THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 LOUISA MUHLBACH'S HISTORICAL 
 NOVELS. 
 
 Uniform edition. Each, illustrated, 
 lamo, cloth, $1.00. 
 
 Napoleon and the Queen of Prussia. 
 
 The Empress Josephine. 
 
 Napoleon and Bliicher. 
 
 Queen Hortense. 
 
 Marie Antoinette and her Son. 
 
 Prince Eugene and his Times. 
 
 The Daughter of an Empress. 
 
 Joseph II and his Court. 
 
 Frederick the Great and his Court. 
 
 Frederick the Qreat and his Family. 
 
 Berlin and Sans-Souci. 
 
 Goethe and Schiller. 
 
 The Merchant of Berlin. 
 
 Louisa of Prussia and her Times. 
 
 Old Fritz and the New Era. 
 
 Andreas rlofer. 
 
 Mohammed Ali and his Mouse. 
 
 Henry VIII and Catherine Parr. 
 
 D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, NEW YORK.
 
 FREDERICK WILLIAM I IN HIS LABORATORY. 
 From the painting by A. Borckmann.
 
 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 AND HIS COURT 
 
 Qln historical Homancc 
 
 BY 
 L. MUHLBACH 
 
 AUTHOR OF JOSEPH U. AND HIS COURT 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY 
 
 MRS. CHAPMAN COLEMAN AND HER DAUGHTERS 
 
 NEW YORK 
 D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1866, 
 BT D. APPLETON AND COMPANY.
 
 College 
 Library 
 
 P T 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 v. 1 
 
 BOOK I. 
 
 PAOK 
 
 CHAP. I. The Queen Sophia Dorothea, . . .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 
 
 XL The Princess Royal Elizabeth Christine, . . 73 
 
 XII. The Poem, ..'... 79 
 
 XIII. The Banquet, 87 
 
 XIV. Le Roi est Mort. Vive le Roi ! . . . 99 
 
 XV. We are King, . . . . . .106 
 
 XVI. Royal Grace and Royal Displeasure, . . 115 
 
 BOOK II. 
 
 CHAP. I. The Garden of Monbijou, . . . .126 
 
 II. The Queen's Maid of Honor, . . . 137 
 
 III. Prince Augustus William, .... 145 
 
 IV. The King and the Son, .... 150 
 
 V. The Queen's Tailor, . . . . . IfiO 
 
 VI. The Illustrious Ancestors of a Tailor, . . 167 
 
 VII. Soffri e Taci, 173 
 
 v
 
 vi CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 V1IL The Coronation, . .... 185 
 
 IX. Dorris Kitter, . . . . . .195 
 
 X. Old and New Sufferings, .... 203 
 
 XI. The Proposal of Marriage, .... 212 
 
 XII. The Queen as a Matrimonial Agent, . . 217 
 
 XIII. Proposal of Marriage, . 227 
 
 XIV. The Misunderstanding, .... 235 
 
 XV. Soiree of the Queen Dowager, . . . 242 
 
 XVI. Under the Lindens, .... 259 
 
 XVII. The Politician and the French Tailor, . . 270 
 
 XVIII. The Double Rendezvous,. ... 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 
 VIII. 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, .... i 394 
 
 XV. The Countermine, . ... . .407 
 
 XVI. The Surprise, 420 
 
 XVII. The Resignation of Baron von P511nitz, . . 430
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 FAQS 
 
 Frederick William I in his Laboratory . . Frontispiece 
 
 Portrait of Frederick II 190 
 
 Portrait of Elizabeth Christine, Queen of Prussia . . 236
 
 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 AND HIS COURT. 
 
 BOOK I. 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 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 I 
 he 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. 
 
 Prussia had no need of this sentimental boy, this 
 hero of fashion, who 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 whet 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 
 
 had 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 
 ijpbes 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 
 still stars, but all else was vanished or dead her youth
 
 4 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 and her dreams, her hopes arid 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 h(jr 
 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 Phoabus, 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 expir^ 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, 
 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 1 " 
 
 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. 
 
 CHAPTEK II. 
 
 FREDERICK WILLIAM I. 
 
 MIRTH 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 nourish 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. Pb'llnitz must 
 come, and Eckert, and Baron von Goltz, and Hacke, the 
 Duke of Holstein, and General Schwerin. Quick, quick! 
 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. H 
 
 if we paid any attentio* 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 
 Club was now in session. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 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, 
 Po'llnitz, 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 
 the 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. 
 Really, 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, ami 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 till 
 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 had 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 nay 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 Eomans 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 Von 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. Von Eckert's countenance had 
 become pale and lowering, and casting an angry look at 
 Von 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, Pb'llnitz!" exclaimed the king, laughing. 
 " N"o 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 king 
 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 Pb'llnitz 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 Yon 
 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 fo\ir 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 sufficient 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 foolish 
 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." 
 
 CHAPTER 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 
 room."
 
 22 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 The kinp: reddened a little, and carried the mug to 
 his lips, to hide his embarrassment; he remembered how 
 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 1 " 
 
 " Oh ! you mean to lead a wretched life with your 
 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. T 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 us 
 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 nevei 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 above 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
 
 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 to 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 his 
 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 yoiith. 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 couresponded 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, symmetrical, 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 Ruppin," 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 piedestal. Sa tete et sa poi- 
 trine sont au deasus des eloges, le train d'cn baa au dessons de la critique. 
 -(See ThiebauU.)
 
 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 flatter 
 in every direction. Answer me, Pb'llnitz, 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, Pb'llnitz, 
 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 Rheinsberg? 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 SALOCN. 
 
 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 was 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 COUKT. 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.* 
 
 " Eemove 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 Thi<5banlt.
 
 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; ypu 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. 
 
 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 maskers, but your majesty knows 
 no such person is here." 
 
 V
 
 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 VII. 
 
 THE MAID Or HONOR, AND THE GARDENER. 
 
 IT was a lovely day in May. The lilacs were in bloom ; 
 the 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, 
 or 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 hi 
 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 whose 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
 
 44 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
 
 40 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 Pritz 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. 
 
 VON MANTEUFPEL, THE DIPLOMAT. 
 
 THE garden was again solitary. Nothing was heard 
 but the chattering of birds, as they flitted from limb to 
 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. 
 Really you do credit to your name, and, thanks to Madame 
 Brandt, 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
 
 50 FREDERICK THE GREAT. 
 
 tilings 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 
 have wealth, rank, and standing which should place you 
 above such paltry considerations ? " 
 
 Count Manteuffel's brow darkened, and he compressed 
 his 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 
 
 * " Youth of Frederick the Great," by Preuss, page 132.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 51 
 
 but 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 mat ters 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 I " 
 
 " 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 
 has 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 Manteuffel, in de- 
 spair. " We must leave nothing undone to lessen the in* 
 
 * CEuvres de Frederic le Grand, vol. xvi., pp. 340, 356, 360, 384.
 
 64 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 1 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, 
 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 1 
 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 VL, the noble empress, 
 will not be ungrateful to her ally, Madame Brandt. On 
 the day on which Prince William espouses the Princess 
 Luuisa 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
 
 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, Racine, 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 were 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. 59 
 
 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. As 
 his eye fell on the first, he smiled proudly.
 
 60 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- 
 bolic 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 1 "
 
 AND HIS COURT. 61 
 
 Frederick ceased, and turned over a few pages of his 
 " 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 Saxe-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
 
 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 ! 
 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. " 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. 
 
 " 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. G3 
 
 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,
 
 64 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. 65 
 
 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 Rheinsberg 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 land! 
 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 ! " 
 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 
 and seek redress." 
 
 " That means you will go to the king." 
 
 " Yes, your highness, I will ! " 
 
 " Are you ignorant of the law by which all are for- 
 bidden to lend money to the princes of the royal house ? " 
 
 " I am not ignorant of that law ; but I know that the 
 king will make an exception that he will pay the money 
 I lent to his successor. It is possible I may feel his 
 crutch upon my back, but blows will not degrade me. 
 The Jew is accustomed to blows and kicks to be daily 
 trodden under foot. Even if the king beats me, he will 
 give me back my honor, for he will give me back my 
 gold." 
 
 " Suppose that he also refuses you ? " 
 
 " Then I will raise my voice until it is heard over the 
 whole earth," cried Ephraim, passionately. 
 
 "Well, then, raise your voice and cry out. I can 
 give you no gold to-day." 
 
 " ~No gold ! " said Ephraim. " Am I again to be paid 
 with cunning smiles and scornful words? You will with- 
 hold my gold from me? Because you are great and pow- 
 erful, you think you can oppress and mistreat a poor Jew 
 with impunity, but there is a God for the just and unjust, 
 and He 
 
 He stopped. Before him stood Frederick, blazing
 
 68 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 with anger. His lips were pallid and trembling, his arm 
 uplifted. 
 
 " Strike, your highness ! strike ! " cried Ephraim, 
 fiercely. " I deserve to be beaten, for I was a fool, and 
 allowed myself to be dazzled with the glory of lending my 
 gold to an unhappy but noble prince! Strike on, your 
 highness ! I see now that this prince is but a man like 
 the rest; he scorns and loathes the poor Jew, but he will 
 borrow his money, and defraud him of his rights." 
 
 Frederick's arm had fallen, and a soft smile played 
 about his lips. 
 
 " No," said he, " you shall see that Frederick is not a 
 man like other men. This day you shall have your 
 money. I cannot pay you in money, but I will give you 
 jewels, and horses from the stud that the king lately gave 
 me." 
 
 " Then your highness has really no money ? " said 
 Ephraim, thoughtfully. "It was not then to frighten 
 and torment the poor Jew that my gold was denied me. 
 Can it be possible that the great Prince Frederick, on 
 whom the hopes of the people rest, and who is already 
 dearly loved by his future subjects, can be without 
 money? Is it possible that he suffers like other men? 
 My God! how dare we poor Jews complain when the 
 heir to a throne is harassed for money, and must endure 
 privations ? " 
 
 The prince was not listening to Ephraim; he had 
 opened a closet, and taken from it a silver-bound casket, 
 and was gazing intently at its contents. He drew forth a 
 large diamond cross and some solitaires and approached 
 the Jew. 
 
 " Here are some jewels, I think, well worth your four 
 thousand dollars; sell them and pay yourself," said the 
 prince, handing him the sparkling stones. 
 
 Ephraim pushed the prince's hand gently back. " I 
 lent gold, and gold only will I accept in payment."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 69 
 
 The prince stamped impatiently upon the ground. 
 "I told you I had no gold!" 
 
 " Then I cannot receive any," said Ephraim, passively. 
 " The poor Jew will wait still longer ; he will give to the 
 prince royal the gold which he needs, and of which the 
 poor Jew still has a little. I humbly ask your highness if 
 you would not like to borrow another thousand, which I 
 will gladly lend upon one condition." 
 
 " Well, and this condition ? " 
 
 " Your highness is to pay me upon the spot the in- 
 terest upon the four thousand in ready money? Does 
 your highness understand? Just now you wished to pay 
 my capital with diamonds and horses. Will you give me 
 as interest a few costly pearls pearls which lie hidden in 
 that flute, and which appear at your magical touch? 1 
 will count this as ready money ! " 
 
 Frederick came nearer to Ephraim, and eyeing him 
 sternly, he said : 
 
 " Are you mocking me ? Would you make of the 
 prince royal a travelling musician, who must play before 
 
 the Jew, in order to soften his heart? would you ? 
 
 Ah, Fredersdorf," said he, interrupting himself, as his 
 valet approached him in a dusty travelling-suit, " have 
 you just arrived from Berlin ? " 
 
 "Yes, your highness; and as I was told who was im- 
 portuning your highness, I came in without changing my 
 dress. The banker gave me this package for you. I be- 
 lieve it is from Petersburg." 
 
 " From Suhm," said the prince, with a happy smile, 
 and hastily breaking the seal, he drew from the package 
 a letter and several books. Casting a loving glance at the 
 letter, he laid it on his writing-table; then turning away, 
 so as not to be seen by Ephraim, he took up the two books, 
 and looked carefully at their heavily-gilded covers. 
 Frederick smiled, and, taking a penknife, he hastily cut 
 off the backs of the books, and took out a number of
 
 70 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 folded papers. As the prince saw them, a look of triumph 
 passed over his expressive face. 
 
 " Ten thousand dollars ! " said he to himself. " The 
 empress and the Duke Biron have fulfilled their 
 promise ! " 
 
 Frederick took some of the papers in his hand, and 
 walked toward Ephraim. 
 
 "Here are your four thousand dollars, and one hun- 
 dred interest. Are you satisfied ? " 
 
 "No, your royal highness, I am not satisfied! I am 
 not satisfied with myself. When I came to Rheinsberg I 
 thought I had been wronged. It now seems to me that I 
 have wronged your highness ! " 
 
 " Let that pass," said Frederick. " A prince must al- 
 ways be the scapegoat for the sin-offering of the people. 
 They make us answerable for all their sufferings, but have 
 no sympathy for us in our griefs. I owe you nothing 
 more you can go." 
 
 Ephraim bowed silently, and turned slowly toward the 
 door. The eyes of the prince followed him with a kindly 
 expression. He stepped to the table, and took up his 
 flute. Ephraim had reached the door of the ante-cham- 
 ber, but when he heard the soft melting tones of the 
 flute, he stopped, and remained listening breathlessly 
 at the outer door. The piercing glance of the prince 
 rested on him; but he continued to play, and drew 
 from his flute such touching and melancholy tones 
 that the poor Jew seemed completely overcome. He 
 folded his hands, as though engaged in fervent prayer; 
 and even Fredersdorf, although a daily hearer of the 
 prince, listened in breathless silence to those sweet 
 sounds. 
 
 When the adagio was ended, the prince laid down his 
 flute, and signed to Fredersdorf to close the door; he 
 wished to give Ephraim an opportunity of slipping away 
 unobserved.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 71 
 
 "Did your highness know that the Jew was listen- 
 ing ? " said Fredersdorf . 
 
 "Yes, I knew it; but I owed the poor devil some- 
 thing; he offered to lend me still another thousand dol- 
 lars! I will remember this. And now, Fredersdorf, tell 
 me quickly how goes it in Berlin ? How is the king ? " 
 
 " Better, your highness. He set out for Potsdam a 
 few days since, and the pure fresh air has done him good. 
 He shows himself, daily upon the balcony, in full uniform. 
 The physicians, it is true, look very thoughtful; but the 
 rest of the world believe the king is rapidly improving." 
 
 " God grant that the physicians may be again mis- 
 taken ! " said the prince. " May the king reign many 
 long and happy years! If he allow me to live as I wish, 
 I would willingly give an arm if I could thereby lengthen 
 his life. Well, now for mirth and song! We will be gay, 
 and thus celebrate the king's improvement. Make, there- 
 fore, all liberal arrangements. Give the cook his orders, 
 and tell the ladies and gentlemen assembled in the garden 
 that I will be with them immediately." 
 
 The prince was now alone; he opened the letter he 
 had received with the gold; his eye rested lovingly upon 
 the handwriting of his distant friend, and his heart 
 glowed as he read the words of friendship, admiration, 
 and love from Suhm. 
 
 " Truly," he said, raising his eyes devoutly to heaven, 
 " a faithful friend is worth more than a king's crown. 
 In spite of all my brilliant prospects in the future, what 
 would have become of me if Suhm had not stood by me 
 for the second time and borrowed this money for me in 
 Russia this paltry sum, which I have in vain sought to 
 obtain in my own land ? My heart tells me to write a few 
 lines at once to Suhm, expressing my unshaken friend- 
 ship, my enduring love." 
 
 Frederick seated himself, and wrote one of those soul- 
 inspiring letters for which he was so celebrated, and
 
 72 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 which ended thus : " In a short time my fate will be de- 
 cided! You can well imagine that I am not at ease in 
 my present condition. I have little leisure, but my heart 
 is young and fresh, and I can assure you that I was never 
 more a philosopher than now. I look with absolute in- 
 difference upon the future. My heart is not agitated by 
 hope or fear, it is full of pity for those who suffer, of con- 
 sideration for all honest men, and of tenderness and sym- 
 pathy for my friends. You, whom I dare proudly count 
 among the latter, may be more and more convinced that 
 you will ever find in me what Orestes was to his Pylades, 
 and that it is not possible for any one to esteem and love 
 you more than your devoted Frederick." 
 
 " Now," said the prince, as he arose, " away with the 
 burdens, the gravities and cares of life! Come, now, 
 spirit of love! spirit of bliss! We will celebrate a feast 
 this day in thy honor, thou goddess of youth and hope! 
 Come, lovely Venus, and bring with thee thy son Cupid ! 
 We will worship you both. To you belongs this day, this 
 night. You, goddess of love,, have sent me the little 
 Morien, that fluttering, light gazelle, that imperious, 
 laughing fairy that ' Tourbillon ' of caprice and pas- 
 sion. Here is the poem I composed for her. Madame 
 Brandt shall hand it to her, and shall lead the ' Tour- 
 billon ' into the temple of love. Away with earnest faces, 
 dull eyes, and the wisdom of fools! Come over me, 
 spirit of love, and grant me one hour of blessed forget- 
 fulness." 
 
 The prince rang for his valet, and commanded him to 
 lay out his latest French suit; he entered his boudoir, 
 and with a comic earnestness, and the eager haste of a 
 rash, impatient lover, he gave himself to the duties and 
 arts of a royal toilet.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 73 
 
 CHAPTEK XL 
 
 THE PRINCESS ROYAL ELIZABETH CHRISTINE. 
 
 THE princess royal had not yet left her rooms; she 
 still waited for the prince, whose custom it was to give 
 her his arm every morning and lead her to the saloon. 
 On these occasions only did the Princess Elizabeth ever 
 see her husband alone, then only did he address one word 
 to her, touch her hand, or allow her to lean upon his 
 arm. A sweet and sad happiness for this young wife, 
 who lived only in the light of her husband's countenance; 
 who had no other wish, no other prayer, no other hope 
 than to please him. She felt that the eye of Frederick 
 never rested upon her with any other expression than 
 that of cold friendship or absolute indifference. The 
 reason for this she could never fathom. Elizabeth would 
 have given her heart's blood to be beloved by him for one 
 single day, yes, for one short, blessed hour; to be clasped 
 to his heart, not for form or etiquette, but as a loving 
 and beloved wife, to receive in her ear the sweet whispers 
 of his tenderness and his fondness. She would have 
 given years of her life to have bought this man, whom 
 she so passionately loved; he was her earthly god, the 
 ideal of her maiden dreams. This man was her husband; 
 he belonged to her; he was bound to her by the holiest 
 ties, and yet there was an impassable gulf between them, 
 which her unbounded love, her prayers, her sighs, could 
 not bridge over. The prince loved her not; never had 
 the slightest pulse of his heart belonged to her! He en- 
 dured her, only endured her by his side, as the poor pris- 
 oner, sighing for fresh air, permits the presence of the 
 jailer, when he can only thus buy a brief enjoyment of 
 God's gay and sunny world. The prince royal was a pris- 
 oner, her prisoner. Not love, but force had placed that 
 6
 
 74 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 golden ring upon his hand, that first link in the long, 
 invisible heavy chain, which from that weary hour had 
 bound his feet, yes, his soul; from which even his 
 thoughts were never free. Elizabeth knew that she was 
 an ever-present, bitter memento of his sad, crushed, tor- 
 tured, and humbled youth a constant reminder of the 
 noble friend of his early years, whose blood had been shed 
 for him, and to whose last wild death-cry his tortured 
 heart had been compelled to listen. Her presence must 
 ever recall the scorn, the hatred, the opposition of his 
 stern father; the hardships, the abuse, the humiliations, 
 yes, even the blows, all of which had at last bowed the 
 noble mind of the prince and led him to take upon him- 
 self the slavery of this hated marriage, in order to be 
 free from the scorn and cruelty of his father. To escape 
 from his dreary prison in Ruppin, he rushed into the 
 bonds of wedlock. How could he ever forgive, how could 
 he ever love this woman forced upon him, like drops of 
 wormwood, and swallowed only with the hope of there- 
 by escaping the torturous pains and last struggles with 
 death? 
 
 Elizabeth had been ignorant of all these bitter truths. 
 The prince had been ever considerate and kind, though 
 cold, when thej r met; she had had one single confidential 
 interview with him, and in that hour he had disclosed to 
 her what had forced them together, and at the same time 
 forever separated them. Never could he love the wife 
 associated in his mind, though innocently, with such 
 cruelties and horrors; he was fully convinced that she, 
 also, could not love a husband thus forced upon her; 
 could entertain no feeling for him but that of respectful 
 consideration and cold indifference. 
 
 Frederick did not know with what deadly wounds 
 these words had pierced the princess ; she had the strength 
 to veil her passion and her shame with smiles, and in her 
 modest maidenly pride she buried both in her heart.
 
 AND HIS COURT. Y5 
 
 Since that interview years had gone by, and every year 
 the love of the princess royal for her husband became 
 more ardent; his eyes were the sun which warmed and 
 strengthened this flower of love, and her tears were the 
 dew which nourished and gave it vitality. 
 
 Elizabeth hoped still to ravish the heart of her hus- 
 band; she yet believed that her resigned, modest, but 
 proud and great love, might conquer his coldness ; and yet, 
 in spite of this hope, in spite of this future trust, Eliza- 
 beth trembled and feared more than formerly. She knew 
 that the hour of decision was drawing nigh; she felt with 
 the instinct of true love that a new storm was rising on 
 the ever-clouded horizon of her marriage, and that the 
 lightning might soon destroy her. 
 
 Frederick had been forced by the power of the king, 
 his father, to marry her; how would it be when this 
 power should cease, when her husband should be king? 
 by no one held back; by no one controlled; free himself, 
 and free to give laws to the world; to acknowledge no 
 man as his judge; to be restrained by nothing but his 
 conscience. Might not even his conscience counsel him 
 to dissolve this unnatural marriage, which had within 
 itself no spark of God's truth, no ray of God's blessing? 
 might not her husband cast her off and take this English 
 princess for his wife? had she not been the choice of his 
 heart? had not King George, although too late, declared 
 his willingness for the betrothal? had they not loved each 
 other with the enthusiasm of youth, although they had 
 never met? did not Sophia Amelia's portrait hang in 
 the library of the crown prince ? did not the English prin- 
 cess wear his picture constantly near her heart? had she 
 not sworn never to be the wife of another man? 
 
 As Elizabeth thought of these things she trembled, 
 and it seemed to her that her whole life would go out- in 
 one great cry of anguish and horror. 
 
 " No," she said, " I cannot live without him ! I will
 
 76 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 never consent! he can kill me, but he cannot force me 
 to break the solemn oath I have sworn on God's holy 
 altar. He shall not cast me out into the wild wilderness, 
 as Abram did HagaT, and choose another wife ! " 
 
 He could not force her to leave him, but he could be- 
 seech her, and Elizabeth knew full well there was nothing 
 in the world she could refuse to her husband, which he 
 would condescend so far as to entreat; for one loving, 
 grateful word from his lips, she would give him her 
 heart's blood, drop by drop; for one tender embrace, one 
 passionate kiss, she would lay down her life joyfully. 
 But she would not believe in this separation; she would 
 yet escape this unblessed fate would find a way to his 
 love, his sympathy, at least to his pity. 
 
 It was a struggle for life, for happiness, for her fu- 
 ture, yes, even for honor; for a divorced wife, even a 
 princess, bears ever a stain upon her fair name, and walks 
 lonely, unpitied, ever despised through the world. 
 
 For these reasons the poor princess of late redoubled 
 her efforts to please her husband; she entered more fre- 
 quently into the gayeties of the court circle, and some- 
 times even took part in the frivolous and rather free 
 jests of her husband's evening parties; sometimes she 
 was rewarded by a smile and a glance of applause from 
 Frederick. This was for Elizabeth the noblest jewel in 
 her martyr crown of love, more costly, more precious than 
 all her pearls and diamonds. 
 
 To-day one of these joyous and unrestrained circles 
 was to meet. The prince loved these fetes; he was more 
 charming, witty, talented, and unrestrained, than any of 
 his guests. Princess Elizabeth resolved to be no quiet 
 silent member of this circle to-day; she would force her 
 husband to look upon her and admire her; she would 
 be more beautiful than all the other ladies of the court; 
 more lovely than the gay and talented coquette, Madame 
 Brandt ; more entrancing than the genial ' Tourbillon/
 
 AND HIS COURT. 77 
 
 Madame Morien; yes, even the youthful Schwerin, with 
 her glancing eye and glowing cheek, should not excel 
 her. 
 
 She was also young and charming, might be admired, 
 loved yes, adored, not only as a princess, not only as 
 the wife of the handsome and genial prince royal, but 
 for her own lovely self. She had dismissed her maid, her 
 toilet was completed, and she waited for the prince royal 
 to lead her into the saloon. The princess stepped to the 
 glass and examined herself, not admiringly, but curiously, 
 searchingly. This figure in the mirror should be to her 
 as that of a stranger to be remarked upon, and criticised 
 coldly, even harshly ; she must know if this woman might 
 ever hope to enchain the handsome prince royal. " Yes," 
 whispered she to herself, " this form is slender and not 
 without grace; this white satin robe falls in full voluptu- 
 ous folds from the slender waist over the well-made form ; 
 it contrasts well with these shoulders, of which my maids 
 have often said ' they were white as alabaster ; ' with this 
 throat, of which Madame Morien says ' it is white and 
 graceful as the swan's.' This foot, which peeps out from 
 the silken hem of my robe, is small and slender ; this hand 
 is fair and small and well formed. I was constrained 
 yesterday to promise the painter Pesne to allow him to 
 paint it for his goddess Aurora ; and this face ! is it ugly 
 to look upon? No, this face is not ugly; here is a high, 
 clear forehead ; the eyebrows well formed and well placed, 
 the eyes are large and bright, the nose is small but nobly 
 formed, the mouth good, the lips soft and red: yes, this 
 face is handsome. O my God! why can I not please my 
 husband? why will he never look upon me with admira- 
 tion?" 
 
 Her head sank upon her breast, and she was lost in sad 
 and melancholy dreams ; a few cold tears dropping slowly 
 upon her cheeks aroused her; with a rash movement she 
 raised her head, and shook the tears from her eyes; then
 
 78 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 looked again in the glass. " Why does not the prince 
 love me?" whispered she again to herself with trembling 
 lips. " I see it, I know it ! It is written in unmistakable 
 lines in this poor face. I know why he loves me not. 
 These great blue eyes have no fire, no soul; this mouth 
 has no magical, alluring smile. Yes, alas! yes, that is a 
 lovely form; but the soul fails! a fine nature, but the 
 power of intellect is wanting. My Father, my heavenly 
 Father, I sleep; my soul lies dead and stiffened in the 
 coffin with my secret sorrows; the prince could awaken it 
 with his kisses, could breath a new life into it by a 
 glance." 
 
 The princess raised her arms imploringly on high, and 
 her trembling lips whispered, " Pygmalion, why come you 
 not to awaken thy Galatea? Why will you not change 
 this marble statue into a woman of flesh and blood, with 
 heart and soul? These lips are ready to smile, to utter 
 a cry of rapture and delight, and behind the veil of my 
 eyes lies a soul, which one touch of thine will arouse! O 
 Frederick! Frederick! why do you torture me? Do you 
 not know that your wife worships, loves, adores you ; that 
 you are her salvation, her god? Oh, I know these are 
 unholy, sinful words! what then? I am a sinner! I am 
 ready to give my soul in exchange for thee, Frederick. 
 Why do you not hear me? why have not my sighs, my 
 tears the power to bring you to my side ? " 
 
 The poor, young wife sank powerless into her chair, 
 and covering her face with her hands, wept bitterly. Gay 
 voices and loud laughter, sounding from beneath her 
 window, aroused her from this trance of grief. 
 
 " That is Madame Brandt and the Duke of Bruns- 
 wick," said Elizabeth, hastening to the window, and peep- 
 ing from behind the curtains into the garden. 
 
 Yes, there stood the duke in lively conversation with 
 Jordan Kaiserling Chazot, and the newly-arrived Biel- 
 feld ; but the ladies were nowhere to be seen, and the prin-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 79 
 
 cess concluded they were already in the ante-room, and 
 that the prince would soon join her. 
 
 " He must not see that I have wept ; no one must see 
 that." She breathed upon her handkerchief, and pressed 
 its damp folds upon her eyes. "No, I will smile and be 
 gay like Madame Brandt and Morien. I will laugh and 
 jest, and no one shall guess that my heart is bleeding and 
 dying with inexplicable grief. Yes, gay will I be, and 
 smiling; so only can I please my husband." She gave a 
 sad, heart-breaking laugh, which was echoed loudly and 
 joyously in the ante-room. 
 
 CHAPTER XH. 
 
 THE POEM. 
 
 THE ladies of the court, and those who were guests at 
 the palace of Rheinsberg, were assembled, and waiting in 
 the ante-room, as the princess royal had supposed. A 
 few of them had withdrawn to one of the windows with 
 Madame von Katch, the first lady of honor, and were 
 conversing in low voices, while Madame von Brandt and 
 Madame von Morien held an earnest but low-toned con- 
 versation in another part of the room. 
 
 Madame von Morien listened anxiously to her friend, 
 and the varying emotions of her soul were clearly mir- 
 rored on her speaking countenance. At one moment a 
 happy smile overspread her lovely features, but the next 
 a cloud lay on that pure, fair brow, and darkened those 
 black and glorious eyes. 
 
 " As I told you," whispered Madame von Brandt, " the 
 empress desires you to understand that, if you will assist 
 in carrying out her wishes, you may depend upon her
 
 80 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 gratitude. You must employ all your eloquence and 
 influence to induce the prince royal to dismiss from his 
 mind the idea of divorcing his wife at the death of the 
 king." 
 
 " I do not blame the empress," said Madame von 
 Morien, with a roguish smile. " It remains to be seen, 
 however, whether the wishes of the prince royal and those 
 of the empress coincide. You are well aware that Prince 
 Frederick is not the man to be led by the will of others." 
 
 " Not by the will of the empress, dearest, but by 
 yours." 
 
 " Well how does this good empress expect to bribe me, 
 for I hope she does not think me so silly and childish 
 as to consider her words commands, merely because they 
 fall from the lips of an empress. No, the little Morien is 
 at this moment a more important person to the empress 
 than the empress is to me, and it is, therefore, very natu- 
 ral that I should make my conditions." 
 
 " Only name them, my dear friend, and I assure you 
 in advance that they will be fulfilled, unless you should 
 demand the moon and the stars; these the empress can- 
 not obtain for you." 
 
 " Ah, you have divined my condition," said Madame 
 von Morien, smiling. " I demand a star one that is 
 brighter and more beautiful than those in the sky one 
 that the empress can give." 
 
 " I do not understand you," said her astonished friend. 
 
 " You will soon understand only listen. Have you 
 not heard that the Austrian empress intends to establish 
 a new order an order of virtue and modesty ? " 
 
 Madame von Brandt burst into a clear, silvery laugh. 
 " And do you wish to belong to this order ? " 
 
 " Yes ; and if the empress will not present me with 
 the star of this order, I shall enter into no further ar- 
 rangements." 
 
 Madame von Brandt, still laughing, replied : " This is
 
 AND HIS COURT. ftj. 
 
 a most edifying idea. Le Tourbillon desires to become a 
 member of the ' Order of Virtue.' The beautiful Morien, 
 whose greatest pride was to despise the prudish, and to 
 snap her fingers at morality, now wishes to be in the train 
 of modesty." 
 
 " Dear friend," said Madame von Morien, with a be- 
 witching smile, which displayed two rows of the most ex- 
 quisitely white teeth, " dear friend, you should always 
 leave open a way of retreat ; even as ^Esop in descending 
 the mountain was not happy in the easy and delightful 
 path, but already sighed over the difficulties of the next as- 
 cent, so should women never be contented with the joys c^f 
 the present moment, but prepare themselves for the sor- 
 rows which most probably await them in the future. A 
 day must come when we will be cut off by advancing years 
 from the flowery paths of love and pleasure, and be com- 
 pelled to follow in the tiresome footsteps of virtue. It is 
 wise, therefore, to be prepared for that which must come 
 as certainly as old age, and, if possible, to smooth away 
 the difficulties from this rough path. To-day I am Le 
 Tourbillon, and will remain so a few years; but when the 
 roses and lilies of my cheek are faded, I will place the 
 cross of the ' Order of Virtue ' on my withered bosom, 
 and become the defender of the God-fearing and the 
 virtuous." 
 
 The two ladies laughed, and their laughter was as gay 
 and silvery, as clear and innocent as the tones of the lark, 
 or the songs of children. Le Tourbillon, however, quick- 
 ly assumed an earnest and pathetic expression, and said, 
 in a snuffling, preaching voice : " Do I not deserve to be 
 decorated with the star of the ' Order of Virtue ? ' Am 
 I not destined to reunite with my weak but beautiful 
 hands two hearts which God himself has joined together? 
 I tell you, therefore, procure this decoration for me, or I 
 refuse the role that you offer me." 
 
 " I promise that your caprice shall be gratified, and
 
 82 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 that you will obtain the star," said Madame von Brandt, 
 earnestly. 
 
 " Excuse me, my dear, that is not sufficient. I de- 
 mand the assurance, in the handwriting of the Empress 
 of Austria, the exalted aunt of our princess royal, that 
 this order shall be established, and that I shall become a 
 member. It would do no harm for the empress to add a 
 few words of tenderness and esteem." 
 
 " I shall inform the empress of your conditions im- 
 mediately, and she will without doubt fulfil them, for 
 the danger is pressing, and you are a most powerful ally." 
 
 " Good ! thus far we are agreed, and nothing fails 
 now but the most important part," said Madame von 
 Morien, with a mischievous smile ; " that is to discover 
 whether I can accomplish your wishes whether the 
 prince royal considers me any thing more than ' Le Tour- 
 billon,' ' the pretty Morien,' or the Turkish music to 
 which he listens when he is gay. Nothing it wanting but 
 that the prince royal should really love me. It is true that 
 he makes love to me; he secretly presses my hand; he 
 occasionally whispers a few loving, tender words in my 
 ear; and yesterday, when I met him accidentally in the 
 dark corridor, he embraced me so passionately, and cov- 
 ered my lips with such glowing, stormy kisses, that I 
 was almost stifled. But that is all that is the entire 
 history of my love." 
 
 " No, that is not all. This history has a sequel," said 
 Madame von Brandt, triumphantly, as she drew a sealed 
 letter from her bosom, and gave it to her companion. 
 " Take this, it is a new chapter in your romance." 
 
 " This letter has no address," returned Madame von 
 Morien, smiling. 
 
 " It is intended for you." 
 
 " No, it is mine," suddenly cried a voice behind them, 
 and a small hand darted forward, and tore the sealed 
 paper from Madame von Morien.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 83 
 
 " Mine, this letter is mine ! " cried Louise von 
 Schwerin, the little maid of honor, who, without being re- 
 marked, had approached the two ladies, and seized the 
 letter at this decisive moment. " The letter belongs to 
 me; it is mine," repeated the presumptuous young girl, 
 as she danced laughingly before the two pale and terrified 
 ladies. " Who dares affirm that this letter, which has 
 no address, is not intended for me ? " 
 
 "Louise, give me the letter," implored Madame von 
 Morien, in a trembling voice. But Louise found a pleas- 
 ure in terrifying her beautiful friend, who invariably 
 laughed at her, and called her a child when she spoke of 
 her heart, and hinted at a secret and unhappy passion. 
 Louise wished to revenge herself by claiming the privi- 
 leges of a child. 
 
 " Take the letter if you can," cried the young girl, as 
 she flew through the room as lightly as a gazelle, waving 
 her prize back and forth like a banner, " take the letter ! " 
 
 Madame von Morien hurried after her, and now be- 
 gan a merry race through the saloon, accompanied by the 
 laughter of the ladies, . who looked on with the liveliest 
 interest. And in reality it was a charming picture to see 
 these beautiful figures, which flew through the hall like 
 two Atlantas, radiant with eagerness, with glowing 
 cheeks and smiling lips, with fluttering locks and throb- 
 bing breasts. 
 
 The young girl was still in advance; she danced on, 
 singing and laughing, far before the beautiful Morien, 
 who began already to be wearied. 
 
 " The letter is mine ! " sang out this impudent little 
 maiden, " and no one shall take it from me." 
 
 But fear lent wings to Madame von Morien, who now 
 made a last despairing effort, and flew like an arrow after 
 Louise. Now she was just behind her; Louise felt al- 
 ready her hot, panting breath upon her cheek; saw the 
 upraised arm, ready to seize the letter when suddenly
 
 84 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 the door opened, before which Louise stood, and the prin- 
 cess royal appeared. The youthful maid of honor sank 
 laughing at her feet, and said breathlessly, " Gracious 
 princess, protect me!" 
 
 Madame von Morien remained motionless at the ap- 
 pearance of the princess royal, breathless not only from 
 her rapid race, but also from fear, while Madame von 
 Brandt, concealing, with a smile, her own alarm, ap- 
 proached her friend, that she might not remain without 
 assistance at this critical moment. The rest of the com- 
 pany stood silent at a respectful distance, and looked 
 with curious and inquiring glances at this singular 
 scene. 
 
 " Well, and from what shall I protect you, little 
 Louise ? " said the princess royal, as she bent smilingly 
 over the breathless child. 
 
 Louise was silent for one instant. She felt that the 
 princess would reprove her for her naughtiness; she did 
 not wish to be again treated as a child before the whole 
 court. She hastily resolved to insist upon the truth of 
 her assertion that the letter was hers. 
 
 " Madame von Morien wished to take my letter from 
 me," said Louise, giving the latter a perverse look. 
 
 " I hope your royal highness knows this impudent 
 child well enough not to put any faith in her words," said 
 Madame von Morien, evasively, not daring to claim the 
 letter as her property. 
 
 " Child ! She calls me a child ! " murmured Louise, 
 enraged, and now determined to revenge herself by com- 
 promising Madame von Morien. 
 
 " Then the letter does not belong to Louise ? " asked 
 the princess royal, turning to Madame von Morien. 
 
 " Yes, your royal highness, it is mine," declared 
 Louise ; " your royal highness can convince yourself of 
 it. Here is the letter; will you have the kindness to 
 read the address ? "
 
 AND HIS COURT. 85 
 
 " But this letter has no address," said the astonished 
 princess. 
 
 " And still Madame von Morien asserts that it is in- 
 tended for her," cried Louise, wickedly. 
 
 " And Mademoiselle von Schwerin declares it belongs 
 to her," said Madame von Morien, casting a furious look 
 on Louise. 
 
 " I implore your royal highness to be the judge," said 
 Louise. 
 
 " How can I decide to whom the letter belongs, as it 
 bears no name ? " said the princess, smiling. 
 
 " By opening and reading it," said the young girl, 
 with apparent frankness. " The letter is from my 
 mother, and I do not care to conceal its contents from 
 your royal highness." 
 
 " Are you willing, Madame von Morien ? shall I open 
 this letter?" 
 
 But before the amazed and terrified young woman 
 found time for a reply, Madame von Brandt approached 
 the princess with a smiling countenance. She had in 
 this moment of danger conceived a desperate resolution. 
 The prince royal had informed her that this paper con- 
 tained a poem. Why might not this poem have been in- 
 tended for the princess as well as for Madame von Mo- 
 rien? It contained, without a doubt, a declaration of 
 love, and such declarations are suitable for any woman, 
 and welcome to all. 
 
 " If your royal highness will permit me, I am ready 
 to throw light on this mystery," said Madame von Brandt. 
 
 The princess bowed permission. 
 
 " This letter belongs neither to Madame von Morien 
 nor to Mademoiselle von Schwerin," said Madame von 
 Brandt. 
 
 "You promised to enlighten us," exclaimed the prin- 
 cess, laughing, " and it appears to me you have made the 
 mystery more impenetrable. The letter belongs neither
 
 86 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 to Madame von Morion nor to little Louise. To whom, 
 then, does it belong ? " 
 
 " It belongs to your royal highness." 
 
 " To me ? " asked the astonished princess, while Ma- 
 dame von Morien gazed at her friend with speechless 
 horror, and Mademoiselle von Schwerin laughed aloud. 
 
 " Yes, this letter belongs to your royal highness. The 
 prince royal gave it to me, with the command to place it 
 upon your table, before you went to your dressing-room; 
 but I was too late, and understood that your highness was 
 occupied with your toilet. I dared not disturb you, and 
 retained the letter in order to hand it to you now. As I 
 held it in my hand, and said jestingly to Madame von 
 Morien that the prince royal had forgotten to write the 
 address, Mademoiselle von Schwerin came and tore it 
 from me in a most unladylike manner, and declared 
 it was hers. That is the whole history." 
 
 " And you say that the letter is mine ? " said the prin- 
 cess, thoughtfully. 
 
 " It is yours, and it contains a poem from his royal 
 highness." 
 
 " Then I can break the seal ? " said the princess, tear- 
 ing open the paper. " Ah ! " she cried, with a happy 
 smile, " it is a poem from my husband." 
 
 " And here comes his royal highness to confirm the 
 truth of my statement," cried Madame von Brandt, step- 
 ping aside.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 87 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE BANQUET. 
 
 MADAME VON BRANDT was right. The prince royal, 
 surrounded by the cavaliers of his court, entered the 
 saloon just as the princess had commenced reading the 
 poem. 
 
 On his entrance a murmur of applause arose, and the 
 countenance of his wife was radiant with pleasure and 
 delight on beholding this handsome and engaging young 
 prince, whom she, emboldened by the love-verses which 
 she held in her hand, joyfully greeted as her husband. 
 On this day the prince did not appear as usual in the uni- 
 form of his regiment, but was attired in a French cos- 
 tume of the latest fashion. He wore a snuff-colored coat 
 of heavy moire-antique, ornamented at the shoulders 
 with long bows of lace, the ends of which were bordered 
 with silver fringe. His trousers, of the same color and 
 material, reached to his knees, and were here ornamented 
 with rich lace, which hung far down over his silk stock- 
 ings. On the buckles of his high, red-heeled shoes, glit- 
 tered immense diamonds. These gems were, however, 
 eclipsed by the jewelled buttons which confined his long, 
 silver-brocaded waistcoat." * 
 
 The costume of the cavaliers who accompanied the 
 prince was of the same style, but less rich. , 
 
 As this group of handsome and richly-attired gentle- 
 men entered the saloon, the bright eyes of the ladies 
 sparkled, and their cheeks colored with pleasure. 
 
 The princess royal's countenance was illumined 
 with delight; never had she seen the prince so handsome, 
 never had he looked so loving. And this was all for her, 
 the chosen one, whom he now blessed with his love. Yes, 
 
 * Bielfeld, vol. ii., page 82.
 
 88 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 he loved her! She had only read the commencement of 
 the poem which he had written, but in this she had seen 
 words of tender and passionate love. 
 
 While she was gazing at her husband in silent ecstasy, 
 Madame von Brandt approached the prince, and grace- 
 fully recounting the scene which had just occurred, re- 
 quested him to confirm her statement. 
 
 The prince's quick glance flitted for a moment from 
 the beautiful Morien, who trembled with consternation 
 and terror to his wife, and, judging by the pleased ex- 
 pression of her face, he concluded that she believed this 
 poem had been really addressed to herself. She had, 
 therefore, not read it to the end; she had not yet ar- 
 rived at the verse which contained a direct appeal to the 
 beautiful Tourbillon, the charming Leontine. She 
 must not be permitted to read the entire poem. That 
 was all ! 
 
 The prince approached his wife with a smile, to which 
 she was unaccustomed, and which made her heart beat 
 high with delight. 
 
 ' I crave your indulgence," said he, " for my poor 
 little poem, which reached you in so noisy a manner, and 
 is really scarcely worth reading. Read it in some soli- 
 tary hour when you are troubled with ennui; it may then 
 possibly amuse you for a moment. We will not occupy 
 ourselves with verses and poems to-day, but will laugh 
 and be merry; that is, if it pleases you, madame." 
 
 The princess murmured a few low and indistinct 
 words. As usual, she could find no expression for her 
 thoughts, although her heart was full of love and delight. 
 This modest shyness of the lips, this poverty of words, 
 with her rich depth of feeling, was the great misfortune 
 of the princess royal. It was this that made her appear 
 awkward, constrained, and spiritless; it was this that 
 displeased and estranged her husband. Her conscious- 
 ness of this deficiency made her still more timid and con-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 89 
 
 strained, and deprived her of what little power of expres- 
 sion she possessed. 
 
 Had she at this moment found courage to make a 
 ready and witty reply, her husband would have been much 
 pleased. Her silence, however, excited his displeasure, 
 and his brow darkened. 
 
 He offered her his arm; and, exchanging glances with 
 Madame Morien, he conducted his wife to the dining- 
 saloon, to the magnificently arranged and glittering 
 table. 
 
 " The gardener of Rheinsberg, Frederick of Hohen- 
 zollern, invites his friends to partake of what he has pro- 
 vided. For the prince royal is fortunately not at home; 
 we can, therefore, be altogether sans gene, and follow our 
 inclinations, as the mice do when the cat is not at 
 home." 
 
 He seated himself between his wife and Madame Mo- 
 rien, whispering to the latter : " Beautiful Tourbillon, 
 my heart is in flames, and I rely upon you to quench 
 them. You must save me ! " 
 
 " Oh, this heart of yours is a phoenix, and arises from 
 its ashes renewed and rejuvenated." 
 
 " But only to destroy itself again," said the prince. 
 Then taking his glass and surveying his guests with a 
 rapid glance, he exclaimed : " Our first toast shall be 
 youth youth of which the old are envious! youth and 
 beauty, which are so brilliantly represented here to-day, 
 that one might well imagine Venus had sent us all her 
 daughters and playmates, as well as her lovers, the de- 
 posed and discarded ones as well as those whom she still 
 favors, and only proposes to discard." 
 
 The glasses rang out merrily in answer to this toast, 
 and all betook themselves with evident zest to the costly 
 and savory dishes, prepared by the master-hand of Duvall 
 the French cook, and which the prince seasoned with the 
 Attic salt of his ever-ready wit.
 
 90 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 They all gave themselves up to gayety and merriment, 
 and pleasure sparkled in every eye. 
 
 The corpulent Knobelsdorf related in a stentorian 
 voice some amusing anecdotes of his travels. Chazot re- 
 cited portions of Voltaire's latest work. The learned and 
 witty Count Kaiserling recited verses from the " Hen- 
 riade," and then several of Gellert's fables, which were be- 
 coming very popular. He conversed with his neighbor, 
 the artist Pesne, on the subject of the paintings which his 
 masterly hand had executed, and then turning to Made- 
 moiselle von Schwerin, he painted in glowing colors the 
 future of Berlin the future when they would have a 
 French theatre, an Italian opera, and of all things, an 
 Italian ballet-corps. For the latter the most celebrated 
 dancers would be engaged, and it should eclipse every 
 thing of the kind that had ever been seen or heard of in 
 Germany. 
 
 At the lower end of the table sat the two Vendas, the 
 two Grauns, and Quantz, the powerful and much-feared 
 virtuoso of the flute and instructor of the prince royal, 
 whose rudeness was almost imposing, and before whom 
 the prince himself was somewhat shy. But to-day even 
 Quantz was quiet and tractable. His countenance wore 
 the half-pleased, half -grumbling expression of a bull-dog 
 when stroked by a soft and tender hand. He is inclined 
 to be angry, but is so much at his ease that he finds it 
 absolutely impossible to growl. 
 
 In their merriment the gentlemen were becoming al- 
 most boisterous. The cheeks of the ladies glowed with 
 pleasure, and their lovers were becoming tender. 
 
 The princess royal alone was silent; her heart was 
 heavy and sorrowful. She had carefully reconsidered the 
 scene which had occurred, and the result was, she was 
 now convinced that the poem which she had received was 
 not intended for her, but for some other fair lady. She 
 was ashamed of her credulity, and blushed for her own
 
 AND HIS COURT. 91 
 
 vanity. For how could it be possible that the handsome 
 and brilliant man who sat at her side, who was so witty 
 and spirited, who was as learned as he was intelligent, 
 as noble as he was amiable, how could it be possible that 
 he should love her? she who was only young and pretty, 
 who was moreover guilty of the great, unpardonable fault 
 of being his wife, and a wife who had been forced upon 
 him. 
 
 No, this poem had never been intended for her. But 
 for whom, then? Who was the happy one to whom the 
 prince had given his love ? Her heart bled as she thought 
 that another could call this bliss her own. She was too 
 mild and gentle to be angry. She ardently desired to 
 know the name of her rival, but not that she might re- 
 venge herself. No, she wished to pray for her whom the 
 prince royal loved, to whom he perhaps owed a few days 
 of happiness, of bliss. 
 
 But who was she? The princess royal's glance rested 
 searchingly on all the ladies who were present. She saw 
 many beautiful and pleasing faces. Many of them had 
 intelligence, vivacity, and wit, but none of them were 
 worthy of his love. Her husband had just turned to his 
 fair neighbor, and, with a fascinating smile, whispered 
 a few words in her ear. Madame Morien blushed, cast 
 down her eyes, but, raising them again and looking ar- 
 dently at the prince royal, she murmured a few words in 
 so low a tone that no one else heard them. 
 
 How? Could it be this one? But no, that was im- 
 possible. This giddy, coquettish, and superficial wom- 
 an could by no possibility have captivated the noble and 
 high-toned prince; she could not be Elizabeth's happy 
 rival. 
 
 But who, then? Alas, if this long and weary feast 
 were only at an end ! If she could but retire to her 
 chamber and read this poem, the riddle would then be 
 solved, and she would know the name of his lady-love.
 
 92 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 It seemed, however, that the prince had divined his 
 wife's wish, and had determined that it should not be 
 gratified. 
 
 They had taken their seats at table at a very late hour 
 to-day, at six o'clock. It had now become dark, and can- 
 delabras with wax candles were brought in and placed on 
 the table. 
 
 " The lights are burning," exclaimed the prince ; " we 
 will not leave the table until these lights are burned out, 
 and our heads have become illuminated with cham- 
 pagne." * 
 
 And amid conversation, laughter, and recitations, all 
 went merrily on. But the heart of the princess royal 
 grew sadder and sadder. 
 
 Suddenly the prince turned to her. " I feel the vanity 
 of an author," said he, " and beg permission to inquire 
 if you have no curiosity to hear the poem which I had 
 the honor of sending you to-day by Madame Brandt ? " 
 
 " Indeed I have, my husband," exclaimed the princess, 
 with vivacity. "I long to become acquainted with its 
 contents." 
 
 " Then permit me to satisfy this longing," said the 
 prince, holding out his hand for the poem. The princess 
 hesitated, but when she looked up and their eyes met, his 
 glance was so cold and imperious, that she felt as if an 
 icy hand were at her heart. She drew the poem from her 
 bosom and handed it silently to her husband. 
 
 " Now, my little maid of honor, Von Schwerin," said 
 the prince royal, smiling, " this sagacious, highly respect- 
 able, and worthy company shall judge between you and 
 me, and decide whether this paper is a letter from her 
 dear mother, as this modest and retiring child asserts, 
 or a poem, written by a certain prince, who is sometimes 
 induced by his imaginative fancy to make indifferent 
 verses. Listen, therefore, ladies and gentlemen, and 
 
 * Bielfeld, vol i., page 84 The prince's own words.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 93 
 
 judge between us. But that no one may imagine that I 
 ain reading any thing else, and substituting the ten- 
 der thoughts of a lover for the fond words of motherly 
 affection, Madame Morien shall look at the paper I am 
 reading, and bear witness to my truth." 
 
 He read off the first verses as they were written, and 
 then improvising, recited a witty and humorous poem, in 
 which he did homage to his wife's charms. His poem 
 was greeted with rapturous applause. While he was re- 
 citing the improvised verses, Madame Morien had time 
 to read the poem. When she came to the verses which 
 contained a passionate declaration of love, and in which 
 the prince half-humbly, half-imperiously, solicited a ren- 
 dezvous, her breast heaved and her heart beat high with 
 delight. After the prince had finished he turned to his 
 wife with a smile, and asked if the poem had pleased her. 
 
 " So much so," said she, " that I pray you to return it. 
 I should like to preserve it as a reminiscence of this 
 hour." 
 
 " Preserve it ? By no means ! A poem is like a 
 flower. It is a thing of the present, and is beautiful only 
 when fresh. The moment gave it, and the moment shall 
 take it. We will sacrifice to the gods, what we owe to 
 the gods." 
 
 Having thus spoken, the prince tore the paper into 
 small pieces, which he placed in the palm of his hand. 
 
 " Go ye in all directions and teach unto all people that 
 nothing is immortal, not even the poem of a prince," said 
 he, and blowing the particles of paper, he sent them flut- 
 tering through the air like snowflakes. The ladies and 
 gentlemen amused themselves with blowing the pieces 
 from place to place. Each one made a little bellows of 
 his mouth, and endeavored to give some strip of paper 
 a particular direction or aim to blow it on to some fair 
 one's white shoulders or into some gentleman's eye or 
 laughing mouth.
 
 94: FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 This caused a great deal of merriment. The princess 
 was .still sad and silent. Now and then a scrap fell before 
 her; these she blew no further, but mechanically collected 
 and gazed at them in a listless and mournful manner. 
 Suddenly she started and colored violently. On one of 
 these strips of paper she had read two words which 
 made her heart tremble with anger and pain. These 
 words were, " Bewitching Leontine ! " 
 
 The secret was but. The prince royal's poem had 
 been addressed to Leontine, to a bewitching Leontine, and 
 not to Elizabeth! But who was this Leontine? which of 
 the ladies bore that name? She must, she would know! 
 She called all her courage to her assistance. Suddenly 
 she took part in the general merriment, commenced to 
 laugh and jest; she entered gayly into a conversation 
 with her husband, with Madame Morien and the young 
 Baron Bielfeld, who was her vis-a-vis. 
 
 The princess had never been so gay, so unconstrained, 
 and so witty. No one suspected that these jests, this 
 laughter, was only assumed; that she veiled the pain 
 which she suffered with a smiling brow. 
 
 The candles had burnt half way down, and some of 
 the gentlemen had begun to light the first tapers of the 
 champagne illumination which the prince had prophe- 
 sied. Chazot no longer recited, but was singing some of 
 the charming little songs which he had learned of the 
 merry peasants of Normandy, his fatherland. Jordan 
 improvised a sermon after the fashion of the fanatical 
 and hypocritical priests who for some time past had col- 
 lected crowds in the streets of Berlin. Kaiserling had 
 risen from his seat and thrown himself into an attitude 
 in which he had seen the celebrated Lagiere in the ballet 
 of the Syrene at Paris. Knobelsdorf recounted his in- 
 teresting adventures in Italy; and even Quantz found 
 courage to give the prince's favorite dog, which was 
 snuffling at his feet, and which he hated as a rival, a
 
 AND HIS COURT. 95 
 
 hearty kick. The prince royal alone had preserved his 
 noble and dignified appearance. Amid the general ex- 
 citement he remained calm and dignified. The candles 
 were burning low, and the champagne illumination was 
 becoming intense in the heads of all the gentlemen ex- 
 cept the prince and the Baron Bielfeld. 
 
 " Bielfeld must also take part in this illumination," 
 said the prince, turning to his wife, and calling the for- 
 mer, he proposed to drink with him the health of his 
 fiancee, whom he had left in Hamburg. 
 
 After Bielfeld had left his seat and was advancing to- 
 ward the prince royal, the princess hurriedly and noise- 
 lessly gave her instructions to a servant. She had ob- 
 served that Bielfeld had been drinking freely of the cold 
 water which had been placed before him in a decanter. 
 The servant emptied this decanter and filled it with sil- 
 lery, which was as clear and limpid as water. Bielfeld 
 returning to his seat, heated by the toast he had been 
 drinking,, filled his glass to the brim, and drank instead of 
 water the fiery sillery.* 
 
 The princess royal, whose aim was to discover which 
 of the ladies was the bewitching Leontine, determined to 
 strike a decisive blow. With an ingratiating smile she 
 turned to Bielfeld and said : 
 
 " The prince royal spoke of your fiancee;! may, there- 
 fore, congratulate you." 
 
 Bielfeld, who did not dare to acknowledge that he was 
 on the point of shamefully deserting this lady, bowed in 
 silence. 
 
 " May I know the name of your fiancee? " asked she. 
 
 " Mademoiselle von Kandau," murmured Bielfeld, 
 drinking another glass of sillery to hide his confusion. 
 
 " Mademoiselle von Randau ! " repeated the princess, 
 " how cold, how ceremonious that sounds ! To im- 
 agine how a lady looks and what she is like, it is neces- 
 
 * Biclfuld, vol. i., page 85.
 
 90 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 sary to know her Christian name, for a given name is 
 to some extent an index to character. What is your 
 fiancee's name ? " 
 
 " Regina, royal highness." 
 
 " Regina ! That is a beautiful name. A prophecy of 
 happiness. Then she will always be queen of your heart. 
 Ah, I understand the meaning of names, and at home in 
 my father's house I was called the Sibyl, because my 
 prophecies were always true. If you will give me your 
 first names, I will prophecy your future, ladies. Let us 
 commence. What is your given name, Madame von 
 Katsch?" 
 
 While the princess was speaking, she played carelessly 
 with the beautiful Venetian glass which stood before her. 
 The prince royal alone saw what no one else observed; 
 he saw that the hand which toyed with the glass trembled 
 violently; that while she smiled her lips quivered, and 
 that her breathing was hurried and feverish. He com- 
 prehended what these prophecies meant; he was con- 
 vinced that the princess had become acquainted with the 
 contents of his poem. 
 
 " Do not give her your name," he whispered to Ma- 
 dame Morien. He then turned to his wife, who had just 
 prophesied a long life and a happy old age to Madame 
 von Katsch. 
 
 " And your name, Mademoiselle von Schwerin ? " said 
 the prince royal. 
 
 " Louise." 
 
 " Ah, Louise ! Well, I prophecy that you will be 
 happier than your namesake, the beautiful La Val- 
 liere. Your conscience will never reproach you on 
 account of your love affairs, and you will never enter a 
 convent." 
 
 " But then I will probably never have the happiness of 
 being loved by a king," said the little maid of honor, 
 with a sigh.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 97 
 
 This naive observation was greeted with a merry peal 
 of laughter. 
 
 The princess continued her prophecies; she painted 
 for each one a pleasant and flattering future. She now 
 turned to Madame Morieii, still smiling, still playing 
 with the glass. 
 
 " Well, and your name, my dear Madame Morien ? " 
 said she, looking into the glass which she held clasped in 
 her fingers. 
 
 " She is called ' Le Tourbillon,' " exclaimed the prince 
 royal, laughing. 
 
 " Antoinette, Louise, Albertine, are my names," said 
 Madame Morien, hesitatingly. 
 
 The princess royal breathed free, and raised her eyes 
 from the glass to the beautiful Morien. 
 
 " These are too many names to prophesy by," said she, 
 u By what name are you called ? " 
 
 Madame Morien hesitated; the other ladies, better ac- 
 quainted with the little mysteries of Tourbillon than the 
 princess, divined that this question of the princess and 
 the embarrassment of Madame Morien betokened some- 
 thing extraordinary, and awaited attentively the reply 
 of this beautiful woman. A momentary pause ensued. 
 Suddenly Mademoiselle Schwerin broke out in laughter. 
 
 " Well," said she, " have you forgotten your name, 
 Madame Morien? Do you not know that you are called 
 Leontine? " 
 
 " Leontine ? " exclaimed the princess, and her fingers 
 closed so tightly on the glass which she held in her 
 hand, that it crushed, and drew from her a sharp cry of 
 pain. 
 
 The prince royal saw the astonished and inquiring 
 glances of all directed to his wife, and felt that he must 
 turn their attention in some other direction that he 
 must make a jest of this accident. 
 
 " Elizabeth, you are right 1 " said he, laughing. " The
 
 98 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 candles have burnt down; the illumination has begun; 
 the festival is at an end. We have already sacrificed a 
 poem to the gods, we must now do the same with the 
 glasses, out of which we have quaffed a few hours 
 of happiness, of merriment, and of forgetfulness. 
 I sacrifice this glass to the gods; all of you follow my 
 example." 
 
 He raised his glass and threw it over his shoulder to 
 the floor, where it broke with a crash. The others fol- 
 lowed the example of the prince and his wife with shouts 
 of laughter, and in a few minutes nothing was left of 
 these beautiful glasses but the glittering fragments which 
 covered the floor. But the company, now intoxicated 
 with wine and delight, was not contented with this one 
 offering to the gods, but thirsted for a continuation of 
 their sport; and not satisfied with having broken the 
 glasses, subjected the vases and the bowls of crystal to the 
 same treatment. In the midst of this general confusion 
 the door was suddenly opened, and Fredersdorf appeared 
 at the threshold, holding a letter in his hand. 
 
 His uncalled-for appearance in this saloon was some- 
 thing so extraordinary, so unprecedented, that it could 
 be only justified on the ground of some great emergency, 
 something of paramount importance. They all felt this, 
 notwithstanding their excitement and hilarity. A pro- 
 found silence ensued. Every eye was fixed anxiously 
 upon the prince, who had received the letter from Fre- 
 dersdorf's hands and broken the seal. The prince turned 
 pale, and the paper trembled in his hands. He hastily 
 arose from his seat. 
 
 " My friends," said he, solemnly, " the feast is at an 
 end. I must leave for Potsdam immediately. The king 
 is dangerously ill. Farewell'! " 
 
 And offering his arm to his wife, he hastily left the 
 saloon. The guests, who but now were so merry, silently 
 arose and betook themselves to their chambers, and noth-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 99 
 
 ing could be heard save now and then a stolen whisper or 
 a low and anxious inquiry. Soon a deep and ominous 
 silence reigned in the castle of Rheinsberg. All slept, 
 or at least seemed to sleep. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 LE ROI EST MORT. VIVE LE ROI ! 
 
 KING FREDERICK WILLIAM'S end was approaching. 
 Past was his power and greatness, past all his dreams of 
 glory. Long did the spirit fight against the body; but 
 now, after months of secret pain and torture, he had to 
 acknowledge himself overpowered by death. The stiff 
 uniform is no longer adapted to his fallen figure. Eti- 
 quette and ceremony had been banished by the all-power- 
 ful ruler by death. He is no longer a king, but a dying 
 man nothing more. A father taking leave of his chil- 
 dren, a husband embracing his wife for the last time; 
 pressing his last kisses upon her tearful face, and plead- 
 ing for forgiveness for his harshness and cruelty. Fred- 
 erick William has made his peace with God and the 
 world; his proud spirit is broken; his hard heart soft- 
 ened. Long he had striven in the haughtiness of his 
 heart before acknowledging his sins, but the brave and 
 pious Roloff approached his couch, and with accusations 
 and reproaches awakened his slumbering conscience. At 
 first he had but one answer to the priest's accusations, 
 and that was proudly given : " I have ever been true to 
 my wife." Roloff continued to speak of his extortions, 
 oppressions, and inhumanity. Frederick William was at 
 last convinced that he must lay down his crown and ap-
 
 100 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 proach God with deep repentance, humbly imploring par- 
 don and mercy. 
 
 Now that he had made his peace with God, there re- 
 mained nothing for him to do but to arrange his earthly 
 affairs, and take leave of his wife, and children, and 
 friends. They were all called to his room that he might 
 bid them farewell. By the side of the arm-chair, in 
 which the king was reclining, wrapped in his wide silk 
 mantle, stood his wife and the prince royal. His hands 
 rested in theirs, and when he raised his weary eyes, he 
 always met their tear-stained faces, their looks of unut- 
 terable love: Death, that would so soon separate them 
 forever, had at last united in love father and son. Weep- 
 ing loudly, Frederick William folded the prince royal in 
 his arms, and with a voice full of tears, exclaimed : " Has 
 not God in his great mercy given me a noble son ? " 
 Prince Frederick bowed his head upon his father's breast, 
 and prayed deeply and earnestly that his life might bo 
 spared. 
 
 But the end was approaching; the king knew and felt 
 it. He had the long coffin, the same in which he had 
 laid himself for trial a few months before, brought into 
 his room, and looking at it sadly, said, with a peaceful 
 smile : " In this bed I shall sleep well ! " He then called 
 his secretary, Eichel, and ordered him to read the pro- 
 gramme of his funeral, which he had himself dictated. 
 
 It was a strange picture to see this king, lying by the 
 side of the coffin, surrounded by his children and servants, 
 his weary head reclining on the shoulder of his wife, 
 listening attentively to this programme, that spoke of 
 him a still living and thinking being, as of a cold, dead, 
 senseless mass. Not as for a sad festival, but for a 
 grand parade, had the king arranged it, and it made a 
 fearful, half-comic impression upon the auditors, when 
 was added, at the especial request of the king, that, after 
 his laying out, a splendid table should be set in the great
 
 AND HIS COURT. 101 
 
 hall for all who had been present at the ceremony, and 
 that none but the best wines from his cellar should be 
 served. 
 
 After having provided for his corpse, Frederick Wil- 
 liam still wished to leave to each of his favorites, the 
 Prince of Dessau and Baron Hacke, a horse. He ordered 
 the horses to be led from their stalls to the court. He 
 then desired his chair to be rolled to an open window, 
 where he could see the entire court, and give a farewell 
 look to each of these animals which had so often borne 
 him to feasts and parades. Oh! what costly, glorious 
 days those were, when he could lightly swing himself 
 upon these proud steeds, and ride out into God's fresh, 
 free air, to be humbly welcomed by his subjects, to be 
 received with the roll of drums and the sound of trumpets, 
 and every moment of his life be made aware of his great- 
 ness and power by the devotion and humility of those who 
 surrounded him! And that was all set aside and at an 
 end. Never again could he mount his horse, never again 
 could he ride through the streets of Berlin, and rejoice 
 over the beautiful houses and stately palaces called into 
 life by his royal will. Never again will he receive the 
 humble welcome of his subjects; and when on the mor- 
 row drums are beating and cannon thundering, they will 
 not salute the king, but his corpse. 
 
 Oh! and life is so beautiful; the air is so fresh and 
 balmy; the heavens of so clear and transparent a blue; 
 and he must leave it all, and descend into the dark and 
 lonely grave. 
 
 The king brushed a tear from his eye, and turning his 
 gaze from heaven and God's beautiful earth, looked upon 
 the horses which a servant was leading to and fro in 
 the court. As he did this, his countenance brightened, 
 he forgot for the moment that death was near at hand, 
 and looked with eager attention to see which of the horses 
 the gentlemen would choose. When he saw the selection
 
 102 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 the Prince of Dessau had made, he smiled, with the pity- 
 ing look of a connoisseur. 
 
 " That is a bad horse, my dear prince," he exclaimed ; 
 " take the other one, I will vouch for him." 
 
 After the prince had chosen the horse shown him by 
 the king, and Baron Hacke the other, he ordered the 
 most magnificent and costly saddles to be placed on them ; 
 and while this was being done, he looked on with eager 
 interest. Behind him stood the minister Rodewills, and 
 the secretary of state, whom the king had summoned to 
 his presence to receive his resignation, by which he trans- 
 ferred the kingly authority to his son the prince royal. 
 Behind him stood Frederick and the queen, the generals 
 and the priests. The king was unconscious of their pres- 
 ence; he had forgotten that he was dying; he thought 
 only of his horses, and a dark cloud settled on his face 
 as the groom buckled a saddle covered with blue velvet 
 over the yellow silk housing of Prince Anhalt's horse. 
 
 " Oh, if I were only well, how I would beat that stupid 
 boy ! " exclaimed the king, in a loud, menacing voice. 
 " Hacke, have the kindness to beat him for me." 
 
 The horses pointed their ears and neighed loudly, and 
 the servants trembled at the voice of their master, who 
 was speaking to them as angrily as ever, but in a deep, 
 sepulchral voice. 
 
 But his anger was of short duration, and he sank back 
 into his chair, breathing heavily and brokenly. He had 
 not the strength to sign his resignation, and demanded to 
 be taken from his chair and placed upon the bed. 
 
 There he lay motionless, with half -closed eyes, groan- 
 ing and sighing. A fearful stillness reigned in the cham- 
 ber of death. All held their breath; all wished to hear 
 the last death-sigh of the king; all wished to witness the 
 mysterious and inscrutable moment when the soul, free- 
 ing itself from its earthly tenement, should ascend to the 
 spring of light and life as an invisible but indestructible
 
 AND HIS COURT. 103 
 
 atom of divinity. Pale and trembling the prince leaned 
 over his father; the kneeling queen prayed in a low 
 voice. With earnest and sorrowful faces the generals 
 and cavaliers, physicians and priests, looked at this pale 
 and ghost-like being, who but a few moments before was 
 a king, and was now a clod of the valley. But no, Fred- 
 erick William was not yet dead; the breath that had 
 ceased returned to his breast. He opened his eyes once 
 more, and they were again full of intelligence. He or- 
 dered a glass to be given him, and looked at himself long 
 and attentively. 
 
 " I don't look as badly as I thought," said he, with the 
 last fluttering emotion of human vanity. " Feel my 
 pulse, doctor, and tell me how long I have still to live." 
 
 " Your majesty insists on knowing ? " 
 
 " I command you to tell me." 
 
 " Well, then, your majesty is about to die," said Ellert, 
 solemnly. 
 
 " How do you know it ? " he asked, composedly. 
 
 " By your wavering pulse, sire." 
 
 The king held his arm aloft, and moved his hand to 
 and fro. 
 
 " Oh, no," said he, " if my pulse were failing I could 
 not move my hand; if " 
 
 Suddenly he ceased speaking, and uttered a loud cry, 
 his uplifted arm sinking heavily to his side. 
 
