GIFT OF Iriving Lindhahr 1110 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2008 with funding from Microsoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/frederickgreathiOOkmmurich FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS COURT Sin fiistoricai Eamanc* » ', • • • • • ».• •» • • • BY L MOHLBACH Att^V, AUTKOR OF JOSEPH II. AND HIS COURT TRANSLATED FROM TH£ GERMAN BY CHAPMAN COLEMAN AND HER DAUGHTERS NEW YORK THE McCLURE CO. MCMX (Copyright I8t56, Br D. APPLETON AND COMPANY:. (1 i f + • f CONTENTS. BOOK I. Chap. I.— The Queen Sophia Dorothea, . i . 1 II.— Frederick William I., . • 7 III.— The Tobacco Club, . . . • 12 IV. — Air-Castles, . • • 21 V. — Father and Son, . • . . 27 VI.— The White Saloon, . . # 34 VII. — The Maid of Honor and the Gardener, . 41 VIII. — Von Manteuffel, the Diplomat, . , 46 IX. — Frederick, the Prince Royal, . . 57 X. — The Prince Royal and the Jew, . . 64 XI. — The Princess Royal Elizabeth Christine, . 73 XII.— The Poem, .... 79 XIII.— The Banquet, .... . 87 XIV.— Le Roi est Mort. Vive le Roil . , m XV— We are King, .... . 106 XVI. — Royal Grace and Royal Displeasure, , 115 BOOK II, Chap. I. — The Garden of Monbijou, . . II.— The Queen's Maid of Honor, . III. — Prince Augustus William, . . IV.— The King and the Son, . V.— The Queen's Tailor, . VI. — The Illustrious Ancestor! of a Tailor, VII.— Soffri e Taci, .... 126 187 145 150 160 167 173 M 1582 IV CONTENTS. VIII.— The Coronation, . IX. — Dorris Ritter, .... X. — Old and New Sufferings, . . XI. — The Proposal of Marriage, . . XII. — The Queen as a Matrimonial Agent, XIII. — Proposal of Marriage XIV. — The Misunderstanding, . XV. — Soiree of the Queen Dowager, . XVI. — Under the Lindens, . . XVII.— The Politician and the French Tailor, XVIII.— The Double Rendezvous, . 185 195 203 212 217 259 270 278 BOOK III Chap. I.— The Intriguing Courtiers, . . . .288 II.— The King and the Secretary of the Treasury, . 295 III.— The Undeceived Courtier, . . . .306 IV.— The Bridal Pair, 311 V. — The French and German Tailors, or the Mon- tagues and Capulets of Berlin, . • . 321 VI.— In Rheinsberg, . . . • . 330 VII.— The King and his Friend, . . . .341 Vlll. — The Farewell Audience of Marquis von Botta, the Austrian Ambassador, . . . 346 IX.— The Masquerade, 353 X.— The Maskers, ..... 360 XI. — Reward and Punishment, . . . . 367 XII.— The Return, 379 XIII.— The Death of the Old Time, . . . .388 XIV.— The Discovery, 394 XV— The Countermine, 407 XVI.— The Surprise, 420 XVII.— The Resignation of Baron von P511nitz, m . 430 FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS COURT. BOOK I. •.:- • , vie- > -> ■> > > • l * 9 CHAPTER I. s * °- '■ THE QUEEN SOPHIA DOROTHEA. The palace glittered with light and splendor; the ser- vants ran here and there, arranging the sofas and chairs; the court gardener cast a searching glance at the groups of flowers which he had placed in the saloons; and the major domo superintended the tables in the picture gal- lery. The guests of the queen will enjoy to-night a rich and costly feast. Every thing wore the gay and festive appearance which, in the good old times, the king's palace in Berlin had been wont to exhibit. Jesting and merry- making were the order of the day, and even the busy ser- vants were good-humored and smiling, knowing that this evening there was no danger of blows and kicks, of fierce threats and trembling terror. Happily the king could not appear at this ball, which he had commanded Sophia to give to the court and nobility of Berlin. The king was ill, the gout chained him to his chamber, and during the last few sleepless nights a presentiment weighed upon the spirit of the ruler of Prussia. He felt that the reign of Frederick the First would soon be at an end; that the doors of his royal vault would soon open to receive a kingly corpse, and a new king would mount the throne of Prussia. 1 2 FREDERICK THE GREAT This last thought filled the heart of the king with rage and bitterness. Frederick William would not die! lie would not that his son should reign in his stead; that this weak, riotous youth, this dreamer, surrounded in Rheinsberg with poets and musicians, sowing flowers and composing ballads, should take the place which Frederick the First had filled so many years with glory and great results; I Prussia 'had no need of this sentimental boy, this hero, "of fashion, w&o adorned himself like a French fop, and preferred the "life of a sybarite, in his romantic castle, to the battle-field and the night-parade; who found the tones of his flute sweeter than the sounds of trumpets and drums; who declared that there were not only kings by "the grace of God, but kings by the power of genius and intellect, and that Voltaire was as great a king — yes, greater than all the kings anointed by the Pope ! " What use has Prussia for such a sovereign? No, Fred- erick William would not, could not die ! His son should not reign in Prussia, destroying what his father had built up ! Never should Prussia fall into the hands of a dreaming poet! The king was resolved, therefore, that no one should know he was ill ; no one should believe that he had any disease but gout ; this was insignificant, never fatal. A man can live to be eighty years old with the gout; it is like a faithful wife, who lives with us even to old age, and with whom we can celebrate a golden wed- ding. The king confessed to himself that he was once more clasped in her tender embraces, but the people and the prince should not hope that his life was threat- ened. For this reason should Sophia give a ball, and the world should see that the queen and her daughters were gay and happy. The queen was indeed really gay to-day; she was free. It seemed as if the chains which bound her AND HIS COURT. 3 liad fallen apart, and the yoke to which she had bowed her royal neck was removed. To-day she was at liberty to raise her head proudly, like a queen, to adorn herself with royal apparel. Away, for to-day at least, with sober robes and simple coiffure. The king was fastened to his arm-chair, and Sophia dared once more to make a glit- tering and queenly toilet. With a smile of proud satis- faction, she arrayed herself in a silken robe, embroidered in silver, which she had secretly ordered for the ball from her native Hanover. Her eyes beamed with joy, as she at last opened the silver-bound casket, and released from their imprisonment for a few hours these costly brilliants, which for many years had not seen the light. With a smiling glance her eyes rested upon the glittering stones, which sparkled and flamed like falling stars, and her heart beat high with delight. For a queen is still a wom- an, and Sophia Dorothea had so often suffered the pains and sorrows of woman, that she longed once more to ex- perience the proud happiness of a queen. She resolved to wear all her jewels; fastened, herself, the sparkling diadem upon her brow, clasped upon her neck and arms the splendid brilliants, and adorned her ears with the long pendants ; then stepping to the Venetian mirror, she examined herself critically. Yes, Sophia had reason to be pleased; hers was a queenly toilet. She looked in the glass, and thought on bygone days, on buried hopes and vanished dreams. These diamonds her exalted father had given when she was betrothed to Frederick William. This diadem had adorned her brow when she married. The necklace her brother had sent at the birth of her first child ; the bracelet her husband had clasped upon her arm when at last, after long waiting, and many prayers, Prince Frederick was born. Each of these jewels was a proud memento of the past, a star of her youth. Alas, the diamonds had retained their brilliancy; they were 4still stars, but all else was vanished or dead — her youth 4 FREDERICK THE GREA'f and her dreams, her hopes and her love! Sophia had so often trembled before her husband, that she no longer loved him. With her, "perfect love had not cast out fear." Fear had extinguished love. How could she love a man who had been only a tyrant and a despot to her and to her children? who had broken their wills, cut off their hopes, and trodden under foot, not only the queen, but the mother? As Sophia looked at the superb bracelet, the same age of her darling, she thought how unlike the glitter and splendor of these gems his life had been; how dark and sad his youth; how colorless and full of tears. She kissed the bracelet, and wafted her greeting to her absent son. Suddenly the door opened, and the Prin- cesses Ulrica and Amelia entered. The queen turned to them, and the sad expression van- ished from her features as her eyes rested upon the lovely and loving faces of her daughters. " Oh, how splendid you look, gracious mamma ! " ex- claimed the Princess Amelia, as she danced gayly around her mother. " Heaven with all its stars has fallen around you, but your sweet face shines out amongst them like the sun in his glory." "Flatterer," said the queen, "if your father heard you, he would scold fearfully. If you compare me to the sun, how can you describe him ? " "Well, he is Phoebus, who harnesses the sun and points out his path." " True, indeed," said the queen, " he appoints his path. Poor sun! — poor queen! — she has not the right to send one ray where she will ! " " Who, notwithstanding, assumes the right, gracious mamma," said Amelia, smiling, and pointing to the dia- dem, " for I imagine that our most royal king and father has not commanded you to appear in those splendid jewels." "Commanded," said the queen, trembling; "if he AND HIS COURT* 5 could see me he would expire with rage and scorn. You know he despises expense and ornament. ,, "He would immediately calculate," said Amelia, "that he could build an entire street with this diadem, and that at least ten giants could be purchased for the Guard with this necklace." She turned to her sister y who had withdrawn, and said: "Ulrica, you say nothing. Has the splendor of our mother bewildered you? Have you lost your speech, or are you thinking whom you will command to dance with you at the ball this evening ? " "Not so," replied the little Ulrica, "I was thinking that when I am to be a queen, I will make it a condition with my husband that I shall be entirely free to choose my toilet, and I will never be forbidden to wear dia- monds ! When I am a queen I will wear diamonds every day; they belong to majesty, and our royal mother was never more a queen than to-day ! " "Listen," said Amelia, "to this proud and all-con- quering little princess, who speaks of being a queen, as if it were all arranged, and not a doubt remained; know you that the king, our father, intends you for a queen? Perhaps he has already selected you for a little margrave, or some unknown and salaried prince, such as our poor sister of Bairout has wedded." " I would not give my hand to such a one ! " said the princess, hastily. "You would be forced to yield, if your father com- manded it," said the queen. "No," said Ulrica, "I would rather die!" " Die ! " said Sophia ; " man, sighs often for Death,, but he comes not; our sighs have not the power to bring him, and our hands are too weak to clasp him to our hearts! No, Ulrica, you must bow your will to your father, as we have all done — as even the prince, your brother, was forced to do." 6 FREDERICK THE GREAT * Poor brother," said Amelia, " bound to a wife whom he loves not — how wretched he must be ! " Ulrica shrugged her shoulders. "Is not that the fate of all princes and princesses; are we not all born to be handled like a piece of goods, and knocked down to the highest bidder? I, for my part, will sell myself as dearly as possible; and, as I cannot be a happy shep- herdess, I will be a powerful queen." " And I," said Amelia, " would rather wed the poorest and most obscure man, if I loved him, than the richest and greatest king's son, to whom I was indifferent." " Foolish children," said the queen, " it is well for you that your father does not hear you; he would crush you in his rage, and even to-day he would choose a king for you, Amelia ; and for you, little Ulrica, he would seek a small margrave ! Hark, ladies ! I hear the voice of the major domo; he comes to announce that the guests are assembled. Put on a cheerful countenance. The king commands us to be joyous and merry ! but remember that Frederick has his spies everywhere. When you speak with Pollnitz, never forget that he repeats every word to your father; be friendly with him; and above all things when he leads the conversation to the prince royal, speak of him with the most unembarrassed indifference; show as little interest and love for him as possible, and rather ridicule his romantic life in Rheinsberg. That is the way to the heart of the king; and now, my daughters, come/' At this moment the grand chamberlain, Pollnitz, threw open the doors and announced that the company was assembled. The queen and princesses followed the master of ceremonies through the room, giving here and there a smile or a gracious word, which seemed a shower of gold to the obsequious, admiring crowd of courtiers. Pride swelled the heart of Sophia, as she stepped, to the sound of soft music, into the throne saloon, and saw all AND HIS COURT. 