines amis. There lies the first small village of Holland ; in an hour we shall be there, and then we will take the stage and go a little into the interior. En avant, en avant ! " CHAPTER XII. TRAVELUNa ADVENTURES. THE stage stood before the tavern at Grave, and awaited its pas- sengers. The departure of the stage was an important occurrence to the inhabitants of the little town an occurrence that disturbed the monotony of their lives for a few moments, and showed them at least now and then a new face, that gave them something to think of, and made them dream of the far-off city where the envied trav- ellers were going. To-day all Grave was in commotion and excitement. The stran- gers had arrived at the post-house, and after partaking of an excel- lent dinner, engaged three seats in the stage. The good people oi Grave hoped to see three strange faces looking out of the stage window ; many were the surmises of their destiny and their possi- ble motives for travelling. They commenced these investigations while the strangers were still with them. A man had seen them enter the city, dusty and exhausted, and he declared that the glance which the two men in brown coats had cast at his young wife, who had come to the window at his call, was very bold yes, even suspicious ; and it seemed very remarkable TRAVELLING ADVENTURES. 57 to him that such plain, ordinary-looking wanderers should have a servant for, doubtless, the man walking behind them, carrying the veiy small carpet-bag, was their servant ; but, truly, he appeared to be a proud person, and had the haughty bearing of a general or a field-marshal ; he would not even return the friendly greetings of the people he passed. His masters could not be distinguished or rich, for both of them carried a case under their arms. What could be in those long cases ; what secret was hidden there? Perhaps they held pistols, and the good people of Grave would have to deal with robbers or murderers. The appearance of the strangers was wild and bold enough to allow of the worst suspicions. The whole town, as before mentioned, was in commotion, and all were anxious to see the three strangers, about whom there was certainly something mysterious. They had the manners and bear- ing of noblemen, but were dressed like common men. A crowd of idlers had assembled before the post-house, whisper- ing and staring at the windows of the guests' rooms. At last their curiosity was about to be gratified at last the servant appeared with the little carpet-bag, and placed it in the stage, and returned for the two cases, whose contents they would so greedily have known. The postilion blew his horn, the moment of departure had arrived. A murmur was heard through the crowd the strangers appeared, they approached the stage, and with such haughty and commanding glances that the men nearest them stepped timidly back. The postilion sounded his horn again ; the strangers were enter- ing the stage. At the door stood the postmaster, and behind him his wife, the commanding postmistress. "Niclas, " she whispered, "I must and will know who these strangers are. Go and demand their passports. " The obedient Niclas stepped out and cried in a thundering voice to the postilion, who was just about to start, to wait. Step- ping to the stage, he opened the door. " Your passports, gentlemen, " he said, roughly. " You forgot to show me your passports. " The curious observers breathed more freely, and nodded encour- agingly to the daring postmaster. " You rejoice, " murmured his wife, who was still standing in the door, from whence she saw all that passed, and seemed to divine the thoughts of her gaping friends "you rejoice, but you shall know nothing. I shall not satisfy your curiosity. " Mr. Niclas still stood at the door of the stage. His demand had not been attended to ; he repeated it for the third time. "Is it customary here to demand passports of travellers?" asked a commanding voice from the stage. 5 58 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " We can demand them if we wish to do so. " "And why do you wish it now?" said the same voice. " I wish it simply because I wish it, " was the reply. A stern face now appeared at the door, looking angrily at the postmaster. " Think what you say, sir, and be respectful. " " Silence !" interrupted the one who had first spoken. " Do not let us make an unnecessary disturbance, mon ami. "Why do you wish to see our passports, sir?" "Why?" asked Niclas, who was proud to play so distinguished a part before his comrades " you wish to know why I desire to see your pasports? Well, then, because you appear to me to be suspi- cious characters. " A gay laugh was heard from the stage. " Why do you suspect us ?" "Because I never trust people travelling without baggage," was the laconic reply. " Bravo ! well answered, " cried the crowd, and even Madame Niclas was surprised to see her husband show such daring courage. " We need no baggage. We are travelling musicians, going to Amsterdam. " " Travelling musicians ! All the more reason for mistrusting you ; no good was ever heard of wandering musicians. " " You are becoming impertinent, sir, " and Balby, the tallest and youngest of the two friends, sprang from the stage, while the ser- vant swung himself from the box, where he was sitting with the postilion, and with an enraged countenance placed himself beside his master. "If you dare to speak another insulting word, you are lost, " cried Balby. A hand was laid on his shoulder, and a voice murmured in his ear: " Do not compromise us. " The king now also left the stage, and tried to subdue the anger of his companion. "Pardon, sir, the violence of my friend," said the king, with an ironical smile, as he bowed to the postmaster. " We are not accus- tomed to being questioned and suspected in this manner, and I can assure you that, although we are travelling musicians, as it pleased you to say, we are honest people, and have played before kings and queens. " " If you are honest, show me your passports ; no honest man travels without one !" " It appears to me that no rascal should travel without one, " said the king. TRAVELLING ADVENTURES. 59 " I cannot tell who is a rascal ; you may be one for aught I know. " Balby uttered an angry exclamation and stepped nearer to the daring postmaster, while his servant shook his fist threateningly at Niclas. The king dispelled their anger with a single glance. "Sir," he said' to Niclas, "God made my face, and it is not my fault if it does not please you ; but concerning our passports, they are lying well preserved in my carpet-bag. I should think that would suffice you. " " No, that does not suffice me, " screamed Niclas ; " show me your passports if I am to believe that you are not vagabonds. " "You dare to call us vagabonds?" cried the king, whose patience now also appeared exhausted, and whose clear brow was slightly clouded. " The police consider every one criminal until he has proved he is not so, " said Niclas, emphatically. The king's anger was already subdued. "In the eyes of the police, criminality is then the normal condi- tion of mankind, " he said, smilingly. " Sir, you have no right to question the police so pointedly, " said Niclas, sternly. " You are here to be questioned, and not to question. " The king laughingly arrested the uplifted arm of his companion. " Mon Dieu, " he murmured, " do you not see that this is amusing me highly ? Ask, sir, I am ready to answer. " "Have you a pass?" "Yes, sir." " Then give it to me to vis6. " " To do so, I should have to open my bag, and that would be very inconvenient ; but, if the law absolutely demands it, I will do it. " " The law demands it. " The king motioned to his servant, and ordered him to carry the bag into the house. "Why this delay why this unnecessary loss of time?" asked Niclas. " The postilion can wait no longer. If he arrives too late at the next station, he will be fined. " "I will not wait another minute," cried the postilion, determi- nately ; "get in, or I shall start without you." " Show me your passports, and then get in, " cried Niclas. The strangers appeared confused and undecided. Niclas looked triumphantly at his immense crowd of listeners, who were gazing at him with amazement, awaiting in breathless stillness the unrav- elling of this scene. " Get in, or I shall start, " repeated the postilion. "Give me your passports, or I will not let you go!" screamed 60 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. Niclas ; and taking the two mysterious cases from the stage, ny placed them before the strangers. " Let us go into the house, " whispered the king to his friends ; "we must make bonne mine d mauvais jeu ; " and he approached the door of the house there stood the wife of the postmaster, with sparkling eyes and a malicious grin. " The postilion is going, and you will lose your money, " she said ; " they never return money when once they have it. " " Ah ! I thought that was only a habit of the church, " said the king, laughing ; " nevertheless, the postmaster can keep what he has. Will you have the kindness to show me a room, where I can open my bag at leisure, and send some coffee and good wine to us?" There was something so commanding in the king's voice, so im- posing in his whole appearance, that even the all-conquering Madame Niclas felt awed, and she silently stepped forward and showed him her best room. The servant followed with the two cases and the bag, and laid them upon the table, then placed himself at the door. " Now, madame, leave us, " ordered the king, " and do as I told . i < - you." Madame Niclas left, and the gentlemen were once more alone. "Now, what shall we do?" said the king, smilingly. "I believe there is danger of our wonderful trip falling through. " " It is only necessary for your majesty to make yourself known to the postmaster, " said Colonel Balby. "And if he will not believe me, this/rtpon who declares that no one could tell by my appearance whether I was a rascal or not, this dull-eyed simpleton, who will not see the royal mark upon my brow, which my courtiers see so plainly written there? No, no, my friend, that is not the way. We have undertaken to travel as ordinary men we must now see how common men get through the world. It is necessary to show the police that we are at least honest men. Happily, I believe I have the means to do so at hand. Open our ominous bag, friend Balby ; I think you will discover my port- folio, and in it a few blank passes, and my state seal. " Colonel Balby did as the king ordered, and drew from the bag the portfolio, with its precious contents. The king bade Balby sit down and fill up the blanks at his dicta- tion. The pass was drawn up for the two brothers, Frederick and Henry Zoller, accompanied by their servant, with the intention of travel- ling through Holland. The king placed his signature under this important document. " Now, it is only necessary to put the state seal under it, and we shall be free ; but how will we get a light?" fll ' : TRAVELLING ADVENTJRES. 61 " I will obtain one immediately, " said Balby, hastening to the door. The king held him back. " My brother, you are very innocent and thoughtless. You forget entirely that we are suspected crimi- nals. Should we demand a light, and immediately appear with our passes, do you not believe that this dragon of a postmaster would immediately think that we had written them ourselves, and put a forged seal under them?" "How, then, are we to get a light?" said Balby, confused. The king thought a moment, then laughed gayly. "I have found a way," he said ; "go down into the dining-room, where I noticed an eternal lamp burning, not to do honor to the Mother of God, but to smokers ; light your cigar and bring it here. I will light the sealing-wax by it, and we will have the advantage of drowning the smell of the wax with the smoke. " Balby flew away, and soon returned with the burning cigar ; the king lit the sealing-wax, and put the seal under the passport. " This will proclaim us free from all crime. Now, brother Henry, call the worthy postmaster. " When Niclas received the passport from the king's hand his countenance cleared, and he made the two gentlemen a graceful bow, and begged them to excuse the severity that his duty made necessary. " We have now entirely convinced you that we are honest people, " said the king, smiling, "and you will forgive us that we have so little baggage. " "Well, I understand," said Mr. Niclas, confusedly, "musicians are seldom rich, but live from hand to mouth, and must thank God if their clothes are good and clean. Yours are entirely new, and you need no baggage. " The king laughed merrily. " Can we now go?" he asked. " Yes ; but how, sir? You doubtlessly heard that the postilion left as soon as you entered the house. " " Consequently we are without a conveyance ; we have paid for our places for nothing, and must remain in this miserable place, " said the king, impatiently. Niclas reddened with anger. " Sir, what right have you to call the town of Grave a miserable place? Believe me, it would be very difficult for you to become a citizen of this miserable place, for you must prove that you have means enough to live in a decent manner, and it appears to me " "That we do not possess them," said the king; "vraiment, you are right, our means are very insufficient, and as the inhabitants of Grave will not grant us the rights of citizens, it is better for us to 62 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. leave immediately. Have, therefore, the goodness to furnish us with the means of doing so. " " There are two ways, an expensive and a cheap one, " said Niclas, proudly : " extra post, or the drag-boat. The first is for respectable people, the second for those who have nothing, and are nothing. " " Then the last is for us, " said the king, laughing. " Is it not so, brother Henry? it is best for us to go in the drag-boat." "That would be best, brother Frederick." ** Have the kindness to call our servant to take the bag, and you, Mr. Niclas, please give us a guide to show us to the canal. " The king took his box and approached the door. " And my coffee, and the wine, " asked Mrs. Niclas, just entering with the drinks. " We have no time to make use of them, madame, " said the king, as he passed her, to leave the room. But Madame Niclas held him back. " No time to make use of them, " she cried ; " but I had to take time to make the coffee, and bring the wine from the cellar. " " Mais, mon Dieu, madame, " said the impatient king. "Mais, mon Dieu, monsieur, vous croyez queje travaillerai pour le roi de Prusse, c'est-d-dire sans paiement . " The king broke out into a hearty laugh, and Balby had to join him, but much against his will. "Brother Henry," said the king, laughing, "that is a curious way of speaking ; ' travailler pour le roi de Prusse, ' means here to work for nothing. I beg you to convince this good woman that she has not worked for the King of Prussia, and pay her well. Madame, I have the honor to bid you farewell, and be assured it will always cheer me to think of you, and to recall your charming speech. " The king laughingly took his friend's arm, and nodded kindly to Madame Niclas as he went down the steps. " I tell you what, " said Madame Niclas, as she stood at the door with her husband, watching the departing strangers, who, in com- pany with the guide and their servant, were walking down the street that led to the canal " I tell you I do not trust those strangers, the little one in particular ; he had a very suspicious look. " " But his passport was all right. " 'But, nevertheless, all is not right with them. These strangers are disguised princes or robbers, I am fully convinced. " THE DRAG-BOAT. 63 CHAPTER XIII. THE DRAG- BO AT. WHAT a crowd, what noise, what laughing and chatting ! How bright and happy these people are who have nothing and are noth- ing ! How gayly they laugh and talk together with what stoical equanimity they regard the slow motion of the boat ! they accept it as an unalterable necessity. How kindly they assist each other ; with what natural politeness the men leave the best seats for the women ! The boat is very much crowded. There are a great number of those amiable people who are nothing, and have nothing, moving from place to place cheerily. The men on the shore who, with the aid of ropes, are pulling the boat, those two-legged horses, groan from exertion. The bagpipe player is making his gayest music, but in vain he cannot allure the young people to dance ; there is no place for dancing, the large deck of the boat is covered with human beings. Old men, and even women, are obliged to stand ; the two long benches running down both sides of the boat are filled. The king enjoyed the scene immensely. The free life about him, the entire indifference to his own person, charmed and delighted him. He leaned against the cabin, by which he was sitting, and regarded the crowd before him. Suddenly he was touched on the shoulder, and not in the gentlest manner. Looking up, he met the discontented face of a peasant, who was speaking violently, but in Dutch, and the king did not understand him ; he therefore slightly shrugged his shoulders and remained quiet. The angry peasant continued to gesticulate, and pointed excit- edly at the king, and then at a pale young woman who was standing before him, and held two children in her arms. The king still shrugged his shoulders silently, but when the peasant grasped him for the second time he waved him off, and his eye was so stem that the terrified and astonished peasant stepped back involuntarily. At this moment a displeased murmur was heard among the crowd, and a number arranged themselves by the side of the peas- ant, who approached the king with a determined countenance. The king remained sitting, and looked surprised at the threat- ening countenances of the people, whose angry words he tried in vain to comprehend. The still increasing crowd was suddenly separated by two strong 64 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. arms, and Balby, who had been sitting at the other end of the boat, now approached the king, accompanied by a friend, and placed himself at the king's side. " Tell me what these men want, mon ami, " said Frederick, has- tily ; " I do not understand Dutch. " " I understand it, sir, " said the friend who accompanied Balby ; "these people are reproaching you. " " Reproaching me ! And why?" The stranger turned to the peasant who had first spoken, and who now began to make himself heard again in loud and angry tones. " Monsieur, " said the stranger, " these good people are angry with you, and, it appears to me, not entirely without cause. There rs a language that is understood without words, its vocabulary is in the heart. Here stands a poor, sick woman, with her twins in her arms. You, monsieur, are the only man seated. These good people think it would be but proper for you to resign your seat. " " This is unheard-of insolence, " exclaimed Balby, placing him- self determinedly before the king ; " let any one dare advance a step farther, and I" "Quiet, cher frere, the people are right, and I am ashamed of myself that I did not understand them at once. " He rose and passed through the crowd with a calm, kindly face, and, not appearing to notice them, approached the young woman, who was kneeling, exhausted, on the floor. With a kind, sympa- thetic smile, he raised her and led her to his seat. There was some- thing so noble and winning in his manner, that those who were so shortly before indignant, were unconsciously touched. A murmur of approval was heard ; the rough faces beamed with friendly smiles. The king did not observe this, he was still occupied with the poor woman, and, while appearing to play with the children, gave each of them a gold piece. But their little hands were not accus- tomed to carry such treasures, and could not hold them securely. The two gold pieces rolled to the ground, and the ringing noise announced the rich gift of Frederick. Loud cries of delight were heard, and the men waved their hats in the air. The king reddened, and looked down in confusion. The peasant, who had first been so violent toward the king, and at whose feet the money had fallen, picked it up and gave it to the children ; then, with a loud laugh, he offered his big, rough hand to the king, and said something in a kindly tone. "The good man is thanking you, sir, "said the stranger. "He thinks you a clever, good-hearted fellow, and begs you to excuse his uncalled-for violence." The king answered with a silent bow. He who was accustomed THE DRAG-BOAT. 65 to receive the world's approval as his just tribute, was confused and ashamed at the applause of these poor people. The king was right in saying he left his royalty on Prussian soil ; he really was embarrassed at this publicity, and was glad when Deesen announced that lunch was prepared for him. He gave Balby a nod to follow, and withdrew into the cabin. " Truly, if every-day life had so many adventures, I do not un- derstand how any one can complain of ennui. Through what varied scenes I have passed to-day !" " But our adventures arise from the peculiarity of our situation, " said Balby. "All these little contretemps are annoying and disa- greeable ; but seem only amusing to a king in disguise. " "But a disguised king learns many things," said Frederick, smiling ; " from to-day, I shall be no longer surprised to hear the police called a hateful institution. Vraiment, its authority and power is vexatious, but necessary. Never speak again of my god-like countenance, or the seal of greatness which the Creator has put upon the brow of princes to distinguish them from the rest of mankind. Moris. Niclas saw nothing great stamped upon my brow ; to him I had the face of a criminal my passport only made an honest man of me. Come, friends, let us refresh ourselves. " While eating, the king chatted pleasantly with Balby of the charming adventures of the day. " Truly, " he said, laughing, as the details of the scene on deck were discussed, "without the interference of that learned Dutch- man, the King of Prussia would have been in dangerous and close contact with the respectable peasant. Ah, I did not even thank my protecting angel. Did you speak to him, brother Henry ? Where is he from, and what is his name?" " I do not know, sir ; but from his speech and manner he appeared to me to be an amiable and cultivated gentleman. " " Go and invite him to take a piece of pie with us. Tell him Mr. Zol'er wishes to thank him for his assistance, and begs the honor of his acquaintance. You see, my friend, I am learning how to be polite, to flatter, and conciliate, as becomes a poor travelling musi- cian. I beg you, choose your words well. Be civil, or he might refuse to come, and I thirst for company. " Balby returned in a few moments, with the stranger. "Here, my friend," said Balby, "I bring you our deliverer in time of need. He will gladly take his share of the pie. " "And he richly deserves it," said the king, as he greeted the stranger politely. " Truly, monsieur, I am very much indebted to you, and this piece of pie that I have the honor to offer you is but a poor reward for your services. I believe I never saw larger fists 6'6 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. than that terrible peasant's ; a closer acquaintance with them would have been very disagreeable. I thank you for preventing it. " " Travellers make a variety of acquaintances, " said the stranger, laughing, and seating himself on the bench by the king's side, with a familiarity that terrified Balby. "I count you, sir, among the agreeable ones, and I thank you for this privilege. " " I hope you will make the acquaintance of this pie, and find it agreeable, " said the king. " Eat, monsieur, and let us chat in the mean while Henry, why are you standing there so grave and re- spectful, not daring to be seated? I do not believe this gentleman to be a prince travelling incognito. " "No, sir, take your place," exclaimed the stranger, laughing, "you will not offend etiquette. I give you my word that I am no concealed prince, and no worshipper of princes. I am proud to declare this. " " Ah ! you are proud not to be a prince?" " Certainly, sir. " "It appears to me," said Balby, looking at the king, "that a prince has a great and enviable position. " " But a position, unfortunately, that but few princes know how to fill worthily," said the king, smiling. "Every man who is suffi- cient for himself is to be envied. " " You speak my thoughts exactly, sir, " said the stranger, who had commenced eating his piece of pie with great zeal. " Only the free are happy. "Are you happy?" asked the king. " Yes, sir ; at least for the moment I am. " "What countryman are you?" " I am a Swiss, sir. " " A worthy and respectable people. From what part of Switzer- land do you come?" " From the little town of Morges. " " Not far, then, from Lausanne, and the lovely lake of Geneva ; not far from Ferney, where the great Voltaire resides, and from whence he darts his scorching, lightning- flashes to-day upon those whom he blessed yesterday. Are you satisfied with your govern- ment? Are not your patrician families a little too proud? Are not even the citizens of Berne arrogant and imperious?" " We have to complain of them, sir, but very rarely. " "Are you now residing in Holland?" " No, I am travelling, " answered the stranger, shortly. He had held for a long time a piece of pie on his fork, trying in vain to put it in his mouth. The king had not observed this ; he had forgotten that kings and THE DRAG-BOAT. 67 princes only have the right to cany on a conversation wholly with questions, and that it did not become Mr. Zoller to be so inquis- itive. "What brought you here?" he asked, hastily. "To complete my studies, sir," and, with a clouded brow, the stranger laid his fork and pie upon his plate. But the king's questions flowed on in a continued stream. " Do you propose to remain here ?" "I believe not, or rather I do not yet know," answered the stranger, with a sarcastic smile, that brought Balby to despera- tion. " Are not the various forms of government of Switzerland some- what confusing in a political point of view?" " No, for all know that the cantons are free, as they should be. " "Does that not lead to skepticism and indifference? 1 ' The stranger's patience was exhausted ; without answering the king, he pushed back his plate and arose from the table. " Sir, allow me to say that, in consideration of a piece of pie, which you will not even give me time to eat, you ask too many questions. " " You are right, and I beg your pardon, " said the king, as he smilingly nodded at Balby to remain quiet. " We travel to improve ourselves, but you have just cause of complaint. I will give you time to eat your piece of pie. Eat, therefore, monsieur, and when you have finished, if it is agreeable, we will chat awhile longer. " When the stranger arose to depart, after an animated and inter- esting conversation, the king offered him his hand. " Give me your address, " he said, " that is, I beg of you to do so. You say you have not yet chosen a profession ; perhaps I may have the opportunity of being useful to you. " The Swiss gave him his card, with many thanks, and returned to the deck. The king gazed thoughtfully after him. " That man pleases me, and when I am no longer a poor musician, I shall call him to my side. Well, brother Henry, what do you think of this man, who, as I see, is named Mr. Le Catt?" "1 find him rather curt," said Balby, "and he appears to be a great republican. " " You mean because he hates princes, and was somewhat rude to me. Concerning the first, you must excuse it in a republican, and I confess that were I in his place I would probably do the same as to the last, he was right to give Mr. Zoller a lesson in manners. Poor Zoller is not yet acquainted with the customs of the com- mon world, and makes all manner of mistakes against bon ton I 68 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. believe to-day is not the first time he has been reproved for want of manners. " "Mr. Zoller is every inch a king," said Balby, laughing. [NOTE. The king's conversation with Mr. Le Catt is historical (see Thiebault, vol. i., p. 218). The king did not forget his travelling adventure, but on his return to Prussia, called Le Catt to court and gave him the position of lecturer, and for twenty years he enjoyed the favor and confidence of the king.] CHAPTER XIV IN AMSTERDAM. WEARIED, indeed utterly exhausted, the king and Balby returned to the hotel of the Black Raven, at that time the most celebrated in Amsterdam. They had been wandering about the entire day, ex- amining with never-ceasing interest and delight the treasures of art which the rich patricians of Amsterdam had collected in their princely homes and the public museums. No one supposed that this small man in the brown coat, with dusty shoes and coarse, unadorned hat, could be a king a king whose fame resounded throughout the whole of Europe. Frederick had enjoyed the great happiness of pursuing his journey and his studies unnoticed and unknown. He had many amusing and romantic adventures ; and the joy of being an independent man, of which he had heretofore only dreamed, he was now realizing fully. The king was compelled now to confess that his freedom and manhood were completely overcome. Hunger had conquered him hunger ! the earthly enemy of all great ideas and exalted feelings. The king was hungry I He was obliged to yield to that physical power which even the rulers of this world must obey, and Balby and himself had returned to the hotel to eat and refresh themselves. "Now, friend, see that you order something to rejoice and strengthen our humanity, " said Frederick, stretching himself com- fortably upon the divan. " It is a real pleasure to me to be hungry and partake of a good meal a pleasure which the King of Prussia will often envy the Messieurs Zoller. To be hungry and to eat i* one of life's rare enjoyments generally denied to kings, and yet," whispered he, thoughtfully, "our whole life is nothing but a never- ceasing hungering and thirsting after happiness, content, and rest. The world alas ! gives no repose, no satisfying portion. Brother Henry, let us eat and be joyful ; let us even meditate on a good meal as an ardent maiden consecrates her thoughts to a love-poem which she will write in her album in honor of her beloved. Truly there IN AMSTERDAM. 69 are fools who in the sublimity of their folly wish to appear indiffer- ent to such earthly pleasures, declaring that they are necessary evils, most uncomfortable bodily craving, and nothing more. They are fools who do not understand that eating and drinking is an art, a science, the soul of the soul, the compass of thought and feeling. Dear Balby, order us a costly meal. I wish to be gay and free, light-minded and merry-hearted to-day. In order to promote this we must, before all other things, take care of these earthly bodies and not oppress them with common food. " "We will give them, I hope, the sublimest nourishment which the soil of Holland produces, " said Balby, laughing. " You are not aware, M. Frederick Zoller, that we are now in a hotel whose hostess is worshipped, almost glorified, by the good Hollanders. " " And is it this sublime piece of flesh which you propose to place before me?" said the king, with assumed horror. "Will you satisfy the soul of my soul with this Holland beauty? I do not share the enthusiasm of the Hollanders. I shall not worship this woman. I shall find her coarse, old, and ugly. " " But listen, Zoller. These good Dutchmen worship her not be- cause of her perishable beauty, but because of a famous pie which she alone in Amsterdam knows how to make. " " Ah, that is better. I begin now to appreciate the Dutchmen, and if the pie is good, I will worship at the same shrine. Did you not remark, brother Henry, that while you stood carried away by your enthusiasm before Rembrandt's picture of the 'Night Watch' a picture which it grieves me to say I cannot obtain, " sighed the king " these proud Hollanders call it one of their national treasures, and will not sell it well, did you not see that I was conversing zealously with three or four of those thick, rubicund, comfortable- looking mynheers? No doubt you thought we were rapturously dis- cussing the glorious paintings before which we stood, and for this the good Hollanders were rolling their eyes in ecstasy. No, sir ; no, sir. We spoke of a pie ! They recognized me as a stranger, asked me from whence I came, where we lodged, etc. , etc. And when I mentioned the Black Raven, they went off into ecstatic raptures over the venison pasty of Madame von Blaken. They then went on to relate that Madame Blaken was renowned throughout all Hol- land because of this venison pasty of which she alone had the recipe, and which she prepared always alone and with closed doors. Her portrait is to be seen in all the shop windows, and all the stadthol- ders dine once a month in the Black Raven to enjoy this pie. Neither through prayers nor entreaties, commands, or threatenings, has Madame Blaken been induced to give up her recipe or even to go to the castle and prepare the pasty. She declares that this is 70 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. the richest possession of the Black Raven, and all who would be so happy as to enjoy it must partake of it at her table. Balby ! Balby ! hasten my good fellow, and command the venison pastry, " said Frederick, eagerly. "Ah ! what bliss to lodge in the Black Raven ! Waiter, I say ! fly to this exalted woman !" Balby rushed out to seek the hostess and have himself an nounced. Madame Blaken received him in her boudoir, to which she had withdrawn to rest a little after the labors of the day. These labors were ever a victory and added to her fame. There was no better table prepared in Holland than that of the Black Raven. She was in full toilet, having just left the dinner table where she had presided at the table d'hote as lady of the house, and received with dignity the praise of her guests. These encomiums still resounded in her ears, and she reclined upon the divan and listened to their pleasing echo. The door opened and the head waiter announced Mr. Zoller. The countenance of Madame Blaken was dark, and she was upon the point of declining to receive him, but it was too late ; the daring Zoller had had the boldness to enter just behind the waiter, and he was now making his most reverential bow to the lady. Madame Blaken returned this greeting with a slight nod of the head, and she regarded the stranger in his cheap and simple toilet with a rather contemptuous smile. She thought to herself that this ordinary man had surely made a mistake in entering her hotel. Neither his rank, fortune, nor celebrity could justify his lodging at the Black Raven. She was resolved to reprove her head waiter for allowing such plain and poor people to enter the best hotel in Amsterdam. " Sir, " said she, in a cold and cutting tone, " you come without doubt to excuse your brother and yourself for not having appeared to-day at my table d'hote. You certainly know that politeness re- quires that you should dine in the hotel where you lodge. Do not distress yourself, however, sir. I do not feel offended now that I have seen you. I understand fully why you did not dine with me, but sought your modest meal elsewhere. The table d'hote in the Black Raven is the most expensive in Amsterdam, and only wealthy people put their feet under my table and enjoy my dishes. " While she thus spoke, net glance wandered searchingly over Balby, who did not seem to remark it, or to comprehend her signifi- cant words. " Madame, " said he, " allow me to remark that we have not dined. My brother, whose will is always mine, prefers taking his dinner in his own apartment, where he has more quiet comfort and can better enjoy your rare viands. He never dines at a table d'hote. In every direction he has heard of your wonderful pie, and I corns in his IN AMSTERDAM. 71 name to ask that you will be so good as to prepare one for his dinner to-day. " Madame Blaken laughed aloud. " Truly said ; that is not a bad idea of your brother's. My pasty is celebrated throughout all Hol- land, and I have generally one ready in case a rich or renowned guest should desire it. But this pie is not for every man !" " My brother wants it for himself himself alone, " said Balby, decisively. Even the proud hostess felt his tone imposing. "Sir," said she, after a short pause, "forgive me if I speak plainly to you. You wish to eat one of my renowned pies, and to have it served in a private room, as the General Stadtholder and other high potentates are accustomed to do. Well, I have this morning a pasty made with truffles and Chinese birds' -nests, but you cannot have it ! To be frank, it is enormously dear, and I think neither your brother nor yourself could pay for it !" And now it was Balby's turn to laugh aloud, and he did so with the free, unembarrassed gayety of a man who is sure of his position, and is neither confused nor offended. Madame Blaken was somewhat provoked by this unrestrained merriment. "You laugh, sir, but I have good reason for supposing you to be poor and unknown. You came covered with dust and on foot to my hotel, accompanied by one servant carrying a small carpet-bag. You have neither equipage, retinue, nor baggage. You receive no visits ; and, as it appears, make none. You are always dressed in your simple, modest, rather forlorn-looking brown coats. You have never taken a dinner here, but pass the day abroad, and when you return in the evening you ask for a cup of tea and a few slices of bread and butter. Rich people do not travel in this style, and I therefore have the right to ask if you can afford to pay for my pasty? I do not know who or what you are, nor your brother's position In the world." " Oh, " cried Balby, who was highly amused by the candor of the hostess, " my brother has a most distinguished position, I assure you his fame resounds throughout Germany. " "Bah!" said Madame Blaken, shrugging her shoulders; "the name is entirely unknown to us. Pray, what is your brother, and for what is he celebrated?" "For his flute," answered Balby, with solemn gravity. Madame Blaken rose and glanced scornfully at Balby. " Are you making sport of me, sir?" said she, threateningly. " Not in the least, madame ; I am telling you an important truth. My brother is a renowned virtuoso. " " A virtuoso ? " repeated the hostess ; " I do not understand the word. Pray, what is a virtuoso ? " 72 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " A virtuoso, madame, is a musician who makes such music as no other man can make. He gives concerts, and sells the tickets for an enormous price, and the world rushes to hear his music. I assure you, madame, my brother can play so enchantingly that those who hear his flute are forced to dance in spite of themselves. He receives large sums of gold, and if he gives a concert here you will see that all your distinguished people will flock to hear him. You can set your pasty before him without fear he is able to pay richly for it." Madame Blaken rose without a word and advanced toward the door. " Come, sir, come. I am going to your brother. " Without waiting for an answer, she stepped through the corridor and tapped lightly at the stranger's door. She was on the point of opening it, but Balby caught her hand hastily. "Madame," said he, "allow me to enter and inquire if you can be received." He wished to draw her back from the door, but the hostess of the Black Raven was not the woman to be withdrawn. "You wish to ask if I can enter?" repeated she. "I may well claim that privilege in my own house. " With a determined hand she knocked once more upon the door, opened it immediately and entered, followed by Balby, who by signs endeavored to explain and beg pardon for the intrusion. Frederick did not regard him, his blue eyes were fixed upon the woman who, with laughing good-humor, stepped up to him and held out both of her large, course hands in greeting. "Sir, I come to convince myself if what your brother said was true." " Well, madame, what has my brother said ?" "He declares that you can whistle splendidly, and all the world is forced to dance after your music. " "I said play the flute, madame! I said play the flute!" cried Balby, horrified. "Well, flute or whistle," said Madame Blaken, proudly, "it's the same thing. Be so good, sir, as to whistle me something ; I will then decide as to the pasty. " The king looked at Balby curiously. "Will you have the goodness, brother, to explain madame's meaning, and what she requires of me?" " Allow me to explain myself, " said the hostess. " This gentle- man came and ordered a rich pie for you ; this pasty has given celebrity to my house. It is true I have one prepared, but I would not send it to you. Would you know why ? This is an enormously expensive dish, and I have no reason to believe that you are in a condition to pay for it. I said this to your brother, and I might IN AMSTERDAM. 