 " Jesus, Jesus ! " murmured the king, " I live and die 
 in Thee. Thou art my trust." 
 
 The last fearful prayer died on his lips, the spirit had 
 flown, and Frederick was no longer a living, thinking 
 being, but senseless, powerless clay. 
 
 The prince royal conducted the weeping queen from 
 the apartment. The courtiers remained, but their fea- 
 tures were no longer sad and sympathetic, but grave and 
 thoughtful. The tragedy here was at an end, and all 
 were anxious to see the drama from which the curtain
 
 104 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 was now to be drawn in the apartments of the prince royal. 
 Frederick William had breathed his last, and was becom- 
 ing cold and stiff; he was only a corpse, with which one 
 had nothing more to do. 
 
 In unseemly haste they all crowded through the wide- 
 ly-opened folding doors of the death-chamber, and has- 
 tened into the ante-room that led to the young king's 
 apartments. 
 
 Who will be favored, who receive the first rays of the 
 rising sun? They all see a sunny future before them. 
 A new period begins, a period of splendor, abundance, 
 and joy; the king is young, and fond of display and gay 
 festivities; he is no soldier king, but a cavalier, a writer, 
 and a learned man. Art and science will bloom, gal- 
 lantry and fashion reign; the corporal's baton is broken, 
 the flute begins her soft, melodious reign. 
 
 Thus thought all these waiting courtiers who were as- 
 sembled in the young king's ante-chamber. Thus thought 
 the grand chamberlain Pollnitz, who stood next to the 
 door that led to the chamber within. Yes, a new period 
 must commence for him; his would be a brilliant future, 
 for the prince royal had always been loving and gracious 
 to him, and the young king must remember that it was 
 Pollnitz who induced Frederick William to pay the 
 prince's debts. The king must remember this, and, for 
 the services he had rendered, raise him to honor and dig- 
 nity; he must be the favorite, the envied, feared, and 
 powerful favorite, before whom all should bend the knee 
 as to the king himself. The king was young, inexperi- 
 enced, and easily led; he had a warm heart, a rich im- 
 agination, and an ardent love of pleasure and splendor. 
 These qualities must be cultivated in the young king; 
 by these reins he would control him; and while intoxi- 
 cated with pleasure and delight, he lay on his sweet- 
 scented couch, strengthening himself for new follies, 
 Pollnitz would reign in his stead, and be the real king.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 105 
 
 These were no chimeras, no vain dreams, but a well- 
 considered plan, in which Pollnitz had a powerful abettor 
 in the person of Fredersdorf, chamberlain of the young 
 king, who had promised that he should be the first that 
 the king should call for. 
 
 For this reason Pollnitz stood nearest the door; for 
 this reason he so proudly regarded the courtiers who were 
 breathlessly awaiting the opening of that door. 
 
 There, the door opens, and Fredersdorf appears. 
 
 "Baron Pollnitz!" 
 
 " Here I am," exclaimed Pollnitz, casting a trium- 
 phant look at his companions, and following Fredersdorf 
 into the royal presence. 
 
 " Well, have I not kept my promise ? " said Freders- 
 dorf, as they passed through the first room. 
 
 " You have kept yours, and I will keep mine ; we will 
 reign together." 
 
 " Step in, the king is there," said Fredersdorf. 
 
 The young king stood at the window, his forehead 
 resting on the sash, sighing and breathing heavily, as if 
 oppressed. As he turned, Pollnitz noticed that his eyes 
 were red with weeping, and the courtier's heart misgave 
 him. 
 
 A young king, just come into power, and not intoxi- 
 cated by his brilliant fortune, but weeping for his father's 
 death! It augured ill for the courtier's plans. 
 
 " All hail and blessing to your majesty ! " exclaimed 
 Pollnitz, bowing with apparent enthusiasm to kiss the 
 king's robe. 
 
 The king stepped aside, motioned him off, and said, 
 with a slight smile, " Leave these ceremonies until the 
 coronation. I need you now for other things. You shall 
 be master of etiquette and ceremonies at my court, 
 and you will commence your duties by making the neces- 
 sary arrangements for my father's funeral. Unhappily, 
 I must begin my reign by disobeying my father's com- 
 8
 
 106 FEEDERICK THE GEEAT 
 
 mands. I cannot allow this simple and modest funeral 
 to take place. The world would not understand it, and 
 would accuse me of irreverence. No, he must be in- 
 terred with all the honors due to a king. That is my de- 
 sire; see that it is accomplished." 
 
 The grand chamberlain was dismissed, and passed out 
 of the royal chambers lost in contemplation of his com- 
 ing greatness, when, suddenly hearing his name, he 
 turned and perceived the king at the door. 
 
 " One thing more, Pollnitz," said the king, his eye 
 resting with a piercing expression on the smiling counte- 
 nance of the courtier ; " one thing more above all things, 
 no cheating, no bad jokes, no overrating, no accounts 
 written with double chalk. I will never forgive any 
 thing of this kind, remember that." 
 
 Without awaiting an answer, the king turned and 
 re-entered his room. 
 
 Baron Pollnitz stared after him with widely-distended 
 eyes; he felt as if a thunderbolt had destroyed his future. 
 
 This was not the extravagant, voluptuous, and con- 
 fiding monarch that Pollnitz had thought him, but a 
 sober, earnest, and frugal king, that even mistrusted and 
 saw through him, the wily old courtier. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 WE ARE KING. 
 
 Two days and nights had passed, and still no news 
 from the prince royal. King Frederick William still 
 lived, and the little court of Rheinsberg was consumed 
 with impatience and expectation. All means of dissi- 
 pation were exhausted. Time had laid aside its wing,
 
 AND HIS COURT. 107 
 
 and put on shoes of lead. She flew no longer, but 
 walked like an aged woman. How long an hour seems, 
 when you count the seconds! How terribly a day 
 stretches out when, with wakeful but wearied eyes, you 
 long for its close! 
 
 Kaiserling's wit and Chazot's merry humor, where are 
 they? Why is Bielfeld's ringing laugh and the flute of 
 Quantz silenced ? All is quiet, all are silent and waiting, 
 dreaming of the happiness in store for them, of the day 
 of splendor, power, and magnificence that will dawn 
 for the favorites and friends of the prince royal when 
 he ascends the throne. 
 
 Is it not a proud and delightful thing to be the con- 
 fidant and companion of a king to spend with him his 
 treasures and riches, to share with him the devotion 
 and applause of the people? 
 
 Until now they had been forced to disguise their 
 friendship and devotion for the prince royal. They 
 trembled for fear of exciting the king's anger, and were 
 in daily terror of being banished by him from the pres- 
 ence of their prince. 
 
 When the prince royal ascends the throne they will be 
 his powerful and influential favorites, and their favor 
 will be courted by all. They will be his co-regents, and 
 through and with him will rule the nation. 
 
 It is, therefore, not astonishing that they look for- 
 ward to his accession to the throne with longing and im- 
 patience; not astonishing that they curse these sluggish, 
 slowly-passing hours, and would fain have slept, slept on 
 until the great and blessed moment when they should be 
 awakened with the news that their friend Prince Fred- 
 erick had ascended the throne of his fathers, and was 
 King of Prussia. 
 
 In the midst of this excitement the princess royal 
 alone seemed quiet and unconstrained. She was calm 
 and composed; she knew that the events of the next few
 
 108 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 days would determine her whole life; she feared that her 
 happiness hung on the slender thread which bound the 
 dying king to life. 
 
 But Elizabeth Christine had a brave heart and a noble 
 soul; she had passed the night on her knees weeping and 
 praying, and her heart was full of misery. She had at 
 last become quiet and composed, and was prepared for 
 any thing, even for a separation from her husband. If 
 Frederick expressed such a wish, she was determined to 
 go. Where? Anywhere. Far, far away. Whichever 
 route she took, she was certain to reach her destination, 
 and this destination was the grave. If she could not live 
 with him, she would die ! She knew this, and knowing it, 
 she was tranquil, even happy. 
 
 " I invite all the ladies and gentlemen of the court to 
 spend the evening in my room," she said, on the second 
 day of this painful expectation ; " we will endeavor to im- 
 agine that the prince royal is in our midst, and pass the 
 hours in the usual manner; we will first go yachting; 
 afterwards we will all take tea together, and Baron Biel- 
 feld will read us a few chapters from the ' Henriade.' 
 We will then play cards, and finish the evening with a 
 dance. Does this programme meet with your approba- 
 tion ? " All murmured some words of assent and thanks, 
 but their faces were nevertheless slightly clouded. Per- 
 ceiving this, the princess royal said : " It seems that you 
 are not pleased, that my suggestion does not meet with 
 your approbation. Even the face of my little Louise von 
 Schwerin is clouded, and the countenance of my good 
 Countess Katsch no longer wears its pleasant smile. 
 Well, what is it? I must know. Baron Bielfeld, I ap- 
 point you speaker of this discontented community. 
 Speak, sir." 
 
 The baron smiled and sighed: "Your highness spoke 
 a few days since of your gift of prophecy, and in fact 
 you are a prophetess, and have seen through us. It is
 
 AND HIS COURT. 109 
 
 certainly a great happiness and a great honor to spend 
 the evening in the apartments of the princess royal. But 
 if your highness would allow us to ask a favor, it would 
 be that our exalted mistress would condescend to receive 
 us either in the garden saloon or music room, and not 
 in your private apartments ; for these apartments, beauti- 
 ful and magnificent as they are, have one great, one ter- 
 rible defect." 
 
 "Well," said the princess, as Bielfeld concluded, "I 
 am curious to know what this defect is. I believed my 
 rooms to be beautiful and charming; the prince royal 
 himself regulated their arrangement, and Pesne and 
 Buisson ornamented them with their most beautU 
 ful paintings. Quick then, tell me of this great de- 
 fect!" 
 
 "Your highness, your apartments are in the right 
 wing of the castle." The princess looked at him inquir- 
 ingly, astonishment depicted in her countenance, and 
 then laughed. 
 
 " Ah, now I see, my apartments are in the right wing 
 of the castle; that is, from there you cannot watch the 
 great bridge, over which all that come from Berlin or 
 Potsdam must pass. You are right, this is a great defect. 
 But the music-room is in the left wing, and from there 
 you can see both the bridge and the road. Let us, then, 
 adjourn to the music-room for our reading, and when it 
 becomes too dark to see, we will play cards in my apart- 
 ments." 
 
 They all followed the princess to the music-room, 
 where by chance or out of mischief the princess chose the 
 seat farthest from the window, and thus compelled the 
 company to assemble around her. As they followed her, 
 they all looked longingly through the window and to- 
 ward the bridge, over which the messenger of happiness 
 might at any moment pass. 
 
 Bielfeld took the book selected by the princess, and
 
 110 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 commenced reading. But how torturing it was to read, 
 to listen to these pathetic and measured Alexandrines 
 from the " Henriade," while perchance in this same hour 
 a new Alexander was placing the crown upon his young 
 and noble head ! In fact, but little was heard of these 
 harmonious verses. All looked stealthily toward the win- 
 dow, and listened breathlessly to every sound that came 
 from the road. Bielfeld suddenly ceased reading, and 
 looked toward the window. 
 
 " Why do you not read on ? " said the princess. 
 
 " Excuse me, I thought I saw a horse's head on the 
 bridge!" 
 
 Forthwith, as if upon a given signal, they all flew to 
 the windows; the princess herself, in the general commo- 
 tion, hastened to one. 
 
 Yes! Between the trees something was seen moving. 
 There it is coming on the bridge now! A peal of laugh- 
 ter resounded through the rooms. An ox! Count Biel- 
 f eld's courier had transformed himself into an ox! 
 
 They all stole back to their seat^ in confusion, and the 
 reading was recommenced. But it did not last long; 
 again Bielfeld came to a stop. 
 
 " Pardon me, your highness, but now there is positive- 
 ly a horse on the bridge." 
 
 Again they all rushed anxiously to the window. It 
 certainly was a horse, but its rider was not a royal mes- 
 senger, but a common peasant. 
 
 " I see," said the princess, laughing, " that we must 
 discontinue our reading. Let us walk in the left wing 
 of the garden, and as near the gate as possible." 
 
 " Will the sun never set ? " whispered Bielfeld to 
 Count Wartensleben, as they walked up and down. " I 
 fear another Joshua has arrested its course." 
 
 But it set at last; it was now evening, and still no 
 courier had passed the bridge. They accepted the prin- 
 cess' invitation, and hastened to her apartments and to
 
 AND HIS COURT. HI 
 
 the card-tables. And on this occasion, as heretofore, the 
 cards exercised a magic influence over the inhabitants of 
 Rheinsberg, for they were striving to win that, from the 
 want of which, not only the prince but all his courtiers 
 had so often suffered gold! Count Wartensleben had 
 lately arrived and brought with him a well-filled purse, 
 which Bielfeld, Kaiserling, and Chazot were anxious to 
 lighten. 
 
 The princess played with her maids of honor a game 
 called Trisset, in her boudoir, while the rest of the com- 
 pany, seated at several tables in the adjoining room, 
 played their beloved game of quadrille. The door sud- 
 denly opened, and a valet appeared. In passing the 
 table at which Count Wartensleben, Bielfeld, and several 
 ladies were playing, he stealthily showed them a letter 
 with a black seal, which he was about to deliver to the 
 princess. 
 
 " The king is then dead ! " murmured they, hastily 
 throwing their cards on the table; the counters fell to- 
 gether, but they looked at them in disdain. What cared 
 they for a few lost pennies, now that their prince had be- 
 come king? 
 
 Count Wartensleben arose and said in a solemn voice : 
 " I will be the first to greet the princess as queen, and I 
 will exert every effort to utter the word 'majesty' in a 
 full, resounding tone." 
 
 " I will follow you," said Bielfeld, solemnly. 
 
 And both advanced to the open door, through which 
 the princess could be seen still occupied in reading her 
 letter. She seemed unusually gay, and a bright smile 
 played upon her lips. Accidentally looking up, she per- 
 ceived the two cavaliers advancing slowly and solemnly 
 toward her. 
 
 "Ah, you know, then, that a courier has at last crossed 
 that fatal bridge, and you come for news of the prince 
 royal?"
 
 112 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Prince royal ? " repeated Wartensleben, in amaze- 
 ment. " Is he still the prince royal ? " 
 
 " You then thought he was king ! " exclaimed the 
 princess, " and came to greet me as your queen ? " 
 
 " Yes, your highness, and the word ' majesty ' was al- 
 ready on my lips." 
 
 They all laughed heartily, and jested over this mis- 
 take, but were nevertheless thankful when they were at 
 last dismissed and were allowed to retire to their rooms. 
 When entirely alone, the princess drew from her bosom 
 the letter she had received, to read it once more; she 
 cast a loving and tender glance at the characters his 
 hand had traced, and as her eyes rested on his signature, 
 she raised the paper to her lips and kissed it. 
 
 " Frederick," whispered she, " my Frederick, I love 
 you so deeply that I envy this paper which has been 
 touched by your hand, and upon which your glorious 
 eyes have rested. No, no," said she, " he will not cast 
 me off. Is it not written here ' In a few days I and the 
 people will greet you as Queen.' No, he could not be so 
 cruel as to set the crown on my head, and then cover it 
 with ashes. If he acknowledges me as his wife and 
 queen before his people, and before Germany, it must be 
 his intentioH never to disown me, but to let me live on by 
 his side. Oh, he must surely know how truly I love him, 
 although I have never had the courage to tell him so. 
 My tears and my sighs must have whispered to him the 
 secret of my love, and he will have compassion with a 
 poor wife who asks but to be permitted to adore and 
 worship him. And who knows but that he may one 
 day be touched by this great love, that he will one day 
 raise up the poor woman who now lies trembling at his 
 feet, and press her to his bosom. Oh, that this may 
 be so, my God ; let it be, and then let me die ! " 
 
 She sank back on her couch, and, pressing the letter 
 to her lips, whispered softly : " Good-night, Frederick,
 
 AND HIS COURT. 113 
 
 my Frederick ! " She smiled sweetly as she slept. Per- 
 haps she was dreaming of him. 
 
 A deep silence soon reigned throughout the castle. 
 All the lights were extinguished. Sleep spread its wings 
 over all these impatient and expectant hearts, and fanned 
 them into forgetfulness and peaceful rest. 
 
 All slept, and now the long-expected courier is at last 
 passing over the bridge, which trembled beneath his 
 horse's feet, but none hear him, all are sleeping so sound- 
 ly. His knocks resound through the entire castle. It is 
 the herald of the new era, which sheds its first bright 
 morning rays over the evening of the dark and gloomy 
 past. 
 
 Now all are awake, and running to and fro through 
 the halls, each one burning with eagerness to proclaim 
 the joyful news : " Frederick is no longer prince royal. 
 Frederick is king and the ruler of Prussia ! " 
 
 Bielfeld is awakened by a loud knocking; he springs 
 hastily out of bed and opens the door to his friend 
 Knobelsdorf . " Up, up, my friend," exclaims the latter. 
 " Dress quickly. We must go down and congratulate the 
 queen; we must be ready to accompany her immediately 
 to Berlin. Frederick William is dead, and we will now 
 reign in Prussia." 
 
 ." Ah, another fairy tale," said Bielfeld dressing has- 
 tily ; " a fairy tale, by which we have been too often de- 
 ceived to believe in its truth." 
 
 " No, no, this time it is true. The king is dead, quite 
 dead ! Jordan has received orders to embalm the corpse, 
 and once in his hands, it will never come to life again." 
 
 Bielfeld being now ready, the two friends hurried to 
 the ante-chamber that led to the princess royal's apart- 
 ments. The entire court of the new queen had assembled 
 in this chamber, and they were endeavoring to suppress 
 their joy and delight, and to look grave and earnest in 
 consideration of the solemnity of the occasion. They
 
 114 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 conversed in whispers, for the bed-chamber of the prin- 
 cess was next to this room, and she still slept. 
 
 " Yes, the princess royal sleeps, but when she awakes 
 she will be a queen! She must be awakened, to receive 
 her husband's letter." 
 
 The Countess Katsch, with two of .Elizabeth's maids of 
 honor, entered her bed-chamber, well armed with smell- 
 ing-bottles and salts. Elizabeth Christine still slept. But 
 on so important an occasion the sleep even of a princess 
 was not considered sacred. The countess drew back the 
 curtains, and Elizabeth was awakened by the bright glar- 
 ing light. She looked inquiringly at Ihe countess, who 
 approached her with a low and solemn courtesy. 
 
 " Pardon me for waking your majesty '' 
 
 "Majesty, why 'your majesty?'" said the princess, 
 quickly. " Has another ox or horse crossed the fatal 
 bridge?" 
 
 " Yes, your majesty, but it was Baron Villich's horse, 
 and he brought the news that King Frederick William 
 expired yesterday at Potsdam. I have a smelling-bottle 
 here, your majesty; allow me to hold " 
 
 The young queen pushed back the smelling-bottle; 
 she did not feel in the least like fainting, and her heart 
 beat higher. 
 
 " And has the baron brought no letter for me ? " said 
 she, breathlessly. 
 
 "Here is a letter, your majesty." 
 
 The queen hastily broke the seal. It contained but a 
 few lines, but they were in her husband's handwriting, 
 and were full of significance. To her these few lines in- 
 dicated a future full of splendor, happiness, and love. 
 The king called her to share with him the homage of his 
 subjects. It is true there was not a word of tenderness 
 or love in the letter, but the king called her to his side; 
 he called her his wife. 
 
 Away, then, away to Berlin, where her husband was
 
 AND HIS COURT. 115 
 
 awaiting her; where the people would greet her as their 
 queen; where a new world, a new life would unfold itself 
 before her; a life of proud enjoyment! For Elizabeth 
 will be the queen, the wife of Frederick. Away, then, to 
 Berlin ! 
 
 The queen received the congratulations of her court 
 in the music-room. And now to Berlin, where a new sun 
 has risen, a King Frederick the Second ! 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 ROYAL GRACE AND ROYAL DISPLEASURE. 
 
 THE cannon thundered, the bells rang loudly and 
 merrily; the garrison in Berlin took the oath, as the gar- 
 rison in Potsdam had done the day before. 
 
 The young king held his first great court to-day in 
 the White Saloon. From every province, from every 
 State, from every corporation, deputations had arrived to 
 look upon the long-hoped-for king, the liberator from op- 
 pression, servitude, and famine. Delight and pure un- 
 qualified joy reigned in every heart, and those who looked 
 upon the features of Frederick, illuminated with kindli- 
 ness and intellect, felt that for Prussia it was the dawn- 
 ing of a new era. 
 
 But who was called to assist in organizing this new 
 movement? Whom had the king chosen from amongst 
 his friends and servants? whom had he set aside? upon 
 whom would he revenge himself? Truth to tell, there 
 were many now standing in the White Saloon who had 
 often, perhaps, in obedience to the king's command, 
 brought suffering and bitter sorrow upon the prince 
 royal; many were there who had humbled him, misused
 
 116 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 his confidence, and often brought down his father's rage 
 and scorn upon him. 
 
 Will the king remember these things, now that he has 
 the power to punish and revenge his wrongs? Many had 
 entered the White Saloon trembling with anxiety; timid- 
 ly keeping in the distance; glad that the eye of the king 
 did not rest upon them ; glad to slip unseen into a corner. 
 
 But nothing escaped the eye of Frederick; he had re- 
 marked the group standing in the far-off window; he 
 understood full well their restless, disturbed, and anxious 
 glances. A pitiful and sweet smile spread over his noble 
 features, an expression of infinite gentleness illumined 
 his face; with head erect he drew near to this group, who, 
 with the instinct of a common danger, pressed more close- 
 ly together, and awaited their fate silently. 
 
 Who had so often and so heavily oppressed the prince 
 as Colonel Derchau? who had mocked at him and perse- 
 cuted him so bitterly? who had carried out the harsh 
 commands of the king against him so unrelentingly? It 
 was Derchau and Grumbkow who presided at the first 
 cruel trial of " Captain Fritz," and had repeated to him 
 the hard and threatening words of the king. " Captain 
 Fritz " had wept with rage, and sworn to revenge himself 
 upon these cruel men. Will the king remember the oath 
 of the captain? The king stood now near the colonel; 
 his clear eye was fixed upon him. This man, who had 
 prepared for him so many woes, now stood with bowed 
 head and loudly-beating heart, completely in his power. 
 Suddenly, with a rash movement, the king extended his 
 hand, and said, mildly: 
 
 " Good-day, Derchau." It was the first time in seven 
 years that Frederick had spoken to him, and this simple 
 greeting touched his heart; he bowed low, and as he 
 kissed the outstretched hand, a hot tear fell upon it. 
 " Colonel Derchau," said the king, " you were a faithful 
 and obedient servant to my royal father; you have punc-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 117 
 
 tually followed his wishes and given him unconditional 
 obedience. It becomes me to reward my father's faithful 
 subject. From to-day you are a major-general." 
 
 As the king turned, his eye fell upon the privy coun- 
 cillor Von Eckert, and the mild and conciliating expres- 
 sion vanished from his features; he looked hard and 
 stern. 
 
 " Has the coat-of-anns been placed upon the house in 
 Jager Street?" said the king. 
 
 " No, your majesty." 
 
 " Then I counsel you not to have it done ; this house 
 is the property of the crown, and it shall not be sacrificed 
 by such folly. Go home, and there you will receive my 
 commands." 
 
 Pale and heart-broken, Eckert glided from the group; 
 mocking laughter followed his steps through the sa- 
 loons; no one had a word of regret or pity for him; no 
 one remembered their former friendship and oft-repeated 
 assurances of service and gratitude. He passed trem- 
 blingly through the palace; as he reached the outer door, 
 Pollnitz stepped before him; a mocking smile played 
 upon his lips, and his glance betrayed all the hatred 
 which he had been compelled to veil or conceal during 
 the life of Frederick William. 
 
 "Now," said he, slowly, "will you send me the wine 
 which you promised from your cellar? You under- 
 stand, the wine from your house in Jager Street, for 
 which I arranged the coat-of-arms ! Ah, those were 
 charming days, my dear privy councillor! You have 
 often broken your word of honor to me, often slandered 
 me, and brought upon me the reproaches of the king. 
 I have, however, reason to be thankful to you; this house 
 which you have built in Jager Street is stately and hand- 
 some, and large enough for a cavalier of my pretensions. 
 You have, also, at the cost of the king, furnished it with 
 such princely elegance that it is in all things an appro-
 
 118 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 priate residence for a cavalier. Do you not remember my 
 description of such a house? The king called it then a 
 Spanish air-castle. You, great-hearted man, have made 
 my castle in the air a splendid reality, and now that it is 
 finished and furnished, you will, in your magnanimity, 
 leave that house to me. I shall be your heir ! You know, 
 my dear Eckert, that the privy councillor is dead, and 
 only the chimney-builder lives; and even the adroit 
 chimney-builder is banished from Berlin, and must re- 
 main twenty miles away from his splendid home. But 
 tell me, Eckert, when one of my chimneys smokes, may 
 I not send a messenger to you, will you not promise me to 
 come and put things in order for me ? " 
 
 Eckert muttered some confused words, and tried to 
 force Pollnitz from the door, before which the hard- 
 hearted, spiteful courtier had placed himself, like the 
 angel with the avenging sword. 
 
 "You wish to go," said he, with assumed kindliness. 
 " Oh, without doubt you wish to see the royal commands 
 now awaiting you at your house. I can tell you literally 
 the sentence of the king: you have lost your office, your 
 income, your rank, and you are banished from Berlin! 
 that is all. The king, as you see, has been gracious; he 
 could have had you executed, or sent to Spandau for life, 
 but he would not desecrate his new reign with your blood. 
 For this reason was he gracious." 
 
 "Let me pass," said Eckert, trembling, and pale as 
 death. " I am choking ! let me out ! " 
 
 Pollnitz still held him back. " Do you not know, 
 good man, that a thousand men stand below in the court- 
 yard? do you not hear their shouts and rejoicings? Well, 
 these hurrahs will be changed into growls of rage when 
 the people see you, my dear Eckert; in their wild wrath 
 they might mistake you for a good roast, with which to 
 quiet their hunger. You know that the people are 
 hungry; you, who filled the barns of the king with grain,
 
 AND HIS COURT. 119 
 
 and placed great locks and bars upon the doors, lest the 
 people, in their despairing hunger, might seize upon the 
 corn! You even swore to the king that the people had 
 enough, and did not need his corn or his help! Listen, 
 the people shout again; I will not detain you. Go and 
 look upon this happy people. The king has opened the 
 granaries and scattered bread far and wide, and the tax 
 upon meal is removed for a month.* Go, dear Eckert, 
 go and see how happy the people are ! " 
 
 With a wild curse Eckert sprang from the door; Poll- 
 nitz followed him with a mocking glance. " Revenge is 
 sweet," he said, drawing a long breath ; " he has often 
 done me wrong, and now I have paid him back with usury. 
 Eckert is lost. Would that I had his house! I must 
 have it! I will have it! Oh, I will make myself abso- 
 lutely necessary to the king; I will flatter, I will praise, I 
 will find out and fulfil his most secret, his unspoken wishes. 
 I will force him to give me his confidence to make me 
 his mattre de plaisir. Yes, yes, the house in Jager Street 
 shall be mine! I have sworn it, and Fredersdorf has 
 promised me his influence. And now to the king; I 
 must see for myself if this young royal child can, like 
 Hercules in his cradle, destroy serpents on the day of his 
 birth ; or, if he is a king, like all other kings, overcome by 
 flattery, idle and vain, knowing or acknowledging no laws 
 over himself, but those of his own conscience and his 
 bon plaisir. But hark ! that is the king's voice ; to whom 
 is he speaking ? " 
 
 Pb'llnitz hastened into the adjoining room; the king 
 was standing in the midst of his ministers, and a deputa- 
 tion of magistrates of Berlin, and was in the act of dis- 
 missing them. 
 
 " I command you," said the king, in conclusion, turn- 
 ing to his ministers^ " as often as you think it necessary 
 to make any changes in my orders and regulations, to 
 
 * See King's " History of Berlin," vol. v. The king's own words.
 
 120 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 make known your opinions to me freely, and not to be 
 weary in so doing; I may, unhappily, sometimes lose 
 sight of the true interests of my subjects; I am resolved 
 that whenever in future my personal interest shall seem 
 to be contrary to the welfare of my people, their happi- 
 ness shall receive the first consideration." 
 
 " Alas, it will be very difficult to tame this youthful 
 Hercules ! " murmured Pollnitz, glancing toward the 
 king, who was just leaving the apartment; "the serpents 
 that we will twine about him must be strong and allur- 
 ing; now happily Fredersdorf and myself are acquainted 
 with some such serpents, and we will take care that he 
 finds them in his path." 
 
 In the mean time the king had left the reception- 
 room, and retired to his private apartments, where the 
 friends and confidants from Rheinsberg awaited him 
 with hopeful hearts. They were all ready to receive the 
 showers of gold, which, without doubt, would rain down 
 upon them. They were all convinced that the young 
 king would lay upon them, at least, a corner of the mantle 
 of ermine and purple with which his shoulders should 
 be adorned. They alone would be chosen to aid in bear- 
 ing the burden of his kingly crown and royal sceptre. 
 They were all dreaming of ambassadorships, presidencies, 
 and major-generals' epaulettes. 
 
 As the king entered, they received him with loud cries 
 of joy. The Margrave Henry, who had often borne a 
 part in the gay fetes at Rheinsberg, hastened to greet the 
 king with gay, witty words, and both hands extended. 
 Frederick did not respond to this greeting; he did not 
 smile; looking steadily at the Margrave, he stepped back 
 and said : 
 
 " Monsieur, now I am the king ; no longer the gar- 
 dener at Rheinsberg." The king rea'ti the pained aston- 
 ishment in the faces of his friends who, one moment be- 
 fore, had been so hopeful, so assured; he advanced and
 
 AND HIS COURT. 121 
 
 said, in a kindly tone, " We are no longer in Rheinsberg. 
 The beautiful proverb of Horace belongs to our past 
 ' Folly is sweet in its season.' There I was the gardener 
 and the friend here I am the king; here all must work, 
 and each one must use his talents and his strength in the 
 service of the State, and thus prove to the people that 
 the prince had reason to choose him for a friend." 
 
 " And may I also be a partaker of that grace and be 
 counted amongst the friends of the king ? " said the old 
 Prince of Anhalt Dessau, who, with his two sons, had 
 just entered and heard the last words of Frederick; "will 
 your majesty continue to me and my sons the favor which 
 your ever-blessed father granted to us during so many 
 long and happy years? Oh, your majesty, I beseech you 
 to be gracious to us, and grant us the position and in- 
 fluence which we have so long enjoyed." So saying, the 
 old prince bent his knee to his youthful monarch. The 
 king bowed his head thoughtfully, and a smile played 
 upon his lips; he gave his hand to the prince, and com- 
 manded him to rise. 
 
 " I will gladly leave you your place and income, for I 
 am sure you will serve me as faithfully and zealously as 
 you did my father. As regards the position and in- 
 fluence which you desire, I say to you all, no man under 
 my reign will have position but I myself, and not even my 
 best friend will exercise the slightest influence over me." 
 
 The friends from Rheinsberg turned pale, and ex- 
 changed stolen glances with each other. There was no 
 more jesting; the hand of ice had been laid upon their 
 beating hearts, and the wings of hope were broken. The 
 king did not seem to remark the change ; he drew near to 
 his friend Jordan, and taking his arm, walked to the win- 
 dow, and spoke with him long and earnestly. 
 
 The courtiers and favorites looked after their happy 
 friend with envious glances, and observed every shade 
 in the countenances of the king and Jordan. The king 
 9
 
 122 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 was calm, but an expression of painful surprise settled 
 like a cloud upon Jordan. Now the king left the win- 
 dow, and called Bielfeld to him; spoke with him also 
 long and gravely, and then dismissed him, and nodded to 
 Chazot to join him; lastly he took the arm of the Duke of 
 Wartensleben, and walked backward and forward, chat- 
 ting with him. The duke was radiant with joy, but the 
 other courtiers looked suspicious and lowering ; with none 
 of them had he spoken so long; no other arm had he so 
 familiarly taken. It was clear that Wartensleben was 
 the declared favorite of the king; he had driven them 
 from the field. 
 
 The king observed all this; he had read the envy, 
 malice, rage, and melancholy in the faces of his friends; 
 he knew them all too well; had too long observed them, 
 not to be able to read their thoughts. It had pleased him 
 to sport awhile with these small souls, so filled with sel- 
 fishness, envy, and every evil passion; he wished to give 
 them a lesson, and bring them down from their dizzy 
 and imaginary heights to the stern realities of life. The 
 king had used Wartensleben as his instrument for this 
 purpose, and now must the poor duke's wings be clipped. 
 The mounting waves of his ambition must be quieted by 
 the oil of truth. 
 
 " Yes," said the king, " I am the ruler of a kingdom ; 
 I have a great army and a well-filled treasury, you can- 
 not doubt that it is my highest aim to make my country 
 blossom as the rose; to uphold the reputation of my 
 army, and to make the best use of my riches. The gold 
 is there to circulate; it is there to reward those who 
 faithfully serve their fatherland; but above all other 
 things it is there for those who are truly my friends." 
 
 The features of the young duke were radiant with ex- 
 pectation; as the king saw this, a mocking smile flashed 
 from his eye. 
 
 "I will, however, naturally know how to distinguish
 
 AND HIS COURT. 123 
 
 between my friends, and those who do not need gold will 
 not receive it. You, for example, my dear duke, are enor- 
 mously rich; you will content yourself, therefore, with 
 my love, as you will naturally never receive a dollar from 
 me." So speaking, he nodded kindly to the duke, passed 
 into the next room, and closed the door behind him. 
 Grave and dumb, the friends from Rheinsberg gazed upon 
 each other; each one regarded the other as his successful 
 rival, and thought to see in him what he had not become 
 a powerful favorite, a minister, or general. All felt 
 their love growing cold, and almost hated the friends who 
 stood in their way. Jordan was the first who broke si- 
 lence. Reaching his hand to Bielfeld, he said: 
 
 " It must not be thought that disappointed hopes have 
 hardened our hearts, and that envy blinds us to the ad- 
 vantages of our friends. I love you, Bielfeld, because of 
 your advantages and talents; and I understand full well 
 why the king advances you before me. Receive also 
 my good wishes, and be assured that from the heart I re- 
 joice in your success." 
 
 Bielfeld looked amazed. " My success ! " said he. 
 " Dear friend, you need not be envious ; and as to my ad- 
 vancement, it is so small an affair that I can scarcely 
 find it. The king said he intended me for a diplomatist, 
 but that I needed years of instruction. With this view 
 he had selected me to accompany Duke Triickfess to 
 Hanover. When I returned from there, I would receive 
 further orders. This is my promotion, and you must con- 
 fess I make a small beginning. But you, dear Jordan, 
 what important position have you received? You are 
 the king's dearest friend, and he has without doubt ad- 
 vanced you above us all. I acknowledge that you merit 
 this. Tell us also what are you ? " 
 
 "Yes," cried they all eagerly, "what are you? Are 
 you minister of State or minister of Church affairs ? " 
 
 " What am I ? " cried Jordan, laughing. " I will tell
 
 124 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 you, my friends. I am not minister of Church affairs ; I 
 am not minister of State. I am ah, you will never 
 guess what I am I belong to the police! I must re- 
 move the beggars from the streets of Berlin, and found a 
 workhouse for them. Now, dear friends, am I not en- 
 viable ? " For a moment all were silent ; then every eye 
 was fixed upon Wartensleben. 
 
 " And you, dear duke, are you made happy ? You 
 have cut open the golden apple ; you have the longed-for 
 portfolio." 
 
 " I ! " cried the duke, half angry, half merry. " I 
 have nothing, and will receive nothing. I will tell you 
 what the king said to me. He assured me earnestly and 
 solemnly that I was rich enough, and would never re- 
 ceive a dollar from him." 
 
 At this announcement they all broke out in uproari- 
 ous laughter. " Let us confess," taid Bielfeld, " that we 
 have played to-day a rare comedy a farce which Molicre 
 might have written, and which must bear the title of 
 La Journee des Dupes. Now, as we have none of us be- 
 come distinguished, let us all be joyful and love each 
 other dearly. But listen! the king plays the flute; how 
 soft, how melting is the sound ! " 
 
 Yes, the king played the flute; he cast out with those 
 melodious strains the evil spirit of ennui which the tire- 
 some etiquette of the day had brought upon him. He 
 played the flute to recover himself to regain his cheerful 
 spirit and a clear brow. Soon he laid it aside, and his 
 eye rested upon the unopened letters and papers with 
 which the table was covered. Yes, he must open all 
 these letters, and answer them himself, he alone. No- 
 body should do his work; all should work only through 
 him; no one should decree or command in Prussia but 
 the king. Every thing should flow from him. He would 
 be the heart and soul of his country. 
 
 Frederick opened and read the letters, and wrote the
 
 AND HIS COURT. 125 
 
 answer on the margin of the paper, leaving it to the secre- 
 tary to copy. And now the work was almost done; the 
 paper with the great seal, which he now opened, was the 
 last. 
 
 This waa a declaration from the Church department, 
 which announced that, through the influence of the 
 Catholic schools in Berlin, many Protestants had be- 
 come Catholics. Did not his majesty think it best to 
 close these schools? A pitiful smile played upon the lips 
 of Frederick as he read. " And they say they believe in 
 one God, and their priests and ministers preach Christian 
 forbearance and Christian love, while they know nothing 
 of either. They have not God, but the Church, always 
 before their eyes; they are intolerant in their hearts, im- 
 perious, and full of cunning. I will bend them, and 
 break down their assumed power. My whole life will be 
 a battle with priests; they will mock at me, and call me 
 a heretic. Let the Church be ever against me, if my own 
 conscience absolves me. Now I will begin the war, and 
 what I now write will be a signal of alarm in the tents 
 of all the pious priests." 
 
 He took up the paper again and wrote on the margin, 
 " All religions shall be tolerated. The magistrates must 
 have their eyes open, and see that no sect imposes on an- 
 other. In Prussia each man shall be saved in his own 
 way." * 
 
 * Biwching. The king's word*.
 
 120 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 BOOK II. 
 CHAPTEK I. 
 
 THE GARDEN OF MONBIJOU. 
 
 THE excitement of the first days was quieted. The 
 young king had withdrawn for a short time to the palace 
 in Charlottenburg, while his wife remained in Berlin, 
 anxiously expecting an invitation to follow her husband. 
 
 But the young monarch appeared to have no care or 
 thought but for his kingdom. He worked and studied 
 without interruption; even his beloved flute was un- 
 touched. 
 
 Berlin was, according to etiquette, draped with mourn- 
 ing for a few days; it served in this instance as a veil 
 to the joy with which all looked forward to the coronation 
 of the new king. All appeared earnest and solemn, but 
 every heart was joyful and every eye beaming. The pal- 
 ace of the king was silent and deserted; the king was, 
 as we have said, at Charlottenburg; the young queen was 
 in the palace formerly occupied by the prince royal, and 
 the dowager queen Sophia Dorothea had retired with the 
 two princesses, Ulrica and Amelia, to the palace of Mon- 
 bijou. All were anxious and expectant; all hoped for in- 
 fluence and honor, power and greatness. The scullion 
 and the maids, as well as the counts and princes, and 
 even the queen herself, dreamed of happy and glorious 
 days in the future.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 127 
 
 Sophia Dorothea had been too long a trembling, sub- 
 jugated woman; she was rejoicing in the thought that 
 she might at length be a queen. Her son would doubtless 
 grant to her all the power which had been denied her by 
 her husband; he would remember the days of tears and 
 bitterness which she had endured for his sake; and now 
 that the power was in his hands she would be repaid a 
 thousandfold. The young king would hold the sceptre in 
 his hands, but he must allow his mother to aid in keeping 
 it upright; and if he found it too weighty, the queen was 
 ready to bear it for him, and reign in his stead, while her 
 dreamy son wrote poems, or played on the flute, or phi- 
 losophized with his friends. Frederick was certainly not 
 formed to rule; he was a poet and a philosopher; he 
 dreamed of a Utopia; he imagined an ideal which it was 
 impossible to realize. The act of ruling would be a 
 weary trial to him, and the sounds of the trumpet but ill 
 accord with his harmonious dreams. 
 
 But happily his mother was there, and was willing to 
 reign for him, to bear upon her shoulders the heavy 
 burdens and cares of the kingdom, to work with the 
 ministers, while the king wrote poetical epistles to Vol- 
 taire. 
 
 Why should not Sophia Dorothea reign? Were there 
 not examples in all lands of noble women who governed 
 their people well and honorably? Was not England 
 proud of her Elizabeth, Sweden of her Christina, Spain 
 of Isabella, Russia of Catharine? and even in Prussia 
 the queen Sophia Charlotte had occupied a great and 
 glorious position. Why could not Sophia Dorothea ac- 
 complish as much or even more than her predecessor? 
 
 These were the thoughts of the queen as she walked 
 up and down the shady paths of the garden of Monbijou, 
 and listened with a proud smile to the flattering words 
 of Count Manteuffel, who had just handed her a letter 
 of condolence from the Empress of Austria.
 
 128 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Her majesty the empress has sent me a most loving 
 and tender letter to-day," said the dowager queen, with 
 an ironical smile. 
 
 " She has then only given expression to-day, to those 
 sentiments which she has always entertained for your 
 majesty," said the count, respectfully. 
 
 The queen bowed her head smilingly, but said, " The 
 houses of Hohenzollern and Hapsburg have never been 
 friendly; it is not in their nature to love one another." 
 
 " The great families of Gapulet and Montague said 
 the same," remarked Count Manteuffel, " but the anger 
 of the parents dissolved before the love of the children." 
 
 " But we have not arrived at the children," said the 
 queen proudly, as she thought how her husband had been 
 deceived by the house of Austria, and recalled that, on 
 his death-bed he had commanded his son Frederick to 
 revenge those treacheries. 
 
 " Pardon me, your majesty, if I dare to contradict 
 you; we have most surely arrived at the children, and the 
 difficulties of the parents are forgotten in their love. Is 
 not the wife of the young king the deeply-loved niece of 
 the Austrian empress ? " 
 
 " She was already his wife, count, as my husband 
 visited the emperor in Bohemia, and it was not con- 
 sidered according to etiquette for the emperor to offer his 
 hand to the King of Prussia." * 
 
 " She was, however, not his wife when Austria, by her 
 repeated and energetic representations, saved the life of 
 the prince royal. For your majesty knows that at one 
 time that precious life was threatened." 
 
 " It was threatened, but it would have been preserved 
 without the assistance of Austria; for the mother of 
 Frederick was at hand, and that mother was sister to the 
 King of England." And the queen cast on the count 
 so proud and scornful a glance that his eyes fell involun-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 129 
 
 tarily to the ground. Sophia Dorothea saw this, and 
 smiled. This was her triumph; she would now show her- 
 self mild and forgiving. " We will speak no more of the 
 past," she said, in a friendly manner. " The death of my 
 husband has cast a dark cloud over it, and I must think 
 only of the future, that my son, the young king, may not 
 always behold me with tears in my eyes. No, I will look 
 forward, for I have a great presentiment that Prussia's 
 future will be great and glorious." 
 
 " Would that it might be thus for the whole of Ger- 
 many ! " cried the count. " It must be so, if the houses 
 of Hohenzollern and Hapsburg will forget their ancient 
 quarrels, and live together in love and peace." 
 
 " Let Hapsburg extend to us the hand of love and 
 peace; show us her sympathy, her justice, and her grati- 
 tude, in deeds, not words." 
 
 " Austria is prepared to do so, your majesty ! the 
 question is, whether Prussia will grasp her hand and 
 place upon it the ring of love." 
 
 The queen glanced up so quickly that she perceived 
 the dark and threatening look of the count. " Austria is 
 again making matrimonial plans," she said, with a bitter 
 smile. " She is not satisfied with one marriage, such as 
 that of her imperial niece, she longs for a repetition of 
 this master-work. But this time, count, there is no dear 
 one to be saved at any cost from a prison, this time the 
 decision can be deferred until the arrival of all the cou- 
 riers." And the queen, dismissing the count with a slight 
 bow, recalled her ladies of honor, who were lingering 
 at a short distance, and passed into one of the other 
 walks. 
 
 Count Manteuffel remained where the queen had left 
 him, looking after her with an earnest and thoughtful 
 countenance. " She is prouder and more determined 
 than formerly," he murmured ; " that is a proof that she 
 will be influential, and knows her power. What she said
 
 130 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 of the courier was without doubt an allusion to the one 
 who arrived an hour too late, with the consent of Eng- 
 land, on the betrothal day of the prince royal. Ah! 
 there must be other couriers en route, and one of them 
 was most probably sent to England. We must see that 
 he arrives an hour too late, as the former one did." At 
 this instant, and in his immediate vicinity, Manteuffel 
 heard a soft and melodious voice saying, " No, count, you 
 can never make me believe in your love. You are much 
 too blond to love deeply." 
 
 " Blond ! " cried a manly voice, with a tone of horror. 
 " You do not like fair hair, and until now I have been 
 so proud of mine. But I will have it dyed black, if you 
 will promise to believe in my love." The lady replied 
 with a light laugh, which brought an answering smile 
 to the countenance of Count Manteuffel. " It is my 
 ally, Madame von Brandt," he said to himself. " I was 
 most anxious to see her, and must interrupt her tender 
 tete-a-tete with Count Voss for one moment." So speak- 
 ing, the count hurried to the spot from which he had 
 heard the voices of Madame von Brandt and her lan- 
 guishing lover. The count approached the lady with 
 the most delighted countenance, and expressed his as- 
 tonishment at finding his beautiful friend in the garden 
 of the dowager queen. 
 
 " Her majesty did me the honor to invite me to spend 
 a few weeks here," said Madame von Brandt. " She 
 knew that my physician had ordered me to the country, 
 as the only means to restore my health ; and as she knows 
 of my great intimacy with Mademoiselle von Pannewitz, 
 one of her ladies of honor, she was so kind as to offer me 
 a few rooms at Monbijou. Now I have explained to you 
 the reason of my presence here as minutely as if you 
 were my father confessor, and nothing remains to be done 
 but to present you to my escort. This is Count Voss, a 
 noble cavalier, a sans peur et sans reproche, ready to
 
 AND HIS COURT. 131 
 
 sacrifice for his lady love, if not his life, at least his fair 
 hair." 
 
 " Beware, my dear count," said Manteuffel, laughing, 
 " beware that the color of your hair is not changed by 
 this lovely scoffer that it does not become a venerable 
 gray. She is sufficiently accomplished in the art of 
 enchantment to do that; I assure you that Madame von 
 Brandt plays a most important role in the history of my 
 gray hairs." 
 
 " Ah ! it would be delightful to become gray in the 
 service of Madame von Brandt," said the young count, 
 in so pathetic a tone that his companions both laughed. 
 " As often as I look at my gray hair I would think of her." 
 And the young count gazed into the distance, like one en- 
 tranced, and his smiling lips whispered low, unintelligible 
 words. 
 
 " This is one of his ecstatic moments," whispered 
 Madame von Brandt. "He has the whim to consider 
 himself an original; he imagines himself a Petrarch en- 
 amored of his Laura. We will allow him to dream 
 awhile, and speak of our own affairs. But be brief, I beg 
 of you, for we must not be found together, as you are a 
 suspicious character, my dear count, and my innocence 
 might be doubted if we were seen holding a confidential 
 conversation." 
 
 " Ah, it is edifying to hear Madame von Brandt speak 
 like a young girl of sixteen, of her threatened innocence. 
 But we will tranquillize this timidity, and be brief. In 
 the first place, what of the young queen ? " 
 
 " State of barometer : cold and damp, falling weather, 
 stormy, with unfulfilled hopes, very little sunshine, and 
 very heavy clouds." 
 
 " That means that the queen is still fearful of being 
 slighted by her husband." 
 
 " She is no longer fearful he neglects her already. 
 The king is at Charlottenburg, and has not invited the
 
 132 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 queen to join him. As a husband, he slights his wife; 
 whether as king he will neglect his queen, only time will 
 reveal." 
 
 " And what of Madame von Morien ? " 
 
 " The king seems to have forgotten her entirely since 
 that unhappy quid pro quo with the poem at Rheinsberg; 
 his love seems to have cooled, and he converses with her 
 as harmlessly and as indifferently as with any other lady. 
 No more stolen words, secret embraces, or amorous siglxs. 
 The miserable Morien is consumed with sorrow, for since 
 she has been neglected she loves passionately." 
 
 " And that is unhappily not the means to regain that 
 proud heart," said Count Manteuffel, shrugging his 
 shoulders. " With tears and languishing she will lose her 
 influence, and only gain contempt. You who are the 
 mistress of love and coquetry should understand that, 
 and instruct your beautiful pupil. Now, however, comes 
 the most important question. What of the marriage of 
 the Prince Augustus William ? " 
 
 Madame von Brandt sighed. " You are really inex- 
 orable. Have you no compassion for the noble, heartfelt 
 love of two children, who are as pure and innocent as 
 the stars in heaven ? " 
 
 " And have you no compassion for the diamonds which 
 long to repose upon your lovely bosom?" said Count 
 Manteuffel ; " no compassion for the charming villa 
 which you could purchase? You positively refuse to ex- 
 cite the envy of all the ladies at court by possessing the 
 most costly cashmere? You will " 
 
 " Enough, Count Devil ! you are in reality more a 
 devil than a man, for you lead my soul into temptation. 
 I must submit. I will become a serpent, reposing on 
 the bosom of my poor Laura, poisoning her love and 
 lacerating her heart. Ah, count, if you knew how my 
 conscience reproaches me when I listen to the pure and 
 holy confession of her love, when trembling and blushing
 
 AND HIS COURT. 133 
 
 she whispers to me the secrets of her youthful heart, 
 and flies to me seeking protection against her own weak- 
 ness ! Remember that these two children love each other, 
 without ever having had the courage to acknowledge it. 
 Laura pretends not to understand the deep sighs and the 
 whispered words of the prince, and then passes the long 
 nights in weeping." 
 
 " If that is the case, it is most important to prevent an 
 understanding between these singular lovers. You must 
 exert all your influence with the young lady to induce her 
 to close this romance with an heroic act, which will make 
 her appear a holy martyr in the eyes of the prince." 
 
 " But, for example, what heroic act ? " 
 
 " Her marriage." 
 
 " But how can we find a man so suddenly to \*hom 
 this poor lamb can be sacrificed ? " 
 
 " There is one," said the count, pointing to Count 
 Voss, who appeared to have forgotten the whole world, 
 and was occupied writing verses in his portfolio. 
 
 Madame von Brandt laughed aloud. "He marry the 
 beautiful Laura ! " 
 
 " Yes," said the count, earnestly, " he seeks a Laura." 
 
 " Yes, but you forget that he considers me his Laura." 
 
 " You can, therefore, easily induce him to make this 
 sacrifice for you; he will be magnified in his own eyes, 
 if, in resigning you, he gives himself to the lady you 
 have selected." 
 
 " You are terrible," said Madame von Brandt. " I 
 shudder before you, for I believe you have no human 
 emotions in your heart of iron." 
 
 " There are higher and nobler considerations, to 
 which such feelings must yield. But see, the count has 
 finished his poem. To work now, my beautiful ally; to- 
 day you must perfect your masterpiece; and now, fare- 
 well," said the count, kissing her hand, as he left her 
 side.
 
 134 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 Madame von Brandt approached the young count, 
 who seemed to be again lost in thought. She placed her 
 hand lightly on his shoulder, and whispered, half tenderly, 
 half reproachfully, " Dreamer, where are your thoughts ? " 
 
 " With you," said the count, who trembled and grew 
 pale at her touch. " Yes, with you, noblest and dearest 
 of women; and as that tiresome gossip prevented me 
 from speaking to you, I passed the time he was here in 
 writing." 
 
 " But you did not remember," said she, tenderly, " that 
 you were compromising me before Count Manteuffel, 
 who will not hesitate to declare in what intimate relation- 
 ship we stand to one another. Only think of writing 
 without apology, while a lady and a strange gentleman 
 weroat your side ! " 
 
 " The world will only exclaim ' What an original ! ' ' 
 said Count Voss, with a foolish, but well-pleased smile. 
 
 " But it will also say that this original shows little 
 consideration for Madame von Brandt; that he must, 
 therefore, be very intimate with her. The reputation of 
 a woman is so easily injured; it is like the wing of the 
 butterfly, so soon as the finger touches it or points at it, 
 it loses its lustre; and we poor women have nothing but 
 our good name and unspotted virtue. It is the only 
 shield the only weapon that we possess against the 
 cruelty of man, and you seek to tear that from us, and, 
 then dishonored and humiliated, you tread us under 
 foot!" 
 
 " You are weeping ! " cried the count, looking at his 
 beloved, in whose eyes the tears really stood "you are 
 weeping! I am truly a great criminal to cause you to 
 shed tears." 
 
 " No, you are a noble but most thoughtless man," said 
 Madame von Brandt, smiling through her tears. "You 
 betray to the world what only God and we ourselves 
 should know."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 135 
 
 " Heavens ! what have I betrayed ? " cried the poor 
 frightened count. 
 
 " You have betrayed our love," whispered Madame 
 von Brandt, as she glanced tenderly at the count. 
 
 " What ! our love ? " he cried, beside himself with de- 
 light ; " you admit that it is not I alone who love ? " 
 
 " I admit it, but at the same time declare that we must 
 part." 
 
 " Never ! no, never ! No power on earth shall part 
 us," said he, seizing her hand, and covering it with 
 kisses. 
 
 " But there is a power which has the right to separate 
 us the power of my husband. He already suspects my 
 feelings for you, and he will be inexorable if he discovers 
 that his suspicions are correct." 
 
 " Then I will call him out, and he will fall by my 
 hand, and I shall bear you in triumph as my wife to my 
 castle." 
 
 " But if you should fall?" 
 
 " Ah ! I had not thought of that," murmured the 
 count, turning pale. " That would be certainly a most 
 unhappy accident. We will not tempt fate with this 
 trial, but seek another way out of our difficulty. Ah, I 
 know one already. You must elope with me." 
 
 She said, with a sad smile, " The arm of the king ex- 
 tends far and wide, and my husband would follow us with 
 his vengeance to the end of the world." 
 
 " But what shall we do ? " cried the count, despairing- 
 ly ; " we love each other ; separated, we must be con- 
 sumed with grief and sorrow. Ah! ah! shall I really 
 suffer the fate of Petrarch, and pass my life in an eternal 
 dirge ? Is there no way to prevent this ? " 
 
 Madame von Brandt placed her hand with a slight 
 but tender pressure on his. " There is one way," she 
 whispered, " a way to reassure, not only my husband, 
 but the whole world, which will cast a veil over our love,
 
 136 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 and protect us from the wickedness and calumny of 
 man." 
 
 " Show me this way," he exclaimed, " and if it should 
 cost half of my fortune I would walk in it, if I could 
 hope to gain your love." 
 
 She bent her head nearer to him, and, with a most 
 fascinating and tender glance, whispered, " You must 
 marry, count." 
 
 He withdrew a step, and uttered a cry of horror. " I 
 must marry! You desire it you who profess to love 
 me?" 
 
 "Because I love you, dearest, and because your 
 marriage will break the bands of etiquette which 
 divide us. You must marry a lady of my acquaintance, 
 perhaps one of my friends, and then no one, not 
 even my husband, will consider our friendship remarka- 
 ble." 
 
 " Oh ! I see it ; there is no other way," sighed the 
 count. " If I were only married now ! " 
 
 " Oh ! you ungrateful, faithless man," cried Madame 
 von Brandt, indignantly. " You long already for your 
 marriage with the beautiful young woman, in whose 
 love I shall be forgotten." 
 
 " Oh ! you are well aware that I only wish to be mar- 
 ried because you desire it." 
 
 " Prove this by answering that you will not refuse to 
 marry the lady I shall point out to you." 
 
 " I swear it." 
 
 " You swear that you will marry no other than the one 
 I name? You swear that you will overcome all obstacles, 
 and be withheld by no prayers or reproaches ? " 
 
 " I swear it." 
 
 " On the word of a count ? " 
 
 " On the word of a count. Show me the lady, and I 
 will marry her against the will of the whole world." 
 
 " But if the lady should not love you ? "
 
 AND HIS COURT. 137 
 
 " Why should I care ? Do I love her ? Do I not 
 marry her for your sake alone ? " 
 
 " Ah ! my friend," cried Madame von Brandt, " I see 
 that we understand one another. Come, and I will show 
 you your bride." 
 
 She placed her arm in his, and drew him away. Her 
 eye gleamed with a wild, menacing light, and she said 
 sneeringly to herself, " I have selected a rich husband for 
 my beautiful Laura, and have bartered my soul for dia- 
 monds and cashmeres, and the gratitude of an empress." 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 THE QUEEN'S MAID OF HONOR. 
 
 AFTER her interview with Count Manteuffel, the 
 queen Sophia Dorothea left the garden, and retired to her 
 chamber. She dismissed her maids of honor for a few 
 hours, requesting them to admit no one to her presence. 
 She wished to consider and develop her plans in undis- 
 turbed quiet. She felt that Austria was again prepared 
 to throw obstacles in the way of her favorite project an 
 English marriage for one of her children. She wished to 
 sharpen her weapons, and marshal her forces for the ap- 
 proaching combat. 
 
 For a few hours, therefore, the maids of honor were 
 free to follow their own inclinations, to amuse themselves 
 as they thought fit. 
 
 Laura von Pannewitz had declined accompanying the 
 other ladies in their drive. Her heart required solitude 
 and rest. For her it was a rare and great pleasure to 
 listen in undisturbed quiet to the sweet voices which whis- 
 pered in her heart, and suffused her whole being with de- 
 light. 
 
 10
 
 138 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 It was so sweet to dream of him to recall his words, 
 his smiles, his sighs; all those little shades and signs 
 which scorned so unimportant to the careless, but which 
 convey so much to the loving observer! 
 
 He had written to her yesterday, and she she had 
 had the cruel courage to return his letter unopened. But 
 she had first pressed it to her lips and to her heart with 
 streaming eyes, and had then fallen on her knees to pray 
 to God, and to implore him to give her strength and cour- 
 age to overcome her heart, to renounce his love. 
 
 Since then an entire day had passed, and she had not 
 seen him, had heard nothing of him. Oh, he must be 
 sad and very angry with her; he wished never to see her 
 again. And because he was angry, and wished to hold 
 himself aloof from her, he, the loving and attentive son, 
 had even neglected to pay the accustomed morning visit 
 to his royal mother, which he had never before omitted. 
 
 Her heart beating hurriedly, and weeping with an- 
 guish, Laura had been standing before her window curtain 
 awaiting him, and had prayed to God that she might see 
 ' him, or at least hear his voice in the distance. But the 
 prince did not arrive, and now the time had passed at 
 which he was accustomed to come. The queen had al- 
 ready retired to her study, and would admit no one. 
 
 Laura could, therefore, no longer hope to see the 
 prince Augustus William on this day. As she thought of 
 this, she felt as if a sword had pierced her bosom, and 
 despair took possession of her heart. She threw herself 
 on her knees, wrung her hands, and prayed to God, not 
 for strength and courage to renounce him as before, but 
 for a little sunshine on her sad and sorrowful love. Ter- 
 rified at her own prayer, she had then arisen from her 
 knees, and had hurried to the room of Madame von 
 Brandt, to take refuge from her own thoughts and sor- 
 rows in the bosom of a friend. 
 
 But her friend was not there, and she was told that
 
 AND HIS COUET. 139 
 
 Madame von Brandt had gone down into the garden. 
 Laura took her hat and shawl, and sought her. As she 
 walked down the shady avenue, her glowing cheeks and 
 burning eyes were cooled by the gentle breeze wafted over 
 from the river Spree, and she felt soothed ; something like 
 peace stole into her heart. Laura had forgotten that she 
 had come to the garden to seek her friend; she felt only 
 that the calm and peace of nature had quieted her heart; 
 that solitude whispered to her soul in a voice of con- 
 solation and of hope. Hurriedly she passed on to the 
 denser and more solitary part of the garden, where she 
 could give herself up to dreams of him whose image still 
 filled her heart, although she had vainly endeavored to 
 banish it. 
 
 She now entered the conservatory at the foot of the 
 garden, which had been converted into a beautiful and 
 charming saloon, for the exclusive use of the queen and 
 her maids of honor. There were artificial arbors of 
 blooming myrtle and orange, in which luxurious little 
 sofas invited to repose; grottoes of stone had been con- 
 structed, in the crevices of which rare mountain plants 
 were growing. There were little fountains which mur- 
 mured and flashed pleasantly, and diffused an agreeable 
 coolness throughout the atmosphere. Laura seated her- 
 self in one of the arbors, which was covered with myrtle, 
 and, in a reclining position, her head resting on the 
 trunk of an aged laurel-tree, which formed part of the 
 framework of the arbor, she closed her eyes that she 
 might see nothing but him. 
 
 It was a lovely picture, the beautiful and noble 
 countenance of this young girl, enclosed as it were in a 
 frame of living myrtle ; her delicate but full and maidenly 
 figure reclining against the trunk of the tree, to which 
 the chaste and timid love of a virgin had once given life. 
 She also was a Daphne, fleeing from her own desires, 
 fleeing from the sweetly-alluring voice of her lover, who,
 
 140 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 to her, was the god of beauty and of grace, the god of 
 learning and the arts her Apollo, whom she adored and 
 believed in, whom she feared, and from whom she fled 
 like Daphne, because she loved him. For a woman flees 
 only from him whom she loves; she fears him only who 
 is dangerous, not because his words of tenderness and 
 flattery are alluring, but because her own heart pleads 
 for him. 
 
 Laura was still sitting in the arbor, in a dreamy rev- 
 erie. His image filled her thoughts; her love was prayer, 
 her prayer love. Her hands lay folded in her lap; a 
 sweet, dreamy smile played about her lips, and from 
 under her closed eyelids a few tears were slowly rolling 
 down her soft, rosy cheeks. She had been praying to God 
 to give her strength to conquer her own heart, and to 
 bear, without murmuring and without betraying herself, 
 the sorrow, the anger, and even the indifference of the 
 prince. Still she felt that her heart would break if he 
 should desert and forget her. An alluring voice whis- 
 pered that it would be a more blissful end to die, after 
 an hour of ecstatic and intoxicating happiness, than to 
 renounce his love, and still die. 
 
 But the chaste Laura did not wish to hear this voice; 
 she would drown it with her prayers ; and still, even while 
 she prayed, she thought how great and sublime a happi- 
 ness it would be to kiss the lips of her beloved, to whisper 
 in his ear the long-concealed, long-buried secret of her 
 love. And then his kiss still on her lips, and in the sun- 
 shine of his eyes, to fall down and die! exchanging 
 heaven for heaven; redeeming bliss with bliss. And 
 sweeter dreams and more painful fantasies came over her ; 
 heavier and heavier sank her eyelids; a weight of sorrow 
 rested on her heart, and made it weary unto death; until 
 at the last, like the disciples on the Mount, she slept for 
 very sorrow. 
 
 The silence was profound. Suddenly stealthy foot-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 
 
 steps could be heard, and the figure of a man appeared 
 at the entrance of the grotto. Cautiously he stepped 
 forward, and cast an inquiring glance through the trail- 
 ing vines which overhung the grotto, to the young girl 
 who still slumbered, reclining on the trunk of the laurel- 
 tree. It was Fritz Wendel, the gardener of Rheinsberg. 
 Queen Sophia Dorothea had desired to have her green- 
 houses and flower-beds arranged in the style of those at 
 Rheinsberg. And, by command of the young king, sev- 
 eral of the most expert gardeners of Rheinsberg had been 
 sent to Berlin to superintend this arrangement in the 
 garden of Monbijou. Fortune had favored the young 
 gardener, and had again brought him near her he loved. 
 For the little maid of honor, Louise von Schwerin, was 
 not only the favorite of Queen Elizabeth, but Queen 
 Sophia Dorothea also loved this saucy and sprightly 
 young girl, who, because she was a child, and as such was 
 excusable, was allowed to break in upon court etiquette 
 with her merry laughter, and to introduce an element 
 of freshness and vivacity into the stiff forms of court life. 
 Moreover, by her thoughtless and presumptuous behavior 
 at Rheinsberg, she had lost favor with the young couple 
 who now reigned in Prussia. Queen Elizabeth could not 
 forget that it was through Louise she had learned the 
 name of her happy rival. And the king was angry with 
 her, because, through her, the secret of his verses to Ma- 
 dame von Morien had been discovered. Louise von 
 Schwerin was rarely with Queen Elizabeth. Sophia 
 Dorothea, however, kept this young girl near her person 
 for whole days. Her childish ways amused the queen, 
 and her merry pranks drove the stiff and formal mistress 
 of ceremonies, and the grave and stately cavaliers and 
 ladies of the court, to despair. And the little maid of 
 honor came to the queen willingly, for Monbijou had for 
 her a great charm since the handsome gardener, Fritz 
 Wendel, had been there. The romance with this young
 
 142 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 man had not yet come to an end; this secret little love 
 affair had a peculiar charm for the young girl; and as 
 no other admirer had been found for the little Louise, 
 she for the present was very well pleased with the adora- 
 tion of the young gardener, to whom she was not the " lit- 
 tle Louise," but the bewitching fairy, the beautiful god- 
 dess. It was Fritz Wendel who appeared at the entrance 
 of the grotto, and looked anxiously toward the sleeping 
 Laura. lie had been occupied in arranging the plants 
 and flowers in this conservatory, which had been confided 
 to his especial care. As the queen never entered tho 
 garden at this time, this hour had been set apart for his 
 labors. 
 
 In the midst of his occupation he was interrupted by 
 the entrance of Laura von Pannewitz, and had hastily re- 
 tired to the grotto, intending to remain concealed until 
 the lady should have left the conservatory. From his 
 hiding-place, concealed by the dense Indian vines, he 
 could see the myrtle arbor in which the beautiful Laura 
 reposed; and now, seeing that she slept, he advanced 
 slowly and cautiously from the grotto. lie listened atten- 
 tively to her slow and regular breathing yes, she really 
 slept; he might therefore stealthily leave the saloon. 
 
 " Ah, if it were she ! " he murmured ; " if it were she ! 
 I would not leave here so quietly. I would find courage 
 to fall down at her feet and to clasp her to my arms, 
 while pressing my lips to hers, to suppress her cry of 
 terror. But this lady," said he, almost disdainfully, turn- 
 ing to the sleeping Laura, " is so little like her that she 
 i s 
 
 The words died on his lips, and he hastily retreated 
 to the entrance of the grotto. He thought he heard 
 footsteps approaching the conservatory. The door of 
 the vestibule creaked on its hinges, and again Fritz 
 Wendel slipped hastily into the grotto, and concealed 
 himself behind the dense vines.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 143 
 
 On the threshold of the saloon stood a young man, 
 who looked searchingly around. His tall and graceful 
 figure was clad in the uniform of the guards, which dis- 
 played his well-knit form to great advantage. The star 
 on his breast, and the crape which he wore on his arm, an- 
 nounced a prince of the royal house; his beautifully- 
 formed and handsome features wore an expression of al- 
 most effeminate tenderness. The glance of his large blue 
 eyes was so soft and mild, that those who observed him 
 long, were involuntarily touched with an inexplicable 
 feeling of pity for this noble-looking youth. His broad 
 brow showed so much spirit and determination that it 
 was evident he was not always gentle and yielding, but 
 had the courage and strength to follow his own will if 
 necessary. 
 
 It was Prince Augustus William, the favorite of the 
 deceased king, on whose account the elder brother Fred- 
 erick had suffered so much, because the king had endeav- 
 ored to establish the former as his successor to the throne 
 in the place of his first-born.* 
 
 But the prince's inclinations were not in accordance 
 with the wishes of his father; Augustus William desired 
 no throne, no earthly power; in his retiring modesty he 
 disliked all public display; the title of royal highness had 
 no charm for him, and with the indifference of a true 
 philosopher he looked down upon the splendor and mag- 
 nificence of earthly glory. 
 
 In his brother Frederick, the disdain of outward pomp 
 might be attributed to his superior mind and strength of 
 understanding; while Augustus William was actuated by 
 a depth of feeling, a passionate and ardent sensitiveness. 
 He had come to pay the queen, his mother, the customary 
 morning visit, but when told she had desired that no one 
 should be admitted to her presence, he was not willing 
 that an exception should be made in his favor. " He had 
 
 * Dr. Fred. Busching, page 172.
 
 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 time to wait," he said, " and should be announced and 
 called up from the garden only when the queen was again 
 at leisure." 
 
 After giving this order he had gone down into 
 the garden, where a lover's instinct had conducted him 
 to the conservatory, in which, to him, the most beautiful 
 of all flowers, the lovely Laura von Pannewitz, reposed. 
 He did not dream of finding her there, supposing she had 
 accompanied the other ladies on their drive; he had 
 sought this building that he might pass a few moments 
 in undisturbed quiet that he might think of her and the 
 unrequited love which he had vainly endeavored to tear 
 from his heart. 
 
 It was therefore not her he sought when, on entering 
 the conservatory, he looked searchingly around. He only 
 wished to know that he was alone, that no one observed 
 him. But suddenly he started, and a deep red suffused 
 his countenance. He saw the beautiful sleeper in the 
 arbor. In the first ecstasy of his delight he was on the 
 point of throwing himself at her feet, and awakening her 
 with his kisses. He started forward but then hesitated, 
 and stood still, an expression of deep melancholy pervad- 
 ing his features. 
 