7 those cavaliers, covered with stars and orders — all those beautiful and richly-dressed women bowing humbly be- fore her. She knew that her will was more powerful than the will of all assembled there; that her smiles were more dearly prized than those of the most-beloved bride; that her glance gave warmth and gladness like the sun. While all bowed before her, there was no one to whom she must bend the knee. The king was not near to- night; she was not bound by his presence and his rude violence. To-night she was no trembling, subjected wife, but a proud queen; while Frederick was a poor, gouty, trembling, teeth-gnashing man — nothing more. CHAPTER n. FREDERICK WILLIAM I. MlRTH and gayety reigned in one wing of the palace, while in the other, and that occupied by the king him- self, all was silent and solitary; in one might be heard joyous strains of music, in the other no sound reached the air but a monotonous hammering, which seemed to come immediately from the room of the king. Frederick William, when in health, had accustomed himself to use his crutch as a rod of correction ; he would shower down his blows, careless whether they fell on the backs of his lacqueys, his ministers of State, or his wife. When ill, he was contented to vent his wrath upon more senseless objects, and to flourish a hammer instead of his crutch. Under the influence of the gout, this proud and haughty monarch became an humble carpenter; when chained to one spot by his disease, and unable to direct the affairs of State, he attempted to banish thought and 8 FREDERICK THE GREAT suffering, by working with his tools. Often in passing near the palace at a late hour of the night, you might hear the heavy blows of a hammer, and consider them a bulletin of the king's health. If he worked at night, the good people of Berlin knew their king to be sleepless and suffering, and that it would be dangerous to meet him in his walk on the following day, for some thoughtless word, or careless look, or even the cut of a coat, would bring down on the offender a stinging blow or a severe repri- mand. Only a few days had passed since the king had caused the arrest of two young ladies, and sent them to the fortress of Spandau, because, in walking through the park at Schonhausen, he overheard them declare the royal gar- den to be " charmant ! charmant ! " One French word was sufficient to condemn these young girls in the eyes of the king; and it was only after long pleading that they were released from confinement. The men were fearful of being seized by the king, and held as recruits for some regiment; and the youths trembled if they were caught lounging about the streets. As soon, therefore, as the king left the proud castle of his ancestors, all who could fled from the streets into some house or by-way, that they might avoid him. But now they had nothing to fear. His queen dared to wear her jewels; his subjects walked unmolested through the streets, for the king was suffering, chained to his chair, and occupying himself with his tools. This employment had a beneficial effect : it not only caused the king to forget his sufferings, but was often the means of relief. The constant and rapid motion of his hands and arms imparted a salutary warmth to his whole body, excited a gentle perspiration, which quieted his nervous system, and soothed him in some of his most fearful attacks. To-day the king was once more freed from his enemy, the gout; this evil spirit had been exorcised by honest AND HIS COURT. 9 labor, and its victim could hope for a few painless hours. The king raised himself from his chair, and with a loud cry of delight extended his arms, as if he would gladly embrace the universe. He commanded the ser- vant, who was waiting in the adjoining room, to call together the gentlemen who composed the Tobacco Club, and to arrange every thing for a meeting of that august body. "But those gentlemen are at the queen's ball," said the astonished servant. "Go there for them, then," said the king; "happily there are no dancers among them; their limbs are stiff, and the ladies would be alarmed at their capers if they at- tempted to dance. Bring them quickly. Pollnitz must come, and Eckert, and Baron von Goltz, and Hacke, the Duke of Holstein, and General Schwerin. Quick, quick 1 In ten minutes they must all be here, but let no one know why he is sent for. Whisper to each one that he must come to me, and that he must tell no one where he is going. I will not have the queen's ball disturbed. Quick, now, and if these gentlemen are not all here in ten minutes, I will give a ball upon your back, and your own howls will be the most appropriate music." This was a threat which lent wings to the feet of the servant, who flew like a whirlwind through the halls, or- dered, with breathless haste, two servants to carry the to- bacco, the pipes, and the beer-mugs into the king's cham- ber, and then hurried to the other wing of the palace, where the ball of the queen was held. Fortune favored the poor servant. In ten minutes the six gentlemen stood in the king's ante-room, asking each other, with pale faces, what could be the occasion of this singular and unexpected summons. The servant shrugged his shoulders, and silently en- tered the king's room. His majesty, dressed in the full 2 10 FREDERICK THE GREAT uniform of his beloved Guard, sat at the round table, on which the pipes, and the mugs, filled with foaming beer, were already placed. He had condescended to fill a pipe with his own hands, and was on the point of light- ing it at the smoking tallow candle which stood near him. " Sire," said the servant, " the gentlemen are waiting in the next room." " Do they know why I have sent for them ? " said the king, blowing a cloud of smoke from his mouth. "Your majesty forbade me to tell them." "Well, go now, and tell them I am more furiously angry to-day than you have ever seen me; that I am standing by the door with my crutch, and I command them to come singly into my presence." The servant hurried out to the gentlemen, who, as the door was opened, perceived the king standing in a threatening attitude near the door, with his crutch raised in his hand. "What is the matter? Why is the king so furious? What orders do you bring us from his majesty ? " asked the gentlemen anxiously and hurriedly. The servant assumed a terrified expression, and said : "His majesty is outrageous to-day. Woe unto him over whom the cloud bursts. He commanded me to say that each of you must enter the room alone. Go now, for Heaven's sake, and do not keep the king waiting ! " The gentlemen glanced into each other's pale and hesi- tating countenances. They had all seen the threatening appearance of the king, as he stood by the door with his raised crutch, and no one wished to be the first to pass under the yoke. "Your grace has the precedence," said the grand chamberlain, bowing to the Duke of Holstein. "No," he replied, "you are well aware his majesty does not regard etiquette, and would be most indignant AND HIS COURT. 11 if we paid any attention to it. Go first yourself, my dear friend." "Not I, your grace, I would not dare to take prece- dence of you all. If you decline the honor, it is due to General Schwerin. He should lead on the battle." " There is no question of a battle," said General Schwerin, "but a most probable beating, and Baron von Pollnitz understands that better than I do." " Gentlemen," said the servant, " his majesty will be- come impatient, and then woe unto all of us." " But, my God," said Count von Goltz, " who will dare go forward ? " " I will," said Councillor Eckert ; " I owe every thing to his majesty, therefore I will place my back or even my life at his service." He approached the door with a firm step, and opened it quickly. The others saw the flashing eyes of the king, as he raised his stick still higher. They saw Eckert enter, with his head bowed down and then the door was closed, and nothing more was heard. "Against which of us is the anger of the king di- rected?" faltered Pollnitz. " Against one and all," said the servant, with a most malicious expression. " Who will go now ? " the gentlemen asked each other, and, after a long struggle, the grand chamberlain, Von Pollnitz, concluded to take the bitter step. Once more, as the door opened, the king was seen waiting, crutch in hand, but the door closed, and nothing more was seen. Four times was this scene repeated; four times was the king seen in this threatening attitude. But as General Schwerin, the last of the six gentlemen, entered the room, the king no longer stood near the door, but lay in his arm- chair, laughing until the tears stood in his eyes, and Baron von Pollnitz stood before him, giving a most 12 FREDERICK THE GREAT humorous account of the scene which had just taken place in the ante-room, imitating the voices of the differ- ent gentlemen, and relating their conversation. "You all believed in my rage," said the king, almost breathless with laughing. " The joke succeeded to per- fection. Yours, also, Schwerin. Do you at last know what it is to be afraid, you who never experienced the feeling on the field of battle ? " " Yes, sire, a shot is a small thing in comparison with the flashing of your eye. When the cannon thunders my heart is joyful, but it is very heavy under the thunder of your voice. I do not fear death, but I do fear the anger and displeasure of my sovereign." " Oh, you are a brave fellow," said the king, warmly giving the general his hand. "And now, gentlemen, away with all constraint and etiquette. We will suppose the king to be at the ball. I am only your companion, Frederick William, and will now proceed to the opening of the Tobacco Club." He once more lighted his pipe, and threw himself into one of the chairs, which were placed round the table; the other gentlemen followed his example, and the Tobacco €lub was now in session. CHAPTEK HI. THE TOBACCO CLUB. There was a short interval of silence. Each one busied himself with pipe and tobacco. The dense clouds of smoke which rolled from the lips of all had soon en- veloped the room with a veil of bluish vapor, from the midst of which the tallow candle emitted a faint, sickly light. AND HIS COURT. 13 The king ordered the man in waiting to light several additional candles. " To-day our Tobacco Club must also present a festive appearance, that the contrast be- tween it and the ball may not be too great. Tell me, Pollnitz, how are matters progressing over there? Is the assemblage a handsome one? Are they enjoying them- selves? Is the queen gay? and the princesses, are they dancing merrily ? " " Sire," said Pollnitz, " a more magnificent festival than to-day's I have never witnessed. Her majesty was never more beautiful, more radiant, or gayer than to- day. She shone like a sun in the midst of the handsome- ly dressed and adorned ladies of the court." " Indeed ! she was then magnificently attired ? " said tiie king, and his countenance darkened. " Sire, I had no idea the queen possessed so princely a treasure in jewels." " She has put on her jewels, then, has she? It seems they are taking advantage of my absence. They are merry and of good cheer, while I am writhing on a bed of pain," exclaimed the king, who, in his easily excited irritability, never once remembered that he himself had appointed this festival, and had demanded of his wife that she should lay aside care, and be cheerful and happy. "Happily, however, your majesty is not ill, and not on a bed of pain. The queen has, therefore, good reason to be happy." The king made no reply, but raised his mug to his lips, and took a long draught of beer, and let fall its lid with an angry movement. "I should not be surprised if Frederick had clandes- tinely come over to this ball," murmured the king. " They dare any thing when not apprehensive of my tak- ing them by surprise." "But taking by surprise is your majesty's forte," ex- claimed Count Hacke, endeavoring to give the conversa- 14 FREDERICK THE GREAT tion another direction. "Never before in my life did I feel my heart beat as it did when I crossed the threshold of this chamber to-day." The king, who was easily soothed, laughed heartily. "And never before did I see such pale faces as yours. Heally, if the gout had not made my fingers so stiff and unwieldy, I would paint you a picture of this scene that would make a magnificent counterpart to my representa- tion of the Tobacco Club, and I would call it ' The Six Tailor Apprentices who are afraid of Blue Monday.' See ! we will now devote ourselves to poetry and the arts, and our learned and fantastic son will soon have no ad- vantage over us whatever. If he plays the flute, we paint. While he writes sentimental, we will write satirical poems; and while he sings to sun, moon, and stars, we will do as the gods, and, like Jupiter, envelop ourselves in a cloud. Let it be well understood, however, not for the purpose of deluding a Semele or any other woman, at all times, and in all circumstances, we have been true to our wives, and in this particular the prince royal might well take his father as an example." " Sire, he could do that in all things," exclaimed Count von Goltz, blowing a cloud of smoke from his lips. " He thinks at some future day to govern the kingdom with his book-learning and his poems," said the king, laughing. "Instead of occupying himself with useful things, drilling recruits, drawing plans, and studying the art of war, he devotes his time to the acquirement of use- less and superficial knowledge, which benefits no one, and is most injurious to himself. A dreaming scholar can never be a good king; and he who, instead of sword and sceptre, wields the pen and fiddle-bow, will never be a good general." "Nevertheless, no regiment made a finer appearance, or was better drilled, at the last review, than that of the prince royal," said the Duke of Holstein. AND HIS COURT. 15 The king cast a distrustful look at him, and muttered a few words which no one understood. He was never pleased to hear any defence of the prince royal, and sus- pected every one who praised him. "Your majesty forgets that this is a sitting of the Tobacco Club and not of the State Council," said Poll- nitz, in a fawning voice. " If your majesty designed to be angry, it was not necessary to light the pipes and fill the beer-mugs; for while you are neither smoking nor drinking, the pipe goes out, and the beer becomes stale." "True," replied the king, and raising his glass he continued: "I drink this to the health of him who first overcame his timid heart and dared to enter my chamber. Who was it? I have forgotten." "It was the privy councillor Von Eckert, sire," said Count Hacke, with an ironical smile. Eckert bowed. "He entered the chamber as if going to battle," ex- claimed Von Pollnitz, laughing. " In the spirit he took leave of all the fine breweries, and artfully constructed never-smoking chimneys which he hadi. built ; he also took leave of the city exchanges, which he had not yet pro- vided with royal commissioners, destined to despoil them of their riches; he bade adieu to his decoration and to his money-bags, and exclaiming, ' To the king I owe all that I am, it is therefore but proper that my back as well as my life should be at his service/ marched courageously into the royal presence." " Did he really do that ? Did he say that ? " exclaimed the king. " Eckert, I am pleased with you for that, and will reward you. It is true that I have elevated you from a lowly position; that I have made a gentleman of the chimney-sweep; but gratitude is a rare virtue, men seldom remember the benefits they have received; your doing so, is an evidence that you have a noble heart, one which I know how to appreciate. The new house which I am building in Jager Street shall be yours; And I will 16 FREDERICK THE GREAT not present you with the naked walls, but it shall be hand- somely furnished and fitted up at my expense." " Your majesty is the most gracious, the best of mon- archs ! " exclaimed Eckert, hastening to the king and pressing his hand to his lips. "Yes, your majesty is right in saying that you have elevated me from the dust, but my heart, at least, was always pure, and I will en- deavor to preserve it so. You have rescued me from the scum of the people. As the ancient Romans gave free- dom to those slaves who had rendered themselves worthy of it by good and noble deeds, so has my king also deliv- ered me from the bondage of poverty and lowliness, and given me freedom, and I also will strive to render myself worthy of this great boon by good and noble actions." "And Berlin offers you the best opportunities of do- ing so. There are still many smoking chimneys and in- different beer breweries. Privy Councillor Yon Eckert can, therefore, still execute many glorious deeds before he is gathered to his forefathers," exclaimed Von Poll- nitz. All were amused at this, and the king himself could not refrain from smiling. Yon Eckert's countenance had become pale and lowering, and casting an angry look at Yon Pollnitz, he said, with a forced laugh : "Really, your wit to-day is dazzling, and I am so charmed with your pleasantries, that should your wine merchant refuse to supply you with any more wine until your old accounts have been settled, I shall be perfectly willing to send you a few bottles from my own cellar, that your Grace may be able to drink my health." " That I will gladly do," said Pollnitz, affably. " Yes, I will drink to your long and lasting health, for the longer you live the more time your ancestors will have to in- crease and to multiply themselves. And, as it seems that you are not destined to become the father of a coming generation, you should, at least, endeavor to become the AND HIS COURT. 