73 with truth have told him that I regretted to see him in my hotel not that you are in yourselves objectionable, on the contrary, you appear to me to be harmless and amiable men, but because of your purses. I fear that you do not know the charges of first- class hotels, and will be amazed at your bill. Your brother, however, assures me that you can afford to pay for all you order ; that you make a great deal of money ; that you are a virtuoso, give concerts, and sell tickets at the highest price. Now, I will convince myself if you are a great musician and can support yourself. Whistle me some- thing, and I will decide as to the pie. " The king listened to all this with suppressed merriment, and gave Balby a significant look. " Bring my flute, brother ; I will convince madame that I am indeed a virtuoso. " "Let us hear," said Madame Blaken, seating herself upon the sofa from which the king had just arisen. Frederick made, with indescribable solemnity, a profound bow to the hostess. He placed the flute to his lips and began to play, but not in his accustomed masterly style not in those mild, floating melodies, those solemn sacred, and exalted strains which it was his custom to draw from his beloved flute. He played a gay and brill- iant solo, full of double trills and rhapsodies ; it was an astounding medley, which seemed to make a triumphal march over the instru- ment, overcoming all difficulties. But those soft tones which touched the soul and roused to noble thoughts were wanting ; in truth, the melody failed, the music was wanting. Madame Blaken listened with ever- increasing rapture to this wondrous exercise ; these trills, springing from octave to octave, drew forth her loudest applause ; she trembled with ecstasy, and as the king closed with a brilliant cadence, she clapped her hands and shouted enthusiastically. She stood up respectfully before the ar- tiste in the simple brown coat, and bowing low, said earnestly : " Your brother was right, you can surely earn much money by your whistle. You whistle as clearly as my mocking-bird. You shall have the pie I go to order it at once, " and she hastened from the room. "Well," said the king, laughing, "this was a charming scene, and I thank you for it, brother Henry. It is a proud and happy feeling to know that you can stand upon your feet, or walk alone ; in other words, that you can earn a support. Now, if the sun of Prussia sets, I shall not hunger, for I can earn my bread ; Madame Blaken assures me of it. But, Henry, did I not play eminently?" "That was the most glittering, dazzling piece for a concert which I ever heard," said Balby, "and Mr. Zoller may well be proud of it> I 74 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. but I counsel him not to play it before the King of Prussia ; he would, in his jealousy, declare it was not music, nothing but sound, and signifying nothing. " "Bravo, my friend, "said Frederick, taking his friend's hand; "yes, he would say that. Mr. Zoller played like a true virtuoso, that is to say, without intellect and without soul ; he did not make music, only artistic tones. But here comes the pasty, and I shall relish it wondrous well. It is the first meat I have ever earned with my flute. Let us eat, brother Henry. " CHAPTER XV. THE KING WITHOUT SHOES. THE pie was really worthy of its reputation, and the king en- joyed it highly. He was gay and talkative, and amused himself in recalling the varied adventures of the past five days. " They will soon be tempi passati, these giorni felice, " he said, sighing. " To-day is the last day of our freedom and happiness ; to- morrow we must take up our yoke, and exchange our simple brown coats for dashing uniforms. " " I know one, at least, who is rejoicing, " said Balby, laughing, "the unhappy Deesen, who has just sworn most solemnly that he would throw himself in the river if he had to play much longer the part of a servant without livery a servant of two unknown musi- cians ; and he told me, with tears in his eyes, that not a respectable man in the house would speak to him ; that the pretty maids would not even listen to his soft sighs and tender words. " " Dress makes the man, " said the king, laughing ; " if Deesen wore his cabinet-hussar livery these proud beauties who now despise, would smile insidiously. How strangely the world is constituted ! But let us enjoy our freedom while we may. We still have some collections of paintings to examine here are some splendid pictures of Rembrandt and Rubens to be sold. Then, last of all, I have an important piece of business to transact with the great banker, Witte, on whom I have a draft. You know that Madame Blaken is expen- sive, and the picture-dealers will not trust our honest faces ; we must show them hard cash. " "Does your Shall I not go to the bankers and draw the money?" said Balby. " Oh no, I find it pleasant to serve myself, to be my own master and servant at the same time. Allow me this rare pleasure for a few hours longer, Balby. " THE KING WITHOUT SHOES. 75 The king took his friend's arm, and recommenced his search for paintings and treasures to adorn his gallery at Sans-Souci. Every- where he was received kindly and respectfully, for all recognized them as purchasers, and not idle sight-seers. The dealers appreci- ated the difference between idle enthusiasm and well-filled purses. The king understood this well, and on leaving the house of the last rich merchant he breathed more freely, and said : " I am glad that is over. The rudeness of the postmaster at Grave pleased me better than the civilities of these people. Come, Balby, we have bought pictures enough ; now we will only admire them, enjoy without appropriating them. The rich banker, Abramson, is said to have a beautiful collection ; we will examine them, and then have our draft cashed. " The banker's splendid house was soon found, and the brothers entered the house boldly, and demanded of the richly-dressed, liveried servant to be conducted to the gallery. " This is not the regular day, " said the servant, with a contemptu- ous shrug of the shoulders, as he measured the two strangers. " Not the day ! What day ?" asked the king, sharply. " Not the day of general exhibition. You must wait until next Tuesday." "Impossible, we leave to-morrow. Go to your master and tell him two strangers wish to see his gallery, and beg it may be opened for them. " There was something so haughty and irresistible in the stranger's manner, that the servant not daring to refuse, and still astonished at his own compliance, went to inform his master of the request. He returned in a few moments, and announced that his master would come himself to receive them. The door opened immediately, and Mr. Abramson stepped into the hall ; his face, bright and friendly, darkened when his black eyes fell upon the two strangers standing in the hall. " You desired to speak to me, " he said, in the arrogant tone that the rich Jews are accustomed to use when speaking to unknown and poor people. "What is your wish, sirs?" The king's brow darkened, and he looked angrily at the super- cilious man of fortune, who was standing opposite him, with his head proudly thrown back, and his hands in his pockets. But Frederick's countenance soon cleared, and he said, with perfect composure : " We wish you to show us your picture-gallery, sir. " The tone in which he spoke was less pleading than commanding, and roused the anger of the easily-enraged parvenu. "Sir, I have a picture-gallery, arranged for my own pleasure 76 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. and paid for with my own money. I am very willing to show it to all who have not the money to purchase pictures for themselves ; and to satisfy the curiosity of strangers, I have set aside a day in each week on which to exhibit my gallery. " " You mean, then, sir, that you will not allow us to enter your museum?" said the king, smilingly, and laying his hand at the same time softly on Balby's arm, to prevent him from speaking. " I mean that my museum is closed, and " A carriage rolled thunderingly to the door ; the outer doors of the hall were hastily opened, a liveried servant entered, and stepping immediately to Mr. Abramson, he said : "Lord Middlestone, of London, asks the honor of seeing your gallery. " The countenance of the Jewish banker beamed with delight. "Will his excellency have the graciousness to enter? I consider it an honor to show him my poor treasures. My gallery is closed to- day, but for Lord Middlestone, I will open it gladly. " His contemptuous glance met the two poor musicians, who had stepped aside, and were silent witnesses of this scene. The outer doors of the court were opened noisily, and a small, shrivelled human form, assisted by two servants, staggered into the hall. It was an old man, wrapped in furs ; this was his excellency Lord Middlestone. Mr. Abramson met him with a profound bow, and sprang forward to the door that led to the gallery. Every eye was fixed upon this sad picture of earthly pomp and greatness ; all felt the honor to the house of Mr. Abramson. Lord Middlestone, the ambassador of the King of England, desired to see his collection. This was an acknowledgment of merit that de- lighted the heart of the banker, and added a new splendor to his house. While the door was being opened to admit his lordship, Balby and the king left the house unnoticed. The king was angry, and walked silently along for a time ; sud- denly remaining standing, he gazed steadily at Balby, and broke out into a loud, merry laugh, that startled the passers-by, and made them look wonderingly after him. "Balby, my friend," he said, still laughing, "I will tell you something amusing. Never in my life did I feel so humble and ashamed as when his excellency entered the gallery so triumphantly, and we slipped away so quietly from the house. Truly, I was fool enough to be angry at first, but I now feel that the scene was irre- sistibly comic. Oh ! oh, Balby ! do laugh with me. Think of us, who imagine ourselves to be such splendidly handsome men, being shown the door, and that horrid shrunken, diseased old man being THE KING WITHOUT SHOES. 7? receired with such consideration ! He smelt like a salve-box, we are odorous with ambrosia ; but all in vain, Abramson preferred the salve-box. " " Abramson 's olfactories are not those of a courtier, " said Balby, " or he would have fainted at the odor of royalty. But truly, this Mr. Abramson is a disgraceful person, and I beg your majesty to avenge Mr. Zoller. " " I shall do so. He deserves punishment ; he has insulted me as a man ; the king will punish him. " * " And now we will have our check cashed by Mr. Witte. I bet he will not dismiss us so curtly, for my draft is for ten thousand crowns, and he will be respectful if not to us, to our money." The worthy and prosperous Madame Witte had just finished dust- ing and cleaning her state apartment, and was giving it a last artis- tic survey. She smiled contentedly, and acknowledged that there was nothing more to be done. The mirrors and windows were of transparent brightness no dust was seen on the silk furniture or the costly ornaments it was perfect. With a sad sigh Madame Witte left the room and locked the door with almost a feeling of regret. She must deny herself for the next few days her favorite occupation there was nothing more to dust or clean in the apart- ment and only in this room was her field of operation only here did her husband allow her to play the servant. With this exception he required of her to be the lady of the house the noble wife of the rich banker and this was a role that pleased the good woman but little. She locked the door with a sigh and drew on her shoes, which she was accustomed always to leave in the hall before entering her state apartment, then stepped carefully on the border of the carpet that covered the hall to another door. At this moment violent ringing was heard at the front door. Madame Witte moved quickly for- ward to follow the bent of her womanly curiosity and see who de- sired admittance at this unusual hour. Two strangers had already entered the hall and desired to see the banker. " Mr. Witte is not at home, and if your business is not too press- ing, call again early to-morrow morning." " But my business is pressing, " said Frederick Zoller, hastily ; " I must speak with Mr. Witte to-day. " "Can they wish to borrow money from him?" thought Madame Witte, who saw the two strangers through the half -opened door. " To borrow, or to ask credit, I am sure that is their business. " * The king kept his word. The Jew heard afterward that it was the king whom he had treated so disrespectfully, and he could never obtain his forgiveness. He was not allowed to negotiate with the Prussian government or banks, and was thus bit- terly punished for his misconduct. 78 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. "May I ask the nature of your business?" said the servant. "In order to bring Mr. Witte from the Casino I must know what you wish of him. " " I desire to have a draft of ten thousand crowns cashed, " said Frederick Zoller, sharply. The door was opened hastily, and Madame Witte stepped forward to greet the stranger and his companion. "Have the kindness, gentlemen, to step in and await my husband ; he will be here in a quarter of an hour. Go, Andres, for Mr. Witte. " Andres ran off, and Madame Witte accompanied the strangers through the hall. Arrived at the door of the state apartment, she quickly drew off her shoes, and then remained standing, looking expectantly at tht> strangers. " Well, madame, " said the king, " shall we await Mr. Witte be- fore this door, or will you show us into the next room?" " Certainly I will ; but I am waiting on you. " " On us ? And what do you expect of us ?" " What I have done, sirs to take your shoes off. " The king laughed aloud. "Can no one, then, enter that room with shoes on ?" " Never, sir. It was a custom of my great-grandfather. He had this house built, and never since then has any one entered it with shoes. Please, therefore, take them off." Balby hastened to comply with her peremptory command. " Madame, it will suffice you for me to follow this custom of your ancestors you will spare my brother this ceremony. " "And why?" asked Madame Witte, astonished. "His shoes are no cleaner or finer than yours, or those of other men. Have the kindness to take off your shoes also. " " You are right, madame, "said the king, seriously. "We must leave off the old man altogether ; therefore, you ask but little in requiring us to take off our shoes before entering your state apart- ment. " He stooped to undo the buckles of his shoes, and when Balby wished to assist him, he resisted. " No, no ; you shall not loosen my shoes you are too worthy for that. Madame Witte might think that I am a very assuming person that I tyrannize over my brother. There, madame, the buckles are undone, and there lie my shoes, and now we are ready to enter your state apart- ment. " Madame Witte opened the door with cold gravity, and allowed them to pass. " To-morrow I can dust again, " she said, gleefully, "for the strangers' clothes are very dirty. In the mean time, the two strangers awaited the arrival of Mr. Witte. The king enjoyed his comic situation immensely. Balby THE KING WITHOUT SHOES. 79 looked anxiously at the bare feet of the king, and said he should never have submitted to Madame Witte's caprice. The floor was cold, and the king might be taken ill. " Oh, no, " said Frederick, " I do not get sick so easily my sys- tem can stand severer hardships. We should be thankful that we have come off so cheaply, for a rich banker like Witte in Amster- dam, is equal to the Pope in Rome ; and I do not think taking off our shoes is paying too dearly to see the pope of Holland. Just think what King Henry IV. had to lay aside before he could see the Pope of Rome not only his shoes and stockings and a few other articles, but his royalty and majesty. Madame Witte is really for- bearing not to require the same costume of us. " The door behind them was opened hastily, and the banker Witte stepped in. He advanced to meet them with a quiet smile, but suddenly checked himself, and gazed with terror at the king. "My God! his majesty the King of Prussia!" he stammered. ' Oh I your majesty ! what an undeserved favor you are doing my poor house in honoring it with your presence !" "You know me, then?" said the king, smiling. "Well, I beg you may not betray my incognito, and cash for Frederick Zoller this draft of ten thousand crowns. " He stepped forward to hand the banker the draft. Mr. Witte uttered a cry of horror, and, wringing his hands, fell upon his knees. He had just seen that the king was barefooted. "Oh! your majesty! Mercy! mercy!" he pleaded. "Pardon my unhappy wife, who could not dream of the crime she was commit- ting. Why did your majesty consent to her insane demand ? Why did you not peremptorily refuse to take off your shoes?" "Why? Well, ma foi, because I wished to spare the King of Prussia a humiliation. I believe Madame Witte would rather have thrown me out of the house than allowed me to enter this sacred room with my shoes on. " " No, your majesty, no. She would " At this moment the door opened, and Madame Witte, drawn by the loud voice of her husband, entered the room. "Wife!" he cried, rising, "come forward; fall on your knees and plead for forgiveness. " "What have I done?" she asked, wonderingly. " You compelled this gentleman to take off his shoes at the door. " "Well, and what of that?" "Well," said Mr. Witte, solemnly, as he laid his arm upon his wife's shoulder and tried to force her to her knees, "this is his majesty the King of Prussia 1" But the all- important words had not the expected effect. Ma 80 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. dame Witte remained quietly standing, and looked first upon her own bare feet and then curiously at the king. "Beg the king's pardon for your most unseemly conduct," said Witte. "Why was it unseemly?" asked his better-half. "Do I not take off my shoes every time I enter this room? The room is mine, and does not belong to the King of Prussia. " Witte raised his hands above his head in despair. The king laughed loudly and heartily. " You see I was right, sir, " he said. " Only obedience could spare the King of Prussia a humiliation.* But let us go to your business- room and arrange our moneyed affairs. There, madame, I suppose you will allow me to put on my shoes. " Without a word, Mr. Witte rushed from the room for the king's shoes, and hastened to put them, not before the king, but before the door that led into his counting room. With a gay smile, the king stepped along the border of the carpet to his shoes, and let Balby put them on for him. " Madame, " he said, " I see that you are really mistress in your own house, and that you are obeyed, not from force, but from in- stinct. God preserve you your strong will and your good husband !" " Now, " said the king, after they had received the money and returned to the hotel, " we must make all our arrangements to return to-morrow morning early our incognito is over ! Mr. Witte prom- ised not to betray us, but his wife is not to be trusted ; therefore, by to-morrow morning, the world will know that the King of Prussia is in Amsterdam. Happily, Mr. Witte does not know where I am stopping. I hope to be undisturbed to-day, but by to-morrow this will be impossible. " The king prophesied aright : Madame Witte was zealously en- gaged in telling her friends the important news that the King of Prussia had visited her husband, and was now in Amsterdam. The news rolled like an avalanche from house to house, from street to street, and even reached the mayor's door, who, in spite of the lateness of the hour, called a meeting of the magistrates, and sent policemen to all the hotels to demand a list of the strangers who had arrived during the last few days. In order to greet the king, they must first find him. Early the next morning, a simple cateche, with two horses, stood at the hotel of the " Black Raven. " The brothers Zoller were about to leave Amsterdam, and, to Madame Blaken's astonishment, they not only paid their bill without murmuring, but left a rich douceur * The king's own words. See NicolaTs " Anecdotes of Frederick the Great," col- lection v., p. 31. THE KING WITHOUT SHOES. 81 for the servants. The hostess stepped to the door to bid them fare- well, and nodded kindly as they came down the steps. Their ser- vant followed with the little carpet-bag and the two music-cases. When Deesen became aware of the presence of the hostess, and the two head -servants, he advanced near to the king. "Your majesty, may I now speak?" he murmured. " Not yet, " said he king, smiling, " wait until we are in the car- riage. " He descended the steps, with a friendly nod to the hostess. Balby and himself left the house. " See, my friend, how truly I prophesied, " he said, as he pointed down the street ; " let us get in quickly, it is high time to be off ; see the crowd advancing. " Frederick was right ; from the end of the street there came a long procession of men, headed by the two mayors, dressed in black robes, trimmed with broad red bands. They were followed by the senators, clothed in the same manner. A great number of the rich aristocrats of the city accompanied them. Madame Blaken had stepped from the house, and was looking curiously at the approaching crowd, and while she and her maids were wondering what this could mean, the two Mr. Zollers entered the carriage, and their servant had mounted the box. "May I speak now?" said Deesen, turning to the king. "Yes, speak," said the king, "but quickly, or the crowd will take your secret from you. " "Hostess !" cried Deesen, from the box, "do you know what that crowd means?" "No," she said, superciliously." " I will explain ; listen, madame. The magistrates are coming to greet the King of Prussia !" "The King of Prussia!" shrieked the hostess. "Where is the King of Prussia?" "Here!" cried Deesen, with a malicious grin, as he pointed to the king, "and I am his majesty's cabinet- hussar ! Forward, pos- tilion ! quick, forward !" The postilion whipped his horses, and the carriage dashed by the mayors and senators, who were marching to greet the King of Prussia. They never dreamed that he had just passed mischievously by them. Two days later, the king and his companionastood on the Prussian border, on the spot where, in the beginning of their journey, the king had written the words " majesty" and " sire. " " Look !" he said, pointing to the ground, " the two fatal words have not vanished away ; the sun has hardened the ground, and they 82 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. are still legible. I must lift them from the sand, and wear them henceforth and forever. Give me your hand, Balby ; the poor mu- sician, Frederick Zoller, will bid farewell to his friend, and not only to you, Balby, but farewell also to my youth. This is my last youth- ful adventure. Now, I shall grow old and cold gracefully. One thing I wish to say before I resume my royalty ; confidentially, I am not entirely displeased with the change. It seems to me diffi- cult to fill the role of a common man. Men do not seem to love and trust each other fully ; a man avenges himself on an innocent party for the wrongs another has committed. Besides, I do not rightly understand the politenesses of common life, and, therefore, received many reproaches. I believe, on the whole, it is easier to bestow than to receive them. Therefore, I take up my crown willingly. " "Will your majesty allow me a word?" said Deesen, stepping forward. "Speak, Deesen." "I thank Mr. Zoller for saving my life. As true as God lives, I should have stifled with rage if I had not told that haughty Hol- lander who Mr. Zoller was and who I was. " " Now, forward ! Farewell, Frederick Zoller ! Now I am on Prussian soil, the hour of thoughtless happiness is passed. I fear, Balby, that the solemn duties of life will soon take possession of us. So be it ! I accept my destiny I am again Frederick of Hohenzol- lern !" " And I have the honor to be the first to greet your majesty on your own domain, " said Balby, as he bowed profoundly before the king. BOOK II CHAPTER I. THE UNHAPPY NEWS. THE Princess Amelia was alone in her room. She was stretched upon a sofa, lost in deep thought ; her eyes were raised to heaven, and her lips trembled ; from time to time they murmured a word of complaint or of entreaty. Amelia was ill. She had been ill since that unhappy day in which she intentionally destroyed her beauty to save herself from a hated marriage.* Her eyes had never recovered their glance or early fire ; they were always inflamed and veiled by tears. Her voice had lost its metallic ring and youthful freshness ; it sounded from her aching and hollow chest like sighs from a lonely grave. Severe pain from time to time tortured her whole body, and con- tracted her limbs with agonizing cramps. She had the appearance of a woman of sixty years of age, who was tottering to the grave. In this crushed and trembling body dwelt a strong, powerful, healthy soul ; this shrunken, contracted bosom was animated by a youthful, ardent, passionate heart. This heart had consecrated itself to the love of its early years with an obstinate and feverish power. In wild defiance against her fate, Amelia had sworn never to yield, never to break faith ; to bear all, to suffer all for her love, and to press onward with unshaken resignation but never-failing courage through the storms and agonies of a desolate, misunderstood, and wretched existence. She was a martyr to her birth and her love ; she accepted this martyrdom with defiant self-reliance and joyful resignation. Years had passed since she had seen Trenck, but she loved him still ! She knew he had not guarded the faith they had mutually sworn with the constancy that she had religiously maintained ; but she loved him still ! She had solemnly sworn to her brother to give up the foolish and fantastic wish of becoming the wife of Trenck ; but she loved him still ! She might not live for him, but she would * See " Berlin and Sans-Souci." 84 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. suffer for him ; she could not give him her hand, but she could con- secrate thought and soul to him. In imagination she was his, only his ; he had a holy, an imperishable right to her. Had she not sworn, in the presence of God, to be his through life down to the borders of the grave? Truly, no priest had blessed them; God had been their priest, and had united them. There had been no mortal witness to their solemn oaths, but the pure stars were present with their sparkling, loving eyes they had looked down and listened to the vows she had exchanged with Trenck. She was therefore his his eternally ! He had a sacred claim upon her constancy, her love, her forbearance, and her forgiveness. If Trenck had wandered from his faith, she dared not follow his example ; she must be ever ready to listen to his call, and give him the aid he required. Amelia's love was her religion, her life's strength, her life's ob- ject ; it was a talisman to protect and give strength in time of need. She would have died without it; she lived and struggled with her grief only for his sake. This was a wretched, joyless existence a never-ending martyr- dom, a never-ceasing contest. Amelia stood alone and unloved in her family, feared and avoided by all the merry, thoughtless, pleasure seeking circle. In her sad presence they shuddered invol- untarily and felt chilled, as by a blast from the grave. She was an object of distrust and weariness to her companions and servants, an object of love and frank affection to no one. Mademoiselle Ernestine von Haak had alone remained true to her ; but she had married, and gone far away with her husband. Princess Amelia was now alone ; there was no one to whom she could express her sorrow and her fears ; no one who understood her suppressed agony, or who spoke one word of consolation or sympathy to her broken heart. She was alone in the world, and the consciousness of this steeled her strength, and made an impenetrable shield for her wearied soul. She gave herself up entirely to her thoughts and dreams. She lived a strange, enchanted, double life and twofold existence. Outwardly, she was old, crushed, ill ; her interior life was young, fresh, glow- ing, and energetic, endowed with unshaken power, and tempered in the fire of her great grief. Amelia lay upon the divan and looked dreamily toward heaven. A strange and unaccountable presenti- ment was upon her ; she trembled with mysterious forebodings. She had always felt thus when any new misfortunes were about to befall Trenck. It seemed as if her soul was bound to his, and by means of an electric current she felt the blow in the same moment that it fell upon him. The princess believed in these presentiments. She had faith in THE UNHAPPY NEWS. 85 dreams and prophecies, as do all those unhappy beings to whom fate has denied real happiness, and who seek wildly in fantastic visions for compensation. She loved, therefore, to look into the future through fortune-tellers and dark oracles, and thus prepare herself for the sad events which lay before her. The day before, the renowned astrologer Pfannenstein had warned her of approaching peril ; he de- clared that a cloud of tears was in the act of bursting upon her I Princess Amelia believed in his words, and waited with a bold, resolved spirit for the breaking of the cloud, whose gray veil she already felt to be round about her. These sad thoughts were interrupted by a light knock upon the door, and her maid entered and announced that the master of cere- monies, Baron Pollnitz, craved an audience. Amelia shuddered, but roused herself quickly. " Let him enter !" she said, hastily. The short moment of expectation seemed an eter- nity of anguish. She pressed her hands upon her heart, to still its stormy beatings ; she looked with staring, wide-opened eyes toward the door through which Pollnitz must enter, and she shuddered as she looked upon the ever-smiling, immovable face of the courtier, who now entered her boudoir, with Mademoiselle von Marwitz at his side. " Do you know, Pollnitz, " said she, in a rough, imperious tone "do you know I believe your face is not flesh and blood, but hewn from stone ; or, at least, one day it was petrified? Perhaps the fatal hour struck one day, just as you were laughing over some of your villanies, and your smile was turned to stone as a judgment. I shall know this look as long as I live ; it is ever most clearly marked upon your visage, when you have some misfortune to announce. " "Then this stony smile must have but little expression to-day, for I do not come as a messenger of evil tidings ; but if your royal highness will allow me to say so, as a sort of postilion d' amour. " Amelia shrank back for a moment, gave one glance toward Mademoiselle von Marwitz, whom she knew full well to be the watchful spy of her mother, and whose daily duty it was to relate to the queen-mother every thing which took place in the apartment of the princess. She knew that every word and look of Pollnitz was examined with the strictest attention. Pollnitz, however, spoke on with cool self-possession : " You look astonished, princess ; it perhaps appears to you that this impassive face is little suited to the role of postilion d' amour, and yet that is my position, and I ask your highness's permission to make known my errand. " " I refuse your request, " said Amelia, roughly ; " I have nothing to do with Love, and find his godship as old and dull as the messen- 86 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. ger he has sent me. Go back, then, to your blind god, and tell him that my ears are deaf to his love greeting, and the screeching of the raven is more melodious than the tenderest words a Polmitz can utter. " The princess said this in her most repulsive tone. She was accus- tomed to shield herself in this rude manner from all approach or contact, and, indeed, she attained her object. She was feared and avoided. Her witty bon mots and stinging jests were repeated and merrily laughed over, but the world knew that she scattered her sarcasms far and wide, in order to secure her isolation ; to banish every one from her presence, so that none might hear her sighs, or read her sad history in her countenance. "And yet, princess, I must still implore a hearing," said he, with imperturbable good -humor ; " if my voice is rough as the raven's, your royal highness must feed me with sugar, and it will become soft and tender as an innocent maiden's. " "I think a few ducats would be better for your case," said Amelia ; " a Pollnitz is not to be won with sweets, but for gold he would follow the devil to the lower regions. " " You are right, princess ; I do not wish to go to heaven, but be- low ; there I am certain to find the best and most interesting society. The genial people are all born devils, and your highness has ever confessed that I am genial. Then let it be so ! I will accept the ducats which your royal highness think good for me, and now allow me to discharge my duty. I come as the messenger of Prince Henry. He sends his heart-felt greetings to his royal sister, and begs that she will do him the honor to attend a, fete at Rheinsberg, which will take place in eight days. " " Has the master of ceremonies of the king become the fourrier of Prince Henry?" said Amelia. " No, princess ; I occasionally and accidentally perform the func- tion of a, fourrier. This invitation was not my principal object to- day." " I knew it, " said Amelia, ironically. "My brother Hemy does not love me well enough to invite me to this fete, if he had not some other object to attain. Well, what does Prince Henry wish ?" " A small favor, your royal highness ; he wishes, on the birth- day of his wife, to have Voltaire's 'Rome Sauvee' given by the French tragedians. Some years since your highness had a great triumph in this piece. The prince remembers that Voltaire pre- pared the r6le of Aurelia especially for you, with changes and addi- tions, and he entreats you, through me, the temporary Directeur des spectacles de Rheinsberg, to lend him this role for the use of his performer. " THE UNHAPPY NEWS. 87 "Why does not my brother rather entreat me to take this part myself?" said Amelia, in cruel mockery over herself. "It appears to me I could look the part of Aurelia, and my soft, flute-like voice would make a powerful impression upon the public. It is cruel of Prince Henry to demand this role of me ; it might be inferred that he thought I had become old and ugly. " "Not so, your highness; the tragedy is to be performed on this occasion by public actors, and not by amateurs. " " You are right, " said Amelia, suddenly becoming grave ; " at that time we were amateurs, lovers of the drama ; our dreams are >ver we live in realities now. " "Mademoiselle von Marwitz, have the goodness to bring the manuscript my brother wishes; it is partly written by Voltaire's own hand. You will find it in the bureau in my dressing-room. " Mademoiselle Marwitz withdrew to get the manuscript ; as she left the room, she looked back suspiciously at Pollnitz and, as if by accident, left the door open which led to the dressing-room. Mademoiselle Marwitz had scarcely disappeared, before Pollnitz sprang forward, with youthful agility, and closed the door. "Princess, this commission of Prince Henry's was only a pre- text. I took this order from the princess's maitre d'hotel in order to approach your highness unnoticed, and to get rid of the watchful eyes of your Marwitz. Now listen well ; Weingarten, the Austrian secretary of Legation, was with me to-day." " Ah, Weingarten, " murmured the princess, tremblingly ; " he gave you a letter for me ; quick, quick, give it to me. " "No, he gave me no letter ; it appears that he, who formerly sent letters, is no longer in the condition to do so. " "He is dead!" cried Amelia with horror, and sank back as if struck by lightning. "No, princess, he is not dead, but in great danger. It appears that Weingarten is in great need of money ; for a hundred louis d'or, which I promised him, he confided to me that Trenck's ene- mies had excited the suspicions of the king against him, and de- clared that Trenck had designs against the life of Frederick. " "The miserable liars and slanderers!" cried Amelia, contemptu- ously. " The king, as it appears, believes in these charges ; he has writ- ten to his resident minister to demand of the senate of Dantzic the delivery of Trenck. " "Trenck is not in Dantzic, but in Vienna." " He is in Dantzic or, rather, he was there. " "And now?" "Now," said Pollnitz, solemnly, "he is on the way to Kunigg- 88 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. berg ; from that point he will be transported to some other fortress ; first, however, he will be brought to Berlin. " The unhappy princess uttered a shriek, which sounded like a wild death-cry. "He is, then, a prisoner?" " Yes ; but, on his way to prison, so long as he does not cross the threshold of the fortress, it is possible to deliver him. Weingarten, who, it appears to me, is much devoted to your highness, has drawn for me the plan of the route Trenck is to take. Here it is. " He handed the princess a small piece of paper, which she seized with trembling hands, and read hastily. " He comes through Coslin, " said she, joyfully ; " that gives a chance of safety in Coslin ! The Duke of Wurtemberg, the friend of my youthful days, is in Coslin ; he will assist me. Pollnitz, quick, quick, find me a courier who will carry a letter to the duke for me without delay. " " That will be difficult, if not impossible, " said Pollnitz, thought- fully. Amelia sprang from her seat ; her eyes had the old fire, her features their youthful expression and elasticity. The power and ardor of her soul overcame the weakness of her body ; it found energy and strength. " Well, then, " said she, decisively, and even her voice was firm