 "She will not welcome me," murmured he, "she will 
 repel me as she did my letter yesterday. She does not 
 love me, and would never forgive me if I should desecrate 
 her pure lips with mine." He bowed his head and sighed. 
 " But I love her," said he, after a long pause, " and will at 
 least look at and adore her, as the Catholics worship the 
 Virgin Mary." And with a beaming smile, which illu- 
 mined his whole countenance, the prince slowly and 
 noiselessly stepped forward. 
 
 " Well," murmured Fritz Wendel in his hiding-place, 
 " I have some curiosity to know what the prince has 
 to say to this sleeping beauty; but, nevertheless, 
 I would give a year of my life if I could slip away
 
 AND HIS COURT. 145 
 
 unobserved, for if the prince discovers me here I am 
 lost!" 
 
 He retired to that part of the grotto where the foliage 
 was thickest, still however securing a place from which 
 he could observe all that took place in the myrtle arbor. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 PRINCE AUGUSTUS WILLIAM. 
 
 THE prince entered the myrtle arbor, and, perceiving 
 the lovely sleeper, he approached her with a joyful counte- 
 nance. 
 
 " Madonna, my Madonna, let me pray to you, let me 
 look at you," he murmured. " Listen to my pleadings, 
 and let a ray of your love sink into my heart." Laura 
 moved in her sleep, and uttered a few indistinct words. 
 The prince kneeled motionless before her, and watched 
 all her movements. The dreams that visited her were 
 not bright; Laura moaned and sighed in her sleep; her 
 countenance assumed an expression so sad and painful 
 that the eyes of the prince filled with tears. " She is suf- 
 fering," he murmured ; " why should she suffer ? what is 
 it that causes my beloved to sigh ? " Suddenly she 
 opened her eyes, arose, and fastened her astonished and 
 half -dreamy gaze upon the prince, who with folded hands 
 was still kneeling before her, and gazing on her with 
 tender, pleading eyes. A trembling seized her whole 
 being, as the ocean trembles when touched by the first 
 ray of the sun. A sweet, blissful astonishment was 
 painted on every feature. " Am I still dreaming ? " she 
 murmured, passing her hand across her brow, and push- 
 ing aside her long dark hair " am I still dreaming ? "
 
 14G FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Yes, you are dreaming," murmured Prince Augus- 
 tus, seizing her hands and pressing them to his lips, " you 
 are dreaming, Madonna, let me dream with you, and be* 
 forever blessed. Oh! withdraw not your hand,' be not 
 angry, let us still dream for one blessed moment." But 
 she hastily set her hands free and arose from her seat; 
 grandly and proudly she stood before him, an<J her flash- 
 ing eyes rested with a severe and reproachful expression 
 upon the still kneeling prince. 
 
 " Arise, my prince ; it is not proper that the brother of 
 the king should kneel before me; arise, and have the 
 kindness to inform me what circumstances procured me 
 the rare and unsolicited favor of being sought by your 
 royal highness. But no, I divine it; you owe me no 
 explanation; the queen has asked for me, and your high- 
 ness was so gracious as to seek for the tardy servant, .who 
 is sleeping while her mistress calls; allow me to hasten 
 to her." Laura, feeling her strength failing, and sup- 
 pressing with pain the tears that sprang from her heart 
 to her eyes, endeavored to pass the prince. 
 
 But he held her back; the timidity that had so often 
 made him appear shy and embarrassed had vanished; he 
 felt that at this moment he faced his destiny, and that 
 his future depended upon the result of this interview. 
 " No," he said earnestly, " the queen did not call you, 
 she does not need you; remain, therefore, mademoiselle, 
 and grant me a few moments of your time." His solemn 
 voice and determined expression made her tremble, but 
 still entranced; her soul bowed in humility and fear 
 before him. She had always seen him humble and plead- 
 ing, always submissive and obedient; now his glance 
 was commanding, his voice imperious; and she, who had 
 been able to withstand the entreaties of a lover, found no 
 courage to resist the angry and commanding man. " Re- 
 main," he repeated ; " be seated, and allow me to speak 
 to you honestly and truly."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 147 
 
 Laura seated herself obediently and tremblingly; the 
 prince stood before her, and looked at her with a sad 
 smile. 
 
 "Yesterday you returned my letter unopened, but 
 now you must hear me, Laura; I wish it, and no woman 
 can withstand the strong will of the man who loves her." 
 
 Laura trembled and grew pale; she feared that if at 
 this moment he bade her forsake all, cast away, and 
 trample under foot her honor, her reputation, her inno- 
 cence and pure conscience, she would obey him as a true 
 and humble slave, and follow and serve him her whole 
 ylife. 
 
 "Yes, you shall hear me; I will know my fate know 
 if you really despise my great and devoted love, if you 
 are without pity, without sympathy for my suffering, my 
 struggles and despair. I should think that true, genuine 
 love would, like the music of Orpheus, have power to 
 animate stones and flowers, and my love cannot even 
 move the heart of a noble, feeling girl. What is the 
 reason? why do you fly from me? Is it, Laura, because 
 you deem me unworthy of your love? because your heart 
 feels no emotion for me ? are you cold and severe because 
 you hold me for a bold beggar, who longs for the treas- 
 ure belonging to another, whom you despise because he 
 begs for what should be the free gift of your heart? Or 
 has your heart never been touched by love ? If this is so, 
 Laura, and my love has not the power to awaken your 
 heart, then do not speak, but let me leave you quietly. 
 I will try to bear my misery or die; I shall have no one 
 but myself to reproach, for God has denied me the power 
 of winning love. But if this is not the reason of your 
 coldness, if we are only separated by the vain prejudices 
 of rank and birth, O Laura, I entreat you, if this is all 
 that separate us, speak one single word of comfort, of hope, 
 one single low word, and I will conquer the whole world, 
 break down all prejudices and laws, and cast them from
 
 148 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 me. I will be as great and strong as Hercules, to clear 
 the way, and make it smooth for our love. I will present 
 you to the world as my betrothed, and before God and my 
 king call you my wife. Speak, Laura, is it so? Do you 
 fly from me because of this star upon my breast be- 
 cause I am called a royal prince? I implore you, tell me, 
 is it so? if not, if you cast me from you because you do 
 not love me, say nothing and I will go away for ever." 
 
 A long, painful silence ensued. The prince watched 
 the pained, frightened countenance of the young girl, 
 who sat before him with bowed head, pale and motionless. 
 
 " It is decided," he sighed, after a long pause ; " fare- 
 well, I accept my destiny, you have spoken my sentence; 
 may your heart never accuse you of cruelty ! " He bowed 
 low before her, then turned and walked across the sa- 
 loon. 
 
 Laura had remained motionless; she now raised her 
 head ; she followed him with a glance that, had he seen it, 
 would have brought him back to her a look that spoke 
 more than words or protestations. 
 
 The prince had reached the door once more; he 
 turned, their looks met, and a trembling delight took 
 possession of her whole be*ing; forgetting all danger, 
 she longingly extended her arms toward him, and mur- 
 mured his name. 
 
 With a cry of delight he sprang to her side, and folded 
 her with impassioned tenderness in his arms. Laura 
 concealed her tear-stained face upon his breast, and mur- 
 mured, " God sees my heart, He knows how long I have 
 prayed and struggled; may He be more merciful, more 
 compassionate than man ! I shall be cast off, despised ; 
 let it be, I shall think of this hour, and be happy." 
 
 " No one shall dare to insult you," he said proudly ; 
 " from this hour you are my affianced, and some day I 
 shall present you to the world as my wife." 
 
 Smiling sadly, she shook her head. " Let us not
 
 AND HIS COURT. 149 
 
 speak of the future; it may be dark and sorrowful. I 
 will not complain, I will bear my cross joyfully, and 
 thank God for your love." 
 
 He kissed the tears from her eyes, and murmured 
 sweet and holy promises of love and faith. It was a mo- 
 ment of blissful joy, but Laura suddenly trembled and 
 raised her head from his breast to listen. The beating of 
 drums and quickly-rolling carriages were heard without. 
 " The king ! " cried the young girl. " The king," mur- 
 mured Prince Augustus, sadly, and he ventured no longer 
 to hold the young girl in his arms. They were both 
 awakened from their short, blessed dream, both were re- 
 minded of the world, and the obstacles that lay in their 
 path. In their great happiness they had appeared small, 
 but now were assuming giant-like proportions. 
 
 " I must hasten to the queen," said Laura, rising ; 
 " her majesty will need me." 
 
 " And I must go and meet the king," sighed the 
 prince. 
 
 " Go quickly ; let us hasten, and take different paths 
 to the castle." 
 
 He took her hand and held it to his lips. " Farewell, 
 my beloved, my bride; trust me, and be strong in love 
 and hope." 
 
 " Farewell," she murmured, and endeavored to pass 
 him. 
 
 Once more he detained her. " Shall we meet here 
 again? will you let me enjoy here another hour of your 
 dear presence? Oh, bow not your head; do not blush; 
 your sweet confession has made of this place a temple of 
 love, and here I will approach you with pure and holy 
 thoughts." He looked long into her beautiful, blushing 
 face. 
 
 " We will see each other here again," she murmured ; 
 " every day I shall await you here at the same hour ; 
 now hasten, hasten."
 
 150 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 Both left the saloon ; it was again silent and deserted ; 
 in a few moments Fritz Wendel stepped out from the 
 grotto with glowing cheeks and sparkling eyes. 
 
 " This is a noble secret that I have discovered a 
 secret that will bring me golden fruits. Louise von 
 Schwerin is not more widely separated from the poor gar- 
 dener, Fritz Wendel, than Mademoiselle Pannewitz from 
 Prince Augustus William. A gardener can rise and be- 
 come a nobleman, but Mademoiselle Pannewitz can never 
 become a princess, never be the wife of her lover. Louise 
 von Schwerin shall no longer be ashamed of the love of 
 Fritz Wendel; I will tell her what I have seen, I will 
 take her into the grotto, and let her witness the rendez- 
 vous of the prince and his beloved, and whilst he is telling 
 Laura of his love, I will be with my Louise." 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE KING AND THE SON. 
 
 LAURA was not mistaken. It was the king whom the 
 castle guard were saluting with the beat of the drum. 
 It was the king coming to pay his first visit to his mother 
 at Monbijou. He came unannounced, and the perplexed, 
 anxious looks of the cavaliers showed that his appearance 
 had caused more disturbance and terror than joy. With 
 a slight laugh he turned to his grand chamberlain, P611- 
 nitz. 
 
 " Go tell her majesty that her son Frederick awaits 
 her." And followed by Kaiserling and the cavaliers of 
 the queen, he entered the garden saloon. 
 
 Queen Sophia Dorothea received the king's message 
 with a proud, beaming smile. She was not then deceived,
 
 AND HIS COURT. 151 
 
 her dearest hopes were to be fulfilled ; the young king was 
 an obedient, submissive son; she was for him still the 
 reigning queen, the mother entitled to command. The 
 son, not the king, had come, disrobed of all show of 
 royalty, to wait humbly as a suppliant for her appearance. 
 She felt proud, triumphant! A glorious future lay be- 
 fore her. She would be a queen at last a queen not only 
 in name, but in truth. Her son was King of Prussia, 
 and she would be co-regent. Her entire court should be 
 witness to this meeting; they should see her triumph, 
 and spread the news far and wide. 
 
 He came simply, without ceremony, as her son, but 
 she would receive him according to etiquette, as it be- 
 seemed a queen. She wore a long, black trailing gown, 
 a velvet ermine-bordered mantle, and caught up the 
 black veil that was fastened in her hair with several bril- 
 liants. All preparations were at last finished, and the 
 queen, preceded by Pollnitz, arrived in the garden saloon. 
 
 Frederick, standing by the window, was beating the 
 glass impatiently with his long, thin fingers. He thought 
 his mother showed but little impatience to see her son 
 who had hurried with all the eagerness of childlike love to 
 greet her. He wondered what could be her motive, and 
 had just surmised it as the door opened and the chamber- 
 lain announced in a loud voice "Her majesty, the wid- 
 owed queen." A soft, mocking smile played upon his lips 
 for a moment, as the queen entered in her splendid court 
 dress, but it disappeared quickly, and hat in hand he ad- 
 vanced to meet her. 
 
 Sophia Dorothea received him with a gracious smile, 
 and gave him her hand to kiss. 
 
 " Your majesty is welcome," said she, with a trembling 
 voice, for it grieved her proud heart to give her son the 
 title of majesty. The king, perceiving something of this, 
 said : " Continue to call me your son, mother, for when 
 with your majesty I am but an obedient, grateful son."
 
 152 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Well, then, welcome, welcome my son ! " cried the 
 queen, with an undisguised expression of rapture, and 
 throwing her arms around him, she kissed his forehead 
 repeatedly. " Welcome to the modest house of a poor, 
 sorrowful widow." 
 
 " My wish, dear mother, is, that you shall not think of 
 yourself as a sad widow, but as the mother of a king. I 
 do not desire you to be continually reminded of the great 
 loss we have all sustained, and that God sent upon us. 
 Your majesty is not only the widowed queen, you belong 
 not to the past, but to the present; and I beg that you 
 will be called from this moment, not the widowed queen, 
 but the queen-mother. Grand chamberlain Pollnitz, see 
 that this is done." 
 
 For a moment the queen lost her proud, stately bear- 
 ing; she was deeply touched. The king's delicate at- 
 tentions made her all the mother, and for a moment love 
 silenced all her proud, imperious wishes. 
 
 " Oh, my son, you know how to dry my tears, and 
 to change the sorrowing widow into a proud, happy 
 mother," said she, pressing his hand tenderly to her 
 heart. 
 
 The king was so overjoyed at his mother's unfeigned 
 tenderness that he was prepared to agree to all her de- 
 mands, and humor her in every thing. 
 
 " Ah," said he, " I, not you, ought to render thanks 
 that you are so willing to enter into my views. I will put 
 your magnanimity still further to the test, and state a 
 few more of my wishes." 
 
 " Let us hear them, my son," said the queen, " but first 
 let me ask a favor." 
 
 " Let us be seated." 
 
 The king led her to an arm-chair near a window, from 
 which there was a beautiful view of the garden. The 
 queen seated herself, and the young king remained stand- 
 ing in front of her, still holding his hat. Sophia Doro-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 153 
 
 thea saw this, and was enraptured at this new triumph. 
 Turning to the king, she said: 
 
 " Let us now hear your wishes, and I promise joyfully 
 to fulfil them." 
 
 " I wish," said he, " your majesty to surround herself 
 with a larger and more brilliant court. Two maids of 
 honor are not sufficient for the queen-mother, for if by 
 chance one were sick, and the other fretful, there would 
 be no one to divert and amuse your majesty. I therefore 
 propose that you have six instead of two maids of honor." 
 
 The queen looked at him in tender astonishment. 
 
 " My son," said she, " you are a veritable magician. 
 You divine all my wishes. Thanks many, many thanks. 
 But your majesty is not seated," said she, as if just per- 
 ceiving this. 
 
 " Madame," said he, laughing, " I awaited your per- 
 mission." He seated himself, and said, " You agree to 
 my proposal, mother ? " 
 
 " I agree to it, and beg your majesty to point out to 
 me the ladies you have decided upon as my six maids of 
 honor. Your majesty has free choice, and all I wish is, 
 to be told when you have decided. I only fear," said the 
 queen, " that with my enlarged court there will not be 
 room for the ladies to have their separate apartments 
 at Monbijou." 
 
 "Your majesty is no longer to live in this house," 
 said the king ; " it is large enough for a passing summer 
 visit, but it does not answer for the residence of the 
 queen-mother. I spoke some time since to Knobelsdorf, 
 and already a magnificent palace is being built for you." 
 
 The queen blushed with pleasure; all her wishes 
 seemed to be fulfilled to-day. She must know whether 
 Sophia Dorothea was to be queen-regent as well as queen- 
 mother. She thanked her son tenderly for this new proof 
 of his love and kindness. 
 
 " And still," said she, sighing, " perhaps I .ought not to 
 11
 
 154 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 accept of your kindness. My husband's death should re- 
 mind me of the transitory nature of life, and should lead 
 me to pass the remainder of my days in seclusion, devot- 
 ing my time to God." 
 
 The king looked so anxious, so shocked, that the queen 
 repented having given the conversation this gloomy turn. 
 
 " It is cruel, mother," said he, " not to let me enjoy 
 the pleasure of being with you without a drop of worm- 
 wood. But I see by your rosy cheeks and bright smile 
 that you only wished to frighten me. Let the architects 
 and masons continue their work : God will be merciful to 
 me, and grant a long life to the noblest and best-beloved 
 of mothers ! " 
 
 He kissed her hand and rose; Sophia Dorothea was 
 terrified. The king was leaving, and she still did not 
 know how far her influence was to reach and what were 
 to be its limits. 
 
 " You will already leave me, my son ? " said she, lov- 
 ingly. 
 
 " I must, your majesty. For from here I can hear the 
 Government machinery creaking and groaning; I must 
 hasten to supply it with oil, and set it in motion again. 
 Ah! madame, it is no easy task to be a king. To do jus- 
 tice to all his obligations, a king must rise early and re- 
 tire late ; and I think truly it is much more pleasant to be 
 reigned over than to reign." 
 
 The queen could scarcely suppress her delight; the 
 king's words were balm to her ambitious heart. 
 
 " I can well see that it is as you say," said she, " but I 
 think that the king has a right to amuse himself; I think 
 that a mother has some claims on her son, even if he is a 
 king. You must not leave now, my son. You must 
 grant me the pleasure of showing you my new conserva- 
 tory. Give me your arm, and comply with my request." 
 
 " Madame, you now see what power you have over me," 
 said he, as she laughingly took his arm. " I forget that
 
 AND HIS COURT. 155 
 
 I am the servant of my country, because I prefer being 
 the servant of my queen." 
 
 The large glass door was opened, and, leaning on the 
 king's arm, the queen entered the garden. 
 
 At some distance the princesses with their brother 
 and the rest of the court followed. They were all silent, 
 eagerly listening to the conversation of the royal couple. 
 But the queen did not now care to be heard by her court. 
 They had seen her triumph, but they should not be witness 
 to a possible defeat. She now spoke in a low tone, and 
 hurried her steps, to put a distance between herself and 
 the courtiers. She spoke with the king about the garden, 
 and then asked if he thought of passing the summer at 
 Rheinsberg. 
 
 " Alas," said he, " I will not have the time. For a 
 king is but the first officer of his State, and as I receive my 
 salary I must honestly fulfil the duties I have under- 
 taken." 
 
 "But I think your majesty does too much," said the 
 queen. " You should allow yourself more relaxation, 
 and not let State matters rest entirely upon your own 
 shoulders. To one who is accustomed to associate with 
 poets, artists, and the sciences, it must be very hard sud- 
 denly to bury himself in deeds, documents, and all 
 sorts of dusty papers; you should leave this occasion- 
 ally to others, and not work the State machinery your- 
 self." 
 
 "Madame," said the king, "this machine has secrets 
 and peculiarities that its architect can intrust to no 
 workman, therefore he must lead and govern it himself; 
 and if at times the wheels creak and it is not in perfect 
 order, he has only himself to thank." 
 
 " But you have your ministers ? " 
 
 " They are my clerks nothing more ! " 
 
 "Ah, I see, you intend to be a rock and take counsel 
 from no one," said the queen, impatiently.
 
 156 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Yes, your majesty, from you always ; and with your 
 gracious permission I will now consult you." 
 
 " Speak, my son, speak," said the queen, in breathless 
 expectation. 
 
 "I wish your advice upon theatrical matters. Where 
 must the new opera-house be built ? " 
 
 The queen's face darkened. 
 
 " I am not a suitable adviser for amusements," said 
 she, pointing to her black gown. " My mourning gar- 
 ments do not fit me for such employment, and you well 
 know I do not care for the theatre; for how many cold, 
 dull evenings have I passed there with your father 1 " 
 
 " Ah, madame," said the king, " I was not talking of 
 a German theatre, which I dislike quite as much as your- 
 self. No, we will have a French theatre and an Italian 
 opera. The French alone can act and only the Italians 
 can sing, but we Germans can play; I have therefore 
 charged Graun to compose a new opera for the inaugura- 
 tion of the new opera-house." 
 
 " And undoubtedly this inauguration will take place 
 on a festive occasion," said the queen, going directly to 
 the point. " Perhaps at the wedding of one of your 
 sisters?" 
 
 " Ah," said he, " your majesty is thinking of a wed- 
 ding?" 
 
 " Not I, but others. Yesterday I received from Lon- 
 don a letter from my royal brother. And a few moments 
 ago Count Manteuffel brought me letters of condolence 
 from the Empress of Austria. It seems the count was, 
 besides this, commissioned to sound me as to a possible 
 marriage with Prince Augustus." 
 
 " It is very unnecessary for the count to burden you 
 with matters which are happily beyond the reach of your 
 motherly duties. For, alas! the marrying of princes is 
 a political affair, and is not determined by the mother's 
 heart, but by the necessities of the kingdom."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 157 
 
 The queen bit her lip until it bled. " Your majesty is, 
 undoubtedly, thinking of performing this political ob- 
 ligation, and have chosen a bride for the prince," said she, 
 sharply. 
 
 " Forgive me," said the king laughing, " I am not now 
 thinking of marrying, but of unmarrying." 
 
 Sophia Dorothea looked anxiously at the king. 
 " How, my son, are you thinking of a divorce ? " said she, 
 tremblingly. 
 
 " Not of one, but of many, mother. Does your maj- 
 esty know that I have abolished the torture ? " 
 
 " No," said the queen impatiently, " I did not politics 
 do not concern me." 
 
 " That is in Conformity with the true womanly char- 
 acter of my mother," said he. " There is nothing so in- 
 sipid and tiresome as a woman who gives up the graces 
 and muses to excite herself with politics." 
 
 " And still your majesty was just initiating me into 
 politics." 
 
 " Ah, yes, I told you I had abolished the torture." 
 
 " And I ask, how does that concern me ? " 
 
 " You ask why I am thinking of divorces ? Well, I 
 told you that I had abolished the torture, and in doing 
 this it was but natural that I busied myself about mar- 
 riage. For your majesty will grant me that there is no 
 severer rack, no more frightful torture, than an unhappy 
 marriage." 
 
 " It seems as if with the torture you will also abolish 
 marriage," said the queen, terrified. 
 
 The king laughed. " Ah, no, madame, I am not pope, 
 and have not received the right from God to decide over 
 men's consciences, though perhaps the majority would 
 be inclined to call me holy, and to honor me with godlike 
 worship, if I would really abolish the torture of matri- 
 mony. But I am not ambitious, and renounce all claim 
 to adoration. But while engaged in abolishing the tor-
 
 158 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 ture, I could but see that when the marriage chains had 
 ceased to be garlands of roses, and were transformed into 
 heavy links of iron, there should be some means found to 
 break them. I have therefore commanded that if two 
 married people cannot live harmoniously, a divorce shall 
 not be denied them. I hope that my royal mother agrees 
 with me." 
 
 " Ah, there will soon be many divorce cases," said the 
 queen, with a contemptuous smile. " All who are not 
 thoroughly happy will hasten to the king for a divorce. 
 Who knows but that the king himself will set the people a 
 good example ? " 
 
 "With God's help, madame," said the king, gravely. 
 " My noble mother will always wish me to set my 
 people a good example. A king is but the servant of a 
 nation." 
 
 " That is, indeed, an humble idea of a king, a king 
 by the grace of God." 
 
 " Madame, I do not crave to be called a king by the 
 grace of God. I prefer being king by my own right and 
 strength. But forgive me, mother. You see how these 
 politics mix themselves up with every thing. Let them 
 rest. You were speaking, I think, of the marriage of one 
 of the princes ? " 
 
 " We were speaking of the marriage of Prince Augus- 
 tus William," said the queen, who, with the obstinacy of 
 a true woman, always returned to the point from which 
 she had started, and who, in the desire of gaining her 
 point, had lost all consideration and presence of mind. 
 " I was telling you that I received yesterday a letter from 
 my royal brother, and that King George the Second is 
 anxious to form an alliance between our children." 
 
 " Another marriage with England ! " said the king, 
 dejectedly. "You know there is no good luck in our 
 English marriages. The courier who brings the English 
 consent is always too late."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 159 
 
 The queen was enraged. "You mean that you have 
 decided upon a bride for my son, that again my darling 
 wish of intermarrying my children with the royal house 
 of England is not to be realized? Ah, your father's 
 example must have been very satisfactory to you, as you 
 follow so quickly in his footsteps." 
 
 " I truly find, madame, that the king acted wisely in 
 not regarding in the marriage of the prince royal the 
 wishes of his heart and his family, but political interests, 
 which he was bound to consider. I will certainly follow 
 his example, and take counsel over the marriage of the 
 prince royal, not with my own heart, not even with the 
 wishes of my royal mother, but with the interests of 
 Prussia." 
 
 " But Augustus William is not prince royal," cried 
 the queen, with trembling lips. " The prince is only your 
 brother, and you may have many sons who will dispute 
 with him the succession to the throne." 
 
 An expression of deep sorrow lay like a dark veil upon 
 the handsome face of the king. " I will have no chil- 
 dren," said he, "and Prince Augustus William will be 
 my successor." 
 
 The queen had not the heart to reply. She looked at 
 her son in amazement. Their eyes met, and the sad 
 though sweet expression of the usually clear, sparkling 
 eyes of her son touched her, and awoke the mother's heart. 
 With a hasty movement she took his hands, pressed them 
 to her heart, and said : " Ah, my son, how poor is this 
 life! You are young, handsome, and highly gifted, you 
 are a king, and still you are not happy." 
 
 The king's face was brighter, his eyes sparkled as be- 
 fore. 
 
 " Life," said he, smiling, " is not a pleasure, but a 
 duty, and if we honestly perform this duty we will be 
 happy in the end. It is now time to return to my prison 
 and be king once more."
 
 160 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 lie embraced his mother tenderly, laughed and jested 
 for a few moments with his sisters Ulrica and Amelia, 
 then left, followed by his cavaliers. Sophia Dorothea 
 remained in the garden, and Ulrica, her favorite daugh- 
 ter, followed her. 
 
 " Your majesty looks sad and grave," said she, " and 
 you have every reason to look happy. The king was re- 
 markably kind and amiable. Only think of it, you will 
 have six maids of honor, and a beautiful palace is being 
 built for you 1 " 
 
 " Oh, yes," said the queen, " I will be surrounded with 
 outward glory." 
 
 " And how anxious the king seemed for you to forget 
 the past ! " said Princess Amelia, who, with Prince 
 Augustus William, had joined her mother and sister, 
 " you are not the widowed queen but the queen-mother." 
 
 " Yes," murmured Sophia Dorothea to herself, " I 
 am queen-mother, but I will never be queen-regent. Ah, 
 my children," cried she, passionately, " the king, your 
 brother, was right. Princes are not born to be happy. 
 He is not so, and you will never be ! " 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 THE QUEEN'S TAILOR. 
 
 A DREARY silence had reigned for some time in the 
 usually gay and happy family circle of the worthy court 
 tailor. No one dared to speak or laugh aloud. M. 
 Pricker, the crown and head of the house, was sad and 
 anxious, and the storm-cloud upon his brow threw a dark 
 reflection upon the faces of his wife and two children, the 
 beautiful Anna, and the active, merry Wilhelm. Even the
 
 AND HIS COURT. 161 
 
 assistants in the work-room were affected by the general 
 gloom; the gay songs of the apprentices were silenced, 
 and the pretty house-maids looked discontented and 
 dull. 
 
 A tempest lowered over the house, and all appeared to 
 tremble at its approach. When Wilhelm, the son and 
 heir of the house, returned from his work, he hastened 
 to his mother's room, and casting a curious glance upon 
 the old woman, who was seated, on a sofa, grim-looking, 
 and supporting her head upon her hand, he said, mysteri- 
 ously 
 
 "Not yet!" 
 
 Mother Pricker shook her head, sighed deeply, and re- 
 plied : 
 
 "Not yet!" 
 
 The beautiful Anna was generally in her elegant 
 room, painting or singing, and did not allow herself to be 
 disturbed; but now when the bell rang, or a strange step 
 was heard, she hastened to her mother, and said : 
 
 "Well, has it come?" 
 
 Again Mother Pricker sighed, shook her head, and 
 answered 
 
 "Not yet!" 
 
 M. Pricker asked nothing, demanded nothing; silent 
 and proud he sat in the midst of his family circle; sto- 
 ically listened to the ringing of the bell, and saw strangers 
 enter his counting-room, too proud to show any excite- 
 ment. He wrapped himself in an Olympian silence, and 
 barricaded himself from the curious questions of his chil- 
 dren by the stern reserve of parental authority. 
 
 " I see that he suffers," said his wife to her daughter 
 Anna ; " I see that he looks paler every day, and eats 
 less and less; if this painful anxiety endures much 
 longer, the poor man will become dangerously ill, and 
 the king will be answerable for the death of one of his 
 noblest and best subjects."
 
 162 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " But why does our father attach such importance to 
 this small affair ? " said Anna, with a lofty shrug of her 
 shoulders. 
 
 Mother Pricker looked at her with astonishment. 
 
 " You call this a small affair, which concerns not only 
 the honor of your father, but that of your whole family; 
 which affects the position and calling enjoyed by the 
 Pricker family for a hundred years? It is a question 
 whether your father shall be unjustly deprived of his 
 honorable place, or have justice done him, and his great 
 services acknowledged ! " 
 
 Anna gave a hearty laugh. 
 
 " Dear mother, you look at this thing too tragically ; 
 you are making a camel of a gnat. The great and ex- 
 alted things of which you speak have" nothing to do with 
 the matter; it is a simple question of title. The great 
 point is, will our father receive the title of ; court tailor ' 
 to the reigning queen, or be only the tailor of the queen- 
 dowager. It seems to me the difference is very small, 
 and I cannot imagine why so much importance is at- 
 tached to it." 
 
 " You do not understand," sighed Mother Pricker ; 
 " you do not love your family ; you care nothing for the 
 honor of your house ! " 
 
 " Pshaw ! to be the daughter of a tailor is a very poor 
 and doubtful honor," said Anna, drearily, " even if he 
 is the tailor of one or even two queens. Our father is 
 rich enough to live without this contemptible business; 
 yes, to live in style. He has given his children such an 
 education as nobles only receive; I have had my gover- 
 ness and my music-teacher; my brother his tutor; my 
 father has not allowed him to walk through the streets, 
 fearing that he might fall into the hands of the recruit- 
 ing-officers. We have each our private rooms, beautifully 
 furnished, and are the envy of all our friends. Why, not- 
 withstanding all this, will he condemn us to be and to
 
 AND HIS COURT. 1C3 
 
 continue to be the children of a tailor? Why does he 
 not tear down the sign from the door; this sign, which 
 will be ever a humiliation, even though 'court tailor' 
 should be written upon it! This title will never enable 
 us to appear at court, and the noble cavaliers will never 
 think of marrying the daughter of a tailor, though many 
 would seek to do so if our father would give up his needle- 
 work, buy a country seat, and live, as rich and distin- 
 guished men do, upon his estate." 
 
 " Child, child, what are you saying ? " cried Mother 
 Pricker, clasping her hands with anguish. " Thy father 
 give up his stand, his honorable stand, which, for more 
 than a hundred years, has been inherited by the family! 
 Thy father demean himself to buy with his honorably- 
 earned gold a son-in-law from amongst the poor nobles, 
 who will be ever thinking of the honor done us in accept- 
 ing thee and thy sixty thousand dollars ! Thy father buy a 
 country-seat, and spend in idleness that fortune which his 
 forefathers and himself have been collecting for hundreds 
 of years! That can never be, and never will your father 
 consent to your marriage with any other man than an 
 honest burgher; and he will never allow Wilhelm to have 
 any other calling than that of his father, his grandfather, 
 and his great-grandfather, a court tailor" 
 
 The beautiful Anna stamped involuntarily upon the 
 floor, and a flush of scorn spread itself over her soft cheek. 
 " I will not wed a burgher," said she, tossing her head 
 proudly back, " and my brother Wilhelm will never carry 
 on the business of his father." 
 
 " Then your father will disinherit you cast you out 
 amongst strangers to beg your bread," said the old wom- 
 an, wringing her hands. 
 
 " God be thanked," said Anna proudly, " there is no 
 necessity for begging our bread; we have learned enough 
 to carry us honorably through the world, and when all 
 else fails, I have a capital in my voice which assures me a
 
 164 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 glittering future. The king will found an opera-house, 
 and splendid singers are so rare that Prussia will thank 
 God if I allow myself to be prevailed upon to take the 
 place of prima donna." 
 
 " Oh ! unhappy, wretched child ! " sobbed Mother 
 Pricker, " you will dishonor your family, you will make 
 us miserable, and cover us with shame; you will become 
 an actress, and we must live to see our respectable, yes, 
 celebrated name upon a play-bill, and pasted upon every 
 corner." 
 
 " You will have the honor of hearing all the world 
 speak of your daughter, of seeing sweet flowers and 
 wreaths thrown before her whenever she appears, and of 
 seeing her praises in every number of every journal in 
 Berlin. I shall be exalted to the skies, and the parents 
 called blessed who have given me life." 
 
 " These are the new ideas," gasped out her mother 
 " the new ideas which are now the mode, and which our 
 new king favors. Alas! wailing and sorrow will come 
 over our whole city; honor and principle will disappear, 
 and destruction like that of Sodom and Gomorrah will 
 fall upon Berlin! These are the alluring temptations 
 with which Baron Pollnitz fills your ear and crushes in 
 your heart the worthy and seemly principles of your fam- 
 ily. That," suddenly she stopped and listened; it 
 seemed to her the bell rung; truly there was a step upon 
 the stairs, and some one asked for M. and Madame 
 Pricker. 
 
 " Pollnitz," whispered Anna, and a glowing blush 
 overspread her face, throat, and neck. 
 
 " The Baron Pollnitz, the master of ceremonies," said 
 Madame Pricker, with a mixture of joy and alarm. 
 
 The door flew open, and with a gay, frolicsome greet- 
 ing, Pollnitz danced into the room; Anna had turned to 
 the window, and made no reply to his greeting. Madame 
 Pricker stepped toward him, and greeted him with the
 
 AND HIS COURT. 165 
 
 most profound reverence, calling him master of cere- 
 monies and master of the bed-chamber. 
 
 " Not so," said Pollnitz ; " why so much reverence and 
 so many titles? I am indeed master of ceremonies, but 
 without the title. His majesty, the young king, has no 
 special fondness for renewing the titles lent to us by his 
 blessed father, and every prayer and every representation 
 to that effect has been in vain; he considers titles ridicu- 
 lous and superfluous." 
 
 Madame Pricker turned pale, and murmured some in- 
 comprehensible words. Anna, however, who had up to 
 this time been turned toward the window, suddenly 
 looked at the two speakers, and fixed her great eyes ques- 
 tioningly upon the baron. 
 
 " Ah, at last I have the honor to see you, fair, beauti- 
 ful Anna ! " said Pollnitz ; " I knew well some magic was 
 necessary to fix those splendid eyes on me. Allow me 
 to kiss your hand, most honored lady, and forgive me if 
 I have disturbed you." He flew with an elegant pirou- 
 ette to Anna, and took her hand, which she did not extend 
 to him, and, indeed, struggled to withhold ; he then turned 
 again to Madame Pricker, and bowing to her, said, with a 
 solemn pathos : " I am not here to-day simply as the 
 friend of the house, but as the ambassador of the king; 
 and I beseech the honored Madame Pricker to announce 
 to her husband that I wish to speak to him, and to deliver 
 a message from the queen." 
 
 Madame Pricker uttered a cry of joy, and forgetting 
 all other considerations, hastened to the counting-room 
 of her husband, to make known to him the important in- 
 formation. 
 
 Baron Pollnitz watched her till the door closed, then 
 turned to Anna, who still leaned immovable in the win- 
 dow. " Anna, dearest Anna," whispered he tenderly, " at 
 last we are alone ! How I have pined for you, how happy 
 I am to see you once again ! "
 
 16G FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 He sought to press her fondly to his heart, but the 
 maiden waved him proudly and coldly back. " Have you 
 forgotten our agreement ? " said she, earnestly. 
 
 " No, I have held your cruelty in good remembrance ; 
 only, when I have fulfilled all your commands, will you 
 deign to listen to my glowing wishes; when I have in- 
 duced your father to employ for you another singing- 
 master, and arranged for your glorious and heavenly 
 voice to be heard by the king and the assembled court ? " 
 
 " Yes," cried Anna, with glowing eyes and burning 
 cheeks, " that is my aim, my ambition. Yes, I will be a 
 singer; all Europe shall resound with my fame; all men 
 shall lie at my feet; and princes and queens shall seek 
 to draw me into their circles." 
 
 " And I will be the happiest of the happy, when the 
 lovely nightingale has reached the goal. From my hand 
 shall she first wing her flight to fame. But, when I have 
 fulfilled my word, when you have sung in the royal palace 
 before the queen and the court, then will you fulfil your 
 promise? Then Pb'llnitz will be the happiest of mortals." 
 
 " I will fulfil my word," she said, as proudly and im- 
 periously as if she were already the celebrated and grace- 
 dispensing prima donna. " On the day in which I sing 
 for the first time before the king the day in which the 
 tailor's daughter has purified herself from the dishonor 
 of her humble birth, and becomes a free, self-sustaining, 
 distinguished artist on that day we will have no reason 
 to be ashamed of our love, and we can both, without hu- 
 miliation, present our hearts to each other. Baron Poll- 
 nitz can take for his wife, without blushing, the woman 
 ennobled by art, and Prima Donna Anna Pricker need 
 not be humbled by the thought that Baron Pollnitz has 
 forgotten his rank in his choice of a wife." 
 
 Baron Pollnitz, courtier as he was, had not his fea- 
 tures so completely under control as to conceal wholly the 
 shock conveyed by the words of his beautiful sweetheart.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 167 
 
 He stared for a moment, speechless, into that lovely face, 
 glowing with enthusiasm, ambition, and love. A mock- 
 ing, demoniac smile appeared one moment on his lips, 
 then faded quickly, and Pollnitz was again the tender, 
 passionate lover of Anna Pricker. " Yes, my dearly-be- 
 loved Anna," whispered he, clasping her in his arms, 
 " on that blessed and happy day you will be my wife, and 
 the laurels entwined in your hair will be changed into a 
 myrtle-wreath." He embraced her passionately, and she 
 resisted no longer, but listened ever to his words, which, 
 like sweet opium, poisoned both the ear and heart of the 
 young girl. But Pollnitz released her suddenly, and 
 stepped back, colder and more self-possessed than Anna. 
 He had heard a light, approaching step. " Some one 
 comes ; be composed, dear one ; your face betrays too much 
 of your inward emotion." He danced to the open piano 
 and played a merry strain, while Anna hid her blushes in 
 the branches of a geranium placed in the window, and 
 tried to cool her glowing cheeks on the fresh green 
 leaves. 
 
 Madame Pricker opened the door, and bade the mas- 
 ter of ceremonies enter the adjoining room, where M. 
 Pricker awaited him. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE ILLUSTRIOUS ANCESTORS OF A TAILOR. 
 
 POLLNITZ offered his arm to the lovely Anna, and fol- 
 lowed Madame Pricker, laughing and jesting, into the 
 next room. This was a long hall, which had an appear- 
 ance of gloom and solemnity in its arrangements and 
 decorations. The high walls, hung with dark tapestry, 
 were poorly lighted by two windows. Several divans,
 
 168 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 covered with a heavy silken material, the same color 
 as the tapestry, were placed against the sides of the room, 
 and over them hung a few oil paintings in black frames, 
 each representing the figure of a man with a most solemn 
 expression and bearing. The remarkable resemblance 
 which these pictures bore to each other convinced you 
 that they must be the portraits of one family. In each 
 appeared the same countenance, the same short, clumsy 
 figure, and only the costumes served to point out by their 
 various styles the different periods at which they had been 
 painted. A figure, closely resembling the pictures, stood 
 in the centre of the hall; it had the same countenance, 
 the same short, clumsy figure, and even the same dress as 
 that represented in one of the pictures. You might have 
 supposed that some galvanic experiment had given life 
 and motion to the painted form, and that as soon as this 
 power was exhausted it would become lifeless, and return 
 to its place among the other pictures. But this figure 
 was certainly living, for it greeted the grand chamberlain, 
 without, however, leaving the round table which stood 
 in the centre of the room. 
 
 " I welcome you to the house of my fathers," it said, 
 with great dignity. Pollnitz threw a laughing, jesting 
 glance toward Anna, who had left his side on entering the 
 room, and had withdrawn to one of the windows. 
 
 " Why are you so earnest and solemn to-day, my dear 
 Pricker ? " said he, turning to the old gentleman. 
 
 " Are you not here as the ambassador of the royal 
 court?" he replied. " I wished to receive you with all 
 honor, and therefore desired you to come into this hall, 
 that I might hear the royal message in the midst of my 
 ancestors. Tell me now how can I serve the house of my 
 sovereign." 
 
 "You can serve it, my dear Pricker," said Pollnitz, 
 smiling, as he displayed a large sealed paper, " by alter- 
 ing the sign upon your door. In the place of 'court
 
 AND HIS COURT. 169 
 
 tailor of the queen and princess royal,' it should read 
 'court tailor of the dowager and of the reigning queen.' 
 Here is the patent, my dear sir." 
 
 The old man quietly took the paper; not a feature of 
 his cold, solemn face moved. 
 
 Madame Pricker, however, could not conceal her joy. 
 With a cry of delight she .hurried to her husband, to em- 
 brace and congratulate him on his appointment. 
 
 Pricker waved her proudly back. 
 
 " Why do you congratulate me ? " he said. " The 
 house of Hohenzollern has only done justice to my house, 
 that is alL The title of court tailor to the reigning 
 queen has become an inheritance in my family, and it 
 would be a great ingratitude in the house of Hohenzollern 
 to withhold it from me. For more than a century the 
 Hohenzollerns have been dressed by my family; we have 
 prepared their apparel for every ball and wedding, every 
 baptism or burial; and if they were arrayed with ele- 
 gance, it was entirely owing to our taste and dexterity. 
 The proverb says, ' The tailor makes the man,' and it is 
 true. We made the coronation dresses of both the 
 queens ; it follows that they could not have been crowned 
 without our assistance, for which we, of course, deserve 
 their gratitude." 
 
 " I assure you, however, my dear friend," said Pollnitz, 
 " that it was with much difficulty I obtained this appoint- 
 ment for you, and you owe me some acknowledgments. 
 All of my eloquence was necessary to induce the queen 
 to grant my prayer." 
 
 Pricker grew pale, and his countenance lost its calm 
 dignity. 
 
 " Take back your patent," he said, proudly, handing 
 the baron the sealed paper; "I will not accept this title 
 if it is not given willingly." 
 
 " No, no, keep it," cried Pollnitz ; " you merit it ; it is 
 your right; I only mentioned the difficulty with which I 
 12
 
 170 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 obtained it, that 1 might win your heart, and incline you 
 to grant a request which I wish to make." 
 
 " I suppose you allude to the five hundred dollars 
 which I lent you last month," said Pricker, smiling. 
 " Speak of that no more the debt is cancelled." 
 
 " Thank you," said Pollnitz, " but I was not thinking 
 of that small affair; it was quite another request I 
 wished to make." 
 
 " Let me hear it," said the tailor, with a most gracious 
 inclination of the head. 
 
 " It concerns a young artist, who I would like to 
 recommend to your protection," returned the crafty Poll- 
 nitz, with a side glance at Anna. " He is a young and 
 talented musician, who desires to gain a livelihood by giv- 
 ing instruction, but unfortunately he is a stranger here, 
 and has found but few patrons. I thought, therefore, 
 that if you, who are so well known, would interest your- 
 self in him, and give him your patronage, it would greatly 
 benefit him, for doubtless many others would hasten to 
 follow your example. If you will allow him to give sing- 
 ing-lessons to your daughter Anna, his fortune is as- 
 sured." 
 
 " I grant your request," said Pricker, solemnly, not for 
 an instant doubting the motive of the baron. " I will be- 
 stow my protection upon this young artist; he can give 
 my daughter a daily lesson, that is, if Anna is willing to 
 show this kindness to the poor young man." 
 
 Anna could scarcely restrain her laughter, as she re- 
 plied : 
 
 " You have commanded it, and I will obey, as a daugh- 
 ter should do." 
 
 "Very well," said her father, majestically; "that 
 matter is arranged. And now, baron, I beg you will in- 
 form me at what time the coronation will take place, that 
 I may make my preparations, and not be the cause of any 
 delay on that solemn occasion."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 171 
 
 " The day of the coronation has not been decided, but 
 it will certainly not be fixed before the first of August. 
 You will have time to make all your preparations. Later 
 we will hold a consultation with her majesty the queen, 
 and decide the style, color, and material of the costumes. 
 I will only give you a single word of counsel, my dear 
 friend. Accommodate yourself to the new era. Kemem- 
 ber that we have a new king, who is the counterpart of 
 his father. The father hated and despised elegance and 
 fashion the son adores them; the father was the sworn 
 enemy of French manners the son has a perfect passion 
 for them: and if you would please the son, you must lay 
 aside your old German habits and customs, as we have all 
 done, and walk in the new path. I tell you a new era is 
 approaching, a period of glory and splendor. Every 
 thing will be altered, but, above all, we will have new 
 fashions. In the first place, you must rid yourself of 
 your German apprentices, and replace them as quickly as 
 possible with French workmen from Paris. That is the 
 only means of retaining the court favor." 
 
 Pricker listened to all this with horror and astonish- 
 ment. His cheeks were white, and his voice trembled 
 with anger, as he cried: 
 
 " Never shall that happen ! Never will I adopt the in- 
 novations which are now the fashion. Shall I lay aside 
 my respectable dress, to replace it with a monkey-jacket, 
 and become a laughing-stock to all honest men? Shall 
 I so far forget my God, my forefathers, and my native 
 land, as to call French workmen into my German work- 
 room? Shame on me if I ever conduct myself in such a 
 godless and unchristian manner! Never shall a French 
 foot cross the threshold of my dwelling! never shall a 
 French word be spoken there ! I was born a German, and 
 I will die a German. True to my fathers, and to the com- 
 mands of my sainted sovereign, who hated and despised 
 these frivolous French fashions, it shall be my pride to
 
 172 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 retain the good old German customs, and never shall a 
 dress cut in the French style be made in my work-room." 
 
 " If you act in this manner, the time of your good 
 fortune is past," said Pollnitz. 
 
 Pricker paid no attention to him, but looking at the 
 pictures which hung on the wall, he bowed respectfully 
 before one of them. 
 
 " Look ! " he said, pointing to one of the portraits, 
 " that is my great-great-grandfather. He was a German, 
 and the best and ablest of men. With him began the 
 connection between the houses of Hohenzollern and 
 Pricker. For him the Prince George William created 
 the title of court tailor, and he would wear no garment 
 that was not made by his favorite. He remembered him 
 in his will, and from that time began the importance of 
 the Prickers. 
 
 " Then look at the next picture. It is the portrait 
 of his son, who was the court tailor of Frederick William, 
 the great elector. He made the suit worn by the elector 
 at the battle of Fehrbellin; it was, however, the unhappy 
 duty of his son to make the burial-dress of this great man. 
 
 " But with this portrait begins a new era for Prussia ; 
 this was the tailor of Frederick the Third, and he made 
 the robe and mantle which Frederick wore on the day of 
 his coronation. His son succeeded him, and now began a 
 new era for the Prickers. 
 
 " The son did not follow the example of his father ; 
 he was of a softer, a more poetical nature. He loved 
 flowers and poetry, and adored beauty; he therefore be- 
 came a lady's tailor. The princess royal, Sophia Doro- 
 thea, appointed him her tailor. He made the coronation 
 robe of the queen, and the wedding-dress of the Margra- 
 vine of Baireuth. 
 
 " When he died he was succeeded by his son, the now 
 living Pricker. I made the wedding-dress of the Duchess 
 of Brunswick, and the mourning of the present dowager-
 
 AND IIIS COURT. 173 
 
 queen. And now, in the very presence of my ancestors, 
 you tempt me to become a traitor to them and to their 
 customs. No, I am a German, and I remain a German, 
 even should it cause my ruin ! " 
 
 He bowed to the amused and astonished baron, and 
 walked proudly through the hall to his work-room. His 
 wife followed him with folded hands and heavy sighs. 
 
 Pollnitz and the lovely Anna were again alone. 
 
 " What an absurd man ! " said Pollnitz, laughing. 
 " If Moliere had known him he would have worked his 
 character into a charming farce." 
 
 " You forget that this absurd man may soon be your 
 father-in-law," said Anna, sternly, as she left his side. 
 
 " That is true," said Pollnitz, smiling ; " we will spare 
 him. Come, one last kiss, my beautiful Anna one kiss 
 as a reward for my successful acting. To-morrow you 
 will have a singing-master, who is no poor wretch, but a 
 celebrated and influential musician, who has undertaken 
 to instruct you out of pure kindness for me, for he is not 
 a teacher but a composer. Graun himself will be your 
 instructor, and it rests with you to crown our love with 
 the happiest results." 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 SOFFRI E TACI. 
 
 THE most ardent desire of the young queen was about 
 to be accomplished ; she was to have a private and uncon- 
 strained interview with her husband. The days of resig- 
 nation, of hope deferred, and of hidden sorrow, were now 
 over. The dearly-beloved and longed-for husband had at 
 last returned to her! She need no longer hide her head
 
 174: FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 in shame from her own servants, who, she imagines, are 
 secretly laughing at and mocking her, because the young 
 king is so cold and indifferent. She need no longer envy 
 the poor woman she saw in the street yesterday, carrying 
 dinner to her laboring husband. She will also have a 
 husband, and will feel the guiding and supporting arm 
 of a strong man at her side. No longer will she be a 
 poor, neglected queen, but a proud and happy wife, envied 
 of all the world. 
 
 He had written that he desired to pay her a visit, and 
 had requested her not to lock her door, as important busi- 
 ness would prevent his coming until quite late. He 
 would, however, certainly come, as he desired to have a 
 private interview with her on this very evening. 
 
 How wearily the hours of this day have passed, how 
 slowly the sun sank to rest! It is at last evening; night 
 is coming on. Elizabeth can now dismiss her attendants, 
 and retire to her private apartments to await her husband. 
 He shall see how joyfully she will receive him, how happy 
 he has made her. She will adorn herself, that he may be 
 pleased; she will be beautiful, that he may smile upon 
 her. 
 
 The queen, with the assistance of her astonished maids, 
 attires herself for the first time in one of the charming 
 negligees recently sent by the Empress of Austria; for 
 the first time she dons her prettily-worked and coquettish 
 little cap, and encloses her tiny feet in gold-embroidered 
 white satin slippers. This negligee is really charming, 
 and the queen's waiting-maids assure her that she never 
 looked better, and was never more becomingly attired. 
 But the queen desires to assure herself of this fact, and 
 stepping forward to the mirror, she examines her dress 
 with the careful eye of a connoisseur ; then bending down, 
 she regards her face attentively, and an expression of 
 satisfaction flits over her features. Elizabeth sees that 
 she is young and pretty, and for the first time rejoices in
 
 AND HIS COURT. 175 
 
 her beauty. The maids regarded with astonishment these 
 unusual preparations. Why was Elizabth now so much 
 rejoiced at the beauty of which she had never before 
 seemed conscious? 
 
 The toilet is at an end; the queen seats herself on the 
 light blue sofa, and dismisses her maids with a mute 
 gesture. But when the first maid approaches the door, 
 and as usual drew the key from the lock in order to 
 secure it from the outside, Elizabeth awakes from her 
 dreamy state and arises from her reclining position; a 
 glowing color suffuses her cheek, and a happy smile plays 
 'around her lips. 
 
 " Do not lock the door to-day," said she, with emo- 
 tion ; " I await the king." 
 
 As if astonished at her new happiness, she sinks back 
 on the cushions, and covers her glowing face with her 
 handkerchief, as if to shut out the dazzling light. The 
 waiting-maids courtesy respectfully, and leave the room. 
 In the ante-chamber this respectful expression vanishes 
 from their features, and they turn to each other with 
 mocking and derisive laughter. 
 
 " Poor queen ! she wishes to make us believe that the 
 king, while he altogether neglects her in public, some- 
 times pays her a secret visit. She wishes to make us be- 
 lieve that she is really the wife of the handsome young 
 king; and we all know yes, we all know 
 
 And all three shrugged their shoulders derisively, and 
 hurried off to their associates, to gossip with them about 
 the poor, despised, neglected queen. 
 
 But what was that? Did they not hear a carriage 
 driving into the inner court, and the guard presenting 
 arms amid the rolling of drums ? Could it be as the queen 
 had said? was the king really coming to his wife? The 
 waiting-maids stood and listened; they heard steps on 
 the grand staircase. Yes, it was the king, who, preceded 
 by his pages, carrying silver candelabras with wax candles,
 
 176 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 walked hastily down the corridor to his chambers, and 
 from thence to those of the queen. 
 
 What the queen had said was therefore true. He did 
 not despise her; perhaps he loved herl The astonished 
 waiting-maids hurried off to inform their friends that 
 the king loved his wife passionately, and the royal pair 
 was the happiest couple on earth. Elizabeth Christine 
 also heard the equipages drive in to the court. With a 
 cry of delight she sprang from her seat and listened. A 
 fervent glow of happiness shot through her veins. She 
 pressed her hands to her heart to still its rapid beating; 
 her countenance was illumined with joy. But these feel- 
 ings were so novel they almost terrified her, and filled her 
 heart with tremulous anxiety. 
 
 " My God," murmured she, " give me strength to bear 
 this happiness, as I have borne misery ! " 
 
 But her prayer died on her lips, for she heard the door 
 of the corridor open. She was no longer the queen, no 
 longer the resigned and timid wife; she was now the 
 happy and joyful woman hurrying to meet the husband 
 of her love. And with uplifted head and proud satisfac- 
 tion she might now confess without shame that she loved 
 him ; for he. loved her also. He had requested a rendez- 
 vous, and was coming as a lover her first love meeting. 
 She will not be shy and silent to-day, now that she knows 
 he loves her; her tongue will no longer be chained; she 
 will have courage to confess all, to tell him how ardently 
 she loves him, and how long and vainly she has struggled 
 with her heart ; how the flames had ever broken out anew ; 
 how his glances had ever renewed the ardor of her love. 
 
 There he knocked at the door she could scarcely 
 breathe; she could scarcely bid him enter; she could not 
 move, and stood transfixed in the middle of the room; 
 she could only stretch out her arms longingly, and wel- 
 come him with her smiles and tearful glances. 
 
 The door opened ; now he entered. The light of the
 
 AND HIS COURT. 177 
 
 wax candles fell on his face. It was handsome as ever, 
 but his eye was cold, and his lips uttered no loving greet- 
 ing. He walked forward a few steps, stood still, and 
 bowed in a stiff and formal manner. A chill of horror 
 crept over Elizabeth; her arms sank down, and the smile 
 vanished from her pallid face. 
 
 " Madame," said the king, and his voice sounded 
 harsher and colder than she had ever before heard it 
 " madame, I must first beg your pardon for having dis- 
 turbed you at so unseemly a time, and for having robbed 
 you of an hour's sleep. But you see that I am a re- 
 pentant sinner, and you will forgive me when I assure 
 you that, as this is my first, it shall also be my last viola- 
 tion of your retirement ! " 
 
 The queen uttered a low cry, and pressed her hand to 
 her heart. She felt as if a sword had pierced her breast, 
 as if she were dying. 
 
 The king raised his large blue eyes with a surprised 
 look to the pale, trembling face of his wife. 
 
 " You are pale, you are ill," said he, " and my pres- 
 ence is undoubtedly annoying; I will retire and send 
 your waiting-maids to your assistance." 
 
 While he was speaking the queen prayed to God for 
 courage and strength; she called her womanly pride to 
 her assistance, and struggled against her tears and her 
 despair. The king, who in vain had waited for an an- 
 swer, now hastily approached the door, murmuring a few 
 impatient words. 
 
 But Elizabeth's courage had now returned, she had 
 conquered her heart. 
 
 " Remain, sire," she said ; " I beg you to remain ; I 
 feel well again. It was only a passing spasm from which 
 I often suffer, and for which I crave your indulgence." 
 
 " If I may then remain," said the king, smiling, " per- 
 mit me to conduct you to a seat." 
 
 She accepted the king's proffered arm and followed
 
 178 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 him to the sofa on which she had awaited him with such 
 blissful anticipations, and on which he was now about 
 to put her heart to the torture. 
 
 The king did not seat himself by her side, but rolling 
 an arm-chair forward, seated himself at some distance 
 in front of her. 
 
 " Madame," said he, " is it credible that we two have 
 been married for seven long years, and still have never 
 been as man and wife to each other ? Our lips were forced 
 to pronounce vows of which our hearts knew nothing. 
 Having been forced into this marriage, you must have 
 hated me. You can never have forgiven me for having 
 led you to the altar. At the foot of the altar we did not 
 vow eternal love to each other, but eternal coldness and in- 
 difference; and to this hour, madame, you, at least, have 
 faithfully kept this vow." 
 
 The queen sank back, murmuring a few incompre- 
 hensible words, and her head fell wearily upon her breast. 
 
 The king continued : " I come to-day to solicit your 
 forgiveness for the involuntary injustice which I com- 
 mitted. I have made you unhappy, for you were forced 
 to give your hand to an unloved man, of whom you knew 
 that he loved you not. Madame, it is unfortunately true, 
 an abyss lies between us, and this abyss is filled with the 
 blood of the dearest friend of my youth. Oh, madame, 
 forgive me this wrong, for the sake of what I have suf- 
 fered! I then had a soft and tender heart, but it was 
 trodden under foot, and has become hardened. I placed 
 full confidence in the world, and it has deceived me ter- 
 ribly. I have suffered more than the poorest beggar; 
 I was forced to regard my own father as a cruel enemy, 
 who watched me unceasingly, awaiting a favorable mo- 
 ment to give me a death-blow. It was necessary that I 
 should be continually on my guard, for the smallest fault, 
 the slightest thoughtlessness, a trifle, a mere nothing, 
 was sufficient to condemn me. Oh, if you knew with
 
 AND HIS COURT. 179 
 
 what vermin I have been publicly calumniated and ac- 
 cused! After doing their utmost to make me odious to 
 the world, and fearing they might perhaps still fail, they 
 resorted to another expedient to compass my ruin, and 
 endeavored to kill me with their ridicule. Soffri e tad, 
 this Italian proverb was then the motto of my life. And 
 believe me, it is hard to obey this seemingly so dry max- 
 im ; it has a grand significance." * 
 
 The king, oppressed as it were by these reminiscences, 
 leaned back in his chair and breathed heavily. With 
 downcast eyes and in silence the queen still sat before 
 him, charmed by the music of his words, which found an 
 echo in her heart like the dying wail of her youth. 
 
 " I do not tell you this," continued the king, after a 
 pause, " in order to play the role of a martyr in your 
 sight, but because I wish you to understand by what 
 means my spirit was at last broken, and my will made 
 subservient to that of my father. I purchased my free- 
 dom, madam, by chaining you to myself. But in doing 
 this, I vowed you should no longer be bound when it 
 should be in my power to release you. This moment has 
 come, and true to my vow, I am here. I know that you 
 do not, cannot love me, madame. The question arises, 
 Is your aversion to me so great that you insist on a sepa- 
 ration ? " 
 
 The queen raised her head and looked wonderingly 
 into the mild and sorrowful countenance of her husband. 
 She could no longer restrain the cry which trembled on 
 her lips, no longer stem the tide of tears which gushed in 
 torrents from her eyes. 
 
 " My God ! my God ! " she exclaimed, with a plaintive 
 wail, " he asks me if I hate him ! " 
 
 There was something in the tone of her voice, in this 
 despairing cry of her soul, which ought to have betrayed 
 the long-hidden secret of her love to the king. But per- 
 
 * The king's own words. See CEuvres, etc., torn, xvi., p. 1C1.
 
 180 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 haps he knew it already, and did not wish to understand. 
 Perhaps, in the nobility and native delicacy of his soul, 
 he wished to represent the indifference and coldness which 
 he experienced for his wife, as coming from herself. 
 However, the king did not seem to notice her tears. 
 
 " No, madame," said he, " I did not ask if you hated 
 me, for I well know that your noble and womanly heart 
 is not capable of this passion. I merely asked if your 
 aversion to me was so great that it demanded a separa- 
 tion. 1 pray you to give me a short and decisive answer." 
 
 But Elizabeth Christine had lost the power of speech; 
 tears rained down her cheeks, and she could only give a 
 mute assent. 
 
 "You are, then, willing to be my wife before the 
 world ? " asked the king. " You are willing to remain 
 Queen of Prussia, and nominally the wife of the king? 
 You do not demand that my reign shall be inaugurated 
 with the exposure of our domestic misfortunes, and that 
 your chaste and virtuous name shall be branded about 
 with mine before the calumniating world ? " 
 
 " No," said the queen, with feverish haste, for she 
 feared her strength might fail her. " No, I do not de- 
 mand it ; I desire no separation ! " 
 
 " I thank you for this word," said the king, gravely. 
 " It is worthy of a queen. You then feel with me that 
 we princes have not even the right to cast off the burden 
 which weighs us down, but must bear it patiently if it 
 serve to secure the stability of our throne. Enviable are 
 those who dare complain of their sufferings, and show 
 their scars. But it becomes us to wrap ourselves in si- 
 lence, and not to show to the miserable, pitiful, and 
 drivelling world, which envies and abuses, even while ap- 
 plauding us, that a king can also suffer. I thank you, 
 madame, and from this hour you will find in me a true 
 friend, a well-meaning brother, ever ready to serve you. 
 Give me your hand to this contract, which shall be more
 
 AND HIS COURT. 181 
 
 lasting and holier than that blessed by priests, to which 
 our hearts did not say amen." 
 
 In his proffered hand Elizabeth laid her own slowly 
 and solemnly. But when he clasped it in his own with 
 a firm pressure, Elizabeth started and a cry escaped her 
 lips. She hastily withdrew her hand, and sinking back 
 on the sofa, burst into tears. Frederick allowed her tears 
 to flow, regarding her with a look of deep sympathy. 
 
 " You weep, madame," said he, after a long and pain- 
 ful pause. " I honor your tears ; you weep for your lost 
 youth; you weep because you are a queen, and because 
 reason has conquered your heart and forbids you to make 
 yourself free as any other woman except a princess might 
 do. Weep on, madame, I cannot dry your tears, for like 
 yourself I have been cheated of my happiness; like your- 
 self I am well aware of the sacrifice which we are both 
 making to our royal standing. Ah, madame, if we were 
 only private individuals, if we were not the rulers of 
 Prussia, but her subjects, we might now be happy. Feel- 
 ing our own unhappiness, and desiring to sa've our sub- 
 jects from a like misfortune, I have made a divorce more 
 easily attainable." 
 
 Elizabeth arose from her reclining position and re- 
 garded the king with a mournful smile. 
 
 "I thank your majesty," said she. "It is noble in 
 you to alleviate that misfortune for others, which you 
 have determined to endure." 
 
 " Ah, madame," exclaimed the king, smiling, " you 
 forget that I have in you a noble friend and sister at my 
 side, who will help me to bear this evil. And then we are 
 not altogether unhappy; if we do not love, neither do 
 we hate each other. We are brother and sister, not by 
 blood, but united by the word of the priest. But never 
 fear, madame, I will regard you only as a sister, and 
 I promise you never to violate the respect due to your 
 virtue ! "
 
 182 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " I believe you," murmured the queen, blushing, and 
 inwardly ashamed of the charming and coquettish negli- 
 gee in which she had received the king. 
 
 " Before the world we are still married, but I promise 
 that this chain shall gall you as little as possible. In 
 your private life you will only be reminded that you arc 
 still my wife, when it is absolutely unavoidable. At the 
 coronation I must request your presence at my side. 
 When this is over you will be as free and independent as 
 circumstances will admit. You will have a court of 
 your own, a summer and a winter residence, in which I 
 shall never intrude." 
 
 " I shall then never see you again ! " said the queen, 
 in the sad voice of resignation, which is often produced 
 by an excess of pain. 
 
 " Oh, I pray you, madame, to permit me to meet you 
 at times when etiquette demands it; but I shall take care 
 that these meetings take place on official and neutral 
 ground, and not in our private houses. I will never enter 
 your house without your permission, and then only on 
 particular fete days your birthday for instance; and I 
 trust that you will not refuse to receive me on such oc- 
 casions." 
 
 " No, I will not refuse," replied the queen, regarding 
 her husband with a sad and reproachful look. But Fred- 
 erick did not see this look, or would not see it. 
 
 " I beg," said the king, smiling, " that you will permit 
 me to present you with the castle of Schonhauseu, as a 
 reminiscence of the hour in which you found a faithful 
 brother, and I a noble sister. Accept this little gift as an 
 earnest of our new bond of friendship. It has been fitted 
 up and prepared as a summer residence for your use, 
 and you can retire to it immediately after the coronation, 
 if you are so inclined." 
 
 " I thank you," said the queen in so low a voice that 
 her words could scarcely be distinguished. " I thank
 
 AND HIS COURT. 183 
 
 you, and I will go there on the day after the coronation ; " 
 a sigh, almost a sob, escaped her breast. 
 
 The king regarded with a clear and penetrating glance 
 the meek woman who sat before him, who accepted her 
 joyless and gloomy future with such heroic resignation. 
 Her mute anguish excited his compassion. He wished to 
 throw a sunbeam into her dark future, to warm her heart 
 with a ray of happiness. 
 
 " Well," said he, " I am on the point of making a little 
 journey incognito, in the meanwhile you can go to Schon- 
 hausen; but when I return I desire to spend a few weeks 
 in Rheinsberg in my family circle, and, as a matter of 
 course, madame, you are a member of my family. I beg, 
 therefore, that you will accompany me to Rheinsberg." 
 
 Elizabeth's countenance was illumined with so beauti- 
 ful and radiant a smile that even the king saw it and ad- 
 mired her beauty. She held out both her hands and 
 greeted him with a loving glance, but her trembling lips 
 refused to utter the words which her heart prompted. 
 
 The king arose. " I must no longer deprive you of 
 your repose, and I also need rest. We must both keep 
 ourselves well and strong for the sake of our country and 
 our subjects, for we both have a grand task to accomplish. 
 You will administer consolation to the miserable and 
 suffering; you will diffuse happiness and reap blessings; 
 you will shine as a model of nobility and feminine virtue 
 before all other women, and through your example will 
 give noble wives and mothers to Prussia's sons! And I," 
 continued the king, a ray of enthusiasm lighting up his 
 handsome face, " I will make my people great ; my coun- 
 try shall have a place in the counsels of mighty nations. 
 I will enlarge Prussia and make her strong and powerful. 
 My name shall be engraven in golden letters in the book 
 of history. As fate has destined me to be a king, and will 
 not permit me to spend my days in retirement and philo- 
 sophic tranquillity like other and happier mortals, I will
 
 184 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 at least endeavor to accomplish my mission with honor to 
 myself and advantage to my people. You will be a min- 
 istering angel to the needy and suffering of our subjects, 
 and I will extend the boundaries of Prussia and diffuse 
 prosperity throughout the land! Farewell, Elizabeth! 
 our paths will seldom meet, but if I were so fortunate as 
 to believe in a hereafter, and your noble and gentle nature 
 would almost persuade me to do so, I would say : ' In 
 heaven we will perhaps meet of tener, and understand each 
 other better.' Pray to God in my behalf. I believe in 
 God and in the efficacy of the prayers of the good and 
 pious. Farewell ! " 
 
 He bowed deeply. He did not see the deathly pallor 
 and convulsive trembling of the queen. He did not see 
 how she, after he had turned from her and was advancing 
 toward the door, hardly knowing what she did, stretched 
 out her arms after him, and whispered his name in a 
 plaintive and imploring tone. He hurried on, and with- 
 out once turning left the room. On the outside he stood 
 still for a moment, and drew a long breath of relief. 
 
 " Poor woman ! unfortunate queen ! " he murmured, 
 returning slowly to his chambers. " But why pity her ? 
 Is not her lot mine, and that of all princes ? A glittering 
 misery nothing else ! " 
 
 A few minutes later and the royal equipage again 
 drove through the court yard. 
 
 The king was returning to his summer residence at 
 Charlottenburg. The queen, who was on her knees, cry- 
 ing and sobbing, heard the carriage as it drove off. 
 " Gone ! he is gone ! " she exclaimed, with a cry of an- 
 guish ; " he has deserted me, and I am a poor discarded 
 woman ! He despises me, and I I love him ! " And 
 wringing her hands, she sobbed aloud. For a while she 
 was tranquil and prayed, and then again burst into tears. 
 Her soul, which had suffered so long in silence, once more 
 rebelled. The voice of her youth made itself heard, and
 
 AND HIS COURT. 185 
 
 demanded in heart-rending accents a little sunshine, a 
 little of the joy and happiness promised to mankind. 
 
 She was at last quieted; she accepted her destiny, and 
 bowed her head in humility and patience. Morning was 
 already dawning when Elizabeth Christine arose from 
 her knees, pale and trembling, but resigned. " Soffri e 
 taci!" said she, sadly. "This was the motto of his 
 youth, and this shall be the motto of my whole life! 
 Soffri e tad! how sad, and yet how grave are these 
 words ! Oh ! Frederick, Frederick ! why do you con- 
 demn me to such torture; why has your heart no pity 
 with me, no pity with my love ? But no ! " she exclaimed, 
 firmly, " I will weep no more. He shall not despise me. 
 I have accepted my destiny, and will bear it as beseems 
 a queen. Be still, my heart, be still. Soffri e tad! " 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 THE CORONATION. 
 