17 progenitor of your ancestors and the father of your fa- thers. Ancestors are born to you as children are to others, and, if I am not mistaken, you are already the possessor of three. For a gentleman of wealth and quality, this is, however, too few. I will, therefore, drink to your health, that you may still be able to create many ancestors. And I propose to your majesty to give him an ancestor for every chimney which he frees from smoke." " Silence, Pollnitz ! " exclaimed the king, laughing. " No more of this raillery. Listen to what I have to say* I have given Eckert the new house, and as I have in- vested him with a title of nobility, it is but proper that a noble coat-of-arms should be placed over his door. Gen- tlemen, let us consider what the escutcheon of Eckert shall be. Each of you, in his turn, shall give me his. opinion. You, duke, commence." With grave and sober mien the gentlemen began to confer with each other in regard to Von Eckert's escutch- eon; and each one considering the favor in which the former stood with the king, took pains to propose the most magnificent coat-of-arms imaginable. But the kingf was not pleased with the grave and learned devices which were proposed. He disliked giving the newly-made baron a coat-of-arms worthy of any house of old and established nobility, which would have placed him on an equality with the oldest counts and barons of the kingdom. " When I build a house," said the king, " I wish every one to see that it is a new one; I therefore give it a nice white coat of paint, and not an old graystone color to make it look like a robber castle. Eckert should, there- fore, have a fresh touch of paint for his new dignity, a spick and span new coat-of-arms." " I am entirely of your majesty's opinion," exclaimed Von Pollnitz solemnly; "and as every noble family bears on its coat-of-arms some emblem and reminis- cence of the deeds and events through which it became 18 FREDERICK THE GREAT great, so should also the escutcheon of the noble house of Eckert contain some such reminiscence. I propose to quarter this shield. The first field shall show on a silver ground a black chimney, in which we will also have in- dicated the Prussian colors. The second field is blue, with a golden vat in the centre, having reference to Eck- ert's great ability as a beer-brewer. The third field is green, with a golden pheasant in the middle, suggestive of Eckert's earlier occupation as gamekeeper in Bruns- wick; and the fourth field shows on a red ground a cock and a knife, a reminiscence of the good old times when Privy Councillor Von Eckert fed and dressed fowls in Bairout." A peal of laughter from the entire club rewarded Von Pollnitz for his proposition. The king was also so well pleased, that he, in all gravity, determined to accept it, and to have a coat-of-arms with the above designated emblems adjusted over the door of the new house in Jager Street. The merriment of the gentlemen of the Tobacco Club was now becoming energetic, and jests and jokes were contributed by all. The grand chamberlain, Von Poll- nitz, was, however, the gayest of the gay. And if the pleasantries which bubbled from his lips like water from a fountain, at any time threatened to flag, a glance at the pale face of Von Eckert, who fairly trembled with sup- pressed rage, was sufficient to renew his merriment. While the king was conversing with Von Eckert on the subject of his new house, Pollnitz turned to his neigh- bor and asked if he had not made ample amends for his awkwardness in the first instance. "By my thoughtless repetition of that hypocritical man's words, I procured him the new house, but I have also given him a coat-of-arms; and I wager the privy councillor would willingly relinquish the former, if he could thereby get rid of the latter." AND HIS COURT. 19 "Pollnitz, why are you looking so grave" asked the king at this moment. " I wager you are in a bad humor, because the handsome house in Jager Street was not given to you." "By no means, your majesty; as handsome as the house is, it would not suit me at all." "Ah, yes, you are right; it would be much too large a, one for you ! " said Frederick William, laughing. " No, your majesty, it would be much too small for me. When a cavalier of my quality once determines to build a house, it should be arranged in accordance with his rank and standing, and that costs a great deal of money, much more than I ever possessed. It is true that my father left me a fortune of about two hundred thou- sand dollars, but what is such a trifle to a nobleman? It was not enough for a decent support, and it was too much to go begging on. I calculated how long this sum might be made to last, and finding that, with considerable economy, it would perhaps do for four years, I lived like a noble and generous cavalier for that time; and during that period I was fortunate enough to have the most de- voted friends and the truest sweethearts, who never de- serted me until the last dollar of my fortune was ex- pended ! " " Do I understand you to say that you expended two hundred thousand dollars in four years ? " asked the king. "Yes, your majesty; and I assure you that I was obliged to practise the most rigorous economy." Frederick William regarded him with surprise, almost with admiration. To the king there was something in this man's nature which was imposing. It was perhaps the great contrast between the unlimited extravagance of the baron and his own frugality, which exerted so great an influence on the king, excited his astonishment, and enlisted his admiration in behalf of this ready, witty, and ever-merry courtier. 20 FREDERICK THE GREAT "An income of fifty thousand dollars is, therefore, not suificient for a decent support ? " asked the king. " Your majesty, if one attempted to live in a style be- fitting a nobleman, on that sum, he might die of hunger." "Ah, explain that. What sum would you consider necessary to enable you to live in a style befitting a noble- man?" Pollnitz remained lost in thought for a moment, and then replied: "You majesty, in order to live somewhat respectably, I should require four hundred thousand dollars yearly." " That is not true, not possible ! " exclaimed the king, " That is so very possible, sire, that I hardly know whether it would suffice or not." " Gentlemen, do you believe that ? " asked the king. "I, for my part, have not the fourth part of this in- come," said the Duke of Holstein, smiling. " I not the tenth ! " said Count Von der Goltz. " And I not the twentieth ! " exclaimed General Von Schwerin and Count Hacke at the same time. "And yet," said the king, "you all live as respected cavaliers, as esteemed gentlemen of my court. Let us hear how Pollnitz would manage to spend so much money* Quick, Jochen, quick, give us a sheet of paper and a pencil." The valet hastily executed this commission, and hand- ed the king paper and pencil. " Fill the glasses, Jochen," ordered the king, " and then seat yourself at the foot of the table, and pay at- tention to what Von Pollnitz is about to explain. It is worth the trouble to learn how an income of four hundred thousand dollars can be spent in a respectable manner. You shall dictate, and I will be your secretary. Woe to you, however, if you do not keep your word, if you expend less! For every thousand which you fail to ac- count for, you shall drink ten glasses of beer, and smoke AND HIS COURT. 21 a pipe of the strong Havana tobacco recently sent me by the stadtholder of Holland." " But what shall I receive for every thousand which I expend over and above that sum ? " asked Von Pollnitz, laughing. " Oh, it is impossible that a nobleman should need more, that is, provided he does not expend it in a foolisk manner, like a madman." " And if, in order to live in a style befitting a noble- man, I sould nevertheless need more, what am I to re- ceive for every thousand ? " " Well, then, for every thousand, I will pay a hundred of your oldest debts," said the king. "But commence. And you, gentlemen, drink and smoke, and pay attention to what he has to say." CHAPTEK IV. AIR-CASTLES. "I will begin," said Pollnitz. "First of all, I shall need a respectable house, to receive my guests in, to ex- hibit my collections, and entertain my friends; to pursue my studies, without being disturbed by the slightest noise; a house, in which my wife must have her separate apartments, and as I shall wish to have my friends with me, every now and then, to smoke, my wife's reception- rooms must be entirely separated from mine." " But," exclaimed the king, " your wife will certainly allow you to smoke in her rooms ! " "And if she permitted it, your majesty, I would not do so; it becomes not a cavalier to smoke in a lady's 22 FREDERICK THE GREAT The king reddened a little, and carried the mug to his lips, to hide his embarrassment; he remembered bow often he had smoked in the queen's rooms, notwithstand- ing her sighs. Pollnitz continued quietly: "I must then have sev- eral different reception-rooms, and as my wife and myself will frequently be at variance with each other, two differ- ent and widely-separated staircases will be necessary, that we may not meet, unless we wish it ! " " Oh ! you mean to lead a wretched life with you* wife ; to quarrel with her every now and then, do you ? " "No, sire, we will never quarrel; it ill becomes a cavalier to have a contest with his wife." The king reddened again, this time from anger. This exposition of a cavalier began to offend him; it seemed to be a satire upon himself; for unhappily the king not only smoked in the queen's rooms, but the world knew that his wife and children were often the objects of his violent temper, and that the queen had more than once been ter- ribly frightened by his thundering reproaches and un- bearable threats. " Your highness sees that my house must be large, and as it is so, a host of servants and a large income will be necessary. But of this hereafter. Let us speak of my houses, for it is easily understood that I must have a country residence." "Yes, that is a reasonable demand," said the king, in adding the country house to his list. " But as I do not go to the country to live as I do in the city, but to enjoy the beauties of nature and scenery, I must have a garden, with vineyards, and beautiful walks, and, for their cultivation, many servants. And, as I cannot ask my friends to visit me simply to pluck my flowers, and eat my fruits, I must procure for them other and rarer pleasures. I must have a park for hunt- ing, and a lake for fishing." AND HIS COURT. 23 "Yes, that is well argued and true," said the king, noting the park and the lake on his paper. " Now we are coming to the most important points — the kitchen and wine-cellar. On these two I must bestow most particular care. It would be most un- worthy a cavalier to present such dishes to his friends as they can enjoy every day at home. No, if I in- vite my friends, they must be certain of having such luxuries as they cannot procure elsewhere — such rare and costly viands as will recall the wonders of fairy land!" " I am quite of your opinion," cried the king, and his face brightened at the thought of the delightful and costly dishes that the rich Pollnitz would set before his friends. " Listen : from time to time you can prepare for me the delightful bacon-pie that I once tasted at Grumbkou's. Oh, that was really splendid, and reminded one, as you say, of the wonders of fairy land! My cook obtained the receipt immediately; but what do you think? three bottles of champagne and three bottles of burgundy were necessary to stew the meat. I had to give up the intention of having such a pie, but I told Grumb- kou that when I felt like eating such an expensive dish, I would be his guest." "I will obey your commands, your highness," said Pollnitz, earnestly, and bowing low to the king. " Let U3 continue to furnish my house; after that we will speak of the pie. As hunting is decided upon, we must now consider the horses, for I cannot ask my friends to hunt on foot, or walk to the lake. I must have beautiful and noble steeds, and as horses and carriages do not take care of themselves, I must have a number of servants to at- tend to them." " That is true," said the king, adding the carriages and horses to his list. " That is true ; but I find that you think a great deal of your friends and very little of your- 24 FREDERICK THE GREAT self. Your whole demand, so far, is for the benefit of your friends." " Sire, hospitality is one of the noblest virtues of a cavalier, for which one can never do too much, but easily too little." The king frowned and looked threateningly before him; the rest of the club looked at Pollnitz with in- creasing astonishment, surprised at his daring to show the king in this manner his faults and weaknesses. Pollnitz alone remained gay and unembarrassed. " Now, as I have attended sufficiently to the pleasure and comfort of my friends, it is time that I should think a little of myself. I therefore beg your highness to name the sum you deem necessary for my yearly expenses for charities and presents for my sweetheart." "Your wife is your sweetheart. You intend to be a very tender husband, nowithstanding the two staircases." " Sire, it would not become a cavalier to possess a wife and sweetheart in the same person. Your wife represents your family, your sweetheart amuses you. You give your wife name and rank, your sweetheart your love and whole heart. A true cavalier does not love his wife, but he demands that the world shall honor her as the lady that bears his name." "Pollnitz, Pollnitz," said the king, shaking his hand threateningly at him, "take care that I never see your cavalier in my house, and no one that is like him; I would have no pity with him, but crush him with my kingly anger ! " Pollnitz was frightened, and covered himself in a cloud of smoke, that the king might not see his per- plexity. " Continue," said Frederick William, after a short pause. " I have set aside a certain amount for every single article you have mentioned, but I truly hope you have concluded; and that the demon that dwells in you, AND HIS COURT. 