and soft, " I will go myself ; and woe to him who dares withhold me ! I have been ordered to take sea-baths. I will go this hour to Coslin for that purpose ! but no, no, I cannot travel so rashly. Poll- nitz, you must find me a courier. " "I will try, " said Pollnitz. " One can buy all the glories of this world for gold ; and, I think, your highness will not regard a few louis d'or, more or less." " Find me a messenger, and I will pay every hour of his journey with a gold piece. " " I will send my own servant ; in half an hour he shall be ready. " " God be thanked ! it will, then, be possible to save him. Let me write this letter at once, and hasten your messenger. Let him fly as if he had wings as if the wild winds of heaven bore him on- ward. The sooner he brings me the answer of the duke, the greater shall be his reward. Oh, I will reward him as if I were a rich queen, and not a poor, forsaken, sorrowf ul princess. " "Write, princess, write," cried Pollnitz, eagerly; "but no, have the goodness to give me the hundred louis d'or before Mademoiselle Marwitz returns. I promised them to Weingarten for his news ; you can add to them the ducats you were graciously pleased to be- stow upon me. " THE UNHAPPY NEWS. 89 Amelia did not reply ; she stepped to the table and wrote a few lines, which she handed to Pollnitz. " Take this, " said she, almost contemptuously ; " it is a draft upon my banker, Orguelin. I thank you for allowing your services to be paid for ; it relieves me from all call to gratitude. Serve me faithfully in future, and you shall ever find my hand open and my purse full. And now give me time to write to the duke, and " " Princess, I hear Mademoiselle Marwitz returning !" Amelia left the writing-table hastily, and advanced to the door through which Mademoiselle Marwitz must enter. u Ah, you are come at last, " said she, as the door opened. " I was about to seek you. I feared you could not find the paper. " " It was very difficult to find amongst such a mass of letters and papers," said Mademoiselle Marwitz, whose suspicious glance was now wandering round the room. " I succeeded, however, at last ; here is the manuscript, your highness. " The princess took it and examined it carefully. " Ah, I thought so, " she said. " A monologue which Voltaire wrote for me, is miss- ing. I gave it to the king, and I see he has not returned it. I think my memory is the only faculty which retains its power. It is my misfortune that I cannot forget ! I "will test it to-day and try to write this monologue from memory. I must be alone, however. I pray you, mademoiselle, to go into the saloon with Pollnitz ; he can entertain you with the Chronique Scandaleuse of our most virtuous court, while I am writing. And now," said she, when she found herself alone, " may God give me power to reach the heart of the duke, and win him to my purpose !" With a firm hand she wrote : "Because you are happy, duke, you will have pity for the wretched. For a few days past, you have had your young and lovely wife at your side, and experienced the pure bliss of a happy union ; you will therefore comprehend the despair of those who love as fondly, and can never be united. And now, I would remind you of a day on which it was in my power to obtain for you a great favor from my brother the king. At that time you promised me to return this service tenfold, should it ever be in your power, and you made me promise, if I should ever need assistance, to turn to you alone ! My hour has come ! I need your help ; not for myself ! God and death alone can help me. I demand your aid for a man who is chained with me to the galleys. You know him have mercy upon him ! Perhaps he will arrive at your court in the same hour with my letter. Duke, will you be the jailer of the wretched and the powerless, who is imprisoned only because I am the daughter of a king? Are your officers constables? will you allow them to cast T 90 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. into an eternal prison him for whom I have wept night and day for many long years? "Oh, my God! my God! you have given wings to the birds of the air ; you have given to the horse his fiery speed ; you have de- clared that man is the king of creation ; you have marked upon his brow the seal of freedom, and this is his holiest possession. Oh, friend, will you consent that a noble gentleman, who has nothing left but his freedom, shall be unjustly deprived of it ! Duke, I call upon you ! Be a providence for my unhappy friend, and set him at liberty. And through my whole life long I will bless and honor you ! AMELIA. " " If he does not listen to this outcry of my soul, " she whispered, as she folded and sealed the letter " if he has the cruelty to let me plead in vain, then in my death-hour I will curse him, and charge him with being the murderer of my last hope !" The princess called Pollnitz, and, with an expressive glance, she handed him the letter. " Truly, my memory has not failed me, " she said to Mademoiselle Marwitz, who entered behind Pollnitz, and whose sharp eyes were fixed upon the letter in the baron's hand. "I have been able to write the whole monologue. Give this paper to my brother, Poll- nitz ; I have added a few friendly lines, and excused myself for de- clining the invitation. I cannot see this drama. " " Well, it seems to me I have made a lucrative affair of this, " said Pollnitz to himself, as he left the princess. " I promised Wein- garten only fifty louis d'or, so fifty remain over for myself, without counting the ducats which the princess intends for me. Besides, I shall be no such fool as to give my servant, who steals from me every day, the reward the princess has set apart for him ; and if I give him outside work to do, it is my opportunity ; he is my slave, and the reward is properly mine. " "Listen, John!" said Pollnitz to his servant, as he entered his apartment. Poor John was, at the same time, body-servant, jockey, and coachman. " Listen ; do you know exactly how much you have loaned me ?" " To a copper, your excellency, " said John, joyfully. Poor John thought that the hour of settlement had come. " Your excellency owes me fifty-three thalers, four groschen, and five pennies. " "Common soul," cried Pollnitz, shrugging his shoulders con- temptuously, " to be able to keep m remembrance such pitiful things as groschen and coppers. Well, I have a most pressing and impor- tant commission for you. You must saddle your horse immediately, and hasten to deliver this letter to the Duke of Wurtemberg. You must ride night and day and not rest till you arrive and deliver thi-j THE UNHAPPY NEWS. 91 packet into the duke's own hands. I will then allow you a day's rest for yourself and horse ; your return must be equally rapid. If you are here again in eight days, I will reward you royally. " " That is to say, your excellency" said John, in breathless ex- pectation. " That is to say, I will pay you half the sum I owe you, if you are here in eight days ; if you are absent longer, you will get only a third." "And if I return a day earlier?" said John, sighing. " I will give you a few extra thalers as a reward, " said Pollnitz. " But your excellency will, besides this, give me money for the journey, " said John, timidly. "Miserable, shameless beggar!" cried Pollnitz; " always demand- ing more than one is willing to accord you. Learn from your noble master that there is nothing more pitiful, more sordid than gold, and that those only are truly noble who serve others for honor's sake, and give no thought to reward. " " But, your grace, I have already the honor to have lent you all my money. I have not even a groschen to buy food for myself and horse on my journey. " "As for your money, sir, it is, under all circumstances, much safer with me than with you. You would surely spend it foolishly, while I will keep it together. Besides this, there is no other way to make servants faithful and submissive but to bind them to you by the miserable bond of selfishness. You would have left me a hun- dred times, if you had not been tied down by your own pitiful interests. You know well that if you leave me without my permis- sion, the law allows me to punish you, by giving the money I owe you to the poor. But enough of foolish talking ! Make ready for the journey ; in half an hour you must leave Berlin behind you. I will give you a few thalers to buy food. Now, hasten ! Remember, if you remain away longer than eight days, I will give you only a third of the money I am keeping for you. " This terrible threat had its effect upon poor John. In eight days Pollnitz sought the princess, and with a triumphant glance, slipped a letter into her hand, which read thus : " I thank you, princess, that you have remembered me, and given me an opportunity to aid the unhappy. You are right. God made raan to be free. I am no jailer, and my officers are not constables. They have, indeed, the duty to conduct the unhappy man who has been for three days the guest of my house, further on toward the fortress, but his feet and his hands shall be free, and if he takes a lesson from the bird in velocity, and from the wild horse in speed, his present escaoe will cost him less than his flight from Glatz. My 92 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. officers cannot be always on the watch, and God's world is large; it is impossible to guard every point. My soldiers accompany him to the brook Coslin. I commend the officer who will be discharged for neglect of duty to your highness. FERDINAND. " " He will have my help and my eternal gratitude, " whispered Amelia ; she then pressed the letter of the duke passsonately to her lips. "Oh, my God! I feel to-day what I have never before thought possible, that one can be happy without happiness. If fate will be merciful, and not thwart the noble purpose of Duke Ferdi- nand, from this time onward I will never murmur never complain. I will demand nothing of the future ; never more to see him, never more to hear from him, only that he may be free and happy. " In the joy of her heart she not only fulfilled her promise to give the messenger a gold piece for every hour of his journey, but she added a costly diamond pin for Pollnitz, which the experienced baron, even while receiving it from the trembling hand of the prin- cess, valued at fifty louis d'or. The baron returned with a well-filled purse and a diamond pin to his dwelling, and with imposing solemnity he called John into his boudoir. " John, " said he, " I am content with you. You have promptly fulfilled my commands. You returned the seventh day, and have earned the extra thalers. As for your money, how much do I owe you?" " Fifty-three thalers, four groschen, and five pennies. " "And the half of this is" "Twenty-seven thalers, fourteen groschen, two and a half pen- nies," said John, with a loudly beating heart and an expectant smile. He saw that the purse was well filled, and that his master was taking out the gold pieces. " "I will give you, including your extra guldens, twenty-eight thalers, fourteen groschen, two and a half pennies, " said Pollnitz, laying some gold pieces on the table. "Here are six louis d'or, or thirty-six thalers in gold to reckon up ; the fractions you claim are beneath my dignity. Take them, John, they are yours." John uttered a cry of rapture, and sprang forward with out- stretched hands to seize his gold. He had succeeded in gathering up three louis d'or, when the powerful hand of the baron seized him and held him back. "John, "said he, "I read in your wild, disordered countenance that you are a spendthrift, and this gold, which you have earned honestly, will soon be wasted in boundless follies. It is my duty, as your conscientious master and friend, to prevent this. I cannot allow you to take all of this money only one-half ; only three louis TRENCK ON HIS WAY TO PRISON. 93 d'or. I will put the other three with the sum. which I still hold, and take care of it for you. " With an appearance of firm principle and piety, he grasped the three louis d'or upon which the sighing John fixed his tearful eyes. " And now, what is the amount, " said Pollnitz, gravely, " which you have placed in my hands for safe- keeping?" " Thirty-two thalers, fourteen groschen, and five pennies, " said John; "and then the fractions from the three louis d'ors makes a thaler and eight groschen. " " Pitiful miser ! You dare to reckon fractions against your mas- ter, who, in his magnanimity, has just presented you with gold ! This is a meanness which merits exemplary punishment. " CHAPTER II. TRENCK ON HIS WAY TO PRISON. BEFORE the palace of the Duke of Wurtemberg, in C6slin, stood the light, open carriage in which the duke was accustomed to make excursions, when inclined to carry the reins himself, and enjoy freedom and the pure, fresh air, without etiquette and ceremony. To-day, however, the carriage was not intended for an ordinary excursion, but to transport a prisoner. This prisoner was no other than the unhappy Frederick Trenck, whom the cowardly republic of Dantzic, terrified at the menaces of the king, had delivered up to the Prussian police. The intelligence of his unhappy fate flew like a herald before him. He was guarded by twelve hussars, and the sad procession was received everywhere throughout the journey with kindly sympathy. All exerted themselves to give undoubted proofs of pity and consid- eration. Even the officers in command, who sat by him in the car- riage, and who were changed at every station, treated him as a loved comrade in arms, and not as a state prisoner. But while all sighed and trembled for him, Trenck alone was gay ; his countenance alone was calm and courageous. Not one moment, during the three days he passed in the palace of the duke, was his youthful and handsome face clouded by a single shadow. Not one moment did that happy, cheerful manner, by which he won all hearts, desert him. At the table, he was the brightest and witti- est ; his amusing narratives, anecdotes, and droll ideas made not only the duke, but the duchess and her maids, laugh merrily. In the afternoons, in the saloon of the duchess, he astonished and en- raptured the whole court circle by improvising upon any given 94 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. theme, and by the tasteful and artistic manner in which he sang the national ballads he had learned on his journeys through Italy, Germany, and Russia. At other times, he conversed with the duke upon philosophy and state policy ; and he was amazed at the varied information and wisdom of this young man, who seemed an experi- enced soldier and an adroit diplomat, a profound statesman, and a learned historian. By his dazzling talents, he not only interested but enchained his listeners. The duke felt sadly that it was not possible to retain the prisoner longer in Coslin. Three days of rest was the utmost that could be granted Trenck, without exciting suspicion. He sighed, as he told Trenck that his duty required of him to send him further on his dark journey. Trenck received this announcement with perfect composure, with calm self-possession. He took leave of the duke and duchess, and thanked them gayly for their gracious reception. " I hope that my imprisonment will be of short duration, and then your highness will, I trust, allow me to return to you, and offer the thanks of a free man. " "May we soon meet again !" said the duke, and he looked search- ingly upon Trenck, as if he wished to read his innermost thoughts. "As soon as you are free, come to me. I will not forsake you, no matter under what circumstances you obtain your freedom. " Had Trenck observed the last emphatic words of the duke, and did he understand their meaning? The duke did not know. No wink of the eyelid, not the slightest sign, gave evidence that Trenck had noticed their significance. He bowed smilingly, left the room with a firm step, and entered the carriage. The duke called back the ordnance officer who was to conduct him to the next station. "You have not forgotten my command?" said he. " No, your highness, I have not forgotten ; and obedience is a joyful duty, which I will perform punctually." "You will repeat this command, in my name, to the officer at the next station, and commission him to have it repeated at every station where my regiments are quartered. Every one shall give Trenck an opportunity to escape, but silently ; no word must be spoken to him on the subject. It must depend upon him to make use of the most favorable moment. My intentions toward him must be understood by him without explanations. He who is so unfortunate as to allow the prisoner to escape, can only be blamed for careless- ness in duty. Upon me alone will rest the responsibility to the King of Prussia. You shall proceed but five or six miles each day ; at this rate of travel it will take four days to reach the last barracks TRENCK ON HIS WAY TO PRISON. 95 of my soldiers, and almost the entire journey lies through dark, thick woods, and solitary highways. Now go, and may God be with you !" The duke stepped to the window to see Trenck depart, and to give him a last greeting. "Well, if he is not at liberty in the next few days, it will surely not be my fault, " murmured Duke Ferdinand, " and Princess Amelia cannot reproach me. " As Trenck drove from the gate, Duke Ferdinand turned thought- fully away. He was, against his will, oppressed by sad presenti- ments. For Trenck, this journey over the highways in the light, open carriage, was actual enjoyment. He inhaled joyfully the pure, warm, summer air his eyes rested with rapture upon the waving corn-fields, and the blooming, fragrant meadows through which they passed. With gay shouts and songs he seemed to rival the lark as she winged her way into the clouds above him. He was inno- cent, careless, and happy as a child. The world of Nature had been shut out from him in the dark, close carriage which had brought him to Coslin ; she greeted him now with glad smiles and gay adorning. It seemed as if she were decorated for him with her most odorous blossoms and most glorious sunshine as if she sent her softest breeze to kiss his cheek and whisper love -greetings in his ear. With upturned, dreamy glance, he followed the graceful movements of the pure, white clouds, and the rapid flight of the birds. Trenck was so happy in even this appearance of freedom, that he mistook it for liberty. The carriage rolled slowly over the sandy highways, and now entered a wood. The sweet odor of the fir-trees drew from Trenck a cry of rapture. He had felt the heat of the sun to be oppressive, and he now laid his head back under the shadow of the thick trees with a feeling of gladness. It will take us some hours to get through this forest," said the ordnance officer. "It is one of the thickest woods in this region, and the terror of the police. The escaped prisoner who succeeds in concealing himself here, may defy discovery. It is impossible to pursue him in these dark, tangled woods, and a few hours conduct him to the sea-shore, where there are ever small fishing-boats ready to receive the fugitive and place him safely upon some passing ship. But excuse me, sir ! the sun has been blazing down so hotly upon my head that I feel thoroughly wearied, and will follow the exam- ple of my coachman. Look ! he is fast asleep, and the horses are moving on of their own good-will. Good-night, Baron Trenck." He closed his eyes, and in a short time his loud snores and the nodding of his head from side to side gave assurance that he, also, was locked in slumber. 96 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. Profound stillness reigned around. Trenck gave himself wholly to the enjoyment of the moment. The peaceful stillness of the forest, interrupted only at intervals by the snorting of the horses, the sleepy chatter of the birds among the dark green branches, and the soft rustling and whispering of the trees, filled him with delight. "It is clear," he said to himself, "that this arrest in Dantzic was only a manoeuvre to terrify me. I rejected the proposal of the Prus- sian ambassador in Vienna, to return to Berlin and enter again the Prussian service, so the king wishes to punish and frighten me. This is a jest a comedy ! which the king is carrying on at my ex- pense. If I were really regarded as a deserter, as a prisoner for the crime of high treason, no officer would dare to guard me so care- lessly. In the beginning, I was harshly treated, in order to alarm and deceive me, and truly those twelve silent hussars, continually surrounding the closed carriage, had rather a melancholy aspect, and I confess I was imposed upon. But the mask has fallen, and I see behind the smiling, good-humored face of the king. He loved me truly once, and was as kind as a father. The old love has awakened and spoken in my favor. Frederick wishes to have me again in Berlin that is all ; and he knows well that I can be of service to him. He who has his spies everywhere, knows that no one else can give him such definite information as to the intentions and plans of Russia as I can that no one knows so certainly what the preparations for war, now going on throughout the whole of Russia, signify. Yes, yes ; so it is ! Frederick will have me again in his service ; he knows of my intimacy with the all-powerful wife of Bestuchef ; that I am in constant correspondence with her, and in this way informed of all the plans of the Russian government.* Possibly, the king intends to send me as a secret ambassador to St. Petersburg ! That would, indeed, open a career to me, and bring me exalted honor, and perhaps make that event possible which has heretofore only floated before my dazzled sight like a dream -picture. Oh, Amelia ! noblest, most constant of women ! could the dreams of our youth be realized? If fate, softened by your tears and your heroic courage, would at last unite you with him you have so fondly and so truly loved ! Misled by youth, presumption, and levity, I have sometimes trifled with my most holy remembrances, sometimes seemed unfaithful ; but my love to you has never failed ; I have worn it as a talisman about my heart. I have ever worshipped you, I have ever hoped in you, and I will believe in you always, if I doubt and despair of all others. Oh, Amelia ! protecting angel of my life ! perhaps 1 may now return to you. I shall see you again, * Frederick Trenck's "Memoirs." TRENCK ON HIS WAY TO PRISON. 9? look once more into your beauteous eyes, kneel humbly before you, and receive absolution for my sins. They were but sins of the flesh, my soul had no part in them. I will return to you, and live free, honored, and happy by your side. I know this by the gracious re- ception of the duke ; I know it by the careless manner in which I am guarded. Before the officer went to sleep he told me how securely a fugitive could hide himself in these woods. I, however, have no necessity to hide myself ; no misfortune hovers over me, honor and gladness beckon me on. I will not be so foolish as to fly ; life opens to me new and flowery paths, greets me with laughing hopes. " * Wholly occupied with these thoughts, Trenck leaned back in the carriage and gave himself up to bright dreams of the future. Slowly the horses moved through the deep, white sand, which made the roll of the wheels noiseless, and effaced instantaneously the footprints of men. The officer still slept, the coachman had dropped the reins, and nodded here and there as if intoxicated. The wood was drear and empty ; no human dwelling, no human face was seen. Had Trenck wished to escape, one spring from the low, open carriage ; a hundred hasty steps would have brought him to a thicket where discovery was impossible ; the carriage would have rolled on quietly, and when the sleepers aroused themselves, they would have had no idea of the direction Trenck had taken. The loose and rolling sand would not have retained his footprints, and the whispering trees would not have betrayed him. Trenck would not fly ; he was full of romance, faith, and hope ; his sanguine temper painted his future in enchanting colors. No, he would not flee, he had faith in his star. Life's earnest tragedy had yet for him a smiling face, and life's bitter truths seemed allur- ing visions. No, the king only wished to try him ; he wished to see if he could frighten him into an effort to escape ; he gave him the opportunity for flight, but if he made use of it, he would be lost forever in the eyes of Frederick, and his prospects utterly destroyed. If he bravely suffered the chance of escape to pass by, and arrived in Berlin, to all appearance a prisoner, the king would have the agreeable task of undeceiving him, and Trenck would have shown conclusively that he had faith in the king's magnanimity, and gave himself up to him without fear. He would have proved also that his conscience was clear, and that, without flattering, he could yield himself to the judgment of the king. " No, Trenck would not fly. In Berlin, liberty, love, and Amelia awaited him ; he would lose all this by flight ; it would all remain his if he did not allow himself to be enticed by the flattering goddess, opportunity, who now beck- * "Frederick Treuek'a Memoirs." 98 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. oned and nodded smilingly from behind every tree and every thicket. Trenck withstood these enticements during three long days ; with careless indifference he passed slowly on through this lonely region ; in his arrogant blindness and self -confidence he did not observe the careworn and anxious looks of the officers who conducted him ; he did not hear or understand the low, hesitating insinuations they dared to speak. "This is your last resting- point, " said the officer who had con- ducted him from the last station. " You will remain here this after- noon, and early to-morrow morning the cavalry officer Von Halber will conduct you to Berlin, where the last barracks of our regiment are to be found ; from that point the infantry garrison will take charge of your further transportation. " "I shall not make their duties difficult," said Trenck, gayly. " You see I am a good- natured prisoner ; no Argus eyes are neces- sary, as I have no intention to flee. " The officer gazed into his calm, smiling face with amazement, and then stepped out with the officer Von Halber, into whose house they had now entered, to make known his doubts and apprehensions. "Perhaps the opportunities which have been offered him have not been sufficiently manifest, " said Von Halber. " Perhaps he has not regarded them as safe, and he fears a failure. In that he is right ; a vain attempt at flight would be much more prejudicial to him than to yield himself without opposition. Well, I will see that he has now a sure chance to escape, and you may believe he will be cunning enough to take advantage of it. You may say this much to his highness the duke. " " But do not forget that the duke commanded us not to betray his intention to prepare these opportunities by a single word. This course would compromise the duke and all of us. " " I understand perfectly, " said Von Halber ; " I will speak elo- quently by deeds, and not with words. " True to this intention, Von Halber, after having partaken of a gay dinner with Trenck and several officers, left his house, accom- panied by all his servants. " The horses must be exercised, " said he ; and, as he was unmar- ried, no one remained in the house but Trenck. " You will be my house-guard for several hours, " said the officer to Trenck, who was standing at the door as he drove off. "I hope no one will come to disturb your solitude. My officers all accom- pany me, and I have no acquaintance in this little village. You will be entirely alone, and if, on my return, I find that you have disappeared in mist and fog, I shall believe that ennui has extin- guished you reduced you to a bodiless nothing. " TRENCK ON HIS WAY TO PRISON. 99 " Well, I think he must have understood that, " said Von Halber, as he dashed down the street, followed by his staff. " He must be blind and deaf if he does not flee from the fate before him. " Trenck, alas ! had not understood. He believed in no danger, and did not, therefore, see the necessity for flight. He found this quiet, lonely house inexpressibly wearisome. He wandered through the rooms, seeking some object of interest, or some book which would enable him to pass the tedious hours. The cavalry officer was a gallant and experienced soldier, but he was no scholar, and had nothing to do with books. Trenck's search was in vain. Discon- tented and restless, he wandered about, and at last entered the little court which led to the stable. A welcome sound fell on his ears, and made his heart beat jofyully ; with rapid steps he entered the stable. Two splendid horses stood in the stalls, snorting and stamp- ing impatiently ; they were evidently riding-horses, for near them hung saddles and bridles. Their nostrils dilated proudly as they threw their heads back to breathe the fresh air which rushed in at the open door. It appeared to Trenck that their flashing eyes were pleading to him for liberty and action. " Poor beasts, " said he, stepping forward, and patting and caress- ing them " poor beasts, you also pine for liberty, and hope for my assistance ; but I cannot, I dare not aid you. Like you, I also am a prisoner, and like you also, a prisoner to my will. If you would use your strength, one movement of your powerful muscles would tear your bonds asunder, and your feet would bear you swiftly like wings through the air. If I would use the present opportunity, which beckons and smiles upon me, it would be only necessary to spring upon your back and dash off into God's fair and lovely world. We would reach our goal, we would be free, but we would both be lost ; we would be recaptured, and would bitterly repent our short dream of self-acquired freedom. It is better for us both that we remain as we are ; bound, not with chains laid upon our bodies, but by wisdom and discretion. So saying, he smoothed tenderly the glossy throat of the gallant steed, whose jofyul neigh filled his heart with an inexplicable mel- ancholy. " I must leave you, " murmured he, shudderingly ; " your lusty neighing intoxicates my senses, and reminds me of green fields and fragrant meadows ; of the broad highways, and the glad feeling of liberty which one enjoys when flying through the world on the back of a gallant steed. No ! no ! I dare no longer look upon you ; all my wisdom and discretion might melt away, and I might be allured to seek for myself that freedom which I must receive alone at the hands of the king, in Berlin. " 100 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. With hasty steps Trenck left the stable and returned to the house, where he stretched himself upon the sofa, and gave himself up to dreamland. It was twilight when Halber returned from his long ride. "All is quiet and peaceful," said he, as he entered the house. " The bird has flown, this time ; he found the opportunity favorable. " With a contented smile, he entered his room, but his expression changed suddenly, and his trembling lips muttered a soldier's curse. There lay Trenck in peaceful slumber ; his handsome, youthful face was bright and free from care, and those must be sweet dreams which floated around him, for he smiled in his sleep. "Poor fellow !" said Von Halber, shaking his head ; "he must be mad, or struck with blindness, and cannot see the yawning abyss at his feet. " He awakened Trenck, and asked him how he had amused him- self, during the long hours of solitude. " I looked through all your house, and then entered the stables and gladdened my heart by the sight of your beautiful horses. " " Thunder and lightning ! You have then seen my horses, " cried Halber, thoroughly provoked. " Did no wish arise in your heart to mount one and seek your liberty ?" Frederick Trenck smiled. "The wish, indeed, arose in my heart, but I suppressed it manfully. Do you not see, dear Halber, that it would be unthankful and unknightly to reward in this cowardly and contemptible way the magnanimous confidence you have shown me. " " Truly, you are an honorable gentleman, " cried Halber, greatly touched ; " I had not thought of that. It would not have been well to flee from my house. " " To-morrow he will fly, " thought the good-natured soldier, "when once more alone to-morrow, and the opportunity shall not be wanting. " Von Halber left his house early in the morning to conduct his prisoner to Berlin. No one accompanied them ; no one but the coachman, who sat upon the box and never looked behind him. Their path led through a thick wood. Von Halber entertained the prisoner as the lieutenant had done who conducted Trenck the day he left Coslin. He called his attention to the denseness of the forest, and spoke of the many fugitives who had concealed them- selves there till pursuit was abandoned. He then invited Trenck to get down and walk with him, near the carriage. As Trenck accepted the invitation, and strolled along by his side in careless indifference, Von Halber suddenly observed that the ground was covered with mushrooms. " Let us gather a few, " said he ; " the young wife of one of my TRENCK ON HIS WAY TO PRISON. 101 friends understands bow to make a glorious dish of them, and if I take her a large collection, she will consider it a kind attention. Let us take our hats and handkerchiefs, and fill them. You will take the right path into the wood, and I the left. In one hour we will meet here again. " Without waiting for an answer, the good Halber turned to the left in the wood, and was lost in the thicket. In an hour he returned to the carriage, and found Trenck smilingly awaiting him. He turned pale, and with an expression of exasperation, he ex- claimed : "You have not then lost yourself in the woods?" " I have not lost myself, " said Trenck, quietly ; " and I have gathered a quantity of beautiful mushrooms. " Trenck handed him his handkerchief, filled with small, round mushrooms. Halber threw them with a sort of despair into the car- riage, and then, without saying one word, he mounted and nodded to Trenck to follow him. " And now let us be off, " said he, shortly. " Coachman, drive on!" He leaned back in the carriage, and with frowning brow he gazed up into the heavens. Slowly the carriage rolled through the sand, and it seemed as if the panting, creeping horses shrank back from reaching their goal, the boundary-line of the Wurtembergian dragoons. Trenck had followed his companion's example, and leaned back in the carriage. Halber was gloomy and filled with dark forebodings. Trenck was gay and unembarrassed ; not the slightest trace of care or mistrust could be read in his features. They moved onward silently. The air was fresh and pure, the heavens clear ; but a dark cloud was round about the path of this dazzled, blinded young officer. The birds sang of it on the green boughs, but Trenck would not understand them. They sang of liberty and gladness ; they called to him to follow their example, and fly far from the haunts of men ! The dark wood echoed Fly ! fly ! in powerful organ-tones, but Trenck took them for the holy hymns of God's peaceful, sleeping world. He heard not the trees, as with warning voices they bowed down and murmured, Flee ! flee ! Come under our shadow, we will conceal you till the danger be overpast ! Flee ! flee ! Misfortune, like a cruel vulture, is float- ing over you already her fangs are extended to grasp you. The desert winds, in wild haste rushed by and covering this poor child of sorrow with clouds of dust, whispered in his ear, Fly ! fly ! fol- low my example and rush madly backward ! Misfortune advances to meet you, and a river of tears flows down the path you are blindly 102 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. following. Turn your head and flee, before this broad, deep stream overtakes you. The creaking wheels seemed to sob out, Fly ! fly ! we are rolling you onward to a dark and eternal prison ! Do you not hear the clashing of chains? Do you not see the open grave at your feet? These are your chains ! that is your grave, already prepared for the living, glowing heart ! Fly ! then, fly ! You are yet free to choose. The clouds which swayed on over the heavens, traced in purple and gold the warning words, Fly ! fly ! or you look upon us for the last time ! Upon the anxious face of Von Halber was also to be seen, Fly now, it is high time ! I see the end of the wood ! I see the first houses of Boslin. Fly ! then, fly ! it is high time ! Alas, Trenck's eyes were blinded, and his ears were filled with dust. " Those whom demons will destroy, they first strike with blind- ness. " Trenck's evil genius had blinded his eyes his destruction was sure. There remained no hope of escape. The carriage had reached the end of the wood and rolled now over the cJiausse to Boslin. But what means this great crowd before the stately house which is decorated with the Prussian arms? What means this troop of soldiers who with stern, frowning brows, surround the dark coach with the closed windows? "We are in Boslin," said Von Halber, pointing toward the group of soldiers. " That is the post-house, and, as you see, we are ex- pected." For the first time Trenck was pale, and horror was written in his face. "I am lost!" stammered he, completely overcome, and sink- ing back into the carriage he cast a wild, despairing glance around him, and seized the arm of Halber with a powerful hand. " Be merciful, sir ! oh, be merciful ! Let us move more slowly. Turn back, oh, turn back ! just to the entrance of the wood only to the entrance of the street !" il You see that is impossible, " said Von Halber, sadly. " We are recognized ; if we turn back now, they will welcome us with bullets. " " It were far better for me to die, " murmured Trenck, " than to enter that dark prison that open grave !" " Alas ! you would not fly you would not understand me. I gave you many opportunities, but you would not avail yourself of them. " " I was mad, mad !" cried Trenck. " I had confidence in myself I had faith in my good star but the curse of my evil genius has overtaken me. Oh, my God ! I am lost, lost ! All my hopes were deceptive the king is my irreconcilable enemy, and he will revenge my past life on my future ! I have this knowledge too late. Oh, Halber ! go slowly, slowly ; I must give you my last testament. PRINCE HENRY AND HIS WIFE. 10 3 Mark well what I say these are the last words of a man who is more to be pitied than the dying. It is a small service which I ask of you, but my existence depends upon it : Go quickly to the Duke of Wurtemberg and say this to him : ' Frederick von Trenck sends Duke Ferdinand his last greeting ! He is a prisoner, and in death's extremity. Will the duke take pity on him, and convey this news to her whom he knows to be Trenck 's friend? Tell her Trenck is a prisoner, and hopes only in her !' Will you swear to me to do this?" " I swear it, " said Von Halber, deeply moved. The carriage stopped. Von Halber sprang down and greeted the officer who was to take charge of Trenck. The soldiers placed themselves on both sides of the coach, and the door was opened. Trenck cast a last despairing, imploring glance to heaven, then, with a firm step, approached the open coach. In the act of enter- ing, he turned once more to the officer Von Halber, whose friendly eyes were darkened with tears. "You will not forget, sir!" These simply, sadly-spoken words, breaking the solemn, impos- ing silence, made an impression upon the hearts of even the stern soldiers around them. " I will