 BERLIN was resplendent; the streets were filled with 
 happy faces and gayly-dressed people, and the houses gar- 
 landed with flowers. To-day was the young king's cor- 
 onation festival. 
 
 The citizens of Berlin were assembled to take the oath 
 of allegiance, and the nobles and officials to do homage 
 to Frederick as their king. Crowds were moving toward 
 the castle ; all were anxious to see the king in his corona- 
 tion uniform, to see him step upon the balcony to greet 
 the people with the queen at his side, the young and 
 lovely lady with the sweet smile and cloudless brow; all 
 wished to see the rich equipages of the nobility, and, if 
 13
 
 186 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 possible, to collect some of the coins which, according to 
 an old and time-honored custom, were to be showered 
 amongst the people. Thousands were standing before 
 the castle, gazing intently upon the balcony where the 
 king would soon appear. The windows of the surround- 
 ing houses were filled with lovely women richly dressed, 
 holding wreaths and bouquets of fragrant flowers with 
 which to greet their young and worshipped king. All 
 were gay and joyous, all were eager to greet the new 
 king with shouts of gladness. The people were ready to 
 worship him who, during a few weeks of his reign, had 
 done so much for them; had showered upon them so 
 many blessings; had opened the granaries, diminished 
 the taxes, and abolished the torture; who had recalled 
 the religious sect so lately driven with derision from Ber- 
 lin, and declared that every man in Prussia should wor- 
 ship God and seek his salvation in his own way. Yes, 
 all wished to greet this high-minded, high-souled king, 
 who, being himself a philosopher and a writer, knew how 
 to reward and appreciate the scholars and poets of his 
 own land. Frederick had recalled the celebrated philoso- 
 pher Wolf, punished some time before by Frederick Will- 
 iam. He had organized the Academy of Science, and 
 filled it with learned and scientific men of the day. All 
 this had been done in a few weeks. How much could 
 still be hoped for? 
 
 The king loved pomp and splendor; this would pro- 
 mote the industry of the people. How much money 
 would be conveyed through him and his gay court to the 
 working classes! What a costly festal life would now 
 become the fashion in Berlin and what a rich harvest 
 would the manufacturers and tradesmen reap ! Not only 
 the people dreamed of a golden era, but the noblemen and 
 high officials, who now crowded the palace, were hopeful 
 and expectant, and saw a rare future of costly feasts and 
 intoxicating pleasures. The stupid and frugal entertain-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 187 
 
 mcnts of Frederick William would give place to royal 
 fetes worthy of the Arabian Nights. 
 
 Pollnitz, the Grand Chamberlain, was in his element; 
 he was commissioned with the arrangements for all the 
 court balls, was empowered to order every thing accord- 
 ing to his own judgment and taste, and he resolved to 
 lavish money with a liberal hand. Pollnitz wished to 
 realize his great ideal; and he wished to see embodied in 
 Frederick the picture he had drawn, for the benefit of the 
 old king, of a true cavalier. The king had given him 
 the power and he was resolved to use it. He thought and 
 dreamed of nothing, now that the court mourning was 
 drawing to a close, but the costly feasts which he would 
 give. Pollnitz was ever searching, with an experienced 
 and critical eye, amongst the ladies and maids of honor 
 for the fascinating beauty who should charm the heart 
 of the young king, and draw him into the golden net of 
 pleasure the net Pollnitz was so anxious to secure for 
 him. 
 
 That the king did not love his wife was no longer a 
 secret at court. Who, then, would win the love of this 
 impassioned young monarch? This was the great ques- 
 tion with Pollnitz. There was the lovely Madame 
 Wreeckie, who had shown so much kindness to the prince 
 during his imprisonment. Madame Wreeckie was still 
 young, still bewitching; perhaps it was only necessary 
 to bring them together in order to rekindle the old flame. 
 There was Madame Morien, " Le Tourbillon," who had 
 so often charmed the prince during his minority, and for 
 whom he had manifested a passionate preference. To be 
 sure, since his coronation he had not noticed her, she had 
 not received a single invitation to court. Then Dorris 
 Ritter, the poor innocent young girl who had been 
 flogged through the streets of Berlin, her only fault being 
 that she was the first love of the crown prince. Would the 
 king, now that he was free to act, remember poor Dorris
 
 188 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 and what she had suffered for him ; her sorrow, her shame, 
 and her despair? Would not Dorris Ritter now rise to 
 power and influence, be prayed to as a lovely saint, her 
 shame being covered with a martyr's crown? Pollnitz 
 determined to keep an eye on Dorris Ritter, and if the 
 king showed no special interest in any other woman, to 
 draw her from her exile and abasement. But, alas! the 
 coronation threw no light upon this torturing subject. 
 Pollnitz had hoped in vain that a round of intoxicating 
 pleasures would begin with this day; in vain did he sug- 
 gest to the king that a court ball should crown the solem- 
 nities of the day. 
 
 " No," said Frederick, " this shall be no day of 
 thoughtless joy; it brings me sad retrospective thoughts 
 and the consciousness of weighty duties. On this day my 
 father seems to me to die anew. Dismiss, therefore, 
 your extravagant fancies to a more fitting time. I can- 
 not trust you, Pollnitz, with the decorations of the throne, 
 your taste is too oriental for this occasion; I will there- 
 fore place this affair in the hands of M. Costellan, who 
 will order the simple decorations which I deem most 
 fitting." 
 
 The grand chamberlain could only shrug his shoulders 
 contemptuously, and rejoice that he was not compromised 
 by these contemptible arrangements ; he grumbled to him- 
 self, and said scornfully : " This pitiful saloon, with no 
 gilded furniture, no paintings, no works of art, with 
 faded, shabby silk curtains ; and that black, uncouth struc- 
 ture, is that really a throne the throne of a young king? 
 A long platform covered with cloth; an old arm-chair, 
 black, worn, and rusty; a canopy covered with black 
 cloth; faugh! it looks like a crow with his wings spread. 
 Can this be the throne of a king who receives for the first 
 time the homage of his subjects ? " A contemptuous 
 mocking smile was on the lips of Pollnitz as he saw the 
 king and his three brothers enter the room.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 189 
 
 Pollnitz could hardly suppress a cry of horror, as 
 he looked at the king. What, no embroidered coat, no 
 ermine mantle, no crown, nothing but the simple uni- 
 form of the guard, no decorations not even the star 
 upon his breast, to distinguish him from the generals 
 and officials who surrounded him! Nevertheless, as 
 Frederick stood upon that miserable platform with the 
 princes and generals at his side, there was no one that 
 could be compared with him; he seemed, indeed, to stand 
 alone, his bearing was right royal; his countenance 
 beamed with a higher majesty than was ever that lent by a 
 kingly crown; the fire of genius was seen in the flashes 
 of his piercing eye; proud and fearless thoughts were 
 engraved upon his brow, and an indescribable grace 
 played around his finely-formed mouth. There stood, 
 indeed, " Frederick the Great ; " he did not need the pur- 
 ple mantle, or the star upon his breast. God had marked 
 him with elevated kingly thoughts, and the star which 
 was wanting on his breast was replaced by the lustre of 
 his eye. 
 
 The solemn address of the minister of state, and the 
 reply of President Gorner, were scarcely listened to. 
 Frederick, though silent, had said more than these two 
 ministers, with all their rounded periods; his glance had 
 reached the heart of every one who looked upon him, and 
 said, " I am thy king and thy superior ; " they bowed 
 reverently before him, not because chance had made him 
 their sovereign, they were subdued by the power of in- 
 tellect and will. The oath of allegiance was taken with 
 alacrity. The king stood motionless upon his throne, 
 betraying no emotion, calm, impassive, unapproachable, 
 receiving the homage of his subjects, not haughtily but 
 with the composed serenity of a great spirit accepting 
 the tribute due to him, and not dazzled by the offering. 
 
 The coronation was at an end. Frederick stepped 
 from the throne, and nodded to his brothers to follow
 
 190 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 him; the servants hastily opened the doors which led to 
 the balcony, and carried out the bags filled with the gold 
 and silver coins. The air resounded with the shouts of 
 the populace. The king drew near to the iron railing, 
 and greeted his subjects with a cordial smile. " You are 
 my children," he said, " you have a right to demand of 
 your father love, sympathy, and protection, and you shall 
 have them." Then taking a handful of coin he scattered 
 it amongst the crowd. Shouts of merriment and a fear- 
 ful scuffling and scrambling was seen and heard below; 
 each one wished to secure a coin thrown by the king 
 himself, and they scarcely noticed the silver and gold 
 which the young princes were scattering with liberal 
 hands; all these were worthless, as long as it was pos- 
 sible to secure one piece which had been touched by 
 Frederick. The king saw this, and, much flattered by 
 this disinterested mark of love, he again scattered the 
 coin far and wide. 
 
 While the men were struggling roughly and angrily 
 for this last treasure, a weak, pallid woman sprang boldly 
 into the thickest of the surging crowd. Until now she had 
 been cold and indifferent ; the coins thrown by the young 
 princes, and which had fallen at her feet, she had cast 
 from her with disdain ; now, however, as the king once 
 more cast the coins in the midst of the gaping crowd, 
 with a power which passion only gives she forced her way 
 amongst the wild multitude, and with outstretched arms 
 she shrieked out, " Oh ! give me one of these small coins, 
 only a silver one, give it to me as a keepsake! Oh! for 
 God's sake, give me one ! " Suddenly strange murmurs 
 and whispers were heard from amongst those who now 
 recognized this poor outcast; they looked askance at her, 
 they shrank from her as from a leper; and she who a 
 moment before had sued to them so humbly, now stood 
 in their midst like an enraged lioness. 
 
 "It is she! it is she!" they whispered; "she has
 
 El
 
 AND HIS COURT. 191 
 
 come to see the king, for whom she suffered so much; 
 for his sake she had been covered with shame; she 
 has been driven from amongst the poor and innocent, and 
 now she dares to come amongst us ! " cried a harsh and 
 pitiless voice. 
 
 " We know how cruelly she was insulted and abused," 
 said another, " but we all know that she was innocent ; 
 my heart is full of pity for her, and she has a right to a 
 coin touched by the king." The last speaker approached 
 the poor woman, and offered both a gold and silver coin. 
 " Take these coins, I beg you, and may they be to you an 
 earnest of a better and happier future." 
 
 She gazed with a hard and tearless eye upon the 
 good-natured, kindly face. " No, there is no happy 
 future for me nothing but want, and misery, and de- 
 spair; but I thank you for your pity, and I accept these 
 coins as a memento of this hour." She took them and laid 
 them in her tattered dress, walked erect through the circle 
 which gathered around, and was soon lost in the crowd. 
 
 She was soon forgotten. The king with his brilliant 
 suite was still upon the balcony, they had not noticed the 
 scene passing amongst the people below; none of them 
 remarked this poor creature, who, having made her way 
 through the crowd, now leaned against one of the pillars 
 of the spire, and gazed earnestly upon the king. The 
 money was exhausted, the king had shown himself to the 
 people sufficiently, and now, according to etiquette, he 
 must leave the balcony and make the grand tour of the 
 saloons, greeting with kind and gracious words the as- 
 sembled nobles. He motioned, however, to his followers 
 to leave him, he wished to remain a few moments alone, 
 and look thoughtfully upon this sea of upturned faces. 
 Frederick gazed eagerly below. That was no inanimate 
 and pulseless creation moved to and fro by the wind, 
 which he now looked upon, but a living, thinking, im- 
 mortal people; with hearts to hate or love, with lips to
 
 192 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 bless or curse, their verdict would one day decide the 
 great question as to his fame and glory as a monarch, or 
 his neglect of holy duty, and the eternal shame which 
 follows. They seemed to Frederick to be pleading with 
 him; they demanded but little a little shade to rest in 
 when weary with their daily labor; prompt justice and 
 kindly protection, the right to live in peace, bearing the 
 burden and sorrow of their lives patiently; pity for their 
 necessities, forbearance for their weakness and folly. 
 What did he, their king, demand of them? That alone, 
 which a million of people, his people, could bestow, im- 
 mortal fame! they must give him the laurel of the 
 hero, and crown him with the civic wreath; he would 
 make his subjects strong, healthy, and happy they must 
 make his greatness known to all the world, and future 
 ages. 
 
 Such were the thoughts of the king as he stood alone 
 upon the balcony. His eye often wandered across to the 
 spire, and as often as it did the wretched woman who was 
 leaning against the pillar trembled fearfully, and her lips 
 and cheeks became deadly pale. The king did not see 
 her; he saw nothing of the outer world, his eye was 
 turned within, reading the secrets of his own heart. 
 
 In the grand saloons the nobles stood waiting in grim 
 and angry silence the return of Frederick; a cloud rested 
 upon every brow; even Pollnitz could no longer retain 
 his gracious and stereotyped smile ; he felt it to be a bitter 
 grievance that the king should keep the nobility waiting 
 while he stood gazing at a dirty mass of insignificant 
 creatures called human beings ! Looking around the cir- 
 cle, Pollnitz saw displeasure marked upon every face but 
 three. " Ah," said he to himself, " there are the three 
 Wreeckies ; no doubt they have come to be rewarded for 
 services rendered the crown prince; they were doubtless 
 dangerous rivals for us all; they suffered much for the 
 prince, and were banished seven years from court on his
 
 AND HIS COURT. 193 
 
 account. The king must indemnify them for all this, 
 and who knows, perhaps he may give them the house in 
 Jager Street, the house I am in the habit of calling mine ! 
 Well, I must draw near them and hear all the king prom- 
 ises." So saying, Pollnitz drew quietly near the Mes- 
 sieurs Wreeckie. At this moment there was a movement 
 in the vast assembly, and all bowed low; as the king 
 stepped into the saloon he commenced the grand tour of 
 the room; he had a kind and friendly word for all; at 
 last he reached the Messieurs Wreeckie, and remained 
 standing before them. All glances were now directed 
 to this group; All held their breath, not wishing to lose 
 a word which Frederick should say to these formidable 
 rivals. 
 
 The king stood before them, his eye was severe, and 
 his brow clouded. " Gentlemen," he said, " it has been a 
 long time since I have seen you at the court of the King 
 of Prussia. I suppose you seek the prince royal; I do 
 not think you will find him here. At this court you will 
 only find a king who demands, above all things, that his 
 majesty should be respected; that you subjugate your- 
 selves to him in silent obedience; even when his orders 
 appear harsh and cruel they must not be questioned for 
 a moment; he who opposes the will of the king deserves 
 punishment; I will not bear opposition at my court. 
 There is but one will, but one law; that is the will and 
 law of the king ! " And, without further greetings, he 
 passed on. 
 
 The Wreeckies stood pale, and trembling, and the face 
 of Pollnitz- was radiant with contentment. "Well, those 
 poor fellows will npt receive my house in Jager Street," 
 he said to himself, "they have fallen into disgrace; it 
 appears the king wants to punish all those who rendered 
 good service to the prince royal. Louis .the Fourteenth 
 said : ' It is most unworthy of a French king to punish 
 any wrong done to the crown prince ; ' here the rule is
 
 194: FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 reversed the King of Prussia deems it unworthy to re- 
 ward the services rendered the prince royal. But what is 
 the meaning of that crowd over there ? " he exclaimed, 
 interrupting himself, " why is the lord marshal approach- 
 ing his majesty with such an eager, joyful air? I must 
 know what is going on." Again Pollnitz made his way 
 through the courtiers and arrived safely, right behind 
 the king, just as my lord marshal was saying in an ex- 
 cited voice : " Your majesty, there is a young man in the 
 next room who begs your highness to allow him to throw 
 himself at your feet and take the oath of allegiance; 
 he has come from America to greet you as king. So soon 
 as he heard of the illness of your father, he left his 
 asylum and has travelled night and day; he has finished 
 his journey at a most fortunate moment." 
 
 The eye of the king rested coldly, unmoved on the 
 speaker; and even after he ceased speaking, regarded him 
 sternly. " What is the name of this young man, for 
 whom you show so lively an interest?" said the king, 
 after a pause. 
 
 The lord marshal looked perplexed and frightened; 
 he thought the king's heart should have told him who 
 stood without; who it was that had left his asylum in 
 America and longed to greet the new king. " Sire," he 
 said, hesitatingly, "your majesty demands to know the 
 name of this young man ? " 
 
 " I demand it." 
 
 The lord marshal breathed quickly. " Well, your maj- 
 esty, it is my nephew; it is Lieutenant Keith, who has 
 come from America to throw himself at your majesty's 
 feet." 
 
 Not a muscle of the king's countenance moved. " I 
 know no Lieutenant Keith," he said, sternly ; " he who 
 was once known to me by that name was stricken from 
 the officers' roll with the stigma of disgrace and shame, 
 and was hung by the hangman in effigy, upon the gallows.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 195 
 
 If Mr. Keith is still living, I advise him to remain in 
 America, where no one knows of his crime, or of his igno- 
 minious punishment." 
 
 "Your majesty will not receive him, then?" said the 
 lord marshal, with a trembling voice. 
 
 " You may thank God, sir, that I do not receive him 
 above all, that I ignore his being here; if I should 
 know that he still lived, I should be forced to execute the 
 sentence to which he was condemned by the court-mar- 
 tial." Slightly nodding to the lord marshal, the king 
 passed on and spoke a few indifferent words to some 
 gentlemen standing near. 
 
 " Well, Mr. Keith will not get my house in the Jager 
 Street," said Pollnitz, laughing slightly. " What is the 
 matter with this king, he seems to have lost his memory? 
 God grant he may not forget who it was that induced 
 Frederick William to pay the debts of the prince royal, 
 and to present him with the Trakener stud." 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 DORRIS HITTER 
 
 WHEN the king had left the balcony, a poor young 
 woman, who had been sitting on the steps of the cathe- 
 dral, arose and looked fearfully around her. The sight 
 of the king had carried her far away, she had been dream- 
 ing of the blissful days of the past. His disappearance 
 brought her back to the present the sad, comfortless 
 present. The king had left the balcony. What had she 
 to do in this mob, that might again mock, insult, or com- 
 miserate her! she could stand neither their sneers nor 
 their pity, she must flee from both.
 
 196 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 With a hasty movement she drew her shawl tighter 
 around her poor slender figure, and hurried through the 
 crowd. She came at last to a miserable small house. 
 The low narrow door seemed unfriendly, inhospitable, as 
 if it would permit no one to pass its threshold and enter 
 its dreary, deserted rooms, from which no sound of life 
 proceeded. But this small, quiet dwelling ought to have 
 been a house of labor and occupation, and would not have 
 been so poor and pitiful looking if the large iron bell 
 hanging over the door had been oftener in motion, and 
 filled the silent space with its cheerful sound. 
 
 Behind this door there was a shop, but the bell was 
 generally silent, and purchasers rarely came to buy in this 
 miserable little store the articles which could be pur- 
 chased more reasonably in one of the large shops belong- 
 ing to wealthy merchants. The house seemed to have 
 seen better days. It had some claims to comfort and re- 
 spectability. In the windows were placed bright shells 
 and cocoanuts; there were the large blue china pots, in 
 which the costly ginger is brought; there were quantities 
 of almonds, raisons, citron, and lemons in glass shells; 
 neat paper bags for coffee, and small Chinese chests that 
 had held real Chinese tea. But these bags and chests were 
 empty; the lemons and fruits were dried and hard; the 
 ginger-pots held no more of their strengthening contents ; 
 even the dusty, faded sign over the door, which presented 
 a wonderfully-ornamented negro engaged in unrolling 
 dried tobacco leaves, was but a reminiscence of the past, 
 for the tobacco had long since disappeared from the 
 chests, and the little that was left had fallen to dust. 
 The store contained but a few unimportant things : chic- 
 ory for the poor, who could not pay for coffee; matches, 
 and small home-made penny lights, with which poverty 
 illuminated her misery and want; on the table, in glass 
 cans, a few hardened, broken bits of candy; a large cask 
 of old herring, and a smaller one of syrup. This was
 
 AND HIS COURT. 197 
 
 the inventory of the shop, these the possessions of this 
 family, who alone occupied this house with their misery, 
 their want, and their despair; whose head and only stay 
 was the poor young woman now leaning wearily against 
 the steps, dreading to enter her house of woe and wretch- 
 edness. She arose at length and hastily entered. The 
 bells' hoarse creaking ring was heard, and a poor, pale 
 boy hastened forward to inquire the comer's wants. He 
 stopped and looked angrily at the poor woman who had 
 entered. 
 
 " Ah, it is you, mother," said he, peevishly. " I hoped 
 it was some one wishing to buy, then I could have bought 
 some bread." 
 
 " Bread ! " said the mother anxiously ; " did I not, 
 before I went out, give you the money to buy bread for 
 you and your little sister ? " 
 
 " Yes, but when father came home he threatened to 
 beat me if I did not give up the money at once; I was 
 frightened, and gave it; then he left, and Anna and I 
 have been crying for bread, while our father is amusing 
 himself at the alehouse and our mother has taken a holi- 
 day, and has been looking at the festivities which I also 
 would have been glad to see, but could not, because I 
 must stay at home and watch the shop into which no one 
 has entered, and take care of my little sister, who cries for 
 bread, which I cannot give her." As he finished he threw 
 an angry look at his mother, who, deeply grieved, had 
 fallen back on a wooden bench. She looked lovingly at 
 her son, and holding out her arms to him, said : 
 
 " Come, give me a kiss, and reward me for all my 
 pain and suffering." 
 
 " Give us bread, then perhaps I will kiss you," said 
 he, harshly. 
 
 She looked terrified into his hard, cold face. She 
 pressed her hand to her high, pale forehead, as if she 
 would force back the madness that threatened her; she
 
 198 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 held the other hand to her heart, whose wild, feverish 
 throbbings were almost choking her. 
 
 " My God ! my God ! " murmured she, " am I then al- 
 ready mad? Am I dreaming? Is this my son, my Karl, 
 who loved me so dearly my boy, who was the only com- 
 fort in my misery, the confidant of my tears and wretch- 
 edness ? Can I, whom he looks at with such dark glances, 
 be his mother his mother, who joyfully bears for him 
 the scorn of the world, who has suffered and hungered 
 for him, worked for him during the long, cold winter 
 nights his mother, whose love for him was so great that 
 she was willing not to die, but for his sake to live on in 
 her woe? Karl, my son, come to your mother, for you 
 well know how tenderly she loves you, and that she will 
 die if you do not love her." 
 
 " No, mother," said he, not moving, " you do not love 
 me, nor my little sister Anna; for if you loved us, you 
 would not have left us to-day, and joined the gay people 
 who were making merry while your poor children were at 
 home groaning and crying." 
 
 " Oh, my child ! my child ! I did not go, out of idle 
 curiosity," said she, sadly. " I went to consult the oracle 
 of your future, and to see if there was not to be some 
 hope, some comfort for my children ; if this would not be 
 the beginning of brighter days. I wished to read all this 
 in a man's face; I wished to see if he still had a heart, 
 or if, like all princes, he had become hard and pitiless." 
 
 She had forgotten that she was speaking to her son; 
 she was addressing herself, and had entirely forgotten 
 that he was present. 
 
 " Ah," said he, sneeringly, " you thought he would 
 now give you money for your shame; but father told me 
 that all the gold in the world would not wipe out this 
 shame, and that brandy was the only way besides death 
 that could make us forget that we are despised and ac- 
 cursed. Father told me "
 
 AND HIS COUET. 199 
 
 The boy stopped and retreated a few steps ; his mother 
 had risen from her seat and stood before him, deadly pale, 
 with widely-opened, flashing eyes, with trembling lips; 
 every muscle of her face in play; her whole form trem- 
 bling in a paroxysm of rage and frightful torture. It 
 was not the head of a woman, but a Medusa; not the 
 look of a tender, loving mother, but of a wild, angry, 
 threatening mad woman. 
 
 " What did your father tell you ? " cried she, wildly, 
 to the trembling boy before her. " What did he say ? I 
 will, I must know! You are silent; speak, or I dash my 
 brains out against the wall, and you will be guilty of 
 your mother's death." 
 
 " You will beat me if I tell you," said he insolently. 
 
 " No, no, I will not beat you," said she, breathlessly ; 
 and folding her hands as if to pray, she continued : " My 
 child, my child, have mercy on your mother. Tell me 
 what he said; with what words he poisoned your heart, 
 and made the love for your poor mother die so quickly. 
 Tell me all, my son; I will not beat but bless you, though 
 your words should cut my heart like a knife." 
 
 She wished to press him to her heart, but he resisted 
 passionately. 
 
 " No," said he, " you shall not kiss me ; father said 
 you made all you touched unhappy and despised, and 
 that we would be well, happy, and rich if you were not 
 our mother." 
 
 She shuddered; her arm fell powerless to her side, a 
 hollow groan escaped her, her eyes were -fixed and tearless. 
 
 " What more did he tell you ? " murmured she ; " with 
 what other tales did he amuse my child ? " She looked at 
 him with such a sad, painful smile, that he trembled and 
 glanced timidly down; he now saw what torture he was 
 preparing for her. 
 
 " Father was drunk," said he ; " when he heard that 
 you had gone out, he was furious ; he cursed you so dread-
 
 200 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 fully that Anna and I both cried, and I begged him not 
 insult you so, for it hurt me, for then I still loved you." 
 
 " Then he still loved me ! " said his mother, wringing 
 her hands. 
 
 " But he laughed at me, and said you did not deserve 
 our love; that you were the cause of all our misery and 
 want; he had become poor and wretched because he had 
 married you, and taken to drink so as not to hear or see 
 men pointing and laughing at you when you passed. 
 But, mother, you look so pale, you tremble so ! I will 
 say no more ; I will forget all father said ; I will love you, 
 mother; but do not look at me so dreadfully, and do not 
 tremble in that way." 
 
 The boy wept from grief and terror. His old love 
 had awakened; he approached his mother to kiss her, but 
 now she pushed him back. 
 
 " I do not tremble," said she, though her teeth were 
 chattering. " I do not tremble, and you must not forget 
 what your father said ; you must tell me all again. Speak 
 on, speak! I must hear all, know all. What more did he 
 say?" 
 
 The boy looked at her sadly. His voice, which before 
 had been insolent and rude, was now quiet and gentle, 
 and his eyes were full of tears. 
 
 " He said he married you out of pity, and because you 
 brought him a few thousand dollars. But this gold 
 brought no blessing with it, but a curse; and that since 
 then it had gone worse with him than with the execu- 
 tioner, whom all despise, and who dares not enter an 
 honest man's house. But that you were more despised and 
 disgraced than the miserable man who had stripped you 
 in the open market and whipped you through the streets; 
 that the boys had pelted you with mud, and that the 
 streets became red with the blood that flowed down your 
 back." 
 
 The poor woman gave a piercing shriek, and fell as if
 
 AND HIS COURT. 201 
 
 struck by lightning to the floor. The boy threw himself 
 weeping by her side; and the little girl, who had been 
 sleeping in another corner of the room, awakened by the 
 scream, came running toward them crying for bread. 
 
 But the mother moved not; she lay there pale, with 
 closed eyes; she was cold and lifeless; she did not hear 
 her poor little girl cry; she did not feel the hot kisses 
 and tears of her son, who was imploring her in anxious, 
 tender, loving words, to open her eyes, to tell him that she 
 was not angry, that she had forgiven him. But he sud- 
 denly stopped and listened eagerly; he thought he heard 
 the well-known sound of the bell. 
 
 " There it was again ; if it is father, he will beat me to 
 death," murmured he, as he went toward the shop door. 
 " He forbade me to repeat a word of all that to mother." 
 
 He opened the door, and there stood not his father but 
 a richly-dressed gentleman, who, with a friendly gesture, 
 pushed the boy aside and entered the shop. 
 
 " I want some tobacco, my little fellow," said he ; 
 " therefore call Mr. Schommer to give me some from his 
 best canister." 
 
 " My father is not at home," said the boy, staring at 
 the handsome, friendly gentleman. 
 
 " Well, I did not come precisely on his account," said 
 the gentleman, with a strange laugh. " Call your mother, 
 Madame Schommer, and tell her I wish to make a pur- 
 chase." 
 
 " Mother is lying in the back room on the floor, and I 
 believe she is dead ! " said Karl, sobbing. 
 
 The gentleman looked at him with amazement. " Did 
 you say dead? That would be very inconvenient, for I 
 have greatly counted on her life. What did she die of? 
 Is a physician with her ? " 
 
 " No one is with her but my little sister ; you can 
 hear her crying ! " 
 
 "Yes, I can hear her; and it is in truth no edifying 
 14
 
 202 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 music. No one else, did you say ? Where, then, are your 
 friends ? where is your father ? " 
 
 " Father is at the ale-house, and friends we have none ; 
 we live all alone, for no one will live with us." 
 
 " Well, if you are alone, I may go to your mother," 
 said he, with a careless laugh. " It is likely your mother 
 has fainted; and as I am learned in these feminine 
 swoons, it is very possible I may call her back to life. 
 Show the way, little Cupid, and lead me to your mother, 
 the fainting Venus." And laughing, he followed the as- 
 tonished boy into the back room. 
 
 She still lay without movement on the floor, and little 
 Anna, kneeling by her side, was praying for bread. 
 
 " That is your mother, Madame Schommer ? " asked 
 the strange gentleman, looking curiously at the pale 
 woman. 
 
 " Yes, that is my mother," said the boy. " Mother, 
 mother, wake up ! " said he, covering her face with kisses. 
 " Wake up, I do not believe what father said. I will love 
 you! He was drunk! Ah, my dear, dear mother, only 
 wake up ! " 
 
 " She will awake," said the stranger, who was bend- 
 ing over her, laying his hand on her heart and temples, 
 " she is, as I thought, not dead but in a swoon." 
 
 The boy laughed aloud with glee. " My mother is not 
 dead," said he, crying and laughing at once. " She will 
 wake up and love me ; we will all be so happy ! " 
 
 " Mother, mother, give me some bread ! " whimpered 
 poor little Anna. 
 
 " Are you then so hungry ? " said the stranger, who 
 was getting tired of this scene. 
 
 " Yes," said the boy, " she is hungry ; we are both hun- 
 gry. We have had nothing to eat all day. Mother gave 
 us money before she went out to buy bread and milk, but 
 father came and took it to buy brandy for himself." 
 
 "A worthy father," said the stranger, handing him
 
 AND HIS COURT. 203 
 
 something. " Here, my son, is some money. Take your 
 sister, go to the baker's, and get something to eat, then 
 seat yourselves and eat; and do not come back here until 
 I call you. But if you see your father coming, then come 
 and tell me." 
 
 The children joyfully hurried to the door; they were 
 not now thinking of their poor, fainting mother, but of 
 the bread they would buy to satisfy their hunger. 
 
 " But who," said the boy, turning around, " will watch 
 the shop ? " 
 
 " Well, I will," said the stranger ; " I will watch your 
 mother and your shop; go! " 
 
 The children hurried away, and the stranger was alone 
 with the fainting woman. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 OLD AND NEW SUFFERING. 
 
 THE cavalier stood quietly some minutes, showing no 
 sympathy for the poor insensible woman, and making no 
 effort to arouse her to consciousness; he examined her 
 face searchingly and curiously, not from sympathy for 
 her sad condition, but with cold egotism, thinking only of 
 his own special object. 
 
 " Hum," murmured he, " in spite of pallor and atten- 
 uation, there are yet traces of great beauty. I am sure 
 if well nourished and well clothed she may yet allure the 
 heart which must be ever touched with pity for her 
 mournful fate; besides, she is poor hopelessly, despair- 
 ingly poor. The husband is a drunkard, the children cry 
 for bread; she is so poorly clad, so pale, so thin; hunger
 
 204 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 has been her only lover. Under these circumstances she 
 will readily adopt my plans, and be my willing tool; she 
 will acknowledge me as her master, and by God I will 
 teach her how to bind this headstrong fool in chains. 
 He has so far escaped all the pitfalls which Fredersdorf 
 and myself have so adroitly laid for him. Dorris shall 
 be the Delilah who will tame this new Samson. Truly," 
 he continued, as he cast a look of contempt upon the 
 senseless form lying before him, " truly it is a desperate 
 attempt to transform this dirty, pale, thin woman into a 
 Delilah. But the past is powerfully in her favor, and my 
 Samson has a heart full of melting pity and sensibility; 
 moreover all previous efforts have failed, and it is pardon- 
 able to seek for extraordinary means in our despair. So 
 to work ! to work ! " 
 
 He took from his pocket a small phial of English salts, 
 held it to her nose, and rubbed her temples with a small 
 sponge. " Ah, she moves," he said, resting for a mo- 
 ment from his work, and looking coldly and curiously 
 upon the poor woman, who, with a shudder of newly- 
 awakened life, now turned her head, and whose convulsed 
 lips uttered short sighs and piteous complaints. Pb'llnitz 
 rubbed her temples again with the strong salts, and then, 
 as he saw that consciousness was more and more restored, 
 he raised her from the floor, and placed her softly in a 
 chair. " Auso armes, auso armes," muttered he. "La 
 battaille commencera" 
 
 The woman opened her eyes, and they wandered with 
 an anxious and questioning look here and there, then fell 
 upon the stranger, who, with a smiling and observant 
 glance, followed every movement. Her eyes were fixed 
 and staring, her features expressed terror and scorn, her 
 whole form was convulsed, she was still half dreaming, 
 half unconscious. But her eye was immovably placed 
 upon him, and she murmured in low tones, " I know this 
 face yes, I know this cold, smiling face, I have felt it
 
 AND HIS COURT. 205 
 
 twice! When was it? was it only in fearful dreams, or 
 was it a frightful reality? When, where did I see this 
 cold, devilish smile, this face so cold and heartless, so full 
 of iron egotism ? " 
 
 " Truly, she does not flatter," murmured Pb'llnitz, but 
 without changing for one moment his watchful but 
 friendly mien. " I am curious to see if she will at last 
 recognize me." 
 
 " Pollnitz ! " cried she at last, with flaming eyes. 
 "Yes, it is you! I know you! you are Baron Pollnitz! 
 Who gave you the right to enter this house? what brings 
 you here ? " 
 
 " I repeat your question," he replied, smiling, " what 
 brought you here, here in this gloomy, miserable room; 
 here where hunger and wailing have their dwelling; here 
 where misery grins upon you with hollow-eyed terror? 
 What do you here, Dorris Hitter ? " 
 
 She trembled convulsively at this name, her cheeks 
 were dyed purple, and in another moment became ghastly 
 pale. " Why do you call me Dorris Hitter ? " she cried, 
 with gasping breath, " why remind me of the past, which 
 stands like a dark spectre ever behind me, and grins upon 
 me with bloody and shameful horrors ? " Lost wholly in 
 these fearful remembrances, she stared before her, think- 
 ing no more of Pollnitz, forgetting that his watchful and 
 heartless eyes were ever fixed upon her. " Dorris Rit- 
 tef ! " she cried, slowly, " Dorris Hitter ! where are you ? 
 why do they call you by thy name? Can they not re- 
 member that you are a sleep walker wandering on the 
 edge of a precipice, into which you must fall headlong if 
 awakened by the sound of your name, Dorris Hitter ? " 
 she said, more loudly, fixing her eye upon Pollnitz; 
 " how dare you call my name, and tear me shrieking from 
 my grave ! " 
 
 " Now, that is exactly what I wish," said Pollnitz ; " I 
 will raise you from this lowly and forgotten grave; you
 
 206 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 shall forget what you have suffered; you shall be rich, 
 happy, distinguished, and envied." 
 
 " I ! " cried she, with mocking laughter, " and you will 
 make that of me! You, Baron Polmitz, you, who were 
 partly the cause of my misery, and who looked smilingly 
 upon my shame ! What, then, what have I done to deserve 
 so much shame and sorrow? My God! "cried she, in heart- 
 rending tones, " my heart was pure and innocent ; I dared 
 raise my head without fear, and look God and my parents 
 in the face; even before him, my prince, I needed not to 
 cast down my eyes; I was innocent, and he loved me be- 
 cause he could also respect me. Alas! it was so silent, 
 so resigned a love; it asked for nothing, it had no speech. 
 Was it our fault that others saw and pointed out this love 
 without words, and which eyes of innocence only ex- 
 pressed? We stood far removed from each other, and a 
 gulf lay between us, but heavenly music formed a golden 
 starry bridge over this abyss, and the holy and melodious 
 tones whispered to our young hearts, the complaints and 
 longings of a speechless, self-renouncing love. Only 
 thus, only thus, a sweet dream, and nothing more ! Then 
 you came to awaken us, to accuse the prince of high 
 treason, to make of me a miserable prostitute. You cast 
 my love, which I had only confessed to my Father in 
 heaven, like a dirty libel and foul fruit in my face; you 
 wished to spot and stain my whole being, and you suc- 
 ceeded; you crushed my existence under your feet, and 
 left me not one blossom of hope ! Oh, I will never forget 
 how you tore me from the arms of my poor father! how 
 you cast me into prison and chained my hands, because in 
 the anguish of my shame and my despair I tried to take 
 that life which you had dishonored ! They came at last, 
 and dragged me before the king. Two men were with 
 him, one with a common red and swollen visage, with 
 thick, lascivious lips, with red and watery eyes that was 
 Grumbkow; the other, with the fine friendly face, with
 
 AND HIS COURT. 207 
 
 the everlasting deceitful smile, the cold, contemptuous, 
 heartless glance, that was you, Baron Pollnitz. Ah, with 
 what horrible glances did these three men look upon me! 
 what mockery and contempt did their cruel voices express ! 
 I threw myself at the feet of the king; I prayed to him 
 for mercy and grace ; he kicked me from him, and shamed 
 me with words and accusations which made my soul 
 blush. I swore that I was innocent; that no sin lay upon 
 me ; that I had never been the beloved of the prince ; that 
 I had never spoken to him but in the presence of my fa- 
 ther. Then laughed they, and mocked me, and loudest 
 of all laughed Baron Pollnitz, and his words of scoffing 
 and insult pierced my heart like a poisoned arrow, and 
 checked my flowing tears." 
 
 " It is true," murmured Pollnitz ; " she has forgotten 
 nothing." 
 
 " Forgotten ! " cried she, with a wild laugh, " can I for- 
 get that I was driven through the streets like a wild beast ; 
 that I was stripped by the rough hands of the hangman's 
 boy; that I heard behind me the scoffings and insults of 
 the wild mob hired for the occasion; that I felt upon my 
 naked back the cruel blows of the executioner's whip? 
 Oh, I have borne, and I have suffered; I did not become a 
 maniac, I did not curse God, but I prayed to my Father 
 in heaven as I ran like a baited wild beast through the 
 streets. I saw that all the houses were closed, that no one 
 stood at the windows; no one had the courage to look 
 upon my path of martyrdom, and it comforted me even in 
 the midst of my torture, and I blessed those men who were 
 pitiful to me, and who appeared to bear testimony to my 
 innocence by refusing to witness my cruel punishment, 
 and I ran further, and the hot blood flowed down my back. 
 Suddenly I came upon a house which was not closed, the 
 door was open, before it stood the servants and pointed 
 the finger of scorn at me, and mocked and jeered at me. 
 On the balcony stood Baron Pollnitz, with his stony,
 
 208 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 heartless face ! Then I uttered a cry of rage and revenge, 
 then my prayers were hushed or changed into wild curses, 
 and I yelled and howled in my heart: he is guilty of my 
 shame, he with his cruel jests, his pitiless sneers, has 
 poisoned the ear of the king, has destroyed the last doubt 
 of my guilt in the heart of his majesty. Disgrace and 
 shame upon Baron Pollnitz! may he be despised, lonely, 
 and neglected in the hour of death; may remorse, the 
 worm of conscience, feed upon his soul, and drive him 
 hither and thither, restless and homeless all his life 
 long!" 
 
 She uttered a wild cry, and sank back powerless and 
 broken in her chair. 
 
 Baron Pollnitz was self-possessed and smiling 
 throughout; he laid his hand upon the nerveless arm of 
 the sobbing woman, and said with a soft, flattering tone : 
 
 " It is true I have done you injustice, but I have come 
 to make amends for the past. You shall yet raise your 
 head proudly, and no one shall doubt of your innocence." 
 
 She shook her head sadly. " How can that help me ? 
 My father died of shame; my husband, who married me 
 from pity and because I had a poor two thousand crowns, 
 could not bear that men should flee from me as from a 
 branded culprit; this grief drove him to drink, and when 
 he comes home drunk at night, he beats me and shames 
 me; the next morning he prays, with strong crying and 
 tears, for forgiveness, but goes again and begins anew 
 the same sad existence. My children ! " 
 
 She could say no more; her words were choked with 
 tears, as she thought of the hard and frightful language 
 her little boy had used to her that morning. 
 
 Pollnitz was weary of the complaints and sobs of this 
 wretched woman. 
 
 " Weep no more," said he ; " weeping makes the eyes 
 red, and you must henceforth be lovely and attractive; 
 if you will follow my advice you and your children will
 
 AND HIS COURT. 209 
 
 once more be joyful and happy. I will send you beauti- 
 ful clothing, and I know an adroit person who will make 
 you charmingly attractive, and at the same time arrange 
 your toilet with such enchanting grace that you will pass 
 for the ' Mater dolorosa ' and the beautiful Magdalen in 
 the same person. Then will I lead you to the king; then 
 will he read in your lovely and noble face the touching 
 and innocent story of his first love; it will then rest with 
 you, who have so long been covered with dust and ashes, 
 to kindle again the spark of your dead love, and find in his 
 tenderness the reward and compensation for all the bitter 
 past." 
 
 She looked at him with flaming eyes, and her glance 
 was so piercing that even Pollnitz felt a little embar- 
 rassed, and involuntarily cast his eyes to the ground. 
 
 " Has the king sent you here with this message ? " 
 
 " No, not the king ; but I know that he thinks of you 
 with love and pity, and that he would be happy to find 
 you." 
 
 " If that is so, let him come to seek me. I will not go 
 to him I am the injured and dishonored one; it is his 
 duty to repair my wrongs. But he will not come I 
 know it. I read it to-day in his face. The world has 
 killed his heart; it has turned to stone in his breast a 
 gravestone for his dear-loved Katt. and for Dorris 
 Bitter." 
 
 " He will come ; I say to you he will ! Hear me, 
 Dorris; you will not go to him? Well, then, expect him 
 here, and prepare yourself in such a way to receive him 
 as to make an impression upon his heart; study carefully 
 your part; revolve every word which you will say to him; 
 consider every glance with which you will look upon him; 
 put on the clothes which I will send you, and banish your 
 husband and your children." 
 
 " My children ! " cried she, trembling ; " no, no, only 
 as a mother only under the protection of their innocent
 
 210 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 presence will I ever see him; only for my children 
 will I receive his sympathy and grace." 
 
 Pollnitz stamped involuntarily with his feet upon the 
 floor, and muttered curses from between his tightly- 
 pressed lips. 
 
 " Do you not understand that our whole scheme will 
 fail unless you do exactly as I tell you; that you will 
 attain nothing unless you begin wisely and prudently? 
 You say the king has no heart; well, then, he has intel- 
 lect, and this you must flatter; through this you may, 
 perhaps, warm his stony heart ; you must not trust wholly 
 to the majesty of your misfortunes, but advance to meet 
 him in the grace and glory of your beauty; by your soft 
 eyes you must work upon his heart; not with your tears, 
 but by enchanting smiles, he may be won." 
 
 She looked at him with proud and contemptuous 
 glances. 
 
 " Go ! " said she ; " go ! we have nothing to do with 
 each other. I would curse you and seek to revenge my- 
 self upon you for the new dishonor which you have put 
 upon me by your shameless words, but I know I have 
 not the right to resent. I am a degraded, dishonored 
 woman, and all men believe they have the right to insult 
 me and to mock at my misfortunes. Go ! " 
 
 " You command me, then, to leave you } you will not 
 heed the voice of a well-meaning friend; you 
 
 " Baron Pollnitz," said she, with a voice tremulous 
 with scorn, " I say go ! drive me not to extremity. Shall 
 I call upon the neighbors to relieve me from the presence 
 of one I abhor, who disregards the sanctity of my poor 
 house, and abuses and sneers at a woman who hates him? 
 Go, and let me never see your face or hear your voice 
 again ! " 
 
 " Well, then, I will go ; farewell, dear Madame 
 Schommer; but I will come again, and perhaps I may be 
 so happy as to find in your place the enchanting Dorris
 
 AND HIS COURT. 211 
 
 Hitter, that sentimental young maiden of the past, who 
 loved the crown prince so passionately, and was so well 
 pleased to receive his love and his presents." 
 
 He laughed aloud, and left the dreary room with a 
 courtly pirouette; with quick steps he hastened through 
 the shop, and opening the door which led into the street, 
 he kicked the two children who were sitting on the thresh- 
 old to one side, and rushed into the street. 
 
 " She is truly proud yet," murmured he, shrugging his 
 shoulders. " The hangman's whip did not humble her 
 that pleases me; and I am more than ever convinced we 
 will succeed with her; she must and shall be beloved of 
 the king; and as she will not go to him, well, then, I will 
 bring him to her. To-morrow the king will visit the site 
 chosen for the palace of the queen-mother: that will be 
 a glorious opportunity to induce him to enter her hut." 
 
 Dorris Hitter had risen, and with uplifted arm and a 
 proud glance she had followed Pollnitz. Her whole be- 
 ing was in feverish excitement. In this hour she was no 
 more a poor, disheartened woman, from whom all turned 
 away with contempt, but a proud wife conscious of her 
 honor and her worth, who commanded her persecutor 
 from her presence; who asked no mercy or grace, and de- 
 manded a recognition of her purity. 
 
 As the steps of the baron faded away, and Dorris was 
 again alone, her feverish excitement subsided, and she 
 was again a poor, pallid, trembling, humble woman. 
 With a cry of the most profound woe she sank back in her 
 chair, and stared long before her. Suddenly she mur- 
 mured from between her tightly-compressed lips : " Woe 
 to him! woe to him! when he forgets what I have suf- 
 fered for him; woe to him, if he does not remove the 
 shame which crushes me ! woe to him, if he despises me as 
 others do ! Then will Dorris Bitter be his irreconcilable 
 enemy, and she will take vengeance so true as there is 
 a God over us ! "
 
 212 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 THE PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE. 
 
 " COURAGE, my dear friend," said Madame von Brandt 
 to Count Voss, who stood before her with the most mourn- 
 ful expression, and seemed so lost in grief as to be 
 scarcely aware of the presence of his charming and be- 
 witching Armida. 
 
 " I do not understand how you can laugh and be gay, 
 if you love me," he said, sadly. 
 
 " I love you truly, and therefore I am gay. We have 
 almost gained our end; soon the suspicions of the world 
 will be lulled, for who would dream that the husband of 
 the young and beautiful Laura von Pannewitz could pos- 
 sibly love the old and ugly Madame von Brandt ? " 
 
 " You old ! you ugly ! " cried the young count, indig- 
 nantly. " It is well that it is you who utter such a blas- 
 phemy; if any other did, I should destroy him." 
 
 " You would do very wrong, dear count, for that 
 would betray our love to the world. No, no, if any one 
 should speak so to you, you must shrug your shoul- 
 ders, and say, ' I am not acquainted with Madame von 
 Brandt, I am indifferent whether she is handsome or 
 ugly. She may be as old as Methuselah, it does not con- 
 cern me." 
 
 " Never will I say that, never will I be induced to 
 utter so miserable and dishonorable a falsehood. No, 
 dearest, you cannot demand that. You see your power 
 over me, and treat me most cruelly. You condemned me 
 to be married, and I have obeyed your commands, al- 
 though my heart was breaking as I made my proposal to 
 the queen. Now I entreat that you will not torture me 
 by demanding that I shall revile and caluminate you.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 213 
 
 "No, no, I pray on my knees that you will be kind and 
 merciful ! " 
 
 He threw himself on his knees before her, leaning his 
 head upon the divan on which she was sitting. 
 
 She placed her hand upon his head and played with 
 his fair hair. " I am not cruel, I am only cautious," she 
 whispered, almost tenderly. " Trust me, Alexander, you 
 must not doubt my boundless love." 
 
 "No, no, you do not love me," he sighed; "you are 
 always hard and cruel, you have never granted me the 
 smallest favor, you have never accepted one of my pres- 
 ents." 
 
 A slight but scornful smile played upon the lips of 
 this beautiful woman, while the enthusiastic and impas- 
 sioned young man spake thus. She turned aside her face, 
 that he might not see its expression. 
 
 But he thought she was again angry with him. " Ah," 
 he said, despairingly, " you will not allow me even to be- 
 hold your heavenly countenance; do you wish to drive 
 me to distraction ? What have I done to deserve this new 
 torture? Are you so offended because I entreated you to 
 accept a gift from me? Oh, it is so sweet to compel the 
 one we love to think of us; to place a ring upon her 
 finger, and bid her dream of him who loves her when she 
 looks upon it; to bind a chain upon her neck, and whis- 
 per, ' You are fettered, my love enchains you, you are 
 mine ! ' A man can only believe in the affection of his 
 beloved when she condescends to accept something from 
 him." 
 
 " And would that give you faith in my love ? " she 
 said, in a tender, melting voice, as she turned smilingly 
 toward him. 
 
 " Yes ! " he exclaimed, " it would increase my faith." 
 
 " Well, then, give me some little thing that will remind 
 me of you, that I can wear, as the spaniel wears the 
 collar which bears the name of its master."
 
 214 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 She offered him her hand, which he covered with fer- 
 vent kisses, and then drew from his bosom a large and 
 heavy etui, which he placed in her hands. 
 
 " But this contains not merely a ring," she said, re- 
 proachfully ; " you have deceived me, misused my kind- 
 ness; instead of presenting me with a small souvenir, 
 with the pride of a king you wish to overwhelm me with 
 your rich gifts. Take back your case, count, I will not 
 look at its contents; I will not behold how far your ex- 
 travagance and pride have led you; take your treasures, 
 and give me the simple ring that I promised to accept." 
 She stood up, and handed him the etui with the air of an 
 insulted queen, without once glancing at its contents, and 
 only divining their value by the size and weight of the 
 case. 
 
 Her poor lover regarded her with a truly despairing 
 expression. "If you desire to destroy me, do it quickly 
 and at once, not slowly, day by day, and hour by hour," 
 he said, almost weeping. " I fulfil your smallest desire, 
 I marry at your command, and you refuse to show me 
 the slightest kindness." He was now really weeping, and 
 turned aside that she might not behold his tears. Then 
 suddenly recovering himself, he said with the boldness of 
 despair : " I will learn from you the use of the word no. 
 If you refuse to accept this case, then I will refuse to 
 marry Mademoiselle von Pannewitz. If you compel me 
 to receive again those miserable stones, I will go at once 
 to the queen, and tell her that I was mistaken, that I can- 
 not and will not marry Mademoiselle von Pannewitz; 
 that I have given up my plan, and am determined to leave 
 Berlin immediately." 
 
 " No ! no ! you must not go ! you shall not leave me ! " 
 she cried, with every appearance of terror ; " give me the 
 case, I will accept it. You must not leave Berlin ! " 
 
 The young count uttered a cry of delight, and hurried 
 to her side.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 215 
 
 " I will accept this etui" she said smiling, " but will 
 not open it while we are together, for fear we might again 
 disagree." 
 
 Count Voss was beside himself with joy and gratitude, 
 and vowed he would marry Mademoiselle von Pannewitz 
 that very day, to obtain the kiss which Madame von 
 Brandt had promised him at his wedding. 
 
 " Love might perhaps remove mountains," she said, 
 " but it cannot give wings to the tongue of a queen. 
 You have placed your proposals in the hands of her maj- 
 esty, you selected this lofty lady to sue for you, and 
 now you must wait until it pleases her to make your pro- 
 posals known to the lady." 
 
 " The queen promised to do that to-day. It was neces- 
 sary for me to make my proposals to her, for the family 
 of Mademoiselle von Pannewitz demanded that I should 
 obtain the consent of the queen to my marriage before I 
 could hope for theirs." 
 
 " And Laura, have you obtained her consent ? " 
 
 " Oh," said the vain count, shrugging his shoulders, 
 " I am certain of that ; she is poor and entirely dependent 
 on the proud dowager-queen; I will make her a countess, 
 and insure her freedom ; she will live independently upon 
 her estates, and be surrounded with wealth and luxury; 
 she will have every thing but a husband." 
 
 " Poor Laura ! " said Madame von Brandt, softly. 
 "But you have been with me already too long; it might 
 be remarked, and give rise to suspicion; go, now, I will 
 work for you, and you must work for yourself. Let no 
 difficulties frighten you." 
 
 The count left her slowly, while Madame von Brandt 
 was scarcely able to conceal her impatience to be alone. 
 She looked after him with a contemptuous smile, and 
 murmured to herself : " Vain fool, he deserves to be de- 
 ceived. But now at last I will see what this precious etui 
 contains." She flew to the table and hastily lifted the
 
 216 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 cover of the case. A cry of astonishment arose to her 
 lips, and her eyes beamed as clearly and brightly as .the 
 diamonds resting upon the satin cushion within. " Ah ! 
 this is really a royal present," she whispered, breathlessly, 
 " more than royal, for I am confident King Frederick 
 would never present any woman with such diamonds; 
 but I deserve them for my wonderful acting. This poor 
 count is convinced that I am the noblest, most unselfish, 
 and most loving of women. How well conceived, how 
 wise it was to decline his first gift ! I knew that he would 
 replace it with something more costly and elegant, hoping 
 to move me to change my resolution. How my heart 
 bounded with delight when he drew forth this great case! 
 I could scarcely withhold my hands from grasping the 
 costly treasure. I concealed my impatience, and would 
 not open the case in his presence, fearful that he might 
 read my delight in my eyes, and that might have unde- 
 ceived the poor fool as to my disinterestedness. Truly it 
 was very wise and very diplomatic in me ; even Manteuffel 
 could not have acted more discreetly." She bent again 
 over the flashing diamonds, and pressed her burning lips 
 to the cold stones. " Beautiful stones," she whispered 
 tenderly, " your cold kiss animates my whole frame ; I 
 love you more than any human being, and when you are 
 upon my neck I will desire no warmer embrace. Wel- 
 come, then, beloved, to my house and my bosom. You 
 shall be well cared for, I shall exert myself to provide you 
 with worthy companions; many of your family are lying 
 loosely about in the world, and you doubtless desire the 
 company of your brothers and sisters. I myself share 
 that desire, and will seek to accomplish it by bringing 
 together more and more of your relations; I will invite 
 your cousins, the pearls, and you shall be united. My 
 diamonds and pearls shall have a gayer and more splendid 
 wedding than Count Voss and beautiful Laura von Pan- 
 newitz." She laughed aloud in the joy of her heart, then
 
 AND HIS COURT. 217 
 
 closed the case and locked it carefully in her writing- 
 desk. " And now to the queen-mother," she said ; " the 
 train is laid, it is only necessary to apply the match and 
 await the explosion. I must point out to the queen that 
 this marriage of the lovely Laura with Count Voss is 
 necessary to prevent a difficulty in the royal family, I 
 must eh bien! nous verrons. I hear the voice of the 
 queen; she is taking her promenade, and I must not fail 
 to be present." She took her hat and shawl, and hurried 
 to the garden. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE QUEEN AS A MATRIMONIAL AGENT. 
 
 THE queen-mother was taking a walk in the garden of 
 Monbijou. She was unusually gay to-day, and her 
 countenance wore an expression of happiness to which it 
 had long been a stranger. And the queen had good rea- 
 son to be gay, for she seemed on the point of realizing the 
 proud anticipations she had indulged in for so many 
 weary years. Her son was carrying into execution the 
 promises which he had made on his first visit, and in 
 which she had hardly dared to believe. She had already 
 received the first monthly payment of her income as 
 queen-dowager, which her son had largely increased. 
 New appointments had been made to her court, and it 
 had been placed on a truly royal footing; and yesterday 
 the king had told her that he had already chosen a site 
 for her new palace. Moreover, the homage she received 
 from the entire court, and more especially from the king's 
 favorites, bore evidence to the fact that her influence was 
 considered great, and that much importance was attached 
 
 to her grace and favor. While Queen Elizabeth was 
 15
 
 218 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 passing her time joylessly at the Castle of Schb'nhausen, 
 to which she had retired, the entire court was assembling 
 at Monbijou, and hastening to do homage to the queen- 
 mother. Even the young king, who had not yet paid a 
 single visit to his wife at Schonhausen, waited on the 
 queen his mother daily, accompanied by a brilliant suite 
 of cavaliers.* 
 
 The queen Sophia Dorothea had good reason to be 
 gay, and to entertain the happiest anticipations in regard 
 to the future. To-day for the first time she could take 
 her morning walk attended by her brilliant suite, for the 
 last appointments had only been made on the preceding 
 day. When the queen now looked around, and she did so 
 from time to time, she no longer saw the two maids of 
 honor of earlier days walking languidly behind her. Six 
 of the most beautiful ladies, all of the first nobility, had 
 been appointed to the queen's service, and were now en- 
 gaged in a merry conversation with the four cavaliers in 
 attendance on the queen, who had been selected for this 
 office by the king himself. While conversing with her 
 marshal, Count Rhedern, she could hear the merry laugh- 
 ter of the newly-appointed maid of honor Louise von 
 Schwerin, and the soft, melodious voice of the beautiful 
 Laura von Pannewitz, whose grace and loveliness had 
 even excited the admiration of her husband the king, and 
 for a few weeks thrown him into a state to which he was 
 entirely unaccustomed, t 
 
 The queen, as we have said, was unusually gay, for 
 she had just received a new proof of her own importance, 
 and of the influence she was supposed to exert on the 
 young king her son. 
 
 Count Rhedern had solicited the assistance of the 
 queen-mother in a very delicate and important matter, 
 and had requested her to advocate his cause with King 
 
 * Thiehault, ii., pajje 84. 
 
 t Memoires de Frederique Wilhelniine de Baireuth, vol. ii., p. 308.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 219 
 
 Frederick. The count desired to marry, but the permis- 
 sion jof the king was still wanting, and would probably 
 be very difficult to obtain, for the count's chosen was un- 
 fortunately not of a noble family, but had the misfortune 
 to be the daughter of a Berlin merchant. 
 
 " But," said the queen, after this confidential com- 
 munication, " I do not understand why it is that you wish 
 to marry this girl. I should think the nobility of our 
 kingdom was not so poor in beautiful and marriageable 
 ladies that a Count Rhedern should find it necessary to 
 stoop so low in search of a wife. Look behind you, count, 
 and you will see the loveliest ladies, all of whom are of 
 pure and unblemished descent." 
 
 " True, your majesty. These ladies are beautiful, of 
 good birth, young and amiable, but one thing is wanting 
 to make them perfect. Mademoiselle Orguelin is neither 
 beautiful nor of good birth, neither young nor amiable, 
 but she has the one thing which those fairies lack, and for 
 the sake of this one thing I am forced to marry her." 
 
 " Count, you speak in riddles, and as it seems to me 
 in riddles of doubtful propriety," said the queen, almost 
 angrily. " What is this one thing which Mademoiselle 
 Orguelin has, and on account of which you are compelled 
 to marry her ? " 
 
 " Your majesty, this one thing is money." 
 
 " Ah, money," said the queen, smiling ; " really, it well 
 becomes a cavalier to marry beneath him for the sake of 
 money ! " 
 
 "Your majesty, it is because I am mindful of the 
 duties which my rank impose on me, and of the demands 
 which a cavalier of my standing should meet, that I have 
 determined to make this misalliance. Your majesty will 
 be indulgent if I dare open before you the skeleton closet, 
 and unveil the concealed misery of my house. The 
 Counts Rhedern are an old and illustrious race. My 
 ancestors were always rich in virtues but poor in gold.
 
 220 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 Economy seems to have been the one virtue they ever pos- 
 sessed; they were too generous to reject any appeal 
 made to them, and too proud to limit their expenditures 
 to their small income. Outwardly they maintained the 
 pomp suitable to their standing, while they gnawed se- 
 cretly and unseen at the hard crust of want. Thus from 
 father to son the debts were constantly increasing, and 
 the revenues becoming smaller and smaller. If I do not 
 make an end of this, and sever the Gordian knot like 
 Alexander, instead of attempting the wearisome task of 
 untying it, I shall soon present to the court and nobility 
 the sad spectacle of a Count Rhedern who is compelled to 
 give up his hotel, his equipage, his furniture, and his 
 servants, and live like a beggar." 
 
 " Ah, this is really a sad and pressing affair ! " ex- 
 claimed the queen, sympathizingly, " but are there no 
 heiresses among the nobility, whose fortunes might save 
 you?" 
 
 " None, your majesty, who like Mademoiselle Orguelin 
 would bring me a fortune of three millions." 
 
 " Three millions ! That is a great deal, and I can 
 now perfectly well understand why you are compelled 
 to marry this Orguelin. You have my consent, and I 
 think I can safely promise you that of my son the king. 
 Make your arrangements and fear nothing. I guarantee 
 that the king will not refuse your request." 
 
 " After what your majesty has said, I feel assured on 
 this point," exclaimed Count Rhedern, with a sigh. 
 
 " How, and you still sigh, count ? " 
 
 " Your majesty, I need the permission of one other 
 person the acceptance of the bride. And to this 
 acceptance is appended a condition, the fulfilment of 
 which again depends upon your majesty's kindness." 
 
 " Well, truly, this is a strange state of affairs. You 
 speak gravely of your approaching marriage, and as yet 
 are not even engaged. You speak of your bride, but
 
 AND HIS COURT. 221 
 
 Mademoiselle Orguelin has not yet accepted you, and 
 whether she will or not, you say, depends on me." 
 
 " Yes, on your majesty, for this girl, who is as proud 
 of her three millions as if it were the oldest and most 
 illustrious pedigree, consents to be my wife only on the 
 condition that she is acknowledged at court, and has ac- 
 cess, as Countess Rhedern, to all court festivities." 
 
 " Truly this is a great pretension ! " exclaimed the 
 queen, angrily. " A pedlar's daughter who carries arro-; 
 gance so far as to wish to appear at the court of the King 
 of Prussia! This can never be, and never could I advo- 
 cate such an innovation: it is destructive, and only cal- 
 culated to diminish the prestige of the nobility, and to 
 deprive it of its greatest and best privilege that privilege 
 which entitles it alone to approach royalty. It was this 
 view which prevented me from receiving the so-called 
 Count Neal at my court, although my son the king ad- 
 mits him to his presence, and desires that I also should 
 recognize this count of his creation. But, as a queen 
 and a lady, I can never do this. There must be a ram- 
 part between royalty and the low and common world, 
 and a pure and unblemished nobility alone can form this 
 rampart. You see, therefore, my poor count, that I can- 
 not accede to this request." 
 
 " Have compassion on me, your majesty. If your 
 majesty will but remember that I am ruined; but I am a 
 beggar if this union does not take place, if I do not marry 
 the three millions of Mademoiselle Orguelin." 
 
 " Ah, certainly, I had forgotten that," said the queen, 
 thoughtfully. 
 
 " Moreover," continued the count, somewhat en- 
 couraged, " this is a different affair altogether, and I do 
 not believe that a principle is here at stake, as was the 
 case with the so-called Count Neal. A man represents 
 himself and his house, and no power on earth can give 
 him better or nobler blood than already flows in his veins.
 
 222 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 But with a woman it is different. She receives her hus- 
 band's name and his rank; she becomes blood of his blood, 
 and can in no manner affect his nobility. The sons of 
 Countess Rhedern will still be the Counts Rhedern, al- 
 though the mother is not of noble birth." 
 
 " True," said the queen, " this case is different from 
 that of the adventurer Neal. The rank of her husband 
 would be sufficient to permit us to draw a veil over the 
 obscure birth of this new-made countess." 
 
 " And your majesty would then be the noble protec- 
 trice of our family," said the count, in a sweet and in- 
 sinuating tone ; " your majesty would not only restore my 
 house to its ancient prestige, but you would retain the 
 three millions of Mademoiselle Orguelin in Prussia; for 
 if I should not be able to fulfil the condition which this 
 lady has made, Mademoiselle Orguelin will marry a rich 
 young Hollander, who is the commercial friend of her 
 father, and has come here for the especial purpose of su- 
 ing for the hand of his daughter." 
 
 " Ah, if that is the case, it becomes almost a duty to 
 give you this girl, in order to prevent her millions from 
 leaving the country," said the queen, smiling. " Be hope- 
 ful, count, your wish will be granted, and this little mil- 
 lionnaire, who longs to appear at court, shall have her 
 desire. I will speak with my son on this subject to-day; 
 and you may take it for granted that your request will 
 meet with a favorable response." 
 
 And the queen, who was proud and happy to have an 
 opportunity of showing the count how great was her in- 
 fluence with her royal son, graciously permitted him to 
 kiss her hand, and listened well pleased to his exclama- 
 tions of gratitude and devotion. 
 
 She then dismissed him with a gracious inclination of 
 her head, requesting him to inform Madame von Brandt, 
 whose laughing voice could be heard at a short distance, 
 that she desired to see her.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 223 
 
 While the count hurried off to execute the commission 
 of his royal mistress, the queen walked on slowly and 
 thoughtfully. Now that she was permitted to be a queen, 
 her woman's nature again made itself felt; 'she found it 
 quite amusing to have a hand in the love affairs which 
 were goingon around her, and to act the part of the benefi- 
 cent fairy in making smooth the path of true love. Two, 
 of the first noblemen of her court had to-day solicited 
 her kind offices in their love affairs, and both demanded 
 of her the reestablishment of the prosperity and splendor 
 of their houses. 
 
 The queen, as before said, felt flattered by these de- 
 mands, and was in her most gracious humor when Ma- 
 dame von Brandt made her appearance. Their conversa- 
 tion was at first on indifferent subjects, but Madame von 
 Brandt knew very well why the queen honored her with 
 this interview, and kept the match in readiness to fire the 
 train with which she had undermined the happiness and 
 love of poor Laura von Pannewitz. 
 
 " Do you know," asked the queen suddenly, " that we 
 have a pair of lovers at my court ? " 
 
 " A pair of lovers ! " repeated Madame von Brandt, 
 and so apparent was the alarm and astonishment depicted 
 in her countenance that the queen was startled. 
 
 "Is this, then, so astonishing?" asked the queen, 
 smiling. " You express so much alarm that one might 
 suppose we were living in a convent, where it is a crime 
 to speak of love and marriage. Or were you only a little 
 annoyed at not having heard of this love affair ? " 
 
 " You majesty," said Madame von Brandt, " I knew 
 all about this affair, but had no idea that you had any 
 knowledge of it." 
 
 " Certainly you must have known it, as Mademoiselle 
 von Pannewitz is your friend, and has very naturally 
 made you her confidant." 
 
 " Yes, I have been her confidant in this unhappy and
 
 224: FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 unfortunate love," said Madame von Brandt, with a sigh; 
 " but I can assure your majesty that I have left no argu- 
 ments, no prayers, and even no threats untried to induce 
 this poor young girl to renounce her sad and unfortunate 
 love." 
 
 " Well, you might have saved yourself this trouble," 
 said the queen, smiling ; " for this love is not, as you say, 
 a sad and unfortunate one, but a happy one! Count 
 Voss came to me this morning as a suitor for the hand of 
 Mademoiselle von Pannewitz." 
 
 " Poor, unhappy Laura ! " sighed Madame von 
 Brandt. 
 
 " How ! " exclaimed the queen, " you still pity her, when 
 I assure you that hers is not. an unhappy, but a happy 
 love, reciprocated by Count Voss, who is a suitor for her 
 hand?" 
 
 " But what has Count Voss to do with Laura's love ? " 
 asked Madame von Brandt, with such well-acted astonish- 
 ment that the unsuspecting queen might very well be de- 
 ceived. 
 
 " Truly this is a strange question," exclaimed the 
 queen. " You have just told me that Mademoiselle von 
 Pannewitz entertains an unfortunate attachment for 
 Count Voss ; and when I inform you that so far from 
 hers being an unfortunate attachment, it is returned by 
 Count Voss, who is at thia moment a suitor for her hand, 
 you ask, with an air of astonishment, ' What has Count 
 Voss to do with Laura's love ? ' ' 
 
 " Pardon me, your majesty, I did not say that my 
 poor friend loved Count Voss." 
 
 " How ! " exclaimed the queen, impatiently ; " it is 
 then not Count Voss? Pray, who has inspired her with 
 this unfortunate love? Who is he? Do you know his 
 name?" 
 
 " Your majesty, I know him ; but I have vowed on the 
 Bible never to mention his name."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 225 
 
 " It was very inconsiderate in you to make such a 
 vow," exclaimed the queen, impatiently. 
 
 " Your majesty, she who demanded it of me was my 
 friend, and in view of her sorrow and tears I could not re- 
 fuse a request by the fulfilment of which she would at 
 least have the sad consolation of pouring out her sorrow 
 and anguish into the bosom of a true and discreet friend. 
 But the very friendship I entertain for her makes it my 
 bounden duty to implore your majesty to sustain the offer 
 of Count Voss with all the means at your command, and, 
 if necessary, even to compel my poor Laura to marry 
 him." 
 
 " How ! You say she loves another, and still desire 
 that I should compel her to marry Count Voss ? " 
 
 " Your majesty, there is no other means of averting 
 evil from the head of my dear Laura; no other means of 
 preserving two noble hearts from the misery their unfor- 
 tunate passions might produce. Laura is a noble and 
 virtuous girl, but she loves, and would not long be able 
 to withstand the passionate entreaties of her lover; she 
 would hear no voice but that of him she loves." 
 