25 and masters you, will make no further suggestions to your luxurious and insane fancies." " Yes, your highness ; and I beg you will calculate the sum total necessary for these different articles." The king calculated, his guests smoked and drank in silence, and Pollnitz listened attentively to the sound of voices, and noise of horses in the court. The king suddenly uttered an oath, and brought his fist heavily down on the paper. "As truly as God lives, Pollnitz is right! Four hundred thousand dollars are not sufficient to support a cavalier of his pretensions. The sum here amounts to four hundred and fifty thou- sand dollars." " Your highness confesses that I have demanded noth- ing superfluous or exaggerated?" "Yes, I confess it." " Consequently, your highness will be kind enough to pay me five thousand dollars." " The devil ! How can I understand that ? " "Your majesty forgets that you promised me one hundred dollars for every thousand over and abov$ the sum of four hundred thousand." " Did I say that ? " said the king ; and as all present confirmed it, he laughed aloud, saying, "I see that none of you understand Pollnitz. That was not my meaning. I did not say I would pay Pollnitz the gold; but for every thousand above his four hundred thousand I would pay a hundred of his oldest debts, and that is quite a different affair. You know well, if I gave him the gold, his creditors would never receive a cent of it. But what I have promised I will do; bring me, to-morrow, a list of your oldest debts, and I will pay five thousand dollars upon them." "Your highness, my account is not yet finished. I have only mentioned the most pressing and necessary articles, and much has been forgotten. I must have a o 26 FREDERICK THE GREAT forester to chase the poachers from my park, and a night watch to guard my country house, to feed the fish in my pond, to strike upon the water in order tc silence the frogs, that my sleep and that of my friends may not be disturbed." " Enough, enough of your castles in the air, fool that you are ! " cried the king, half angry, half amused- " Seek another sovereign, who is rich enough to provide for your follies." " Sire," said Pollnitz, " I will seek nothing elsewhere- I am too happy to have found so noble and gracious a monarch. I only wished to prove to your majesty, and these gentlemen that do me the honor to consider me a spendthrift, that a great fortune can be easily spent without extravagance and folly, and you will now under- stand that I have given a worthy proof of economy in fixing my yearly income at four hundred thousand dol- lars, when I could easily dispose of that sum in six months." The king laughed, and, raising the beer-pot aloft, commanded the gentlemen to drink to the health of the miser Pollnitz. The beer-pots were raised, and were jingling merrily, when suddenly it seemed as if an electric shock had struck them all simultaneously — all with the exception of the king. The six cavaliers placed their beer-pots upon the table, and, rising with breathless haste from their chairs, bowed lowly and humbly. AND HIS COURT. 27 CHAPTER V. FATHER AND SON. The king, in speechless amazement, sank back in hie chair. He could not yet conceive what spell had taken hold of these gentlemen, that made them rise from their seats in spite of the rules of the Tobacco Club. The king did not see that, behind him, the door had opened, and, in the midst of the smoke that filled the whole room, a young man was visible, whose appearance had produced this astounding impression upon the six cavaliers. And, certainly, there was something exalted and imposing in this youth. A wondrous combination of beauty, nobility of soul, youth, royalty, and melancholy was expressed in this face, whose sharp and marked lines spoke of severe pain and bitter experience, while so fresh and youthful a smile played upon the soft red lip, you could but sup- pose the heart young, confiding, and impressible. But the eyes were in wonderful contrast to these beautiful lips; they shone like great, mysterious, unfathomable stars — one moment sparkling with youthful supercilious- ness, the next with the firm, steady, piercing glance of an observing sage. The lofty, somewhat retreating fore- head, and the straight, finely-pointed nose, formed a profile indicating commanding elevation of character. And the soul imprisoned behind these temples was power- fully agitated, seeking ever for freedom of thought and expression. It was the eye, the head of a hero ; and, had his form corresponded with the giant strength of his glance, he would have been a Titan, and might have crushed the world like a toy in his hand. But his slen- der, sy mm etrical, and graceful form was more weak than powerful, more maidenly than heroic. You felt, however, that this head might lend strength 28 FREDERICK THE GREAT to the body, and if the Titan could not overcome by physi- cal strength, he could rule and conquer by the command- ing power of his genius.* This was the unexpected apparition that shocked the gentlemen of the Tobacco Club, and forced them hastily from their seats ! The king sat speechless and amazed in his chair, while the youth stood close behind him. " Allow me to wish your majesty good-evening," said the prince, with his full, clear-ringing voice. The king was greatly agitated, and the blood rushed to his face. " Fritz ! " said he, in a light tone. " Fritz ! " repeated he more sternly, and already the sound of a coming storm was perceptible in his voice. "I come from Kuppin," said the prince, in a quiet, kindly voice, " where I was reviewing my regiment, and I beg pardon for my unexpected appearance." The king made no reply; his mistrust was scornfully exhibited. He thought that the queen believed him to be suffering and confined to his room. He did not doubt for a moment that she had sent for the prince, and Fred- erick was there to see if the life of the king was not in danger; if the throne of Prussia would not soon be empty, and ready for its successor. These dark suspicions excited the king's ire, and filled his heart with bitter distrust. With a hasty movement he dashed back the hand of the prince royal, and arose from his chair. His scornful eye took in at a glance the whole circle, still standing in awe-struck silence around the table. " Why have you arisen from your chairs ? " cried the king, with trembling voice. " How dare you arise con- trary to my command, and thus set yourselves in opposi- * A French traveller, by the name of Birre, who went from Paris to Berlin to see Frederick, describes him in this manner : Buste admirable et vraiment royal, mais pauvre et miserable pedestal. Sa t6te et sa poi- trine sont au dessus des eUoges, le train d'en bas au dessous de la critique. — (See Thiebault) AND HIS COURT. 29 tion to my kingly power? Do you no longer know the laws of the Tobacco Club? Do you not know that these laws positively forbid you to arise from your seats to greet any one? You are all silent, miserable cowards that you are, who do not attempt to defend yourselves, who go always with wind and tide, and deceive and natter in every direction. Answer me, Pollnitz, did you not know the law of the Tobacco Club, forbidding you to arise from your seat ? " "I know it, sire, but thought I might be allowed to make an exception of the prince royal." " So thought we all," said General Schwerin, in a steady voice. The king struck with doubled fist on the table, and the pitchers and beer-mugs trembled. " You thought that," said the king, " and yet knew that no exception was ever made for me! But certainly the prince royal is of more consequence than the king. The prince royal is the future sovereign, the rising sun! What the king was not able to give, the prince royal may bestow. From the king there is nothing left to hope, nothing to fear; for this reason you turn to the prince royal; for this reason you ridicule the laws of the father to flatter the son. The son is a fine French cavalier, who loves ornament and courtesy, to whom the question of etiquette is important. You stand up also when the prince royal enters, although you know in this room all are equal, and here you have often forgotten that I am king. Yes, the king can be forgotten — the prince royal never ; he may soon be king ! " " God grant your majesty a long and happy life," said the prince royal. During this passionate speech of the king, he had stood silent and immovable behind his chair. "Who spoke to you? Who told you to speak until you were questioned ? " said the king, whose whole form 30 FREDERICK THE GREAT trembled with rage. " You, the slave of etiquette, should know that no man speaks to the king until he is spoken to. Truly you think the king does not understand eti- quette. He is an old-fashioned man, and knows not how a true cavalier should conduct himself. Now, Pollnitz, you see there a cavalier after your own heart, a veritable model. Ah, you thought perhaps I did not see the face lurking behind your picture; you suppose I did not recognize the cavalier you painted in such glowing colors, in order to prove that he must have four hundred thou- sand dollars yearly or be forced to make debts. Patience ! patience! my eyes are at last opened! Woe, woe to you all when I see that you dare brave me in order to please the prince royal ! I will prove to you that I yet live, and am your master. The Tobacco Club is closed, and you may all go to the devil ! " " As I don't know the way there, will your majesty al- low me to return to Eheinsberg? I now take my leave," said the prince royal, bowing respectfully to the king. Frederick William turned his head, and said but one word— "Go!" The prince bowed again; then, turning to the cava- liers, he said : " Good-evening, gentlemen. I sincerely regret to have been the cause of the king's anger. Against you this displeasure is however just, for a command of the king should never be disobeyed, not even with a kind and magnanimous intent." The prince had with these words put himself beyond the reach of the king's rage, and at the same time done justice to all : to the king in acknowledging the justice of his anger; to the cavaliers in praising their good in- tentions. He was evidently master of the situation. With a firm, steady tread he left the room, while the king, in spite of his anger, could not help feeling that he had again failed in kindness to the prince royal. But AND HIS COURT. 31 this consciousness only made him the more passionate. He muttered a deep curse, and looked threateningly at the pale, trembling cavaliers. "Hypocrites and eye-servants are you all," muttered he, as he slowly passed by them. " Give me your arm, Hacke, and lead me into the other room. I cannot look at these men any longer." Count Hacke rushed forward, and, leaning on his arm, the king tottered into the adjoining room. When the door closed behind them, the cavaliers seemed to awaken from their torpidity. They raised their heads, and looked at one another with a half-con- fused, half -angry gaze. They had been scolded like chil- dren, and felt that they were men. Their honor had re- ceived a sensitive wound, but their awe of the king kept them from demanding satisfaction. When the count returned to order the gentlemen in the king's name to leave the palace, they did not have the courage to obey this command, but sent the count as their ambassador to the king to ask in the humblest manner for forgiveness and pardon, and to assure him that their behavior to the prince royal was but the conse- quence of involuntary thoughtlessness. The count, after much trembling, left the room to de- liver this message to the king; the cavaliers waited in anxious silence for his return. At length the door opened, and the count appeared. "Well, what says the king? Has he forgiven us? Will he take us into his favor again? Is he convinced that we are his true, humble, and obedient servants ? " All these questions the count answered by a slight motion of the hand. It was a moment of anxious expec- tation; all were eagerly looking at the count, who was to pronounce for them the words of forgiveness or condem- nation. " Gentlemen," at length said the count, and his voice 32 FREDERICK THE GREAT sounded to the trembling courtiers hollow and awful as that of an angel of death, "gentlemen, the king says if you do not leave here at once, he will easily find means to compel you to do so ! " This was a menace that gave strength to the trembling limbs of the courtiers. Silently, with sad, troubled looks, they hastened away, and not until the great portals of the palace had closed upon them did they feel safe from the fear of imprisonment, and the king's crutch. The king had not yet subdued his anger. He thirsted for another victim. The servants wisely remained at a distance beyond the reach of the royal crutch; the king's ungovernable anger had even banished Count Hacke from the room. The king was alone, entirely alone in this dark, empty room, and its comfortless silence filled him with anxiety. He sank into his arm-chair, and looked with a sad glance around this large room, which, because of his parsimony, was but badly lighted with four tallow candles. Nothing broke the silence but from time to time the gay music of the dance, which was heard from the other wing of the castle. Mirth still reigned in the saloons of the queen. The king sighed; his heart was filled with melancholy and rage. The queen was gay, while her husband suf- fered. The court was joyful, while he sat alone and neg- lected, gnashing his teeth in this dark and joyless room. And yet he was the king, the all-powerful ruler of mill- ions of subjects, who trembled before him, and yet not one of them loved him. All eyes were fixed upon the rising sun, upon Fred- erick, so unlike his father, and so little the son of his father's heart. As the king thought of this, deep grief and a foreboding melancholy overcame him. In the an- guish of his heart he turned to God and prayed. He silenced the voice of self-accusation and remorse, now whispering in his breast, by prayer. AND HIS COURT. 