not forget, " said Von Halber, solemnly. Trenck bowed and entered the coach. The officer followed him and closed the door. Slowly, like a funeral procession, the coach moved on. Von Halber gazed after him sadly. " He is right, he is more to be pitied than the dying. I will hasten to fulfil his last testament. " Eight days later, the Princess Amelia received through the hands of Pollnitz a letter from Duke Ferdinand. As she read it, she uttered a cry of anguish, and sank insensible upon the floor. The duke's letter contained these words : " All my efforts were in vain ; he would not fly, would not be- lieve in his danger. In the casemates of Magdeburg sits a poor prisoner, whose, last words directed to me were these : ' Say to her whom you know that I am a prisoner, and hope only in her. ' " CHAPTER III. PRINCE HENRY AND HIS WIFE. PRINCE HENRY walked restlessly backward and forward in his study ; his brow was stern, and a strange fire flamed in his eye. He felt greatly agitated and oppressed, and scarcely knew the cause himself. Nothing had happened to disturb his equanimity and give 104 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. occasion for his wayward mood. The outside world wore its accus- tomed gay and festal aspect. To-day, as indeed almost every day since the prince resided at Rheinsberg, preparations were being made for a gay entertainment. A country fete was to be given in the woods near the palace, and all the guests were to appear as shep- herds and sheperdesses. Prince Henry had withdrawn to his own room to assume the tasteful costume which had been prepared for him ; but he seemed to have entirely forgotten his purpose. The tailor and thefriseur awaited him in vain in his dressing-room ; he forgot their existence. He paced his room with rapid steps, and his tightly -compressed lips opened from time to time to utter a few broken, disconnected words. Of what was the prince thinking? He did not know, or he would not confess it to himself. Perhaps he dared not look down deep into his heart and comprehend the new feelings and new wishes which were struggling there. At times he stood still, and looked with a wild, rapt expression into the heavens, as if they alone could answer the mysterious ques- tions his soul was whispering to him ; then passed on with his hand pressed on his brow to control or restrain the thoughts which agi- tated him. He did not hear a light tap upon the door, he did not see it open, and his most intimate and dearest friend, Count Kal- kreuth enter, dressed in the full costume of a shepherd. Count Kalkreuth stood still, and did nothing to call the attention of the prince to his presence. He remained at the door ; his face was also dark and troubled, and the glance which he fixed upon Prince Henry was almost one of hatred. The prince turned, and the count's expression changed instantly ; he stepped gayly forward and said : " Your royal highness sees my astonishment at finding you lost in such deep thought, and your toilet not even commenced. I stand like Lot's blessed wife, turned to stone upon your threshold ! Have you forgotten, my prince, that you commanded us all to be ready punctually at four o'clock? The castle clock is at this moment striking four. The ladies and gentlemen will now assemble in the music-saloon, as you directed, and you, prince, are not yet in costume. " " It is true, " said Prince Henry, somewhat embarrassed, " I had forgotten ; but I will hasten to make good my fault. " He stepped slowly, and with head bowed down, toward his dress- ing-room ; at the door, he stood and looked back at the count. " You are already in costume, my friend, " said he, noticing for the first time the fantastic dress of the count. "Truly, this style becomes you marvellously ; your bright-colored satin jacket shows PRINCE HENRY AND HIS WIFE. 105 your fine proportions as advantageously as your captain's uniform. But what means this scarf which you wear upon your shoulder?" " These are the colors of my shepherdess, " said the count, with a constrained smile. "Who is your shepherdess?" " Your highness asks that, when you yourself selected her !" said Kalkreuth, astonished. " Yes it is true ; I forgot, " said the prince. " The princess, my wife, is your shepherdess. Well, I sincerely hope you may find her highness more gay and gracious than she was to me this morning, and that you may see the rare beauty of this fair rose, of which I only feel the thorns !" While the prince was speaking, the count became deathly pale, and looked at him with painful distrust. " It is true, " he replied, " the princess is cold and reserved toward her husband. Without doubt, this is the result of a determination to meet your wishes fully, and to remain clearly within the boun- dary which your highness at the time of your marriage, more than a year ago, plainly marked out for her. The princess knows, per- haps too well, that her husband is wholly indifferent to her beauty and her expression, and therefore feels herself at liberty to yield to each changeful mood without ceremony in your presence. " " You are right, " said Prince Henry, sadly, " she is wholly in- different to me, and I have told her so. We will speak no more of it. What, indeed, are the moods of the princess to me? I will dress, go to the music-saloon, and ask for forgiveness in my name for my delay. I will soon be ready ; I will seek the princess in her apartments, and we will join you in a few moments. " The prince bowed and left the room. Kalkreuth gazed after him thoughtfully and anxious. "His manner is unaccountably strange to-day," whispered he. " Has he, perhaps, any suspicion ; and these apparently artless ques- tions and remarks, this distraction and forgetfulness But no, no ! it is impossible ; he can know nothing no one has betrayed me. It is the anguish of my conscience which makes me fearful ; this suffering I must bear, it is the penalty I pay for my great happi- ness. " The count sighed deeply and withdrew. The prince completed his toilet, and sought the princess in her apartment, in the other wing of the castle. With hasty steps he passed through the corridors ; his countenance was anxious and ex- pectant, his eyes were glowing and impatient, haste marked every movement ; he held in his hand a costly bouquet of white camelias. When he reached the anteroom of the princess he became pallid, and leaned for a moment, trembling and gasping for breath, against 8 106 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. the wall ; he soon, however, by a strong effort, controlled himself, entered, and commanded the servant to announce him. The Princess Wilhelmina received her husband with a stiff, ceremonious courtesy, which, in its courtly etiquette, did not corre- spond with the costume she had assumed. The proud and stately princess was transformed into an enchanting, lovely shepherdess. It was, indeed, difficult to decide if the princess were more beauti- ful in her splendid court toilet, adorned with diamonds, and wear- ing on her high, clear brow a sparkling diadem, proud and conscious of her beauty and her triumphs ; or now, in this artistic costume, in which she was less imposing, but more enchanting and more gracious. Wilhelmina wore an under- skirt of white satin, a red tunic, gayly embroidered and festooned with white roses ; a white satin bodice, embroidered with silver, defined her full but pliant form, and displayed her luxurious bust in its rare proportions ; a bouquet of red roses was fastened upon each shoulder, and held the silvery veil which half concealed the lovely throat and bosom. The long, black, unpowdered hair fell in graceful ringlets about her fair neck, and formed a dark frame for the beautiful face, glowing with health, youth, and intellect. In her hair she wore a wreath of red and white roses, and a bouquet of the same in her bosom. She was, indeed, dazzling in her beauty, and was, perhaps, con- scious of her power ; her eyes sparkled, and a ravishing smile played upon her lips as she looked up at the prince, who stood dumb and embarrassed before her, and could find no words to express his admiration. " If it is agreeable to your highness, let us join your company, " said the princess, at last, anxious to put an end to this interview. She extended her hand coolly to her husband ; he grasped it, and held it fast, but still stood silently looking upon her. "Madame," said he, at last, in low and hesitating tones " madame, I have a request to make of you. " "Command me, my husband," said she, coldly; "what shall I do?" " I do not wish to command, but to entreat, " said the prince. " Well, then, Prince Henry, speak your request. " The prince gave the bouquet of white camelias to his wife, and said, in a faltering, pleading voice, " I beg you to accept this bou- quet from me, and to wear it to-day in your bosom, although it is not your shepherd who offers it !" " No, not my shepherd, but my husband, " said the princess, re- moving angrily the bouquet of roses from her bodice. " I must, of course, wear the flowers he gives me. " PRINCE HENRY AND HIS WIFE. 107 Without giving one glance at the flowers, she fastened them in her bosom. "If you will not look upon them for my sake," said the prince, earnestly, "I pray you, give them one glance for the flowers' sake. You will at least feel assured that no other shepherdess is adorned with such a bouquet. " " Yes, " said Wilhelmina, " these are not white roses ; indeed, they seem to be artificial flowers ; their leaves are hard and thick like alabaster, and dazzlingly white like snow. What flowers are these, my prince?" "They are camelias. I recently heard you speak of these rare flowers, which had just been imported to Europe. I hoped to please you by placing them in your hands. " " Certainly ; but I did not know that these new exotics were blooming in our land. " "And they are not," said Prince Henry. "This bouquet comes from Schwetzingen ; there, only, in Germany, in the celebrated green-houses of the Margravine of Baden can they be seen. " "How, then, did you get them?" said the princess, astonished. " I sent a courier to Schwetzingen ; the blossoms were wrapped in moist, green moss, and are so well preserved, that they look as fresh as when they were gathered six days since. " "And you sent for them for me?" said Wilhelmina. "Did you not express a wish to see them?" replied the prince; and his glance rested upon her with such ardent passion that, blush- ing, she cast her eyes to the ground, and stood still and ashamed before him. " And you have not one little word of thanks ?" said the prince, after a long pause. " Will you not fasten these pure flowers on your bosom, and allow them to die a happy death there ? Alas ! you are hard and cruel with me, princess ; it seems to me that your husband dare claim from you more of kindliness and friendship. " " My husband !" cried she, in a mocking tone. She turned her eyes, searchingly, in every direction around the room. " It appears to me that we are alone and wholly unobserved, and that it is here unnecessary for u-i to play this comedy and call ourselves by those names which we adopted to deceive the world, and which you taught me to regard as empty titles. It is, indeed, possible that a wife should be more friendly and affectionate to her husband ; but I do not believe that a lady dare give more encouragement to a cavalier than I manifest to your royal highness. " " You are more friendly to all the world than to me, Wilhelmina, " said the prince, angrily. " You have a kindly word, a magic glance, a gracious reception for all others who approach you. To me alone 108 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. are you cold and stern ; your countenance darkens as soon as I draw near ; the smile vanishes from your lips ; your brow is clouded and your eyes are fixed upon me with almost an expression of contempt. I see, madame, that you hate me ! Well, then, hate me ; but I do not deserve your contempt, and I will not endure it ! It is enough that you martyr me to death with your cutting coldness, your crush- ing indifference. The world, at least, should not know that you hate me, and I will not be publicly humiliated by you. What did I do this morning, for example? Why were you so cold and scorn- ful ? Wherefore did you check your gay laugh as I entered the room ? wherefore did you refuse me the little flower you held in your hand, and then throw it carelessly upon the floor?" The princess looked at him with flashing eyes. " You ask many questions, sir, and on many points, " said she, sharply. " I do not think it necessary to reply to them. Let us join our company." She bowed proudly and advanced, but the prince held her back. " Do not go, " said he, entreatingly, " do not go. Say first that you pardon me, that you are no longer angry. Oh, Wilhelmina, you do not know what I suffer ; you can never know the anguish which tortues my soul. " " I know it well ; on the day of our marriage your highness ex- plained all. It was not necessary to return to this bitter subject. I have not forgotten one word spoken on that festive occasion. " "What do you mean, Wilhelmina? How could I, on our wed- ding-day, have made known to you the tortures which I now suffer ; from which I was then wholly free, and in whose possibility I did not believe?" " It is possible that your sufferings have become more intolera- ble, " said the princess, coldly ; " but you confided them to me fully and frankly at that time. It was, indeed, the only time since our marriage we had any thing to confide. Our only secret is, that we do not love and never can love each other ; that only in the eyes of the world are we married. There is no union of hearts. " " Oh, princess, your words are death !" And completely overcome, he sank upon a chair. Wilhelmina looked at him coldly, without one trace of emotion. "Death?" said she, "why should I slay you? We murder only those whom we love or hate. I neither love nor hate you. " "You are only, then, entirely indifferent to me," asked the prince. "I think, your highness, this is what you asked of me, on our wedding-day. I have endeavored to meet your wishes, and thereby, at least, to prove to you that I had the virtue of obedience. Oh, I PRINCE HENRY AND HIS WIFE. 109 can never forget that hour, " cried the princess. " I came a stranger, alone, ill from home-sickness and anguish of heart, to Berlin. I was betrothed according to the fate of princesses. I was not con- sulted ! I did not know I had never seen the man to whom I must swear eternal love and faith. This was also your sad fate, my prince. We had never met. We saw each other for the first time as we stood before God's altar, and exchanged our vows to the sound of merry wedding-bells, and the roar of cannon. I am always thinking that the bells ring and the cannon thunders at royal mar- riages, to drown the timid, trembling yes, forced from pallid, un- willing lips, which rings in the ears of God and men like a discord like the snap of a harp-string. The bells chimed melodiously. No man heard the yes at which our poor hearts rebelled ! We alone heard and understood ! You were noble, prince ; you had been forced to swear a falsehood before the altar ; but in the evening, when we were alone in our apartment, you told me the frank and honest truth. State policy united us ; we did not and could never love each other ! You were amiable enough to ask me to be your friend your sister; and to give me an immediate proof of a brother's confidence, you confessed to me that, with all the ardor and ecstasy of your youthful heart, you had loved a woman who betrayed you, and thus extinguished forever all power to love. I, my prince, could not follow your frank example, and give a like confidence. I had nothing to relate. I had not loved ! I loved you not ! I was therefore grateful when you asked no love from me. You only asked that, with calm indifference, we should remain side by side, and greet each other, before the world, with the empty titles of wife and husband. I accepted this proposal joyfully, to remain an object of absolute indifference to you, and to regard you in the same light. I cannot, therefore, comprehend why you now reproach me." " Yes ! yes ! I said and did all that, " said Prince Henry, pale and trembling with emotion. " I was a madman ! More than that, I was a blasphemer! Love is as God holy, invisible, and eternal; and he who does not believe in her immortality, her omnipresence, is like the heathen, who has faith only in his gods of wood and stone, and whose dull eyes cannot behold the invisible glory of the Godhead. My heart had at that time received its first wound, and because it bled and pained me fearfully, I believed it to be dead, and I covered it up with bitter and cruel remembrances, as in an iron coffin, from which all escape was impossible. An angel drew near, and laid her soft, fine hand upon my coffin ; my wounds were healed, my youth revived, and I dared hope in happiness and a future. At first, I would not confess this to myself. At first, I 110 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. thought to smother this new birth of my heart in the mourning veil of my past experience ; but my heart was like a giant in his first manhood, and cast off all restraint ; like Hercules in his cradle, he strangled the serpents which were hissing around him. It was in- deed a painful happiness to know that I had again a heart , that I was capable of feeling the rapture and the pain, the longing, the hopes and fears, the enthusiasm and exaltation, the doubt and the despair which make the passion of love, and I have to thank you, Wilhelmina you alone, you, my wife, for this new birth. You turn away your head, Wilhelmina ! You smile derisively ! It is true I have not the right to call you my wife. You are free to spurn me from you, to banish me forever into that cold, desert region to which I fled in the madness and blindness of my despair. But think well, princess ; if you do this, you cast a shadow over my life. It is my whole future which I lay at your feet, a future for which fate perhaps intends great duties and greater deeds. I cannot fulfil these duties, I can perform no heroic deed, unless you, princess, grant me the blessing of happiness. I shall be a silent, unknown, and useless prince, the sad and pitiful hanger-on of a throne, de- spised and unloved, a burden only to my people, unless you give freedom and strength to my sick soul, which lies a prisoner at your feet. Wilhelmina, put an end to the tortures of the last few months, release me from the curse which binds my whole life in chains ; speak but one word, and I shall have strength to govern the world, and prove to you that I am worthy of you. I will force the stars from heaven, and place them as a diadem upon your brow. Say only that you will try to love me, and I will thank you for hap- piness and fame." Prince Henry was so filled with his passion and enthusiasm, that he did not remark the deadly pallor of Wilhelmina's face that he did not see the look of anguish and horror with which her eyes rested for one moment upon him, then shrank blushingly and ashamed upon the floor. He seized her cold, nerveless hands, and pressed them to his heart ; she submitted quietly. She seemed turned to stone. " Be merciful, Wilhelmina ; say that you forgive me that you will tiy to love me. " The princess shuddered, and glanced up at him. "I must say that," murmured she, "and you have not once said that you love me." The prince shouted with rapture, and, falling upon his knees, he exclaimed, " I love you ! I adore you ! I want nothing, will accept nothing, but you alone ; you are my love, my hope, my future. Wilhelmina, if you do not intend me to die at your feet, say that THE FETE IN THE WOODS. Ill yon do not spurn me open your arms and clasp me to your heart. " The princess stood immovable for a moment, trembling and swaying from side to side ; her lips opened as if to utter a wild, mad cry pain was written on every feature. The prince saw noth- ing of this his lips were pressed upon her hand, and he did not look up he did not see his wife press her pale lips tightly together to force back her cries of despair he did not see that her eyes were raised in unspeakable agony to heaven. The battle was over ; the princess bowed over her husband, and her hands softly raised him from his knees. " Stand up, prince I dare not see you lying at my feet. You have a right to my love you are my husband. " Prince Henry clasped her closely, passionately in his arms. CHAPTER IV. THE FETE IN THE WOODS. No fete was ever brighter and gayer than that of Rheinsberg. It is true, the courtly circle waited a long time before the beginning of their merry sports. Hours passed before the princely pair joined their guests in the music-saloon. The sun of royalty came at last, shedding light and gladness. Never had the princess looked more beautiful more rosy. She seemed, indeed, to blush at the consciousness of her own attrac- tions. Never had Prince Henry appeared so happy, so triumphant, as to-day. His flashing eyes seemed to challenge the whole world to compete with his happiness ; joy and hope danced in his eyes ; never had he given so gracious, so kindly a greeting to every guest, as to-day. The whole assembly was bright and animated, and gave them- selves up heartily to the beautiful idyl for which they had met to- gether under the shadow of the noble trees in the fragrant woods of Rheinsberg. No gayer, lovelier shepherds and shepherdesses were ever seen in Arcadia, than those of Rheinsberg to-day. They laughed, and jested, and performed little comedies, and rejoiced in the innocent sports of the happy moment. Here wandered a shep- herd and his shepherdess, chatting merrily ; there, under the shadow of a mighty oak, lay a forlorn shepherd singing, accompanied by his zitter, a love-lorn ditty to his cruel shepherdess, who was leading two white lambs decked with ribbons, in a meadow near by, and replied to his tender pleading with mocking irony. Upon the little 112 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. lake, in the neighborhood of which they had assembled, the snow- white swans swam majestically to and fro. The lovely shepherdesses stood upon the borders and enticed the swans around them, and laughed derisively at the shepherds who had embarked in the little boats, and were now driven sportively back in every direction, and could find no place to land. Prince Henry loved this sort of fite, and often gave such at Rheinsberg, but never had he seemed to enjoy himself so thoroughly as to-day. His guests generally sympathized in his happiness, but there was one who looked upon his joyous face with bitterness. This was Louise du Trouffle, once Louise von Kleist, once the be- loved of the prince. She was married, and her handsome, amiable, and intelligent husband was ever by her side ; but the old wounds still burned, and her pride bled at the contempt of the prince. She knew he was ignorant of the great sacrifice she had been forced to make that he despised, in place of admiring and pitying her. The prince, in order to show his utter indifference, had invited her husband and herself to court. In the pride of his sick and wounded heart, he resolved to convince the world that the beautiful Louise von Kleist had not scorned and rejected his love. In her presence he resolved to show his young wife the most lover-like attentions, and prove to his false mistress that he neither sought nor fled from her that he had utterly forgotten her. But Louise was not deceived by this acting. She understood him thoroughly, and knew better than the prince himself, that his indifference was assumed, and his contempt and scorn was a veil thrown over his betrayed and quivering heart to conceal his suffer- ings from her. Louise had the courage to accept Prince Henry's invitations, and to take part in all the festivities with which he ostentatiously celebrated his happiness. She had the courage to receive his cutting coldness, his cruel sarcasm, his contempt, with calm composure and sweet submission. With the smile of a stoic, she offered her defenceless breast to his poisoned arrows, and even the tortures she endured were precious in her sight. She was con- vinced that the prince had not relinquished or forgotten her that his indifference and contempt was assumed to hide his living, breathing love. For some time past the change in the manners and bearing of the prince had not escaped the sharp, searching glance of the experienced coquette. For a long time he appeared not to see her now she felt that he did not see her. He had been wont to say the most indifferent things to her in a fierce, excited tone now he was self-possessed, and spoke to her softly and kindly. "The wound has healed, " said Louise du Trouffle to herself. " He THE FETE IN THE WOODS. 113 no longer scorns because he no longer loves me. " But she did not know that he had not only ceased to love her, but loved another passionately. This suspicion was excited, however, for the first time to-day. In the flashing eye, the glad smile, the proud glance which he fixed upon his fair young wife, Louise discovered that Henry had buried the old love and a new one had risen from its ashes. This knowledge tortured her heart in a wild storm of jealousy. She forgot all considerations of prudence, all fear, even of the king. She had been compelled to relinquish the hand of the prince, but she would not lose him wholly. Perhaps he would return to her when he knew what a fearful offering she had made to him. He would recognize her innocence, and mourn over the tortures he had inflicted during the last year. She would try this ! She would play her last trump, and dare all with the hope of winning. There stood the prince under the shadow of a large tree, gazing dreamily at his wife, who, with other shepherdesses, and her shep- herd, Count Kalkreuth, was feeding the swans on the border of the lake. The prince was alone, and Louise rashly resolved to approach him. He greeted her with a slight nod, and turning his eyes again upon his wife, he said, carelessly, "Are you also here, Madame du Trouffle?" " Your royal highness did me the honor to invite me I am accus- tomed to obey your wishes, and I am here. " "That is kind," said the prince, abstractedly, still glancing at the princess. Louise sighed deeply, and stepping nearer, she said, "Are you still angry with me, my prince? Have you never forgiven me?" "What?" said the prince, quietly; "I do not remember that I have any thing to forgive. " " Ah, I see ! you despise me still, " said Louise, excitedly ; " but I will bear this no longer ! I will no longer creep about like a cul- prit, burdened with your curse and your scorn. You shall at least know what it cost me to earn your contempt what a fearful sacri- fice I was compelled to make to secure your supposed personal hap- piness. I gave up for you the happiness of my life, but I can and will no longer fill a place of shame in your memory. If, from time to time, your highness thinks of me, you shall do me justice !" " I think no longer of you in anger, " said the prince, smiling. "That sorrow has long since passed away. " "From your heart, prince, but not from mine ! My heart bleeds, and will bleed eternally ! You must not only forgive you must do me justice. Listen, then ; and so truly as there is a God above us, I will speak the tuth. I did not betray you I was not faithless. My heart and my soul I laid gladly at your feet, and thanked Ged 114 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. for the fulness of nay happiness. My thoughts, my existence, my future, was chained to you. I had no other will, no other wish, IK other hope. I was your slave I wanted nothing but your love. " " Ah, and then came this Monsieur du Trouffle, and broke your fetters gave your heart liberty and wings for a new flight, " said Prince Henry. " No, then came the king and commanded me to give you up, " murmured Louise ; " then came the king, and forced me to offer up myself and my great love to your future welfare. Oh, my prince ! recall that terrible hour in which we separated. I said to you that I had betrothed myself to Captain du Trouffle that of my own free choice, and influenced by love alone, I gave myself to him. " " I remember that hour. " "Well, then, in that hour we were not alone. The king was concealed behind the portiere, and listened to my words. He dic- tated them ! he threatened me with destruction if I betrayed his presence by look or word ; if I gave you reason to suspect that I did not, of my own choice and lovingly, give myself to this unloved, yes, this hated man ! I yielded only after the most fearful contest with the king, to whom, upon my knees and bathed in tears, I pleaded for pity. " " What means could the king use, what threats could he utter, which forced you to such a step?" said the prince, incredulously. "Did he threaten you with death if you did not obey? When one truly loves, death has no terrors ! Did he say he would murder me if you did not release me? You knew I had a strong arm and a stronger will ; you should have trusted both. You placed your fate in my hands ; you should have obeyed no other commands than mine. And now shall I speak the whole truth? I do not believe in this sacrifice on your part ; it would have required more than mortal strength, and it would have been cruel in the extreme. You saw what I suffered. My heart was torn with anguish ! No, madame, no ; you did not make this sacrifice, or, if you did, you loved me not. If you had loved me, you could not have seen me suffer so cruelly ; you would have told the truth, even in the presence of the king. No earthly power can control true love ; she is self-sustained and makes her own laws. No ! no ! I do not believe in this offering ; and you make this excuse either to heal my sick heart, or because your pride is mortified at my want of consideration ; you wish to recover my good opinion. " " Alas ! alas ! he does not believe me, " cried Louise. "No, I do not believe you," said the prince, kindly; "and yet you must not think that I am still angry. I not only forgive, but I thank you. It is to you, indeed, Louise, that I owe my present THE FETE IN THE WOODS. 115 happiness, all those noble and pure joys which a true love bestows. I thank you for this you and the king. It was wise in the king to deny me that which I then thought essential to my happiness, but which would, at last, have brought us both to shame and to despair. The love, which must shun the light of day and hide itself in ob- scurity, pales, and withers, and dies. Happy love must have the sunlight of heaven and God's blessing upon it ! All this failed in our case, and it was a blessing for us both that you saw it clearly, and resigned a doubtful happiness at my side for surer peace with Monsieur du Trouffle. From my soul I thank you, Louise. See what a costly treasure has bloomed for me from the grave of my be- trayed love. Look at that lovely young woman who, although dis- guised as a shepherdess, stands out in the midst of all other women, an imperial queen ! a queen of beauty, grace, and fascination ! This charming, innocent, and modest young woman belongs to me ; she is my wife ; and I have your inconstancy to thank you for this rare gem. Oh, madame, I have indeed reason to forgive you for the past, to be grateful to you as long as I live. But for you I should never have married the Princess Wilhelmina. What no menaces, no entreaties, no commands of the king could accomplish, your faithlessness effected. I married ! God, in his goodness, chose you to be a mediator between me and my fate ; it was His will that, from your hand, I should receive my life's blessing. You cured me of a wandering and unworthy passion, that I might feel the truth and enjoy the blessing of a pure love, and a love which now fills my heart and soul, my thoughts, my existence for my darling wife. " " Ah, you are very cruel, " said Lousie, scarcely able to suppress her tears of rage. "I am only true, madame," said the prince, smiling. "You wished to know of me if I were still angry with you, and I reply that I have not only forgiven, but I bless your inconstancy. And now, I pray you let us end this conversation, which I will never renew. Let the past die and be buried ! We have both of us com- menced a new life under the sunshine of a new love ; we will not allow any cloud of remembrances to cast a shadow upon it. Look, the beautiful shepherdesses are seeking flowers in the meadows, and my wife stands alone upon the borders of the lake. Allow me to join her, if only to see if the clear waters of the lake reflect back her image as lovely and enchanting as the reality. " The prince bowed, and with hasty steps took the path that led to the lake. Louise looked at him scornfully. " He despises me and he loves her fondly ; but she does the princess love him ? not so ! her glance is cold, icy. when she looks upon him ; and to-day I saw her turn 116 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. pale as the prince approached her. No, she loves him not ; but who then who? she is young, ardent, and, it appears to me, impressi- ble ; she cannot live without love. I will find out ; a day will come when I will take vengeance for this hour. I await that day !" While Louise forced herself to appear gay, in order to meet her husband without embarrassment, and the prince walked hastily on- ward, the princess stood separated from her ladies, on the borders of the lake, with the Count Kalkreuth at her side. The count had been appointed her cavalier for the day, by the prince her husband ; she seemed to give her undivided attention to the swans, who were floating before her, and stretching out their graceful necks to receive food from her hands. As she bowed down to feed the swans, she whispered lightly, " Listen, count, to what I have to say to you. If possible, laugh merrily, that my ladies may hear ; let your counte- nance be gay, for I see the prince approaching. In ten minutes he will be with us ; do you understand my low tones ?" " I understand you, princess ; alas ! I fear I understand without words ; I have read my sentence in the eyes of your husband. The prince suspects me. " " No, " said she, sadly bowing down and plucking a few violets, which she threw to the swans ; " he has no suspicion, but he loves me." The count sprang back as if wounded. " He loves you !" he cried, in a loud, almost threatening tone. '* For pity 's sake speak low, " said the princess. " Look, the ladies turn toward us, and are listening curiously, and you have frightened the swans from the shore. Laugh, I pray you ; speak a few loud and jesting words, count, I implore you. " " I cannot, " said the count. " Command me to throw myself into the lake and I will obey you joyfully, and in dying I will call your name and bless it ; but do not ask me to smile when you tell me that the prince loves you. " "Yes, he loves me; he confessed it to-day," said the princess, shuddering. " Oh, it was a moment of inexpressible horror ; a mo- ment in which that became a sin which, until then, had been pure and innocent. So long as my husband did not love me, or ask my love, I was free to bestow it where I would and when I would ; so soon as he loves me, and demands my love, I am a culprit if I refuse it. " " And I false to my friend, " murmured Kalkreuth. " We must instantly separate, " whispered she. " We must bury our love out of our sight, which until now has lived purely and modestly in our hearts, and this must be its funeral procession. You see I have already begun to deck the grave with flowers, and THE FETE IN THE WOODS. 117 that tears are consecrating them." She pointed with her jewelled hand to the bouquet of white camelias which adorned her bosom. " It was cruel not to wear my flowers, " said the count. " Was it not enough to crush me? must you also trample my poor flowers, consecrated with my kisses and my whispers, under your feet?" " The red roses which you gave me, " said she, lightly, " I will keep as a remembrance of the beautiful and glorious dream which the rude reality of life has dissipated. These camelias are superb, but without fragrance, and colorless as my sad features. I must wear them, for my husband gave them to me, and in so doing I decorate the grave of my love. Farewell ! hereafter I will live for my duties ; as I cannot accept your love, I will merit your highest respect. Farewell, and if from this time onward we are cold and strange, never forget that our souls belong to each other, and when I dare no longer think of the past, I will pray for you. " "You never loved me, " whispered the count, with pallid, trem- bling lips, " or you could not give me up so rashly ; you would not have the cruel courage to spurn me from you. You are weary of me, and since the prince loves you, you despise the poor humble heart which laid itself at your feet. Yes, yes, I cannot compete with this man, who is a prince and the brother of a king ; who " " Who is my husband, " cried she, proudly, " and who, while he loves me, dares ask that I shall accept his love. " "Ah, now you are angry with me," stammered the count; "you" "Hush !" whispered she, "do you not see the prince? Do laugh ! Bow down and give the swans these flowers !" The count took the flowers, and as he gave them to the swans, he whispered : " Give me at least a sign that you are not angry, and that you do not love the prince. Throw this hated bouquet, which has taken the place of mine, into the water ; it is like a poisoned arrow in my heart." " Hush !" whispered the princess. She turned and gave the prince a friendly welcome. Prince Henry was so happy in her presence, and so dazzled by her beauty, that he did not remark the melancholy of the count, and spoke with him gayly and jestingly, while the count mastered himself, and replied in the same spirit. The princess bowed down to the swans, whom she enticed once more with caresses to the borders of the lake. Suddenly she uttered a loud cry, and called to the two gentlemen for help. The great white swan had torn the camelias from the bosom of the princess, and sailed off proudly upon the clear waters of the lake. 118 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. CHAPTER V. INTRIGUES. WHILE Prince Henry celebrated Arcadian ftea at Rheinsberg, and gave himself up to love and joy, King Frederick lived in phil- osophic retirement at Sans-Souci. He came to Berlin only to visit the queen-mother, now dangerously ill, or to attend the meetings of his cabinet ministers. Never had the king lived so quietly, never had he received so few guests at Sans-Souci, and, above all, never had the world so little cause to speak of the King of Prussia. He appeared content with the laurels which the two Silesian wars had placed upon his heroic brow, and he only indulged the wish that Europe, exhausted by her long and varied wars, would allow him that rest and peace which the world at large seemed to enjoy. Those who were honored with invitations to Sans-Souci, and had opportunities to see the king, could only speak of that earthly para- dise ; of the peaceful stillness which reigned there, and which was reflected in every countenance; of Frederick's calm cheerfulness and innocent enjoyment. " The king thinks no more of politics, " said the frolicsome Ber- liners ; "he is absorbed in the arts and sciences, and. above all other things, he lives to promote the peaceful prosperity of his people. " The balance of power and foreign relations troubled him no longer ; he wished for no conquests, and thought not of war. In the morning he was occupied with scientific works, wrote in his "Histoire de mon Temps," or to his friends, and took part in the daily-recurring duties of the government. The remainder of the day was passed in the garden of Sans-Souci, in pleasant walks and animated conversation, closing always with music. Concerts took place every evening in the apartments of the king, in which he took part, and he practised difficult pieces of his own or Quantz's composition, under Quantz's direction. From time to time he was much occupied with his picture-gallery, and sent Gotzkowsky to Italy to purchase the paintings of the celebrated masters. King Frederick appeared to have reached his goal ; at least, that which, during the storm of war, he had often called his ideal ; he could devote his life to philosophy and art in the enchanting retire- ment of his beloved Sans-Souci. The tumult and discord of the world did not trouble him ; in fact, the whole world seemed to be at peace, and all Europe was glad and happy. Maria Theresa was completely bound by the last peace contract at Dresden ; besides, the two Silesian wars had weakened and im- INTRIGUES. 