 " This love is then returned ? " asked the queen. 
 
 " Oh, your majesty, Laura's maidenly pride would pre- 
 serve her from an unrequited love." 
 
 " And still you call this love an unfortunate one ? " 
 
 " I call it so because there are insurmountable ob- 
 stacles in its way; an abyss lies between these lovers, 
 across which they can never clasp hands. In order to be 
 united they would have to precipitate themselves into its 
 depths! Every word of love which these unfortunates 
 utter is a crime is high treason." 
 
 " High treason ! " exclaimed the queen, whose eyes 
 sparkled with anger. " Ah, I understand you now. This 
 proud, arrogant girl raises her eyes to a height to which a 
 princess of the blood alone can aspire. In her presump- 
 tion this girl thinks to play the role of a La Valliere or a
 
 226 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 Maintenon. Yes, I now comprehend every thing her 
 pallor, her sighs, her melancholy, and her blushes, when I 
 told her I expected the king and his court here to-day. 
 Yes, it must be so, Mademoiselle von Pannewitz loves 
 the 
 
 " Your majesty," exclaimed Madame von Brandt, im- 
 ploringly, " have the goodness not to mention the name. 
 I should have to deny it, and that would be an offence to 
 your majesty; but if I should acknowledge it, I would be 
 false to my vow and my friendship. In your penetration, 
 your majesty has divined what I hardly dared indicate, 
 and my noble queen now comprehends why an early mar- 
 riage with Count Voss would be the best means of pre- 
 serving the happiness of two noble hearts." 
 
 " Mademoiselle von Pannewitz will have to make up 
 her mind to become the bride of Count Voss within the 
 hour ! " exclaimed the queen, imperiously. " Woe to her 
 if in her arrogance she should refuse to give up a love 
 against which the whole force of my royal authority shall 
 be brought to bear." 
 
 " May your majesty follow the suggestions of your 
 wisdom in all things! I only request that your majesty 
 will graciously conceal from poor Laura that you dis- 
 covered her unhappy secret through me." 
 
 " I promise you that," said the queen, who, forgetful 
 of her royal dignity, in her angry impatience turned 
 around and advanced hastily toward her suite, who, on 
 her approach, remained standing in a respectful attitude. 
 
 At this moment a lacquey, dressed in the royal livery, 
 was seen advancing from the palace; he approached the 
 maid of honor then on duty, Mademoiselle von Panne- 
 witz, and whispered a few words in her ear. 
 
 Hurrying forward, this young lady informed the 
 queen that her majesty the reigning queen had just ar- 
 rived, and desired to know if her majesty would receive 
 her. The queen did not reply immediately. She looked
 
 AND HIS COURT. 227 
 
 scornfully at the young girl who stood before her, hum- 
 bly and submissively, with downcast eyes, and although 
 she did not look up at the queen, she seemed to feel her 
 withering and scornful glances, for she blushed deeply, 
 and an anxious expression was depicted on her counte- 
 nance. 
 
 The queen observed that the blushing Laura was won- 
 derfully beautiful, and in her passionate anger could have 
 trodden her under foot for this presumptuous and trea- 
 sonable beauty. She felt that it was impossible longer to 
 remain silent, longer to defer the decision. The queen's 
 anger fairly flamed within her, and threatened to break 
 forth ; she was now a passionate, reckless woman, nothing 
 more; and she was guided by her passion and the power 
 of her angry pride alone. 
 
 " I am going to receive her majesty," said Sophia 
 Dorothea, with trembling lips. " Her majesty has pre- 
 sented herself unceremoniously, and I shall therefore re- 
 ceive her without ceremony. All of you will remain here 
 except Mademoiselle von Pannewitz, who will accompany 
 me." 
 
 CHAPTER Xin. 
 
 PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE. 
 
 THE greeting of the two queens was over; the in- 
 quiries of politeness and etiquette had been exchanged; 
 Sophia had offered Queen Elizabeth her hand and con- 
 ducted her into the small saloon, where she was in the 
 habit of receiving her family. 
 
 The door leading to the conservatory was open, and 
 the two maids of honor could be seen within, standing 
 with Laura, and asking questions in a low tone, to which
 
 228 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 she replied almost inaudibly. She felt that the decisive 
 hour of her destiny was at hand, and she prayed that God 
 would strengthen her for the coming trial. She trembled 
 not for herself, but for her lover; for his dear sake she 
 was determined to bear the worst, and bravely meet the 
 shock; she would not yield, she would not die, for he 
 would perish with her; in her heart of hearts, she re- 
 newed the oath of eternal love and eternal faith she had 
 taken, and nerved herself for persecution and endurance. 
 Suddenly she heard the harsh voice of the queen calling 
 her name; she looked up, and saw her standing in the 
 door. 
 
 " I beg the maids of honor to join the ladies in the 
 garden; you, mademoiselle, will remain here; I have a 
 few words to say to you." 
 
 The ladies bowed and left the conservatory. Laura 
 remained alone; she stood with folded hands in the mid- 
 dle of the room ; her cheek was deadly pale, her lips trem- 
 bled, but her eyes were bright, and filled with a heroic 
 and dreamy excitement. As Sophia called her name, 
 Laura laid her hand upon her heart, as if to suppress its 
 stormy beating, and with her head bowed meekly upon 
 her breast she advanced submissively at the call of her 
 mistress. At the door of the second saloon she remained 
 standing, and awaited the further commands of the 
 queen. As Sophia did not speak, Laura raised her eyes 
 and looked timidly at the two queens, who were seated on 
 a sofa opposite the door; they were both gazing at her, 
 the queen-mother severely, with a proud and derisive 
 smile, but Queen Elizabeth regarded with unutterable 
 pity this poor girl, who reminded her of a broken lily. 
 
 " Mademoiselle von Pannewitz," said Sophia, after a 
 long silence, " I have a matter of great importance to 
 communicate to you, and as it admits of no delay, her 
 majesty has allowed me to speak to you in her presence. 
 Listen attentively, and weigh well my words. I have
 
 AND HIS COURT. 229 
 
 treated you with affectionate kindness; you have always 
 found in me a friend and mother. I therefore require 
 of you unconditional and silent obedience an obedience 
 that as your queen and mistress I have a right to demand. 
 You are of a noble but poor family, and your parents 
 cannot support you in the style suitable to your birth. I 
 have adopted you, and will now establish for you a future 
 which will be both splendid and happy. A rich and gal- 
 lant cavalier has proposed for your hand, and as it is a 
 most fitting and advantageous offer, I have accepted it 
 for you, and promised your consent." 
 
 The queen ceased and looked piercingly at the young 
 girl, who was still leaning against the door, silent and 
 dejected. This dumb submission, this weak resignation 
 revolted the queen; instead of softening her anger, she 
 took this silence for defiance, this humility for stubborn- 
 ness. 
 
 " You are not at all anxious, it appears, to learn the 
 name of your future husband," she said, sharply ; " per- 
 haps the rapture of joy binds your tongue, and prevents 
 you from thanking me for my motherly care." 
 
 " Pardon, your majesty," said Laura, raising her soft 
 eyes to the harsh and severe countenance of the queen; 
 " it was not joy that closed my lips, but reverence for 
 your majesty; I feel no joy." 
 
 " You feel no joy ! " cried the queen, with the cruel 
 rage of the lion who seizes his prey and tears it in pieces 
 when there is none to deliver. " Well, then, you will 
 marry without joy, that is decided; and as you are too 
 far above all womanly weakness to appear curious, I shall 
 be obliged to name the happy man whose loving bride you 
 are soon to be, that you make no mistakes, and perhaps, 
 in the tenderness of your heart, render another than 
 your appointed husband happy in your embraces." 
 Laura uttered a low cry of anguish, and her cheeks, color- 
 less until now, were dyed red with shame.
 
 230 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 "Have pity, your majesty," murmured Elizabeth 
 Christine, laying her hand softly on the shoulder of the 
 queen ; " see how the poor girl suffers." 
 
 Sophia shrugged her shoulders contemptuously. 
 " Nonsense ! do we not all suffer ? have not I suffered ? 
 Is there a woman on God's earth whose heart is not half 
 melted away with hot and unavailing tears ? " 
 
 " It is true," said Elizabeth ; " we have but one ex- 
 clusive privilege to weep and to endure." 
 
 The queen-mother turned again to Laura, who had 
 checked her tears, but was still standing bowed down, and 
 trembling before he'r. 
 
 " Well," said Sophia, " it still does not suit you to in- 
 quire the name of your lover, then I shall name him; 
 mark well my words : it is Count Voss who has chosen 
 you for his wife, and to him alone you have now to direct 
 your heart and your tenderness." 
 
 Laura now raised her eyes and fixed them steadily 
 upon this cruel mistress; her glance was no longer soft 
 and pleading, but determined. The imperious manner 
 of the queen, instead of intimidating the pale and gentle 
 girl, awakened her to the consciousness of her own dig- 
 nity. " Majesty," she said, with cool decision, " love is 
 not given by command, it cannot be bestowed arbitrarily." 
 
 " By that you mean to affirm that you do not and can- 
 not love Count Voss," said the queen, suppressing her 
 fury with difficulty. 
 
 "Yes, your majesty, I do not, I cannot love Count 
 Voss." 
 
 " Well, then," cried Sophia, " you will marry him 
 without love, and that speedily ! " 
 
 Laura raised her head passionately; her eye met the 
 queen's, but this time not humbly, not timidly, but deci- 
 sively. From this moment, Sophia Dorothea was to her 
 no longer a queen, but a cruel, unfeeling woman, who 
 was trampling upon her soul and binding it in chains.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 231 
 
 "Pardon, your majesty, as I have said that I do not 
 love Count Voss, it follows of course that I will never 
 marry him." 
 
 The queen sprang from her seat as if bitten by a 
 poisonous reptile. " Not marry him ! " she shrieked ; 
 " but I say you shall marry him 1 yes, if you have to be 
 dragged with violence to the altar ! " 
 
 " Then at the altar I will say no ! " cried Laura von 
 Pannewitz, raising her young face, beaming with courage 
 and enthusiasm, toward heaven. 
 
 The queen uttered a wild cry and sprang forward; the 
 lion was about to seize upon its prey and tear it to pieces, 
 but Elizabeth Christine laid her hand upon the raised 
 arm of the queen and held her back. " Majesty," she said, 
 " what would you do ? you would not force this poor 
 girl to marry against her will; she does not love Count 
 Voss, and she is right to refuse him." 
 
 " Ha ! you defend her ? " cried Sophia, brought to ex- 
 tremities by the resistance of the queen ; " you have then 
 no presentiment why she refuses the hand of Count Voss ; 
 you do not comprehend that when a poor dependent maid 
 of honor refuses to marry a rich and noble cavalier, it is 
 because she believes she has secured her future in another 
 direction because in the haughtiness of her vain, in- 
 fatuated heart, she hopes through her beauty and well- 
 acted coquetry to secure for herself a more brilliant lot. 
 But, mark me 1 however charming and alluring that pros- 
 pect may appear outwardly, even in its success there 
 would be found nothing but infamy ! She can never 
 have the madness to believe that any priest in this land 
 would dare to bind with the blessings of the Holy Church 
 a love so boldly impudent, so traitorous; she can never 
 hope to set her foot where only the lawful wife of a king 
 can stand where the sister of the king of England has 
 stood ! yes, where she still stands, and from whence 
 she is resolved to repulse this miserable coquette, who
 
 232 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 hopes to conquer a throne through her shameless allure- 
 ments." 
 
 Laura uttered a piercing scream, and with hands 
 raised to heaven, she exclaimed, " My God ! my God ! can 
 I bear this and live ? " 
 
 The queen broke into a wild, mocking laugh. Eliza- 
 beth Christine looked, questioningly, at this scene, which 
 she did not comprehend, but which touched her heart by 
 its tragic power. 
 
 " It is a hard and cruel accusation which your majesty 
 is bringing against this young girl; let us hope that 
 Laura will know how to defend herself." 
 
 " Defend herself ! look at her ! look how my words 
 have crushed her! how her proud, aspiring soul is 
 checked ! Believe me, Elizabeth, she, whom you so gener- 
 ously pity, understands my words better than your maj- 
 esty; and she knows well of what I accuse her; but you, 
 my daughter, shall know also ; you have a right to know." 
 
 " Mercy ! your majesty, mercy ! " cried Laura, falling 
 upon her knees and raising her arms pleadingly toward 
 the queen ; " speak no more ! humble me no further ! 
 Do not betray my secret, which in your mouth becomes a 
 denunciation! Let me remain even on the brink of the 
 precipice, where you have dragged me! that is appalling, 
 but cast me not down! So low and dust-trodden a crea- 
 ture is no longer worthy of the honor of approaching 
 your majesty, I see that, and beg humbly for my dismis- 
 sal, not as your majesty supposes, to lead an independent 
 and happy, if still a shameful life, but to flee to some 
 corner of the world, where alone and unseen I may weep 
 over the beautiful and innocent dreams of my life, from 
 which your majesty has awakened me so cruelly." 
 
 She was wonderfully beautiful in this position; those 
 raised arms, that noble, transparently pale, tear-stained 
 countenance. Sophia Dorothea saw it, and it made her 
 feel more bitter, more crueL
 
 AND HIS COURT. 233 
 
 " Ah, she dares to reproach me," she cried, contempt- 
 uously ; " she still has a slight consciousness of her shame ; 
 she trembles to hear what she did not tremble to do! 
 Listen, my daughter, you that have for her so warm, so 
 pitiful a heart; you who, when I have spoken, will detest 
 and curse her as I do, and as you are entitled to do. 
 Believe me, Elizabeth, I know all your suffering, all your 
 sorrow; I know the secret history of your noble, proud, 
 and silent heart. Ask that girl there of your grief and 
 misery ; ask her the reason of your lonely, tearful nights ; 
 demand of her your broken happiness, your crushed 
 hopes; demand of her your husband's love, your soul's 
 peace. Mademoiselle von Pannewitz can return them all 
 to you, as she has taken them from you, for she is the 
 mistress of the king." 
 
 " Mistress of the king ! " said Elizabeth, with a pain- 
 ful cry, while Laura let her hands glide from her face, 
 and looked at the queen with an astonished expression. 
 
 " Yes," repeated Sophia Dorothea, whose hot blood 
 rushed so violently through her veins that her voice fal- 
 tered, and she was scarcely able to retain an appearance 
 of self-control ; " yes, she is the mistress of the king, and 
 therefore refuses to marry Count Voss! But patience, 
 patience, she shall not triumph! and if she dares to love 
 my son, the son of the queen, King Frederick of Prussia, 
 I will remind her of Dorris Bitter, who loved him, and 
 was beloved by him! This Dorris was flogged through 
 the streets of Berlin, and cast out from amongst men." 
 
 Laura uttered so loud and fearful a cry that even 
 the queen-mother was startled, and for a moment touched 
 with pity for the poor, broken-hearted girl who lay at her 
 feet, like a poor, wounded gazelle in the convulsive ago- 
 nies of death. 
 
 But she would not give way to this pity; would not 
 betray a weakness, of which she was ashamed. Taking 
 the hand of the young queen and casting a look of dis- 
 1G
 
 234: FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 dain at Laura, she said, " Come, my daughter, we will 
 no longer bear the presence of this person, whose tears, 
 I hope, spring from repentance and acknowledgment of 
 her offence; may she obtain our pardon by resolving to- 
 day, of her own free will, and without forcing us to 
 harsher measures, to accept the hand of Count Voss; 
 come, my daughter." 
 
 The two queens stepped to the door. Sophia threw it 
 open violently, and passed immediately into the boudoir, 
 but Elizabeth did not follow her. She looked back at the 
 poor sobbing girl lying upon the floor. The pale and 
 noble face touched her womanly heart. 
 
 " Pardon, your majesty, if I do not follow imme- 
 diately; I should like to say a few words to Mademoi- 
 selle von Pannewitz ; I think I have a right to do so." 
 
 The queen-mother experienced a cruel pleasure at 
 these words. 
 
 " Oh, my daughter, even your forbearance is exhaust- 
 ed, and you feel that forgiveness is impossible; yes, speak 
 to her, and let her feel the whole weight of your righteous 
 indignation. Words of reproach and accusation from 
 your gentle lips will have a crushing power. But no de- 
 lay you know the king will soon be here." 
 
 The queen closed the door. She wished to hear noth- 
 ing that passed between Elizabeth and Laura ; she needed 
 rest, in order to receive the king with composure.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 235 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE MISUNDERSTANDING. 
 
 THE young queen, the reigning queen, as she 'was 
 called, was now alone with Laura von Pannewitz. She 
 was for a moment speechless; strange, tempestuous feel- 
 ings burned in the bosom of this gentle woman; she felt 
 all the torments of rage and jealousy, and the humilia- 
 tion of unrequited love. 
 
 Leaning against the wall, she looked frowningly at 
 Laura, who was kneeling before her, wringing her hands 
 and weeping piteously. How could a woman weep who 
 could call that happiness her own to possess which Eliza- 
 beth would cheerfully give years of her life ? She had at 
 last found the rival for whom she was despised; the de- 
 stroyer of her happiness; the envied woman loved by 
 Frederick ! 
 
 As she saw this woman bathed in tears at her feet, an 
 exulting joy for one moment filled her heart. But this 
 violent emotion soon disappeared. Elizabeth was too 
 true and noble a woman to give herself up long to such 
 resentment. She felt, indeed, a melancholy pleasure in 
 knowing that it was not coldness of heart, but love for 
 another, which estranged the king from her; in the midst 
 of her wild grief she was still just; and she acknowledged 
 that this woman, whom the king loved, was more charm- 
 ing and more beautiful than herself. 
 
 The love Elizabeth bore her husband was so unselfish, 
 so resigned, so magnanimous, that she felt grateful to the 
 woman who could impart a happiness to the king it had 
 never been in her power to bestow. 
 
 With a truly noble expression she approached the 
 maid of honor, who, unconscious of the queen's presence, 
 was still lying on the floor and weeping bitterly.
 
 236 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 "Arise, Laura," said Elizabeth, gently. "How can 
 a woman loved by the king be sad, or shed tears ? " 
 
 Laura's hands fell slowly from her face; she checked 
 her tears and looked piteously at the queen. " God, then, 
 has heard my prayers," she said; "He does not wish 
 your majesty to despise and condemn me; He permits 
 me to clear myself before you ! " 
 
 " Clear yourself," said Elizabeth. " Oh, believe me, in 
 my eyes you need no justification. You are young, gay, 
 beautiful, and witty; you have the rare art of conversa- 
 tion; you are cheerful and spirited. This has attracted 
 Frederick; for this he loves you; in saying this, all is 
 said. It is impossible for a woman to resist his love. I 
 forgive you freely, fully. I have but one prayer to make 
 you: resolve all your duties into one; fill your soul with 
 one thought, make the king happy! This is all. I have 
 nothing more to say ; farewell ! " 
 
 She was going, but Laura held her back. " Oh, your 
 majesty," she cried imploringly, " listen to me ! do not 
 leave me under this cruel misconception these insulting 
 suppositions. Do not think I am so degenerate, so base, 
 so entirely without womanly feeling, as not to feel myself 
 amenable to the laws of the land and of the Church. Oh, 
 believe me, the husband of my queen is sacred in my eyes ! 
 and even if I were so unhappy as to love the king, other- 
 wise than as a true, devoted subject, I would rather die 
 than cast one shadow on the happiness of your majesty. 
 Unhappy and guilty as I am, I am no criminal. His maj- 
 esty never distinguished me by word or look. I honored 
 him, I revered him, and nothing more." 
 
 " Alas ! " said the queen, " you are faint-hearted 
 enough to deny him. You have not the courage to be 
 proud of his love; you must, indeed, feel guilty." 
 
 " My God ! my God ! " cried Laura, passionately, 
 " she does not believe me ! " 
 
 " No, I do not believe you, Laura. I saw how you
 
 ELIZABETH CHRISTINE. QUEEN OF PRUSSIA. 
 From an engraving by J. E. Nilson after a painting by Ant. Pesne.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 237 
 
 trembled and paled when the queen charged you with 
 your love to her son, but I did not hear you justify your- 
 self." 
 
 " Alas, alas ! " murmured Laura, in so low a voice as 
 not to be heard by the queen, " I did not know her majesty 
 was speaking of her son Frederick." 
 
 " Deny it no longer," said Elizabeth ; " acknowledge 
 his love, for which all women will envy you, and for which 
 I forgive you." 
 
 " Do not believe what the queen-mother told you ! " 
 cried Laura, passionately ; " I have done you no wrong, 
 I have no pardon to ask ! " 
 
 " And I," said Elizabeth " I make no reproaches ; I 
 do not wail and weep; I do not pass my nights, as the 
 queen said, sleeplessly and in tears; I do not mourn over 
 my lost happiness. I am content; I accept my fate 
 that is, if the king is happy. But if, perchance, this is 
 not so, if you do not make his happiness your supreme ob- 
 ject, then, Laura, I take back the forgiveness so freely 
 given, and I envy you in my heart. Farewell." 
 
 " No, no, you must not, you shall not go ! believe 
 my words ! have some pity, some mercy on me ! O 
 Heavenly Father, I have suffered enough without this! 
 It needed not these frightful accusations to punish me 
 for a love which, though unwise, yes, mad, is not criminal. 
 As truly as God reigns, it is not the king I love. You 
 turn away, you do not believe me still 1 Oh, your maj- 
 esty ' She stopped, her whole frame trembled she had 
 heard her lover's voice; God had sent him to deliver her, 
 to clear her from these disgraceful suspicions. 
 
 The door opened, and Prince Augustus William en- 
 tered; his countenance was gay and careless, he had come 
 to see the queen-mother, and had been directed to this 
 saloon. Already sportive and jesting words were on his 
 lips, when he perceived this strange scene ; Laura on her 
 knees, pale and trembling, before the proud queen, who
 
 238 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 left her disdainfully in her humble position. It was a 
 sight that the proud lover could not endure. The hot 
 blood of the Hohenzollerns was raging. Forgetful of all 
 consequences, he sprung to her side, raised her from the 
 floor and clasped her to his heart. Then, trembling with 
 anger, he turned to the queen. " What does this mean ? 
 Why were you in that position? Why were you weeping, 
 Laura? You on your knees, my Laura! You, who are 
 so innocent, so pure, that the whole world should kneel 
 before and worship you! And you, Madame," turning 
 to Elizabeth, " how can you allow this angel to throw 
 herself in the dust before you? How dare you wound 
 her? What did you say to bring anguish to her heart 
 and flood her face with tears? Madame, I demand an 
 answer! I demand it in the name of honor, justice, 
 and love. Laura is my bride, it is my right to defend 
 her." 
 
 " Now, now," said Laura, clinging wildly to her lover, 
 " she will no longer believe that I love her husband." 
 
 " Your bride ! " said the queen, with a sad sweet smile ; 
 " how young and trusting you are, my brother, to believe 
 in the possibility of such a marriage." 
 
 " She will be my wife ! " cried he passionately ; " I 
 swear it, and as truly as there is a God in Heaven I will 
 keep my oath! I have courage to dare all dangers, to 
 trample under foot all obstacles. I do not shun the 
 world's verdict or the king's power. My love is pure and 
 honest, it has no need to hide and veil itself; it shall 
 stand out boldly before God, the king, and the whole 
 world! Go, then go, Madame, and repeat my words to 
 the king; betray a love which chance, undoubtedly, re- 
 vealed to you. It was, I suppose, the knowledge of this 
 love which led you to wound and outrage this noble 
 woman." 
 
 " It is true," said the queen, gently ; " I did her in- 
 justice I doubted her words, her protestations; but
 
 AND HIS COURT. 239- 
 
 Laura knows that this offence was involuntary, it all 
 arose from a mistake of the dowager-queen." 
 
 " How ! my mother knows of our love ! " said the 
 prince, in amazement. 
 
 " No, she is convinced that Laura von Pannewitz loves 
 and is beloved by the king; for this reason she heaped 
 reproaches upon her, and commanded her to marry Count 
 Voss, who has just proposed for her hand." 
 
 The prince clasped Laura more firmly. " Ah, they 
 would tear you from me; but my arms will hold you and 
 my breast will shield you, my darling. Do not tremble, 
 do not weep, my Laura; arm in arm we will go to the 
 king. I will lead you before my mother and the court, 
 and tell them that you are my betrothed that I have 
 sworn to be true to you, and will never break my oath." 
 
 "Stop be silent, for God's sake!" said Elizabeth; 
 " do not let your mother hear you do not let the king 
 know your sad, perilous secret. If he knows it you are 
 lost." 
 
 " Your majesty does not then intend to make known 
 what you have heard," said the prince. "Have you the 
 courage to conceal a secret from your husband ? " 
 
 "Ah!" said the queen, with a sigh, "my life, 
 thoughts, and feelings are a secret to him; I will but add 
 this new mystery to the rest. Guard this secret, which 
 will in the end bring you pain and sorrow. Be cautious, 
 be prudent. Let the dowager queen still think that it is 
 the king whom Laura loves, she will be less watchful of 
 you. But now listen to my request; never speak to me 
 of this love that chance revealed, and which I will seek 
 to forget from this moment; never remind me of an en- 
 gagement which in the eyes of the king and your mother 
 would be unpardonable and punishable, and of which it 
 would be my duty to inform them. As long as you are 
 happy that will be as long as your love is under the 
 protection of secrecy I will see nothing, know nothing.
 
 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 But' when disaster and ruin break over you, then come to 
 me; then you, my brother, shall find in me a fond, sym- 
 pathizing sister, and you, poor, wretched girl, will find a 
 friend who will open her arms to you, and will weep with 
 you over your lost happiness." 
 
 " Oh, my queen ! " cried Laura, pressing her hand to 
 her lips ; " how noble, how generous you are ! " 
 
 Elizabeth drew the poor trembling girl to her heart 
 and kissed her pale brow. " For those who weep and 
 suffer there is no difference of rank, a strong bond of hu- 
 man sympathy unites them. I am for you, not the queen, 
 but the sister who understands and shares your griefs. 
 When you weary of hidden agony and solitary weeping 
 come to me at Schonhausen; you will find there no gaye- 
 ties, no worldly distractions, but a silent shady garden, 
 in which I sometimes seem to hear God's voice comfort- 
 ing and consoling me. Here you can weep unnoticed, 
 and find a friend who will not weary you with questions." 
 
 " I thank you, and I will come. Ah ! I know I shall 
 soon need this comfort, my happiness will die an early 
 death!" 
 
 " And may I also come, my noble sister ? " said the 
 prince. 
 
 " Yes," said Elizabeth, smiling, " you may also come, 
 but only when Laura is not with me. I now entreat you, 
 for your own safety, to close this conversation. Dry your 
 eyes, Laura, and try to smile, then go to the garden and 
 call my maids of honor; and you, brother, come with me 
 to the queen-mother, who is in her boudoir." 
 
 " No ! " said the prince, fiercely ; " I cannot see her 
 now, I could not control myself. I could not seem quiet 
 and indifferent while I am suffering such tortures." 
 
 " My brother," said the queen, " we princes have not 
 the right to show how we suffer; it is the duty of all in 
 our station to veil our feelings with a smile. Come, the 
 queen, who is indignant and angry, will yet receive us
 
 AND HIS COURT. 241 
 
 with a smile; and we, who are so sorrowful, will also 
 smile. Come." 
 
 " One word more to Laura," said the prince ; and lead- 
 ing the young girl, who was endeavoring to suppress her 
 emotion, to another part of the room, he threw his arm 
 around her slender form, and pressed a kiss upon her fair 
 cheek. " Laura, my darling, do you remember your 
 oath? Will you be true and firm? Will my mother's 
 threats and commands find you strong and brave? You 
 will not falter? You will not accept the hand of Count 
 Voss? You will let no earthly power tear you from me? 
 They can kill me, Laura, but I cannot be untrue to myself 
 or to you ! " Augustus laid his hand upon her beautiful 
 head ; the whole history of her pure and holy love was 
 written in the look and smile with which she answered 
 him. " Do you remember that you promised to meet me 
 in the garden ? " 
 
 " I remember," said she, blushing. 
 
 " Laura, in a few days we will be separated. The 
 king wishes to make an excursion incognito he has or- 
 dered me to accompany him; I must obey." 
 
 " Oh, my God ! they will take you from me ! I shall 
 never see you again ! " 
 
 " We will meet again," said he encouragingly. " But 
 you must grant me the comfort of seeing you once more 
 before my departure, otherwise I shall not have the cour- 
 age to leave you. The day for our journey is not yet 
 determined ; when it is fixed I will come to inform my 
 mother of it in your presence. The evening before I will 
 be in the conservatory and await you; will I wait in 
 vain?" 
 
 " No," whispered Laura, " I will be there ; " and as if 
 fleeing from her own words, she hurried to the garden. 
 
 Prince Augustus William looked for his sister-in-law 
 to accompany her to the queen; but she had withdrawn, 
 she did not wish to witness their parting. Seeing this,
 
 242 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 the prince was on the point of following Laura to the gar- 
 den, when the beating of drums was heard from without. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 SOIREE OF THE QUEEN DOWAGER. 
 
 " THE king is coming," whispered Augustus William, 
 and he stepped towards the cabinet of the queen-mother. 
 But the door was already opened, and the two queens 
 hastened out; they wished to reach the garden saloon 
 and there to welcome the king. 
 
 The expression of both ladies was restless and anxious. 
 Sophia Dorothea feared the meeting with her son, who 
 would, perhaps, in the inflamed eyes of his beloved, read 
 the history of the last hours; his kingly anger would be 
 kindled against those who brought tears to her eyes. 
 The queen confessed that she had gone too far had al- 
 lowed herself to be mastered by her scorn; she was em- 
 barrassed and fearful. 
 
 Elizabeth Christine was not restless, but deeply 
 moved; her heart beat quickly at the thought of this 
 meeting with her husband; she had not seen him since 
 the day of the coronation, had not exchanged one single 
 word with him since the ominous interview in her cham- 
 ber at Rheinsberg. Not once on the day of the corona- 
 tion had the king addressed her; and only once had he 
 taken her hand. After the coronation he led her in the 
 midst of the assembled court, and said with a clear and 
 earnest voice : " Behold, this is your queen." 
 
 These ladies were so excited, so filled with their own 
 thoughts that they hastened through the saloons, scarcely 
 remarking the prince, who had stepped aside to allow
 
 AND HIS COURT. 243 
 
 them to pass. The 'queen-mother nodded absently and 
 gave him a passing greeting, then turned again to Eliza- 
 beth, who had scarcely patience to conform her move- 
 ments to the slow and measured steps of the queen- 
 mother; she longed to look upon her husband's face once 
 more. 
 
 " If Laura von Pannewitz complains to the king, we 
 will have a terrific scene," said Sophia. 
 
 " She will not complain," replied Elizabeth. 
 
 " So much the worse, she will play the magnanimous, 
 and I could less readily forgive that, than a complaint." 
 
 At this moment the door opened. The king, followed 
 by his attendants and those of the two queens, entered 
 the saloon. The two ladies greeted the king with smooth 
 brows and thoughtless laughter. Nothing betrayed the 
 restless anxiety reigning in their hearts. Frederick has- 
 tened to meet his mother, and bowing low he greeted her 
 with loving and respectful words, and tenderly kissed her 
 hand; then turning to his wife he bowed stiffly and cere- 
 moniously; he did not extend his hand, did not utter a 
 word. Elizabeth bowed formally in return, and forced 
 back the hot tears which rushed into her eyes. 
 
 The face of the queen-mother was again gay and tri- 
 umphant. The king knew nothing as yet; she must pre- 
 vent him from speaking with Laura alone. She glanced 
 around at the maid of honor, and saw that the young 
 maiden, calm and unembarrassed, was conversing with 
 the Prince Augustus William; her majesty was more 
 than happy to see her son William entertaining the beau- 
 tiful Laura. " Ah ! now I know how to prevent the king 
 from speaking to her alone," thought she. 
 
 Sophia was never so animated, so brilliant; her spark- 
 ling wit seemed even to animate the king. There was a 
 laughing contest, a war of words, between them; piquant 
 jests and intellectual bon mots, which seemed to the 
 admiring courtiers like fallen stars, were scattered to
 
 244 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 right and left. The queen would not yield to her son, 
 and indeed sometimes she had the advantage. 
 
 Queen Elizabeth stood sad and silent near them, and 
 if by chance the eye of the king fell upon her, she felt 
 that his glance was contemptuous; her pale cheeks grew 
 paler, and it was with great effort she forced her trem- 
 bling lips to smile. 
 
 The queen-mother proposed to her son and Elizabeth 
 to walk in the garden, and then to have a simple dance in 
 the brilliant saloons. The court mourning would not 
 allow a regular ball at this time. 
 
 " But why should we seek for flowers in the garden," 
 said the king ; " can there be lovelier blossoms than those 
 now blooming on every side ? " His eye wandered around 
 the circle of lovely maids of honor, who cast their eyes 
 blushingly to the ground. 
 
 Six eyes followed this glance of Frederick with pain- 
 ful interest. 
 
 " He scarcely looked at Laura von Pannewitz," said 
 the queen, with a relieved expression. 
 
 " He did not once glance toward me," thought Eliza- 
 beth, sighing heavily. 
 
 "His eye did not rest for more than a moment upon 
 any woman here," thought Pollnitz ; " so it is clear he has 
 no favorite in this circle. I will, therefore, succeed with 
 my beautiful Dorris." 
 
 Frederick wished to spare his mother the fatigue of 
 a walk in the garden she was lame and growing fleshy; 
 he therefore led her to a seat, and bowing silently, he gave 
 his left hand to his wife and placed her by his mother. 
 
 Sophia, who watched every movement and every ex- 
 pression of her royal son, observed the cruel silence which 
 he maintained toward his wife, and she felt pity for the 
 poor, pale, neglected queen. Sophia leaned toward the 
 king, who stood hat in hand behind her divan, and whis- 
 pered :
 
 AND HIS COURT. 245 
 
 " I believe, my son, you have not spoken one word to 
 your wife ! " 
 
 The king's face clouded. " Madame," said he, in a 
 low but firm tone, " Elizabeth Christine is my queen, but 
 not my wife ! " and, as if he feared a further explanation, 
 he nodded to the Marquis Algarotti and Duke Chazot to 
 come forward and take part in the conversation. 
 
 Suddenly a lady, who had not before been seen in the 
 court circle, approached the two queens. This lady was 
 of a wondrous pallor; she was dressed in black, without 
 flowers or ornament ; her deep sunken eyes were filled with 
 feverish fire, and a painful smile played upon her lips, 
 which were tightly pressed together, as if to force back a 
 cry of despair. 
 
 No one recognised in this pale, majestic, gentle lady, 
 the " Tourbillon," the joyous, merry, laughing Madame 
 von Morien; no one could have supposed that her fresh 
 and rosy beauty could, in a few months, assume so earnest 
 and sad a character. This was the first time Madame 
 von Morien had appeared at the court of the queen- 
 mother; she was scarcely recovered from a long and dan- 
 gerous illness. No one knew the nature of her disease, 
 but the witty and ill-natured courtiers exchanged many 
 words of mockery and double meaning on the sub- 
 ject. 
 
 It was said Madame von Morien was ill from the 
 neglect of the king. She suffered from a chill, which, 
 strange to say, had attacked the king, and not the beauti- 
 ful coquette. Her disease was a new and peculiar cold, 
 which did not attack the lungs, but seized upon the heart ; 
 the same disease, indeed, which prostrated Dido upon the 
 departure of the cruel ./Eneas. 
 
 The queen-mother received this pale, but still lovely 
 woman, most graciously; gave her the royal hand to 
 kiss, and smiled kindly. 
 
 "It is an age since we have seen you, fair baroness;
 
 246 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 it appears as if you will make yourself invisible, and for- 
 get entirely that we rejoice to see you." 
 
 " Your royal highness is most gracious to remind me 
 of that," said Madame von Morien, in a low tone ; " death 
 had almost made me forget it, and assuredly I had not 
 dared to approach you with this pale, thin face, had not 
 your majesty's flattering command given me courage to 
 do so." 
 
 There was something in the low, suffering voice of 
 Madame von Morien which awakened sympathy, and even 
 disarmed the anger of the queen Elizabeth. What bitter 
 tears had she shed, what jealous agony endured, because 
 of this enchanting woman ! She saw her now for the 
 first time since the fete at Rheinsberg. Looking into 
 this worn and sorrowful face, she forgave her fully. 
 With the instinct of a loving woman, the queen under- 
 stood the malady of her rival; she felt that Madame 
 von Morien was suffering from unrequited affection, and 
 that despair was gnawing at her heart. 
 
 The king had now no glance, no greeting for his " en- 
 chanting Leontine ; " he continued the conversation with 
 Algarotti and Chazot quietly, and did not consider her 
 profound and reverential salutation as worthy of the 
 slightest notice. 
 
 Elizabeth Christine was pitiful; she gave her hand 
 to be kissed, and spoke a few friendly, kindly words, 
 which touched the heart of the beautiful Morien, and 
 brought the tears to her eyes. The king, although stand- 
 ing near, did not appear even to see her. 
 
 " I have some news to announce to your majesty," he 
 said, turning to the queen-mother. " We are about to 
 make Berlin a temple of science and art, the seat of learn- 
 ing and knowledge. The Muses, should they desire to 
 leave Olympus, shall receive a most hospitable reception. 
 Now listen to the great news. In autumn Voltaire will 
 visit us; and Maupertius, the great scholar, who first
 
 AND HIS COURT. 247 
 
 discovered the form of the earth, will come, as President 
 of our Academy; and Buncauson, who understands some 
 of the mysteries of God, will also come to Berlin. The 
 celebrated Eulert will soon belong to us." 
 
 " This is indeed glorious news," said Sophia ; " but I 
 fear that your majesty, when surrounded with so many 
 scholars, philosophers, and historians, will entirely for- 
 get the poor ignorant women, and banish them from 
 your learned court." 
 
 " That would be to banish happiness, beauty, mirth, 
 and the graces; and no one would expect such barbarism 
 from the son of my noble and exalted mother," said Fred- 
 erick. " Even the Catholic Church is wise enough to 
 understand that in order to draw men into their nets, 
 the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is not sufficient, 
 they have also called a lovely woman to their assistance, 
 whose beauty and pure mysterious maidenhood is the 
 finest, most piquant and intoxicating perfume of their 
 gaudy religion. And what would the great painters have 
 been without women without their lovely, their bewitch- 
 ing sweethearts, whom they changed into holy maidens? 
 From luxurious women were designed the modest, shrink- 
 ing Magdalens, before whose mysterious charms the wise 
 children of men bow the knee in adoration. Ah, how 
 many Madonnas has Raphael painted from his Fornarina ! 
 and Correggio had the art to change his bewitching wife 
 into a holy saint. I must confess, however, we owe Cor- 
 reggio but small thanks; I should have been more grate- 
 ful had he painted us a glowing woman, radiant with 
 beauty, grace, and love. I, for my part, have a true dis- 
 gust for weeping, sighing Magdalens, who, when wearied 
 with earthly loves and passions, turn half way to heaven, 
 and swear to God the same oaths they have a thousand 
 times sworn to men and a thousand times broken. Now, 
 if I were in God's place, I would not accept these 
 wavering saints. For my part I hate these pale, tear-
 
 248 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 ful, sighing, self-destroying beauties, and the farcical 
 exhibition of their sufferings would never soften my 
 heart." 
 
 While the king was speaking his eye turned for the 
 first time toward Madame von Morien, and his glance 
 rested long, with a cold and piercing expression, upon her. 
 She had heard every word he had spoken, and every word 
 was like a cold poisoned dagger in her heart ; she felt, al- 
 though her eyes were cast down, that his stern look rested 
 upon her; she was conscious of this crushing glance, 
 although she saw it not ; she had the power not to cry out, 
 not to burst into passionate tears, but to reply quietly to 
 the queen, who in fact questioned her, only with the 
 good-humored intention of drowning the hard and cruel 
 words of the king. 
 
 The queen wished to lead the conversation from the 
 dangerous topic of religion and give it another direction. 
 " My son," she said, " you have forgotten to mention 
 another great surprise you have prepared for us. You 
 say nothing of the German and French journals which 
 you have presented to our good city of Berlin; but I 
 assure you I await with true impatience the day on 
 which these journals appear, and I am profoundly inter- 
 ested in these new and charming lectures which make 
 of politics an amusing theme, and give us all the small 
 events of the day." 
 
 " Let us hope," said Frederick, " that these journals 
 will also tell us in the future of great events." Then as- 
 suming a gay tone he said : " But your majesty forgets 
 that you promised the ladies a dance, and see how im- 
 patiently the little princesses look toward us; my sister 
 Amelia is trying to pierce me with her scornful glances, 
 because I have forced her to sit in her arm-chair like a 
 maid of honor, for such a weary time, when she longs to 
 float about like a frolicsome zephyr. To put a stop to 
 her reproaches I will ask her to give me the first dance."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 249 
 
 The king took his sister's hand and led her into the danc- 
 ing saloon. 
 
 The queens and court followed/ " Now without doubt 
 he will seek an opportunity to speak to Laura von Panne- 
 witz," thought the queen-mother ; " I must take measures 
 to prevent it." She called Prince Augustus William to 
 her side. " My son," said she, " I have a favor to ask of 
 you." 
 
 " Oh, your majesty has only to command." 
 
 " I know that you are a good son, willing to serve 
 your mother. Listen ; I have important reasons for wish- 
 ing that the king should not converse to-night, at least 
 not alone, with Laura von Pannewitz; I will explain my 
 reasons to you another time. I beg you, therefore, to pay 
 court to Laura, and not to leave her side should the king 
 draw near. You will appear not to see his angry glances, 
 but without embarrassment join in the conversation, and 
 not turn away from Laura until the king has taken leave. 
 Will you do this for me, my son ? " 
 
 " I will fulfil your, royal commands most willingly," 
 said the prince, " only it will be said that I am making 
 love to Laura von Pannewitz." 
 
 " Well, let them say so, Laura is young and lovely, and 
 does credit to your taste. Let the court say what it will, 
 we will not make ourselves unhappy. But hasten, my son, 
 hasten; it appears to me the king is even now approach- 
 ing Laura." 
 
 The prince bowed to his mother, and with joy in his 
 heart he placed himself by the side of his beloved. 
 
 The queen-mother, entirely at ease, took her seat at 
 the card-table with her daughter-in-law and their cava- 
 liers, while the king amused himself in the ball-room, 
 and danced a tour with almost every lady. He did not 
 dance with Leontine; not once did his eye meet hers, 
 though her glances followed him everywhere with a ten- 
 der, beseeching, melancholy expression. 
 17
 
 250 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " So sad ! " whispered Madame von Brandt, who, 
 glowing with beauty and merriment, having just danced 
 with the king, now took a seat by her side. 
 
 Madame von Morien with a sigh held out her small 
 hand. " Dear friend," said she, in a low voice, " you 
 were right. I should not have come here; I thought my- 
 self stronger than I am; I thought my mourning would 
 touch him, and awaken at least his pity." 
 
 " Pity ! " laughed Madame von Brandt ; " men never 
 have pity for women: they worship or despise them; 
 they place us on an altar or cast us in the dust to be trod- 
 den under foot. We must take care, dear Leontine, to 
 build the altar on which they place us so high, that their 
 arms cannot reach us to cast us down." 
 
 " You are right ; I should have been more prudent, 
 wiser, colder. But what would you? I loved him, and 
 believed in his heart." 
 
 " You believed in the heart of a man ! Alas ! what 
 woman can boast that she ever closed that abyss and al- 
 ways retained the keys ? " 
 
 " Yes, the heart of man is an abyss," said Madame 
 von Morien ; " in the beginning it is covered with flowers, 
 and we believe we are resting in Paradise; but the blos- 
 soms wither, and will no longer support us; we fall 
 headlong into the abyss with wounded hearts, to suffer 
 and to die." 
 
 Madame von Brandt laid her hand, glittering with 
 jewels, upon the shoulder of her friend, and looked deri- 
 sively into the poor pale face. " Dear Morien," said she, 
 " we cannot justly cast all the blame upon the men, when 
 the day comes in which they make themselves free from 
 the bonds of love. The fault is often the woman's. We 
 misuse our power, or do not properly use it. It is not 
 enough to love and to be loved. With love we must also 
 possess the policy of love. This policy is necessary. 
 The women who do not know how to govern the hearts
 
 AND IS COURT. 251 
 
 which love them will soon lose their power. So was 
 it with you, my dear friend; in your love you were too 
 much the woman, too little the politician and diplomatist ; 
 and instead of wisely making yourself adored, by your 
 coldness and reserve you yielded too much to your feel- 
 ings, and have fallen into that abyss in which, poor Leon- 
 tine, you have for the moment lost your health and 
 strength. But that must not remain the case; you shall 
 rise from this abyss, proud, triumphant, and happy. I 
 offer you my hand ; I will sustain you : while you sigh I 
 will think for you ; while you weep I will see for you." 
 
 Madame von Morien shook her head sadly. " You 
 will only see that he never looks at me that I am utterly 
 forgotten." 
 
 " But when I see that, I will shut my eyes that I may 
 not see it; and when you see it, you must laugh gayly 
 and look the more triumphant. Dear friend, what has 
 love made of you? Where is your judgment and your 
 coquetry? My God! you are a young maiden again, and 
 sigh like a child for your first love. However tender we 
 may be, we must not sacrifice all individuality; besides, 
 being a woman you must still be a coquette, and in a 
 corner of your most tender and yielding heart you must 
 ever conceal the tigress, who watches and has her claws 
 ready to tear in pieces those whom you love, if they ever 
 seek to escape from you. Cease, then, to be the neglected, 
 tear-stained Magdalen, and be again the revengeful, cruel 
 tigress. You have, besides, outside of your love, a glit- 
 tering aim a member of the Female Order of Virtue. 
 To wear the cross of modesty upon your chaste breast, 
 what an exalted goal ! And you will reach it. I bring 
 you the surest evidence of it ; I bring you, as you wished, 
 a letter from the empress, written with her own hand. 
 You see all your conditions are fulfilled. The empress 
 writes to you and assures you of her favor; she assures 
 you that the Order of Virtue will soon be established.
 
 252 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 The king has not separated from his wife, and for this 
 reason you receive a letter from the empress. Now help 
 to bring about the marriage of the Prince Augustus Will- 
 iam with the Princess of Brunswick, and you will be an 
 honored member of the Austrian Order of Virtue. Here, 
 take at once this letter of the empress." 
 
 Madame von Brandt put her hand in her pocket to get 
 the letter, but turned pale, and said, breathlessly : " My 
 God ! this letter is not in my pocket, and yet I know posi- 
 tively that I placed it there. A short time before I joined 
 you I put my hand in my pocket, and distinctly felt the 
 imperial seal. The letter was there, I know it. What 
 has become of it? Who has taken it away from me? 
 But no, it is not possible, it cannot be lost! I must have 
 it; it must still be in my pocket." 
 
 Trembling with anxiety, with breathless haste Ma- 
 dame von Brandt emptied her pocket, hoping that the 
 luckless letter might be sticking to her gold-embroid- 
 ered handkerchief, or fastened in the folds of her 
 fan. She did not remember that her anxiety might be 
 observed; and truly no one noticed her, all were occupied 
 with their own pleasures. All around her was movement, 
 life, and merry-making; who would observe her? She 
 searched again in vain, shook her handkerchief, unfolded 
 the large fan; the letter could not be found. An inde- 
 scribable anxiety overpowered her ; had she lost the letter ? 
 had it been stolen from her? Suddenly she remembered 
 that while engaged a short time before with Pollnitz she 
 had drawn out her fan; perhaps at the same time the 
 letter had fallen upon the floor, and Pollnitz might have 
 found it, and might now be looking for Madame von 
 Morien in order to restore it. She searched in every 
 direction for Pollnitz. 
 
 Madame von Morien had not remarked the anguish of 
 her friend, or had forgotten it. She was again lost in 
 dreams; her eyes fastened on the face of the young king,
 
 AND HIS COURT. 253 
 
 she envied every lady whose hand he touched in the dance, 
 to whom he addressed a friendly word, or gave a gracious 
 smile. " I see him no more," said she sadly. 
 
 " Who ? " said Madame von Brandt, once more search- 
 ing her pocket. 
 
 " The king," Morien answered, surprised at the ques- 
 tion ; " he must have left the saloon ; I saw him a few mo- 
 ments since in conversation with Pb'llnitz." 
 
 " With Pollnitz," said she eagerly, and she searched 
 again in every direction for him. 
 
 Suddenly Madame von Morien uttered a low cry, 
 and a rosy blush overspread her fair pale face; she had 
 seen the king, their eyes had met; the sharp, observant 
 glance of the king was steadily and sternly fixed upon 
 her. 
 
 The king stood in a window corner, half hidden by the 
 long, heavy silk curtains, and gazed ever steadily at the 
 two ladies. 
 
 " I see the king," murmured Madame von Morien. 
 
 " And I see Pollnitz standing near him," said Madame 
 von Brandt, whose eyes had followed the direction of her 
 friend's. She thrust her handkerchief into her pocket 
 and opened her fan in order to hide her reddened face be- 
 hind it; the king's piercing look filled her with alarm. 
 " Let us walk through the saloons, dear Morien," said she, 
 rising up, " the heat chokes me, and I would gladly 
 search a little for the letter; perhaps it may yet be 
 found." 
 
 " What letter ? " asked Madame von Morien, indiffer- 
 ently. Her friend stared at her and said: 
 
 " My God ! you have not heard one word I have said 
 to you ! " 
 
 " Oh, yes, that you had a letter to give me from the 
 Empress of Austria." 
 
 " Well, and this letter I have lost here in these sa- 
 loons."
 
 254 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Some one will find it ; and as it is addressed to me, 
 will immediately restore it." 
 
 " Dear Morien, I pray you in God's name do not seem 
 so quiet and indifferent. This is a most important affair. 
 If I did not leave this letter in my room, and have really 
 lost it, we are in danger of being suspected; in fact, in 
 the eyes of the king we will be considered as spies of Aus- 
 tria." 
 
 At the name of the king Madame von Morien was at- 
 tentive and sympathetic. 
 
 " But no one can read this letter. Was it sealed ? " 
 
 " Yes, it was sealed ; but, look you, it was sealed with 
 the private seal of the empress, and her name stands 
 around the Austrian arms. Without opening the letter 
 it will be known that it is from the Empress of Austria, 
 and will awaken suspicion. Hear me further; this letter 
 was enveloped in a paper which had no address, but con- 
 tained some words which will compromise us both if it 
 is known that this letter was addressed to me." 
 
 "What was written in this paper?" said Madame 
 von Morien, still looking toward the king, who still stood 
 in the window niche, and kept his eyes fixed upon the two 
 ladies. 
 
 " The paper contained only the following words : 
 ' Have the goodness to deliver this letter ; you see the 
 empress keeps her word ; we must do the same and forget 
 not our promises. A happy marriage is well pleasing in 
 the sight of God and man; the married woman is 
 adorned, the man crowned with virtue.' " 
 
 " And this letter was signed ? " 
 
 " No, it was not signed ; but if it falls into the hands 
 of the king, he will know from whom it comes; he is 
 acquainted with the handwriting of Manteuffel." 
 
 " Come ! come ! let us look to it ! " said Madame von 
 Morien, now full of anxiety; "we must find this unfor- 
 tunate paper ; come ! "
 
 AND HIS COURT, 255 
 
 She took the arm of her friend and walked slowly 
 through the saloons, searching everywhere upon the inlaid 
 floor for something white. 
 
 " You are right," said the king, coming from the win- 
 dow and following the ladies with his eyes ; " you are 
 right. They are both searching anxiously, and it was 
 surely Madame von Brandt to whom the outer covering 
 of this letter was directed. Let them seek; they will find 
 as little as the eleven thousand virgins found. But now 
 listen, baron, to what I say to you. This whole affair re- 
 mains a secret known to no one. Listen well, baron; 
 known to no one! You must forget that you found this 
 letter and gave it to me, or you will believe it to be a 
 dream and nothing more." 
 
 " Yes, your majesty," said Pollnitz, smiling ; " a 
 dream, such as Eckert dreamed, when he supposed the 
 house in Jager Street to be his, and awaked and found it 
 to belong to your highness ! " 
 
 " You are a fool ! " said the king, smiling ; he nodded 
 to Pollnitz and joined the two queens, who had now fin- 
 ished their game of cards and returned to the saloon. 
 
 The queen-mother advanced to meet her son, and ex- 
 tended her hand to him; she wished now to carry out her 
 purpose and fulfil the promise given to Duke Rhedern. 
 She did not doubt that the king, who received her with 
 so much reverence and affection, would grant her re- 
 quest, and the court would be again witness to the great 
 influence, and indeed the unbounded power which she had 
 over her son. She stood with the king directly under the 
 chandelier, in the middle of the saloon; near them stood 
 the reigning queen and the princes and princesses of the 
 royal house. It was an interesting picture. It was curi- 
 ous to observe this group, illuminated by the sharp light, 
 the faces so alike and yet so different in expression; blos- 
 soms from one stem, and yet so unlike in greatness, form, 
 and feature. The courtiers drew near, and in respectful
 
 256 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 silence regarded the royal family, who, bathed in a sea 
 of light, were in the midst of them but not of them. 
 
 " My son," said the queen, in a clear, silvery voice, " I 
 have a request to make of you." The king kissed his 
 mother's hand. 
 
 " Madame, you well know you have no need of en- 
 treaty; you have only to command." Sophia smiled 
 proudly. 
 
 " I thank your majesty for this assurance ! Listen, 
 then, my chamberlain, Duke Ehedern, wishes to marry. 
 I have promised him to obtain your consent." 
 
 " If my royal mother is pleased with the choice of her 
 chamberlain, I am, of course, also content; always pro- 
 vided that the chosen bride of the duke belongs to a noble 
 family. What is the rank of this bride?" 
 
 The queen looked embarrassed, and smiling, said: 
 " She has no rank, your majesty." 
 
 The king's brow darkened. " She was not born, then, 
 to be a duchess. Your chamberlain would do better to 
 be silent over this folly than to force a refusal from 
 me. I hate misalliances, and will not suffer them at my 
 court." 
 
 These loudly spoken and harsh words produced dif- 
 ferent impressions upon the family circle of the king; 
 some were cast down, others joyful; some cheeks grew 
 pale, and others red. Sophia blushed from pleasure; 
 she was now convinced that the king would not seek a di- 
 vorce from his wife, in order to form a morganatic mar- 
 riage with Laura von Pannewitz; and the queen-mother 
 was of too noble and virtuous a nature herself to believe 
 in the possibility of a mistress at the court of Prussia. 
 The love of the king for the lovely Laura appeared now 
 nothing more than a poetical idyl, which would soon pass 
 away nothing more! The words of the king made a 
 painful impression upon Augustus William; his brow 
 clouded, his features assumed a painful but threatening
 
 AND HIS COURT. 257 
 
 expression; he was in the act of speaking, and opposing 
 in the name of humanity and love those cruel words of 
 the king, as Elizabeth Christine, who stood near him and 
 observed him with tender sympathy, whispered lightly: 
 
 " Be silent, my brother ; be considerate." 
 
 The prince breathed heavily, and his glance turned 
 for comfort toward the maids of honor. Laura greeted 
 him with her eyes, and then blushed deeply over her own 
 presumption. Strengthened by this tender glance from 
 his beautiful bride, Augustus was able to assume a calm 
 and indifferent mien. 
 
 In the meantime the queen-mother was not silenced 
 by the words of the king. Her pride rebelled against this 
 prompt denial in the face of her family and the court. 
 Besides, she had given her royal word to the count, and 
 it must be redeemed. She urged, therefore, her request 
 with friendly earnestness, but the king was immovable. 
 Sophia, angry at the opposition to her will, was even the 
 more resolved to carry out her purpose. She had a few 
 reserved troops, and she decided to bring them now into 
 the field. 
 
 " Your majesty should, without doubt, protect your 
 nobles from unworthy alliances; but there are excep- 
 tional cases, where the interest of the nobility would be 
 promoted by allowing such a union." Sophia Dorothea 
 drew nearer to her son, and whispered lightly : " Count 
 Rhedern is ruined, and must go to the ground if you for- 
 bid this marriage." 
 
 The king was now attentive and sympathetic. " Is 
 the lady very rich ? " 
 
 " Immensely rich, sire. She will bring the duke a 
 million dollars; she is the daughter of the rich silk mer- 
 chant Orguelin." 
 
 " Ah, Orguelin is a brave man, and has brought much 
 gold into Prussia by his fabrics," said the king, who was 
 evidently becoming more yielding.
 
 258 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " It would be a great pity if this gold should be lost 
 to Prussia," said the queen. 
 
 " What do you mean, madame ? " 
 
 " This Mademoiselle Orguelin, thanks to her riches, 
 has many lovers, and at this time a young merchant from 
 Holland seeks her hand; he has the consent of her fa- 
 ther, and will also obtain hers, unless the count knows 
 how to undermine him," said the queen, thus springing 
 her last mine. 
 
 "This must not be," said the king; "this Orguelin 
 shall not marry the rich Hollander! Those millions of 
 crowns shall not leave Prussia ! " 
 
 " But your majesty cannot prevent this girl from mar- 
 rying the man of her choice, and you cannot forbid her 
 father to give her a portion of his fortune." 
 
 The king was silent a moment, and appeared to con- 
 sider. He then said to his mother : " Madame, you arc 
 an eloquent advocate for your client, and no man can 
 withstand you. I give way, therefore; Count Rhedern 
 has my consent to marry the Orguelin." 
 
 " But even that is not sufficient," said the queen ; 
 " there is yet another condition, without the filling of 
 which this proud millionnaire refuses to give her hand 
 to the duke." 
 
 " Ah, look you, the little bourgeoise makes conditions 
 before she will wed a count." 
 
 " Yes, sire, she will become the wife of the count only 
 with the count's assurance that she will be presented at 
 court, and be received according to her new rank." 
 
 " Truly," said the king, with ironical laughter, " this 
 little millionnaire thinks it an important point to appear 
 at my court." 
 
 " It appears so, sire ; it seems that this is a greater 
 glory than to possess a count for a husband." 
 
 The king looked thoughtfully before him, then raised 
 his eyes to his mother with a mocking smile. " Mother,
 
 AND HIS COURT. 259 
 
 you know I can refuse you nothing; and as you wish it, 
 Mademoiselle Orguelin, when she is married, shall be re- 
 ceived at my court as a newly baked countess. But peti- 
 tion for petition, favor for favor. I promise you to re- 
 ceive this new baked countess if you will promise me to 
 receive the Count Neal at your court?." 
 
 " Count Neal," said the queen, " your majesty 
 knows 
 
 " I know," said the king, bowing, " I know that Count 
 Neal is of as good family as the new Countess of Rhe- 
 dern; that he possesses many millions which I have se- 
 cured to Prussia by granting him his title. So we un- 
 derstand each other. The new baked countess will be as 
 well received at my court as Count Neal will at yours." 
 
 He gave the queen his hand, she laid hers unwillingly 
 within it, and whispered : " Ah, my son, you have cruelly 
 overreached me." 
 
 " Madame, we secure in this way three millions for 
 Prussia, and they weigh more than a few countly ances- 
 tors. The Prussia of the future will triumph in battle 
 through her nobles; but she will become greater, more 
 powerful, through the industry of her people than by 
 victory on the battle-field." 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 UNDER THE LINDENS. 
 
 LINDEN STREET, of Berlin, which is now the most bril- 
 liant and most beautiful thoroughfare of that great city, 
 was, in the year 1740, a wild and desolate region. 
 
 Frederick the First loved pomp and splendor. His 
 wife, when told upon her death-bed how much the king
 
 260 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 would mourn for her, said, smiling: "He will occupy 
 himself in arranging a superb funeral procession; and if 
 this ceremony is very brilliant, he will be comforted." 
 
 Frederick the First planted the trees from which this 
 street takes its name, to render the drive to the palace of 
 Charlottenburg more agreeable to the queen, and to con- 
 ceal as much as possible the desolate appearance of the 
 surroundings; for all this suburb lying between the ar- 
 senal and the zoological garden was at that time a deso- 
 late and barren waste. The entire region, extending 
 from the new gate to the far-distant Behren Street, was 
 an immense mass of sand, whose drear appearance had 
 often offended Frederick while he was still the prince 
 royal. Nothing was to be seen, where now appear ma- 
 jestic palaces and monuments, the opera house and the 
 catholic church, but sand and heaps of rubbish. Frederick 
 William the First had done much to beautify this poor de- 
 serted quarter, and to render it more fitting its near 
 neighborhood to the palaces, which were on the other side 
 of the fortifications; but the people of Berlin had aided 
 the king very little in this effort. None were willing to 
 banish themselves to this desolate and remote portion of 
 the city, and the few stately and palatial buildings which 
 were erected there were built by the special order of the 
 king, and at his expense. Some wealthy men of rank had 
 also put up a few large buildings, to please the king, but 
 they did not reside in them, and the houses themselves 
 seemed almost out of place. One of these large and state- 
 ly houses had not been built by a Count Dohna, or a 
 Baron von Pleffen, or any other nobleman, but by the 
 most honorable and renowned court tailor Pricker; and 
 for the last few days this house had rejoiced in a new and 
 glittering sign, on which appeared in large gilt letters, 
 " Court Tailor to her majesty the dowager queen, and to 
 her majesty the reigning queen." But this house, with 
 its imposing inscription, was also surrounded by dirty,
 
 AND HIS COURT. 261 
 
 miserable cabins. In its immediate neighborhood was 
 the small house which has already been described as the 
 dwelling of poor Anna Schommer. 
 
 A deep and unbroken silence reigned in this part of 
 Berlin, and the equipages of the royal family and nobility 
 were rarely seen there, except when the king gave an en- 
 tertainment at Charlottenburg. 
 
 But to-day a royal carriage was driven rapidly from 
 the palace through this desolate region, and toward the 
 Linden Avenue. Here it stopped, and four gentlemen 
 alighted. They were the king; the royal architect, Major 
 Knobelsdorf ; the grand chamberlain, Von Pollnitz; and 
 Jordan, the head of police and guardian of the poor. 
 
 The king stood at the beginning of the Linden 
 Avenue, and looked earnestly and thoughtfully at the 
 large desolate surface spread out before him; his clear 
 bright glance flew like lightning here and there. 
 
 " You must transform this place for me, Knobelsdorf ; 
 you must show yourself a very Hercules. You have the 
 ability, and I will furnish the money. Here we will 
 erect a monument to ourselves, and make a glorious 
 something of the nothing of this desert. We will build 
 palaces and temples of art and of religion. Berlin is at 
 present without every thing which would make it a tempt- 
 ing resort for the Muses. It is your affair, Knobelsdorf, 
 to prepare a suitable reception for them." 
 
 " But the Muses are willing to come without that," 
 said Pollnitz, with his most graceful bow, " for they 
 would discover here the young god Apollo, who, without 
 doubt, found it too tiresome in heaven, and has conde- 
 scended to become an earthly king." 
 
 The king shrugged his shoulders. " Pollnitz," he said, 
 " you are just fitted to write a book of instructions for 
 chamberlains and court circles ; a book which would teach 
 them the most honied phrases and the most graceful flat- 
 teries. Why do you not compose such a work ? "
 
 262 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 "It is absolutely necessary, your majesty, in order to 
 write a book to have a quiet study in your own house, 
 where you can arrange every thing according to your own 
 ideas of comfort and convenience. As I do not at present 
 possess a house, I cannot write this book." 
 
 The king laughed and said : " Well, perhaps Knobels- 
 dorf can spare a small spot here, on which to erect your 
 Tusculum. But we must first build the palace of the 
 queen-mother, and a few other temples and halls. Do 
 you not think, Jordan, that this is a most suitable place 
 on which to realize all those beautiful ideals of which we 
 used to dream at Rheinsberg? Could we not erect our 
 Acropolis here, and our temples to Jupiter and Mi- 
 nerva ? " 
 
 " In order to convince the world that it is correct in 
 its supposition," said Jordan, smiling, " that your maj- 
 esty is not a Christian, but a heathen, who places more 
 faith in the religion of the old Greeks than in that of the 
 new Church fathers." 
 
 "Do they say that? Well, they are not entirely 
 wrong if they believe that I have no great admiration for 
 popery and the Church. This Church was not built by 
 Christ, but by a crafty priesthood. Knobelsdorf, on this 
 spot must stand the temple of which I have so often 
 dreamed. There is space to accomplish all that fancy 
 could suggest or talent execute." 
 
 " Then the palace of the dowager queen must not be 
 placed here ? " asked Knobelsdorf. 
 
 " No, not here ; this place has another destination, of 
 which I will speak further to you this evening, and learn 
 if my plan has your approval. I dare say my most quar- 
 relsome Jordan will make some objections. Eh bien, 
 nous verrons. We will proceed and seek a situation for 
 the palace of the queen." 
 
 " If your majesty will permit me," said Pollnitz, while 
 the king with his three companions passed slowly down
 
 AND HIS COURT. 263 
 
 the Linden Avenue, " I will take the liberty of pointing 
 out to you a spot, which appears most suitable to me for 
 this palace. It is at the end of the avenue, and at the en- 
 trance to the park; it is a most beautiful site, and there 
 would be sufficient room to extend the buildings at 
 will." 
 
 " Show us the place," said the king, walking forward. 
 
 " This is it," said Pb'llnitz, as they reached the end of 
 the avenue. 
 
 "It is true," said the king, "here is space enough to 
 erect a palace. What do you think, Knobelsdorf, will 
 this place answer ? " 
 
 " We must begin by removing all those small houses, 
 your majesty; that would, of course, necessitate their 
 purchase, for which we must obtain the consent of the 
 possessors, who would, many of them, be left shelterless 
 by this sudden sale." 
 
 " Shelterless ! " said the king ; " since Jordan has be- 
 come the father of the poor, none are shelterless," as he 
 glanced toward his much-beloved friend. " This spot 
 seems most suitable to me. The palace might stand on 
 this side; on that a handsome public building, perhaps 
 the library, and uniting the two a lofty arch in the 
 Grecian style. We will convert that wood into a beauti- 
 ful park, with shady avenues, tasteful parterres, marble 
 statues, glittering lakes, and murmuring streams." 
 
 " Only a Frederick could dream it possible to convert 
 this desolate spot into such a fairy land," said Jordan, 
 smiling. " For my part, I see nothing here but sand, and 
 there a wood of miserable stunted trees." 
 
 The king smiled. " Blessed are they who believe 
 without having seen," he said. " Well, Knobelsdorf, is 
 there room here to carry out our extensive plans ? " 
 
 " Certainly ; and if your majesty will furnish me 
 with the requisite funds, the work can be begun without 
 delay."
 
 264 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " What amount will be required ? " 
 
 " If it is all executed as your majesty proposes, at least 
 a million." 
 
 " Very well, a million is not too much to prepare a 
 pleasure for the queen-mother." 
 
 " But," said Pollnitz, " will not your majesty make 
 those poor people acquainted with their fate, and console 
 them by a gracious word for being compelled to leave 
 their homes? It has only been a short time since I was 
 driven by the rain to take shelter in one of those houses, 
 and it made me most melancholy, for I have never seen 
 such want and misery. There were starving children, 
 a woman dying of grief, and a drunken man. Truly as I 
 saw this scene I longed to be a king for a few moments, 
 that I might send a ray of happiness to brighten this 
 gloomy house, and dry the tears of these wretched 
 people." 
 
 " It must have been a most terrible sight if even Poll- 
 nitz was distressed by it," cried the king, whose noble 
 countenance was overshadowed with sorrow. " Come, 
 Jordan, we will visit this house, and you shall assist in 
 alleviating the misery of its inhabitants. You, Knobels- 
 dorf, can occupy yourself in making a drawing of this 
 place. Lead the way, Pollnitz." 
 
 " My desire at last attained," thought Pollnitz, 
 as he led the king across the common. " It has been most 
 difficult to bring the king here, but I am confident my 
 plan will succeed. Dorris Eitter doubtless expects us; 
 she will have considered my words, and yielding to her 
 natural womanly coquetry, she will have followed my 
 counsel, and have made use of the clothing I sent her 
 yesterday." 
 
 They now stood before the wretched house which Poll- 
 nitz had indicated. 
 
 " This house has truly a most gloomy appearance," 
 said the king.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 265 
 
 " Many sad tears have been shed here," said Pollnitz, 
 with the appearance of deep sympathy. 
 
 The door of the shop was merely closed; the king 
 pushed it open, and entered with his two companions. 
 No one came forward to meet them; silence reigned in 
 the deserted room. 
 
 "Permit me, your majesty, to go into that room and 
 call the woman; she probably did not hear us enter." 
 
 " No, I will go myself," said the king ; " it is well that 
 I should occasionally seek out poverty in its most 
 wretched hiding-place, that I may learn to understand 
 its miseries and temptations." 
 
 " Ah ! my king," said Jordan, deeply touched, " from 
 to-day your people will no longer call you their king, but 
 their father." 
 
 The king stepped quickly to the door which Pollnitz 
 had pointed out; the two gentlemen followed, and re- 
 mained standing behind him, glancing curiously over 
 his shoulder. 
 
 The king crossed the threshold, and then stood mo- 
 tionless, gazing into the room. " Is it possible to live in 
 such a den ? " he murmured. 
 
 " Yes, it is possible," replied a low, scornful voice ; " I 
 live here, with misery for my companion." 
 