33 The king prayed. Exhausted with rage, he fancied that he had given himself up to pious contrition and world-despising godliness. As the tones of the music were again heard, he ex- perienced a pious exasperation over this unholy levity, a peaceful self -content ; he belonged not to the ungodly, who gave themselves up to worldliness and vanity, but alone and deserted he prayed to his Father in heaven. How small, how pitiful, how contemptible did the gay dancers appear to him! How pleased he was with him- self, his holy walk and conversation! At this moment the anxious face of his valet appeared at the door. " Your majesty commanded me to tell you so soon as the coffins which came yesterday were unpacked and placed in the white saloon: this is done, and the coffins can be seen." " Ah ! My coffin is ready ! " said the king, involun- tarily shuddering. "My coffin, and that of the queen! And Sophia gives a ball, and perhaps dances, in place of bowing her soul in contrition before God. I will awaken her from these soul-destroying vanities; the ar- rival of the coffins now was an especial providence of God. The queen shall see them ! " He called his two valets, commanded one to lead him to the ball-room, the other to illuminate the white saloon in which the coffins were placed. 34 FREDERICK THE GREAT CHAPTER VI. THE WHITE SALOON. The queen had no suspicion of all that had happened in the chambers of the king; she had not observed the absence of the Tobacco Club, and after having made the grand tour of the saloons, she seated herself at the card- table. . Her majesty had no idea that her husband was free from pain, and had left his arm-chair ; she was, therefore, gay and careless, filled with a sense of freedom and power. The cruel eye of Frederick William iwas not bent upon her to look her down, and cast a veil of hu- mility over the sparkling diamonds which adorned her brow; no, she was to-night entirely herself — every inch a queen! proud and happy, smiling and majestic. Re- joicing in her own greatness and glory, she was still amia- ble and obliging to this great crowd of devoted, submis- sive, flattering, smiling men, who surrounded her; never had she been so gracious, never so queenly. As we have said, she had seated herself at the card-table, and the mar- grafin Maria Dorothea and the English and French am- bassadors were her partners; behind her chair stood her two maids of honor, to whom she now and then addressed a word, or sent them to look after the young princesses, who were dancing in the adjoining room, and giving themselves up merrily to the pleasures of the evening. Suddenly the music ceased, and a strange, unaccustomed silence reigned throughout the rooms. The queen was arranging the cards, and turned smil- ingly to one of her maids of honor, commanding her as soon as the dance was ended to lead the princesses to her side; she then gave her attention to the game, when suddenly the Princess Amelia, pale and terrified, rushed AND HIS COURT. 35 hastily to her mother, and whispered a few words in her ear. Sophia Dorothea uttered a low cry of terror, and ex- claimed: "The king! my God, the king! he seems very angry ! " said the princess ; " do not let him see your dia- monds." The partners of the queen sat in respectful si- lence, waiting for her to play; she dashed her cards upon the table, removed her necklace and bracelets hastily, and thrust the glittering heap into her dress pocket.* " Remove my long ear-rings," she whispered to Amelia, and while the princess obeyed the command, the queen took her cards from the table. The glory was departed; the diamonds were hiding timidly in her pocket, and the fire of her eye was quenched. The king was there; Sophia Dorothea was no longer a royal queen, but a trembling, dependent woman, cower- ing before the rage of her husband. The partners of the queen sat quietly with downcast eyes, and did not appear to see the rash change in the toilet of her majesty, still seemingly waiting for the play of the queen. Sophia played a queen, Lord Hastings played the king. " Lost ! " said her majesty, " so must the queen ever lose when the king comes; but it is always a comfort," she said, with a bitter smile, "to be overcome only by a king." She played on quietly, though she knew that the king was already in the door of the room and watching her closely. As the king stepped forward and called her name, she rose and advanced toward him with an expression of joy- ful surprise. "Ah, my husband, what a great pleasure you have prepared for us ! " she said smiling ; " it is most amiable of your majesty to glorify this feast with your presence." "I come, however," said the king, in a rude, harsh voice, and thrusting the queen's arm in his own, " to cast ♦ See ThiSbault 36 FREDERICK THE GREAT gloom upon this fete; it is good and necessary in the midst of tumultuous earthly pleasures to be reminded of the fleeting vanity of all sublunary things; and to still the voluptuous music with prayer, I am come to adminis- ter this medicine to your vain and sin-sick soul. Come with me, you there ! " said the king, turning his head backward to the courtiers, who were gathered in silent and frightened groups. " You there, follow us ! " He dragged the queen forward; silently the procession of richly-adorned guests followed the royal pair, no one knew where. The queen had in vain implored the king to make known his purpose. This long procession, adorned with flowers, diamonds, uniforms, and orders, had a gay and festal appearance; you might well suppose them wed- ding guests on their way to church. The principal actors on this occasion, however, did not promise to be a happy pair. The king looked steadily, with a frowning brow and tightly-compressed lips, right before him; the queen, wan and trembling, turned her eyes anxiously from side to side, seeking everywhere some new danger, some new terror prepared for her. The procession stepped silently and earnestly through the dressing-rooms, odorous with flowers; through the illuminated antechamber; further on through the corridors and up the wide stair steps ; on- ward still through long passages till they reached the great doors of the White Saloon, which Frederick had built and adorned. "We have arrived," said the king, opening the door, and leading in the queen. Suddenly Sophia Dorothea uttered a cry of horror, and fell backwards; behind her stood the curious, astonished, and shocked courtiers, pressing themselves hastily through the door of the sa- loon. "Two coffins!" murmured the queen, with horror; AND HIS COURT. 37 her timid glance rested first upon the solemn coffins, then wandered anxiously to the lofty, imposing marble statues of the prince electors, who, in solemn rest, in this chamber of the dead, seemed to hold a watch over the coffins of the living. " Yes, two coffins," said the king — " our coffins, So- • phia; and I resolved in this hour to show them to you and the assembled court, that this solemn warning might arouse you all from your unholy and sinful lusts. Death must strike at your heart to awaken it from voluptuous sleep and cause you to look within. In these coffins we will soon rest, and all earthly vanity and glory will be at an end. No one will fear my glance or my crutch; no one will compliment the beautiful toilet of the queen, or admire her diamonds; dust will return to dust, and the king and the queen be nothing more than food for. worms ! " "Not so," said Sophia, whose noble and proud heart felt humbled by this pious grovelling of her husband; "not so, we will be more than dust and food for worms.. The dust of common mortals will be scattered in every direction by the hand of Time, and over their graves will History walk with destroying feet; but she will re- main with us and will gather our dust, and build there- with a monument to our memory; when our bodies of flesh and blood are placed in the vault of our ancestors, our forms will arise again with limbs of marble and bosoms without hearts. Look, my husband, at these statues of your exalted ancestors; they have also gone- down into the vaults, but their marble forms have the best places in our splendid rooms; perhaps they listen to our words and behold our deeds." Whilst the queen spoke, her countenance was illumi- nated with royal energy and beauty ; she was now, indeed, truly imperial, without the aid of diamond coronets. The queen was herself again; she had conquered her 38 FREDERICK THE GREAT womanish fears; she felt herself not only the wife of Frederick, but the sister of the king of England, the mother of the future king. But Frederick, in what he considered his holy peniten- tial mood, was made angry by her self-possession, her proudly-erected head; he felt that this soul had made it- self free from his heavy yoke, and claimed and enjoyed a separate existence; but she should acknowledge him again as her lord, and he bowed down with humble peni- tence. The queen should become the woman, the obe- dient wife; had not the Bible said, and "he shall rule over thee"? " So, then, let our ancestors behold how we try our coffins before them," said the king, placing his hand heavily on the shoulder of the queen; "the world knows that diamonds become you, and that I, in my uniform, am a fine-looking fellow; let us see now how our coffins will clothe us ! " "What do you mean, my king?" said Sophia, fixing her trembling glance upon her husband. "I mean that we will see if we can take our places with dignity and worthily in our coffins; that we will do to-day in sport what we must hereafter do in solemn earnest." " This is indeed a cruel jest," said the queen. " Oh, yes, to the children of this world every thing seems cruel which reminds them of death and the fleeting nature of all earthly joys," said the king, "but such a warning is good and healthy to the soul, and if we would accustom ourselves from time to time to leave the ball- room and rest awhile in our coffins, we would, without doubt, lead more holy and earnest lives. Lay yourself, therefore, in your coffin, Sophia; it will be to your soul's advantage, and my eyes will see a picture which, praised be God, you can never behold. I shall see you in your coffin." AND HIS COURT. 39 * Oh, you are younger than I, my husband ; you will surely see me buried; it is not therefore necessary to put me to this trial." " Conquer thy soul, and make it quiet and humble," said the king; "we have come hither to try our coffins, and we will try them ! " " The king had a feverish attack of piety to-day. I would not have come if I had known the intentions of your majesty," said the queen. " You would have come as I willed it," murmured the king, while his cheeks glowed with anger and his eye flashed fire. Sophia saw these symptoms of a rising storm, and she knew that all restraints would be removed if she resisted longer. She called with a commanding tone to one of her maids of honor, and said proudly : " Reach me your hand, duchess ; I am weary, and will for awhile rest upon this bed, of a new and uncommon form." With the appearance and nobility of a truly royal soul, she raised her robe a little, lifted her foot over the edge of the coffin, and placed it firmly in the bottom. She stood in the coffin proudly erect, commanding and ma- jestic to behold; then, with inimitable grace, she stooped and lay down slowly. The coffin creaked and groaned, and amongst the crowd of courtiers a murmur of hor- ror and disgust was heard. The king stood near the coffin, and Sophia Dorothea looked at him so steadily, so piercingly, that he had not the courage to meet her glance, and fixed his eyes upon the ground. The queen stood up quietly. The Countess Hacke held out her hand to assist her, but she waved her proudly back. " No," she said, " kings and queens leave their coffins by their own strength and greatness, and sustained by the hand of History alone." Sophia then stepped over 40 FREDERICK THE GREAT the edge of the coffin, and, bowing profoundly to the king, she said — " Your majesty, it is now your turn." The king was confused. He cast a dark, distrustful glance upon the queen. Her simple words had for him a prophetic meaning, and he shuddered as he drew near the coffin. With a powerful effort he overcame himself, stepped into the coffin, and nodded to some of his court- iers to assist him in lying down. " Ah, I rest well upon this couch," said Frederick. *Here will I soon sleep till it shall please God to wake me at the resurrection ! " " May that time be far removed, my king ! " said Sophia earnestly. " Allow me to assist you." She reached her hand to the king; he seized it with alacrity, and was in the act of rising, when a wild and unaccustomed sound was heard without — a loud, piercing cry, which was many times repeated, then the sound of hasty steps approaching the room! The pallid and awe- struck courtiers whispered to each other. " What is it ? " cried the king, who was still sitting in his coffin. t ~No one answered. The courtiers whispered confused and wild words, but no one dared to answer. "I demand to know what has happened," said the king, as with much difficulty he sought to raise him- self up. The major domo stepped forward. "Your majesty, two soldiers are without who held watch in the corridor; they declare that a long, white figure, with a veiled face and black gloves, passed slowly by them the whole length of the corridor, and entered this room; they, believing that some unseemly mask wished to approach your maj- esty, followed the figure and saw it enter this room. They ran hither to seize the masker, but your majesty knows no such person is here." AND HIS COURT. 41 " The white lady ! " cried the king, and sank powerless and as if broken to pieces in the coffin. " The white lady! veiled and with black gloves! That signifies my death!" " The white lady ! " murmured the courtiers, with- drawing involuntarily from the door through which the evil-omened white lady should enter. The queen alone was silent. She looked around with a searching glance upon the marble statues of the prince electors, and her soul was far away with her beloved •son Frederick. CHAPTER Vn. THE MAID OF HONOR, AND THE GARDENER. It was a lovely day in May. The lilacs were in bloom ; ihe birds were singing their sweetest songs; the swans floating upon the tranquil lake, which, bordered with ^water lilies and other fragrant plants, was one of the chief ornaments in the garden of the prince royal at Rheinsberg. It was still early; the residents of the pal- ace, which was surrounded by this beautiful garden, were sleeping; the windows were closed and curtained, and you heard none of the sounds which usually arose from this gay and charming place. No music fell on the ear but the melting tones of the nightingale and the morning song of the lark. The prince royal himself was still asleep, for his flute was silent, and that was a sure sign to all who lived in the palace that the lord of the house was not awake, gt at least that he had not yet begun the day. The music of his flute was the morning sacrifice with which the young prince greeted the day; it, like the 4 42 FREDERICK THE GREAT pillar of Memnon, which gave forth a sound when touched by the rays of the sun, announced to his flattering courtiers that their sun had arisen. But the flute" was silent ; the sun had therefore not arisen, although its beams had long been flooding the park in golden light, and drinking from every flower the dew that had fallen during the past sultry night. Fritz Wendel, the gardener, was already busy with his watering-pot, and was at the same time anxiously select- ing and gathering the most beautiful flowers, and con- cealing them carefully under the various plants and bushes ; perhaps to protect them from the heat of the sun, perhaps to secure them from the curious eyes of some ob- server. Such eyes were already observing him, and rest- ing upon him with an expression so tender and smiling, that you could see that the young girl to whom they be- longed had a special interest in the tall, handsome gardener, who, in his modest, simple dress, and his great and imposing beauty, appeared to realize the truth of the old fables, of the gods who visited the earth in disguise. He might have been Apollo charmed by some Daphne, and taking this rude dress to approach the shepherdess he loved. Perhaps this charming young girl thought thus, and on that account looked at him so smilingly from behind the lilacs, or perhaps she believed him to be a prince, and waited anxiously for the moment when he would throw off his disguise and declare himself her equal. For she was, although not a princess, maid of honor to one, and of noble birth. But youth is indifferent to such things as a genealogi- cal tree, or a coat-of-arms, and what cared this child of thirteen summers whether Fritz Wendel was the son of a prince or a peasant? He pleased her because he was young and handsome, and he had one other great charm, he was her first lover. Every one else called Mademoi- selle von Schwerin a child, and jested with little Louise. AND HIS COURT. 