119 poverished Austria, and time was necessary to heal her wounds be- fore she dared make a n.ew attempt to reconquer the noble jewel of Silesia, which Frederick had torn from her crown. Notwithstand- ing her pious and Christian pretensions, she hated Frederick with her whole heart. England had allied herself with Russia. France was at the moment too much occupied with the pageants which the lovely Marquise de Pompadour celebrated at Versailles, not to be in peace ana harmony with all the world ; yes, even with her natural enemy. Austria. Count Kaunitz, her ambassador at Paris, had, by his wise ana adroit conduct, banished the cloud of mistrust which had so long lowered between these two powers. This was the state of things at the close of the year 1775. Then was the general quiet interrupted by the distant echo of a cannon. Europe was startled, and rose up from her comfortable siesta to listen and inquire after the cause of this significant thunderbolt. This roar of cannon, whose echo only had been heard, had its birth far, far away in America. The cannon, however, had been nred by a European power by England, always distinguished for ner calculating selfishness, which she wished the world to consider praiseworthy and honorable policy. England considered her mer- cantile interests in America endangered by France, and she thirsted with desire to have not only an East India but a West India com- pany. The French colonies in America had long excited the envy and covetousness of England, and as a sxifncient cause for war had utterly failed, she was bold enough to take the initiative without excuse ! In the midst of a general peace, and without any declaration of Tvar, she seized upon a country lying on the borders of the Ohio River, and belonging to French Canada, made an attack upon some hundred merchant-ships, which were navigating the Ohio, under the protection of the ships-of-war, and took them as prizes.* That was the cannon-shot which roused all Europe from her comfortable slumber and dreamy rest. The Empress of Austria began to make warlike preparations in Bohemia, and to assemble her troops on the borders of Saxony and Bohemia. The Empress of Russia discontinued instantaneously her luxurious feasts and wild orgies, armed her soldiers, and placed them on the borders of Courland. She formed an immediate alii ance with England, by which she bound herself to protect the terri- tory of George II. in Germany, if attacked by France, in retaliation for the French merchant-ships taken by England on the Ohio River. Hanover, however, was excepted, as Frederick of Prussia might * " Characteristics of the Important Events of the Seven Years' War," by Retsou 120 FREDERICK THE GPEAT AND HIS FAMILY. possibly give her his aid. For this promised aid, Russia received from England the sum of 150,000 sterling, which was truly wel- come to the powerful Bestuchef , from the extravagant and pomp- loving minister of the queen. Saxony also prepared for war, and placed her army on the bor- ders of Prussia, for which she received a subsidy from Austria. This was as gladly welcomed by Count Briihl, the luxurious minis- ter of King Augustus the Third of Poland and Saxony, as the English subsidy was by Bestuchef. The King of France appeared to stand alone ; even as completely alone as Frederick of Prussia. Every eye therefore was naturally fixed upon these two powers, who seemed thus forced by fate to extend the hand of fellowship to each other, and form such an alliance as England had done with Russia, and Austria with Saxony. This contract between Prussia and France would have been the signal for a general war, for which all the powers of Europe were now arming themselves. But France did not extend her hand soon enough to obtain the friendship of Prussia. France distrusted Prussia, even as Austria, England, Russia, and Saxony distrusted and feared the adroit young adventurer, who in the last fifty years had placed himself firmly amongst the great powers of Europe, and was bold, brave, and wise enough to hold a powerful and self-sus- tained position in their circle. France that is to say, Louis the Fifteenth France that is to say, the Marquise de Pompadour, hated the King of Prussia man- fully. By his bold wit he had often brought the French court and its immoralities into ridicule and contempt. Austria and her minister Kaunitz and Maria Theresa hated Frederick of Prussia, because of his conquest of Silesia. Russia that is to say, Elizabeth and Bestuchef hated the King of Prussia for the same reason with France. Frederick's cutting wit had scourged the manners of the Russian court, as it had humili- ated and exposed the court of France. Saxony that is to say, Augustus the Third, and his minister, Count Bruhl hated Frederick from instinct, from envy, from resentment. This insignificant and small neighbor had spread her wings and made so bold a flight, that Saxony was completely over- shadowed. England hated no one, but she feared Prussia and France, and this fear led her to master the old-rooted national hatred to Russia, and form an alliance with her for mutual protection. But the Eng- lish people did not share the fears of their king ; they murmured over this Russian ally, and this discontent, which found expression INTRIGUES. 121 in Parliament, rang so loudly, that Frederick might well have heard it, and formed his own conclusions as to the result. But did he hear it? Was the sound of his flute so loud? Was his study hermetically sealed, so that no echo from the outside world could reach his ears? There was no interruption to his quiet, peaceful life ; he hated nobody, made no warlike preparations ; his soldiers exercised no more than formerly. Truly they exercised ; and at the first call to battle, 150, 000 men would be under arms. But Frederick seemed not inclined to give this call ; not inclined to exchange the calm pleasures of Sans-Souci for the rude noises of tents and battle-fields. He seemed to be in peaceful harmony with all nations. He was particularly friendly and conciliating toward the Austrian embassy ; and not only was the ambassador, Count Peubla invited often to the royal table, but his secretary, Baron Weingarten, came also to Potsdam and Sans-Souci. The king ap- peared attached to him, and encouraged him to come often, to walk in the royal gardens. Frederick was gracious and kind toward the officials of all the German powers. On one occasion, when the wife of Councillor Reichart, attached to the Saxon embassy, was confined, at Frederick's earnest wish, his private secretary, Eichel, stood as god-father to the child.* In order to promote good feeling in Saxony, the king sent Count Mattzahn, one of the most eloquent cavaliers of the day, to the Dresden court ; and so well supplied was he, that he dared compete in pomp and splendor with Count Bruhl. Frederick appeared to attach special importance to the friendship of Saxony, and with none of his foreign ambassadors was he engaged in so active a correspondence as with Mattzahn. It was said that these letters were of a harmless and innocent nature, relating wholly to paintings, which the count was to purchase from the Saxon gal- leries, or to music, which Frederick wished to obtain from amongst the collection of the dead Hesse, or to an Italian singer Frederick wished to entice to Berlin. The world no longer favored Frederick's retirement. The less disposed he was to mingle in politics, the more Maria Theresa, Elizabeth of Russia, Augustus of Saxony, and the Marquise de Pompadour agitated the subject. France had not forgotten that the contract between herself and Prussia was about to expire. She knew also that the subsidy money between England and Russia had not yet been voted by Parliament. It was therefore possible to reap some advantages from this point. * ' Characteristics of the Important Events of the Seven Years 1 War. " 9 122 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. With this view, France sent the Duke de Nivernois as special am- bassador to Berlin, to treat with the king as to the renewal of the old alliance. The Duke de Nivernois came with a glittering suite to Berlin, and was received at the Prussian court with all the consideration which his rank and official character demanded. The grand master of ceremonies, Baron von Pollnitz, was sent forward to meet him, and to invite him, in the name of the king, to occupy one of the royal palaces in Berlin. Every room of the palace was splendidly decorated for the recep- tion of the duke, and as soon as he arrived, two guards were placed before the house a mark of consideration which the king had only heretofore given to reigning princes. The duke accepted these distinguished attentions with lively gratitude, and pleaded for an immediate audience, in order to pre- sent his credentials. Pollnitz was commissioned to make all necessary arrangements, and agree with the duke as to the day and hour of the ceremony. The king, who wished to give the French duke a proof of his consideration, intended that the presentation should be as imposing as possible, and all Berlin was to be witness of the friendship exist- ing between the French and Prussian courts. Upon the appointed day, a dazzling assemblage of equipages stood before the palace of the Duke de Nivernois. These were the royal festal carriages, intended for the members of the French em- bassy. Then followed a long line of carriages, occupied by the dis- tinguished members of the Prussian court. Slowly and solemnly this pompous procession moved through the streets, and was received at the portal of the king's palace by the royal guard. Richly-dressed pages, in advance of whom stood the grand master of ceremonies with his golden staf conducted the French ambassador to the White saloon, where the king, in all his royal pomp, and sur- rounded by the princes of his house, received him. The solemn ceremony began ; the duke drew near the throne, and, bowing his knee, handed his credentials to the king, who received them with a gracious smile. The duke commenced his address ; it was filled with flowery phrases, suited to the great occasion. Frederick listened with the most earnest attention, and his reply was kind, but dignified and laconic. The public ceremony was over, and now came the important part of the audience, the confidential conversation. To this point the duke had looked with lively impatience ; for this, indeed, had he been sent to Berlin. INTRIGUES. 123 The king descended from the throne, and laying aside all the solemnity of court etiquette, he approached the duke in the most gracious and genial manner, welcomed him heartily, and expressed his sincere delight at his arrival. " Ah, sire, " said the duke, with animation, how happy will my king be to learn that his ambassador has been so graciously received by your majesty !" The king smiled. " I thought the ceremony was all over, " saict he, " and that I no longer spoke with the ambassador, but with the Duke de Nivernois, whom I know and love, and whose intellectual conversation will afford me a rare pleasure. Let us, therefore, chat together innocently, and forget the stiff ceremonies with which, I think, we have both been sufficiently burdened to-day. Tell me something of Paris, monsieur, of that lovely, enchanting, but over- bold coquette, Paris, whom the world adores while it ridicules, and imitates while it blames." " Ah, sire, if I must speak of Paris, I must first tell you of my king of my king, who wishes nothing more ardently than the re- newal of the bond of friendship between your majesty and himself, and the assurance of its long continuance ; who " " That is most kind of his majesty, " said Frederick, interrupting him, "and I certainly share the friendly wishes of my exalted brother of France. But tell me now something of your learned men ; how goes it with the Academy? do they still refuse Voltaire a seat, while so many unknown men have become academicians?" "Yes, sire ; these academicians are obstinate in their conclusions ; and, as the Academy is a sort of republic, the king has no power to control them. If that were not so, my exalted master, King Louis, in order to be agreeable to your majesty, would exert all his influ- ence, and " "Ah, sir," interrupted the king, "it is just and beautiful that the Academy is a free republic, which will not yield to the power and influence of the king. Art and science need for their blossom and growth freedom of thought and speech. Fate ordained that I should be born a king ; but when alone in my study, alone with my books, I am fully content to be republican in the kingdom of letters. I confess the truth to you when, as a wise republican, I read thought- fully in the pages of history, I sometimes come to the conclusion that kings and princes are unnecessary articles of luxury, and I shrug my shoulders at them rather contemptuously. " " And yet, sire, the arts need the protection of princes ; that the republic of letters blooms and flourishes in a monarchy is shown in Prussia, where a royal republican and a republican king governs his people, and at the same time gives freedom of thought and speech FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. to science. France should be proud and happy that your majesty has adopted so many of her sons into your republic of letters ; we dare, therefore, come to the conclusion that your majesty will not confine your interest wholly to them, but that this alliance between France and Prussia, which my king so earnestly desires and " "Unhappily," said the king, interrupting him eagerly, "the dis- tinguished Frenchmen who have become my allies, are exactly those whom their strong-minded, fanatical mother, La France, has cast out from her bosom as dishonored sons. Voltaire lives in Ferney. Jean Jacques Rousseau, whom I admire but do not love, lives in Geneva, where he has been obliged to take refuge. I have also been told that the pension which, in a favorable moment, was granted to D'Alembert, has been withdrawn. Have I been falsely informed? has my friend D' Alenibert not fallen into disgrace? is not my friend the encyclopsedian, regarded as a transgressor, and a high traitor because he uses the undoubted right of free thought, does not blindly believe, but looks abroad with open eyes and a clear intellect?" The duke replied by a few confused and disconnected words, and a shadow fell upon his clear countenance ; three times had Frederick interrupted him when he sought to speak of the King of France and his friendship for his brother of Prussia. The duke did not daro choose this theme for the fourth time, which was so evidently dis tasteful to the king ; he must, therefore, submit and follow the lead of his majesty, and in lieu of alliances and state questions discuss philosophy and the arts. So soon as the duke came to this conclu- sion, he smoothed his brow, and, with all his amiability, animation, and intelligence, he replied to the questions of the king, and the conversation was carried on in an unbroken stream of wit and gayety. "At the next audience I will surely find an opportunity to speak of politics, " said the duke to himself. " The king cannot always be so immovable as to-day. " But the second and the third audience came, and the king was as inexplicable as the first time ; he conversed with the duke kindly and freely showed him the most marked attention and personal confidence ; but so often as the duke sought to introduce the subject of politics and the public interests which had brought him to Berlin, the king interrupted him and led the conversation to indifferent subjects. This lasted two weeks, and the French court looked with painful anxiety for intelligence from the Duke de Nivernois that the old alliance was renewed and fully ratified, and she had, there- fore, nothing to fear from Prussia. This uncertainty was no longer to be borne, and the duke determined to end it by a coup d'etat. He wrote, therefore, to the king, and asked for a private audi THE PRIVATE AUDIENCE. 125 ence. To his great joy his request was granted ; the king invited him to come the next day to Sans-Souci. u At last! at last!" said the duke, drawing a long breath; and with proud, French assurance, he added, "To-morrow, then, we will renew this contract which binds the hands of Prussia, and gives France liberty of action. " CHAPTER VI. THE PRIVATE AUDIENCE. THE king received the French ambassador without ceremony. There were no guards, no pages, no swarms of curious listening courtiers, only a few of his trusty friends- who welcomed the duke and conversed with him, while Pollnitz entered the adjoining room and informed the king of his arrival. "His majesty entreats the duke to enter." said Pollnitz, opening "he door of the library. The king advanced. He was dressed sim- ply ; even the golden star, which was seldom absent from his coat, was now missing. "Come, duke," said the king, pleasantly, "come into my tuscu- lum. " He then entered the library, quickly followed by the duke. " Well, sir, " said the king, " we are now in that room in which I lately told you I was but a republican. You have crossed the threshold of the republic of letters !" "But I see a king before me," said the duke, bowing reveren- tially ; " a king who has vanquished his republic, and surpassed all the great spirits that have gone before him. " The king's glance rested upon the shelves filled with books, on whose back glittered in golden letters the most distinguished names of all ages. "Homer, Tacitus, Livy, Petrarch ! ye great spirits of my repub- lic ! hear how this traitor slanders you. " " How I honor you, sire, for truly it is a great honor to be sub- dued and vanquished by such a king as Frederick the Second. " The king looked at him fixedly. " You wish to bewilder me with flattery, duke, " said he, " well knowing that it is a sweet opiate, acceptable to princes, generally causing their ruin. But in this shamber, duke, I am safe from this danger, and here in my republic we will both enjoy the Spartan soup of truth. Believe me, sir, it is at times a wholesome dish, though to the pampered stomach it is bitter and distasteful. I can digest it. and as you have come to visit me, you will have to partake of it " 126 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " And I crave it, sire crave it as a man who has fasted for twc weeks. " " For two weeks ?" said the king, laughing. "Ah, it is true you have been here just that time. " " For two long weeks has your majesty kept me fasting and long- ing for this precious soup, " said the duke, reproachfully. " My broth was not ready, " said the king, gayly ; " it was still bubbling in the pot. It is now done, and we will consume it to- gether. Let us be seated, duke. " If Frederick had turned at this moment, he would have seen the grand chamberlain Pollnitz advancing on tiptoe to the open door, in order to listen to the conversation. But the king was looking ear- nestly at the ambassador. After a few moments of silence, he turned to the duke. "Is my soup still too hot for you?" said he, laughingly. "No, sire," said the duke, bowing. "But I waited for your majesty to take the first spoonful. Would it not be better to close that door?" " No, " said the king, hastily ; " I left it open, intentionally, so that your eyes, when wearied with the gloom of my republic, could refresh themselves on the glittering costumes of my courtiers. " " He left it open, " thought the duke, " for these courtiers to hear all that is said. He wishes the whole world to know how he rejected the friendship of France. " "Well, " said the king, " I will take my spoonful. We will com- mence without further delay. Duke de Nivernois, you are here be- cause the contract made between France and Prussia is at an end, and because France wishes me to fancy that she is anxious for a renewal of this treaty, and for the friendship of Prussia. " " France wishes to convince you of this, sire, " said the duke. "Convince me?" said the king, ironically. "And how?" "King Louis of France not only proposes to renew this contract, sire, but he wishes to draw the bonds of friendship much closer be- tween France and Prussia. " " And to what end ?" said the king. "For you well know, duke, that in politics personal inclinations must not be considered. Were it not so, I would, without further delay, grasp the friendly hand that my brother of France extends toward me, for the whole world knows that I love France, and am proud of the friendship of her great spirits. But as, unfortunately, there is no talk here of per- sonal inclinations but of politics, I repeat my question. To what end does France desire the friendship of Prussia? What am I to pay for it? You see, duke, I am a bad diplomatist I make no digres tiioii. but go to the point at once. " THE PRIVATE AUDIENCE.. 127 "And that, perhaps, is the nicest diplomacy,* said the duke, sighing. " But, duke, do tell me, why is France so anxious for the friend- ship of Prussia?" " To have an ally in you and be your ally. By the first, France will have a trusty and powerful friend in Germany when her lands are attacked by the King of England ; by the last, your majesty will have a trusty and powerful friend when Prussia is attacked by Russia or Austria. " "We will now speak of the first," said the king, quietly. " France, then, thinks to transplant this war with England to German ground ?" "Everywhere, sire, that the English colors predominate. Eng- land alone will be accountable for this war. " " It is true England has been hard upon you, but still it seems to me you have revenged yourselves sufficiently. When England made herself supreme ruler of the Ohio, France, by the conquest of the Isle of Minorca, obtained dominion over the Mediterranean Sea, thereby wounding England so deeply, that in her despair she turned her weapons against herself. Admiral Byng, having been overcome by your admiral Marquis de la Gallissionaire, paid for it with his life. I think France should be satisfied with this expiation. " " France will wash off her insults in English blood, and Minorca is no compensation for Canada and Ohio. England owes us satis- faction, and we will obtain it in Hanover. " "In Hanover?" repeated the king, angrily. " Hanover will be ours, sire, though we had no such ally as Ger- many ; but it will be ours the sooner if we have that help which you can give us. Standing between two fires, England will have to succumb, there will be no escape for her. That is another advan- tage, sire, that France expects from the treaty with Prussia. But I will now speak of the advantages which your majesty may expect from this alliance. You are aware that Prussia is surrounded by threatening enemies ; that Austria and Russia are approaching her borders with evil intentions, and that a day may soon come when Maria Theresa may wish to reconquer this Silesia which, in her heart, she still calls her own. When this time conies, your majesty will not be alone ; your ally, France, will be at your side ; she will repay with faithful, active assistance the services which your majesty rendered her in Hanover. She will not only render her all the assistance in her power, but she will also allow her to partake of the advantages of this victory. Hanover is a rich land, not rich only in products, but in many other treasures. The Electors of Hanover have in their residences not only their cheete filled with 128 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. gold and precious jewels, but also the most magnificent paintings It is but natural that we should pay ourselves in Hanover for the expenses of this war of which England is the cause. You, then, will share with us these treasures. And still this is not all. France is grateful ; she offers you, therefore, one of her colonies, the Isle of Tobago, as a pledge of friendship and love." "Where is this isle?" said the king, quietly. " In the West Indies, sire. " " And where is Hanover ?" The duke looked at the king in amazement, and remained silent. The king repeated his question. "Well," said the duke, hesitatingly, "Hanover is in Germany." "And for this German land which, with my aid, France is to conquer, I ain to receive as a reward the little Isle of Tobago in the West Indies ! Have you finished, dyke, or have you other proposi tions to make?" " Sire, I have finished, and await your answer. * " And this answer, duke, shall be clearer and franker than your questions. I will begin by answering the latter part of your speech. Small and insignificant as the King of Prussia may appear in your eyes, I would have you know he is no robber, no highwayman ; he /eaves these brilliant amusements without envy to France. And now, my dear duke, I must inform you, that since this morning it has been placed out of my power to accept this alliance ; for this morning a treaty was signed, by which I became the ally of Eng- land !" " It is impossible, sire, " cried the duke ; " this cannot be !" " Not possible, sir!" said the king, "and still it is true. I have formed a treaty with England this matter is settled ! I have been an ally of Louis XV. ; I have nothing to complain of in him. I love him ; well, am I now his enemy? I hope that there may be a time when I may again approach the King of France. Pray tell him how anxiously I look forward to this time. Tell him I am much attached to him. " "Ah, sire," said the duke, sighing, "it is a great misfortune. I dare not go to my monarch with this sad, unexpected news ; my monarch who loves you so tenderly, whose most earnest wish it is for France to be allied to Prussia. " " Ah, duke, " said Frederick, laughing, " France wishes for ships as allies. I have none to offer England has. With her help I shall keep the Russians from Prussia, and with n/y aid she will keep the French from Hanover. " "We are to be enemies, then?" said the duke, sadly. " It is a necessary evil, for which there is no remedy. But Louis THE TRAITOR. 129 XV. can form other alliances," said Frederick, ironically. "It may be for liis interest to unite with the house of Austria !" The duke was much embarrassed. " Your majesty is not in earnest, " said he, anxiously. "Why not, "duke?" said Frederick ; "an alliance between France and Austria it sounds very natural. If I were in your place, l! would propose this to my court. " He now rose, which was a sign to the duke that the audience was at an end. " I must now send a courier at once to my court, " said the duke, " and I will not fail to state that your majesty advises us to unite with Austria." " You will do well ; that is, " said the king, with a meaning smile " that is, if you think your court is in need of such advice, and has not already acted without it. When do you leave, duke?" " To-morrow morning, sire. " " Farewell, duke, and do not forget that in my heart I am the friend of France, though we meet as enemies on the battle-field. " The duke bowed reverentially, and, sighing deeply, left the royal library, " the republic of letters, " to hasten to Berlin. The king looked after him thoughtfully. " The die is ca t, " said he, softly. " There will be war / Our days of peace and quietude are over, and the days of danger are ap- proaching 1" CHAPTER VII. THE TRAITOR. THE sun had just risen, and was shedding its golden rays over che garden of Sans-Souci, decking the awaking flowers with glitter- ing dew-drops. All was quiet Nature alone was up and doing ; no one was to be seen, no sound was to be heard, but the rustling of trees and the chirping of birds. All was still and peaceful ; it seemed as if the sound of human misery and passion could not reach this spot. There was something so holy in this garden, that you could but believe it to be a part of paradise in which the serpent had not yet exercised his arts of seduction. But no, this is but a beauti- ful dream. Man is here, but he is sleeping ; he is still resting from the toils and sorrows of the past day. Man is here ! he is coming to destroy the peacef ainess of Nature with his sorrows and com. plaints. The little gate at the farthest end of that shady walk is opened. 130 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. and a man enters. The dream is at an end, and Sans-Souci is now but a beautiful garden, not a paradise, for it has been desecrated by the foot of man. He hastens up the path leading to the palace ; he hurries forward, panting and gasping. His face is colorless, his long hair is fluttering in the morning wind, his eyes'are fixed and glaring ; his clothes are covered with dust, and his head is bare. There is something terrifying in the sudden appearance of this man. Nature seems to smile no more since he came ; the trees have stopped their whispering, the birds cannot continue their melodious songs since they have seen his wild, anxious look. The peaceful- ness of Nature is broken. For man that is to say, misery, mis- fortune ; for man that is to say, sin, guilt, and meanness is there, pouring destroying drops of poison in the golden chalice of creation. Breathlessly he hurries on, looking neither to right nor left He has now reached the terrace, and now he stops for a moment to recover breath. He sees not the glorious panorama lying at his feet ; he is blind to all but himself. He is alone in the world > alone with his misery, his pain. Now he hastens on to the back of the palace. The sentinels walking before the back and the front of the castle know him, know where he is going, and they barely glance at him as he knocks long and loudly at that little side window. It is opened, and a young girl appears, who, when perceiving this pale, anxious countenance, which is striving in vain to smile at her, cries out loudly, and folds her hands as if in prayer. " Hush !" said he, roughly ; " hush ! let me in. " "Some misfortune has happened !" said she, terrified. "Yes, Rosa, a great misfortune; but let me in, if you do not wish to ruin me. " The young girl disappears, and the man hastens to the side door of the castle. It is opened, and he slips in. Perfect peace reigns once more in the garden of Sans-Souci. Nature is now smiling, for she is alone with her innocence. Man is not there ! But now, in the castle, in the dwelling of the castle warder, and in the room of his lovely daughter Rosa, all is alive. There is whispering, and weeping, and sighing, and praying ; there is Rosa, fearful and trembling, her face covered with tears, and op- posite her, her pale, woe-begone lover. " I have been walking all night, " said he, with a faint and hollow voice. "I did not know that Berlin was so far from Potsdam, and had I known it, I would not have dared to take a w T agon or a horse ; I had to slip away very quietly. While by Count Puebla's order my room was guarded, and I thought to be in it, I descended into the garden by the grape-vine, which reached up to my window. The gardener bad no suspicions of howl came there, when I required THE TRAITOR. 131 him to unlock the door, but laughed cunningly, thinking I was bound to some rendezvous. And so I wandered on in fear and pain, in despair and anger, and it seemed to me as if the road would never come to an end. At times I stopped, thinking I heard behind me wild cries and curses, the stamping of horses, and the rolling of wheels ; but it was imagination. Ah ! it was a frightful road ; but it is past. But now I will be strong, for this concerns my name, my life, my honor. Why do you laugh, Rosa?" said he, angrily; "do you dare to laugh, because I speak of my name my honor?" " I did not laugh, " said Rosa, looking with terror at the disturbed countenance of her lover. "Yes, you laughed, and you were right to laugh, when I spoke of my honor ; I who have no honor ; I who have shamed nay name ; I upon whose brow is the sign of murder : for I am guilty of the ruin of a man, and the chains on his hands are cursing my name. " " My God ! he is mad, " murmured Rosa. "No, I am not mad," said he, with a heart-breaking smile. "I know all, all ! Were I mad, I would not be so unhappy. Were I unconscious, I would suffer less. But, no, I remember all. I know how this evil commenced, how it grew and poisoned my heart. The evil was my poverty, my covetousness, and perhaps also my ambition. I was not content to bear forever the chains of bondage ; I wished to be free from want. I determined it should no more bo said that the sisters of Count Weingarten had to earn their bread by their needlework, while he feasted sumptuously at the royal table. This it was that caused my ruin. These frightful words buzzed in my ears so long, that in my despair I determined to stop them at any price ; and so I committed my first crime, and received a golden reward for my treason. My sisters did not work now ; I bought a small house for them, and gave them all that I received. I shud- dered at the sight of this money ; I would keep none of it. I was again the poor secretary Weingarten, but my family was not help- less ; they had nothing to fear. " To whom was he telling all this ? Certainly not to that young girl standing before him, pale and trembling. He had forgotten himself ; he had forgotten her whom in other days he had called his heart's darling. As she sank at his feet and covered his hands with her tears, he rose hastily from his seat ; he now remembered that he was not alone. "What have I said?" cried he, wildly. "Why do you weep?" " I weep because you have forgotten me, " said she, softly ; " I weep because, in accusing yourself, you make no excuse for your crime ; not even your love for your poor Rosa. " 132 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. "It is true," said he, sadly, "I had forgotten our love. And still it is the only excuse that I have for my second crime. I had determined to be a good man, and to expiate my one crime through- out my whole life. But when I saw you, your beauty fascinated me, and you drew me on. I went with open eyes into the net which you prepared for me, Rosa. I allowed myself to be allured by your beauty, knowing well that it would draw me into a frightful abyss. " "Ah," said Rosa, groaning, "how cruelly you speak of our love !" " Of our love !" repeated he, shrugging his shoulders. " Child, in this hour we will be true to each other. Ours was no true love. You were in love with my noble name and position I with your youth, your beauty, your coquettish ways. Our souls were not in unison. You gave yourself to me, not because you loved me. but because you wished to deceive me. I allowed myself to be deceived because of your loveliness and because I saw the golden reward which your deceitful love would bring me. " " You are cruel and unjust, " said Rosa, sadly. " It may be true that you never loved me, but I loved you truly. I gave you my whole heart. " " Yes, and in giving it, " said he, harshly " in giving it you had the presence of mind to keep the aim of your tenderness always in view. "While your arms were around me, your little hand which seemed to rest upon my heart, sought for the key which I always kept in my vest-pocket, and which I had lately told you belonged to the desk in which the important papers of the embassy were placed. You found this key, Rosa, and I knew it, but I only laughed, and pressed you closer to my heart. " "Terrible! terrible!" said Rosa, trembling. "He knew all, and still he let me do it !" "Yes I allowed you to do it I did not wish to be better than the girl I loved ; and, as she desired to deceive me, I let myself be de- ceived. I allowed it, because the demon of gold had taken posses- sion of me. I took the important papers out of my desk, to which you had stolen the key, and hid them. Then the tempters came and whispered of golden rewards, of eternal gratitude, of fortune, honor ; and these fiendish whispers misled my soul. I sold my honor and became a traitor, and all this for the sake of gold ! So I became what I now am. I do not reproach you, Rosa, for moss likely it would have happened without you." " But what danger threatens you now ?" asked Rosa. "The just punishment for a traitor," said he, hoarsely. "Give me some wine, Rosa, so that I cs,n gain strength to go to the king at once. " THE TRAITOR 133 "To the king at this early hour?" "And why not? Have I not been with him often at this hour, when I had important news or dispatches to give him? So give me the wine, Rosa." Rosa left the room, but returned almost instantly. He took the bottle from her and filled a glass hastily. " Now, " said he, breathing deeply, " I feel that I live again. My blood flows freely through my veins, and my heart is beating loudly. Now to the king !" He stood before a glass for a moment to arrange his hair ; then pressed a cold kiss upon Rosa's pale, trembling lips, and left the room. With a firm, sure tread, he hurried through the halls and chambers. No one stopped him, for no one was there to see him. In the king's antechamber sat Deesen taking his breakfast. "Is the king up?" asked Weingarten. " The sun has been up for hours, and so of course the king is up, " said Deesen, proudly. " Announce me to his majesty ; I have some important news for him." He entered the king's chamber, and returned in a few moments for Weingarten. The king was sitting in an arm-chair by a window, which he had opened to breathe the fresh summer air. His white greyhound, Amalthea, lay at his feet, looking up at him with his soft black eyes. In his right hand the king held his flute. "You are early, sir," said he, turning to Weingarten. "You must have very important news. " "Yes, sire, very important," said Weingarten, approaching nearer. The king reached out his hand. "Give them to me, " said he. " Sire, I have no dispatches. " "A verbal message, then. Speak." " Sire, all is lost ; Count Puebla suspects me. " The king was startled for a moment, but collected himself imme- diately. "He suspects, but he is certain of nothing?" u No, sire ; but his suspicion amounts almost to certainty. Yes- terday I was copying a dispatch which was to go that evening, and which was of the highest importance to your majesty, when I sud- denly perceived Count Puebla standing beside me at my desk. He had entered my room very quietly, which showed that he had his suspicions, and was watching me. He snatched my copy from the desk and read it. 'For whom is this?' said be, in a threatening tone. I stammered forth some excuses ; said that I intended writing a history, and that I took a copy of all dispatches for my work. He 134 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. would not listen to me. 