 The king was startled by this voice, and turned toward 
 that side of the room from which it proceeded; only then 
 seeing the woman who sat in the farthest corner. She 
 remained motionless, her hands folded on her lap; her 
 face was deadly pale, but of a singularly beautiful oval; 
 the hair encircling her head in heavy braids, was of a 
 light, shining blond, and had almost the appearance of 
 a halo surrounding her clear, pale face, which seemed 
 illumined by her wonderful eyes. 
 
 " She has not made use of the things which I sent," 
 thought Pollnitz ; " but I see she understands her own 
 advantages. She is really beautiful; she looks like a 
 18
 
 266 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 marble statue of the Virgin Mary in some poor village 
 church." 
 
 The king still stood gazing, with an earnest and 
 thoughtful expression, at this woman, who looked fixedly 
 at him, as if she sought to read his thoughts. But he re- 
 mained quiet, and apparently unmoved. Did the king 
 recognize this woman? did he hear again the dying melo- 
 dies of his early youth? was he listening to their sweet, 
 but melancholy tones? Neither Pullnitz nor Dorris Hit- 
 ter could discover this in his cold, proud face. 
 
 Jordan broke this silence by saying gently, " Stand 
 up, my good woman, it is the king who is before you." 
 
 She rose slowly from her seat, but her countenance 
 did not betray the least astonishment or pleasure. 
 
 " The king! " she said; " what does the king desire in 
 this den of poverty and misery ? " 
 
 " To alleviate both poverty and misery if they are 
 undeserved," said the king softly. 
 
 She approached him quickly, and made a movement 
 as if she would offer him her hand. " My wretchedness 
 is undeserved," she said, " but not even a king can alle- 
 viate it." 
 
 " Let me, at least, attempt to do so. In what can I 
 assist you ? " 
 
 She shook her head sadly. " If King Frederick, the 
 son of Frederick William the First, does not know, then 
 I do not." 
 
 " You are poor, perhaps in want ? " 
 
 "I do not know it is possible," she said absently; 
 " how can I among so many pains and torments distin- 
 guish between despair and anguish, and want and priva- 
 tion?" 
 
 "You have children?" 
 
 " Yes," she said, shuddering, " I have children, and 
 they suffer from hunger ; that I know, for they often pray 
 to me for bread, when I have none to give them."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 267 
 
 " Why does not their father take care of them ; per- 
 haps he is not living ? " 
 
 " He lives, but not for us. He is wiser than I, and for- 
 gets his grief in drink, while I nourish the gnawing viper 
 at my heart." 
 
 " You have, then, nothing to ask of me ? " said the 
 king, becoming indignant. 
 
 She gazed at him long and searchingly, with her 
 great piercing eyes. " No," she said harshly, " I have 
 nothing to ask." 
 
 At this moment the door was thrown open, and the 
 two children, Karl and Anna, ran in, calling for their 
 mother; but they became silent on perceiving the 
 strangers, and crept shyly to her side. Dorris Hitter 
 was strangely moved by the appearance of her children; 
 her countenance, which had borne so hard an expression, 
 became mild and gentle. She grasped the hands of the 
 two children, and with them approached the king. 
 
 " Yes, your majesty, I have a petition to make. I 
 implore your pity for my children. They are pure and 
 innocent as God's angels; let not the shame and misery 
 of their parents fall upon their heads. King Frederick, 
 have pity on my children ! " 
 
 And overcome by her emotions and her anguish, this 
 unhappy woman sank with her children at the feet of the 
 king. The king regarded her thoughtfully, then turned 
 to Jordan. 
 
 " Jordan," said he, " to you I intrust the care of these 
 children." 
 
 The wretched woman started to her feet, and pressed 
 her children to her arms with an expression as terrified 
 and full of agony as that of the noble and touching statue 
 of the Greek Kiobe. 
 
 " Ah ! you would tear my children from me ! No, no, 
 I ask nothing; we need no mercy, no assistance; we will 
 suffer together; do not separate us. They would cease
 
 268 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 to love me ; they would learn to despise me, their mother, 
 who only lives in their presence; who, in the midst of all 
 her sorrow and grief, thanks God daily upon her bended 
 knees that he gave her these children, who alone have 
 saved her from despair and death." 
 
 " You have uttered very wild and godless words," said 
 the king. " You should pray to God to make your heart 
 soft and humble. To be poor, to suffer from hunger, to 
 have a drunken husband, are great misfortunes, but they 
 can be borne if you have a pure conscience. Your chil- 
 dren shall not be parted from you. They shall be clothed 
 and taught, and I will also see what can be done for you. 
 And now farewell." 
 
 And the king, bowing slightly, turned toward the 
 door, and in doing so placed a few pieces of gold on the 
 table. Dorris had watched every movement; she started 
 wildly forward and seized the gold, which she handed to 
 the king. 
 
 " Your majesty," she said, with flashing eyes, " I only 
 implored mercy for my children; I did not beg for my- 
 self. My sufferings cannot be wiped out with a few 
 pieces of gold." 
 
 The countenance of the king assumed a most severe 
 expression, and he threw an annihilating glance on this 
 bold woman, who dared to oppose him. 
 
 " I did not give the gold to you, but to your children," 
 he said; "you must not rob them." He then continued 
 more gently : " If you should ever need and desire assist- 
 ance, then turn to me; I will remember your poverty, not 
 your pride. Tell me your name, therefore, that I may 
 not forget." 
 
 The poor, pale woman glanced searchingly at him. 
 "My name," she said thoughtfully, as if to herself, 
 " King Frederick wishes to know my name. I am called 
 I am called Anna Schommer." 
 
 And as she replied, she placed her hand upon the head
 
 AND HIS COURT. 269 
 
 of her little daughter, as if she needed a support. Thus 
 she stood trembling, but still upright, with head erect, 
 while the king and his suite turned toward the door. 
 Her son, who had kept his eyes upon the king, now fol- 
 lowed him and lightly touched his mantle. 
 
 His mother saw it, and raising her arm threateningly, 
 while with the other she still supported herself by leaning 
 on her child, she cried : " Do not touch him, my son. 
 Kings are sacred." 
 
 Frederick, already standing on the threshold, turned 
 once more ; his great, luminous eyes rested inquiringly on 
 this pale, threatening figure. An indescribably sad smile 
 played upon his features, but he spoke no word; and 
 slowly turning, he passed through the door, and hurried 
 silently from the shop. 
 
 Dorris Hitter uttered a low cry when she no longer 
 saw him; her hands slid powerless from the head of her 
 child, and hung heavily at her side. The child, thus set 
 at liberty, hurried out to gaze at the king and his escort. 
 
 The poor woman was all alone alone with her grief 
 and painful memories. She stood for a long time motion- 
 less and silent, as if unconscious, then a dull, heavy groan 
 escaped from her breast, and she fell as if struck by light- 
 ning. " He did not even know me," she cried. " For 
 him I suffer pain and misery, and he passes by, and 
 throws me the crumbs of benevolence which fall from his 
 bountiful table." For many minutes she lay thus broken 
 and trembling; then, suddenly excited by pride and re- 
 venge, she arose, with a wild gleam in her eyes. She 
 raised her hand as if calling upon God to witness her 
 words, and said solemnly, "He did not recognize me to- 
 day, but a day will come on which he shall recognize me 
 the day on which I avenge my wretched and tormented 
 life! He is a royal king and I a poor woman, but the 
 sting of a venomous insect suffices to destroy even a king. 
 Revenge I will have ; revenge for my poisoned existence."
 
 270 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE POLITICIAN AND THE FRENCH TAILOR. 
 
 WITHOUT, the scene had changed in the meanwhile. 
 The attention of the people had been attracted to the 
 king's presence by the royal equipage which was slowly 
 driving down the street, and one and all hurried from 
 their houses to see and greet their handsome young mon- 
 arch. Men and women, young and old, were running 
 about confusedly, each one inquiring of his neighbor why 
 the king had come, and where he might now be, as his 
 carriage was apparently awaiting him. And why was 
 that fat man, who was seated on the sidewalk, sketching 
 this sandy place with its poor little houses? 
 
 Even the proud and self-satisfied Mr. Pricker had not 
 considered it beneath his dignity to descend to the street 
 door, where he took his stand surrounded by his assistants 
 and apprentices. 
 
 " It is said the king has gone into the house of Schom- 
 mer, the grocer," said one of his assistants, returning 
 from a reconnoissance he had made among the noisy and 
 gossiping multitude. 
 
 Mr. Pricker shook his head gravely. " He must have 
 been misinformed, for he undoubtedly intended coming 
 to this house and paying me a visit, an intention which 
 would be neither novel nor surprising in my family. 
 None of the rulers of the house of Hohenzollern have as 
 yet neglected to pay a visit to the house of Pricker. The 
 present king will not fail to observe this noble custom, 
 for " 
 
 The worthy Mr. Pricker was interrupted by the shouts 
 of the people. The king had appeared upon the streets, 
 and was greeted with vociferous cheers, amid the waving 
 of hats and handkerchiefs.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 271 
 
 Mr. Pricker, observing with intense satisfaction that 
 the king had turned and was advancing in the direction 
 of his house, stepped forward with a self-gratulatory 
 smile, and placed himself immediately at the side of the 
 king's path. But the king passed by without noticing 
 him. On this occasion he did not return the greeting of 
 the people in quite so gracious a manner as usual; his 
 eye was dim, and his brow clouded. Without even 
 favoring the smiling and bowing Pricker with a 
 glance, he passed on to the carriage which awaited 
 him in front of the court dressmaker's. The king 
 entered hastily, his cavaliers following him, and 
 the carriage drove off. The shouting of the populace 
 continued, however, until it disappeared in the dis- 
 tance. 
 
 "Why do these poor foolish people shout for joy?" 
 grumbled Mr. Pricker, shrugging his shoulders. Now 
 that the king had taken no notice of him, this man was 
 enraged. " What do they mean by these ridiculous cries, 
 and this waving of hats? The king regarded them as 
 discontentedly as if they were vermin, and did not even 
 favor them with a smile. How low-spirited he is! his 
 not recognizing me, the court dressmaker of his wife, 
 shows this conclusively. It must have been his inten- 
 tion to visit me, for his carriage had halted immediately 
 in front of my door; in his depression he must have en- 
 tirely forgotten it." 
 
 The crowd had begun to disperse, and but a few iso- 
 lated groups could now be seen, who were still eagerly 
 engaged in discussing the king's appearance. 
 
 At a short distance from Mr. Pricker were several 
 grave and dignified citizens, dressed in long coats orna- 
 mented with immense ivory buttons, and wearing long 
 cues, which looked out gravely from the three-cornered 
 hats covering their smooth and powdered hair. 
 
 Mr. Pricker observed these citizens, and with a friend-
 
 2Y2 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 ly greeting beckoned to them to approach. " My worthy 
 friends, did you also come to see the king ? " 
 
 " No, we were only passing, but remained standing 
 when we saw the king." 
 
 " A very handsome young man." 
 
 " A very wise and learned young king." 
 
 " And still 
 
 " Yes, and still " 
 
 " Yes, that is my opinion also, worthy friends," sighed 
 Mr. Pricker. 
 
 " The many innovations and ordinances ; it terrifies 
 one to read them." 
 
 " Every day something new." 
 
 " Yes, it is not as it was in the good old times, under 
 the late lamented king. Ah, we then led a worthy and 
 respectable life. One knew each day what the next 
 would bring forth. He who hungered to-day knew that 
 he would also do so on the morrow; he who was rich to- 
 day knew that he would still be so on the morrow. Ours 
 was an honest and virtuous existence. Prudence and 
 propriety reigned everywhere; as a husband and father, 
 the king set us an exalted example." 
 
 " It is true, one ran the risk of being struck occasion- 
 ally; and if a man had the misfortune to be tall, he was 
 in danger of being enrolled among the guards," said an- 
 other. "But this was all. In other respects, however, 
 one lived quietly enough, smoked his pipe, and drank his 
 pot of beer; and in these two occupations we could also 
 consider the king as our model and ideal." 
 
 "But now!" 
 
 " Yes, now ! Every thing changes with the rapidity 
 of the wind. He who but yesterday was poor, is rich 
 to-day; the man who was rich yesterday, is to-day im- 
 poverished and thrown aside; this was the fate of the 
 Privy Counsellor von Eckert. I worked for him, and he 
 was a good customer, for he used a great many gloves,
 
 AND HIS COURT. 273 
 
 almost a dozen pair every month; and now I have lost 
 this good customer by the new government." 
 
 " But, then, Eckert deserved it," said the fat beer 
 brewer. " He oppressed the people, and was altogether 
 an arrogant puffed-up fellow, who greeted nobody, not 
 even myself. It serves him right that the king has taken 
 the new house in Jager Street away from him; there was 
 justice in that." 
 
 " But the late lamented king had given it to him, and 
 his last will should have been honored." 
 
 " Yes, that is true ; the last will of the late lamented 
 monarch should have been honored," they all exclaimed 
 with earnest gravity. 
 
 " Oh, we will have to undergo a great many trials," 
 sighed Mr. Pricker. " Could you believe, my friends, 
 that they contemplate depriving us of our respectable cue, 
 and replacing it with a light, fantastic, and truly immoral 
 wig?" 
 
 " That is impossible ! That can never be ! We will 
 never submit to that ! " exclaimed the assembled group, 
 with truly Grecian pathos. 
 
 " They wish to give us French fashions," continued 
 Pricker ; " French fashions and French manners. I can 
 see the day coming when we will have French glovemak- 
 ers and shoemakers, French hair-dressers and beer-brewers ; 
 yes, and even French dressmakers. I see the day coming 
 when a man may with impunity hang out a sign with 
 French inscriptions over his shop-door, and when he who 
 intersperses his honest German with French phrases, will 
 no longer be well beaten. Ah, the present king will not, 
 like his lamented predecessor, have two girls arrested be- 
 cause they have said ' charmant; ' he will not, with his 
 own hands, belabor the young lads who have the assur- 
 ance to appear on the streets in French costumes, as the 
 deceased king so often did. Every thing will be different, 
 but not better, only more French."
 
 274 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 "Yes, could it be believed," exclaimed the fat beer- 
 brewer, " that they think of crying down beer, the favorite 
 beverage of the late lamented king, which, at all events, 
 should be holy in the sight of his son ? At court no more 
 beer will be drank, but only French wines; and he who 
 wishes to be modern and acceptable at court will turn up 
 his nose at the beer-pot, and drink mean and adulterated 
 wines. Yes, even coffee is coming into fashion, and the 
 coffee-house keeper in the pleasure-garden, who, up to 
 the present time, was only permitted to make coffee for 
 the royal family and a few other rich people at court, 
 has not alone received permission to serve coffee to every- 
 body, but every innkeeper may do the same thing." 
 
 " And have you heard," asked the glovemaker gloom- 
 ily, " that the two hotel-keepers in Berlin, Nicolai and St. 
 Vincent, have their rivals, and will no longer keep the 
 only houses where a good dinner can be had for money? 
 Two French cooks have already arrived, and one of them 
 has opened a house in Frederick Street, the other one in 
 King Street, which they call ' Restauration.' " 
 
 " Yes," said the shoemaker with a sigh, " I went to the 
 French house in Frederick Street yesterday, and ate a 
 meal out of curiosity. Ah, my friends, I could have cried 
 for rage, for I am sorry to say that it was a better meal 
 than we could ever get at Nicolai's or St. Vincent's; 
 moreover I paid less for it." 
 
 " It is a shame. A Frenchman comes here and gives a 
 better and cheaper dinner than a native of Berlin," said 
 Mr. Pricker. " I tell you we will all have much to en- 
 dure; and even my title is insufficient to protect me 
 from insult and humiliation, for it might happen 
 that 
 
 Mr. Pricker suddenly became silent and stared toward 
 the centre of the street, astonishment and curiosity de- 
 picted on his countenance and on that of his friends, who 
 followed the direction of his glances.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 275 
 
 And in truth a very unusual spectacle presented itself 
 to these worthy burghers. A carriage was slowly passing 
 along the street drawn by two weary and smoking horses. 
 This carriage was of the elegant and modern French 
 make, now becoming fashionable at court, and was called 
 a chaise. As the top was thrown back, its occupants 
 could very well be seen. 
 
 On the front seat were three persons. The first was 
 a man of grave and earnest demeanor and commanding 
 appearance. His tall and well-made figure was clad in a 
 black velvet coat with little silver buttons, ornamented 
 on the sleeves and breast with elegant lace ruffles. His 
 hair, which was turning gray, was twisted in a knot at the 
 back of his head, from which a ribbon of enormous length 
 was pendant. A small three-cornered hat, of extraor- 
 dinary elegance, rested on the toupet of curls which hung 
 down on either side of his head and shaded the forehead, 
 which displayed the dignity and sublimity of a Jupiter. 
 
 At his side sat two females, the middle one an elderly, 
 grave-looking lady ; the other a beautiful young girl, with 
 smiling lips, glowing black eyes, and rosy cheeks. The 
 elegant and graceful attire of these ladies was very dif- 
 ferent from the grave and sober costume of the women of 
 Berlin. Their dresses were of lively colors, with wide 
 sleeves bordered with lace, and with long waists, the low 
 cut of which in front displayed in the one the beauty and 
 freshness of her neck; and in the other, the richness of 
 a guipure scarf with which her throat was covered. 
 Their heads were covered with immense toupets of pow- 
 dered hair, surmounted by little velvet hats, from which 
 long and waving ribbons hung down behind. 
 
 On the back seat were three other young ladies dressed 
 in the same style, but less richly. This first carriage was 
 followed by a second, which contained six young men in 
 French costumes, who were looking around with lively 
 curiosity, and laughed so loudly that the worthy burgher
 
 276 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 who stood in front of Pricker's house could hear every 
 word they uttered, but unfortunately could understand 
 nothing. 
 
 " Frenchmen ! " murmured Mr. Pricker, with a slight 
 shudder. 
 
 " Frenchmen ! " echoed his friends, staring at this 
 novel spectacle. 
 
 But how? Who was that standing by the first car- 
 riage which had halted in front of Mr. Pricker's house? 
 Who was that speaking with the young girl, who smiling- 
 ly leant forward from the carriage and was laughing and 
 jesting with him? How? Was this young man really 
 the son and heir of Mr. Pricker? Was he speaking to 
 these strangers, and that, too, in French? Yes, Mr. 
 Pricker could not deceive himself, it was his son; it was 
 William, his heir. 
 
 " How ? Does your son speak French ? " asked the 
 glovemaker, in a reproachful tone. 
 
 " He so much desired to do so," said Mr. Pricker, with 
 a sigh, " that I was forced to consent to give him a 
 French teacher." 
 
 William, who had observed his father, now hurried 
 across the street. The young man's eyes glowed; his 
 handsome face was enlivened with joy; his manner de- 
 noted eagerness and excitement. 
 
 " Father," said he, " come with me quickly ! These 
 strangers are so anxious to speak with you. Just think 
 how fortunate! I was passing along the Charlottenburg 
 road when I met the travellers. They addressed me in 
 French, and inquired for the best hotel in Berlin. It was 
 lucky that I understood them, and could recommend the 
 ' City of Paris.' Ah, father, what a beautiful and charm- 
 ing girl that is; how easy and graceful! In the whole 
 city of Berlin there is not so beautiful a girl as Blanche. 
 I have been walking along by the side of the carriage for 
 half an hour, and we have been laughing and talking like
 
 AND HIS COURT. 277 
 
 old friends; for when I discovered who they were, and 
 why they were coming to Berlin, I told them who my 
 father was directly, and then the old gentleman became 
 so friendly and condescending. Come, father, Mr. Pelis- 
 sier longs to make your acquaintance." 
 
 " But I do not speak French," said Mr. Pricker, who, 
 notwithstanding his antipathy to Frenchmen, still felt 
 flattered by this impatience to make his acquaintance. 
 
 " I will be your interpreter, father. Come along, for 
 you will also be astonished when you hear who this Mr. 
 Pelissier is." And William drew his father impatiently 
 to the carriage. 
 
 Mr. Pricker's friends stood immovable with curiosity, 
 awaiting his return with breathless impatience. At last 
 he returned, but a great change had taken place in Mr. 
 Pricker. His step was uncertain and reeling; his lips 
 trembled, and a dark cloud shaded his brow. He ad- 
 vanced to his friends and regarded them with a wild and 
 vacant stare. A pause ensued. The hearts of all beat 
 with anxiety, and an expression of intense interest was 
 depicted on every countenance. At last Mr. Pricker 
 opened his trembling lips, and spoke in deep and hollow 
 tones : 
 
 " They are Frenchmen ! yes, Frenchmen ! " said he. 
 " It is the new tailor sent for by the king. He comes 
 with six French assistants, and will work for the king, 
 the princes and the cavaliers of the court. But he is not 
 only a tailor but also makes ladies' clothing, and his wife 
 and daughter are the most celebrated dressmakers of 
 Paris; they also are accompanied by three female assist- 
 ants, and expect to work for the queen, the princesses, 
 and the entire court." 
 
 "But that is impossible," exclaimed his friends. 
 " The laws of our guild protect us. No woman can carry 
 on the business of a tailor." 
 
 "Nevertheless they will do so," said Pricker; "the
 
 278 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 king has accorded them this privilege. Yes, every thing 
 will now be different, handsomer and better. The king 
 summons these French dressmakers to Berlin, and the 
 monsters ask my advice. They wish to know of me how 
 they ere to demean themselves toward the members of the 
 guild. The new French dressmaker asks advice of 
 me, of the court dressmaker Pricker ! Ha, ha, ha ! is not 
 that laughable ? " And Mr. Pricker broke out into a loud, 
 wild laugh, which made his friends shudder, and then 
 sunk slowly into the arms of the glover. His son Will- 
 iam, who had been a witness of this scene, hurried to his 
 father's assistance, and carried him into the house. 
 
 From his carriage Mr. Pelissier looked proudly down 
 upon the poor tailor. " The good master has fainted," 
 said he with an Olympic smile. " And he has good reason, 
 for ruin is before him. He is a lost man; for how could 
 he, an unknown German tailor, dare to compete with Pe- 
 lissier, the son of the celebrated tailor of Louis the 
 Fourteenth? That would evince an assurance and folly 
 with which I could not credit even a German brain." 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 THE DOUBLE RENDEZVOUS. 
 
 THE little maid of honor, Louise von Schwerin, was 
 walking with quick steps up and down her room; she 
 had locked her door to secure herself from interruption. 
 She wished to read once more the mysterious note found 
 yesterday in the bunch of flowers, and once more to 
 meditate undisturbed upon its contents. Louise knew 
 the note was from the handsome gardener Fritz Wendel; 
 from him came the beautiful flowers she found daily upon
 
 AND HIS COURT. 279 
 
 the sill of her window, and he only could have concealed 
 the note amongst them. There were but a few lines, en- 
 treating her to meet him that night at eight o'clock, in 
 the grotto of the conservatory, where she should learn an 
 important and dangerous secret. 
 
 " What can the secret be ? " asked Louise of herself, 
 after reading the note again and again. " Perhaps," she 
 said, with a roguish smile, " perhaps he thinks that his 
 love for me is a secret. Dangerous it certainly is for 
 him and for me, but a secret it is not. I am certain that 
 he loves me, but it must be very sweet to be told so; to 
 hear his lips confess at last what until now I have only 
 read in those eloquent eyes. Alas! is it not fearful, in- 
 tolerable, to wait so long for a declaration of love? Two 
 months so near each other, but not one moment of sweet, 
 unrestrained intercourse; always hemmed in by this cold, 
 ceremonious, stupid court life; surrounded by spies and 
 eavesdroppers; never alone, never free. Is it not terrible 
 to have a sweetheart, and never to have refused him a kiss, 
 because he has never had the opportunity to demand one? 
 They say there is rapture in the first kiss of your lover 
 in his first embrace. I must know this for myself, that 
 they may no longer laugh and say I am a silly child 
 without experience. I will have my experience! I will 
 have my love affairs as well as the other ladies of the 
 court, only mine shall be more extraordinary, more ro- 
 mantic. To be loved by a baron or a count is indeed 
 commonplace; but to be adored by a gardener, who is 
 beautiful as the god Apollo, and whose obscure birth is 
 his only fault this is original, this is piquant. Ah, 
 Madame von Brandt laughed at me yesterday, at my 
 stupidity and innocence; she was merry at my expense, 
 because I had never been kissed, never received a stolen 
 embrace, which she declared to be the most charming 
 event in a woman's life. All the ladies laughed at me as 
 she said this, and called me an unbaked roll left out in the
 
 280 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 cold which never felt the fire. They shall laugh at me 
 no longer," cried Louise, with spiteful tears in her eyes 
 and stamping her little foot. " No one shall mock at me 
 again ; and if they do, I will tell them I too have a lover ; 
 that I have had a declaration of love, and have received 
 my lover's first kiss. I must be able to say this, and 
 therefore I will meet Fritz this evening in the grotto of 
 the conservatory." Even while saying this she was seized 
 with a cold trembling; one moment her heart stood still, 
 and then almost suffocated her with its rapid beating. A 
 soft voice seemed to warn her against this imprudence; 
 she seemed to see the pale face of her mother, and to hear 
 her living counsels : " Do not go, Louise, Frit Wendel 
 is no lover for Louise von Schwerin." Her guardian 
 angel spread once more his white wings around her, long- 
 ing to protect and save. But, alas ! she heard another 
 voice, breathing flattering words and sweet promises. 
 She saw a beautiful youth with his soft, large, hazel eyes 
 fixed imploringly upon her. Louise felt the irresistible 
 charm of the forbidden, the disallowed, the dangerous. 
 Louise closed her ear to the warning voice; her good 
 genius had no power over her. " I will go," she said, 
 and a rosy blush suffused her childish cheeks ; " nothing 
 shall prevent me ! " Louise was now quite resolved ; but 
 she was not at peace with herself, and from time to time 
 she hoped some unexpected occurrence, some unconquer- 
 able obstacle, would prevent her from taking this impru- 
 dent step. No difficulty arose; chance seemed to favor 
 her meeting with her obscure lover. 
 
 Sophia Dorothea was to visit her daughter-in-law at 
 Schonhausen, not as a queen, but without pomp and 
 splendor. The two eldest maids of honor only would 
 accompany her. Neither Louise von Schwerin nor Laura 
 von Pannewitz were to be of the party; Sophia was glad 
 that at least for a few hours she would not see the lovely, 
 sad face, and soft, melancholy eyes of Laura, nor hear the
 
 AND HIS COUET. 281 
 
 low and plaintive tones of her accusing voice. The king 
 had gone to Potsdam, it was therefore unnecessary to 
 watch Laura. Indeed, of late the queen scarcely believed 
 in this love, of which she had been so confident; she had 
 tried in vain to discover any trace of an understanding 
 between Laura and the king. Frederick scarcely noticed 
 Laura, and had spoken to her but once 'since that stormy 
 day; then he had laughingly asked her why she was so 
 pale and languishing, and if it was an unhappy love which 
 made her look so mournful. Since that day the queen no 
 longer believed in the passion of the king for Laura, 
 and she reproached Madame von Brandt with having mis- 
 led her. 
 
 Madame von Brandt smiled mysteriously. " I did not 
 say, your majesty, that the king loved Laura; your sus- 
 picions fell upon him, and I did not undeceive you." 
 
 " And why not ? " said the queen angrily ; " why did 
 you not make known to me the name of Laura's lover ? " 
 
 " Because I had solemnly sworn not to disclose it," 
 said Madame von Brandt. 
 
 "Is it not the king? then all the better for my poor 
 Laura." 
 
 " Still, I venture to implore your majesty to induce 
 my dear young friend to accept the hand of Count Voss; 
 she will thus perhaps be cured of her unhappy and hope- 
 less passion." 
 
 Sophia was resolved to follow this advice; she there- 
 fore drove to Schonhausen to see the young queen, and 
 consult with her as to the most efficacious means of ac- 
 complishing this result. Louise von Schwerin thought 
 the queen might still change her mind and command her 
 to accompany her; she hoped and feared this at the same 
 time. She would have wept bitterly at this result, but 
 she knew it would be best for her. Between anxiety and 
 hope, doubts and fears, the time passed slowly. 
 
 " There rolls a carriage from the court," said Louise ; 
 19
 
 282 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 she heard the loud cries of the guard and the beating of 
 the drums. 
 
 It was the queen leaving for Schonhausen. Louise 
 was now free, now unobserved; nothing could prevent 
 her from going to the grotto. With trembling steps and 
 a quickly beating heart she slipped through the dark 
 alleys of the garden and entered the conservatory. All 
 was still and wrapped in a sweet twilight. The delight- 
 ful odor of orange blossoms filled the place; which, like 
 the subtle vapor of opium, intoxicated her senses. 
 Breathless with fear and expectation she entered the 
 grotto ; her eyes were blinded by the sudden darkness, and 
 she sank to the ground. 
 
 " Thank God," she murmured softly, " I am alone, he 
 is not here! I shall have time to recover, and then I can 
 return; I am so frightened I ought not to have come. 
 Perhaps the ladies of the court have arranged this practi- 
 cal joke at my expense. Yes, that is it. It was folly to 
 believe he would dare to ask me to meet him; he is too 
 timid too humble. Yes, it is a trap laid for me, and I 
 have fallen into it." 
 
 She rose hastily to fly back to the palace; but it was too 
 late ; a strong arm was gently thrown around her neck, and 
 she was drawn back to her seat. She tried to free herself, 
 but could not; she heard the loud beating of his heart, 
 which found an echo in her own; she felt his lips pressed 
 to hers, but her childish modesty was aroused; she found 
 she had the wish and courage to free herself. 
 
 " Let me go ! " she cried breathlessly ; " let me go ! 
 do not hold me a moment ! I will go ! I will go this in- 
 stant! How dare you treat me in this manner? How 
 and why did you come ? " and Louise, who was now free, 
 remained standing to hear his reply. 
 
 " How did I come here ? " said the handsome gardener, 
 in a submissive but pleading tone. " Every night for 
 four weeks I have worked upon this subterranean alley;
 
 AND HIS COURT. 283 
 
 this dark path, which should lead me here unseen. While 
 others slept and dreamed I worked; and also dreamed 
 with working eyes. Mine were happy dreams. My work 
 was done, and I could reach this consecrated spot unseen. 
 I saw in my vision an angel, whom I adore, and to whom 
 I have consecrated every hour, every moment of my life. 
 Look, Mademoiselle, at the opening behind that large 
 orange tree, that is the way to my paradise; through that 
 opening I can reach a staircase, leading to a small cellar; 
 another pair of steps takes me to a trap-door leading 
 directly to my room. You can well imagine it required 
 time, and strength, and courage to prepare this way." 
 
 Louise approached the opening curiously. This 
 strange path made for her sake affected her more than all 
 Fritz Wendel's words. Only a mighty love could have 
 moved a man in the darkness and alone to such a task. 
 Louise wished to conquer her confusion and to hide her 
 embarrassment with light mockery and jesting. 
 
 " Truly," she said, laughing, " this is a dark and mys- 
 terious passage, but any one with a light would discover 
 it. You know her majesty has the saloon illuminated 
 occasionally in the evening, and takes her tea here." 
 
 "No one will find this opening," said the gardener. 
 He pushed the wooden tub, in which the orange-tree grew, 
 with his foot; it gave way to a slight touch, and turned 
 round over the opening. " Look, Mademoiselle, the tree 
 covers my secret." 
 
 " Open it ! open it ! I pray you, I must see it ! " 
 
 " I will do so if you promise me not to leave me im- 
 mediately." 
 
 " I promise ! I promise ! " 
 
 Fritz Wendel pushed back the orange-tree, then lift- 
 ing Louise gently in his arms, he carried her to the grass- 
 plot, and seating her, he threw himself on his knees be- 
 fore her, and bowed, as if in adoration. 
 
 " You are my queen, the sovereign of my soul ! I lay
 
 284 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 myself at your feet, as your slave. You alone can decide 
 my fate. You can raise me to the heaven of heavens, 
 or cast me in the dust. Say only the little words ' I love 
 you ! ' this will give me strength and power to brave the 
 whole world. I will acquire fame and honor, and at no 
 distant day before God and the whole world I will de- 
 mand your hand ! If you say, ' Remain where you are, at 
 my feet is your proper place; I despise the poor gardener, 
 who dares to love the high-born lady ! ' then I will die ; if 
 I live I shall go mad. My brain reels at the thought of 
 such wretchedness. I can die now, and bless you in dy- 
 ing; if I live in my madness I shall curse you for your 
 cruelty." 
 
 He ceased, and raised his handsome face pleadingly 
 to hers. Louise was speechless; she was intoxicated with 
 the music of his voice and impassioned words. 
 
 " You do not answer me ! Oh ! before you cast me off 
 consider my agony. The heart you despise contains a 
 treasure of love and tenderness. No other man can love 
 you as I do. You are my light and life. You are beauti- 
 ful and fascinating; many will love you and seek your 
 hand. Who but the poor gardener will die for you if you 
 say no? To me you are more than the most lovely of 
 women, you are a goddess! Oh, you know not what you 
 have already made of me ! what you will still make of me ! 
 When I saw you for the first time I was a poor, ignorant 
 gardener, loving nothing but my flowers ; knowing no lan- 
 guage. The great book of nature was my only study. 
 Since that glorious day in which I looked upon you as a 
 radiant, heavenly vision, I have realized my poverty; I 
 have blushed at my ignorance. My life has been one great 
 effort to make myself worthy of you. Now, Louise, com- 
 mand me. What shall I do? What shall I become? If 
 you do not despise and laugh at my love, if you love me a 
 little in return, if you have hope, courage, and patience to 
 wait, I will be worthy of you ! "
 
 AND HIS COURT. 285 
 
 " Alas ! " said Louise, " this is the dream of a mad- 
 man. The king and my noble and proud family would 
 never consent that I should become your wife." 
 
 " As to the king," said Fritz, carelessly, " I would find 
 means to obtain his consent, and honor and distinction 
 at his hands." 
 
 " I understand," said Louise, " the secret you intended 
 to tell me tell it now," she exclaimed, with a child's 
 eager curiosity. 
 
 " Listen," said he, rising from his knees " listen, but 
 do not let us betray ourselves by loud words or exclama- 
 tions." 
 
 " I hear steps," said Louise. " Oh, if we should be 
 discovered ! " 
 
 " Fear nothing ; look there, Louise ! " Her eye fol- 
 lowed the direction of his hand. 
 
 Under the laurel-tree sat Laura von Pannewitz, and 
 before her knelt Prince Augustus William, radiant with 
 happiness, and covering her hands with kisses. 
 
 " Laura, my bride, my darling, when will the day 
 come in which I can call you mine to all eternity ? " 
 
 " That day will come when I am dead," said Laura, 
 with a sad smile. " Yes, my prince, only when I am 
 dead shall I be free to love you, and to pray for 
 you. My freed spirit shall hover around you as 
 your guardian angel, and protect you from all dan- 
 gers. Oh, if I could die now, and fulfil this noble mis- 
 sion ! " 
 
 Louise was so absorbed in this scene that she did not 
 notice Fritz Wendel as he drew near and again threw 
 his arm around her. 
 
 " Look at them," he murmured ; " he is a royal prince, 
 and she only a poor maid of honor; he loves her, and 
 she accepts his love, and fears no shame." 
 
 Louise laid her hand impatiently upon his lips and 
 whispered, " Hush ! " he covered her hand with kisses ;
 
 286 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 they listened with subdued breathing to the pure and 
 ardent vows of the two lovers. 
 
 For one moment Laura, carried away by her own feel- 
 ings and the earnest words of her lover, allowed him to 
 press his lips to her cheek, and returned his vows of love 
 and constancy. But at this moment Louise heard the 
 soft voice of Laura entreating her lover to leave her, and 
 not to make her blush for herself. 
 
 " Promise me," she cried, " never again to embrace 
 me; our love must remain pure, and only when we fear 
 not God's holy eye, dare we pray to Him for assistance. 
 Let us retain the right to shed innocent tears over our un- 
 happy love, and lay it as a sacrifice at the foot of God's 
 throne in that day when the world shall separate and de- 
 spise us." 
 
 " No one shall dare to do that, Laura ; you are my 
 future wife; I shall be ever near to defend you with my 
 life's blood ! But I promise what you ask ; I will restrain 
 my heart; only in dreams will I embrace you; I swear 
 this, my beloved. But the day will come when you will 
 cancel this vow the day when I will claim you before 
 God and man as my wife ! " 
 
 Laura took his hand with a sweet, confiding smile : " I 
 thank you, darling, I thank you, but now we must part." 
 
 " Part ! alas, we shall not meet again for weeks. I 
 am commanded to accompany the king on a pleasure 
 trip; for me there is but one earthly pleasure, to see you 
 to be at your side." 
 
 " Go," she said, smiling ; " go without fear ; we can 
 never forget each other; however widely separated, you 
 are always before me; I am always with you, although 
 you see me not." 
 
 " Yes, Laura, there is not one moment of my life in 
 which I do not see and hear you ! " 
 
 " Well, then, go cheerfully with the king. Our hearts 
 understand each other; our souls are inseparable."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 287 
 
 The prince took her hand and pressed it to his heart, 
 then silently they left the saloon. 
 
 Louise had long since freed herself from her lover, and 
 she now arose, resolved to return to the palace. Fritz 
 Wendel tried to detain her, but the weak and foolish 
 child had gathered courage from the modest words and 
 dignified example of Laura. 
 
 " If you touch me again, you have seen me for the last 
 time ! I will never again return to this grotto ! " Fritz 
 Wendel was encouraged by her words; he had not asked 
 her to return, and she had half promised to do so. 
 
 " I will not dare to touch you again," he said, humbly ; 
 " but will you not promise me to come again ? " 
 
 " Well, I suppose I shall have to come again to hear 
 the end of poor Laura's romance." 
 
 " This romance can be of great use to us," he said, 
 seizing her hand and pressing it to his lips ; " if made- 
 moiselle accepts my love and allows me to hope I may one 
 day become her husband, I will sell this secret to the king, 
 and thus obtain his consent." 
 
 " You would not be so cruel as to betray them to the 
 king?" 
 
 " Yes, there is nothing I would not do to obtain your 
 hand."
 
 288 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 BOOK III. 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE INTRIGUING COURTIERS. 
 
 "You are right," said Baron Pollnitz, "yes, you are 
 right, dear Fredersdorf ; this is not the way to vanquish 
 our Hercules or to influence him. He has no heart, and 
 is not capable of love, and I verily believe he despises 
 women." 
 
 " He does not despise them," said Fredersdorf, " he is 
 wearied with them, which is far worse. Women are al- 
 ways too ready to meet him; too many hearts have been 
 given him unasked; no woman will ever have power over 
 him." 
 
 " How, what then, my dear friend ? " cried Pollnitz. 
 " There are means to tame every living creature ; the 
 elephant and the royal lion can be tamed, they become 
 under skilful hands gentle, patient, and obedient: is 
 there no way to tame this king of beasts and hold him 
 in bondage? Unless we can ensnare him, we will be less 
 than nothing, subject to his arbitrary temper, and con- 
 demned to obey his will. Acknowledge that this is not 
 an enviable position; it does not correspond with the 
 proud and ambitious hopes we have both been for some 
 time encouraging." 
 
 " Is it possible that when the king's chamberlain and a 
 cunning old courtier like myself unite our forces the
 
 AND HIS COURT. 289 
 
 royal game can escape our artful and well-arranged 
 nets?" 
 
 " Dear Fredersdorf, this must not, this shall not be. 
 It would be an everlasting shame upon us both." 
 
 " What an unheard-of enormity, a king without a 
 powerful and influential favorite ! " 
 
 " Frederick shall have two, and as these places are 
 vacant, it is but natural that we should strive to occupy 
 them." 
 
 " Yes," said Fredersdorf, " we will seize upon them 
 and maintain our position. You called the king a young 
 Hercules well, this Hercules must be tamed." 
 
 " Through love of Omphale." 
 
 "N"o, not exactly, but Omphale must lead him into a 
 life of luxury, and put him to sleep by voluptuous feasts. 
 Call to mind how the Koman Emperor Heliogabalus 
 killed the proud and ambitious senators who wished to 
 curtail his absolute power." 
 
 " I am not so learned as you are, my dear friend, and 
 I confess without blushing that I know nothing of Helio- 
 gabalus." 
 
 " Listen, then : Heliogabalus was weary of being but 
 the obedient functionary of the senate ; he wished to rule, 
 and to have that power which the senate claimed as its 
 own. He kept his ambitious desires to himself, however, 
 and showed the senators a contented and submissive face. 
 One day he invited them to a splendid feast at his 
 villa; he placed before them the most costly meats and 
 the choicest wines. They were sitting around this lux- 
 urious table, somewhat excited by drink, when the em- 
 peror arose and said with a peculiar smile : ' I must go 
 now to prepare for you an agreeable surprise and practi- 
 cal joke, which you will confess has the merit of origi- 
 nality.' He left the room, and the tipsy senators did not 
 observe that the doors were locked and bolted from with- 
 out. They continued to drink and sing merrily; sud-
 
 290 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 denly a glass door in the ceiling was opened, and the 
 voice of Heliogabalus was heard, saying : ' You were 
 never satisfied with your power and glory, you were al- 
 ways aspiring after new laurels; this noble thirst shall 
 now be satisfied.' A torrent of laurel wreaths and 
 branches now fell upon the senators. At first they 
 laughed, and snatched jestingly at the flying laurels. 
 The most exquisite flowers were now added, and there 
 seemed to be no end to the pelting storm. They cried 
 out, ' Enough, enough,' in vain ; the wreaths and bou- 
 quets still poured upon them in unceasing streams; the 
 floor was literally a bed of roses. At last, terror took 
 possession of them; they wished to escape, and rushed to 
 the doors, but they were immovable. Through the sea of 
 flowers, which already reached their knees, they waded to 
 the window, but they were in the second story, and below 
 they saw the Roman legions with their sharp weapons 
 pointed in the air. Flight was impossible; they pleaded 
 wildly for mercy, but the inexorable stream of flowers 
 continued to flow. Higher and higher rose the walls 
 around them; they could no longer even plead for pity; 
 they were literally buried in laurels. At last nothing was 
 to be seen but a vast bed of roses, of which not even a fra- 
 grant leaf was stirred by a passing breeze. Heliogabalus 
 had not murdered his senators; he had suffocated them 
 with sweets, that was all. Well, what do you think of 
 my story ? " said Fredersdorf . 
 
 "It is full of interest, and Heliogabalus must have 
 been poetical; but I do not see the connection between 
 the emperor and ourselves." 
 
 " You do not ? " said his friend impatiently ; " well, 
 let us follow his example. We will intoxicate this mighty 
 king with enervating pleasures, we will tempt him with 
 wine and women, we will stifle him with flowers." 
 
 " But he has no taste for them," said Pollnitz, 
 sighing.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 291 
 
 " He does not care for the beauty of women, but he has 
 other dangerous tastes; he has no heart, but he has a 
 palate; he does not care for the love of women, but he 
 enjoys good living that will make one link in his fetters. 
 Then he loves pomp and splendor; he has so long been 
 forced to live meanly that wealth will intoxicate him; 
 he will wish to lavish honors and rain gold upon his peo- 
 ple. Frederick William has stowed away millions; we 
 will help the son to scatter them." 
 
 " This will be a new and thrillingly agreeable pas- 
 time, in the ordering of which he could not have a better 
 adviser than yourself, baron." 
 
 " While Frederick and yourself are building new pal- 
 aces and planning new amusements, I will rule, and help 
 him to bear the burden of state affairs." 
 
 " You will help him to scatter millions, and I will col- 
 lect from the good Prussians new millions for him to scat- 
 ter. It is to be hoped that some heavy drops from this 
 golden shower will fall into my purse," said Pollnitz. 
 " My finances are in an unhealthy state, and my landlord 
 threatens to sell my furniture and my jewels, because for 
 more than a year I have not paid my rent. You see now, 
 Fredersdorf, that I must have that house in Jager Street. 
 I count upon it so surely that I have already borrowed a 
 few thousand dollars from some confiding noble souls, 
 whom I have convinced that the house is mine." 
 
 "You shajl have it," said Fredersdorf; "the king will 
 give it to you as a reward for the plans you have drawn 
 for the new palaces." 
 
 " Has he seen them ? " 
 
 "Yes, and approves them. The papers are in his 
 desk, and need but his royal signature." 
 
 " Ah ! " said Pollnitz, " if they were but signed ! 
 What a glorious life would commence here! we would 
 realize the Arabian Nights; and Europe would gaze with 
 dazzled eyes at the splendor and magnificence of our
 
 292 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 court. How vexed the treasurer, Boden, will be when the 
 king commands him to disburse for our revels and vani- 
 ties the millions which he helped the late king to hoard 
 together for far different purposes! This Boden," said 
 Pollnitz thoughtfully, " will be our most dangerous op- 
 ponent : you may believe this ; I am somewhat versed in 
 physiognomy. I have studied his countenance; lie is a 
 bold, determined man, who, when irritated, would even 
 brave the king. All the other ministers agree with our 
 plans, and will not stand in our way. They are not dan- 
 gerous ; I have made a compromise with them ; they have 
 resolved to think all we do right. But Boden was in- 
 flexible; he would not understand my secret signs or 
 hints; flattery has no power over him, and he is alike in- 
 different to promises and threats. All my dexterously 
 aimed arrows rebounded from the rough coat-of-mail 
 with which his honesty has clothed him." 
 
 " Do not concern yourself about Boden," cried Fre- 
 dersdorf, "he is a lost man; he falls without any aid 
 from us. The king hates him, and is only waiting for 
 an opportunity to dismiss him. Have you not noticed 
 how contemptuously he treats him never speaks to him 
 or notices him, while he loves to chat with his other min- 
 isters? Frederick did not dismiss him from office at 
 once, because the old king loved him. Boden was his 
 treasurer and confidential friend, from whom he had no 
 secrets; the king has therefore been patient; but his sun 
 is set, of that you may be convinced. The king, though 
 he seems not to notice him, watches him closely; one in- 
 cautious movement and he will be instantly dismissed. 
 This may happen this very day." 
 
 "How?" said Pollnitz. 
 
 " The king has adopted the plan, which he had ordered 
 Knobelsdorf to sketch for him, for the new palace of the 
 dowager-queen. It is to be a colossal wonder the capitol 
 of the north ! the building of which will cost from four to
 
 AND HIS COURT. 293 
 
 five millions! These millions must come from Boden's 
 treasury; he must respect the royal order. If he does, he 
 is an unscrupulous officer, and the king can no longer put 
 faith in him. If he dares oppose the royal command, he 
 is a traitor, and the king, who demands silent and un- 
 conditional obedience from his officers, will dismiss him. 
 The king feels this himself, and when he gave me these 
 documents, he said, with a peculiar smile, ' This is a bitter 
 pill for Boden we will see if he is able to swallow it.' 
 You see, now, that our good Boden stands between two 
 pitfalls, from both of which he cannot hope to escape 
 alive." 
 
 " Ah, if this is true," said Pollnitz, gayly, " our suc- 
 cess is assured. The house in Jager Street will be mine, 
 and you will be an influential minister. We will govern 
 the ruler of Prussia, and be mighty in the land. Only 
 think how all the courtiers will bow before us ! The king 
 will do nothing without our advice. I will make more 
 debts. I will be as generous as Fouquet, and as lavish and 
 luxurious as Lucullus ; and if at last all my resources fail, 
 I will do as Heliogabalus did; if my creditors become 
 troublesome, the old Roman shall teach me how to silence 
 them by some refinement in hospitality." 
 
 " And I, the lowly born," said Fredersdorf , " who have 
 so long been a slave, will now have power and influence. 
 The king loves me; I will be a true and faithful servant 
 to him. I will be inflexible to those who have scorned 
 me; those proud counts and barons, who have passed me 
 by unnoticed, shall now sue to me in vain. The king's 
 heart is mine, and I will be sustained by him. This 
 tamed lion shall be drawn by prancing steeds in gilded 
 chariots; we will anoint him with honey and feed him 
 with nightingales' tongues; he shall bathe in Lachryma? 
 Christi, and all that the most fantastic dream and the 
 wildest flights of fancy can imagine shall be set before 
 him. Those good epicurean Romans, who threw young
 
 294: FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 maidens into their ponds for their eels to feed upon, in 
 order that their meat might be tender and juicy, were 
 sickly sentimentalists in comparison with what I shall 
 be " he stopped, for the door opened, and Boden, their 
 hated enemy, stood before them. They looked upon him 
 indifferently, as a doomed adversary. Boden approached 
 quietly, and said to Fredersdorf : 
 
 " Have the kindness to announce me to his majesty." 
 
 " Has his majesty sent for you ? " said Fredersdorf, 
 carelessly. 
 
 " He has not sent for me, but please say to his majesty 
 that I am come to speak with him on important busi- 
 ness." 
 
 Fredersdorf stepped into the adjoining room, and re- 
 turned quickly, saying with a triumphant and malicious 
 smile : " The king says he will send for you when he 
 wishes to speak with you. These were his exact words; 
 accommodate yourself to them in future." 
 
 The minister's countenance was perfectly calm; his 
 lip slightly trembled ; but he spoke in . his usual grave, 
 composed manner : " The king may not desire to see me ; 
 but I, as an officer and minister of state, have the most 
 urgent reasons for desiring an audience. Go and tell 
 him this." 
 
 " These are proud, disrespectful words," said Pollnitz, 
 smiling blandly. 
 
 " Which I will faithfully report to his majesty," said 
 Fredersdorf. 
 
 " I fear your excellency will pay dearly for this 
 speech," whispered Pollnitz. 
 
 " Fear nothing for me," said Boden, with a quiet 
 smile. 
 
 " His majesty awaits you," said Fredersdorf, still 
 standing at the door. Boden walked proudly by Freders- 
 dorf, casting upon him a look of contempt, who returned 
 it with a mocking grin.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 295 
 
 " The fox is caught," he whispered, as the door closed 
 upon him. 
 
 " Do you think so ? " said Pollnitz. " I am surprised 
 and somewhat anxious at the king's receiving him." 
 
 " Fear nothing, he is but received to be dismissed. 
 The king's eye flamed, and his brow, usually so clear, was 
 heavily clouded; this betokens storms; may they break 
 upon Boden's devoted head! Come, let us watch the 
 tempest; there is nothing more instructive than a royal 
 hurricane." 
 
 " Let us profit by the occasion, then." 
 
 The two courtiers slipped noiselessly to the door and 
 pushed the curtains carefully to one side, so as to see and 
 hear clearly. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE KING AND SECRETARY OP THE TREASURY. 
 
 THE king received the secretary with a solemn and 
 earnest bow. He stood leaning upon his writing-table, 
 his arms folded, and his glance fixed upon Boden. Many 
 a bold man had trembled at the eagle glance of Frederick, 
 but Boden looked up clear, and betrayed neither con- 
 fusion nor hesitation. 
 
 " You insisted positively upon seeing me," said Fred- 
 erick, sternly ; " let me hear now what you have to 
 say." 
 
 " I have much to say, and I must bespeak patience and 
 indulgence; I fear that my words will seem dry and 
 tedious to your majesty." 
 
 " Speak ; I will myself determine how far I can grant 
 you patience and indulgence."
 
 296 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Your majesty is a fiery but noble and learned gentle- 
 man ; besides this, you are young, and youth has a daring 
 will can renew the old and lumbering wheel and push 
 the world forward in her progress. Your majesty will, 
 can, and must do this; God has given you not only the 
 power, but the intellect and strength. Your majesty will 
 change many things and inaugurate new measures. The 
 old times must give way before the new era. I saw that the 
 first time I looked into my young king's eye in that bold 
 eye in which is written a great and glorious future for 
 Prussia; I understood that we, who had served the 
 sainted king, might not appear worthy or young enough 
 to carry out the purposes of the royal successor of Fred- 
 erick William. I waited, also, for my dismissal; but it 
 came not. Your majesty did not remove me from my 
 office, and I confess this gave me pleasure. I said to 
 myself, ' The king will not destroy, he will improve ; and 
 if he believes that his father's old servants can help hirn 
 in that, so will we serve him and carry out his purposes 
 with a holy zeal. I know the secret machinery of state. 
 The king concealed nothing from me. I will explain all 
 this to the young king; I will make him acquainted with 
 this complicated and widely spread power; I will have 
 the honor to make known to him my knowledge of the 
 revenue and its uses. I rejoiced in the hope that I may 
 yet serve my fatherland.' " 
 
 " These are very friendly and perhaps well-meant 
 propositions which you are making me," said the king, 
 with a light laugh. " Happily, however, I do not need 
 them. I know already what is necessary, and as I have 
 found amongst the papers of my father all the accounts 
 of the states-general, you can understand that I know ex- 
 actly what I receive as revenue and what I am to disburse. 
 Besides all this, I will not fatigue myself in minute de- 
 tails on this subject; I do not deem it of sufficient im- 
 portance. My time is much occupied, and I have more
 
 AND HIS COURT. 297 
 
 important and better things to do than to weary myself 
 over dull questions of finance." 
 
 " No, majesty," cried Boden, " you have nothing more 
 important or better to do. The finances are the blood- 
 vessels of the State, and the whole body would sicken and 
 die if these vessels should be choked or irregular in their 
 action." 
 
 " Then must we call the lancet to our aid," said the 
 king. " I am the physician of this revenue, you are the 
 surgeon only when I need the lancet ; then will you strike 
 the vein, and allow so much golden blood to flow as I 
 think good and necessary." 
 
 " No, this will I not do ! " said Boden, resolutely ; 
 " your majesty can dismiss me, but you cannot force me 
 to act against my conscience." 
 
 " Boden ! " cried the king in so loud and angry a 
 tone that even the two listening courtiers trembled and 
 turned pale. 
 
 " This man is already a corpse," whispered Pollnitz. 
 " I already smell, even here, the refreshing fragrance 
 of his body. We will bury him, and be his smiling 
 heirs." 
 
 " Look, look at the fearful glance of the king ! " whis- 
 pered Fredersdorf ; " his eyes crush the over-bold, even 
 as the glance of Jove crushed the Titans. Yes, you are 
 right, Boden is a dead man. The king is so filled with 
 scorn, he has lost the power of speech." 
 
 " No, he opens his lips, let us listen." 
 
 " Boden," said the king, " you forget that you speak 
 with the son, and not with the father. You were the fa- 
 vorite of Frederick William, but you are not mine; and I 
 will not suffer this inconsiderate and self-confident man- 
 ner. Remember that, and go on." 
 
 " So long as I am in your service," said the minister, 
 with a slight bow, " it is my first and my holiest duty to 
 express my opinions freely to your majesty, to give you 
 20
 
 298 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 counsel according to the best of my strength and my 
 ability. It remains with your majesty to reject my ad- 
 vice and to act differently, but still according to the con- 
 stitution of the State." 
 
 " The first duty of a servant is to give his counsel only 
 when it is demanded; as I did not desire yours, you 
 might have spared yourself this trouble." 
 
 " Your majesty did not ask my counsel, that is true," 
 said the minister; "you only remembered me when you 
 had commands to give as to the emptying of the royal 
 treasury. Your majesty thought you had no use for 
 your finance minister, as you had all the papers relating 
 to the states general. Every one of your majesty's min- 
 isters is acquainted with these matters, and yet they 
 would not feel able to decide the question of the disburs- 
 ing of the kingly revenue, to say under what circum- 
 stances, and comformably to the powers of the States, 
 this revenue should be disposed of. This, my king, re- 
 quires a special knowledge, and I, as minister of finance, 
 dare boast that I understand this matter." 
 
 The king's brow became more and more clouded. 
 " That may be," said he, impatiently, " but I am not will- 
 ing to be restrained in my operations by narrow-minded 
 laws; I will not live meanly like my father, and think 
 only of gathering millions together." 
 
 " Nor did King Frederick William live for that," said 
 the minister boldly ; " he lived economically, but where 
 there was want, he knew how to give with a truly royal 
 hand; this is proved by the provinces, by the cities and 
 villages which he built out of dust and ashes; this is 
 proved by the half million of happy men who now inhabit 
 them in peace and comfort. More than three millions of 
 dollars did the king give to Lithuania, which was a howl- 
 ing wilderness, filled with famine and pestilence, until 
 relieved by the generosity of their monarch; and while 
 doing this he watched with close attention the accounts
 
 AND HIS COURT. 299 
 
 of his cook and spent but little money on the royal table. 
 No ! The king did not only gather millions together ; he 
 knew how to disburse them worthily." 
 
 " This man must be crazy," whispered 'Pollnitz ; " he 
 dares to praise the dead king at the expense and in the 
 teeth of the living; that is indeed bold folly, and must 
 lead to his destruction. The king has turned away from 
 him; see, he goes to the window and looks without; he 
 will give himself time to master his scorn and conquer 
 the desire which he feels to crush this daring worm to 
 the earth. I tell you," said Pollnitz, " I would give Bo- 
 den a hundred glasses of champagne from my cellar in 
 the Jiiger Street if I could see the king punish him with 
 his own hands." 
 
 The king turned again to the minister, who looked at 
 him like a man who dared all and was resigned to all; he 
 thought, with Pollnitz and Fredersdorf, that the king 
 would crush him in his wrath. But Frederick's face was 
 calm, and a strangely mild glance beamed in his eye. 
 
 " Well, if you praise my father for disbursing millions, 
 so will you also be content with me, for it is my purpose 
 zealously to imitate him. I will begin by putting my 
 court upon a truly royal footing; I will live as it becomes 
 the King of Prussia. The necessary preparations are al- 
 ready commenced, and a detailed plan lies now upon the 
 table; I will sign it to-day." 
 
 " May I read it, your majesty ? " said Boden. 
 
 The king nodded. Boden took the paper and glanced 
 hastily over it, while the king folded his arms behind him 
 and walked backwards and forwards. 
 
 " I find the king wondrously wearisome and patient," 
 murmured Fredersdorf ; " it is not his manner generally 
 to withhold so long his crushing glances." 
 
 " And with what derisive laughter that man there 
 reads my plan! " said Pollnitz, gnashing his teeth; " truly 
 one might think he was making sport of it."
 
 300 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Have you read it ? " said the king, standing still be- 
 fore Boden, and looking at him sharply. 
 
 " Yes, your majesty, I have read it." 
 
 "Well, and what think you of it?" 
 
 " That only Pollnitz, who it is well known has no 
 gold, and is only acquainted with debt, could have drawn 
 out such a plan, for the realization of which, not only 
 Prussian gold, but a fountain of gold from the Arabian 
 Nights would be necessary." 
 
 " I swear I will break this fellow's neck ! " said Poll- 
 nitz. 
 
 A faint smile might be seen on the lips of Frederick. 
 " You do not approve of this plan ? " said he. 
 
 " Your majesty, we have no strong box from which 
 this sum can be abstracted, and if you are resolved to take 
 from the State treasury the sum necessary for this 
 purpose, so will this also be exhausted during the first 
 year." 
 
 " Well, let us leave this plan for the present, and tell 
 me how you stand as to the means necessary to build the 
 palace of the queen-mother. Have you received my in- 
 structions?" 
 
 " I have received them." 
 
 " And you have disbursed the sum necessary ? " 
 
 " No, sire, I cannot." 
 
 " How ! cannot, when I your king and lord command 
 it?" 
 
 Boden bowed respectfully. "Your majesty, there is 
 a greater lord that is, my conscience; my conscience 
 forbids me to take this sum from the strong box desig- 
 nated. You require four millions of dollars, and you de- 
 sire that this sum shall be taken from the money set apart 
 for the maintenance of the army and the assistance of 
 famished and suffering villages and towns. I acknowl- 
 edge that the court of his sainted majesty was somewhat 
 niggardly, and that you, sire, may justly find some
 
 AND HIS COURT. 301 
 
 changes necessary. If, however, it is determined to use 
 for this purpose the funds set apart for other important 
 objects, then must your majesty impose new and heavy 
 taxes upon your subjects, or you must diminish the 
 army." 
 
 " Diminish my army ! " said the king ; " never, never 
 shall that be done ! " 
 
 " Then, sire, if the building of a palace is absolutely 
 necessary, take the sum for this purpose from your royal 
 treasury; it contains now seven millions of dollars, and 
 as there is no war in prospect, you may well use four 
 millions of the seven in building a castle." 
 
 "No, this will not do!" said Frederick. "This 
 money is set apart for other objects; you shall take these 
 four millions from the designated sources." 
 
 " I have had already the honor to show your majesty 
 the consequence of such a course. You declare you will 
 not diminish the army: it only remains then to impose a 
 new tax." 
 
 " Do that, then," said the king, indifferently ; " write 
 a command for a new tax; that is your affair." 
 
 The minister looked at the king in painful surprise, 
 and a profound sorrow was painted in his face. 
 
 " If this must be so, your majesty," said he, with a 
 deeply moved voice, " then is the hour of my dismissal at 
 hand, and I know what I have to do; I am no longer 
 young enough to bear the burden of a portfolio; I belong 
 to the old and cautious time, and my ideas do not suit the 
 young era. I ask your majesty, in all humility and sub- 
 mission, to give me my dismissal. Here is the paper 
 which contains the plan of the palace; you will readily 
 find another who will obey your commands. I am not 
 sufficiently grown for this post of finance minister. I 
 beg also for my dismissal." 
 
 "At last," said the king, with glistening eyes. 
 
 " At last 1 " repeated Pollnitz ; " truly it was a long
 
 302 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 time before this cowardly man could be brought to the 
 point." 
 
 " Did I not tell you that the king was resolved to get 
 rid of Boden ? " said Fredersdorf ; " but let us listen ! no, 
 why should we listen? Boden has handed in his resigna- 
 tion, and the king has accepted it. I confess my back 
 aches from this crouching position; I will go and drink 
 a glass of champagne to the health of the new minister of 
 finance." 
 
 " You must not go. The king asked for you as Boden 
 was announced, and commanded that we should wait here 
 in the ante-room until called, as he had something of 
 importance to communicate. Without doubt he will pre- 
 sent me to-day with the deed of the house in Jilger Street. 
 Look ! in the last window niche I see a pair of very invit- 
 ing chairs; let us make ourselves comfortable." 
 
 The king had said " At last ! " as Boden offered his 
 resignation ; after a short silence he added : " It seems to 
 me that you hesitated a long time before resigning." 
 
 " It is true," said Boden sadly ; " I certainly had oc- 
 casion to take this step earlier, but I still hoped I might 
 be useful to my king." 
 
 " And this hope has not deceived you," said Frederick, 
 drawing near to Boden, and laying his hand on his shoul- 
 der ; " I cannot accept your resignation." 
 
 Boden looked up amazed. The king's face was beauti- 
 ful to behold a touching and gentle expression spoke in 
 every noble feature; his light-blue eye beamed with glad- 
 ness and goodness. 
 
 " How ! Your majesty will not accept my resigna- 
 tion?" 
 
 " No, it would be great folly in me," said Frederick, 
 in a tone which brought tears to the eyes of the minister ; 
 " it would be great folly to deprive myself of so noble and 
 faithful a servant. No, Boden, I am not so great a spend- 
 thrift as to cast away such a treasure. Now in order
 
 AND HIS COURT. 303 
 
 that you may understand your king, I will make you a 
 confession: you had been slandered to me, and my dis- 
 trust awakened. It was said of you that you filled the 
 State treasury while the people hungered; it was said 
 of you that you were resolved to hold on to your office, 
 and therefore carried out the commands of the king, even 
 though unjust to the people. I wished to prove you, 
 Boden, to see if you had been slandered or justly charged; 
 I handled you, therefore, contemptuously; I gave you 
 commissions which were oppressive; I drew upon the 
 treasury so as to exhaust it fully; I wished to know if 
 you were only a submissive servant or an honest man; 
 I had long to wait, and your patience and forbearance 
 were great. To-day I put you to the extremest proof, and 
 by God ! if you had carried out my unjust and unwise in- 
 structions, I would not only have deprived you of your 
 office, but I would have held you to a strict account. You 
 would have been a dishonest servant, who, in order to 
 flatter the king, was willing to sin against the people. 
 The welfare of my people is holy to me, and they shall 
 not be oppressed by new taxes. Praised be God! I can 
 say I understand my duties ; may every ruler do the same. 
 May they keep their eyes steadily fixed upon their great 
 calling; may they feel that this exaltation, this rank of 
 which they are so proud, so jealous, is the gift of the peo- 
 ple, whose happiness is intrusted to them; that millions 
 of men have not been created to be the slaves of one 
 man, to make him more terrible and more powerful. The 
 people do not place themselves under the yoke of a fellow- 
 man to be the martyrs of his humor and the playthings 
 of his pleasure. No, they choose from amongst them the 
 one they consider the most just, in order that he may 
 govern them; the best, to be their father; the most hu- 
 mane, that he may sympathize and assist them; the 
 bravest, to defend them from their enemies; the wisest, 
 that they may not be dragged without cause into de-
 
 304 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 structive wars the man, in short, who seems to them the 
 best suited to govern himself and them; to use the sov- 
 ereign power, to sustain justice and the laws, and not to 
 play the tyrant. These are my views of what a king 
 should be, and I will fulfil my calling, so help me God! 
 You, Boden, must stand by and give me honest help." 
 
 In the eyes of the minister might be seen joyful tears 
 and a noble ambition; he bowed low and kissed the ex- 
 tended hand of the king. 
 
 " How gracious has God been to my fatherland in giv- 
 ing it such a prince ! " 
 
 " You will not, then, insist upon your resignation ? " 
 said the king. " You are content to serve me, provided I 
 do not diminish my army, and do not impose new taxes 
 upon the people ? " 
 
 " I will be proud and happy to serve my king," said 
 Boden, deeply moved. 
 
 " I must tell you, Boden, this will be no light service, 
 and my ministers will be hereafter less important person- 
 ages than they have supposed themselves to be; I shall 
 closely observe them all, and shall require much work of 
 them, but I myself will be diligent. It seems to me an 
 idle prince is a poor creature, that the world has little use 
 for. I am resolved to serve my country with all my 
 powers; but I will stand alone, independent, self-sus- 
 taining. My ministers will only be my instruments to 
 carry out my purposes; they will have much to do, and 
 have no influence. I will have no favorite, and never 
 consult any other will than my own; but I shall require 
 of them to express their opinions frankly and without 
 fear in answer to my questions, and that they shall not 
 fail to call my attention to any errors I may commit, 
 either through haste or want of judgment." 
 
 " All this I will do," said Boden, deeply moved. " So 
 truly as God will give me strength, I will serve my king 
 and my fatherland faithfully to the end."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 305 
 
 " We are agreed, then," said Frederick ; " you will re- 
 main my minister. If you had not demanded your dis- 
 missal, I should have given it to you. I should have seen 
 that you were justly accused, and were determined to 
 remain minister at any price. Thank God, you have 
 proved to me that you are an honest man! But," said 
 the king, " you are not only an honest man, but a bold, 
 unterrified, truthful man; a true friend, grateful for 
 benefits received, you do not cease to love your king and 
 benefactor, even after his death. You have had the cour- 
 age to defend the dead king, and to reproach his suc- 
 cessor. The king cannot thank you for this; but as a 
 son, I thank you I say, ' Come to my heart, true and 
 faithful servant.' We kings are too poor to reward our 
 servants in any other way than by confiding love." The 
 king opened his arms and pressed Boden to his heart, 
 who wept aloud. " And now," cried the king, " we under- 
 stand each other, and know what we have to expect, and 
 that is always a great gain in this world, full of disap- 
 pointment, hypocrisy, and cunning. I will now give you 
 a proof that I do not close my ear to the reasonable coun- 
 sels of my minister, and that I am ready to offer up my 
 personal wishes; I will not build this palace for my 
 mother; you have convinced me that I have not the in- 
 come to do so. I cannot take four millions from the 
 State treasury. This money will soon be needed for a 
 more important object. But some changes are absolutely 
 necessary in the royal palace; it must be made more 
 worthy of a king. Take, therefore, these plans and de- 
 signs; strike from them what you consider superfluous. 
 Let me know what additions you think it best to adopt, 
 and from what source we can draw the necessary funds." * 
 
 * " History of Berlin," Thi^bault.
 
 306 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE UNDECEIVED COURTIER. 
 
 AT the time that the king was placing the extravagant 
 plans, which Baron von Pollnitz had drawn up, into the 
 hands of his minister of finance, the baron was waiting 
 in the ante- room, in a state of smiling security, entertain- 
 ing his friend Fredersdorf with an account of his own 
 future splendor and magnificence, speaking especially 
 of the entertainments which he intended giving in his 
 new house in Jager Street. When at length the door of 
 the royal cabinet was opened, and the minister of finance 
 entered the ante-room, Pollnitz and Fredersdorf stood up, 
 not however to greet the minister, but to pass him with a 
 cold, contemptuous smile on their way to the door of the 
 cabinet. The smile died suddenly on Pollnitz's lips, and 
 he stood as if transfixed before the minister. 
 
 " What are those papers which you hold ? " he asked, 
 extending his hand as if he would tear the papers from 
 Baron von Boden. 
 
 The minister pushed him back, as he carelessly 
 shrugged his shoulders. " These are papers which his 
 majesty handed me, that I might examine their contents, 
 and see if they contained any thing but folly." 
 
 " Sir," said Pollnitz, beside himself with rage, " these 
 papers " but he became suddenly silent, for the door of 
 the cabinet was opened again, and the king entered the 
 room. 
 
 He glanced scornfully at Pollnitz, who was scarcely 
 able to conceal his anger, and approached Baron von 
 Boden. " One thing more, minister," said the king, " I 
 had forgotten that I had prepared a little surprise for 
 you; I am aware that you are not rich, although you are 
 the minister of finance, and I understand that you live
 
 AND HIS COURT. 307 
 
 in a limited way, scarcely worthy of your rank. We must 
 alter this, and happily I know a house which even Baron 
 von Pollnitz declares is worthy a nobleman. I present 
 this house to you, with its entire contents. From this 
 moment it is yours, and Baron von Pollnitz must go with 
 you, and show it to you; he can point out to you all the 
 advantages and conveniences which he has so often 
 praised to me." 
 