43 The princess royal had begged her from her mother, as a sort of plaything with which to amuse her lonely hours, and the title "maid of honor" was only a jest, which served merely to secure the entrance of the young lady to her royal mistress at any time. But Louise was only a child in years; she possessed already the heart, the feelings, and the desires of a woman; nothing, therefore, hurt her pride so much as being called a child, and she was never happier than when her beauty and talent caused her youth to be for- gotten. Fritz Wendel, the young gardener, knew nothing of her age. For him she was Mademoiselle von Schwerin, a young lady, the goddess at T7hose shrine he worshipped,, the fairy under whose glance his flowers bloomed, and his heart beat high. For her alone he tended the flowers and the fruits; for her alone had God created the earth; was she not its queen, and was it not natural that Fritz Wendel lay at her feet, and called her the star of his ex- istence ? The young lady having watched her silent, dreaming "first lover" long enough, and tired of this unnatural silence, walked forward from her place of concealment, and bade Fritz Wendel good-morning, just as he was gathering a beautiful narcissus. Poor Fritz trembled, and a deep blush overspread his face; he was so embarrassed that he forgot to return the young girl's greeting, and only bent still lower over the flower which he held in his hand. " For whom are your flowers intended ? " said Louise, "and why have you hidden the most beautiful ones? Will you not place them in the bouquet which you ar- range every morning for the princess ? " " I have never been ordered to gather the most beauti- ful flowers for the princess," said Fritz Wendel, who had not yet dared to glance at the young lady. " The prince £4 FREDERICK THE GREAT royal commanded me to place fresh flowers in the vases every morning; that is all." " But it seems to me that is not all," said Louise, laughing, "for you are gathering other flowers; for whom are they intended, if not for the princess royal ? " Fritz Wendel at length dared to raise his eyes, and glance timidly at the smiling face of the young girl who stood near him. " They are also intended for a princess," he said, in a low voice — " for my princess." " Oh ! then you have a special princess for whom you gather flowers ? " "Yes, I have my princess, whom I serve, and for whom I would willingly sacrifice my life," cried the impetuous young man, with all the energy of his passion- ate and untamed nature. Mademoiselle von Schwerin played carelessly with the branch of the lilac which she held in her hand. She plucked off the small blossoms, and throwing them in the air, blew them about, as she danced here and there on tiptoe. " I would like to know how it is that I find a magnifi- cent bouquet in my room every morning, and who it is that dares to gather more beautiful flowers for me than any to be found in the vases of the princess royal ? " "It must be some one who adores you," said the -young gardener, with his eyes on the ground, and blush- ing deeply at his own temerity. " Then it is a nobleman, perhaps one of the court gentlemen," she said, casting a teasing glance on her em- barrassed lover. "Who else would dare to adore me, or to send me flowers ? " "Yes, you are right, who would dare?" murmured Fritz Wendel; "perhaps some poor, deluded mortal, led by a wild insanity to forget his humble condition, and -consider himself your equal. There have been maniacs AND HIS COURT. 45 -who imagined themselves great among earth's greatest men, and equal even to the very God in heaven." " How pale you are ! " cried Louise, looking at the young man with undissembled tenderness. "Why do you weep, Fritz ? " She took his hand, and gazed into his eyes with a most singular expression, half curious, half questioning. Fritz Wendel trembled with delight at her touch, but withdrew his hand almost with violence. " I weep because I am a miserable gardener," he mur- mured; "I weep because I am not great and noble, like the gentlemen at court." " Yesterday Baron von Kaiserling gave an account of an Austrian general, who was the son of a peasant, and had been a cowherd. Now he is a general, and is married to the daughter of a count." The countenance of Fritz Wendel beamed with energy and courage. " Oh ! why is there not a war ? " he cried, enthusiasti- cally. "I could not fail to become a general, for I should fight like a lion." " You would like to become a general, in order to marry the daughter of a count ? " " Not the daughter of a count, but " " Fritz Wendel ! Fritz Wendel ! " called a voice in the distance. "It is the head gardener," said poor Fritz, sadly. * Farewell, farewell ; be kind and gracious, and come again to-morrow to the garden." He took his basket of flowers, and hurried down the .avenue. Mademoiselle von Schwerin followed him, with an angry glance. " Once more no declaration of love," she murmured, stamping on the ground with the spitefulness of a child. " He shall make me a declaration. Madame von Morien says there is nothing more heavenly than to 46 FREDERICK THE GREAT hear for the first time that you are beloved. She also* says it is wisest not to choose your lovers among your equals, but either above or beneath you, for then you may be sure that you will not be betrayed. She told me yes- terday that she was never so worshipped as by a young: huntsman who served her father when she was just my age, and that no other man had ever adored her as he had done. Now Fritz Wendel loves me also, and he shall make me a declaration, for I must know what this charm- ing sensation is. He shall do it to-morrow. I will be- so kind and gentle that he will tell me of his love. But now I must return to the palace. I dare not be found here," and the young girl flew away lightly as a gazelle. CHAPTER VIII. TON MANTEUFFEL, THE DIPLOMAT. The garden was again solitary. Nothing was heard but the chattering of birds, as they flitted from limb ta limb, and the whispering of the wind among the trees; all else was tranquil and still. But this did not last long. The noise of advancing footsteps gave evidence of the- approach of some one, whose figure was soon visible at the entrance of the grand avenue. This person was again a lady, who, if not so beautiful as Mademoiselle von Schwerin, was still pretty enough to be called one of the fair sex. She was dressed in a charm- ing and tasteful morning robe, which was eminently adapted to display to advantage the beautiful contour of her tall and stately figure. Nor had she come into the garden merely to breathe- the fresh morning air, and enjoy the delightful fra- AND HIS COURT. 47 grance of flowers; these were scarcely observed, as she hur- riedly swept past them. She stood still for a moment at the end of the long avenue, and looked cautiously around in all directions. Seeing that no one was near, that she was alone and unobserved, she turned aside into the bushes, and, following a narrow, overgrown path, at last arrived at the garden wall, where she remained standing before a small door for a moment, listening with sup- pressed breathing. Hearing nothing, she clapped her hands three times, and listened again. And now a repeti- tion of her signal could be heard from the other side, and! she cried in clear and silvery tones, " Good-morning, good-morning ! " A deep, manly voice returned her greet- ing from the other side of the wall. " It is he ! " murmured the lady, and quickly drawing* a key from her pocket, she opened the door. The man who had been standing outside sprang for- ward through the open gate, and, bowing low to the lady,, pressed her proffered hand to his lips. " Good-morning, Count Manteuffel," said she, smiling.. "Really you are as punctual as if coming to a rendez- vous with your lady love." "Tempi passati!" sighed the count. "I am mar- ried." "So am I," said the lady, laughing; "that is, how- ever, no reason why " "You should not still have ardent and devoted ad- mirers," said the count, interrupting her. " But you are still young and beautiful, while I have grown old. Tell me, kind lady, by what art you have preserved the charm- ing freshness of youth, and those bright and sparkling eyes by which I was so completely enslaved when I still had a heart?" The lady gave him a penetrating, mocking look. " Count Manteuffel," said she, " you are so friendly, and your adoration is of so profound a nature, that you un- 48 FREDERICK THE GREAT doubtedly have some very particular favor to solicit at my hands. But come, let us enter that little pavilion; there we will find comfortable seats, and be secure from all interruption." They passed silently along the wall to the pavilion, to which the same key gave access which had before opened the garden door. " Here we are safe," said the lady, throwing back the lace veil which had concealed her face. " Come, count, let us be seated; and now tell me why you desired this meeting, and why it is that your valet was not sent as "usual to deliver your letters and to receive mine ? " " I had an irresistible longing to see you, to behold once more your lovely countenance," said the count, with a deep sigh. " But just now you said you had no heart," said the lady, laughing. " You are the enchantress who recalls it to life. Heally you do credit to your name, and, thanks to Madame JBrandt, my heart is again in flames." " Count, it is very evident that you are now playing a part to which you are not accustomed," exclaimed Ma- dame Brandt, laughing. " When you attempt to act the lover you become insipid, while your are known and ac- knowledged to be one of the shrewdest and most ingen- ious of diplomatists. But no diplomatic subterfuges with me, I pray. Let us waste no time on the shell, but to the kernel at once ! What do you require of me ? In my last letter I gave you an accurate account of the state of affairs at court, and also of the state of my finances, which is precisely that of the prince royal's; that is, his purse is as empty as mine." " And both of you have an empress who is only too happy to have the privilege of supplying this deficiency," said Count Manteuffel, drawing forth a well-filled purse, through the silken meshes of which gold glittered, and AND HIS COURT. 49, presenting it to the lady. " I am only sorry to say there are several empresses who have the inestimable privilege- of assisting the prince royal and Madame Brandt." "What do you mean, count? We no longer under- stand each other, and I beg of you not to speak in riddles,, which I am not prepared to solve." " I mean to say that the prince royal, in his moneyed embarrassments, no longer addresses himself to the Em- press of Austria, although she, as his nearest relative, as the aunt of the princess royal, has undoubtedly the first claim to his confidence." " But perhaps the purse of the Empress of Austria is insufficient to meet his demands," said Madame von Brandt. " He should first have tested the purse of the empress,, as he frequently did in former times — in times when not only the prince royal, but also his sister of Bairout, ex- perienced the generosity of their imperial aunt. But the prince royal readily forgets the benefits which he has received." " That he does," sighed Madame von Brandt. " We poor women are the greatest sufferers. He has loved us^ all, and forgotten us all." "All?" asked Count Manteuffel. "All, count! We are nothing more to him than the* plaything of an idle hour; he then wearies of us, and throws us aside. There is but one whom he truly loves and constantly." "And this lady's name?" " The flute, count ! Ah, you looked sadly crestfallen. True, this lady cannot be bribed, either with Austrian gold or with the flattery of the skilful Count Manteuffel; she is always discreet, always mysterious; she never be- trays her lover. Ah, count, we might both learn some- thing from this noble flute. Yes, believe me, I would try to be like her, if, unfortunately, I did not need so many SO FREDERICK THE GREAT. things for which a flute has no use, and if the glitter of Austrian gold were not so alluring. But you, Count Manteuffel, why are you not like the flute? Why have you spies and eavesdroppers at all places? Why are you an Austrian spy at the court of Prussia — you who liave wealth, rank, and standing which should place you above such paltry considerations?" Count Manteuffel's brow darkened, and he compressed liis lips angrily. But he quickly subdued this momentary irritation, and was once more the affable, easy, and at- tentive diplomat. "I serve the Austrian court from inclination," said he, "from preference, and certainly with honest inten- tions. I serve that court, because I am deeply convinced that upon Austria devolves the privilege and duty of de- throning all other German princes, and uniting all Ger- many under one government, of converting Austria into Germany. Prussia must then cease to exist in Austria, and must bend the knee as a vassal. That is my politi- cal conviction, and I act in accordance with it." " And for this political conviction you receive Aus- trian gold and Austrian decorations," observed Madame von Brandt, laughing. "For the sake of your political conviction you have spies at all points, at the court of Potsdam, at the court of Dresden, and even here at the little court at Rheinsberg. Not satisfied with having bought over the prince royal's cook, and induced him to keep a diary for your inspection,* you have also succeeded in securing the services of that humble and modest little person, Madame von Brandt, who well knows that all this •costs your Grace a considerable amount of money. And now you wish to make me believe that you do these things on account of your political conviction. Softly, my dear count! I, too, am a little diplomat, and have my con- victions, and one of these is, that Count Manteuffel has * ■ Youtk of Frederick the Great," by Preuss, page 182. AND HIS COURT. 