'You are a traitor !' said he, in a thunder ing voice. 'I have suspected you for some time; lam now con- vinced of your treachery. You shall have an examination to- morrow ; for to-night you will remain a prisoner in your room. He then locked my desk, put the key in his pocket, and, taking with him the dispatch and my copy, left the room. I heard him lock it and bolt my door. I was a prisoner. " "How did you get out?" said the king. " By the window, sire. And I flew here to throw myself at your majesty's feet, and to beg for mercy and protection. " "I promised you protection and help in case of your detection I will fulfil my promise. What are your wishes. Let us see if they can be realized. " "Will your majesty give me some sure place of refuge where Count Puebla's threats cannot harm me?" "You will remain here in the dwelling of the castle- warder until a suitable residence can be found for you. What next? What plans have you made for the future?" " I would humbly beseech your majesty to give me some position in your land worthy of my station, such as your highness promised me. " "You remember too many of my promises, " said the king, shrug- ging his shoulders. "Your majesty will not grant me the promised position?' said Count Weingarten, tremblingly. " I remember no such promise, " said Frederick. " Men of your stamp are paid, but not rewarded. I have made use of your treach- ery ; but you are, nevertheless, in my eyes a traitor, and I will have none such in my service. " " Then I am lost !" said Weingarten. " My honor, my good name, my future are annihilated." " Your honor has been weighed with gold, " said the king, sternly, " and I think I have already paid more for it than it was worth. Your good name, it is true, will be from now changed into a bad one ; and your mother will have to blush when she uses it. There- fore I advise you to let it go ; to take another name ; to begin a new -"cistence, and to found a new future. " " A future without honor, without name, without position !" sighed Weingarten, despairingly. " So are men !" said the king, softly ; " insolent and stubborn when they think themselves secure ; cowardly and uncertain when they are in danger. So you were rash enough to think that your treacherous deeds would always remain a secret? You did not think of a possible detection, or prepare yourself for it. In treading the road which you have trodden, every step should be considered. THE TRAITOR. 135 This, it seems to me, you have not done. You wish to enjoy the fruits of your treachery in perfect security ; but you have not the courage to stand before the world as a traitor. Do away with this name, which will cause you many dangers and insults. Fly from this place, where you and your deeds are known. Under a different name look for an asylum in another part of my land. Money shall not fail you ; and if what you have earned from me is not sufficient, turn to me, and I will lend you still more. I will not forget that to me your treachery has been of great use, and therefore I will not desert you, though I shall despise the traitor. And now, farewell ! This is our last meeting. Call this afternoon upon my treasurer ; he will pay you two hundred louis d'or. And now go. " And with a scornful look at Weingarten's pale countenance, he turned to the window. Weingarten hurried past the halls and chambers, and entered Rosa's room. She read in his pale, sad face that he had no good news to tell her. "Has it all been in vain?" said she, breathlessly. "In vain?" cried he, with a scornful smile. "No, not in vain. The king rewarded me well ; much better than Judas Iscariot was rewarded. I have earned a large sum of money, and am still to receive a thousand crowns. Quiet yourself, Rosa ; we will be very happy, for we will have money. Only I must ask if the proud daughter of the royal castle- warder will give her hand to a man who can offer her no name, no position. Rosa, I warn you, think well of what you do. You loved me because I was a count, and had po- sition to offer you. From to-day, I have no position, no name, no honor, no family. Like Ahasuerus, I will wander wearily through the world, happy and thanking God if I can find a quiet spot where I am not known, and my name was never heard. There I will rest, and trust to chance for a name. Rosa, will you share with me this existence, without sunshine, without honor, without a name?" She was trembling so, that she could barely speak. " I have no choice, " stammered she, at last ; " I must follow you, for my honor demands that I should be your wife. I must go with you ; fate wills it." With a loud shriek she fainted by his side. Weingarten did not raise her ; he glanced wildly at the pale, lifeless woman at his feet. " We are both condemned, " murmured he, " we have both lost our honor. And with this Cain's mark upon our foreheads we will wander wearily through the world. " * * Count Weingarten escaped from all his troubles happily. He married his sweet- neart, the daughter of the castle-warder, and went to Altmark, where, under the name of Veis, he lived happily for many years. 136 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. The king, in the mean while, after Weingarten had left him, walked thoughtfully up and down his room. At times he raised his head and gazed with a proud, questioning glance at the sky. Great thoughts were at work within him. Now Frederick throws back his head proudly, and his eyes sparkle. " The time has come, " said he, in a loud, full voice. " The ZG~J for delay is past ; now the sword must decide between me and my enemies." He rang a bell hastily, and ordered a valet to send a courier at once to Berlin, to call General "Winterfeldt, General Retzow, and also Marshal Schwerin, to Sans-Souci. CHAPTER VIII. DECLARATION OF WAR. A FEW hours after the departure of the courier, the heavy move- ment of wheels in the court below announced to the king, who vras standing impatiently at his window, the arrival of the expected generals. In the same moment, his chamberlain, opening wide the library door, ushered them into his presence. "Ah!" said the king, welcoming them pleasantly, "I see I am not so entirely without friends as my enemies think. I have but to call, and Marshal Schwerin, that is, wisdom and victory, is at my side ; and Generals Winterfeldt and Retzow, that is, youth and courage, boldness and bravery, are ready to give me all the assist- ance in their power. Sirs, I thank you for coming to me at once. Let us be seated ; listen to what I have to say, and upon what earnest important subjects I wish your advice. " And in a few words the king first showed them the situation of Europe and of his own states, so as to prepare them for the more important subjects he had to introduce before them. "You will now understand, " said he, "why I was ?o tviiling 'x> make this contract with England. I hoped thereby to gain Russia, vho is allied to England, to my side. But these hopes have been destroyed. Russia, angry with Britain for having allied herself to Prussia, has broken her contract. Bestuchef , it is true, wavered for a moment between his love of English guineas and his hatred of me, but hate carried the day. " "But. sire," said Retzow, hastily, "if your majesty can succeed in making a reconciliation between France and England, you may become the ally of these two powerful nations. Then let Austria, Russia, and Saxony come upon us all at once, we can confront them. " " We can do that, I hope, even without the assistance of France, " DECLARATION OF WAR. la? said the king, impetuously. "We must renounce all idea of help from France ; she is allied to Austria. What Kami i tx commenced with his wisdom, Maria Theresa carried out with her flattery. All my enemies have determined to attack me at once. But I am ready for them, weapons in hand. I have been hard at work ; all is arranged, eveiy preparation for the march of our army is finished. And now I have called you together to counsel me as to where we "an commence our attack advantageously. " Frederick stopped speaking, and gazed earnestly at his generals, endeavoring ix5 divine their thoughts. Marshal Schwerin was look- ing silently before him ; a dark cloud rested upon General Retzow'o brow ; but the young, handsome face of Winterfeldt was sparkling with delight at the thought of war. "Well, marshal," said the king, impatiently, "what is your advice?" "My advice, sire," said the old marshal, sighing; "I see my king surrounded by threatening and powerful foes ; I see him alone in the midst of all these allied enemies. For England may, per- chance, send us money, but she has no soldiers for us, and more- over, we must assist her to defend Hanover. I cannot counsel thif; war, for mighty enemies are around us, and Prussia stands alone. " " No, " said Frederick, solemnly, " Prussia stands not alone ! a good cause and a good sword are her allies, and with them she will conquer. And now, General Retzow, let us have your opinion. " " I agree entirely with Marshal Schwerin, " said Retzow. " Like him, I think Prussia should not venture into this strife, because she is too weak to withstand such powerful adversaries. " "You speak prudently," said Frederick, scornfully. "And now, Winterfeldt, are you also against this war?" " No, sire, " cried Winterfeldt, " I am for the attack, and never were circumstances more favorable than at present. Austria has as yet made no preparations for war ; her armies are scattered, and her finances are in disorder ; and now it will be an easy task to attack her and subdue her surprised army. " The king looked at him pleasantly, and turning to the other generals, said quietly : " We must not be carried away by the brave daring of this youth ; he is the youngest among us, and is, perhaps, misled by enthusiasm. But we old ones must reflect ; and I wished to convince you that I had not failed to do this. But all has been in vain. " "Now is the time," said Winterfeldt, with sparkling eyes, "to convince the crippled, unwieldy Austrian eagle that the young eagle of Prussia has spread her wings, and that her claws are strong enough to giasp all her enemies and hurl them into an abyss. w 10 138 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " And if the young eagle, in spite of his daring, should have to succumb to the superiority of numbers, " said Marshal Schwerin, sadly. "If the balls of his enemies should break his wings, thereby preventing his flight for the future? "Were it not better to avoid this possibility, and not to allow the whole world to say that Prus- sia, out of love of conquest, began a fearful war, which she could have avoided?" " There is no reason in this war, " said General Retzow ; " for, though Austria, Saxony, and Russia are not our friends, they have not shown as yet by any open act that they are our enemies ; and though Austria's alliance with France surprised the world, so also did Prussia's alliance with England. Our soldiers will hardly know why they are going to battle, and they will be wanting in that in- spiration which is necessary to excite an army to heroic deeds. " " Inspiration shall not be wanting, and my army as well as your- selves shall know the many causes we have for this war. The reasons I have given you as yet have not satisfied you? Well, then, I will give you others ; and, by Heaven, you will be content with them ! You think Austria's unkindly feelings to Prussia have not been shown by any overt act. I will now prove to you that she is on the point of acting. " And Frederick, lifting up some papers from his desk, continued : " These papers will prove to you, what you seem determined not to believe, namely, that Saxony, Russia, and France are prepared to attack Prussia with their combined forces, and to turn the kingdom of Prussia into a margraviate once more. These papers are authentic proofs of the dangers which hover over us. I will now inform you how I came by them, so that you may be convinced of their genuineness. For some time I have suspected that there was, amongst my enemies, an alliance against me, and that they had formed a contract in which they had sworn to do all in their power to destroy Prussia. I only needed to have my suspicions confirmed, and to have the proofs of this contract in my hands. There proofs were in the Saxon archives, and in the dispatches of the Austrian embassy. It was therefore necessary to get the key of these archives, and to have copies of these dispatches. I succeeded in doing both, Chance, or if you prefer it, a kind Provi- dence, came to my aid. The Saxon chancellor, Reinitz, a former servant of General Winterfeldt, came from Dresden to Potsdam to look for Winterfeldt and to confide to him that a friend of his, Chancellor Minzel of Dresden, had informed him that the state papers interchanged between the court of Vienna and Dresden were kept in the Dresden archives, of which he had the key. Win- terfeldt brought me this important message. Reinitz conducted the first negotiations with. Mcr."C-, y/nich I then delivered into the DECLARATION OF WAR. 139 hands of my ambassador in Dresden, Count Mattzahn. Menzel was poor and covetous. He was therefore easily to be bribed. For three years Mattzahn has received copies of every dispatch that passed between the three courts. I am quite as well informed of all nego- tiations between Austria and France, for the secretary of the Austrian legation of this place, a Count Weingarten, gave me, for promises and gold, copies of all dispatches that came from Vienna and were forwarded to France. You see the corruption of man has borne me good fruit, and that gold is a magic wand which reveals all secrets. And now let us cast a hasty glance over these papers which I have obtained by the aid of treacheiy and bribery." He took one of the papers and spread it before the astonished generals. "You see here," he continued, "a sample of all other negotiations. It is a copy of a share contract which the courts of Vienna and Dresden formed in 1745. They then regarded the de- cline of Prussia as so sure an occurrence that they had already divided amongst themselves the different parts of my land. Russia soon affixed her name also to this contract, and here in this docu- ment you will see that these three powers have sworn to attack Prussia at the same moment, and that for this conquest, each one of the named courts was to furnish sixty thousand men. " While the generals were engaged in reading these papers, the king leaned back in his arm-chair, gazing keenly at Retzow and Schwerin. He smiled gayly as he saw Schwerin pressing his lips tightly together, and trying in vain to suppress a cry of rage, and Retzow clinching his fists vehemently. When the papers had been read, and Schwerin was preparing to speak, the king, with his head thrown proudly back, and gazing earnestly at his listeners, interrupted him, saying : "Now, sirs, perhaps you see the dangers by which we are sur- rounded. Under the circumstances, I owe it to myself, to my honor, and to the security of my land, to attack Austria and Saxony, and so to nip their abominable designs in the bud, before their allies are ready to give them any assistance. I am prepared, and the only question to be answered before setting our army in' motion, is where to commence the attack to our advantage? For the deciding of this question, I have called you together. I have finished and now, Marshal Schwerin, it is your turn. " The old gray warrior arose. It may be that he was convinced by the powerful proofs and words of the king, or that knowing that his will was law it were vain to oppose him, but he was now as strongly for war as the king or Winterfeldt. "If there is to be war," said he, enthusiastically, "let us start to- morrow, take Saxony, and, in that land of corn, build magazines 140 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. for the holding of our provisions, so as to secure a way for our future operations in Bohemia. " " Ah I now I recognize my old Schwerin, " said the king, gayly pressing the marshal's hand. "No more delay! 'To anicipate' ia my motto, and shall, God willing, be Prussia's in future." "And our army," said Winterfeldt, with sparkling eyes, "has been accustomed, for hundreds of years, not only to defend them- selves, but also to attack. Ah, at last it is to be granted us to fight our arch-enemies in open field, mischief -making Austria, intriguing Saxony, barbarous Russia, and finally lying, luxurious France, and to convince them that, though we do not fear their anger, we share their hatred with our whole hearts. " "And you, Retzow," said the king, sternly, turning to the gen- eral, who was sitting silently with downcast head ; " do your views coincide with Schwerin's? Or do you still think it were better to wait?" " Yes, sire, " said Retzow, sadly ; " I think delay, under the present threatening circumstances, would be the wisest course ; I " He was interrupted by the entrance of a valet, who approached Ova Mng, and whispered a few words to him. Frederick turned smilingly to the generals. " The princes, my brothers, have arrived," said he; "they were to be here at this hour to hear the result of our consultation. And, it strikes me, they arrive at the right moment. The princes may enter. " CHAPTER IX. THE KING AND HIS BROTHERS. THE door was thrown open and the princes entered. First came the Prince of Prussia, whose pale, dejected countenance was to-day paler and sadder than usual. Then Prince Henry, whose quick, bright eyes were fixed inquiringly on General Retzow. The general shrugged his shoulders, and shook his head. Prince Henry must nave understood these movements, for his brow became clouded, and a deep red suffused his countenance. The king, who had seen this, laughed mockingly, and let the princes approach veiy close to nim, before addressing them. "Sirs," said he, "I have called you here, because I have some important news to communicate. The days of peace are over, and war is at hand !" "War ! and with whom?" said the Prince of Prussia, earnestly. " War with our enemies !" cried the king. "War with those who THE KING AND HIS BROTHERS. 141 have sworn Prussia's destruction. War with Austria, France Saxony, and Russia !" "That is impossible, my brother," cried the prince, angrily. " You cannot dream of warring against such powerful nations. You cannot believe in the possibility of victory. Powerful and mighty as your spirit is it will have to succumb before the tremendous force opposed to it. Oh ! my brother ! my king ! be merciful to yourself, to us, to our country. Do not desire the impossible ! DC not venture into the stormy sea of war, to fight with your frail barks against the powerful men of war that your enemies will direct against you. We cannot be victorious ! Preserve to your country your own precious life, and that of her brave sons. " The king's eyes burned with anger; they were fixed with an expression of deep hatred upon the prince. "Truly, my brother," said he, in a cold, cutting tone, "fear has made you eloquent. You speak as if inspired." A groan escaped the prince, and he laid his hand unwittingly upon his sword. He was deadly pale, and his lips trembled so vio- ently, that he could scarcely speak. " Fear !" said he, slowly. " That is an accusation which none but the king would dare to bring against me, and of which I will clear myself, if it comes to this unhappy war which your majesty j ro- poses, and which I now protest against, in the name of my rights my children, and my country. " "And I," said Prince Henry, earnestly "I also protest against this war ! Have pity on us, my king. Much as I thirst for renown and glory, often as I have prayed to God to grant me an occasion to distinguish myself, I now swear to subdue forever this craving for renown, if it can only be obtained at the price of this frightful, useless war. You stand alone ! Without allies, it is impossible to conquer. Why, then, brave certain ruin and destruction?" The king's countenance was frightful to look at ; his eyes were flashing with rage, and his voice was like thunder, it was so loud and threatening. "Enough of this !" said he ; "you were called here, not to advise, but to receive my commands. The brother has heard you patiently, but now the King of Prussia stands before you, and demands of you obedience and submission. We are going to battle ; this is settled; and your complaints and fears will not alter my determination. But all those who fear to follow me on the battle-field, have my per- mission to remain at home, and pass their time in love idyls. Who, amongst you all, prefers this? Let him speak, and he shaD follow his own inclinations. " "None of us could do that," said Prince Henry, passionately 142 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " If the King of Prussia calls his soldiers, they will all come and follow their chieftain joyfully, though they are marching to certain death. I have already given you my personal opinion ; it now rests with me to obey you, as a soldier, as a subject. This I will do joy- fully, without complaining. " "I also," said Prince Augustus William, earnestly. "Like my brother, I will know how to subdue my own opinions and fears, and to follow in silent obedience my king and my chieftain. " The king threw a glance of hatred upon the pale, disturbed countenance of the prince. " You will go where I command you, " said he, sharply ; and not giving the prince time to answer, he turned abruptly to Marshal Schwerin. "Well, marshal, do you wish for a furlough, during this war? You heard me say I would refuse it to no one. " " I demand nothing of your majesty, but to take part in the first battle against your enemies. I do not ask who they are. The hour for consultation is past ; it is now time to act. Let us to work, and that right quickly. " "Yes, to battle, sire," cried Retzow, earnestly. "As soon as your majesty has said that this war is irrevocable, your soldiers must have no further doubts, and they will follow you joyfully, to conquer or to die." "And you, Winterfeldt, " said the king, taking his favorite's hand tenderly ; "have you nothing to say? Or have the Prince of Prussia's fears infected you, and made of you a coward?" "Ah, no! sire, "said Winterfeldt, pressing the king's hand to his breast; "how could my courage fail, when it is Prussia's hero king that leads to battle? How can I be otherwise than joyous and confident of victory, when Frederick calls us to fight against his wicked and arrogant enemies? No! I have no fears; God and the true cause is on our side. " Prince Henry approached nearer to the king, and looking at him proudly, he said : " Sire, you asked General Winterfeldt if he shared the Prince of Prussia's fears. He says no ; but I will beg your majesty to remem- ber, that I share entirely the sentiments of my dear and noble brother. " As he finished, he threw an angry look at General Winterfeldt The latter commenced a fierce rejoinder, but was stopped by the king. " Be still, Winterfeldt, " he said ; " war has as yet not been de- clared, and till then, let there at least be peace in my own house. " Then approaching Prince Henry, and laying his hand on his shoul- der, he said kindly : " We will not exasperate each other, my brother THE KIKG AND HIS BROTHERS. 143 You have a noble, generous soul, and no one would dare to doubt your courage. It grieves me that you do not share my views as to the necessity of this war, but I know that you will be a firrcu helpful friend, and share with me my dangers, my burdens, and if God wills it, also my victory. " " Not I alone will do this, " cried Prince Henry, " but also my brother, Augustus William, the Prince of Prussia, whose heart is not less brave, whose courage" " Hush, Henry ! I pray you. " said the Prince of Prussia, sadly ; " speak not of my courage. By defending it, it would seem that it had been doubted, and that is a humiliation which I would stand from no one, " The king appeared not to have heard these words. He took some papers from the table by which he was standing, and said : " All that remains to be told you now, is that I agree with Mar- shal Schwerin. We will commence the attack in Saxony. To Saxony, then, gentlemen ! But, until the day before the attack, let us keep even the question of war a secret. " Then, with the paper under his arm, he passed through the saloois and entered his library. There was a long pause after he left. The Prince of Prussia, ex- hausted by the storm which had swept over his soul, had with- drawn to one of the windows, where he was hid from view by the heavy satin damask curtains. Prince Henry, standing alone in the middle of the room, gazed after his brother, and a deep sigh escaped him. Then turning to Retzow, he said : "You would not, then, fulfil my brother's and my own wishes?" " I did all that was in my power, prince, " said the general, sigh- ing. "Your highness did not wish this war to take place ; you de- sired me, if the king asked for my advice, to tell him that we were too weak, and should therefore keep the peace. Well, I said this, not only because you desired it, but because it was also my own opinion. But the king's will was unalterable. He has meditated this war for years. Years ago, with Winterfeldt's aid, he drew all the plans and made every other arrangement." " Winterfeldt !" murmured the prince to himself, "yes, Wintei-- feldt is the fiend whose whispers have misled the king. We sus- l>ected this long ago, but we had to bear it in silence, for we coul not prevent it. " And giving his passionate nature full play, he approached Gen eral Winterfeldt, who was whispering to Marshal Schwerin. "You can rejoice, general," said the prince, "for now you can take your private revenge on the Empress of Russia. " 144 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. Winterfeldt encountered the prince's angry glance with a quiet, cheerful look. "Your highness does me too much honor in thinking that a poor soldier, such as I am, could be at" enmity with a royal empress. What could this Russian empress have done to me, that could call for revenge on my part?" "What has she done to you?" said the prince, with a mocking smile. " Two things, which man finds hardest to forgive ! She outwitted you, and took your riches from you. Ah ! general, I fear this war will be in vain, and that you will not be able to take your wife's jewels from St. Petersburg, where the empress retains them." Winterfeldt subdued his anger, and replied : " You have related us a beautiful fairy tale, prince, a tale from the Arabian Nights, in which there is a talk of jewels and glorious treasures, only that in this tale, instead of the usual dragon, an empress guards them. I acknowledge that I do not understand your highness. " " But I understand you perfectly, general. I know your ambi - tious and proud plans. You wish to make your name renowned. General, I consider you are much in fault as to this war. You were the king's confidant you had your spies everywhere, who, for heavy rewards, imparted to you the news by which you stimulated the king." " If in your eyes, " said Winterfeldt, proudly, " it is wrong to spend your gold to find out the intrigues of your own, your king's, and your country's enemies, I acknowledge that I am in fault, and deserve to be punished. Yes, everywhere I have had my spies, and thanks to them, the king knows Saxony's, Austria's, and Russia's intentions. I paid these spies with my own gold. Your highness may thus perceive that I am not entirely dependent on those jewels of my wife which are said to be in the Empress of Russia's pos- session. " At this moment the Prince of Prussia, who had been a silent witness to this scene, approached General Winterfeldt. " General, " said he, in a loud, solemn voice, " you are the cause of this unfortunate war which will soon devastate our poor land. The responsibility falls upon your head, and woe to you if this war, caused by your ambition, should be the ruin of our beloved country 1 I would, if there were no punishment for you on earth, accuse you before the throne of God, and the blood of the slaughtered sons of my country, the blood of my future subjects, would cry to Heaven for revenge ! Woe to you if this war should be the ruin of Prussia I" repeated Prince Henry. " I could never forgive that ; I would hold your ambition responsible for it, for you have access to the king's heart, and instead of dissipating his distrust against these foreign THE LAUREL-BRANCH. 145 nations, you have endeavored to nourish it instead of softening the king's anger, you have given it fresh food." "What I have done," cried Winterfeldt, solemnly rasing his right hand heavenward "what I have done was done from a feel ing of duty, from love of my country, and from a firm, unshaken trust in my king's star, which cannot fade, but must become ever more and more resplendent ! May God punish me if I have acted from other and less noble motives !" "Yes, may God punish you may He not revenge your crime upon our poor country !" said Prince Augustus William. " I have said my last upon this sad subject. From now on, my private opinions are subdued I but obey the king's commands. What he requires of me shall be done where he sends me I will go, without questioning or considering, but quietly and obediently, as it becomes a true soldier. I hope that you, my brother, Marshal Schwerin, and General Retzow, will follow my example. The king has com- manded we have but to obey cheerfully. " Then, arm in arm, the princes left the audience-room and re- turned to Berlin. CHAPTER X. THE LAUREL-BRANCH. WHILE this last scene was passing in the audience-room, the king had retired to his study, and was walking up and down in deep thought. His countenance was stern and sorrowful a dark cloud was upon his brow his lips were tightly pressed together powerful emotions were disturbing his whole being. He stopped suddenly, and raising his head proudly, seemed to be listening to the thoughts and suggestions of his soul. "Yes," said be, "these were his very words: 'I protest against this war in the name of my rights, my children, and my country !' Ah, it is a pleasant thought to him that he is to be heir to my throne. He imagines that he has rights beyond those that I grant him, and that he can protest against an action of mine ! He is a rebel, a traitor. He dares to think of the time when I will be gone of the time when he or his children will wear this crown ! I feel that I hate him as my father hated me because I was his heir, and because the sight of me always reminded him of his death ! Yes, I hate him ! The effeminate boy will disturb the great work which T am endeavoring to pefrorm. Under his weak hands, this Prussia, which I would make great and powerful, will fail to pieces, and ah 146 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. my battles and conquests will be in vain. He will not know how TO make use of them. I will make of my Prussia a mighty and much feared nation. And if I succeed, by giving up my every thought to this one object, then my brother will come and destroy this work which has cost me such pain and trouble. Prussia needs a strong, active king, not an effeminate boy who passes his life in sighing for his lost love and in grumbling at fate for making him the son of a king. Yes, I feel that I hate him, for I foresee that he will be the destroyer of my great work. But no, no I do him wrong," said the king, " and my suspicious heart sees, perhaps, things that are not. Ah, has it gone so far? Must I, also, pay the tribute which princes give for their pitiful splendor? I suspect the heir to my throne, and see in him a secret enemy ! Mistrust has already thrown her shadow upon my soul, and made it dark and troubled. Ah, there will come a cold and dreary night for me, when I shall stand alone in the midst of all my glory !" His head fell upon his breast, and he remained silent and im- movable. " And am I not alone, now ?" said he, and in his voice there was a soft and sorrowful sound. " My brothers are against me, because they do not understand me ; my sisters fear me, and, because this war will disturb their peace and comfort, will hate me. My mother's heart has cooled toward me, because I will not be influ enced by her ; and Elizabeth Christine, whom the world calls my wife, weeps in solitude over the heavy chains which bind her. Not one of them loves me ! not one believes in me, and in my future !" The king, given up to these melancholy thoughts, did not hear a knock at his door ; it was now repeated, and so loudly, that he could not but hear it. He hastened to the door and opened it. Winter - feldt was there, with a sealed paper in his hand, which he gave to the king, begging him at the same time to excuse this interruption. "It is the best thing you could have done, " said the king, enter- ing his room, and signing to the general to follow him. "I was in bad company, with my own sorrowful thoughts, and it is good that you came to dissipate them. " "This letter will know well how to do that," said Winterfeldt. handing him the packet ; " a courier brought it to me from Berlin. '' " Letters from my sister Wilhelmina, from Italy, " said the king, joyfully breaking the seal, and unfolding the papers. There were several sheets of paper closely written, and between them lay a small, white packet. The king kept the latter in his hand, and commenced reading eagerly. As he read, the dark, stern expression gradually left his countenance. His brow was smooth and calm, and a soft, beautiful smile played about his lips. He THE BALL AT COUNT BRUHL'S. 147 finished the letter, and throwing it hastily aside, tore open the package. In it was a laurel -branch, covered with beautiful leaves, which looked as bright and green as if they had just been cut. The king raised it, and looked at it tenderly. "Ah, my friend," said he, with a beaming smile, "see how kind Providence ie to mel On this painful day she sends me a glorious token, a laurel-branch. My sister gathered it for me on my birth- day. Do you know where, my friend? Bow your head, be all attention ; for know that it is a branch from the laurel-tree that grows upon Virgil's grave ! Ah, my friend, it seems to me as if the great and glorious spirits of the olden ages were greeting me with this laurel which came from the grave of one of their greatest poets. My sister sends it to me, accompanied by some beautiful verses of her own. An old fable says that these laurels grew spontaneously upon Virgil's grave, and that they are indestructible. May this be a blessed omen for me ! I greet you, Virgil's holy shadow ! I bow down before you, and kiss in all humility your ashes, which have been turned into laurels !" Thus speaking, the king bowed his head, and pressed a fervent kiss upon the laurel. He then handed it to Winterfeldt. "Do likewise, my friend," said he; "your lips are worthy to touch this holy branch, to inhale the odor of these leaves which grew upon Virgil's grave. Kiss this branch and now let us swea* to become worthy of this kiss ; swear that in this war, which will soon begin, laurels shall either rest upon our brows or upon our graves !" Winterfeldt having sworn, repeated these words after him. " Amen 1" said the king ; " God aad Virgil have heard us. " CHAPTER XI. THE BALL AT COUNT BRUHL'S. CouOT BRUHL, first minister to the King of Saxony, gave to-day a magnificent fte in his palace, in honor of his wife, whose birth- day it was. The feast w?tb him. NEWS OF BATTLE. 177 " Come, come, my child, " said he, " to my house, where it is still and quiet ; there we will read of our king's victories. " But Anna shook her beautiful head. " No, father, " said she, " it would not be right to read the paper alone to-day. The king's victories belong to his people to each one of his subjects ; and every heart will beat more proudly when it hears of them, and thank God that He has blessed the weapons of their king. It is not for us to keep this joy from our men and women. Charles Henry, with the overseer's permission, had already assembled the villagers upon the open space under the beech-trees. See ! all are hastening with their work. Come, father, we must read to our neighbors and friends our king's victories. A victory belongs to the whole village, but should there ever be news of a lost battle, then, father, we will read it to ourselves. " " God forbid that this should come to pass!" said the old man, following Anna to the place of general meeting. CHAPTER II. NEWS OF BATTLE. THE inhabitants of the village had already assembled on the square, under the great linden ; and as old Buschman now ap- proached, supported by Anna Sophia's arm, they were joyfully greeted. Anna waved the paper like a white flag in the air, and, hasten- ing the old man forward impatiently, she exclaimed : " Our king has won a battle !" Shouts of triumph were the result. "Did he whip the French, or the Austrians?" asked one of the peasants, as he drew close to Anna, and tried to seize the paper. Anna drew it back hastily. " The steward sent it to me, to read to the community, and I shall do so. " "Tell us, Anna," said another, "has he beaten the Russians or the cunning Saxons? I wish he could trample them all under foot. " "He will, if he has not yet done so," cried old Buschman. " Children, our king will conquer all his enemies ; he is a hero, and has only brave fellows to fight for him. Just think of the thirty noble boys that our village alone gave him !" " Read, Anna, read !" cried the curious crowd. And Anna, ready to please them, walked under the linden, and stepped upon the wooden bench that surrounded tta tree. 178 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. Father Buschman placed himself at her feet, and several old men and women followed his example. The young people gathered around in groups, and gazed respectfully at the youthful girl, whose bright, beautiful face glowed as if lighted by the evening sun. The little boys, who had followed their parents from curiosity, were amusing themselves in turning somersets. Anna now raised her voice and began to read in a bright tone It was a brilliant and inspiring account of the battle of Losovitz, and Anna read it in breathless haste and burning cheeks. As she read how the Prussians were at first defeated by the powerful army of the Austrians under General Brown, whose terrific artillery sent death and ruin into the Prussian ranks, the women sobbed softly, and the men could hardly suppress their sighs. They breathed more freely when they heard that the king, adopting a new expedient, advanced a part of his cavalry into the centre of his weakened in- fantry, and thus turned the tide of battle. Their courage failed on hearing that this advantage was soon lost ; the enemy still advanced in unbroken columns, and almost forced the Prussians to retreat. The left wing of infantry, commanded by the Duke of Bevern, which had fired unceasingly, had exhausted their ammunition, while the Austrian General Wied, who defended the post of Loso- vitz, kept up a brisk cannonading. The Prussian warriors pleaded loudly for powder and shot. Anna stopped reading ; her heart beat loudly ; she leaned her head against the tree and closed her eyes in terror. The old people sitting at her feet prayed and wept aloud, and from the crowd there arose sounds of grief and despair. In their terror they had forgotten that it was of a victory and not a defeat they were to hear, and that the battle must at last have ended to their advantage. " Read on, Anna, " said the old shepherd, after a long pause. " Are we such cowards as not to be able even to hear an account of this murderous battle in which our sons were brave enough to fight?" " Read on, read on !" was heard here and there. Anna unclosed her eyes and raised the paper. Breathless still- ness reigned anew. Anna read : " In this fearful moment the Duke of Bevern felt that a decisive step must be taken, and springing in front of his troops with drawn sword, he cried : ' Boys, you have no more ammunition ! Do not be discouraged ! Fight with your bayonets !' These words, spoken by a brave and beloved leader, gave heart to all. They closed their ranks, and inspired by the example of their officer, attacked the enemy boldly. In vain Baron Stahremberg hastened forward with his six battalions uselessly Baron Wied tried to defend the house of Losovitz in which his grenadiers had taken refuge. Nothing could NEWS OF BATTLE. 