 Pollnitz. stood pale, trembling, and confused. " I do 
 not know of what house your majesty speaks," he stam- 
 mered, " of what house I can have said that it was worthy 
 of the minister of finance." 
 
 " Not of the minister of finance, but of a nobleman, 
 and Boden is a nobleman, not only in name but in reality ; 
 and is entirely worthy to possess the house which I have 
 presented to him. You are well acquainted with it, Poll- 
 nitz; it is the house which my father had built for Eck- 
 ert, the beautiful house in Jager Street." 
 
 " The house in Jager Street ! " cried Pollnitz, for- 
 getting the restraint which the presence of the king 
 usually imposed. " No, no, your majesty is pleased to 
 jest. You do not mean the house in Jager Street, that 
 house which " 
 
 " That house," interrupted the king, in a stern voice, 
 " that house which pleased you so well, that you, as fool- 
 ish children sometimes do, confused reality with your 
 dreams, and imagined that this house already belonged 
 to you, merely because you desired that it should do so. 
 I would have smiled at this childish folly, if it had re- 
 mained an amusement for your unemployed fancy; but 
 you have deceived others as well as yourself, and that is 
 an unpardonable fault, and one which you must repair 
 immediately, if you do not wish to be dismissed from my 
 service." 
 
 "I do not understand your majesty; I do not know 
 how I have forfeited the favor of my king."
 
 308 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 The king glanced angrily at the pale, trembling cour- 
 tier. " You understand perfectly, Baron von Pollnitz, of 
 which fault, amongst the many that you daily and hour- 
 ly commit, I speak. You know that it has pleased you to 
 declare the house, which I have just presented to Boden, 
 to be yours, and that you have found credulous people 
 who have lent you money on that representation." 
 
 " Will your majesty grant me a favor ? " said Minister 
 von Boden, glancing kindly at Pollnitz, who. stood near 
 him crushed and trembling. 
 
 The king consented by bowing silently, and the minis- 
 ter proceeded : 
 
 " Your majesty has just made me most rich and 
 happy, and I consider it my duty, as it is my pleasure, to 
 share both riches and happiness with my fellow-creatures. 
 Baron von Pollnitz, by the commands of the late king, 
 executed the plans for the house which your majesty has 
 so kindly presented to me; he also selected the decora- 
 tions and furniture, and this may have led him to believe 
 that the house, which had been built and furnished ac- 
 cording to his taste, might become his own. I am much 
 indebted to Pollnitz, for a man so plain and simple as I 
 am would never have been able to make this house so 
 tasteful and elegant. Permit me, therefore, your maj- 
 esty, to liquidate this debt by considering the small mort- 
 gage which Baron von Pollnitz has put upon this house, 
 as my affair." 
 
 " What reply do you make to this proposition ? " said 
 the king, turning to Pollnitz. 
 
 " That if your majesty allows me I will accept it with 
 pleasure, and I merely wish to ask the minister whether 
 he will only take up those mortgages which I have al- 
 ready put upon the house, or the others which I intended 
 putting? " 
 
 " Ah 1 " cried the king, laughing, " you are incorrigi- 
 ble. If poor Boden is to satisfy not only your old credi-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 309 
 
 tors but your new ones, the present I have made him 
 would probably reduce him to beggary in a few months. 
 No, no, this one mortgage is sufficient, and as it amounts 
 to only a few thousand dollars, it shall be paid from my 
 purse; and that my gift to you, Boden, may have no 
 drawback, Pollnitz may consider himself thus repaid for 
 his trouble about the plans and arrangements of your 
 house. But woe to you, Pollnitz, if I should again hear 
 of such folly and deceit; and if you do not give up such 
 disgraceful conduct, and act in a manner becoming your 
 rank and office, this is the last time that I will show any 
 mercy for your folly. If there is a repetition of it, I will 
 be inexorable, only a stern judge and king." 
 
 " Your majesty plunges me into an abyss of despair," 
 said Pollnitz, swinging his hands. " You demand that I 
 shall create no new debts; and how is it possible to avoid 
 that, when I have not even the money to pay the old ones ? 
 If your majesty desires that I should lead a new life, you 
 should have the kindness to pay my old debts." 
 
 The king paced the room silently for a short time, and 
 then stood before Pollnitz, and said: 
 
 " You are so shameless and absurd that I must either 
 drive you away or content myself with laughing at you. 
 I will, however, remember that my father and grand- 
 father laughed at you, and for the present I will also 
 laugh, as I laugh at the silly pranks of merry Mr. Raths, 
 my monkey. But even Mr. Raths was punished yesterday 
 because he was too daring with his monkey tricks. Mark 
 this, Baron von Pollnitz, I will pay your debts this time; 
 but if it should occur to you to make new ones, I will 
 forget that you were the jester of my father and grand- 
 father, and only remember that so reckless an individual 
 cannot remain in my service. Now accompany the min- 
 ister to the Jager Street, and show him his house. Your 
 audience is at an end, gentlemen." 
 
 After these gentlemen had left the room, the king
 
 310 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 stood for a long time as if lost in thought. lie did not 
 appear to be aware that he was not alone, that Freders- 
 dorf was standing in the window, to which he had with- 
 drawn on the appearance of the king, and had been a 
 trembling, despairing witness to this scene, which had dis- 
 turbed his plans and hopes. Suddenly the king walked 
 rapidly through the room, and stood before Fredersdorf 
 his eyes, usually so clear and bright, veiled as with a 
 cloud, and an expression of deep melancholy upon his 
 noble face. 
 
 " Fredersdorf," he said, with a voice so mild and gen- 
 tle that his hearer trembled, and a deadly pallor over- 
 spread his countenance " Fredersdorf, is it really true 
 that you all think of me only as your king, never as your 
 fellow-man? that you have no love for your sovereign, 
 only envy and hatred, only malice and cunning? And 
 you, also, Fredersdorf, you whom I have loved, not as a 
 master loves his servant, but as a dear friend, with whom 
 I have often forgotten that I was a prince, and only re- 
 membered that I was with a friend, who had a feeling 
 heart for my cares and sorrows, and entertained a little 
 love not for the prince but for the man. Are you all deter- 
 mined to make me cold-hearted and distrustful? are you 
 laboring to turn my heart to stone to cut off my soul 
 from faith and love? A day will come when you will call 
 me cold and relentless, and no one will say that it was 
 those I loved and trusted who made me thus." 
 
 " Mercy ! mercy ! my king," prayed Fredersdorf, sink- 
 ing to the feet of the king. " Kill me ! destroy me with 
 your anger ! only do not show me such kindness and love. 
 Oh ! your majesty does not know how I love you, how my 
 heart is bound up in yours; but I have a wild and am- 
 bitious heart, and in the thirst of my ambition I was 
 not satisfied to remain the servant of my king. I wished 
 to become powerful and influential. I longed to mount 
 high above those who now look down upon and despise
 
 AND HIS COURT. 311 
 
 me because I am a servant. This, my king, is my whole 
 crime, the remorseful confession of my guilt." 
 
 " You did not wish to betray your king, you only de- 
 sired to be the lord of your lord. You wished to reign 
 through me. Poor Fredersdorf, do you think it such hap- 
 piness to be a king? Do you not know that this royal 
 crown, which seems so bright to you, is only a crown of 
 thorns, which is concealed with a little tinsel and a few 
 spangles? Poor Fredersdorf, you are ambitious; I will 
 gratify you in this as far as possible, but you must con- 
 quer the desire to control my will, and influence my reso- 
 lutions. A king is only answerable to God," proceeded 
 the king, " and only from God can he receive control or 
 commands. I am the servant of God, but the master of 
 men. I will gratify your ambition, Fredersdorf, I will 
 give you a title. You shall no longer be a mere servant, 
 but a private secretary; and that you may be a master 
 as well as a servant, I present you the estate Czernihon, 
 near Rheinsberg. There you will be lord of your peas- 
 ants and workmen, and learn if it is not a thankless office 
 to rule. Are you satisfied, my poor Fredersdorf ? " 
 
 Fredersdorf could not answer; he pressed his lips to 
 the hand of the king, and wept aloud. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE BRIDAL PAIR. 
 
 JOY and exultation reigned in the house of the rich 
 manufacturer Orguelin. The proud daughter had con- 
 sented to become the wife of Count Rhedern; she had at 
 last accepted him, and the happy father, delighted at
 
 312 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 the prospect of soon becoming father-in-law to a count, 
 busied himself with the preparations for the approaching 
 wedding festivities, which were destined to excite the 
 admiration and astonishment of the entire city by their 
 magnificence and prodigal splendor. At this festival the 
 future Countess Rhedern was to appear for the last time 
 in the circle of her old friends, and then to take leave of 
 them forever; for as a matter of course the Countess 
 Rhedern would have to form new friendships and seek 
 other society than that to which she had been accustomed 
 as Mademoiselle Orguelin. But M. Orguelin desired to 
 exhibit to his associates, the manufacturers and mer- 
 chants, this splendid nobleman who had now become his 
 son; he wished to excite the envy and admiration of his 
 friends by the princely magnificence of his house. 
 
 But all this was far from being agreeable to Count 
 Rhedern, who had other plans. His creditors and his 
 poverty compelled him to marry this rich merchant's 
 daughter, but he had no desire or intention of entering 
 into any association or connection with the friends and 
 relations of his wife; and even if it should be necessary 
 to recognize his rich father-in-law, it did not follow that 
 he would appear at his fetes to add lustre to the enter- 
 tainment and be shown off as a highly ornamented ac- 
 quisition. He trembled when he thought of the ridicule of 
 the court cavaliers, to whom it would be an inexhaustible 
 subject of jest, that he, the marshal of the queen, and a 
 cavalier of old nobility, had played this role at a fete of 
 the bourgeoisie, and had conversed, eaten, and danced 
 with manufacturers and tradespeople. That could not 
 and should not be. To preserve the prestige of his house, 
 a nobleman might marry the daughter of a merchant, if 
 she possessed a million, but he could not stoop so low as 
 to consider himself a member of her family, and to recog- 
 nize this or that relative. Count Rhedern thought of 
 some plan by which he could frustrate this scheme of his
 
 AND HIS COURT. 313 
 
 father-in-law in regard to the wedding festivities, which 
 would bring him into such undesirable and disagreeable 
 association with persons beneath his rank, as he desired 
 to avoid as far as possible all eclat in this misalliance. 
 With a smiling countenance he entered one morning into 
 the magnificent parlor of his affianced, who with her 
 father's assistance was engaged in making out a list of 
 the wedding guests. The count seated himself near his 
 future bride, and listened with inward horror to the ter- 
 rible and barbarous names which were placed on the list, 
 the possessors of which could never appear at a knightly 
 tournament or court festival, and were consequently ex- 
 cluded from all the joys and honors of the world. 
 
 " Well," said the father exultingly, " what do you 
 think of our fete? It will be perfectly magnificent, will 
 it not? The richest merchants of Berlin will be present; 
 and if one were to estimate us by our wealth, it would be 
 found that more millions would be assembled there than 
 Germany has inhabitants. You will readily understand, 
 my dear son, that in order to do honor to such guests, 
 great preparations are necessary, for it is not easy to 
 excite the astonishment and admiration of these proud 
 merchants. It is quite easy to surprise one of your 
 barons or counts; you are delighted when entertained 
 with champagne or fine Holstein oysters, but a rich mer- 
 chant turns scornfully from turtle-soup and Indian 
 birds'-nests. Nevertheless, my proud guests shall be sur- 
 prised ; they shall have a fine dinner, the like of which 
 they have never seen. For this purpose I have ordered 
 two of the best cooks from Paris, who will arrive in a few 
 days. They have written that they will need at least two 
 weeks to make the necessary preparations for the wed- 
 ding-dinner. For their services I will pay them a salary 
 which is perhaps equal to the half-yearly pay of a marshal 
 or chamberlain. Moreover, we will have fireworks, illu- 
 minations, splendid music; yes, I have even thought of 
 21
 
 314 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 having a stage erected, and of engaging a French com- 
 pany to amuse our guests with a few comedies." 
 
 " I am only afraid that but few of our guests will 
 understand a word of these French plays," exclaimed his 
 daughter, laughing. 
 
 " That is quite possible ; nevertheless French is now 
 the rage, and it will attract attention if we have a 
 French play. And you, my dear son, what do you say 
 to all this? You look almost vexed." 
 
 " I sigh because you wish to defer the wedding for so 
 long a time." 
 
 " Ah, that is a compliment for you, my daughter. 
 Lovers are always impatient." 
 
 " But I did not sigh only because I would so long 
 be deprived of the happiness of leading my dear Caroline 
 to the altar, but because I should thereby lose the pleas- 
 ure of presenting her to the court as my wife on the oc- 
 casion of the large and most magnificent court ball with 
 which the season will be opened." 
 
 "A court ball is to take place?" asked Caroline Or- 
 guelin, with vivacity. " The king has, I believe, not yet 
 returned from his journey." 
 
 " But will do so in a few days, and as the court mourn- 
 ing is now at an end, the king will give a brilliant mas- 
 querade ball, which will probably be the only one given 
 this winter." 
 
 " A masquerade ball ! " exclaimed his bride ; " and I 
 have never seen one ! " 
 
 " And this is to be a most magnificent one. More- 
 over, the queen-mother has already promised me an in- 
 vitation for my wife, and requested me to present her 
 to the entire court on this occasion." 
 
 " And is it impossible to have the wedding any 
 sooner?" asked Caroline, impatiently. 
 
 " Quite impossible," said M. Orguelin. 
 
 " And why impossible ? " said the count. " Could we
 
 AND HIS COURT. 315 
 
 not have the wedding at an early day, and the festival 
 later ? Could we not, as is now customary in high circles, 
 be married quietly, and have the festival at a later day? 
 These noisy weddings are a little out of fashion at the 
 present day, and it would be said at court that the wealthy 
 and highly cultivated M. Orguelin showed his disregard 
 for the customs of our young and modern court by ad- 
 hering to those of the old regime." 
 
 " God forbid that I should do that ! " exclaimed M. 
 Orguelin, in a terrified voice. 
 
 " Father, I detest noisy merry-makings, and insist on 
 a quiet marriage. It shall not be said at court that 
 Mademoiselle Orguelin, with all her acquaintances, had 
 rejoiced over the inestimable happiness of becoming the 
 wife of a count. I will be married quietly; afterwards 
 the count may give a fete in honor of our marriage, 
 which you, my father, can return." 
 
 As usual, M. Orguelin submitted to his daughter's 
 will, and it was determined that a quiet wedding should 
 take place in a few days, to be followed on a later day by 
 a magnificent fete in the house of the father-in-law. 
 
 " At which I shall certainly not be present," thought 
 Count Rhedern, while he expressed his entire satisfaction 
 with this arrangement. 
 
 Mademoiselle Orguelin's proudest wishes were about 
 to be accomplished. She was to be introduced at court, 
 and the queen-mother had graciously declared her inten- 
 tion of presenting her to the king at the approaching 
 masquerade. There was now wanting but one thing, 
 and that was a suitable costume for this important oc- 
 casion, and Count Rhedern assured her, with a sigh, that 
 it would be very difficult to prepare it, as it would be al- 
 most impossible to find a tailor who would undertake to 
 make, in so short a time, the gold-brocaded train which 
 was necessary. 
 
 " Pelissier, the new French tailor, has even refused
 
 316 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 to make a little cloak for me," said Count Rhedern, " and 
 his female assistants, who are the most fashionable dress- 
 makers, have been deaf to all entreaties for the last week. 
 They take no more orders for the masquerade, and it was 
 only yesterday that I met Countess Hake, who had been 
 with the pretty Blanche while I was with her father, de- 
 scending the steps, wringing her hands and bathed in 
 tears, because the proud dressmakers had replied to her 
 prayers and entreaties with a cruel ' Impossible ! ' ' 
 
 " I know, however, that M. Pricker, the court dress- 
 maker of the two queens, would not make me this reply," 
 said Caroline Orguelin, proudly, " but that he would mako 
 whatever is necessary even if he should be forced to take 
 several additional assistants." 
 
 " Then let us drive to M. Pricker's," said her affianced, 
 smiling ; " but we must go at once, for we have no time 
 to lose, and you can well imagine that I would be in- 
 consolable if, after our marriage, I could not present 
 you to the court as my wife on the first suitable occa- 
 sion." 
 
 " Yes, we have no time to lose," repeated Caroline, 
 ringing a bell and ordering her carriage. When, after a 
 few minutes, Caroline Orguelin and the count were alone 
 in the carriage, she turned to him with a mocking smile, 
 and remarked : " The wedding is, then, to take place the 
 day after to-morrow." 
 
 " Yes, my dearest Caroline, and on that day I will 
 be the happiest of men." 
 
 "Your creditors," said she, shrugging her shoulders, 
 "were then becoming so pressing that you suddenly ex- 
 perienced an ardent longing for my dowry." 
 
 " My creditors ? " asked the count ; " I do not under- 
 stand you, dearest Caroline." 
 
 "You understand me very well," said she, with cut- 
 ting coldness ; " it is, moreover, time that we understand 
 each other, once for all. Know, therefore, my dear sir,
 
 AND HIS COURT. 31 Y 
 
 that I have not allowed myself to be deceived either by 
 your tender protestations or by the role of an impatient 
 lover, which you have acted so well. I am neither young 
 nor pretty enough to awaken a passion in the breast of so 
 noble and excellent a cavalier as Count Rhedern. You 
 are poor, but rich in debts, and you needed therefore a 
 rich wife; and as I happened to have more money than 
 any of the beautiful and noble ladies of the court, you 
 determined to marry me, deeming my rich dowry a suffi- 
 cient compensation for the disgrace inflicted on your 
 noble house. In a word, you chose me because you were 
 tired of being dunned by your creditors, and of living in 
 a state of secret misery; and I I bought Count Rhedern 
 with my millions, in order that I might appear at court." 
 
 " Well, truly, these confessions are very curious, highly 
 original," said Count Rhedern, with a forced smile. 
 
 " They are, however, necessary. We need no longer 
 trouble ourselves with this useless acting and hypocrisy. 
 It is also but just that I should inform you why I so 
 ardently desire to become a lady of quality, that is, why 
 I wish to be able to appear at court, for I hope you do 
 not consider me silly enough to buy a count for the mere 
 sake of being called countess ? " 
 
 " I should consider this wish by no means a silly one," 
 murmured the count. 
 
 " No," continued his bride. " I desired to become a 
 countess that I might obtain access to court and enjoy a 
 happiness of which thousands would be envious, al- 
 though like the moth I could only flutter round the bril- 
 liant and dazzling light until it burned me to death. 
 I told you I was no longer young. I, however, still have 
 a young heart, a fresher heart perhaps than all your 
 proud and beautiful ladies of the court, for mine was as 
 hard and clear as crystal, until " 
 
 " Well, conclude," said the count, as she hesitated ; 
 "continue these little confessions, which are certainly
 
 318 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 rarely made before, but generally after marriage. You 
 spoke of your heart having been as hard and clear as 
 crystal, until 
 
 " Until I had seen the king," continued his bride, 
 blushing, " until I had gazed in those wondrous eyes, 
 until I had seen the smile, so proud, and yet so mild and 
 gentle, with which he greeted his people from the bal- 
 cony." 
 
 " It was then at the coronation that you formed the 
 genial resolution of loving the king." 
 
 " Yes, it was on the coronation day that I for the first 
 time comprehended how grand, how noble and sublime a 
 true man could be. And my soul bowed in humility and 
 obedience before the commanding glance of this Titan, 
 and my heart bowed in adoration at the feet of this man, 
 whose smile was so wondrous, and whose eyes spoke such 
 great things. Oh! had I been near him as you were, I 
 would have fallen at his feet and have said to him : ' I 
 accept you as my master and my divinity; you are my 
 ideal, and I will adore you as such with a pure and noble 
 worship.' But I was far off, and could only pray to him 
 in thought. I determined that I would be near him at 
 some day; and I, who had wished to remain single, de- 
 termined at this moment to marry but to marry only a 
 cavalier of the court. I inquired of my companion the 
 names of the cavaliers who stood behind the king, and 
 the most of them were married, but you were not, and I 
 was told that you possessed a great many debts and very 
 small means of paying them. On this day I told my 
 father: 'I wish to marry Count Rhedern, I desire that 
 you should purchase him for me, as you recently pur- 
 chased the handsome set of Nuremburg jewelry.' " 
 
 " Really, a very flattering and ingenious view of the 
 matter," said the count, with a forced laugh. 
 
 Caroline continued : " My father intrusted this affair 
 to a broker who had frequently done business for him be-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 319 
 
 fore, and who proved to be an apt trader on this occasion, 
 for you sec he purchased the goods we desired, and the 
 business transaction has been concluded. Count, you 
 will now understand why I made the condition that I 
 should be admitted at court, and recognized as your coun- 
 tess, before I determined to become your wife." 
 
 " I understand perfectly well," said the count, peevish- 
 ly; "you made use of me as a bridge over which you 
 might pass from your father's shop to the royal palace, as 
 I will make use of you to pay my debts, and to enable me 
 to live a life worthy of a count. All, now that we under- 
 stand one another so well, we will be perfectly at ease, 
 and live a free and unconstrained life without annoying 
 each other." 
 
 " Still, my dear count, you will sometimes experience 
 a slight annoyance at my hands," said the millionnairess, 
 gently placing her hand on the count's shoulder. " It 
 was not only on account of your creditors that you de- 
 sired so early a marriage, but mainly because the count 
 considered it beneath his dignity to take part in the fes- 
 tivities of manufacturers and merchants. But I must 
 inform you, dear sir, that I shall never forget that my 
 father is a merchant, and that all my friends are the 
 daughters of manufacturers and merchants. I will be a 
 grateful daughter and a true friend, and I will compel 
 you to show the same respect to my father and friends 
 that I will show to yours." 
 
 " Compel 1 " exclaimed the count, " you will compel 
 me?" 
 
 "I said compel, and you will soon perceive that it is 
 in my power to do so. Listen: my father promised you 
 that my dowry should be a million, out of which, how- 
 ever, your debts, and the expense of my trousseau, are to 
 be defrayed. Your debts, including the mortgage on 
 your estates, amount to two hundred thousand, and my 
 trousseau, diamonds, and the furnishing of my house will
 
 320 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 cost about the same sum. There will remain, therefore, 
 but six hundred thousand, of which you will enjoy the 
 benefit, according to our marriage contract. But you 
 will readily understand that the interest of this small 
 capital will not support the daughter of a rich merchant 
 respectably, and that if I should desire to entertain the 
 king in my house, I would perhaps expend in one evening 
 the half of my income." 
 
 The count regarded his bride with admiration, al- 
 most with reverence. " You then think that we could not 
 live on the interest of six hundred thousand dollars ? " 
 asked he. 
 
 " I do not only think so, but I am sure of it, for I 
 needed as much when a girl. Ah, my dear count, a great 
 deal of money is necessary to gratify one's humors and 
 caprices. My father is well aware of this fact, and has, 
 therefore, given me as pin money a second million; this 
 will, however, remain in his business, and I shall only 
 receive the interest in monthly payments. I must, how- 
 ever, remark that this interest is not a part of my dowry, 
 but is my personal property, with which I can do as I see 
 fit. I can, if I wish, give fetes with this money, pay your 
 debts, purchase horses and equipages for you, or I can 
 give it to my father, who can make very good use of it 
 in his business. And now pay attention : whenever you 
 choose to neglect the proper and dutiful attention due to 
 your wife, her father, or her friends, I will relinquish my 
 pin money to my father, and you must look to some other 
 source for the necessary funds." 
 
 " But I shall always be an attentive and grateful hus- 
 band, and a dutiful son to your father," exclaimed the 
 count, charmed with the prospect of a second million. 
 
 " Then you will do well," said his bride, gravely, " for 
 your monthly income will thereby be increased by four 
 thousand dollars. You see I am a true merchant's daugh- 
 ter, and understand accounts. I have bought you, and
 
 AND HIS COURT. 321 
 
 know your worth, but I also desire to be properly es- 
 teemed and respected by you. You must never think you 
 have honored me by making me a countess, but must al- 
 ways remember that my father is a millionnaire, whose 
 only daughter and heiress pays you for your amiability, 
 your title, and her admission to court. And now enough 
 of these tedious affairs. The carriage has stopped, and we 
 have arrived at our destination; let us put on our masks 
 again, and be the fond lovers who marry for pure love and 
 tenderness." 
 
 " And in truth you deserve to be loved," exclaimed the 
 count, pressing her hand to his lips. " You are the most 
 discreet and charming of women, and I have no doubt 
 that I will love you ardently some day." 
 
 " Poor count," said she, laughing, " on that day you 
 will deserve commiseration, for I shall certainly never 
 fall in love with you. A heart like mine loves but once, 
 and dies of that love." 
 
 " I hope that this death will at least be a very slow 
 one," said the count, jumping out of the carriage, and 
 assisting his bride elect to descend. 
 
 CHAPTEK V. 
 
 THE FRENCH AND GERMAN TAILORS, OR THE MONTAGUES 
 AND CAPULETS OF BERLIN. 
 
 M. PRICKER stood at his window; his face was sad, 
 and he looked with a troubled gaze at the house on the 
 other side of the street. This was the house of the new 
 French tailor, Pelissier. Many splendid equipages were 
 dr'awn up before the door, and crowds of gayly dressed 
 men and women were passing in and out. Alas for earth-
 
 322 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 ly grandeur! alas for popular applause! Pricker stood 
 at his window, no one rang his bell, not a carriage was 
 to be seen at his door, since the arrival of the French 
 tailor. Pricker was a lost man, wounded in his ambition, 
 his most sacred feelings trampled upon, and his just 
 claim to the gratitude of his generation disallowed. 
 What advantage was it to him to be the acknowledged 
 tailor of two queens? Since, in the ardor of his patriot- 
 ism, he had refused to employ French hands, not one of 
 all those ladies who had formerly confided to him the 
 secrets of their toilets remembered his discretion, or his 
 ability to hide their defects, or supply their wants. The 
 fickle and ungrateful world had forsaken him. Even the 
 Plohenzollerns had forgotten the great deeds and still 
 greater services of the Prickers, and no longer knew how 
 to reward true merit. Since Pelissier took the opposite 
 house, Pricker's heart was broken; night and day he was 
 consumed with anguish; but he made no complaint, he 
 suffered in Spartan silence, and like a hero covered his 
 bleeding wounds. One soft eye, one kindred heart dis- 
 covered his silent sorrow; she, too, sorrowed as those 
 without hope; she had not even the courage to offer con- 
 solation. In this hour of extremity poor Pricker some- 
 times thought of selling his house, but the next moment 
 he would blush at his weakness and cowardice in thus 
 abandoning the field to his foe. 
 
 In spiteful arrogance the French tailor had settled 
 himself in the opposite house. It was a struggle for life 
 or death offered by Pelissier, and it should not be said that 
 a Pricker ignominiously declined the contest. Pricker 
 must remain, he must defy his adversary, and yield only 
 in death to this dandy Frenchman; he would therefore 
 remain in those ancestral halls, which had so long shel- 
 tered the tailor of the two queens. He remained, but the 
 death-worm was gnawing at his heart. Pricker still 
 gazed across the street, and with an added pang he saw
 
 AND HIS COURT. 323 
 
 another carriage rolling in that direction; but no, this 
 time the carriage turned to his side of the street. In 
 the first joy of his heart he sprang forward to open the 
 door and aid the ladies in descending; he checked him- 
 self in time, however, remembering that this would com- 
 promise the dignity of his house. 
 
 In a few moments Madame Pricker announced the 
 rich Mademoiselle Orguelin and her future husband. 
 Pricker advanced to meet them with calm composure, but 
 there was tumultuous joy in his heart. 
 
 " You will be surprised, my dear Pricker, that we did 
 not send for you, but we should have lost time by that, 
 and our affairs demand the greatest haste." 
 
 Pricker bowed proudly. " My house is accustomed to 
 receive noble persons; my grandfather had once the 
 happiness to welcome a prince. In what can I serve 
 you?" 
 
 " I need two complete court toilets," said Mademoi- 
 selle Orguelin " the robes for a first presentation, and 
 then for a great court ball." 
 
 " Then you wish a robe with a brocade train ; I would 
 choose blue velvet, it is most becoming to blondes, and 
 throws a heavenly light upon their complexions." 
 
 " Then we will take sky blue," said the millionnaire, 
 "with a train of silver. For the ball dress, my father 
 has given me a dress woven in velvet and gold." 
 
 " Your toilets will be superb, and the appearance of 
 the Countess Rhedern will do honor to the house of 
 Pricker." 
 
 " You must promise to be ready in eight days." 
 
 " In four, if necessary," said Pricker, taking the long 
 measure from his wife and approaching the lady. 
 
 " I leave the trimmings entirely to your taste, but of 
 course my dress must be of the newest French cut." 
 
 Pricker had laid the measure around the slender 
 waist of Mademoiselle Orguelin; he now removed it
 
 324: FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 violently. " You desire your dresses made after the 
 latest French style ? " he said, harshly. 
 
 " Of course ; that is surely understood ; no decent tailor 
 would work in any other style. I should indeed be 
 ridiculous to appear at court in a stiff old German cos- 
 tume. You must make me the tight-fitting French waist, 
 the long points in front, the narrow sleeves reaching to 
 the elbow and trimmed with rich lace." 
 
 Pricker folded his measure with heroic determination 
 and laid it upon the table. 
 
 " Your dress cannot be made in the house of Pricker, 
 mademoiselle." 
 
 " What, you refuse to work for me ? " 
 
 " I will not adopt the French fashions ! that would be 
 an insult to my ancestors. I will remain true to the 
 good old German customs." 
 
 " Reflect," said Count Rhedern, " how much this ob^ 
 stinacy will cost you. You will lose all the patronage of 
 the court; all the world adopts the new French fashions." 
 
 " That is true," said the sorrowful Pricker ; he ap- 
 proached and pointed through the window to the house 
 opposite. " Once all those carriages stood before my 
 door; once I dressed all those noble people; a wink 
 would be sufficient to recall them. Would I be untrue to 
 the customs of my fathers, would I employ French work- 
 men, all those carriages would be arrayed before my door. 
 1 hold the destiny of that contemptible Frenchman in 
 my hands; a word from me, and he would be ruined; 
 but I will not speak that word. Let him live to the dis- 
 grace and shame of the Germans who abandoned the time- 
 honored customs of their fatherland." 
 
 The count offered his arm to his bride, and said, mock- 
 ingly : 
 
 " I thank you for your address. I see that a German 
 tailor may be a consummate fool! Come, my dear Caro- 
 line, we will go to M. Pelissier."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 325 
 
 Pricker remained alone; grand and proud he stood in 
 the middle of the saloon, and looked up, like a conquering 
 hero, at the grim portraits of his ancestors. 
 
 " Be satisfied with me," he murmured ; " I have made 
 a new sacrifice to your names. My house is German, and 
 German it shall remain." 
 
 At this moment there arose on the air the clear, full 
 voice of his daughter, who was practising with Quantz a 
 favorite Italian air of the king. " Nel tue giorni felice 
 ricordati da me," sang the beautiful Anna, while Father 
 Pricker ran, like a madman, up and down the room, and 
 stopped his ears, that he might not hear the hateful 
 sound. He cursed himself for allowing the monster 
 Quantz to come to the house. 
 
 " Alas ! alas ! I have closed my heart to the new era 
 and its horrors, but I shall lose my children; they will 
 not wish to wander in my ways." 
 
 At this moment Anna entered the room, with spark- 
 ling eyes and rosy cheeks. 
 
 " Father," she said, hastily, " the supreme desire of 
 my heart will now be fulfilled. Quantz has at last prom- 
 ised that I shall sing at the next court concert. In eight 
 days the king returns, and a concert will be arranged, at 
 which I, your happy daughter, will sing an Italian song." 
 
 " Italian ! " 
 
 " She will sing Italian," murmured Quantz, who was 
 listening at the door. " She will give all the world an 
 opportunity to laugh and ridicule her, and I shall be held 
 responsible ; I would rather die ! " 
 
 Anna was greatly excited, and did not notice her 
 teacher; and, as her mother entered the room, she em- 
 braced her warmly. 
 
 " Mother, mother, Quantz has pronounced me worthy 
 to sing at the court. I shall cover myself with glory, and 
 the daughter of the tailor will fill all Germany with her 
 fame ! "
 
 326 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Unhappy child, do you not know that your father is 
 present?" 
 
 " Oh, my father shall be proud of me 1 " cried Anna. 
 
 Mother Pricker was frightened at the looks of her 
 husband. Anna scarcely noticed her parents; she said: 
 
 " Father, it is high time to think of my dress ; it must 
 be new and elegant." 
 
 " You shall have it," said her father, solemnly ; " it is 
 an honor to sing before the king. I will make you a 
 magnificent dress out of your mother's bridal robe." 
 
 Anna laughed contemptuously. " No, no, father ; 
 the time is past when we dared to wear the clothes of our 
 great-grandmothers. The day is gone by for family 
 relics. How the ladies of the court would laugh at my 
 mother's old flowered robe ! Besides, the dress is too nar- 
 row for a modern hoop robe, the only style now tolerated." 
 
 " A hoop robe ! " cried the father, in tones of horror ; 
 " she wishes to wear a hoop robe 1 " 
 
 " Yes, and why not ? " said Anna. " Does not the 
 beautiful Blanche wear one? and have not all the court 
 ladies adopted them? No fashionable lady would dare 
 now appear without a hoop robe." 
 
 " Who is Blanche ? " cried M. Pricker, rising from his 
 chair and looking threateningly at Anna, " who is 
 Blanche?" 
 
 " Do you not know, father ? Oh, you are only pre- 
 tending not to know ! Dearest Blanche, whom I love like 
 a sister, and to whom I can only pay stolen visits, for 
 her father is furious that you have not returned his visit, 
 and has forbidden any of his family to enter our house." 
 
 " He did right ; and I also forbid you to cross his 
 threshold. I thought, Anna, you had too much pride to 
 enter the house of your father's enemy, or speak to his 
 daughter." 
 
 Anna shrugged her shoulders silently, and now quick 
 steps were heard approaching.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 327 
 
 " Oh, quel pleusir d'etre amoreuse," sang a fresh, 
 manly voice. 
 
 " French 1 " cried Father Pricker, wild with rage. 
 " William singing French ! " 
 
 The door was hastily opened, and William, heir to the 
 house of Pricker, stood upon the sill. He was arrayed 
 in a most charming costume. A tight-fitting coat, short- 
 waisted and long-tailed, wide sleeves, and large mother- 
 of-pearl buttons; the cuffs and high-standing collar were 
 richly embroidered in silver ; his vest was " coleur de 
 chair," and instead of a long plait, William had covered 
 his hair with a powdered wig. A small three-cornered 
 hat, worn jauntily to one side, was embroidered with 
 silver, and ornamented with a black feather; in his hand 
 he held a slight, graceful cane. William appeared be- 
 fore his father a complete model of a new-fashioned 
 French dandy; rage and horror choked the old man's ut- 
 terance. 
 
 " Well, father, do I please you ? is not this attire 
 worthy of a nobleman? only I cannot wear the white 
 feather, which they say belongs exclusively to the no- 
 bility." 
 
 " Where did you get these clothes, William ? " said his 
 father, approaching him slowly ; " who gave you the 
 money to pay for them ? It is a fool's costume I Who 
 made it for you ? " 
 
 " Well, you gave me the money, dear father," said 
 William, laughing ; " that is, you will give it to me. 
 This handsome suit has not yet been paid for. The name 
 of Pricker has a silvery sound; Pelissier knows that, and 
 credited me willingly; though at first he refused to work 
 for me, and I thank Blanche that I have a costume from 
 the celebrated shop of Pelissier." 
 
 Old Pricker uttered a cry of rage, and seizing, with 
 feverish violence, the long tails of his son's coat, ho 
 dragged him to and fro.
 
 328 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " So Pelissier made this ! he has dared to array my 
 son, the son and heir of the house of Pricker, in this 
 ridiculous manner! And you, William, you were shame- 
 less enough to receive this suit from your father's enemy. 
 Alas ! alas ! are you not afraid that your ancestors will 
 rise from their graves to punish you ? " 
 
 " Dear father," said William, " it is only a costume, 
 and has nothing to do with character or principle." 
 
 " Never will I allow my son to be lost to me in this 
 manner," cried Pricker ; " and if in the blindness of his 
 folly he has lost himself, I will bring him back with vio- 
 lence, if necessary, to the right path. Off, then, with this 
 absurd coat! off with this fool's cap! off with all this 
 livery ! " 
 
 Pricker now began to pull and tear madly at his son's 
 clothes; he knocked his hat off, and trampled it under 
 his feet; he seized with both hands the lace collar, and 
 laughed when the shreds remained in his hands. Will- 
 iam was at first dumb with terror, but the loud laugh of 
 his sister, who found this scene amusing, restored his 
 presence of mind; with mad violence he pushed his father 
 from him. 
 
 " Father," he cried, " I am no longer a boy ! I will 
 not bear this treatment; I will dress as I like, and as the 
 fashions demand." 
 
 " Well spoken, my brother," said Anna, laughingly, 
 springing to his side ; " we are children of the new era, 
 and will dress as it demands. Why did our parents give 
 us modern educations if they wished us to conform to 
 old-fashioned prejudice?" 
 
 " ' Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days 
 may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth 
 thee,' " said Pricker, solemnly. 
 
 " Another Bible verse," said Anna, mockingly. " The 
 book is no longer fashionable ; and it is not half so amus- 
 ing as Voltaire."
 
 AND HIS COURT, 329 
 
 " Enough, enough," said Pricker ; " now listen to my 
 last determination. I command you to live and dress as 
 your father and mother have dressed before you! Woe 
 to you if you despise my commands! woe to you if you 
 defy my authority! I will disown you and my curse 
 shall be your inheritance; remember this. If you ever 
 enter that house again, or speak to any of its inhabitants 
 if I ever see you in this French livery again, or if you, 
 Anna, ever appear before me in a hoop robe and toupe, 
 from that. moment you cease to be my children." 
 
 Father and mother left the room; the brother and 
 sister remained alone. 
 
 " Well," said Anna, " do you intend to obey these com- 
 mands ? Will you wear the queue and the narrow, coarse 
 frock coat?" 
 
 " Nonsense," said William, " that Blanche may ridi- 
 cule me, and all the world may laugh at me. You do not 
 know, Anna, how much Blanche and myself love each 
 other; we have vowed eternal love and faith, and she is 
 to be my wife ! " 
 
 "You will then become an honorable tailor, as your 
 fathers were." 
 
 William laughed. " I follow a trade ! I who have 
 received the education of a nobleman! no, no, Anna, you 
 are not in earnest; you cannot believe that." 
 
 " Take care, William, you will be disinherited ; fa- 
 ther is in earnest." 
 
 " Oh, he will have to submit, as old Pelissier must do ; 
 he will also be furious when he first learns that I am the 
 husband of Blanche ; he has threatened her with his curse 
 if she marries me. But in spite of all this we intend to 
 marry; they must at last be reconciled. Oh, Blanche is 
 beautiful as an angel ! " 
 
 " Nevertheless she is a tailor's daughter," said 
 Anna. 
 
 " Yes, like my beautiful and amiable sister Anna." 
 22
 
 330 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " But I shall become a celebrated singer, and the wife 
 of a nobleman." 
 
 " Well, and who says that Blanche will not be the wife 
 of a celebrated man, and that you will not be proud of 
 me?" 
 
 " Will you be a man or a woman dressmaker ? " 
 
 " Neither one nor the other ! I shall be an actor ; but 
 silence, this is my secret and I must keep it 1 " 
 
 CHAPTER VL 
 
 IN RHEINSBERG. 
 
 THE quiet castle of Rheinsberg was again alive with 
 noise. Its halls resounded with music and laughter; gay 
 and happy faces were everywhere to be seen; bright jests 
 to be heard on every side. The charming days of the 
 past, when Frederick was prince royal, seemed to have 
 returned; the same company now filled the castle; the 
 same sports and amusements were enjoyed. All was the 
 same, yet still, every thing was changed, transformed. 
 Almost all of those who had left Rheinsberg with such 
 proud hopes, such great desires, were again there, but with 
 annihilated hopes. They had all expected to reign; they 
 had claimed for themselves honor and power, but the 
 young king had allowed to none the privilege of mount- 
 ing the throne by his side. They were all welcome com- 
 panions, loved friends. But none dared overstep the 
 boundary of dependence and submission which he had 
 drawn around them, and in the centre of which he stood 
 alone, trusting to his own strength and will. They had 
 gained nothing from the crown which rested upon Fred- 
 erick's noble head; but they had lost nothing. They 
 returned to Rheinsberg not exalted, though not humbled.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 331 
 
 But one heart was broken, one heart was bleeding 
 from unseen pain. It was the heart of Elizabeth, the 
 heart of that poor rejected woman who was called the 
 reigning queen, the wife of Frederick. 
 
 The king, on returning from his excursion to Stras- 
 burg, had reminded her of her promise to follow him with 
 her court to Rheinsberg. And the poor sufferer, though 
 she knew that the presence of the king would be for her a 
 continual torment, an hourly renunciation, could not find 
 strength to resist the desire of her own heart. She had 
 followed her husband, saying to herself with a painful 
 smile : " I will at least see him, and if he does not speak 
 to me I will still hear his voice. My sufferings will be 
 greater, but I shall be near him. The joy will help me to 
 bear the pain. Soffri e tad!" Elizabeth Christine was 
 right; the king never spoke to her, never fixed those bril- 
 liant blue eyes, which possessed for her the depth and 
 immensity of the skies, upon her pale countenance. 
 With a silent bow he welcomed her daily at their meals, 
 but he did not now lead her to the table and sit beside her. 
 The presence of the Margrave and Margravine of Bai- 
 reuth seemed to impose upon him the duty of honoring 
 his favorite sister, who was his guest more than his wife 
 the queen. He sat, therefore, between his sister and her 
 husband the count, at whose side the queen was placed. 
 He did not speak to her but she saw him, and strength- 
 ened her heart by the sight of his proud and noble counte- 
 nance. 
 
 She suffered and was silent. She veiled her pain by 
 a soft smile, she concealed the paleness of her cheek with 
 artificial bloom, she covered the furrows that care al- 
 ready showed in her lovely and youthful face, with black, 
 beauty-spots which were then the fashion. No one 
 should think that she suffered. No one should pity her, 
 not even the king. Elizabeth Christine joined in all the 
 pleasures and amusements at Rheinsberg. She laughed
 
 332 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 at Bielfeld's jests, at Pollnitz's bright anecdotes; she lis- 
 tened with beaming eyes to Knobelsdorfs plans for beau- 
 tifying the king's residence ; she took part in the prepara- 
 tions for a drama that was to be performed. Voltaire's 
 " Death of Caesar," and " The Frenchman in London," by 
 Boissy, had been chosen by the king to be played at 
 Rheinsberg, and in each piece she played a prominent 
 role. The young queen, as it seemed, had become an 
 enthusiastic admirer of the theatre; she was never 
 missing at any of the rehearsals, and aided her beauti- 
 ful maids of honor in the arrangements of their cos- 
 tumes. 
 
 The king was now seldom to be seen in the circle of 
 his friends and companions, and the tones of his flute 
 were rarely to be heard. He passed the day in his library, 
 no one dared disturb him, not even Guentz. Madame 
 von Brandt, who had accompanied the court to Rheins- 
 berg, said, in one of her secret meetings with Count 
 Manteuffel : " The king is unfaithful to his last sweet- 
 heart, he has abandoned and rejected his flute." 
 
 " But with what does the king occupy himself the 
 entire day ? " asked the count. " What is it that takes 
 him from his friends and fills up all his time ? " 
 
 " Nothing but scientific studies," said Madame von 
 Brandt, shrugging her shoulders. " Fredersdorf told me 
 that he busies himself with maps and plans, is surrounded 
 by his military books, and is occupied like an engineer 
 with astrolabes and land surveyors. You now see that 
 these are very innocent occupations, and that they can 
 have no influence upon our affairs. The king, I promise 
 you, will never be more divorced from his wife than he 
 now is; and concerning the marriage of Prince Augustus 
 William, my plans are so skilfully laid that there is no 
 danger of failure, and poor Laura von Pannewitz will 
 surely be sacrificed. All is well, and we have nothing to 
 fear from the king's innocent studies."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 333 
 
 " Ah, you call these innocent studies ? " said the 
 count ; " I assure you that these studies will greatly dis- 
 turb the Austrian court, and I must at once notify my 
 friend Seckendorf of them." 
 
 " You are making a mountain of a mole hill," said 
 Madame von Brandt, laughing. " I assure you, you have 
 nothing to fear. It is true the king passes the day in his 
 study, but he passes his evenings with us, and he is then 
 as gay, as unconstrained, as full of wit and humor as 
 ever. Perhaps he makes use of the solitude of his study 
 to learn his role, for to-morrow, you know, we act the 
 ( Death of Caesar,' and the king is ' Brutus.' " 
 
 "Yes, yes," said Count Manteuffel, thoughtfully, "it 
 strikes me the king is playing the part of Brutus; to the 
 eye he seems harmless and gay, but who knows what 
 dark thoughts pregnant with mischief are hid in his 
 soul?" 
 
 " You are always seeing ghosts," said Madame von 
 Brandt, impatiently. " But hear ! the court clock is 
 striking six ; it is high time for me to return to the castle, 
 for at seven the last rehearsal commences, and I have still 
 to dress." And Madame von Brandt hastily took leave 
 of her ally, and ran gayly to the castle. 
 
 But she had no need to dress for the rehearsal. The 
 king was not able to act; the strong will was to-day con- 
 quered by an enemy who stands in awe of no one, not 
 even of a king an enemy who can vanquish the most 
 victorious commander. Frederick was ill of a fever, 
 which had tormented him the whole summer, which 
 had kept him from visiting Amsterdam, and which con- 
 fined him to his bed in the castle of Moyland, while Ort- 
 taire was paying his long expected visit, had again taken 
 a powerful hold upon him and made of the king a pale, 
 trembling man, who lay shivering and groaning upon his 
 bed, scoffing at Ellart, his physician, because he could not 
 cure him.
 
 334: FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " There is a remedy," said Ellart, " but I dare not give 
 it to your majesty." 
 
 " And why not ? " said the king. 
 
 " Because its strength must first be tested, to see if 
 it can be used without danger; it must first be tried by a 
 patient upon whose life the happiness of millions does not 
 depend." 
 
 " A human life is always sacred, and if not certain of 
 your remedy, it is as vicious to give it to a beggar as to 
 a king." 
 
 " I believe," said Ellart, " as entirely in this remedy as 
 Louis the Fourteenth, who bought it secretly from Talbot, 
 the Englishman, and paid him a hundred Napoleons for 
 a pound. The wife of the King of Spain was cured 
 by it." 
 
 " Give me this remedy," said the king, with chattering 
 teeth. 
 
 " Pardon me, your majesty, but I dare not, though I 
 have a small quantity with me which was sent by a friend 
 from Paris, and which I brought to show you as a great 
 curiosity. This tiny brown powder is a medicine which 
 was not distilled by the apothecary, but by Nature." 
 
 " Then I have confidence in it," said the king ; " Xa- 
 ture is the best physician, the best apothecary, and what 
 she brews is full of divine healing power. How is this 
 remedy called ? " 
 
 " It is the Peruvian bark, or quinine, the bark above 
 all barks which, by a divine Providence, grows in Peru, 
 the land of fevers." 
 
 But the king had not the strength to listen to him. 
 He now lay burning with fever; a dark purple covered 
 his cheek, and his eyes, which, but a few moments before, 
 were dull and lustreless, now sparkled with fire. The 
 king, overpowered by the disease, closed his eyes, and oc- 
 casionally unconnected, senseless words escaped his dry, 
 burning lips.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 335 
 
 Fredersdorf now entered, and through the open 
 door the anxious, inquiring faces of Pollnitz, Bielfeld, 
 Jordan, and Kaiserling could be seen. 
 
 On tip-toe Ellart approached the private chamberlain. 
 
 " How is the king ? " said he, hastily. " Is he in a 
 condition to hear some important news ? " 
 
 " Not now. Wait an hour ; he will then be free from 
 fever." 
 
 " We will wait," said Fredersdorf to the four courtiers 
 who had entered the room, and were now standing around 
 the royal bed. 
 
 " Is it bad news ? If so, I advise you to wait until to- 
 morrow." 
 
 " Well, I do not believe the king will think it bad," said 
 Kaiserling, laughing. 
 
 " And I am convinced the king will be well pleased 
 with our news," said Bielfeld. " I think so, because the 
 king is a sleeping hero waiting to be roused." 
 
 " If you speak so loud," whispered Pollnitz, " it will 
 be you who will wake this hero, and the thunder of his 
 anger will fall upon you." 
 
 " Pollnitz is right," said Jordan ; " be quiet, and let 
 us await his majesty's waking." And the group stood in 
 silence around the couch, with eyes fixed upon the king. 
 He at last awoke, and a smile played upon his lip as he 
 perceived the six cavaliers. 
 
 " You stand there like mourners," said he ; " and to 
 look at you one would think you were undertakers ! " 
 
 " Ah, sire, fever does not kill like apoplexy," said Jor- 
 dan, approaching his friend and pressing his hand ten- 
 derly. 
 
 "Your majesty called us undertakers," said Pollnitz, 
 laughing. " As usual, the divine prophetic mind of our 
 king is in the right. There is certainly a funeral odor 
 about us." 
 
 "But God forbid that we should mourn," said Biel-
 
 336 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 feld, "we are much better prepared to sound the battle- 
 song." 
 
 All this passed while the physician was feeling the 
 king's pulse, and Fredersdorf was tenderly arranging 
 his pillows. The king looked at him inquiringly. " Lis- 
 ten, Fredersdorf," said he, " what meaning have all these 
 mysterious words and looks; why are you all so grave? 
 Is one of my dogs dead? or are you only peevish because 
 this abominable fever has cheated you of the rehearsal? " 
 
 " No, your majesty. The dogs are in excellent health." 
 
 " The king's pulse is perfectly quiet," said Eilart, 
 " you can communicate your news to him." Baron Poll- 
 nitz approached the king's couch. 
 
 " Sire, one hour ago a courier arrived who was the 
 bearer of important information." 
 
 " Whence came he ? " said the king, calmly. 
 
 "From your majesty's ambassador in Vienna, Count 
 Borche." 
 
 " Ah ! " said the king, " is the empress, our noble aunt, 
 suffering? " 
 
 " The empress is perfectly well, but her husband, the 
 emperor 
 
 " Well, why do you not continue ? " said the king, im- 
 patiently. 
 
 " Would your majesty not wish some restorative 
 first ? " said Fredersdorf ; but the king pushed him an- 
 grily away. 
 
 " I wish your phrase, Pollnitz. What of the Emperor 
 of Austria ? " 
 
 " Sire, Emperor Charles the Sixth is no more, he died 
 the twentieth of October." 
 
 " Truly," said Frederick, leaning back, " it was worth 
 the trouble to make so much to do about such insignifi- 
 cant news. If the emperor is dead, Maria Theresa will 
 be Empress of Germany, that is all. It does not concern 
 us." He stopped and closed his eyes.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 337 
 
 The physician again felt his pulse. "It is perfectly 
 quiet," said he ; " this prodigious news has not occa- 
 sioned the slightest commotion or irregularity." 
 
 " You are right," said the king, looking up. " Neither 
 is the death of the Emperor Charles to make the slightest 
 change in our plans, but to execute them I must be per- 
 fectly well. It must not be said that a miserable fever 
 changed my intentions and condemned me to idleness; 
 I must have no fever on the day the news of the emperor's 
 death arrives, or the good people of Vienna will believe 
 that I was made ill with fright. Give me that powder, 
 Ellart, I will take it." 
 
 " But I told your majesty that I cannot, dare not give 
 it to you, for I have not tried its effect yet." 
 
 " Then try it on me," said the king, positively. " Give 
 me the powder." 
 
 It was in vain that Ellart called upon the cavaliers to 
 support his opinion; in vain that they begged and im- 
 plored the king not to take the powder, not to put his 
 life in danger. 
 
 " My life is in God's hands," said the king, earnestly ; 
 " and God, who created me, created also this bark. I 
 trust more in God's medicine than in that of man. 
 Quick, give me the powder ! " And as Ellart still hesi- 
 tated, he continued in a stern voice : " I command you, 
 as your king and master, to give it to me. On my head 
 rests the responsibility." 
 
 " If your majesty commands I must obey, but I take 
 these gentlemen to witness that I but do it on compul- 
 sion." 
 
 And amid the breathless silence of the room, the king 
 took the medicine. 
 
 " Now your majesty must rest," said Ellart ; " you 
 must, by no means, return to Berlin ; by my holy right of 
 physician, I forbid it." 
 
 " And why should I return to Berlin ? " said the king,
 
 338 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 laughingly. "Why should our harmless pleasure and 
 amusements be given up? Are we not to act Voltaire's 
 ' Death of Caesar ? ' No, I will not return to Berlin. A 
 trifle such as the emperor's death should not create such 
 great disturbances. We will remain here and renew our 
 former happy days, and forget that we have any duty 
 but our enjoyment. Now, gentlemen, leave me, I am 
 well. You see, Ellart, I did well to take that medicine; 
 I will dress. Fredersdorf, remain here. Jordan, send 
 me Secretary Eichel. I must dictate a few necessary 
 letters, and then, gentlemen, we will meet in the music 
 room, where I am to play a duet with Quantz. I invite 
 you as audience." 
 
 The king dismissed his friends with a gracious smile, 
 jested gayly with Fredersdorf, and then dictated three 
 letters to his secretary. One was to Marshal von Schwerin, 
 the other to the Prince of Anhalt Dessau, and the 
 third to Ambassador Podrilse. The three held the same 
 words, the same command, telling them to come imme- 
 diately to Kheinsberg. He then entered the music room, 
 and never was Frederick so gay, so witty, and uncon- 
 strained; never did he play on his flute more beautifully 
 than on the day he heard of the death of the Emperor of 
 Germany. The following morning the three gentlemen 
 arrived from Berlin and were at once admitted into the 
 king's library. Frederick met them with a proud, happy 
 smile; his eye beamed with an unusual light; his fore- 
 head was smooth and free from care; he seemed in- 
 spired. 
 
 " The Emperor of Germany is dead," said he, after 
 the gentlemen were seated. " The emperor is dead, and I 
 have sent for you to see what benefit we can derive from 
 his death ! " 
 
 " Oh, your majesty would not think of benefiting by a 
 death which throws a royal house, nearly connected with 
 you, into deep sorrow, and robs the reigning queen of
 
 AND HIS COURT. 339 
 
 Prussia of an uncle ! " cried the old Prince of Dessau, 
 solemnly. 
 
 " Oh, it is well known that you are an imperialist," 
 said the king, laughing. 
 
 " No, your majesty, but a difficulty with Austria 
 would be a great misfortune for us." 
 
 Frederick shrugged his shoulders, and turned to the 
 other two. 
 
 "I also wish for your opinion, gentlemen," said he; 
 " you are all men of experience, soldiers, and statesmen, 
 and you must not refuse to advise one of my youth and 
 inexperience." 
 
 With a quiet smile he listened to their wise, peaceful 
 propositions. 
 
 " You then doubt my right to Silesia ? " said he, after 
 a pause. " You do not think I am justified in demand- 
 ing this Silesia, which was dishonestly torn from my an- 
 cestors by the Hapsburger ? " 
 
 " But your ancestors still kept the peace," said the 
 Prince of Dessau; "they left Silesia in the undisturbed 
 possession of the Austrians." 
 
 " Yes," said the king, in a firm voice, " and when my 
 ancestors, outwitted by the cunning intrigues of the 
 Austrian court, accommodated themselves to this neces- 
 sity, when for rendered services they were rewarded with 
 base ingratitude, with idle, unmeaning promises, then 
 they called upon their descendants to revenge such injus- 
 tice, such insults to their honor and rights. Frederick 
 William, the great Elector, cried prophetically when the 
 Austrian house deserted him and denied her sworn prom- 
 ises ' A revenger will rise from my ashes ; ' and my 
 father, when he had witnessed to the full the ingratitude 
 of the Austrian court, felt that there could be no peace 
 between the houses of Austria and Brandenburg, and he 
 intrusted to me the holy mission of punishing and hu- 
 miliating this proud, conceited court; he pointed me out
 
 340 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 to his ministers, and said : ' There stands one who will 
 revenge me ! ' You see that my ancestors call me, my 
 grandfather and father chose me for their champion and 
 revenger; they call upon me to perform that which they, 
 prevented by circumstances, could not accomplish; the 
 hour which my ancestors designated has arrived the 
 hour of retribution! The time has come when the old 
 political system must undergo an entire change. The 
 stone has broken loose which is to roll upon Nebuchad- 
 nezzar's image and crush it. It is time to open the eyes 
 of the Austrians, and to show them that the little Marquis 
 of Brandenburg, whose duty they said it was to hand 
 the emperor after meals the napkin and finger-bowl, has 
 become a king, who will not be humbled by the Austrians, 
 and who acknowledges none but God as his master. Will 
 you help me ; will you stand by me in this work with your 
 experience and your advice ? " 
 
 " We will ! " cried the three, with animation, borne 
 away by the king's noble ardor. " Our life, our blood, 
 belong to our king, our country." 
 
 Frederick laughingly shook hands with them. " I 
 counted upon you," said he, " nor will Zithen and Vin- 
 terfeldt fail us; we will not go to battle hastily and un- 
 prepared. All was foreseen, all prepared, and we have 
 now but to put in execution the plans that have for some 
 time been agitating my brain. Here is the map for our 
 campaign ; here are the routes and the plan of attack. We 
 shall at last stand before these Austrians in battle array; 
 and as they dared say of my father, that his gun was ever 
 cocked but the trigger never pulled, we will show them 
 that we are ready to discharge, and thrust down the 
 double eagle from its proud pinnacle. The combat is 
 determined and unalterable; let us be silent and prudent, 
 no one must discover our plans ; we will surprise the Aus- 
 trians. And now, gentlemen, examine these plans, and 
 tell me if there are any changes to be made in them."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 341 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE KING AND HIS FRIEND. 
 
 FOR several hours the king remained in earnest coun- 
 cil with his advisers. As they left him he called Jordan, 
 and advanced to meet him with both hands extended. 
 
 "Well, Jordan, rejoice with me; my days of illness 
 are over, and there will be life and movement in this 
 rusty and creaking machine of state. You have often 
 called me a bold eagle, now we shall see if my wings have 
 strength to bear .me to great deeds, and if my claws are 
 sharp enough to pluck out the feathers of the double 
 eagle." 
 
 " So my suspicions are correct, and it is against Aus- 
 tria that my king will make his first warlike movement ? " 
 
 " Yes, against Austria ; against this proud adversary, 
 who, with envious and jealous eyes, watches my every 
 step; who is pleased to look upon Prussia as her vassal; 
 whose emperor considered it beneath his dignity to ex- 
 tend his hand to my father, or offer him a seat; and now 
 I will refuse the hand to Austria, and force her from her 
 comfortable rest." 
 
 " For you, also, my king, will the days of quiet be 
 over; your holy and happy hours with poetry, philosophy, 
 and the arts, must be given up. The favorite of Apollo 
 will become the son of Mars; we who are left behind 
 can only look after you, we can do nothing for you, not 
 even offer our breasts as a shield against danger and 
 death." 
 
 "Away with such thoughts," said Frederick, smiling; 
 " death awaits us all, and if he finds me on the field of 
 battle, my friends, my subjects, and history will not 
 forget me. That is a comfort and a hope; and you,
 
 342 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 Jordan, you know that I believe in a great, exalted, and 
 almighty Being, who governs the world. I believe in 
 God, and I leave my fate confidently in His hands. The 
 ball which strikes me comes from Him; and if I escape 
 the battle-field, a murderous hand can reach me, even in 
 my bed-chamber; and surely that would be a less honor- 
 able, less famous death. I must do something great, de- 
 cisive, and worthy of renown, that my people may love me, 
 and look up to me with confidence and trust. It is not 
 enough to be a king by inheritance and birth, I must 
 prove by my deeds that I merit it. Silesia offers me a 
 splendid opportunity, and truly I think the circumstances 
 afford me a solid and sure basis for fame." 
 
 " Alas ! I see," sighed Jordan, that the love of your 
 subjects, and the enthusiastic tenderness of your friends, 
 is not sufficient for you; you would seek renown." 
 
 "Yes, you are right; this glittering phantom, Fame, 
 is ever before my eyes. I know this is folly, but when 
 once you have listened to her intoxicating whispers, you 
 cannot cast her off. Speak not, then, of exposure, or 
 care, or danger; these are as dust of the balance; I am 
 amazed that this wild passion does not turn every man's 
 head." 
 
 " Alas ! your majesty, the thirst for fame has cost 
 thousands of men their reasons and their lives. The field 
 of battle is truly the golden book of heroes, but their 
 names must be written therein in blood." 
 
 " It is true," said the king, thoughtfully, " a field of 
 battle is a sad picture for a poet and a philosopher; but 
 every man in this world must pursue his calling, and I 
 will not do my work half way. I love war for the sake of 
 fame. Pity me not, Jordan, because these days of ill- 
 ness and peace and gayety are over; because I must go 
 into the rough field, while you amuse yourself with Hor- 
 ace, study Pausanias, and laugh and make merry with 
 Anacreon. I envy you not. Fame beckons me with her
 
 AND HIS COURT. 343 
 
 alluring glance. My youth, the fire of passion, the thirst 
 for renown, and a mysterious and unconquerable power, 
 tears me from this life of indolence. The glowing de- 
 sire to see my name connected with great deeds in the 
 journals and histories of the times drives me out into the 
 battle-field.* There will I earn the laurel-wreaths which 
 kings do not find in their cradles, or upon their throne, 
 but which as men, and as heroes, they must conquer for 
 themselves." 
 
 " The laurel will deck the brow of my hero, my Fred- 
 erick, in all time," said Jordan, with tears in his eyes. 
 " Oh ! I see before you a glorious future ; it may be I 
 shall have passed away but where will my spirit be? 
 When I stand near you and look upon you, I know that 
 the spirit is immortal. The soul, noble and god-like, 
 will be ever near you; so whether living or dead I am 
 thine, to love you as my friend, to honor you as my sov- 
 ereign, to admire you as a gifted genius, glowing with 
 godly fire." 
 
 " Oh, speak not of death," said the king, " speak not of 
 death; I have need of you, and it seems to me that true 
 friendship must be strong enough even to conquer death ! 
 Yes, Jordan, we have need of each other, we belong to 
 each other; and it would be cruel, indeed, to rob me of a 
 treasure which we, poor kings, so rarely possess, a faith- 
 ful and sincere friend. No, Jordan, you will be my 
 Cicero to defend the justice of my cause, and I will be 
 your Csesar to carry out the cause happily and trium- 
 phantly." 
 
 Jordan was speechless; he shook his head sadly. The 
 king observed him anxiously, and saw the deep, feverish 
 purple spots, those roses of the grave, upon the hollow 
 cheeks of his friend; he saw that he grew daily weaker; 
 he heard the hot, quick breathing which came panting 
 from his breast. A sad presentiment took possession of 
 
 * The king's own words.
 
 344 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 his heart, the smile vanished from his lips, he could not 
 conceal his emotion, and walking to the window he leaned 
 his hot brow upon the glass and shed tears which none 
 but God should see. " My God ! my God I how poor is 
 a prince ! I have so few friends, and these will soon pass 
 away. Suhm lies ill in Marschau; perhaps I shall never 
 see him again. Jordan is near me, but I see death in his 
 face and he will soon be torn from my side." 
 
 Jordan stood immovable and looked toward the king, 
 who still leaned his head upon the window; he did not 
 dare to disturb him, and yet he had important and sad 
 news to announce. At last Jordan laid his hand upon his 
 shoulder. 
 
 " Pardon, my king," said he, in trembling tones, " par- 
 don that I dare to interrupt you; but a hero dare not 
 give himself up to sad thoughts before the battle, and 
 when he thinks of death he must greet him with laugh- 
 ter, for death is his ally and his adjutant; and even if 
 his ally grasps his nearest and best beloved friend, the 
 hero and the conqueror must yield him up as an offering 
 to victory." 
 
 The king turned quickly toward the speaker. " You 
 have death news to give me," said he curtly, leaning 
 against the back of his chair. " You have death news for 
 me, Jordan." 
 
 "Yes, news of death, my prince," said he, deeply 
 moved ; " fate will accustom your majesty to such trials, 
 that your heart may not falter when your friends fall 
 around you in the day of battle." 
 
 " It is, then, a friend who is dead," said Frederick, 
 turning pale. 
 
 " Yes, sire, your best beloved." 
 
 The king said nothing; sinking in the chair, and 
 grasping the arms convulsively, he leaned his head back, 
 and in a low voice asked, " Is it Suhm ? " 
 
 " Yes, it is Suhm ; he died in Marschau. Here is his
 
 AND HIS COURT. 345 
 
 last letter to your highness; his brother sent it to me, 
 that I might hand it to your majesty." 
 
 The king uttered a cry of anguish, and clasped his 
 hands before his pallid face. Great tears ran down his 
 cheeks ; with a hasty movement he shook them from his 
 eyes, opened and read the letter. As he read it he sighed 
 and sobbed aloud : " Suhm is dead ! Suhm is dead ! the 
 friend who loved me so sincerely, even as I loved him. 
 That noble man, who combined intellect, sincerity, and 
 sensibility. My heart is in mourning for him; so long 
 as a drop of blood flows in my veins I will remember him, 
 and his family shall be mine. Ah, my heart bleeds, and 
 the wound is deep." 
 
 The king, mastered by his grief, laid his head in his 
 hand and wept aloud. Then, after a long pause, he raised 
 himself ; he was calm and stern. " Jordan," said he, firm- 
 ly, " death hath no more power over me, never again can 
 he wring my heart; he has laid an iron shield upon me, 
 and when I go to battle I must be triumphant; my friend 
 has been offered up as a victim. Jordan, Jordan, my 
 wound bleeds, but I will bind it up, and no man shall see 
 even the blood-stained cloth with which I cover it. I 
 have overcome death, and now will I offer battle and con- 
 quer as become a hero, and a king. What cares the 
 world that I suffer ? The world shall know nothing of it ; 
 a mask before my face, and silence as to my agony. We 
 will laugh and jest while we sorrow for our friend, and 
 while we prepare to meet the enemy. We will play 
 Caesar and Antonius now; hereafter we may really imi- 
 tate them. Come, Jordan, come, we will try ' The Death 
 of Caesar.' "
 
 346 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 CHAPTER Vin. 
 
 THE FAREWELL AUDIENCE OF MARQUIS VON HOTTER, THE 
 AUSTRIAN AMBASSADOR. 
 
 THIS was to be a fete day in the royal palace of Ber- 
 lin. The king intended giving a splendid dinner, after 
 which the court would take coffee in the newly furnished 
 rooms of the dowager queen, and a mask ball was pre- 
 pared for the evening, to which the court, the nobility, 
 and higher officials were invited. 
 
 The court mourning for the emperor was at an end, 
 and every one was determined to enjoy the pleasures of 
 the carnival. Never had the court led so gay, so luxuri- 
 ous a life. Even the good old citizens of Berlin seemed 
 to appreciate this new administration, which brought so 
 much money to the poorer classes, such heavy profits to 
 tradesmen. They believed that this extravagant court 
 brought them greater gains than an economical one, and 
 were therefore contented with this new order of things. 
 
 The king had refurnished the palace with an un- 
 heard of splendor. In the apartment of the queen- 
 mother there was a room in which all the ornaments and 
 decorations were of massive gold. Even the French and 
 English ambassadors were astonished at this " Golden 
 Cabinet," and declared that such splendor and magnifi- 
 cence could not be found in the palaces of Paris or 
 London. The people of Berlin, as we have said, were 
 becoming proud of their court and their king, and they 
 thought it quite natural that this young ruler, who was 
 only twenty-eight years old, should interest himself very 
 little in the affairs of State, and should give his time to 
 pleasure and amusement. 
 
 The king had accomplished his desire. No one sus-
 
 AND HIS COUET. 347 
 
 pected the deep seriousness that he concealed under this 
 idle play. No one dreamed that this gay, smiling prince, 
 on whose lips there was always a witty jest or bon mot; 
 who proposed a concert every evening, in which he him- 
 self took part; who surrounded himself with artists, 
 poets, and gay cavaliers, with whom he passed many 
 nights of wild mirth and gayety no one dreamed that 
 this harmless, ingenuous young prince, was on the point 
 of overthrowing the existing politics of the European 
 states, and of giving an entirely new form to the whole of 
 Germany. 
 
 The king had not raised his mask for a moment; he 
 had matured his plans under the veil of inviolate secrecy. 
 The moment of their accomplishment had now arrived; 
 this evening, during the mask ball which had been pre- 
 pared with such pomp and splendor, the king with his 
 regiments would leave Berlin and proceed to Silesia. 
 But even the troops did not know their destination. The 
 journals had announced that the army would leave Berlin 
 to go into new winter quarters, and this account was gen- 
 erally believed. Only a few confidants, and the generals 
 who were to accompany the king, were acquainted with 
 this secret. The king, after a final conference, in which 
 he gave the last instructions and orders, said: 
 
 " Now, gentlemen, that we have arranged our business, 
 we will think of our pleasure. I will see you this evening 
 at the ball; we will dance once more with the ladies be- 
 fore we begin our war-dance." 
 