51 tut one passion, and that is, to play a political role, and to make as much money in that way as he possibly can. And to the good Count Manteuffel it is a matter of per- fect indifference whether this money comes from Prus- sian or from Austrian sources." " And why these amiable pleasantries ? " said the count, with a forced smile. " They mean, my dear count, that this miserable act- ing should cease; that we should lay aside our masks, .and deal with each other truly and sincerely, when alone, as we are at present. I serve you, because I am paid for it; you serve Austria, because you are paid for it. If, in time of need, you were not at hand with a well-filled purse, I would cease to serve you; and you would no longer be enthusiastic on the subject of Austrian domin- ion, if Austria's money should cease to flow into your •coffers. And now, my dear count, I believe we under- stand each other; and, without further circumlocution, what do you require of me — what have you to com- municate ? " " I must speak with you on matters of very grave im- portance." " I knew it ! your flattery betrayed you," said Madame Brandt. "Well, begin." "First of all, my dear baroness, you must know that the prince royal will in a few days be king." "Not so, count; a courier arrived yesterday evening with the intelligence that his majesty was much better. The prince royal is so rejoiced that he has determined to give a fete in honor of Madame von Morien to-day." " Does the prince royal still love this lady ? " " I told you before that he loved his flute alone," said Madame Brandt. " Does he not, then, love the princess royal ? " "No! And perhaps he would not love her even if •>she were changed into a flute. He would probably say to 52 FREDERICK THE GREAT Quantz, 'It is not made of good wood, and has a bad tone/ and would lay it aside." " And do you believe he would do that with the prin- cess? although she is no flute, do you believe he would cast her aside ? " " The princess dreads it." " And so does the empress ! " " But why was a woman, who not only knows nothing about music, but has a hoarse and discordant voice, and who articulates so indistinctly that the prince royal could not understand her were she to say the wittiest things imaginable, why should such a woman have been given as a wife to a prince of such remarkable musical pro- clivities? One does not marry a woman merely to look, at her." " Then you believe the prince royal will separate him- self from his wife as soon as he obtains his freedom, that is, when he becomes king ? " observed Count Manteuffel, thoughtfully. " Of that I know nothing, count. The prince never- speaks of his wife, even to his most intimate friends; and in his tenderest moments Madame Morien herself" endeavors in vain to obtain some information on this^ subject." " The prince is very discreet and very suspicious. Madame Morien must be bought over," murmured the count. " That will be a difficult task," said Madame Brandt. " She is unfortunately very rich, and attaches but little importance to money. I know of but one means. Pro- cure for her a lover who is handsomer, more ardent, and more passionate than the prince royal, and she can be won! For it is well known that Madame Morien has a very susceptible heart." " Baroness, no jesting, if you please ; the matters; under discussion are of the gravest importance, and our AND HIS COURT. 53 time is limited. Madame Morien must be won over. She alone can influence the prince through his heart, and her influence must be exerted to prevent a separation of the prince royal from his wife. You, my dear baroness, must induce Madame Morien to do this; you, with your bewitching eloquence, must make Madame Morien com- prehend that this is the only means of doing penance for her sinful life, and that her only chance of recon- ciliation with Heaven depends upon her restoration of the faithless husband to the arms of his noble wife. She could, perhaps, save the princess royal and the imperial court the disgrace of a separation. The princess must remain the wife of the king. This is the only tie which can bind the king to Austria. The prince is surrounded by the enemies of Austria, of whom Suhm is the most dangerous." " Well, he, at least, is not near the prince. You know that he is the ambassador of Saxony at the court of Petersburg." " Therein lies the main difficulty ! The prince royal places unlimited confidence in him, they correspond in characters which we have vainly endeavored to decipher; and the result of this correspondence is, that Suhm has already procured the prince royal a loan of ten thousand dollars from the Duke of Courland, and that he has now secured him the annual sum of twenty-four thousand dollars from the Empress Anne. These payments will continue until the prince ascends the throne; the first b*s just been received." * " That is a fable," exclaimed Madame Brandt, laugh- ing. " The prince is as poor as Job, and for some time past has been literally besieged by his creditors ! " " And it can be no other than Russia who assists him in these difficulties ! " exclaimed Count Manteuftel, in de- spair. " We must leave nothing undone to lessen the in- * CEuvres de Frederic le Grand, vol. xvi., pp. 340, 356, 360, 384. .54 FREDERICK THE GREAT fluence of this dangerous enemy, and to win Prussia to Austrian interests. Germany wishes for peace, and Prus- sia and Austria must be on good terms. If Prussia and Austria were to take up arms against each other, the bal- ance of power in Europe would be destroyed, and a war would be inaugurated which, perhaps, for years would deluge Germany with blood and tears! Austria will do all that lies in her power to avoid this; and we, my dear friend, will be Austria's allies, and will assist her to the best of our ability. Russia has given Prussia money r it is true, but an indebtedness of this kind ceases the mo- ment the money is returned. When the prince royal as' cends the throne, he will pay to Russia what he owes her, and with that all obligations will be at an end. Then an- other tie must be found to bind Austria more firmly to Prussia. And you must help to weave this tie. The prince royal must never be separated from his wife ! The future queen of Prussia will then be the niece of the empress. The duties of a nephew will consequently de- volve on the king. To unite the two houses more closely, another marriage must be brought about. The Prince Augustus William, the presumptive heir of the prince royal, must, like the latter, espouse a princess of the house of Brunswick — a sister of the princess royal." " That is impossible ! " exclaimed Madame Brandt, with vivacity. "Impossible? Why impossible?" "Because the heart of the Prince Augustus William is already filled with a deep and passionate love — a love which would even touch you, that is, if you are suscep- tible to pity." "My dear madame, we are speaking of affairs of State, and you discourse of love! What have politics to do with love? The prince may love whom he will, pro- vided he marries the Princess of Brunswick." "But his is a great and noble, a real love, count — a AND HIS COURT. 55 love over which we have no power, in which the devil had no hand; a love as pure as Heaven, and deserving of Heaven's blessing! You must give this plan up, count; the Prince Augustus William will never marry the Prin- cess of Brunswick. He is far too noble to give his hand without his heart, and that is devoted to the beautiful Laura von Pannewitz." "A prince of the blood who loves a little maid of honor, and wishes to marry her ? " exclaimed von Man- teuffel, laughing loudly. " How romantic ! how sublime ! what excellent materials for a sentimental romance ! My dear baroness, I congratulate you! This discovery does all honor to your poetical temperament." " Mock me, if you will, count ; but I repeat, neverthe- less, Prince Augustus William will not marry the Prin- cess of Brunswick, for he loves the beautiful maid of honor of the queen, and is determined to make her his wife." " We will know how to 'break this determination," said Count Manteuffel. " The prince royal will assist us, de- pend upon it. . He is not an enthusiastic lover, like Au- gustus William, and will never consent to his brother's making a misalliance." " And I tell you, the prince would rather die than give up the beautiful Laura." " Well, then she must give him up," said Count Man- teuffel, with cruel composure. "Poor Laura," said Madame Brandt, with a sigh, " she loves him so dearly ! it will break her heart to lose him." "Pshaw! the heart of every woman is broken one or more times, but it always heals again, and when warmed by a new love, the old scars disappear entirely. You, dear baroness, have experienced this in yourself. Have you no recollection of the days of our ardent and pas- sionate love? Did we not expect to die when we were 56 FREDERICK THE GREAT separated? Did we not wring our hands, and pray for death as a relief? And are we not still living, to smile pityingly at the pangs we then endured, and to remember how often we have experienced delight, how often love has since triumphed in our hearts ? " "It is true," sighed Madame Brandt, "we outlive our sorrows; the heart of women resembles the worm — it still lives and quivers, although cut in pieces." "Well," said Count Manteuffel, laughing, "the heart of Laura von Pannewitz is merely a worm, and we will not hesitate to cut it in pieces, as it will still live merrily on. You, my dear friend, shall be the knife which per* forms the operation. Are you willing ? " For a moment Madame Brandt looked down sadly, and seemed lost in thought. " True," she murmured, " we outlive it, but the best part of our being is destroyed! I should never have be- come what I am, if I had not been ruthlessly torn from my first dream of love. We will not kill Laura von Pan- newitz's body, but her soul will suffer ! " " And as it is not our province to look after souls, that need give us no care; a political necessity demands that Prince Augustus William shall marry the Princess of Brunswick. It demands, moreover, that the prince royal shall not be divorced from his wife, but that the niece of the empress shall be Queen of Prussia. In both of these affairs we need your assistance. You must closely watch the Prince Augustus William and his lady love, and, at the proper time, bring the affair to light. By your elo- quence you must convince Madame Morien that it is her duty to exert her influence with the prince royal to pre- vent his separation from his wife. This is your task, and a noble task it is. Its objects are — to protect the peace of married life; to recall two noble hearts to the duties which they owe to the world; and lastly, to create a new bond of union between two mighty German powers. AND HIS COURT. 57 The wife of the Emperor Charles VI., the noble empress, will not be ungrateful to her ally, Madame Brandt. On the day on which Prince William espouses the Princess Louisa Amelia of Brunswick, Madame Brandt will re- ceive a present of twenty thousand dollars from the em- press." The countenance of Madame Brandt was radiant with pleasure and delight. " The prince shall and will marry the Princess Louisa Amelia — my word for it. I am then to be the demon who, with his poisonous breath, destroys this romantic, this beautiful love ; the evil genius who drives fair Laura to despair. But why should I pity her? She suffers the fate of all women — my fate. Who pitied, who saved me ? No one listened to my cry of anguish, and no one shall heed the wailing cry of the fair Laura von Pannewitz. Count, she is condemned! But, hark! Do you not hear faint tones of distant music? The prince royal has arisen, and is playing the flute at his open window. We must now separate; the garden will soon be full of peo- ple, and we are no longer safe from intrusion. A boat- ride on the lake is in contemplation for the early morning hours, and then Chazot will read Voltaire's last drama to the assembled court." CHAPTER IX. FREDERICK, THE PRINCE ROYAL. Madame Brandt was not mistaken; the prince royal was awake, and was bringing a tribute to beautiful, sunny Nature in return for the sweetly-scented air that came through his window. There he stood, with the 5 58 FREDERICK THE GREAT flute at his lips, and looked out at God's lovely, laughing world with a sparkling eye and joyful countenance. A cheerful quiet, a holy peace radiated from his beautiful face; his whole being seemed bathed in perfect harmony and contentment, and the soft, melting tones of his flute- but echoed his thoughts. Suddenly he ceased playing, and slightly bowed his head to catch the sweet, dying: notes that were still trembling in the air. " That was good," said he, smiling, " and I believe I can note it down without exciting the anger of Quantz." He took his flute again, and softly repeated the air he* had just finished. " I will write it immediately, and play it this evening before my critical musicians." While speaking, Frederick left his bedroom, and passed into his library. On entering this room, a beauti- ful smile flitted over his face, and he bowed his head as> if saluting some one. It would be impossible to imagine a more charming and tasteful room. It had been ar- ranged according to the directions of the prince royal, and was in a great degree a true portrait of himself, a temple which he had erected to art, science, and friendship. This room was in the new tower, and its circular form gave it a peculiar appearance. It was most appropriately compared to a temple. High glass cases around the walls- contained the works of Voltaire, Eacine, Moliere, and Corneille; those of Homer, Caesar, Cicero, and Ovid; also the Italian poets Dante, Petrarch, and Machiavel. All that had a good name in the literary world found its way into the library of the royal prince — all, excepting" the works of German authors. Between the book-cases, the shelves of which weTe or- namented here and there with busts of celebrated writers,. were alcoves, in which stood small satin damask sofas, over which hung, in heavily-gilt frames, the portraits of Frederick's friends and contemporaries. The largest and most beautiful was one of Voltaire* AND HIS COURT. 