179 withstand the Prussians. Like a raging hurricane they fell upon the enemy, who were forced to give way to them. A part of the Austrian force sprang into the Elbe, and tried to save their lives by swimming. Losovitz was fired, and all its defenders fled. The Prussians had gained a complete victory."* Anna Sophia could read no further. The delight of all was in- tense wives embraced their husbands with tears of joy old men thanked God aloud and the boys, who had ceased their play and been listening attentively, made bolder and higher somersets and shouted more lustily. Anna Sophia alone said nothing. Her tall, slender, but full form was leaning against the tree an inspired smile was on her lip, and her eyes, raised to heaven, beamed with holy fire. She stood as if in a dream, and at first did not hear old Buschman ask her to read on. When he repeated his request, she was startled, and turned her glance slowly down from heaven upon the joyful crowd that surrounded her. " What do you wish, father?" she asked. The old shepherd arose, and, taking his cap from his gray head, said solemnly, " You have read us of the victory, Anna Sophia ; now read us of those who gave their lives for it. Tell us of the dead." " Yes, read us a list of the dead !" cried the others, uncovering their heads respectfully. Anna sought for the list, and read slowly the names of the fallen. Their faces brightened more and more ; none belonging to them were dead. Suddenly Anna paused, and uttered a low cry ; then looked at Father Buschman with a terrified expression. Perhaps the old man understood her, for he trembled a little, and his head fell upon his breast ; but he raised it proudly again. Looking almost commandingly at Anna, he said : " Read on, my daughter. " But Anna could not read. The paper trembled in her hand, and her face was pale as death. " Read on, " repeated the old man " read on ; I, your father, command you to read !" Anna sighed deeply. "I will obey," she said, and casting a glance of inexpressible sorrow at the old man, two new names fell from her lips and tears to consecrate them. "Anton Buschman, Fiederick Buschman," and then taking advantage of the breathless stillness, she added : " The two brothers were the first to attack the enemy they died the death of heroes !" She ceased. The paper dropped from her trembling hands and fell at the old man's feet. The weeping eyes of the crowd were turned upon old Buschman. * " Characteristics of the Seven Years' War," vol. i., p. (58. 180 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. As if crushed by the storm, he had staggered to the bench ; he bowed his head upon his breast that no one might see the expression of his face ; his trembling hands clasped on his knees, made a touch- ing picture of silent sorrow. His son Henry, who had been standing with the others, stepped softly to him, and kneeling down, put his arms around the old man's neck and spoke to him tenderly. The old man started up with terror his glance turned from his son to the crowd, and met everywhere sympathizing and troubled faces. "Well," be asked, in a hard, rough voice, "why do you weep? Did you not hear that my sons died the death of heroes? Have they not fallen for their country and their king? It would be- come us to weep if they were cowards and fled in battle. But Anna Sophia told us they died the death of heroes. Therefore, let us think of them with love and pride. ' Blessed are the dead, for they see God!'" He sank upon his knees and murmured low prayers for the repose of the dead, and now he wept for the first time. At his side knelt his son and Anna Sophia ; and the crowd, overcome by emotion and sympathy, followed their example, and with bended knees mur- mured the pious prayers of the Church for the dead. The solemn stillness was broken by the beating of drums and the tramping of horses. A company of infantry, headed by the drum- mer and fifer, marched up the street and approached the villagers, who, rising from their knees, gazed anxiously at the troops. "They are Prussians, " said the mayor, who was amongst the crowd. "They are Prussians," repeated the crowd, with brightening faces. Headed by the mayor, they went forward to meet and conduct them to the middle of the square, where they halted. The mayor then approached the officer and asked him what he desired. The officer, after making the drummer a sign, who beat the roll powerfully, drew out a roll of paper and unfolded it. The villagers pushed forward and waited with breathless attention. Close to the officer stood the old shepherd, next to him his son and Anna Sophia, who was staring, pale and trembling, at the officer, who now began to read. This paper commanded the unmarried men of the village to place themselves under the king's flag, and to take their places in the ranks of those who fought for their country. Harvest was at an end, and the king could now demand the fighting men of villages and cities to join him and share with him his dangers and his vic- tories. The officer then commanded the mayor to give him early THE CERTIFICATE OF ENLISTMENT. 181 the next morning a list of the unmarried men in the village, that he might call them out and conduct them to Cleve for further orders. A hollow murmur ran through the crowd when the officer had finished. The joyful and inspired emotion they had just felt gave way to discontent and gloom. All had been ready to celebrate the victory, but found it far from desirable to enter the ranks. The old shepherd looked angrily at the despairing crowd, and an expression of pious peace spread over his venerable countenance. Turning to the officer, he said, in a loud voice : " I had six sons in the army ; two fell in the battle of Losovitz. and my poor old heart still weeps for the dead ; but it is also con- tent that the king calls for another sacrifice. I have one other son ; he is unmarried, has no one to take care of, neither wife nor child nor his old father, for, thank God, I still have strength to support myself. Go, then, my son Charles Henry, the king calls you ; and if it must be so, lie down like your brothers in a heroic grave. " He ceased and laid his hand, as if with a blessing, upon his son's head ; but Henry did not partake of his father's enthusiasm. His face was pale as death, and his powerful frame trembled as if with fever. Anna Sophia saw it ; her beaming face paled, and her eye sank down with shame. The officer, who had noticed the dejection of the people, wished to give them time to recover. " Leave every thing alone until to-morrow, " he said. " To-mor- row, sir mayor, you will hand me the list, and I am sure that the unmarried boys will obey their king's call with joy. Now, sir mayor, I beg you to conduct me to the court-house, where I will pass the night, and see that my soldiers find good quarters there, and in the village." He nodded kindly to the people, and accompanied by the mayor, moved onward. The crowd followed them silently, and the gay village boys danced gleefully around the fine procession. CHAPTER III. THE CERTIFICATE OF ENLISTMENT. ANNA SOPHIA returned to her solitary home in deep meditation, and not even in the stillness of her room could she regain her accus- tomed serenity and cheerfulness. Her thoughts were far away ; for the first time her room appeared to her gloomy and deserted. The memories of the past did not now speak to her, and when she threw 182 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. herself upon her bed, it was without having bid her parents gooa night. But even then she could find no rest. Strange visions were wafted before her waking eyes, wonderful dreams took hold of her senses. She saw her victorious king standing before her, his spark- ling eyes beckoning her to follow him. Then she saw herself in the front of an army, the fluttering banner in her hand, the glittering shield on her breast, followed by many brave warriors, who were all gazing proudly upon her. And again she saw herself. But now she was all alone alone by the side of an open grave, with a gaping wound in her breast, raising her weary eyes upward and murmur- ing with pale lips: "How sweet to die for one's country!" Then the brothers of her betrothed raised themselves slowly from among the dead, and signed to her to follow them. She seemed to hear them saying : " Revenge our death, our brother is faint-hearted !" At this thought, she raised herself upon her couch. " He is a coward, " murmured she ; " I saw him turn pale and tremble, and I felt as if a sword had entered my heart and destroyed all my love for him. Yes, he is a coward, and instead of rejoicing at the thought of a battle, he trembles. " She covered her face with her hands, as if to hide from the night the burning blush of shame that mounted to her brow. Thus she sat for hours motionless, as if listening to the voices whispering to her from within, until the first gleam of morning, the first ray of sun entered the open window to arouse her from her waking dreams. She sprang from her bed, and dressed herself with trembling eagerness. The sun had arisen, and Charles Henry was no doubt already in the woods, at the place she had appointed to meet him yesterday morning. When bidding him good-by, she had whispered to him to meet her there in the morning at sunrise ; she did not then know why she had appointed this meeting. She well knew it was not the longing to pass an undisturbed hour with her lover that had actuated her. Anna had no such wish ; her heart was too pure, her love too cold. She had only felt that she would have something to say to him ; she knew not what herself. But now she well knew what she had to say ; it was all clear, and therefore she was happy and cheerful. It seemed to her as if her soul had taken flight, and as if there was a lark within her sing- ing songs of joy ; and with these feelings she hastened down the road into the woods. At the appointed place stood Charles Henry, and as his betrothed approached him, so proud, so smiling, sparkling with beauty and youth, it appeared to him that he had never seen her so exquisitely THE CERTIFICATE OF ENLISTMENT. 183 neautiful ; to her, as he advanced smilingly to meet her, he had never seemed so small, so devoid of attractions. When they met, they looked at each other in amazement there was a change in both. " Anna Sophia, " said Charles Henry at last, sadly, " you have something against me !" "Yes," said she, "I have something against you, otherwise I would not have appointed this meeting here, where we can be heard by no one. Were this that I have to tell you something good, some- thing pleasant, all the world might stand by and hear it ; but as it is something painful, it must be heard by you alone. " She seated herself silently upon the ground, signing to Charles Henry to follow her example. " It was here, " said Anna, hastily, " that you first told me of your love. * " Yes, it was here, Anna, " repeated he, " and you then told me that my love was returned, and that you would be my wife when we had saved enough to commence housekeeping. But still I have always felt that you were not kind to me, not as the other girls in the village are to their Jovers. You have never permitted me to come under your window at night ; I have never been allowed to take you in my arms and kiss you tenderly, as the others boys do their sweethearts ; and never, no never, have you given me a kiss unasked ; and, after all my entreaties, you kissed me only in the presence of my old father and his dog." " It is not in my nature to be very tender, " said Anna, shrugging her shoulders. " I read in one of my books lately a fairy tale, in which there was a young girl, of whom it was said that a bad fairy had bound her heart in iron, to prevent its full play ; the girl was constantly bewailing this fatality, saying, 'I can only like, but never love. ' Perhaps it is thus with me, but I do not weep over it, like the foolish girl in the book. " " And was this what you had to tell me ?" asked Charles Henry, mockingly. She gave him a look that sent the jeering smile from his lip. "No, Charles Henry, " said she, ".this is not what I have to tell you." "Well, what is it then, Anna, for this wounds me?" said he. impatiently. "Perhaps the other will do so also," said she, sadly. "But it must come out, I cannot suppress it. Hear. Charles Henry, what I have to say, and if it is not true, forgive me. I fear you do not go willingly into the army, and that your heart does not beat with joy at the thought of becoming a soldier. " 184 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " You are right, " said Charles Henry, laughing, " I do not go willingly ; and how should it be otherwise? it is a wild, disorderly life, and it strikes me it cannot be right for men who, our pastor says, should love each other like brothers, to vie in cutting off each other's limbs, and to fire upon each other without mercy or pity, as if one were the butcher, the other the poor ox, who only resists because he does not wish to give up his life ; and in this case all would be the butchers, and none the oxen, therefore each one gives his stroke bravely to preserve his own life. " " It would be sad if it were as you say, " said Anna, shaking her head, "but it is not so. The true soldier does not think of his life ; he thinks of his country, for which he will gladly shed his blood of his king, to whom he has sworn to be true and of the glory which he will gain for himself !" Charles Henry looked in amazement upon Anna Sophia's agitated countenance. "How do you know all this?" said he. "Who has told you that these are soldiers' thoughts?" " I have read of it in my books, Charles Henry ; in one of them there is the history of a man whose name was Leonidas. He defend- ed, with three hundred of his soldiers, against many thousands of his enemy, a narrow passway. He well knew that he could not con- quer ; his soldiers also knew it, but they preferred death rather than the humiliation of laying down their weapons and praying for mercy. And every man of them died joyfully, giving up his life for his country. " "Well, I must say they were fools!" cried Charles Henry, ex- citedly ; " if I had been there, I would not have done so I would have sued for pardon. " " Yes, " said Anna Sophia thoughtfully " yes, I think you would have done as you say ; and I have been wondering all through the past night whether you would willingly and joyfully go to battle?" "I? God forefend ; I will not go joyfully I will not go at all ! This morning I intend going to our pastor to receive from him a certificate, showing that I cannot join the army, as I have a decrepit old father to support, who would die without me. " "Charles Henry, your father is not decrepit, nor very old, nor would he starve if you were not here, for he can support himself. " "But he may, at any moment, become unable to help himself, and then he would need me ; I would have no rest day or night when far away, but would be thinking of my poor old father, lying sick and helpless in his hut, with no one near to give him a piece of bread or a cup of water. " " Let not this trouble you, Charles Henry, " said Anna, solemnly. THE CERTIFICATE OF ENLISTMENT. 185 "I swear to you that I will love him and care for him as a daughter. He shall want for nothing ; and when he can work no longer, I am strong and healthy enough to work for both of us. Go with a peace- ful mind, I will be here in your place. " " No, no !" cried Charles Henry, turning pale ; " I will not join the army. I cannot, I will not be separated from you, Anna. You have sworn to be my wife, and I will beseech the pastor to join us to-day ; then they cannot take me away from here, for I will have a father and a wife to take care of." " Not for me, Charles Henry, for I will not marry yet. Have we saved enough to commence housekeeping? Is this a time to marry and build a nest, when war, misery, and ruin are raging through- out the country ? No, no ! Charles Henry, we cannot marry now. " " Because you do not wish it, Anna. But it shall be, for I have your promise, and you must keep it. Ah, Anna Sophia, you do not know what a longing I have to call you my wife !" "But I have no such longing," said she, drily ; "no desire what- ever to marry ; and I will tell you, that though you wish to marry to-day, it is not out of love for me, but to save yourself. " His eyes sunk before the large, searching ones fixed upon him. "To save myself, and from what, Anna Sophia?" "From being a soldier, Charles Henry ! For last evening, I read upon your countenance that you were devoid of courage " "You read that?" "Yes, Charles Henry, fear was stamped upon your brow." " Well, then, " said he, after a pause, " you have read aright. I have no courage, I fear for myself. I am not accustomed to stand still, while some one is pointing his gun at me, and to cry, 'Long live the king ! ' when the cannon-balls are flying around me ; to at- tack men who have done me no harm, and to whom I wish to do none. When I think upon the possibility of my being compelled to do this, I tremble, and my heart ceases to beat. Do not require it of me, Anna, for if I have to go, I will fly at the first fight, and come back here. They may then shoot me as a deserter, if they choose ; I prefer to die rather than to kill any one else. " Anna Sophia sprang from her seat with a cry of horror. " I thought so, " said she, in a low voice ; and, crossing her arms upon her breast, she walked to and fro, thoughtfully. Charles Henry looked at her in amazement, but had not the courage to speak to her ; for she was so completely changed, that he was almost afraid of her. There was something so cold and proud about her to-day, something aristocratic in her beauty. He thought to himself, "It is thus that a queen would look when dreoaed as a peasant. " 13 186 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. Anna Sophia stood still before him at last, and gave him a ten- der, almost pitiful glance. " Charles Henry, " said she, " you shall not join the army ; I will not suffer it. " He sprang from his seat with a cry of joy. "You will then marry me, Anna Sophia?" said he, exultingly. "You will become my wife, so as to keep me here? You love me too much to let me go !" He tried to embrace her, but she waved him off. " No, " said she, " I will not marry you, but, still, you must not join the army ; for if you became a deserter, it would break your father's heart, and it would be a disgrace, not only for me, but for the whole village. Think well over what you have said. Perhaps you are mistaken in yourself, and only dislike joining the army on your poor father's account. Question your conscience and your heart, and remember, Charles Henry, that God will hear your answer. Do you truly believe that you are wanting in courage that you would fly from the battle-field?" " As truly as there is a God above us, I believe it, Anna Sophia. It is not belief, it is certainty. It is not in my nature to be brave ; I was not brought up to it, and am therefore without it. I am an apt farmer, but would be a bad soldier. " Anna Sophia sighed deeply, and covered her face with her hands. Thus she stood for some time in front of her betrothed, and he saw the large tears, stealing through her fingers, fall upon the grass, to be transformed there by the sun into sparkling jewels. "Why do you weep, Anna Sophia?" asked he, gently. "What has so suddenly made you sad?" Her hands fell slowly and wearily from her face. " I am not weeping now, " said she ; " it is past I have shed my last tear. Now we must settle upon what is to be done, for you cannot be a soldier. " " But they will force me, " said he, " for I am tall, strong, and healthy just the build for a soldier. " Anna Sophia raised herself proudly and stood beside him. " I am as tall as you, " said she. " It is true, " replied Charles Henry, laughing, " we are of the same height. We can scarcely fail to have tall, good-looking chil- dren some of these days !" She shrugged her shoulders slightly, and looked at him in a strange manner. " I am as strong and as healthy as you, " said she, " my sight is as sharp, my hand as sure. Were I Charles Henry Buschman, I would be a good soldier, for I have courage I would not tremble at the cannon-balls. " THE CERTIFICATE OF ENLISTMENT. 187 " But, fortunately, you are not a man, " said Charles Henry, laughing. " You are the beautiful Anna Sophia, who is this day to become my wife to save me from being a soldier. " " No, Charles Henry ; the war must be at an end, and Charles Henry Buschman must have returned a brave soldier, before I can marry him. " " You mean, " said he, with trembling lips " you mean I must be a soldier?" " As you have said, they will not let you off. You are a strong, healthy youth you are unmarried, and have no one to support, for your father can take care of himself. Why, then, as the king is in need of soldiers, should they pass you by ?" " It is too true, " murmured Charles Henry, despondently. After a slight pause, he said : " But I will not be a soldier I cannot ! For it is true I am a coward I have not a particle of courage ! That is born with one, it cannot be acquired ; I have it not, and cannot therefore be a soldier. " " Nor shall you become one, " said Anna, with determination. "What can you do?" "I will join the army in your stead !" Charles Henry stared at her. He was on the point of laughing, but the sight of her inspired, earnest countenance, in which a world of determination was expressed, sobered him completely. " I will do as I said, for I have great courage, and when I think of a battle my heart beats loudly, not with fear but with rapturous joy. To me, nothing would be more glorious than to die, banner in hand, surrounded by the thunder of cannon, and to cry out exult- ingly, as the blood flows from my wounds, ' Vive le roi ! t ive la patrie!'" Her form was raised majestically, her countenance beamed with inspiration, a daring fire sparkled in her eyes she was so changed in form and expression, that Charles Henry drew back from her in terror. " I am afraid of you, Anna Sophia, " said he, shuddering. " You are changed you are not like yourself. " " No, " said she ; " nor am I the same. Yesterday I was Anna Sophia Detzloff from to-day I am Charles Henry Buschman. DC not interrupt me it must be ! You shall not break your father's heart you shall not bring disgrace upon the village. The king has called you you must obey the call. But I will go in your place ; you shall remain quietly at home, thrashing your corn, cutting your hay, and taking care of your kind old father, while I shall be upon the battle-field, fighting in your place." "Do you then love me well enough to give your life forme?" cried Charles Henry, with streaming eyes. 188 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. She shook her head slowly, thoughtfully. " I do not know if it he love, " said she. " I only feel that it must be done there is no other outlet but this to help us all. Let us speak no more about it only tell me that you accept it. " " It is impossible, Anna Sophia. " " Only accept it, and all will be right. " " I cannot. It would be an everlasting shame to me. " She pressed her teeth tightly together her eyes gleamed with anger. "Hear me out," said she. "Go, or stay whichever you do I do not remain here ! I must away and seek my fortune. I have never been happy, as yet upon the battle-field I may be. I have nothing to lose, and can therefore win all. Well, say ! Am I to be a soldier in your stead?" " If you really wish it, I must yield, " said he, sadly. " You say you have nothing to lose, but I, I have you, and I cannot, will not lose you. And as you would be angry with and leave me if I said 'No, ' I prefer saying 'Yes. ' " Anna Sophia gave a cry of delight, and, for the first time, gave Charles Henry a willing kiss. "Many, many thanks, Charles Henry, " said she. " Now we will all be happy. " Charles Henry sighed. He could not bring himself to trust in Anna's prophecy. "And now," said she, eagerly, "how shall we go about it?" CHAPTER IV. FAREWELL TO THE VILLAGE. IN the course of the day, Charles Henry accompanied the other boys to the village, where an officer was to call out the names of those who were drafted. As his name was called out, he did not change countenance he remained as gay and cheerful as before, while the other boys were gazing sadly, thoughtfully before them. Then the officer handed each of them a ticket upon which their names were printed, and ordered them to go immediately to the nearest city, Cleve, and receive their uniforms. Charles Henry requested a day's leave, as he had various preparations to make for his father, to whom he wished to will the little property he had inherited from his mother. The officer granted him one day. Charles Henry left the house gayly, but instead of turning his steps toward the little hut inhabited by his father, he took the path leading to the old school-house, where his bride lived. FAREWELL TO THE VILLAGE. 189 She stood at her door waiting for him. " Well, " said she, hastily, "is all right?" " Yes, " said he, sadly, " I am drafted. " She grasped the printed ticket from his hand and hid it in her bosom. "Now," said she, "you have but to bring me a decent suit of clothes. " "My Sunday suit, Anna," said he, smiling. "It is new; I in- tended to be married in it. " " I shall not hurt it, " said she. " There is a merchant at Cleve, whom I know to be good and honest I will leave the clothes with him, and next Sunday you can walk to the city for them. " "You will not even keep them to remember me by?" "It is impossible for me ever to forget you, Charles Henry, for I shall bear your name. " "From now on, throughout your whole life, you shall bear it, Anna. For when you return, you will remember your promise, and marry me. You will not forget me when far away ?" "How do I know I shall return?" said she. "A soldier's life is in constant danger. There can be no talk of marriage until this war is over. But it is now time we were asleep, Charles Henry. You and I have many things to do to-morrow ; we must arrange our household affairs you for the sake of appearances, and I in good earnest. Good-night, then, Charles Henry. " "Will you not kiss me on this our last night, Anna Sophia?" said he, sadly. " A soldier kisses no man, " said she, with a weary smile. " He might embrace a friend, as his life ebbed out upon the battle-field, but none other, Charles Henry. Good-night. " She entered and bolted the door after her, then lighting a candle she hastened to her attic-room. Seating herself at her father's table, she spread a large sheet of foolscap before her and commenced writing. She was making her will with a firm, unshaken hand. She began by taking leave of the villagers, and implored them to forgive her for causing them sorrow ; but that life in the old hut, without her parents, had become burdensome to her, and as her be- trothed was now going away, she could endure it no longer. She then divided her few possessions, leaving to every friend some slight remembrance, such as ribbons, a prayer-book, or a handkerchief. Her clothes she divided among the village wives. But her house, with all its contents, she left to Father Buschman, with the request that he would live in it, at least in summer. When she had finished, she threw herself upon her bed to rest from the many fatigues and heart- aches of the da}-. In her dreams her parents appeared to her they beckoned, kissed, and blessed her. 190 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. Strengthened by this dream, she sprang joyfully at daybreak from her couch. She felt now assured that what she was about to do was right, for otherwise her parents would not have appeared to her. She now continued the preparations for her journey cheerfully. She packed all her linen clothes into a small bundle, and then scoured and dusted her litle house carefully. Dressing herself with more than her usual care, and putting her testament in her pocket, she left the house. Anna took the road leading to the parsonage ; she wished to go to confession to her old pastor for the last time. He had known her during the whole of her short life ; had baptized her, and with him she had taken her first communion. She had confessed to him her most secret thoughts, and with loving smile, he absolved what she deemed her sins. He would not break the seal of confession, and she therefore opened her heart to him without fear. The old pastor was deeply moved, and laying his hand upon her head he wept. When she had bid him a long and loving adieu, and had wiped the tears from her eyes, she left the parsonage and has- tened to the woods, where Father Buschman was tending his sheep. As soon as the old shepherd saw her, he beckoned to her his welcome. "I did not see you throughout the whole of yesterday, Anna Sophia," said he, "and my heart was heavy within me; there was something wanting to my happiness. " "I will remain with you to-day to make up for yesterday's ab- sence, " said she, seating herself beside him and kissing him ten- derly. " I could not work to-day, for my heart aches ; I will rest myself with you." "Your heart aches because Charles Henry must leave us," said the old shepherd. " You would prefer his remaining at home, and not being a soldier?" " No, I would not prefer this, father, " said she, earnestly ; "would you?" The old man looked thoughtful for some time, then said : "It will be a great sorrow to me, Anna Sophia, for he is the last remaining light of my youth, and when he goes all will be dark and gloomy for me. It does me good to see his bright, handsome face ; to hear his gay morning and evening song ; and when you two are sitting beside me hand in hand upon the old bench at the front of our little hut, my youth comes back to me. I see myself sitting on the same bench with my dear old woman it was our favorite seat when we were young. When Charles Henry leaves me, I not only lose him, but my whole past life seems to vanish away." "You would, therefore, prefer he should remain at home?" said Anna, anxiously. FAREWELL TO THE VILLAGE. 191 " If it" were possible, " said he, " but it is not. His king has called him, he must obey. " " But he may, perhaps, be allowed to stay, father, if you will de- clare that you are too old, too weak to support yourself, and wish the only prop of your old age to remain with you, the authorities at Cleve may, perhaps, grant your request. " The old shepherd shook his head slowly and thoughtfully, and said : "No, we will not make the attempt ; it would be deception, and could bring us no honor. I am not too weak to earn my own liv- ing, and it would be a disgrace to Charles Henry if I bought him off from his duty. The world might then think he was a coward, and had not courage enough to fight. " " Do you think it a disgrace for a man to be wanting in courage ?" said Anna Sophia, gazing at him as if her life depended upon his answer. " I think so, " said he, calmly ; " it is as bad for a man to be with- out courage as for a woman to be without virtue. " Anna Sophia raised her dark, glowing eyes to heaven with an expression of deep thankfulness. Then giving way to her emotion, she threw her arms around the old shepherd, and, leaning her head upon his shoulder, she wept bitterly. He did not disturb her, but pressed her tenderly to his heart, and whispered occasionally a few loving, consoling words. He believed he understood her sorrow ; he thought he knew the source of these tears. She was weeping be- cause all hope of preventing her betrothed from being a soldier was now gone. "Weep no more, my child," said he, at last ; "your eyes will be red ; it will sadden Charles Henry, and make it harder for him to say good-by. See, there he comes to join us do not weep, my child." Anna raised her head and dried her eyes hastily. " I am not weeping, father, " said she. " I entreat you do not tell Charles Henry that I have been crying do not, if you love me. I will promise not to be sad again. " " I will be silent, but you must keep your word and be cheerful, so as not to sadden the poor boy. " "I will." Anna Sophia kept her word. She gave Charles Henry a bright, cheery welcome. While she was joking and laughing with the old man, evening came upon them, and as it cast its shadows about, Charles Henry became more and more silent and sad. It was now time to drive home the fold ; the sun had set, and Phylax had collected his little army. 192 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. The old shepherd arose. "And now, my children," said he, " take leave of one another. It is the last sunset you will see to- gether for many a long day. Swear to each other here, in the pres- ence of God and of his beautiful world, that you will be true to each other, that your love shall never change. " Charles Henry looked timidly, beseechingly at Anna Sophia, but she would not encounter his gaze. "We have said all that we had to say," said she, quietly, "we will therefore not make our parting harder by repeating it. " " It will make parting much easier to me, " cried Charles Henry, "if you will swear to be true, and always to love me. Though many years may pass, Anna Sophia, before we meet again, I will never cease to love you, never cease to think of you. " " This will I also do, Charles Henry, " said Anna, solemnly. " My thoughts will be with you daily, hourly ; your name will be constantly upon my lips !" Charles Henry turned pale. He understood the ambiguous meaning of this oath, and it cut him to the heart. "And now, good- night, Anna Sophia," said the old shepherd; "to-morrow evening, when your work is done, I will await you here. We will have to love and console each other. Good-night once more !" "Good-night, dear father," whispered she, in a voice choked with tears, as she pressed a burning kiss on his brow. The old man took her in his arms and embraced her tenderly, then whispered : "To-morrow we "will weep together, Anna Sophia." Anna tore herself from his arms. "Good-night, father!" and then turning to Charles Henry, she said : "When do you leave for Cleve?" "To night, at ten," said he ; "I prefer going at night ; it is much hotter in the day, and I must be at Cleve at eight in the morning. I will be at your door to-night, to take a last look at you. " "It is all right," said she, dryly, turning from him and hasten- ing home. Night had come; the village night-watch had announced the tenth hour ; no light gleamed through the windows the busy noise and bustle of day had given place to deep quiet. The whole village was at rest, every eye was closed. No one saw Charles Henry as he passed, with a bundle under his arm, and took the path leading to the old school-houseno one but the moon, that was gleaming brightly above, and was illuminating the solitary wanderer's path. For the first time he found Anna Sophia's door open he had no FAREWELL TO THE VILLAGE. 193 need to knock. He entered undisturbed with his bundle, which contained the suit of clothes Anna had desired. Half an hour later the door was opened, and two tall, slenderly- built young men left the house. The moon saw it all ; she saw that the man with the hat on, and with the bundle on his back, was none other than Anna Sophia Detzloff , daughter of the old school-teacher. She saw that the one who was following her, whose countenance was so ghastly pale not because the moon was shining upon it, but because he was so sad, so truly wretched that this other was Charles Henry Buschman, who was coward enough to let his bride go to battle in his stead ! The moon saw them shake hands for the last time and bid each other farewell. " Let me go a little bit of the way with you, Anna Sophia, " said Charles Henry ; " it is so dark, so still, and soon you will go througli the woods. It is best I should be with you, for it is so fearfully gloomy. Let me accompany you, Anna Sophia. " " I have no fear of the woods, " said she, gently ; " the stars above will watch over and guard me, the moon will shed her light upon my path, it will not be dark. I must go my way through life alone I must have no fear of any thing, not even of death. Leave me now, and be careful that you are seen by no one during the whole of to-morrow in my house. No one will go there to- morrow, for I have left word in the village that I am going on a visit to my aunt at Cleve. I have prepared your meals for you ; the table is set, and above, in my room, you will find books to read. You can stand it for one day, to-morrow evening you will be re- leased. Farewell, Charles Henry !" "Do not go, Anna Sophia, " said he, weeping and trembling ; "I will go. I will force my heart to be courageous I You must stay here." " It is too late, " said Anna ; " nor could you do it, Charles Henry. You are afraid of the dark woods, and what comes beyond is much more fearful. We have taken leave of each other, the worst is past. Kiss your father for me, and when at times you are sitting upon the old bench, remind him of Anna Sophia. " " I will obey you, " whispered he. But Anna was not listening to him ; she had turned from him, and was hastening down the road. The moon saw it all 1 She saw the tears steal slowly from Anna Sophia's eyes, and fall unknown to herself upon her cheek, as she turned her back upon her old home and hastened forward to a life of danger, privation, and want. She saw Charles Henry leaning upon the door of the old school-house, staring after Anna with a trembling heart until the last glimpse of her was lost in the distant 194 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. woods. He then entered the school-house and fastened the door be- hind him. His heart was heavy and sorrowful, he was ashamed of himself ; he was sorry for what he had done, but had not the strength to change it ; and as he went over Anna Sophia's departure, he was inwardly rejoiced that he himself was to remain at home. On the morning of the second day after Anna's departure, there was a great stir in the village, there were two astounding reports to excite the community. Charles Henry Buschman had returned from Cleve ; they had told him he could be spared for a while. The second report was that Anna Sophia had not returned from her visit. They waited for several days, and as she did not come, Charles Henry went to the distant village where her aunt lived. But he returned with sad news. Anna Sophia was not there, her aunt had not seen her. What had become of her? Where was she? No one could clear up the mystery. Many spoke of suicide ; she had drowned herself in the large lake to the left of the village they said, because her be- trothed had to leave her. The old pastor would not listen to this ; but when the aunt came to take possession of her niece's worldly goods, he had to bring forward the will Anna had given him, in which she had willed her all to Father Buschman. And now no one doubted that Anna had laid hands upon herself. The mystery re- mained unsolved. Every one pitied and sympathized with Charles Henry, who had lost all his former cheerfulness since the death of his bride ! CHAPTER V. THE PRISONER. Two years had passed since Frederick von Trenck entered the fortress of Magdeburg. Two years ! What is that to those who live, work, strive, and fight the battle of life? A short space of time, dashing on with flying feet, and leaving nothing for remem- brance but a few important moments. Two years ! What is that to the prisoner? A gray, impenetrable eternity, in which the bitter waters of the past fall drop by drop upon all the functions of life, and hollow out a grave for the being without existence, who no longer has the courage to call himself a man. Two years of anxious waiting, of vain hopes, of ever-renew- ing self-deception, of labor without result. This was Trenck's existence, since the day the doors of the cita- del of Magdeburg closed upon him as a prisoner. He had had many bitter disappointments, much secret suffering ; he had learned to THE PRISONER. 