5$ He had received the honored place; and when Frederick raised his eyes from his work, while sitting at his escri- toire, they rested upon the smiling face of the talented French writer, whom the prince royal had selected as his favorite, and with whom he had for many years corre- sponded. The prince went with hasty steps to his table, and, without noticing the sealed letters that were lying there,, he took a piece of lined paper, and began to write, hum- ming softly the melody he had just composed. He oc- casionally threw down his pen, and took the flute that was lying at his side, to try, before noting them, different accords and passages. "It is finished at last," said the prince, laying aside his pen. "My adagio is finished, and I think Quantz. will have no excuse for grumbling to-day; he must be contented with his pupil. This adagio is good; I feel it;. I know it; and if the Bendas assume their usual artist airs, I will tell them — ; no, I will tell them nothing," said the prince, smiling. " It is useless to show those gentle- men that I care for their approval, or court their ap- plause. Ours is a pitiful race, and I see the time ap- proaching when I shall despise and mistrust the whole world; and still my heart is soft, and gives a warm ap- proval to all that is great and beautiful, and it would make me very happy to love and trust my fellow-men; but they do not desire it — they would not appreciate it. Am I not surrounded by spies, who watch all my move- ments, listen to every word I utter, and then pour their poison into the ear of the king? But enough of this," said the prince, after a pause. " This May air makes me dreamy. Away with these cobwebs ! I have not time to sigh or dream." He arose, and walked hastily up and down his room, then approached the escritoire, and took the letters. A& his eye fell on the first, he smiled proudly. £0 FREDERICK THE GREAT "From Voltaire," he murmured softly, breaking the seal, and hastily opening the enclosure, which contained two letters and several loose scraps of printed matter. The prince uttered a cry of joyful astonishment, and scarcely noticing the two letters, he gazed with a half- tender, half -curious expression on the printed papers he held in his hand. " At last ! at last ! " exclaimed the prince, " my wish will be accomplished. The first step toward fame is taken. I shall no longer be unknown, or only known as the son of a king, the inheritor of a throne. I shall have a name. I shall acquire renown, for I will be a poet, an author, and shall claim a place in the republic of genius I shall not need a crown to preserve my name in history The first step is taken. My ' Anti-Machiavel ' is in press. I will tread under foot this monster of knavish and dia> foolic statecraft, and all Europe shall see that a German prince is the first to break a lance against this Machiavel, who is making the people the slaves of princes. By his vile principles, he is moulding princes into such monsters that all mankind must curse them." And again looking at the paper, the prince read a few lines, his voice trembling with displeasure: " If it is a crime to destroy the innocence of a private individual who exercises a limited influence, is it not far worse to undermine the moral character of princes who should exhibit to their subjects an example of goodness, greatness, kindness, and love? The plagues sent by Heaven are but passing, and destroy only in certain localities; and although most disastrous, their effects pass away in time. But the vices of kings create incur- able misery; yes, misery enduring for generations. How deplorable is the condition of nations who have every evil to fear from their ruler, their property exposed to the covetousness of a prince, their freedom to his humor,, and their lives to his cruelty ! " AND HIS COURT. 61 Frederick ceased, and turned over a few pages of his u Anti-Machiavel," and then continued to read : "Machiavel speaks in his 'Principe' of miniature sovereigns, who, having but small states, can send no armies to the field. The author advises them to fortify their capitals, and in time of war to confine themselves and their troops to them. " The Italian princes, of whom Machiavel speaks, only play the part of men before their servants. Most ■of the smaller princes, and especially those of Germany, ruin themselves by spending sums far exceeding their revenues, and thus by vanity are led to want. Even the youngest scion of the least important salaried prince imagines himself as great as Louis. He builds his Ver- sailles, and sustains his army. There is in reality a certain salaried prince of a noble house, who has in his service all the varieties of guards that usually form the households of great kings, but all on so minute a scale that it is necessary to employ a microscope to distinguish each separate corps, and whose army is perhaps strong enough to represent a battle on the stage of Verona." Prince Frederick laughed aloud. "Well, I think my most worthy cousin, Ernest Augustus, of S axe- Weimar, will understand this allusion, and in gratitude for my giving his name to posterity in my ' Anti-Machiavel/ will unravel the mystery, and inform the world how it is pos- sible, with the annual income of four hundred dollars, to keep a retinue of seven hundred men, a squadron of one hundred and eighty, and a company of cavalry; if he is capable of accomplishing this, without plunging into debt, he is certainly my superior, and I could learn a great deal from him. I could learn of him how to rid myself of this torment that I endure from day to day, from hour to hour. What could be a greater degradation to an honorable man than to be compelled to flatter the base pride of these vile usurers to whom I am forced to 62 FREDERICK THE GREAT resort for the money I need ; this money pressed, perhaps* from widows and orphans ? To think that I, the inheritor of a kingdom, am in this condition — that I must lower myself to sue and plead before these men, while millions are lying in the cellars of my father's palace at Berlin I But what ! Have I the right to complain ? am I the only one who suffers from the closeness of the king? are not the people of Berlin crying for bread, whilst the royal larder is filled to overflowing? But patience! the day will come when the keys will be in my hands — on that day I will give the people what rightly belongs to them,. bread. I will unlock the treasury, and set free the im- prisoned millions. But what noise is this ? " said the prince, approaching the door. Loud and angry voices were heard from without a I tell you I must and will speak with the prince royal," cried a threatening voice ; " I have waited in vain for two months, in vain addressed to him the most modest and respectful letters; I have not even been deemed worthy to receive an answer. Now I have come to re- ceive it in person, and I swear I will not leave this spot without an explanation with the prince royal." "It is Ephraim," muttered Frederick, with a deep* frown. "Well, you can stand here until you become a pillar of salt, like your great-grandmother of old," cried an- other voice. u This is Knobelsdorf ," said Frederick. " The idea is good," said the first voice, " but it is not I who will become a pillar of salt, but others will from fright and terror, when I come with my avenging sword; for justice I will have, and if I do not obtain it here, I shall go and demand it of the king." " From the king ! you do not know, then, that his maj- esty is dying ? " " Not so, not so ! if that were so, I would not be here; AND HIS COURT. 63 I would have waited quietly for that justice from the new king which I demanded in vain from the prince royal. The king is recovering; I saw him in his arm-chair in the garden; for this reason I. insist on speaking to the prince." " But if I tell you his royal highness is still asleep ? " " I would not believe you, for I heard him playing on his flute." "That was Quantz." " Quantz ! he is not capable of playing such an adagio ; no, no, it could only have been the prince royal." "Ah! this man wishes to bribe me with his flattery," said the prince, smiling, " and make me believe I am an Orpheus. Orpheus tamed lions and tigers with his music, but my flute is not even capable of taming a creditor." " But I say it was Quantz," cried the poor frightened Knobelsdorf; "the prince still sleeps, or is in bed, for he is not well, and gave orders to admit no one." "Ah! I know all about that; noble gentlemen are al- ways ill if they have to breathe the same air with their creditors," said Ephraim, with a mocking smile; "but I tell you I will stay here until I have spoken to the prince, until he returns me four thousand dollars that I lent to him, more than a year ago, without interest or security. I must and will have my money, or I shall be ruined my- self. The prince cannot wish that; he will not punish me so severely for the kindness and pity I showed to him in his greatest need." " This is really too much," cried Knobelsdorf, " you are shameless; do you dare to speak of pity for the prince royal? do you dare to boast of having lent him money, while you only did it knowing he could and would repay you with interest ? " "If Ephraim knows that, he is cleverer than I am," said Frederick, smiling sadly; "although I am a prince, $4 FREDERICK THE GREAT I do not know how to get the miserable sum of four thousand dollars. But I must leave poor Knobelsdorf no longer in this condition; I must quiet this uproar." And he hastened toward the door, as the noise without be- came louder and louder. CHAPTER X. THE PRINCE ROYAL AND THE JEW. At this moment, while Knobelsdorf was threatening the Jew and calling the servants to thrust him out, the prince royal opened the door and showed his smiling face to the two combatants. " Come in," said the prince, " I grant you the audience you so importunately demand." Frederick stepped quietly back in his room, while Ephraim, confused and humiliated by the calm dignity of the prince, advanced with bowed head and downcast eyes. "Dear Knobelsdorf," said Frederick, turning to his gasping secretary, who stood amazed behind the Jew, "I pray you to assemble all the ladies and gentlemen in the garden; we are going yachting; I will be with you in five minutes." " Five minutes," said Ephraim to himself, as Knobels- dorf withdrew, "only one moment's audience for every thousand dollars! This is a proud debtor; I would have •done better not to place myself in his power. But I will not be frightened, I will stand up boldly for my rights ! " " And now, what have you to say to me?" said the prince, fixing his angry eyes upon Ephraim. " What have I to say to your highness ! " said Ephraim, AND HIS COURT. 6& astonished. " More than a year ago I lent your highness four thousand dollars! I have as yet received neither principal nor interest." "Well, what more?" " What more ! " said Ephraim. "Yes, what more? It is impossible that you have come from Berlin to Kheinsberg to tell me what I have known for a year as well as yourself." "I thought your highness had forgotten," said the Jew, fixing his eyes upon the prince, but casting them suddenly to the floor, as he met the flashing glance of Frederick. "Forgotten," said he, shrugging his shoulders; "I have a good memory for every act of kindness, and also for every offence against the respect and reverence due to the son of the king." His voice was so harsh and threatening, that Ephraim trembled in his inmost heart, and stammered some words of apology. "My prince," said he, "I am a Jew, that is to say a despised, reviled, and persecuted man! no — not a man, but a creature — kicked like a dog when poor and suffer- ing, and even when the possessor of gold and treasures, scarcely allowed human rights. It is better for the dogs than for the Jews in Prussia ! A dog dare have its young, and rejoice over them, but the Jews dare not rejoice over their children! The law of the land hangs like a sword over them, and it may be that a Jewess may be driven out of Prussia because a child is born to her, only a specified number of Jews being allowed in this enlightened landt Perhaps the father is not rich enough to pay the thousand dollars with which he must buy the right to be a father every time a child is born to him! For this reason is gold, and again gold, the only wall of protection which a Jew can build up between himself and wretchedness! Gold is our honor, our rank, our destiny, our family, our 66 FREDERICK THE GREAT home. We are nothing without gold, and even when we extend a golden hand, there is no hand advanced to meet it that does not feel itself contaminated by the touch of a Jew! Judge, then, your royal highness, how much we love, how highly we prize one to whom we give a part of our happiness, a part of our honor. I have done for you, my prince, what I have done for no other man. I have given you four thousand dollars, without security and without interest. I lent to Knobelsdorf, for the prince royal, upon his mere word, my honest gold, and what have I received? My letters, in which I humbly solicit payment, remain unanswered. I am mocked and reviled — the door contemptuously shut in my face, which door, however, was most graciously opened when I brought my gold. Such conduct is neither right nor wise; and as the worm turns when it is trodden upon, so is there also a limit to the endurance of the Jew. He remembers at last that he is also one of God's creatures, and that God himself has given him the passion of re- venge as well as the passion of love. The Jew, when too long mishandled, revenges himself upon his torturers, and that will I also do, if I do not receive justice at your hands. That will I also do, if you refuse me my gold to- day." " You have made a lengthy and impertinent speech ! n said Frederick. "You have threatened me! But I will forgive you, because you are a Jew; because the tongue is the only weapon a Jew has, and knows how to use. I now advise you to put your sword in its sheath, and listen calmly to me. It is true, you have lent me four thousand dollars without security and without interest. You need not extol yourself for this, for you well know it is not the wish or the intention of the prince royal to oppress even the most pitiful of his subjects, or to withhold the smallest of their rights. You knew this; then why were you not satisfied to wait until I sent for you ? " AND HIS COURT. 67 " I can wait no longer, your highness," cried Ephraim, passionately. " My honor and credit are at stake. Count Knobelsdorf gave me his sacred promise that at the end of six months my money with interest should be returned. I believed him, because he spoke in the name . of the prince royal. I now need this money for my busi- ness. I can no longer do without it. I must have it to- day." "You must? I say you shall not receive one penny of it to-day, nor to-morrow, nor for weeks ! " "If your highness is in earnest, I must go elsewhere