195 know human nature in all its wickedness and insignificance, its love of money and corruption, but also in its greatness and exaltation, and its constancy and kindness. Amongst the commandants and officers of the fortress whose duty it was to guard Trenck, there were many hard and cruel hearts, which exulted in his tortures, and who, knowing the king's personal enmity to him, thought to recommend themselves by practising the most refined cruelties upon the defenceless prisoner. But he had also found warm human souls, who pitied his misfortunes, and who sought, by every possible means, to ameliorate his sad fate. And, after all, never had the night of his imprisonment been utterly dark and impenetrable. The star of hope, of love, of constancy, had glimmered from afar. This star, which had thrown its silver veil over his most beautiful and sacred remembrances, over his young life of liberty and love, this star was Amelia. She had never ceased to think of him, to care for him, to labor for his release ; she had always found means to supply him with help, with gold, with active friends. But, alas ! all this had only served to add to his misfor- tunes, to narrow the boundaries of his prison, and increase the weight of his chains. Treachery and seeming accident had, up to this time, made vain every attempt at escape, and destroyed in one moment the sad and exhausting labors of many long months. The first and seemingly most promising attempt at flight had miscarried, through the trea- son of the faithless Baron Weingarten, who had offered to commu- nicate between Trenck and the princess. For six long months Trenck had worked with ceaseless and in- comparable energy at a subterranean path which would lead him to freedom ; all was prepared, all complete. The faithful grenadier, Gefhart, who had been won over by the princess, had given him the necessary instruments, and through the bars of his prison had con- veyed to him such food as would strengthen him for his giant task. Nothing was now wanting but gold, to enable Trenck, when he had escaped, to hire a little boat, which would place him on the other side of the Elbe gold, to enable him to make a rapid flight. Gefhart had undertaken to deliver Trenck's letter to the princess, asking for this money. This letter, written with his own blood upon a piece of linen, had been forwarded through Gefhart's mis- tress, the Jewess Rebecca, to Weingarten. He delivered it to the princess, and received, through Pollnitz, two thousand thalers, which he did not hand over to Rebecca, but retained for himself, and betrayed to the king Trenck's intended flight. This was but a short time before Weingarten's own flight; and while he was enjoying the fruit of this base fraud in security and 196 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. freedom, poor Trenck was forced to descend still lower in the citadel. and take possession of that frightful prison which, by special com- mand of the king, had been built and prepared for him. in the lowest casemates of the fortress, The king was greatly exasperated at these never-ending attempts of Trenck to escape; his courage and endurance made him an in- teresting and admired martyr to the whole garrison at Magdeburg. Frederick wished to give to this garrison, and to all his soldiers, a terrible example of the relentless severity with which insubordi- nation should be punished, to prove to them that mortal daring and mortal energy were vain to escape the avenging hand cf royal justice. Trenck, who, in the beginning, had only been condemned to arrest in Glatz for six months, had, by his constant attempts at escape, and the mad and eloquent expression of his rage, brought upon himself the sentence of eternal imprisonment, in a subterranean cell, which, by express command of the king, was so prepared, that neither guards nor soldiers were necessary to his detention. A jailer only was needed, to lock the four doors of the corridor which led to Trenck's celL It was as little dangerous to guard this poor prisoner as to approach the lion bound by chains and hemmed in by iron bars. Trenck was indeed manacled like a wild beast. A chain clanked upon his feet, an iron girdle was around his waist, to which hung a heavy chain, fastened to a thick iron bar built in the wall ; mana- cles were made fast to each end of an iron bar, to which his hands were bound. The most cruel wild beast would not have been so tortured; some one would have had pity on him, and mercifully ended his life. But this creature, thus tortured, groaning and clanking his heavy chains this creature was a man, therefore there was no pity. It would have been considered a crime to put an end to his life ; but slowly, day by day, to murder him, was only justice. The king had made it the personal duty of the commandant, Bruckhausen, to guard Trenck. He declared that if he allowed Trenck to escape, he should not only lose his place and rank, but take Trenck's place in his fearful cell. This was a frightful menace to the ambitious and harsh commandant. Bruckhausen. and, cf course, led him to take the severest precautions. It was he, there- fore, who had bound Trenck, and, whenever he visited the poor prisoner in his cell, he rejoiced in the artistic construction of his chains, and looked proudly upon his work. He saw with delight ttiai Trenck was scarcely able to drag his heavy chains two feet to the right or left, or to raise the tin cup to his parched lips, with his hands thus fastened to an iron bar ; and as often as he left the cell, he exclaimed, with an expression of malicious joy : THE PRISONER. 197 " I have tamed him forever ! he will not escape me !" But Trenck was not tamed ; his courage was not broken. In this crushed and wasted form dwelt a strong soul, a bounding heart ; he had been bound in chains thought to be indissoluble. Trenck alone did not believe this ; he trusted still in the magic power of his will, in his good star, which had not yet been quenched in darkness. In the wall to which the chain was fastened, his name was built, in red tiles ; a gravestone marked the spot upon which his feet moved, upon which a death's head and the name of Trenck was en- graved. Under this stone there was a vault, and when one looked at the moist walls, from which the water constantly trickled, and at the dark cell, which for six months had not been cheered by one ray of light, they might well suppose that the gravestone would soon be lifted, and the vault opened to receive the poor prisoner, upon whose grave no other tears would flow. These dark walls were, as it appeared, softer and more pitiful than the hearts of men. Trenck was not subdued ; the death's head and his name upon the gravestone did not terrify him ! It was nothing more to him than a constant reminder to collect his courage and his strength, and to oppose to his daily menace of death a strong conviction of life and liberty. If his prison were dark, and warmed by no ray of sunshine, he leaned his head against the wall, closed his eyes, and his vivid imagination and glowing fancy was the slave of his will, and painted his past life in magic pictures. The prisoner, clad as a convict, with his hands and feet chained, became at once the child of fortune and love ; the exalted favorite of princes, the admired cavalier, the envied courtier, and the dar- ling of lovely women. When hunger drove him to eat the coarse bread which was his only nourishment, and to satisfy his thirst with the muddy water in the tin pitcher at his side, he thought of the meals, worthy of Lucullus, of which he had partaken, at the Russian court, by the side of the all-powerful Russian minister Bestuchef ; he remembered the fabulous pomp which surrounded him, and the profound rever- ence which was shown him, as the acknowledged favorite of the prime minister of the empress. When no one whispered one word of consolation or of sympathy, for all trembled at the ceaseless watchfulness of the commandant when the rude silent jailer came daily and placed his bread and water before him and left him without word or greeting then Trenck recalled the sacred, consecrated hours in which love had whispered sweet names and tender words. This love still lived it watched over and shone down upon him it was a star of hope 198 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. Why should Trenck despair, when love lived and lived only for him? No, he would not die he would never be buried under this grave- stone. Beyond these thick, damp walls lay the world the living, active, blooming world. It was only necessary to break these chains, to open the five heavy doors which confined him to his dark prison, and life, liberty, the world, honor, love, belonged to him ! "Is not my will stronger than chains and bolts ?" he said "Has not the spirit wings by which she can take flight, mocking at prisons I and at torture?" | His spirit was free, for he believed in freedom : when his chains clanked around him, it seemed to him as if they whispered of speedy liberty as if they exhorted him in soft, harmonious tones, to cast them off and become a free and happy man. At last there came a day when he could no longer resist these alluring voices. If he could break these chains the first step was taken, and only the doors remained to be opened. By close observa- tion, he had discovered that the inner door of his prison was of wood. The faithful Gefhart had managed to inform him that the other doors were also of wood. He had also conveyed to him a small, sharp knife, the most precious of all earthly treasures, for with this he hoped to obtain his freedom. " But the chains !" First must the chains be broken first must his right hand be free ! And it was free. Although the blood was bursting from the nails Trenck forced his hand through the mana- cle. Freedom greeted him with her first rapturous smile. Alas, the handcuff upon the left hand was too narrow to be removed in this way. With a piece of his chain he broke off a fragment of stone which he used as a file, and in this way he liberated his left hand. The iron ring around his waist was fastened only by a hook to the chain attached to the wall. Trenck placed his feet against the wall, and bending forward with all his strength, succeeded in straightening the hook so far as to remove it from the ring. And now there only remained the heavy wooden chain fastened to his feet, and also made fast to the wall. By a powerful effort he broke two of the links of this chain. He wag free free at least to stand erect and walk around his miserable prison. With a feeling of inexpressible joy he raised himself to his full height it enraptured him to move his arms, so long and painfully confined he extended them widely and power- fully, as if he wished to clasp the whole outside world to his heart. Could the commandant Bruckhausen have cast one glance into this horrible, noiseless cell, he would have trembled with rage and apprehension. The unchained giant stood with glad smiles, and flaming eyes, and outstretched arms, as if adjuring the spirits of the THE PRISONER. 199 under- world to come to his assistance. But the commandant lay in careless security upon his soft, white couch ; his eyes were closed ; they could not pierce the dark cell where a fellow-man, with loudly- beating heart, but silent lips, called rapturously to the fair goddess Liberty, and hastened to clasp her in his arms. Stepping forward, he sought the door of his prison, and kneeling before it, he took out his knife. He tried to cut out a small piece and to ascertain the thickness of the wall ; this was short work the door opened inside, and it was easy to cut around and remove the lock. It was made of simple oak boards. Once convinced of this, Trenck prudently sought his mattress in order to obtain rest and strength. It was impossible to commence his labor then. The night was far spent, and every morning at eight o'clock the jailer came to inspect him and bring his bread and water. His visit must be over before he could begin his work he must possess his soul in pa- tience. What were a few hours' waiting to him who had waited long, dreary years? a fleeting moment, scarcely sufficient to accustom him to his new happiness, to enable him to collect his thoughts and bear quietly the rapturous conviction of approaching freedom. "Yes, I will be free ; this is the last night of my imprisonment." But while waiting in this dreary prison he could enjoy one pleasure long denied him he could stretch his limbs upon his bed without being martyred and crushed by his bonds without hearing the clank of chains. With what gladness he now stretched himself upon his poor couch ! how grateful he was to God for this great happiness ! how sweet his sleep ! how glorious his dreams ! Trenck awaked in the early morning, revived and strengthened. It was time to prepare for the daily visitation to replace his chains, and take possession of his gravestone. His eyes accustomed to the darkness soon discovered the broken link of the chain, which he hid in his mattress. With a piece of his hair-band he fastened the chain to his feet, hung the second chain to the ring upon his waist, and now it only remained to place his hands in the manacles fastened to the iron bar. He had filed the handcuff from his left hand and that was easy to resume, but it was impossible to force his right hand through the ring ; he had succeeded in removing it by a mighty effort the evening before, but it was consequently greatly swollen. He took again his little piece of stone and tried to file it apart, but every effort was in vain. Nearer and nearer came the hour of visi- tation, and if his right hand were free when the jailer came, all would be discovered. It seemed to him as if he heard already the bolt of the first door. With a last, frightful effort, he forced his hand in the manacle ; his fingers cracked as if the bones were 200 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. broken ; it was scarcely possible for him to suppress a shriek of an- guish. But the danger was even at the door, and the blessing of freedom was not too dearly bought even by this anguish ; he bore it with heroic fortitude, and though his whole figure trembled with pain, he conquered himself. He leaned back breathlessly and almost unconsciously against the wall ; and now the bolt really moved, and the jailer, followed by two officers, entered. The visitation began. In this small cell, which held nothing but a mattress, . a seat built in the wall, and a small table, there was but little to examine. A fleeting glance at Trenck's chains, which were rattling around him, and the search was over, and the jailer and officers left the prison. Trenck listened in breathless silence till he heard the bolt of the fifth door rattling, and now life and movement were in his form and features. It was time to work. But alas ! it was impossible. The swollen, blood-red, throbbing hand could not possibly be withdrawn from the handcuff. He must control himself must wait and be patient. He resolved to do this with a brave heart, in the full conviction that he would attain his liberty. At last, after three days, the swelling disappeared, and he found he could withdraw his hand without difficulty. The visit was no sooner over, than his chains fell off. For the last time ! God grant that for the last time he had heard them clank ! A herculean work was before him, but Freedom was without and awaiting him, and he panted to embrace her. Seizing his little pocket-knife, he stepped to the door and commenced his labor. The first door was not difficult, it opened from within. In half an hour the work was done, and Trenck advanced and extended his hands before him till they encountered another obstacle. This was the second door. But here was indeed a weary task. The door opened on the outside and a heavy cross-bar besides the lock secured it. It was necessary to cut entirely through the door above the bar, and spring over it. Trenck did not despair bravely, unwearily, he went to work the perspiration fell from his brow and mingled with the blood which trickled from his lacerated hands. Trenck did not regard it ; he felt no pain, no exhaustion. Freedom stood before the frowning citadel, and awaited his coming. At last it was achieved ; with trembling hands he lifted the upper part of the door from the hinges and sprang into the outer room. Here light and sunshine greeted him. Weary months had gone by since he had seen the sun the soft light of heaven on the fresh green of earth and now all this was his once more. There was a small window in this corridor, and not too high for him to look abroad. He turned his eyes, filled with tears of the purest joy, THE PRISONER. 201 upon the cloudless heavens ; he followed with longing eyes the flight of the doves, who moved like a black cloud across the sky and dis- appeared on the horizon. He inhaled with long-drawn breath the fresh, glad air, which appeared to him laden with the fragrance of all the flowers of the world. He gave himself up for a few moments to this first rapturous enjoyment, then conquered himself and ex- amined his surroundings with a thoughtful, searching eye. He saw that his prison was built against the first wall of the for- tress, and was exactly opposite an entrance, before which stood a high palisade ; this he must climb before he could reach the outer wall. But the night was long, and he saw that the guard patrolling upon the wall disappeared from time to time for more than five minutes ; he must therefore have some distance to walk before he returned to the same spot. While his back was turned, must Trenck climb the palisade and wall. Trenck sprang back upon the floor with a glad and happy heart. What he had seen of the free, outer world had given him new life. With cheerful resolution he stepped to the third door. This was constructed like the first, and gave him but little trouble it was soon opened, and Trenck passed on the other side. The sun went down, and the twilight obscured his view, as this was completed. And now his strength was exhausted, and his swollen and bleeding hands, from which the flesh hung in shreds, refused their service. With inexpressible despair he looked at the fourth door, which opened from the outside, and it was again neces- sary to cut through the whole breadth of the door in order to advance. Worn out and trembling, he seated himself near the door and leaned his aching head against the cool wood. He sat thus a long time, till he felt that his blood was flowing more calmly, and the wild, quick beating of his pulse had subsided till the pain in his hands and limbs was quieted, and he had won new strength. He then rose from the floor, took his knife, and recommenced his work. He moved more slowly than before, but his work progressed. It could scarcely be midnight, and half the door was cut through. The moon shed her peerless rays through the little window and lighted his work, and showed him what remained to be done. In two hours he would finish, and then remained only the fifth door which opened on the wall, and which Gefhart assured him was not difficult. In three hours the work would be done in three hours he might stand without, in the fresh, free air of heaven, himself a free and happy man. With renewed courage and renewed strength, after a short rest, he went again to work. He thrust his knife into the opening and pressed powerfully against the wood. Suddenly his hand seemed 14 202 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. paralyzed on the other side of the door he heard a light clang, and with a hollow cry of woe, Trenck sank upon the floor. The blade of the knife was broken and had fallen on the other side. Now he was lost ! There was no longer hope of escape ! He rushed to the win- dow ; would it not be possible to escape in that way? No, no ! It was not possible to pass through this small opening. Trenck sank upon his knees before the window and stared into the heavens. His pallid lips murmured low words. Were they prayers? were they curses? or was it the death-rattle of dead hopes and dying liberty? At last he rose from his knees ; his face, which had been that of a corpse, now assumed an expression of firm resolve. Staggering and creeping along by the wall, he returned to his prison, which he had left so short a time before full of happy hopes. He reached his bed and laid down upon it, holding the broken knife in his hand. Not to sleep, not to rest, but to die ! He could think of no other hope no other way than this. "Yes, I will die!" His life's courage, his life's energy, was exhausted. He had closed his account with the world. Slowly he raised his hand aloft with the broken knife, and collecting all his strength for one last, decisive blow, he bowed and cut the vein of his left foot, then raised his head with a smile of triumph, and stretching out his left arm he forced the stump of his knife deep into the large vein of his elbow. The deed was done ! He felt the warm blood flowing from his veins he felt that with it also was sweeping by the miserable remnant of his buried existence. His thoughts wandered, and a happy insensi- bility overpowered him, and now his blessed spirit floated chainless and free beyond this drear prison. The necessities of this poor life and its tortures were overcome. But what was that ? Who called his name lightly from without, and made the air of this living grave tremble with unwonted tones V When this call was repeated the second time, Trenck felt a lighf trembling in his whole frame. The whisper of his name had called back his fleeting spirit. The godlike dream of release was at an end ; Trenck lived again, a suffering, defenceless man. For the third time he heard his name called for the third time a voice, a* if from heaven, rang, "Trenck! Trenck!" Trenck gathered all his little strength, and replied : "Who calls me?" " It is I, " said the faithful Gefhart ; " have I not sworn to bring you help? I have crept over the wall only to say to you that I think of you that you must not despair that help is nigh, even at the door. An unknown friend has sent you a greeting by me ; he has given me a roll of gold to be useful in your flight. Come near, 1 will throw it to you through the window. " THE PRISON BARRICADE. 20J " It is too late, Gef hart, all is too late ! I lie bathed in my blood ; to-morrow they will find me dead !" "But why die?" cried the fresh, strong voice of Gef hart ; "why wish for death, now when escape is possible? Here there are no guards, and I will soon find a way to furnish you with tools. Try only to break your prison for the rest I will remain responsible. " ; ' Alas, I tried to-night and I failed !" said Trenck. A few tears stole from his eyes and rolled slowly over his hollow cheeks. "You will succeed better another time, Baron Trenck ; whenever I am on guard here I will seek an opportunity to speak with you, and we will arrange all. Do not despair. I must go, the sun is rising, and I may be seen. Do not despair 1 God will help you trust fully in me. " * The voice had long since died away, but Trenck listened still for those tones, which seemed like the greeting of one of God's angels ; they illuminated his prison and gave strength to his soul. No, no, now he would not die ! He felt his courage revive. He would defy fate, and oppose its stern decrees by the mighty power of his will. CHAPTER VI. THE PRISON BARRICADE. No, he would not die ! With trembling hands he tore his coarse shirt into strips, and bound with it his bleeding veins. When he had thus closed the portals upon death, he seated himself to medi- tate upon the means of avoiding still severer punishment. He soon arose from his bed, much strengthened by the short rest he had had. With an iron bar that he had forced from his bed he hammered into the wall until the stones, around which the mortar had become loosened owing to the dampness of the cell, fell at his feet. He piled them together in the centre of his cell, and then hastened to barricade the second door he had attempted to force. The lower part of it was still held on by flhe lock ; over the opening at the top he passed the chains several times that he had forced from his limbs, forming a sort of trellis-work, which rendered entrance from without impossible. When all his preparations were made, when he was ready for the contest, he seated himself upon his strange barricade, and there, wearied out by suffering and anxiety, he fell into a sweet sleep. He was awakened by the sound of many loud voices. Through the iron lattice of the second door he saw the wondering, terrified coun- * " Frederick von Trenck Important Memoirs." 204 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. tenances of the city guard, who were endeavoring to unloose the chains. With one bound Trenck was beside his door, balancing in his right hand a large stone, and in the left his broken knife. He cried out, in a furious voice : " Back ! back ! let no one dare to enter here. My stones shall have good aim ; I will kill any one who ventures to enter this room. Major, tell his excellency, the commandant, that I will remain no longer in chains. I wish him to have me shot down at once ! I will thank him for my death, but I will curse him if he forces me to become a murderer. For I swear, before God, I will stone any one who seeks to overpower me. I will die yes, die !" It was a fearful sight this man, thin, wan, naked, and bleed- ing, who seemed to have risen from the grave to revenge the suffer- ings of his life. His countenance was ghastly pale, his hair lying in matted locks on his neck ; and the long beard, covering the lower part of his face, and falling almost to his waist, gave him a wild, insane look, which was heightened by the fearful brightness of his eyes. With terror and pity they gazed at the poor unfortunate one whom despair had driven to this extremity ; who remained deaf to all their representations, all their entreaties, still swearing that he would kill any one who approached him. It was in vain that the officers besought him in the most tender manner to submit that the prison chaplain came and implored him, in the name of God, to give up this useless resistance. God's name had no effect whatever upon him. What was God to him to him on whom no one had pity, neither God nor man ; he whom they treated like a wild beast, and fastened in a cage? It was in vain that the commandant ordered the guard to storm the fortified door. Trenck received them with stones, and sent the two foremost ones reeling to the floor, causing the others to fall back in disamy. Trenck raised his hand with a shout of exultation, armed with another stone, and fixing his wild, triumphant glance upon the commandant, he cried : "You see it is useless to endeavor to take me while living. Order the guards to fire ! Let me die !" The commandant lacked the power to do as Trenck requested, however willing he may have been to grant his request. Instead of continuing his threats, he withdrew into another chamber, signing to the major to follow him. Trenck still stood with uplifted arm when the major returned. And now, as the stern, much-feared commandant had left, no one withheld the tender sympathy that was almost breaking the hearts of the lookers-on. Trenck saw it written upon every countenance, THE BATTLE OF COLLJN. 205 and he to whom a look and word of pity had been so long unknown, felt deeply touched. His expression became milder, and as the major, whom he had known in the other prison, commenced to speak to him in gentle, loving tones, and implored him not to cause his ruin, for all the punishment would fall upon his head, as, through his negligence, Trenck had been allowed to retain his knife as he finished, Trenck's arm fell to his side, and tears streamed from his eyes. "No one," said he, gently "no one shall become unhappy through me, for misery is a fearful thing. I will make no further resistance, if you will swear to me that no heavy chains shall be put upon me that I shall suffer no unworthy punishment. " The major promised him, in the commandant's name, that if he ceased to resist, no further notice would be taken of the affair. "Then," whispered Trenck, with a bitter smile, "I must suffer anew suffer forever. " He approached the door and drew off the chains. "Now, guards," said he, "the door can be opened. The wild beast has become tame. " Then, with a low moan, he sank fainting upon the floor. He was lifted up and laid upon his bed. Tears were in every eye, but Trenck did not see them ; he did not hear their low, whispered words of sympathy and friendship. Death, from whom Trenck had once more been torn, had sent her twin sister, insensibility, to cause him to forget his sufferings for a while. CHAPTER VII. THE BATTLE OF COLLIN. LOST ! the battle was lost ! This was the cry of woe throughout the Prussian camp this was the fearful cry that palsied the hands of those who could not endure defeat. The Prussians who had defeated the enemy at Losovitz and Prague, were condemned to yield the palm of victory at Collin to their enemy's commander, Marshal Daun. They had fought bravely, desperately for this victory ; and when all was over, death would have been preferable to defeat. The Prussians were beaten, though their king, Ziethen, and Moritz von Dessau all of them heroes were in the field. At the first thought of the possibility of losing the battle, there was a fear- ful panic throughout the army. 306 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. " We are lost ! lost !" and this cry caused them to throw down their arms and fly, as if followed by a thousand furies ; as victory was impossible, they wished at least to save their lives. It was in vain that the officers implored them to rally again and fall upon the enemy. They did not heed. In vain that the king himself rode among them, pointing with his sword to the enemy, and crying : "Forward' forward, boys! Would you live forever? Death comes to all !" They looked at him stubbornly ; they feared not now his piercing, eagle glance, his royal countenance. They looked and said : " We have worked hard enough to-day for eightpence, " and then continued their flight. But the king could not yet be brought to believe the truth. He still trusted in the possibility of victory. He clung with desperation to this hope ; he let his voice be heard that voice that generally had such power over his soldiers ; he called them to him, and pointed out to them the enemy's battery ; he ordered the band to play a martial air to inspire the men. This call brought a few faithful soldiers around him only forty warriors were ready to follow their king. " Forward ! we will take the battery !" cried he, as he pressed on, regardless of the shower of the enemy's balls. What was this to him? what had he to do with death he whose only thought was for the honor and glory of his army? If he suc- ceeded in taking this battery, it would encourage his desponding soldiers. They would once more believe in the star of their king, and assemble bravely around him. This it was that gave hope to the king. Without once looking back, he pressed onward to the battery when suddenly, amid the clatter of trumpets and the roar of can- non, this fearful question reached him : "Sire, would you take the battery alone?" The king reined in his horse and looked behind him. Yes, he was alone ; no one was with him but his adjutant, Major von Grant, who had asked this question. A deep groan escaped the king ; his head fell upon his breast, and he gave himself up to the bitterness of despair. A cannon-ball fell beside him he did not heed it; he was too utterly wretched. Another ball struck his horse, causing it to prance with pain and terror. Major Grant grasped the king's bridle. "Sire," said he, "are you determined to be shot? If so, let me know it, and with your majesty's permission I will withdraw." THE BATTLE OF COLLIN. 207 The king raised his head, and looked at the daring adjutant with A bitter smile. " We will both withdraw, " said he, gently, advancing toward the generals who had been seeking him throughout the battle-field. He greeted them with a silent bow, and passed without a word. Whither he was now going, none of the generals knew, but they followed him in silence. The king rode up the slight eminence from which, on that morn- ing, his army had fallen like a glittering avalanche upon the enemy. This avalanche was now transformed into a stream of blood, and corpse upon corpse covered the ground. He reined in his horse and gazed at the Austrian army, who were now withdrawing to their camp, nv'dst shoutings and rejoicings, to rest after their glorious victory. Then, turning his horse, he looked at the remains of his little army flying hither and thither in the disorder of defeat. A deep sigh escaped him. Throwing his head back proudly, he called Prince Moritz von Dessau and the Duke of Severn to his side. " Sirs, " said he, firmly ; " the fate of to-day is decided. All that now remains for us to do, is to deprive the enemy of the advantages of this victory. Collect our scattered regiments, and lead the army through the defile of Plainan, back to Nimburg. There we will decide what is best to do. I go on before you, and wish no one to accompany me. " He turned his horse, rode slowly down the hill, then took the road leading to Nimburg. Lost in deep thought, he continued his way. He was followed by his faithful body-guard, who, at a sign from Prince von Dessau, had hastened after him. A few flying officers and sergeants joined him. These were the followers of Prussia's hero-king ; but they were suddenly scattered. A soldier galloped up to them, and stated that he had just encountered a regi- ment of the enemy's hussars, who were pursuing them. There was a cry of terror throughout the guards, and then, as if with one ac- cord, putting spurs to their horses, they fled in wild disorder. The king continued his way, slowly and quietly slowly and quietly a few of his guard followed him. In funereal silence they passed through the defile of Plainan, and reached at last Nimburg, the king's appointed place of meeting. The king now reined in his horse, and, looking back, he became aware of his followers. Beckoning to his adjutant, he ordered him to get quarters for the soldiers, and then to inform the generals that he awaited them. "Where?" asked the astonished adjutant. "Here!" said the king, pointing to a fallen pump, a few steps from where he stood. 208 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY. He dismounted, and, when the adjutant had disappeared, he threw himself upon the old pump, and rested his head upon his cane. Thus he remained a long while, thinking painfully of the occur- rences of the past day. He remembered that he had appointed the site of to-day's battle, without listening to the warnings of his ex- perienced generals, and that Moritz von Dessau had implored him to put his army in another position, before attacking the enemy. He remembered the prince saying to him " It would be impossible for an attack from this point to succeed, " and his entreating him to draw back and change his position. He remembered, also, his riding up to the prince, with his naked sword, and inquiring, in a threatening tone, "whether he meant to obey or not?" And Prince Moritz von Dessau had obeyed ; his prophecy had been fulfilled the battle was lost. "Ah," whispered the king, "how poor, how weak is man ! The happiness of an hour intoxicates him, and he defies his coming fate ; he should know that happiness is a fleeting guest, but that misfor- tune is the constant companion of man. I have allowed myself to be deceived by fortune, and she has turned against me. Fortune is a woman, and I am not gallant. The fickle goddess watches carefully, and makes good use of my faults. It was a great fault to dare, with twenty-three battalions of infantry, to attack an army of sixty thousand men, half of whom are cavalry. Ah ! my great ancestor, Frederick William, what have you to say of your poor nephew, who, with his little host, is fighting against Russia, Austria, a large part of Germany, and a hundred thousand French troops? Will you assist me? Will you be my guardian angel, praying for me above? Yes, yes! you will assist me if I assist myself, and do not give way to my faults. Had I been killed in to-day's battle, I would now be in a safe haven, beyond the reach of storms. But now I must swim still farther into the stormy sea, until at last I find in the grave that rest and peace which I shall never attain in this world. This is a consoling thought ; it shall rouse me again to life. I am glad I did not die to-day. I can still repair my fault. All the responsibility will be thrown on me ; it will be said, the battle would have been won, but for Frederick's obstinacy. But let this be ! It is a necessary consequence that a warrior should suffer for the faults of his followers. Through me this battle was lost, and in history it will go down thus to future generations. But many a victory shall still be recorded, and as the defeat was owing to me, so shall the victory also come through me alone I alone will bear upon my shoulders Prussia's honor, Prussia's glory. It lies now, with me, bleeding on the ground. It shall be lifted and sustained by me alone!" And raising his burning eyes TFTTC BATTLE OF COLLIN. heavenward, beseemed to see these future victories branded upon the skies. Gradually the inspiration left his countenance, giving place to deep thought. He had delivered his funeral oration to the lost battle, and now gave his thought to his future victories. He drew lines and figures upon the sand with his cane. It may have been a drawing of the last or a sketch of the next battle. The king was so absorbed in this occupation, that he did not per- ceive his generals, who, having reached Nimburg with the wreck of the army, hastened to the place of appointment, and were now assembled at a respectful distance from him. Frederick continued to sketch. The generals gazed at him in silence, anxiously awaiting the moment when he would arouse him self. He suddenly looked up, and did not seem surprised to see them ; lifting his hat slightly, he greeted them, and rose from his lowly seat. " It is well, sirs, that you are here, " said he. " *