 As the generals left him, his servant entered to assist 
 at his toilet. Pelissier, the French tailor, had prepared a 
 new and magnificent costume for this evening, made in 
 the latest Parisian style. The king desired to appear 
 once more in great splendor before exchanging the saloon 
 for the camp. Never had he bestowed such care upon his 
 toilet; never had he remained so patiently under the 
 hands of the barber; he even went to the large mirror
 
 348 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 when his toilet was completed, and carefully examined his 
 appearance and costly dress. 
 
 " Well," he said, smiling, " if the Marquis von Botter 
 is not deceived by this dandy that I see before me, it is 
 not my fault. The good Austrian ambassador must be 
 very cunning indeed if he discovers a warrior in this 
 perfumed fop. I think he will be able to tell my cousin, 
 Maria Theresa, nothing more than that the King of 
 Prussia knows how to dress himself, and is the model of 
 fashion." 
 
 The king passed into the rooms of the queen-mother, 
 where the court was assembled, and where he had granted 
 a farewell audience to the Marquis von Botter, the am- 
 bassador of the youthful Empress of Austria. Frederick 
 was right : the marquis had been deceived by the mask 
 of harmless gayety and thoughtless happiness assumed by 
 the king and court. He had been sent by the empress 
 with private instructions to sound the intentions of the 
 Prussian king, while his apparent business was to return 
 her acknowledgments for the congratulations of the King 
 of Prussia on her ascension to the throne. 
 
 The Marquis von Botter, as we have said, had been 
 deceived by the gay and thoughtless manner of the king, 
 and Manteuffel's warnings and advice had been thrown 
 away. 
 
 The marquis had withdrawn with Manteuffel to one of 
 the windows, to await the entrance of the king; the ladies 
 and gentlemen of the court were scattered through the 
 rooms of the queen-mother, who was playing cards with 
 Queen Christine in the golden cabinet. 
 
 " I leave Berlin," said the marquis, " with the firm 
 conviction that the king has the most peaceful inten- 
 tions." 
 
 " As early as to-morrow your convictions will be some- 
 what shaken," replied Manteuffel, " for this night the 
 king and his army depart for Silesia."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 349 
 
 At this moment the king appeared at the door of the 
 golden cabinet. There was a sudden silence, and all 
 bent low, bowing before the brilliant young monarch. 
 
 Frederick bowed graciously, but remained in the door- 
 way, glancing over the saloon ; it appeared to afford him 
 a certain pleasure to exhibit himself to the admiring gaze 
 of those present. He stood a living picture of youth, 
 beauty, and manliness. 
 
 " Only look at this richly-dressed, elegant yovmg man," 
 whispered Marquis von Better ; " look at his youthful 
 countenance, beaming with pleasure and delight; at his 
 hands, adorned with costly rings, so white and soft, that 
 they would do honor to the most high-bred lady; at that 
 slender foot, in its glittering shoe. Do you wish to con- 
 vince me that this small foot will march to battle; that 
 this delicate hand, which is only fitted to hold a smelling- 
 bottle or a pen, will wield a sword? Oh! my dear count, 
 you make me merry with your gloomy prophecies." 
 
 " Still I entreat you to believe me. As soon as your 
 audience is over, hasten to your hotel, and return to 
 Vienna with all possible speed; allow yourself no hour of 
 sleep, no moment for refreshment, until you have in- 
 duced your empress to send her army to Silesia. If you 
 do not, if you despise my advice, the King of Prussia 
 will reach Silesia before you are in Vienna, and the em- 
 press will receive this intelligence which you do not 
 credit from the fleeing inhabitants of her province, which 
 will have been conquered without a blow." 
 
 The deep earnestness of the count had in it something 
 so impressive, so convincing, that the marquis felt his 
 confidence somewhat shaken, and looked doubtfully at the 
 young monarch, who was now smiling and conversing 
 with some of the ladies. 
 
 But even in speaking the king had not lost sight of 
 these two gentlemen who were leaning against the win- 
 dow, and whose thoughts he read in their countenances.
 
 350 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 He now met the eye of the marquis, and motioned to him 
 to come forward. The marquis immediately approached 
 the king, who stood in the centre of the saloon, sur- 
 rounded by his generals. 
 
 Every eye was turned toward the glittering group, in 
 which the young king was prominent : for those to whom 
 the intentions of the king were known, this was an in- 
 teresting piece of acting; while for the uninitiated, 
 who had only an uncertain suspicion of what was 
 about to happen, this was a favorable moment for obser- 
 vation. 
 
 The Austrian ambassador now stood before the king, 
 making a deep and ceremonious bow. The king returned 
 this salutation, and said: 
 
 " You have really come to take leave, marquis ? " 
 
 " Sire, her majesty, my honored empress, recalls me, 
 and I must obey her commands, happy as I should be, if 
 I were privileged, to sun myself still longer in your noble 
 presence." 
 
 " It is true, a little sunshine would be most beneficial 
 to you, marquis. You will have a cold journey." 
 
 "Ah! your majesty, the cold is an evil that could 
 easily be endured." 
 
 " There are, then, other evils which will harass you on 
 your journey?" 
 
 "Yes, sire, there is the fearful road through Silesia, 
 that lamentable Austrian province. Ah! your majesty, 
 this is a road of which in your blessed land you have no 
 idea, and which is happily unknown in the other Austrian 
 provinces. This poor Silesia has given only care and sor- 
 row to the empress; but, perhaps, for that reason, she 
 loves it so well, and would so gladly assist it. But even 
 Nature seems to prevent the accomplishment of her noble 
 intentions. Heavy rains have destroyed the roads which 
 had, with great expense, been rendered passable, and I 
 learn, to my horror, that it is scarcely possible for a
 
 AND HIS COURT. 351 
 
 traveller to pass them without running the greatest 
 danger." 
 
 " Well," said the king, quietly, " I imagine that noth- 
 ing could happen to the traveller that could not be reme- 
 died by a bath and a change of dress." 
 
 " Excuse me, sire," cried the marquis, eagerly, " he 
 would risk his health, yes, even his life, in crossing the 
 deep marshes, covered with standing water, which are 
 common in that country. Oh! those are to be envied 
 who need not expose themselves to this danger." 
 
 The king was wearied with this crafty diplomatic 
 play; he was tired of the piercing glances with which 
 the ambassador examined his countenance. In the firm 
 conviction of his success, and the noble pride of his open 
 and truth-loving nature, it pleased him to allow the mask 
 to fall, which had concealed his heroic and warlike in- 
 tentions from the marquis. The moment of action had 
 arrived; it was, therefore no longer necessary to wear the 
 veil of secrecy. 
 
 " Well, sir," said the king, in a loud, firm voice, " if 
 you feel so great a dread of this journey, I advise you 
 to remain in Berlin. I will go in your place into Silesia, 
 and inform my honored cousin, Maria Theresa, with the 
 voice of my cannon, that the Silesian roads are too dan- 
 gerous for an Austrian, but are most convenient for the 
 King of Prussia to traverse on his way to Breslau." 
 
 "Your majesty intends marching to Breslau?" asked 
 the horrified marquis. 
 
 " Yes, sir, to Breslau ; and as you remarked, the roads 
 are too dangerous for a single traveller, and I intend tak- 
 ing my army with me to protect my carriage." 
 
 " Oh ! " exclaimed the marquis, " your majesty in- 
 tends making a descent on the lands of my exalted sov- 
 ereign ? " 
 
 The king glanced proudly and scornfully at this dar- 
 ing man. An involuntary murmur arose among the cour-
 
 352 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 tiers; the hands of the generals sought their swords, as 
 if they would challenge this presumptuous Austrian, who 
 dared to reproach the King of Prussia. 
 
 The king quieted his generals with a slight motion of 
 his hand, and turning again to the marquis, he said, com- 
 posedly, "You express yourself falsely, marquis. I will 
 make no descent upon the lands of the Empress of Aus- 
 tria ; I will only reclaim what is mine mine by acknowl- 
 edged right, by inheritance, and by solemn contract. The 
 records of this claim are in the state department of Aus- 
 tria, and the empress need only read these documents to 
 convince herself of my right to the province of Silesia." 
 
 " Your majesty, by this undertaking, may, perhaps, 
 ruin the house of Austria, but you will most certainly 
 destroy your own." 
 
 " It depends upon the empress to accept or reject the 
 propositions which I have made to her through my am- 
 bassador in Vienna." 
 
 The marquis glanced ironically at the king, and said, 
 " Sire, your troops are fair to see; the Austrian army has 
 not that glittering exterior, but they are veterans who 
 have already stood fire." 
 
 "You think my troops are showy," he said, impetu- 
 ously ; " eh bien, I will convince you that they are equally 
 brave." 
 
 Thus speaking, the king gave the Austrian ambas- 
 sador a bow of dismissal. The audience was at an end. 
 The ambassador made a ceremonious bow, and left the 
 room, amid profound silence. 
 
 Scarcely had the door closed behind him before the 
 noble countenance of the king had recovered its usual 
 calm and lofty expression. 
 
 He said gayly : " Mesdames et messieurs, it is time to 
 prepare for the mask ball; I have thrown aside my mask 
 for a moment, but you, doubtless, think it time to assume 
 yours. Farewell until then."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 353 
 
 ^ 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE MASQUERADE. 
 
 THE saloons were brilliantly illuminated, and a train 
 of gayly intermingled, fantastically attired figures were 
 moving to and fro in the royal palace. It seemed as if 
 the representatives of all nations had come together to 
 greet the heroic young king. Greeks and Turks were 
 there in gold-embroidered, bejewelled apparel. Odalisks, 
 Spanish, Russian, and German peasant women in every 
 variety of costume; glittering fairies, sorceresses, and 
 fortune-telling gypsies; grave monks, ancient knights in 
 silver armor, castle dames, and veiled nuns. It was a 
 magnificent spectacle to behold, these splendidly decorated 
 saloons, filled with so great a variety of elegant cos- 
 tumes; and had it not been for the lifeless, grinning, and 
 distorted faces, one might have imagined himself 
 transported to Elysium, where all nations and all races 
 are united in unclouded bliss. But the cold, glittering 
 masks which concealed the bright faces, sparkling with 
 animation and pleasure, somewhat marred the effect of 
 this spectacle, and recalled the enraptured spectator to the 
 present, and to the stern reality. 
 
 Only in the last of these saloons was there an un- 
 masked group. In this room sat the two queens, glitter- 
 ing with gems, for it was no longer necessary for Sophia 
 Dorothea to conceal her jewels; without fear she could 
 now appear before her court in her magnificent diamonds ; 
 and Elizabeth Christine, who knew well that her husband 
 loved to see his queen appear in a magnificence befitting 
 her dignity on festive occasions, had adorned herself with 
 the exquisite jewelry which excited the admiration of the 
 entire court, and which Baron Bielfeld declared to be a
 
 354: FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 perfect miracle of beauty. Next to the two queens and 
 the princesses Ulrica and Amelia, stood the king in his 
 magnificent ball costume. Behind the royal family stood 
 their suite, holding their masks in their hands, for all 
 were required to uncover their faces on entering the room 
 in which the royal family were seated. 
 
 The king and the queen were about to fulfil the prom- 
 ises they had made each other; Sophia Dorothea was 
 about to receive Count Neal, while the king was to wel- 
 come the recently married Countess Rhedern to court. 
 
 The loud and ironical voice of the master of cere- 
 monies, Baron Pollnitz, had just announced to the royal 
 family the arrival of Count and Countess Rhedern and 
 Count Neal, and they were now entering the saloon, the 
 sanctuary which was only open to the favored and priv- 
 ileged, only to those of high birth, or those whose offices 
 required them to be near the king's person. No one else 
 could enter this saloon without special invitation. 
 
 The newly-made Countess Rhedern made her entrance 
 on the arm of her husband. Her face was perfectly tran- 
 quil and grave; an expression of determination rested on 
 her features, which, although no longer possessing the 
 charm of youth and beauty, were still interesting. Her 
 countenance was indicative of energy and decision. An 
 expression of benevolence played around her large but 
 well-formed mouth; and her dark eyes, which were not 
 cast down, but rested quietly on the royal family, ex- 
 pressed so much spirit and intelligence that it was evi- 
 dent she was no ordinary woman, but a firm and resolute 
 one, who had courage to challenge fate, and, if necessary, 
 to shape her own destiny. 
 
 But the proud and imperious Queen Sophia Dorothea 
 felt disagreeably impressed by the earnest glances with 
 which the countess regarded her. If she had approached 
 her tremblingly, and with downcast eyes, crushed, as it 
 were, by the weight of this unheard-of condescension on
 
 AND HIS COURT. 355 
 
 the part of royalty, the queen would have been inclined 
 to pardon her want of birth, and to forget her nameless 
 descent: but the quiet and unconstrained bearing of the 
 newly created countess enraged her. Moreover, she felt 
 offended by the elegant and costly toilet of the countess. 
 The long silver-embroidered train, fastened to her shoul- 
 ders with jewelled clasps, was of a rarer and more costly 
 material than even the robe of the queen; the diadem, 
 necklace, and jewelled bracelets could rival the parure 
 of the queen, and the latter experienced almost a sensa- 
 tion of envy at the sight of the large fan which the coun- 
 tess held half open in her hand, and with which the queen 
 had nothing that could compare. The fan was of real 
 Chinese workmanship, and ornamented with incompara- 
 ble carvings in ivory, and beautiful paintings. 
 
 The queen acknowledged the thrice-repeated courtesy 
 of Countess Khedern, with a slight inclination of the 
 head only, while Queen Elizabeth Christine greeted her 
 with a gracious smile. 
 
 The king, who noticed the cloud gathering on his 
 mother's brow, and very well knew its cause, was amused 
 to see the queen-mother, who had so warmly advocated 
 the reception of Countess Rhedern at court, now receive 
 her so coldly; and wishing to jest with his mother on the 
 subject of this short-lived fancy, he greeted the countess 
 very graciously, and turning to his mother, said : 
 
 " You have done well, madame, to invite this beautiful 
 countess to court; she will be a great acquisition, a great 
 ornament." 
 
 " A great ornament," repeated Sophia Dorothea, who 
 now considered the quiet and unconstrained bearing of 
 the countess as disrespectful to herself; and fixing her 
 proud and scornful glances upon her as she contemptu- 
 ously repeated the king's words, she said : " What a singu- 
 lar train you wear ! " 
 
 " It is of Indian manufacture," said the countess,
 
 356 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 quietly ; " my father is connected with several mercantile 
 houses in Holland, and from one of these I obtained the 
 curious cloth which has attracted your majesty's atten- 
 tion." 
 
 Sophia Dorothea reddened with shame and indigna- 
 tion. This woman had the audacity not only not to be 
 ashamed of her past life, over which she should have 
 drawn a veil, but she dared in this brilliant company, in 
 the presence of two queens, to speak of her father's busi- 
 ness relations even while the queen magnanimously 
 wished to forget, and veil the obscurity of her birth. 
 
 " Ah ! " said the queen-mother, " you wear an article 
 from your father's shop ! Truly, a convenient and in- 
 genious mode of advertising your father's goods; and 
 hereafter when we regard Countess Rhedern, we will 
 know what is her father's latest article of trade." 
 
 The smile which the queen perceived upon the lips of 
 her suite was a sufficient reward for her cruel jest. The 
 eyes of all were scornfully fixed upon the countess, whose 
 husband stood at her side, pale and trembling, and with 
 downcast eyes. But the young countess remained per- 
 fectly composed. 
 
 " Pardon me, your majesty," said she, in a full, clear 
 voice, " for daring to contradict you, but my father's 
 business is too well known to need any such advertise- 
 ment." 
 
 " Well, then, in what does he deal ? " said the queen, 
 angrily. 
 
 "Your majesty," said the countess, bowing respect- 
 fully, " my father's dealings are characterized by wisdom, 
 honor, generosity, and discretion." 
 
 The queen's eyes flashed; a shopkeeper's daughter had 
 dared to justify herself before the queen, and to defy and 
 scoff at her anger. 
 
 She arose proudly. She wished to annihilate this 
 newly-created countess with her withering contempt.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 357 
 
 But the king, who perceived the signs of a coming storm 
 upon his mother's brow, determined to prevent this out- 
 break. It wounded his noble and generous soul to see a 
 poor, defenceless woman tormented in this manner. He 
 was too noble-minded to take offence at the quiet and com- 
 posed bearing of the countess, which had excited his 
 mother's anger. In her display of spirit and intelligence, 
 he forgot her lowly birth, and laying his hand gently upon 
 his mother's shoulder he said, with a smile : 
 
 " Does not your majesty think that Countess Ehedern 
 does honor to her birth? Her father deals in wisdom, 
 honor, and generosity. Well, it seems to me that Coun- 
 tess Rhedern has inherited these noble qualities. My 
 dear countess, I promise you my patronage, and will ever 
 be a devoted customer of your house if you prove worthy 
 of your father." 
 
 " That I can promise your majesty," said the countess, 
 an expression of proud delight flitting over her counte- 
 nance, and almost rendering it beautiful ; " and will your 
 majesty have the kindness, at some future time," said she, 
 taking her husband's arm, " to convince yourself that the 
 house of Rhedern and Company, to which your majesty 
 has so graciously promised his patronage, is in a condi- 
 tion to satisfy his requirements ? " 
 
 The queen-mother could hardly suppress a cry of 
 anger and indignation. The countess had dared to give 
 the king an invitation. She had committed a breach 
 of etiquette which could only be accounted for by the 
 most absolute ignorance, or the greatest impertinence, 
 and one which the king would assuredly punish. 
 
 But Sophia Dorothea was mistaken. Bowing low, 
 the king said, with that kindliness of manner which was 
 peculiar to himself : " I will take the very first oppor- 
 tunity of paying your establishment a visit." 
 
 Sophia Dorothea was very near fainting; she could 
 stand this scene no longer; and giving herself up entirely
 
 358 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 to her anger, she was guilty of the same fault which the 
 countess had committed through ignorance. Forgetful 
 of etiquette, she assumed a right which belonged to the 
 reigning king and queen alone. Arising hastily from her 
 seat, she said, impatiently: 
 
 " I think it is time we should join the dancers. Do 
 you not find the music very beautiful and enticing? Let 
 us go." 
 
 The king smilingly laid his hand on her arm. " You 
 forget, madame, that there is another happy man who 
 longs to bask in the sunshine of your countenance. You 
 forget, madame, that Count Neal is to have the honor of 
 an introduction." 
 
 The queen gave her son one of those proud, resigned, 
 and reproachful looks which she had been in the habit of 
 directing toward Frederick William during her wedded 
 life. She felt conquered, humbled, and powerless. 
 
 The imperious expression fled from her brow, and 
 found refuge in her eyes only. " And this, too ! " mur- 
 mured she, sinking back on her seat. She barely heard 
 Count Neal's introduction. She acknowledged his re- 
 spectful greeting with a slight inclination of the head, 
 and remained silent. 
 
 The king, who to-day seemed to be in a conciliatory 
 mood, again came to the rescue. 
 
 " Madame," said he, " Count Neal is indeed an en- 
 viable man; he has seen what we will probably never see. 
 He has been in the lovely, luxurious, and dreamy South; 
 he has seen the sun of India; he was governor of Suri- 
 nam." 
 
 " Pardon me, your majesty," said the count, proudly ; 
 " I was not only governor, but vice-regent." 
 
 " Ah," said the king, " and what are the prerogatives 
 of a vice-regent ? " 
 
 " I was there esteemed as your majesty is here. The 
 governor of Surinam is approached with the same sub-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 359 
 
 mission, humility, and devotion, he enjoys the same hom- 
 age as the King of Prussia." 
 
 "Ah, you are then an equal of the King of Prussia? 
 Baron Pollnitz, you have been guilty of a great oversight ; 
 you have forgotten to provide a seat for my brother, the 
 King of Surinam. You must be.- indulgent this time, my 
 dear brother, but at the next ball we will not forget that 
 you are a vice-regent of Surinam, and woe to the baron if 
 he does not then provide a chair ! " 
 
 He then took his mother's arm, and signing to Prince 
 Augustus William to follow him with the reigning queen, 
 proceeded to the ball-room. 
 
 On arriving there he released his mother's arm and 
 said : " If agreeable to you, we will lay aside etiquette for 
 a short time and mingle with the dancers." And with- 
 out awaiting an answer, the king bowed and hurried off 
 into the adjoining room, followed by Pollnitz. He there 
 assumed a domino and mask. 
 
 The entire court followed the king's example. The 
 prince, and even the reigning queen, took advantage of 
 his permission. 
 
 The queen was deserted by her suite, and left almost 
 entirely alone in the large saloon. Her marshal, Count 
 Rhedern, his wife, and the page who held her train, were 
 the only persons who remained. Sophia Dorothea heaved 
 a deep sigh; she felt that she was no longer a queen, 
 but a poor widow who had vacated the throne. Hap- 
 pily, Countess Rhedern, the wife of her marshal, was 
 still there; upon her she could at least vent her rage. 
 
 " Madame," said she, looking angrily at the countess 
 " your train is too long ; you should have brought some of 
 the lads from your father's store to carry this train for 
 you, in order that it might be more minutely examined." 
 
 The countess bowed. " Your majesty must pardon me 
 for not having done so, but my father's assistants are not 
 at my disposal. But perhaps we can find a remedy if
 
 360 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 your majesty really thinks I need a train-bearer. I sug- 
 gest that some of my father's principal debtors should fill 
 this place. I believe these gentlemen would willingly 
 carry my train if my father would grant them a respite. 
 If your majesty agrees to this proposition, I shall at once 
 select two of your noblest cavaliers for my train-bearers, 
 and will then no longer put your brilliant court to 
 shame." 
 
 The queen did not reply; she cast an angry glance at 
 the quiet and composed countess, and then walked quietly 
 toward the throne, around which the royal family had 
 now assembled. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE M ASKKKS. 
 
 THE king, with the assistance of Pollnitz, had now 
 completed his toilet; he did not wish to be recognized, 
 and his dress was similar to hundreds of others who wero 
 wandering through the rooms. 
 
 " Do you think I will be known ? " 
 
 " No, sire, it is not possible. Now have the goodness 
 to push your mask slightly over your eyes; they might 
 perhaps betray you." 
 
 " Well, these eyes will soon see some curious things. 
 Did you ever stand upon a battle-field as a conqueror, 
 surrounded by corpses, all your living enemies having 
 fled before you ? " 
 
 " Heaven in its mercy preserve me from such a sight ! 
 My enemies, sire, have never fled from me; they chase 
 me and threaten me, and it is of God's great mercy that I 
 have always escaped them." 
 
 " Who are these pursuing enemies of yours ? "
 
 AND HIS COURT. 361 
 
 " They are my creditors, your majesty, and you may 
 well believe that they are more terrible to me than a 
 battle-field of corpses. Unhappily, they still live, and the 
 fiends torment me." 
 
 " Well, Pb'llnitz, after I have seen my first battle-field, 
 in the condition I have just described to you, and re- 
 turned home victorious, I will assist you to kill off your 
 rapacious enemies. Until then keep bravely on the de- 
 fensive. Come, let us go, I have only half an hour left 
 for pleasure." 
 
 The king opened the door of the cabinet, and, jesting 
 merrily, he mingled with the crowd, while Pollnitz re- 
 mained near the door, and cast a searching glance around 
 the room. Presently a mocking smile flitted over his 
 face, and he said to himself : " There, there are all three 
 of them. There is the modestly dressed nun who would 
 not be recognized as Madame von Morien. There is 
 the king of cards, Manteuffel, who is not yet aware that 
 a quick eye has seen his hand, and his trumps are all 
 in vain. There at last is Madame von Brandt, ' The 
 Gypsy,' telling fortunes, and having no presentiment of 
 the fate awaiting herself. A little scrap of paper care- 
 lessly lost and judiciously used by the lucky finder is 
 quite sufficient to unmask three of the worldly wise." 
 
 " Well, baron," whispered the nun, " will you fulfil 
 your promise ? " 
 
 " Dear Madame von Morien," replied Pollnitz, shrug- 
 ging his shoulders, " the king expressly commanded me 
 not to betray him." 
 
 " Pollnitz," said the nun, with a tearful voice, " have 
 pity upon me; tell me the disguise of the king; you shall 
 not only have my eternal gratitude but look, I know you 
 love diamonds; see this costly pin, which I will give for 
 the news I crave." 
 
 " It is impossible for poor, weak human nature to re- 
 sist you," said Pollnitz, stretching out his hand eagerly
 
 3G2 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 for the pin; "diamonds have a convincing eloquence, 
 and I must submit; the king has a blue domino embroid- 
 ered with silver cord, a white feather is fastened in his hat 
 with a ruby pin, and his shoe-buckles are of rubies and 
 diamonds." 
 
 " Thank you," said the nun, handing the pin and min- 
 gling hastily with the crowd. 
 
 While Pollnitz was fastening the pin in his bosom, 
 the king of cards approached, and laid his hand on his 
 shoulder. 
 
 " Well, baron, you see I am punctual ; answer the 
 questions of yesterday, and I will give you all the infor- 
 mation necessary to secure you a rich and lovely wife." 
 
 " I accept the terms. You wish to know what route 
 the king will take and the number of his troops: this 
 paper contains the information you desire; I obtained it 
 from a powerful friend, one of the confidential servants 
 of the king. I had to pay a thousand crowns for it; you 
 see I did not forget you." 
 
 " Well, here is a draft for four thousand crowns," said 
 Manteuffel ; " you see I did not forget your price." 
 
 " And now for the rich and lovely wife." 
 
 " Listen. In Nuremberg I am acquainted with a rich 
 family, who have but one fair daughter; she will inherit 
 a million. The family is not noble, but they wish to 
 marry their daughter to a Prussian cavalier. I have pro- 
 posed you, and you are accepted; you have only to go to 
 Nuremberg and deliver these letters; you will be re- 
 ceived as a son, and immediately after the wedding you 
 will come into possession of a million." 
 
 "A million is not such a large sum after all," said 
 Pollnitz. " If I must marry a citizen in order to obtain 
 a fortune I know a girl here who is young, lovely, and 
 much in love with me, and I think she has not less than 
 a million." 
 
 "Well, take the letters; you can consider the subject.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 363 
 
 Au revoir, my dear baron. Oh, I forgot one other small 
 stipulation connected with your marriage with the Nu- 
 remberger; the family is Protestant, and will not accept 
 a Catholic for their rich daughter; so you will have to 
 become a Protestant." 
 
 " Well, that is a small affair. I was once a Protestant, 
 and I think I was just as good as I am now." 
 
 Manteuffel laughed heartily, and withdrew. 
 
 Pollnitz looked thoughtfully at the letters, and consid- 
 ered the question of the Nuremberg bride. " I believe 
 Anna Pricker has at least a million, and old Pricker lies 
 very ill from the shock of his wife's sudden death. If 
 our plan succeeds, and Anna becomes a great singer, she 
 will have powerful influence with the king, and it will be 
 forgotten that she is a tailor's daughter. I believe I 
 would rather have Anna than the Nuremberger, but I 
 will keep the latter in reserve." 
 
 Pollnitz had reached this point in his meditations, 
 when the gypsy stood before him; she greeted him with 
 roguish words, and he was again the thoughtless and 
 giddy cavalier. Madame von Brandt, however, had but 
 little time for jesting. 
 
 " You promised to give me information of the letter I 
 lost at the last court festival," she said, anxiously. 
 
 "Yes, that very important letter, ruinously compro- 
 mising two ladies and a nobleman. I suppose you would 
 obtain the letter at any sacrifice ? " 
 
 "Yes, at any sacrifice," said Madame von Brandt. 
 " You asked a hundred Louis d'ors for the letter ; I have 
 brought them with me; take them now give me the 
 letter." 
 
 The baron took the money and put it in his pocket. 
 
 " Well, the letter, let me have it quickly," said Ma- 
 dame von Brandt. 
 
 Pollnitz hunted through his pockets anxiously. " My 
 God ! " he cried, " this letter has wings. I know I put it
 
 3C4 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 in my pocket, and it has disappeared; perhaps like your- 
 self I lost it in the saloon ; I must hasten to seek it." He 
 wished to go immediately, but Madame von Brandt held 
 him back. 
 
 " Have the goodness to give me my money until you 
 have found the letter," she cried, trembling with rage. 
 
 " Your money ? " cried Pollnitz ; " you gave me no 
 money. Why do you keep me? allow me to go and seek 
 this important letter." He tore himself from her and 
 mingled with the crowd. 
 
 Madame von Brandt looked after him in speechless 
 rage; she leaned against the wall, to prevent herself from 
 falling. 
 
 Pollnitz laughed triumphantly. " This evening has 
 brought me a thousand crowns, two hundred Louis d'ors, 
 a splendid diamond pin, and the promise of a rich wife. 
 I think I may be content. Through these intrigues I 
 have enough to live on for months. I stand now high 
 in the king's favor, and who knows, perhaps he may now 
 give me a house, not the house in the Jager Street that 
 is, alas, no longer vacant. I see the king I must hasten 
 to him." Suddenly he heard his name called, and turning 
 he saw a lady in a black domino, the hood drawn over her 
 head, and her face covered with an impenetrable veil. 
 
 " Baron Pollnitz, a word with you, if you please," and 
 slightly motioning with her hand, she passed before him. 
 Pollnitz followed her, curious to know his last petitioner, 
 but the dark domino covered her completely. They had 
 now reached a quiet window; the lady turned and said: 
 
 " Baron Pollnitz, you are said to be a noble and gallant 
 cavalier, and I am sure you will not refuse a lady a 
 favor." 
 
 " Command me, madame," said Pollnitz, with his eter- 
 nal smile. " I will do all in my power." 
 
 " Make known to me the costume of the king." 
 
 The baron stepped back in angry astonishment. " So,
 
 AND HIS COURT. 365 
 
 my beautiful mask, you call that a favor; I must betray 
 his majesty to you. He has forbidden me positively to 
 make known his costume to any one; you cannot desire 
 me to be guilty of such a crime ! " 
 
 " I implore you to tell me," cried the mask ; " it is 
 not from idle curiosity that I desire to know: I have an 
 ardent but innocent desire to say a few words to the king 
 before he leaves for the wars, from which he may never 
 return." 
 
 In the excitement of deep feeling, the mask spoke in 
 her natural voice, and there were certain tones which 
 Pollnitz thought he recognized; he must be certain, how- 
 ever, before speaking; he drew nearer, and gazing pierc- 
 ingly at the lady, he said. " You say, madame, that it is 
 not in idle curiosity that you desire to know the costume 
 of the king. How do I know that you do not entertain 
 dangerous designs ? how do I know but you are an enemy, 
 corrupted by Austria, and wish to lead the king to his 
 destruction ? " 
 
 " The only security I can offer is the word of a noble 
 lady who never told an untruth. God omnipotent, God 
 omnipresent knows that my heart beats with admiration, 
 reverence, and love for the king. I would rather die 
 than bring him into danger." 
 
 " Will you swear that ? " 
 
 " I swear ! " cried the lady, raising her arm solemnly 
 toward heaven. 
 
 Pollnitz followed all her movements watchfully, and as 
 the long sleeve of the domino fell back, he saw a bracelet 
 of emeralds and diamonds, which he recognized ; there 
 was but one lady at the Prussian court who possessed 
 such a bracelet, and that was the reigning queen. Pollnitz 
 was too old a courtier to betray the discovery he had 
 made; he bowed quietly to the lady, who, discovering her 
 imprudence, lowered her arm, and drew her sleeve tightly 
 over it.
 
 366 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Madame," said the baron, " you have taken a solemn 
 oath and I am satisfied; I will grant your request, but, as 
 I gave my word of honor to tell no one the costume of his 
 majesty, I must show it to you. I am now going to 
 seek the king; I shall speak with no one but him; there- 
 fore the domino before whom I bow and whom I address 
 will be the king; follow me." 
 
 " I thank you," said the lady, drawing her domino 
 closely over her ; " I shall remember this hour gratefully, 
 and if it is ever in my power to serve you, I shall do so." 
 
 " This is indeed a most fortunate evening ! I have 
 earned money and diamonds and the favor of the queen, 
 who up to this time has looked upon me with cold dis- 
 like." 
 
 Pollnitz approached the king and bowed low; the lady 
 stood behind, marking well the costume of his majesty. 
 
 " I have waited a long time for Pollnitz," said the 
 king. 
 
 " Sire, I had to wait for three masks ; I have seen 
 them all Madame von Morien, Madame von Brandt, and 
 Baron von Manteuffel. The baron remains true to his 
 character; he is in the costume of the king of cards." 
 
 "And Madame von Morien?" asked the king. 
 
 " She is here as a nun, and burns with desire to speak 
 with your majesty; and if you will step into the dark 
 saloon, I do not doubt the repentant nun will quickly fol- 
 low you." 
 
 " Well, what is the costume of Madame von Brandt ? " 
 
 " A gypsy, sire ; a yellow skirt, with a red bodice em- 
 broidered in gold; a little hat studded with diamonds 
 and a beauty spot on the left temple. She wished me to 
 give her the letter I found, and I sold it to her for two 
 hundred Louis d'ors." 
 
 "You had not the letter, however, and could not re- 
 ceive the money ? " 
 
 " Pardon, your majesty, I took the Louis d'ors, and
 
 AND HIS COURT. 367 
 
 then discovered that I had lost the letter. I came to 
 seek it." 
 
 The king laughed heartily, and said : " Pb'llnitz, Poll- 
 nitz, it is a blessed thing for the world that you are not 
 married; your boys would be consummate rascals! Did 
 you give Manteuffel the plan of the campaign and the 
 number of the troops ? " 
 
 " Yes, sire, I did ; and the baron was so charmed that 
 he made me a present of four thousand crowns! I took 
 them, for appearance' sake; your majesty must decide 
 what I must do with them." 
 
 " Keep the reward of your iniquity, baron. You have 
 a superb talent for thieving, and I would prefer you 
 should practise it On the Austrians to practising it on my- 
 self. Go now, and see that I find my uniform in the 
 cabinet." 
 
 The king mingled again with the crowd, and was not 
 recognized, but laughed and jested with them merrily as 
 man to man. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 REWARD AND PUNISHMENT. 
 
 SUDDENLY the king ceased his cheerful laughter and 
 merry jests ; he had for the moment forgotten that he had 
 any thing to do but amuse himself ; he had forgotten that 
 he was here to judge and to punish. Frederick was stand- 
 ing by the once dearly loved Count Manteuffel, and as his 
 eye fell upon him he was recalled to himself. 
 
 "Ah! I was looking for you," said the king, laying 
 his hand upon the count's shoulder; "you were missing 
 from my game, dear king of cards, but now that I have 
 you, I shall win."
 
 368 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 The count had too good an ear not to recognize the 
 king's voice in spite of its disguise; but he was too nice 
 a diplomatist to betray his discovery by word or look. 
 
 " What game do you wish to play with me, mask ? v 
 said he, following the king into an adjoining and unoccu- 
 pied room. 
 
 " A new game, the game of war ! " said the king, 
 harshly. 
 
 " The game of war," repeated the count ; " I have 
 never heard of that game." 
 
 The king did not answer at once; he was walking 
 hastily up and down the room. 
 
 " Count," said he, stopping before Manteuffel, " I am 
 your friend. I wish to give you some good advice. Leave 
 Berlin to-night, and never return to it ! " 
 
 " Why do you advise this ? " said the count, coolly. 
 
 " Because otherwise you are in danger of being im- 
 prisoned as a traitor and hung as a spy! Make no an- 
 swer; attempt no defence. I am your friend, but I am 
 also the friend of the king. I would guard you from a 
 punishment, though a just one; and I would also guard 
 him from embarrassment and vexation. The king does 
 not know that you are an Austrian spy, in the pay of the 
 imperial court. May he never know it! He once loved 
 you; and his anger would be terrible if informed of your 
 perfidy. Yes, Count Manteuffel, this prince was young, 
 inexperienced and trusting; he believed in your love and 
 gave you his heart. Let us spare his youth; let us spare 
 him the humiliation of despising and punishing the man 
 he once loved. Oh, my God! it is hard to trample a be- 
 ing contemptuously under foot whom you once pressed 
 lovingly to your heart. The king is gentle and affection- 
 ate: he is not yet sufficiently hardened to bear without 
 pain the blows inflicted by a faithless friend. A day may 
 come when the work of such friends, when your work, 
 may be accomplished, when King Frederick will wear
 
 AND HIS COURT. 369 
 
 about his heart a coat-of-mail woven of distrust; but, a8 
 I said, that time has not come. Do not await it, count, 
 for then the king would be inexorable toward you; he 
 would look upon you only as a spy and a traitor! Has- 
 ten, then, with flying steps from Berlin." 
 
 " But how, if I remain and attempt to defend my- 
 self ? " said the count, timidly. 
 
 " Do not attempt it ; it would be in vain. For in the 
 same moment that you attempted to excuse yourself, 
 the king would hear of your cunning, your intrigues, 
 your bribery, and your treachery; he would know that 
 you corresponded with his cook; that Madame von 
 Brandt kept a journal for you, which you sent to the 
 Austrian court, and for which you paid her a settled sum ; 
 he would know that you watched his every word and step, 
 and sold your information for Austrian gold! No, no, 
 dare not approach the king. A justification is impossible. 
 Leave here to-night, and never dare to tread again on 
 Prussian soil! Remember I am your friend; as such I 
 address you." 
 
 " You then advise me to go at once, without taking 
 leave of the king ? " said the count, who could not now 
 conceal his embarrassment. 
 
 " I do ! I command you," said the king ; " I command 
 you to leave this castle on the spot! silently, without a 
 word or sign, as beseems a convicted criminal! I com- 
 mand you to leave Berlin to-night. It matters not to me 
 where you go to hell, if it suits your fancy." 
 
 The count obeyed silently, without a word; to the 
 king he bowed and left the room. 
 
 The king gazed after him till he was lost in the crowd. 
 " And through such men as that we lose our trust and 
 confidence in our race; such men harden our hearts," 
 said he to himself. " Is that then true which has been 
 said by sages of all times, that princes are condemned to 
 live solitary and joyless lives ; that they can never possess
 
 370 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 a friend disinterested and magnanimous enough to love 
 them for themselves, and not for their power and glory? 
 If so, why give our hearts to men? Let us love and 
 cherish our dogs, who are true and honest, and love their 
 masters whether they are princes or beggars. Ah, there 
 is Manteuffel's noble friend, that coquettish little gypsy; 
 we will for once change the usual order of things: I will 
 prophesy to her, instead of receiving her prophecies." 
 The king approached and whispered : " Pollnitz has 
 found the precious letter, and is anxious to return it 
 to you." 
 
 "Where is he?" said the gypsy, joyously. 
 
 " Follow me," said Frederick, leading her to the same 
 room where he had dismissed Manteuffel. " Here we are, 
 alone and unnoticed," said the king, " and we can gossip 
 to our heart's content." 
 
 Madame von Brandt laughed : " Two are needed for a 
 gossip," said she ; " and how do you know that I am in 
 the humor for that? You led me here by speaking of a 
 letter which Baron Pollnitz was to give me, but I see 
 neither Pollnitz nor the letter ! " 
 
 " Pollnitz gave it to me to hand to you ; but before I 
 give it up I will see if I have not already learned some- 
 thing of your art, and if I cannot prophesy as well as 
 yourself. Give me your hand : I will tell your fortune." 
 
 Madame von Brandt silently held out her trembling 
 hand; she had recognized the voice; she knew it was the 
 king who stood by her side. 
 
 The king studied her hand without touching it. " I 
 see wonderful things in this small hand. In this line it 
 is written that you are a dangerous friend, a treacherous 
 subject, and a cruel flirt." 
 
 " Can you believe this ? " said she, with a forced 
 laugh. 
 
 " I do not only believe it, I know it. It is written in 
 bold, imperishable characters upon your hand and brow.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 371 
 
 Look ! I see here, that from a foreign land, for treacherous 
 service, you receive large sums of gold; here I see splen- 
 did diamonds, and there I read that twenty thousand 
 crowns are promised you if you prevent a certain divorce. 
 You tremble, and your hand shakes so I can scarcely read. 
 Keep your hand steady, madame; I wish to read not only 
 your past but your future life." 
 
 " I shall obey," whispered Madame von Brandt. 
 
 " Here I read of a dangerous letter, which fell, through 
 your own carelessness, into the wrong hands. If the king 
 should read that letter, your ruin would be unavoidable; 
 he would punish you as a traitor; you would not only be 
 banished from court, but confined in some strong fortress. 
 When a subject conspires with the enemy during time of 
 war, this is the universal punishment. Be cautious, be 
 prudent, and the king will learn nothing of this, and you 
 may be saved." 
 
 " What must I do to avert my ruin ? " she said, breath- 
 lessly. 
 
 " Banish yourself, madame ; make some excuse to 
 withdraw immediately from Berlin; retire to your hus- 
 band's estate, and there, in quiet and solitude, think over 
 and repent your crimes. When like Mary Magdalene 
 you have loved, and deceived, and betrayed, like her you 
 must repent, and see if God is as trusting as man; if you 
 can deceive Him with your tears as you once deceived us 
 with your well-acted friendship. Go try repentance with 
 God; here it is of no avail. This reformation, madame, 
 must commence at once. You will leave Berlin to-mor- 
 row, and will not return till the king himself sends for 
 you." 
 
 "I go ! " said Madame von Brandt, weeping bitterly ; 
 "I go! but I carry death in my heart, not because I am 
 banished, but because I deserve my punishment; because 
 I have wounded the heart of my king, and my soul 
 withers under his contempt."
 
 372 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Mary Magdalene," said Frederick, " truly you have 
 a wondrous talent for acting; a hint is enough for you, 
 and you master your part at once. But, madame, it 
 is useless to act before the king; he will neither credit 
 your tears nor your repentance; he would remember 
 your crimes and pronounce your sentence. Hasten, then, 
 to your place of atonement. There you may turn saint, 
 and curse the vain and giddy world. Here is your letter 
 farewell ! " 
 
 The king hastened away, and Madame von Brandt, 
 weeping from shame and humiliation, remained alone. 
 The king passed rapidly through the crowded saloon and 
 stepped on the balcony; he had seen the nun following 
 him, and she came upon the balcony ; he tore off his mask, 
 and confronting the trembling woman, he said, in a harsh 
 voice. 
 
 " What do you want with me ? " 
 
 "Your love," cried the nun, sinking upon her knees 
 and raising her hands imploringly to the king ; " I want 
 the love you once promised me the love which is my 
 earthly happiness and my salvation your love, without 
 which I must die ; wanting which, I suffer the tortures of 
 purgatory ! " 
 
 " Then suffer," said the king, harshly ; retreating a 
 few steps " go and suffer ; endure the torments of purga- 
 tory, you deserve them; God will not deliver you, nor 
 will I." 
 
 " Alas ! alas ! I hear this, and I live," cried Madame 
 von Morien, despairingly. " Oh, my king, take pity on 
 me ; think of the heavenly past ; think of the intoxicating 
 poison your words and looks poured into my veins, and do 
 not scorn and punish me because I am brought almost to 
 madness and death by your neglect. See what you have 
 made of me ! see how poor Leontine has changed ! " She 
 threw back her veil, and showed her pale and sorrowful 
 countenance to the king.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 
 
 He gazed at her sternly: "You have become old, 
 madame," he said, coldly " old enough to tread in the 
 new path you have so wisely prepared for yourself. You 
 who have so long been the votary of love, are now old 
 enough and plain enough to become a model of virtue. 
 Accept this order of virtue and modesty, promised you 
 by the Empress of Austria. The king will not divorce 
 his wife, and as this is supposed to be solely your work, 
 the empress will not withhold the promised order." 
 
 " My God ! he knows all, and he despises me ! " cried 
 Madame von Morien, passionately. 
 
 " Yes, he despises you," repeated the king ; " he de- 
 spises and he has no pity on you ! Farewell ! " 
 
 Without again looking toward the broken-hearted 
 woman, he turned toward the dancing-saloon. Suddenly 
 he felt a hand laid softly upon his shoulder; he turned 
 and saw at his side a woman in black, and thickly veiled. 
 
 " One word, King Frederick," whispered the lady. 
 
 " Speak, what do you wish ? " said the king, kindly. 
 
 " What do I wish ? " said she, with a trembling voice ; 
 " I wish to see you ; to hear your voice once more before 
 you go to the battle-field, to danger, perhaps to death. 
 I come to entreat you to be careful of your life! remem- 
 ber it is a precious jewel, for which you are not only an- 
 swerable to God, but to millions of your subjects. Oh, 
 my king, do not plunge wantonly into danger; preserve 
 yourself for your country, your people, and your family; 
 to all of whom you are indispensable." 
 
 The king shook his head, smilingly. "~No one is in- 
 dispensable. A man lost is like a stone thrown into the 
 water; for a moment there is a slight eddy, the waters 
 whirl, then all trace disappears, and the stream flows 
 quietly and smoothly on. But not thus will I disappear. 
 If I am destined to fall in this combat to which I am now 
 hastening, my death shall be glorious, and my grave shall 
 be known; it must, at least, be crowned with laurels, as
 
 374 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 no one will consecrate it with the tribute of love and 
 tears. A king, you know, is never loved, and no one 
 weeps for his death; the whole world is too busily en- 
 gaged in welcoming his successor." 
 
 " Not so ; not so with you, my king ! you are deeply, 
 fondly loved. I know a woman who lives but in your 
 presence a woman who would die of joy if she were 
 loved by you; she would die of despair if death should 
 claim you; you, her youthful hero, her ideal, her god! 
 For this woman's sake who worships you ; whose only joy 
 you are; who humbly lays her love at your feet, and only 
 asks to die there ; for her sake I implore you to be careful 
 of yourself; do not plunge wantonly into danger, and 
 thus rob Prussia of her king; your queen of the husband 
 whom she adores, and for whom she is ready at any hour 
 to give her heart's blood." 
 
 The king clasped gently the folded hands of the 
 veiled lady within his own ; he knew her but too well. 
 
 " Are you so well acquainted with the queen that you 
 know all the secrets of her heart ? " 
 
 " Yes, I know the queen," whispered she ; " I am the 
 only confidant of her sorrows. I only know how much 
 she loves, how much she suffers." 
 
 " I pray you, then, go to the queen and bid her fare- 
 well for me. Tell her that the king honors no other wom- 
 an as he honors her; that he thinks she is exalted enough 
 to be placed among the noble women of the olden times. 
 He is convinced she would say to her warrior hus- 
 band, as the Roman wives said to their fathers, husbands, 
 and sons, when handing their shields, ' Return with them 
 or upon them ! ' Tell Elizabeth Christine that the King 
 of Prussia will return from this combat with his heredi- 
 tary foe as a conqueror, or as a corpse. He cares little 
 for life, but much for honor; he must make his name 
 glorious, perchance by the shedding of his blood. Tell 
 Elizabeth Christine this, and tell her also that on the day
 
 AND HIS COURT. 375 
 
 of battle her friend and brother will think of her; not to 
 spare himself, but to remember gratefully that, in that 
 hour, a noble and pure woman is praying to God for him. 
 And now adieu : I go to my soldiers you to the queen." 
 
 He bowed respectfully, and hurried to the music-room. 
 The queen followed him with tearful eyes, and then draw- 
 ing her hood tightly over her face, she hurried through a 
 secret door into her apartments. While the queen was 
 weeping and praying in her room, the king was putting 
 on his uniform, and commanding the officers to assemble 
 in the court-yard. 
 
 Prince Augustus William was still tarrying in the 
 dancing-saloon: he did not dance; no one knew he was 
 there. He had shown himself for a few hours in a mag- 
 nificent fancy suit, but unmasked; he then left the ball- 
 room, saying he still had some few preparations to make 
 for his journey. Soon, however, he returned in a common 
 domino and closely masked ; no one but Laura von Panne- 
 witz was aware of his presence; they were now standing 
 together in a window, whose heavy curtains hid them 
 from view. It was a sad pleasure to look once more into 
 each other's eyes, to feel the warm pressure of loving 
 hands, to repeat those pure and holy vows which their 
 trembling lips had so often spoken; every fond word fell 
 like glorious music upon their young hearts. The mo- 
 ment of separation had come; the officers were assembled, 
 and the solemn beating of drums was heard. 
 
 " I must leave you, my beloved, my darling," whis- 
 pered the prince, pressing the weeping girl to his heart. 
 Laura sobbed convulsively. 
 
 " Leave me, alas, perhaps never to return ! " 
 
 " I shall return, my Laura," said he, with a forced 
 smile. " I am no hero ; I shall not fall upon the battle- 
 field. I know this; I feel it. I feel also that if this was 
 to be my fate, I should be spared many sorrowful and 
 agonizing hours; how much better a quick, glorious
 
 376 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 death, than this slow torture, this daily death of wretched- 
 ness! Oh, Laura, I have presentiments, in which my 
 whole future is covered with clouds and thick darkness, 
 through which even your lovely form is not to be seen; I 
 am alone, all alone ! " 
 
 " You picture my own sufferings, my own fears," whis- 
 pered Laura. " Alas ! I forget the rapture of the pres- 
 ent in the dim and gloomy future. Oh, my beloved, my 
 heart does not beat with joy when I look at you; it over- 
 flows with despair. I am never to see you again, my 
 prince; our fond farewell is to be our last! Oh, believe 
 me, this sad presentiment is the voice of Fate, warning us 
 to escape from this enchanting vision, with which we have 
 lulled our souls to sleep. We have forgotten our duty, 
 and we are warned that a cruel necessity will one day 
 separate us ! " 
 
 " Nothing shall separate us ! " said the prince ; " no 
 earthly power shall come between us. The separation of 
 to-day, which honor demands of me, shall be the last. 
 When I return, I will remind you of your oath; I will 
 claim your promise, which God heard and accepted. Our 
 love is from God, and no stain rests upon it; God, there- 
 fore, will watch over it, and will not withhold His bless- 
 ing; with His help, we will conquer all difficulties, and 
 we can dispense with the approbation of the world." 
 
 Laura shook her head sadly : " I have not this happy 
 confidence; and I have not the strength to bear this pain- 
 ful separation. At times when I have been praying fer- 
 vently for help, it seems to me that God is standing by and 
 strengthening me to obey the command of the dowager- 
 queen and give my hand to Count Voss. But when I 
 wish to speak the decisive word my lips are closed as with 
 a band of iron; it seems to me that, could I open them, 
 the only sound I should utter would be a cry so despairing 
 as to drive me to madness." 
 
 The prince pressed her fondly to his heart : " Swear
 
 AND HIS COURT. 377 
 
 to me, Laura, that you will never be so faithless, so cow- 
 ardly, as to yield to the threats of my mother," said he, 
 passionately ; " swear that you will be true to your oath ; 
 that oath by which you are mine mine to all eternity; 
 my wedded wife ! " 
 
 " I swear it," said she, solemnly, fixing her eyes stead- 
 ily upon his agitated countenance. 
 
 " They will take advantage of my absence to torture 
 you. My mother will overwhelm you with reproaches, 
 threats, and entreaties; but, if you love me, Laura, you 
 will find strength to resist all this. As yet my mother 
 does not know that it is I whom you love; I who worship 
 you; she suspects that the king or the young Prince of 
 Brunswick possesses your heart. But chance may betray 
 our love, and then her anger would be terrible. She 
 would lose no time in separating us; would stop at noth- 
 ing. Then, Laura, be firm and faithful; believe no re- 
 ports, no message, no letter; trust only in me and in my 
 word. I will not write to you, for my letters might be in- 
 tercepted. I will send no messenger to you; he might 
 be bribed. If I fall in battle, and God grants me strength 
 in dying, I will send you a last embrace and a last loving 
 word, by some pitying friend. In that last hour our love 
 will have nothing to fear from the world, the king, or my 
 mother. You will always be in my thoughts, darling, and 
 my spirit will be with you." 
 
 " And if you fall, God will have mercy on me and 
 take me from this cruel world; it will be but a grave for 
 me when no longer gladdened by your presence." 
 
 The prince kissed her fondly, and slipped a ring on 
 her finger. " That is our engagement ring," said he. 
 " Now you are mine ; you wear my ring ; this is the first 
 link of that chain with which I will bind your whole life 
 to mine ! You are my prisoner ; nothing can release you. 
 But listen ! what is that noise ? The king has descended 
 to the court; he will be looking for me. Farewell, 
 25
 
 378 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 my precious one; God and His holy angels guard 
 you!" 
 
 He stepped slowly from behind the curtains and closed 
 them carefully after him, so as to conceal Laura ; he 
 passed hastily through the rooms to his apartment, threw 
 off the domino which concealed his uniform, and seizing 
 his sword he hastened to the court. The king was sur- 
 rounded by his generals and officers; all eyes were fixed 
 upon him; he had silenced every objection. There was 
 amongst them but one opinion and one will, the will 
 and opinion of the king, whom all felt to be their master, 
 not only by divine right, but by his mighty intellect and 
 great soul. Frederick stood amongst them, his counte- 
 nance beaming with inspiration, his eagle eye sparkling 
 and glowing with the fire of thought, and a smile was on 
 his lips which won all hearts. Behind him stood the 
 Prince of Anhault Dessau, old Zeithen, General Vinter- 
 feldt, and the adjutant-generals. Above them floated a 
 magnificent banner, whose motto, " Pro gloria et patria," 
 was woven in gold. Frederick raised his naked sword 
 and greeted the waving colors; he spoke, and his full, 
 rich voice filled the immense square : 
 
 " Gentlemen, I undertake this war with no other ally 
 than your stout hearts; my cause is just; I dare ask 
 God's help ! Remember the renown our great ancestors 
 gained on the battle-field of Ferbellin! Your future is 
 in your own hands; distinction must be won by gallant 
 and daring deeds. We are to attack soldiers who gained 
 imperishable names under Prince Eugene. How great 
 will be our glory if we vanquish such warriors ! Fare- 
 well ! Go ! I follow without delay ! "
 
 AND HIS COURT. 379 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE RETURN. 
 
 THE first campaign of the young King of Prussia had 
 been a bloodless one. Not one drop of blood had been 
 shed. A sentinel at the gate of Breslau had refused to 
 allow the Prussian general to enter, and received for his 
 daring a sounding box on the ear, which sent him reeling 
 backward. The general with his staff entered the con- 
 quered capital of Silesia, without further opposition. 
 Breslau was the capital of a province which for more 
 than a hundred years had not been visited by any member 
 of the royal house of Austria. The heavy taxes imposed 
 upon her were the only evidence that she belonged to the 
 Austrian dominions. Breslau did not hesitate to receive 
 this young and handsome king, who as he marched into 
 *he city gave a kindly, gracious greeting to all; who had 
 a winning smile for all those richly-dressed ladies at the 
 windows; who had written with his own hand a procla- 
 mation in which he assured the Silesians that he came 
 not as an enemy, and that every inhabitant would be 
 secured in their rights, privileges, and freedom in their 
 religion, worth, and service. The ties which bound the 
 beautiful province of Silesia to Austria had long ago 
 been shattered, and the prophecy of the king had already 
 been fulfilled that prophecy made in Krossen. As the 
 king entered Krossen with his army, the clock of the 
 great church tower fell with a thundering noise, and car- 
 ried with it a portion of the old church. A superstitious 
 fear fell upon the whole Prussian army; even the old 
 battle-stained warriors looked grim and thoughtful. The 
 king alone smiled, and said: 
 
 " The fall of this clock signifies that the pride of the
 
 380 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 house of Austria will be humbled. Caesar fell when land- 
 ing in Africa, and exclaimed : ' I hold thee, Africa ! ' ' 
 
 Those great men would not allow themselves to be in- 
 fluenced by evil omens. Quickly, indeed, was Frederick's 
 prophecy fulfilled. The house of Austria was suddenly 
 humbled, and the Prussian army was quietly in possession 
 of one of her capitals. Frederick had been joyfully re- 
 ceived, not only by the Protestants, who had so long suf- 
 fered from the bitterest religious persecution, and to 
 whom the king now promised absolute freedom of con- 
 science and unconditional exercise of their religious wor- 
 ship, but by the Catholics, even the priests and Jesuits, 
 who were completely fascinated by the intellect and amia- 
 bility of Frederick. No man mourned for the Austrian 
 yoke, and the Prussians became great favorites with <he 
 Silesians, particularly with the women, who, heart in 
 hand, advanced to meet them; received the handsome and 
 well-made soldiers as lovers, and hastened to have these 
 tender ties made irrevocable by the blessing of the priest. 
 Hundreds of marriages between the Prussians and the 
 maidens of the land were solemnized during the six weeks 
 Frederick remained in Silesia. These men, who, but a 
 few weeks before, came as enemies and conquerors, were 
 now adopted citizens, thus giving their king a double 
 right to the possession of these provinces. 
 
 It soon became the mode for the Silesian girl to claim 
 a Prussian lover, and the taller and larger the lover, the 
 prouder and more happy was the lucky possessor. Baron 
 Bielfeld, who accompanied the king to Breslau, met in 
 the itreet one day a beautiful bourgeoise, who was weep- 
 ing bitterly and wringing her hands; Bielfeld inquired 
 the cause of her tears, and she replied naively : 
 
 " Alas ! I am indeed an object of pity ; eight days ago 
 I was betrothed to a Prussian grenadier, who measured 
 five feet and nine inches ; I was very happy and very 
 proud of him. To-day one of the guard, who measured
 
 AND HIS COURT. 381 
 
 six feet and two inches, proposed to me; and I weep now 
 because so majestic and handsome a giant is offered me, 
 and I cannot accept him." 
 
 The king won the women through his gallant soldiers; 
 the ladies of the aristocracy, through his own beauty, 
 grace, and eminent intellect. Frederick gave a ball to 
 the aristocracy of Breslau, and all the most distinguished 
 and noble families, who had been before closely bound to 
 the house of Austria, eagerly accepted the invitation-, 
 they wished to behold the man who was a hero and a 
 poet, a cavalier and a warrior, a youth and a philosopher ; 
 who was young and handsome, and full of life; who did 
 not wrap himself in stiff, ceremonious forms, and ap- 
 peared in the presence of ladies to forget that he was a 
 king. He worshipped the ladies as a cavalier, and when 
 they accepted the invitation to dance, considered it a 
 flattering favor. While winning the hearts of the women 
 through his gallantry and beauty, he gained the voices 
 of men by the orders and titles which he scattered broad- 
 cast through the province. 
 
 " I dreamed last night," said he to Pollnitz, laughing, 
 "that I created princes, dukes, and barons in Breslau; 
 help me to make my dream a reality by naming to me 
 some of the most prominent families." 
 
 Pollnitz selected the names, and Prince von Pless, 
 Duke Hockburg, and many others rose up proudly from 
 this creative process of the king. 
 
 Silesia belonged, at this moment, unconditionally to 
 Prussia. The king could now return to Berlin and de- 
 vote himself to study, to friendship, and his family. The 
 first act of that great drama called the Seven Years' War 
 was now finished. The king should now, between the 
 acts, give himself up to the arts and sciences, and 
 strengthen himself for that deep tragedy of which he 
 was resolved to be the hero. Berlin received her king 
 with shouts of joy, and greeted him as a demigod. He
 
 382 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 was no longer, in the eyes of the imperious Austrians, the 
 little Margrave of Brandenburg, who must hold the wash- 
 basin for the emperor; he was a proud, self-sustaining 
 king, no longer receiving commands from Austria, but 
 giving laws to the proud daughter of the Caesars. 
 
 The queen-mother and the young princesses met the 
 king at the outer gates. The queen Elizabeth Christine, 
 her eyes veiled with rapturous tears, received her husband 
 tremblingly. Alas ! he had for her only a silent greeting, 
 a cold, ceremonious bow. But she saw him once more; 
 she could lose her whole soul in those melting eyes, in 
 which she was ever reading the most enchanting magical 
 fairy tales. In these days of ceremony he could not re- 
 fuse her a place by his side ; to sit near him at table, and 
 at the concerts with which the royal chapel and the newly- 
 arrived Italian singers would celebrate the return of the 
 king. Graun had composed a piece of music in honor 
 of this occasion, and not only the Italian singer, Laura 
 Farinelli, but a scholar of Graun and Quantz, a German 
 singer, Anna Prickerin, would then be heard for the first 
 time. This would be for Anna an eventful and decisive 
 day; she stood on the brink of a new existence an exist- 
 ence made glorious by renown, honor, and distinction. 
 
 It was nothing to her that her father lay agonizing 
 upon his death-bed; it was nothing to her that her 
 brother William had left his home three days before, and 
 no one knew what had become of him. She asked no 
 questions about father or brother; she sorrowed not for 
 the mother lately dead and buried. She had but one 
 thought, one desire, one aim to be a celebrated singer, 
 to obtain the hand of a man whom she neither loved nor 
 esteemed, but who was a baron and an influential lord of 
 the court. The object of Anna's life was to become the 
 wife of the baron, not for love. She wished to hide her 
 ignoble birth under the glitter of his proud name; it was 
 better to be the wife of a poor baron than the daughter of
 
 AND HIS COURT. 3$3 
 
 a tailor, even though he should be the court tailor, and a 
 millionnaire. 
 
 The king had been in Berlin but two days, and Poll- 
 nitz had already made a visit to his beautiful Anna. 
 Never had he been so demonstrative and so tender; never 
 before had he been seriously occupied with the thought 
 of making her his wife; never had he looked upon it as 
 possible. The example of Count Rhedern gave him 
 courage; what the king had granted to the daughter of 
 the merchant, he could not refuse to the daughter of the 
 court tailor, more particularly when the latter, by her 
 own gifts and talents, had opened the doors of the palace 
 for herself; when by the power of her siren voice she 
 had made the barriers tremble and fall which separated 
 the tailor's daughter from the court circle. If the lovely 
 Anna became a celebrated singer, if she succeeded in 
 winning the applause of the king, she would be ennobled; 
 and no one could reproach the baron for making the* 
 beautiful prima donna his wife. If, therefore, she 
 pleased the king, Pollnitz was resolved to confess himself 
 her knight, and to marry her as soon as possible yes, as 
 soon as possible, for his creditors followed him, persecuted 
 him at every step, even threatened him with judgment and 
 a prison. Pollnitz reminded the king that he had prom- 
 ised, after his return from Silesia, to assist him. Fred- 
 erick replied that he had not yet seen a battle-field, and 
 was at the beginning and not the end of a war, for which 
 he would require more gold than his treasuries contained ; 
 " wait patiently, also," he said, " for the promised day, for 
 only then can I fulfil my promise." It was, therefore, a 
 necessity with Pollnitz to find some way of escape from 
 this terrible labyrinth; and with an anxiously -beating 
 heart he stood on the evening of the concert behind the 
 king's chair, to watch every movement and every word, 
 and above all to notice the effect produced by the voice of 
 his Anna.
 
 384: FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 The king was uncommonly gay and gracious; these 
 two days in his beloved Berlin, after weeks of fatigue 
 and weariness in Silesia, had filled his heart with glad- 
 ness. He had given almost a lover's greeting to his books 
 and his flute, and his library seemed to him a sanctified 
 home; with joy he exchanged his sword for a pen, and 
 instead of drawing plans of battle, he wrote verses or 
 witty letters to Voltaire, whom he still honored, and in a 
 certain sense admired, althought the six days which Vol- 
 taire had spent in Eheinsberg, just before the Silesian 
 campaign, had somewhat diminished his admiration for 
 the French author. After Frederick's first meeting with 
 Voltaire at the castle of Moyland, he said of him, " He 
 is as eloquent as Cicero, as charming as Plinius, and as 
 wise as Agrippa; he combines in himself all the virtues 
 and all the talents of the three greatest men of the an- 
 cients." He now called the author of the " Henriade " 
 ^a fool; it excited and troubled his spirit to see that this 
 great author was mean and contemptible in character, 
 cold and cunning in heart. He had loved Voltaire as a 
 friend, and now he confessed with pain that Voltaire's 
 friendship was a possession which must be cemented with 
 gold, if you did not wish to lose it. The king who, a few 
 months before, had compared him to Cicero, Plinius, and 
 Agrippa, now said to Jordan, " The miser, Voltaire, has 
 still an unsatisfied longing for gold, and asks still 
 thirteen hundred dollars! Every one of the six days 
 which he spent with me cost me five hundred and fifty 
 dollars ! I call that paying dear for a fool ! Never before 
 was a court fool so generously rewarded." 
 
 To-day Frederick was expecting a new enjoyment; 
 to-day, for the first time, he was to hear the new Italian 
 singer. This court concert promised him, therefore, a 
 special enjoyment, and he awaited it with youthful im- 
 patience. 
 
 At last Graun gave the signal for the introduction;
 
 AND HIS COURT. 385 
 
 Frederick had no ear for this simple, beautiful, and 
 touching music; and the masterly solo of Quantz upon 
 the flute drew from him a single bravo; he thought only 
 of the singers, and at last the chorus began. 
 
 The heart of Pollnitz beat loud and quick as he 
 glanced at Anna, who stood proud and grave, in costly 
 French toilet, far removed from the Farinelli. Anna 
 examined the court circles quietly, and looked as unem- 
 barrassed as if she had been long accustomed to such 
 society. 
 
 The chorus was at an end, and Laura Farinelli had the 
 first aria to sing. Anna Prickerin could have murdered 
 her for this. The Italian, in the full consciousness of her 
 power, returned Anna's scorn with a half-mocking, half- 
 contemptuous smile; she then fixed her great, piercing 
 eyes upon the music, and began to sing. 
 
 Anna could have cried aloud in her rage, for she saw 
 that the king was well pleased; he nodded his head, and 
 a gay smile overspread his features; she saw that the 
 whole court circle made up enchanted faces immediately, 
 and that even Pollnitz assumed an entirely happy and en- 
 thusiastic mien. The Farinelli saw all this, and the 
 royal applause stimulated her; her full, glorious voice 
 floated and warbled in the artistic " Fioritures " and 
 "Eoulades," then dreamed itself away in soft, melodious 
 tones; again it rose into the loftiest regions of sound, 
 and was again almost lost in the simple, touching melo- 
 dies of love. 
 
 " Delicious ! superb ! " said the king, aloud, as Fari- 
 nelli concluded. 
 
 " Exalted ! godlike ! " cried Pollnitz ; and now, as the 
 royal sign had been given, the whole court dared to follow 
 the example, and to utter light and repressed murmurs 
 of wonder and applause. 
 
 Anna felt that she turned pale ; her feet trembled ; 
 she could have murdered the Italian with her own hands !
 
 386 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 this proud Farinelli, who at this moment looked toward 
 her with a questioning and derisive glance; and her eyes 
 seemed to say, " Will you yet dare to sing ? " 
 
 But Anna had the proud courage to dare. She said 
 to herself, " I shall triumph over her ; her voice is as thin 
 as a thread, and as sharp as a fine needle, while mine is 
 full and powerful, and rolls like an organ; and as for her 
 ' Fioritures,' I understand them as well as she." 
 
 With this conviction she took the notes in her 
 hand, and waited for the moment when the " Ritornelle " 
 should be ended; she returned with a quiet smile the 
 anxious look which her teacher, Quantz, fixed upon 
 her. 
 
 The " Ritornelle " was ended. Anna began her song ; 
 her voice swelled loudly and powerfully far above the 
 orchestra, but the king was dull and immovable; he gave 
 not the slightest token of applause. Anna saw this, and 
 her voice, which had not trembled with fear, now trem- 
 bled with rage; she was resolved to awake the astonish- 
 ment of the king by the strength and power of her voice ; 
 she would compel him to applaud! She gathered togeth- 
 er the whole strength of her voice and made so powerful 
 an effort that her poor chest seemed about to burst asun- 
 der; a wild, discordant strain rose stunningly upon the 
 air, and now she had indeed the triumph to see that the 
 king laughed ! Yes, the king laughed I but not with the 
 same smile with which he greeted Farinelli, but in mock- 
 ery and contempt. He turned to Pollnitz, and said: 
 
 " What is the name of this woman who roars so hor- 
 ribly?" 
 
 Pollnitz shrugged his shoulders; he had a kind of 
 feeling as if that moment his creditors had seized him 
 by the throat. 
 
 " Sire," whispered he, " I believe it is Anna Prickerin." 
 The king laughed ; yes, in spite of the " Fioritures " of 
 the raging singer, who had seen Pullnitz's shrug of the
 
 AND HIS COURT. 387 
 
 shoulders, and had vowed in the spirit to take a bloody 
 vengeance. 
 
 Louder and louder the fair Anna shrieked, but the 
 king did not applaud. She had now finished the last 
 note of her aria, and breathlessly with loudly-beating 
 heart she waited for the applause of the king. It came 
 not! perfect stillness reigned; even Pollnitz was speech- 
 less. 
 
 " Do you know, certainly, that this roaring woman is 
 the daughter of our tailor ? " said the king. 
 
 Pollnitz answered, " Yes," with a bleeding heart. 
 
 " I have often heard that a tailor was called a goat, 
 but his children are nevertheless not nightingales, and 
 poor Pricker can sooner force a camel through the eye 
 of his needle than make a songstress of his daughter. 
 The Germans cannot sing, and it is an incomprehensible 
 mistake of Graun to bring such a singer before us." 
 
 " She is a pupil of Quantz," said Pollnitz, " and he has 
 often assured me she would make a great singer." 
 
 "Ah, she is a pupil of Quantz," repeated the king, and 
 his eye glanced around in search of him. Quantz, with 
 an angry face, and his eyebrows drawn together, was 
 seated at his desk. " Alas ! " said Frederick, " when he 
 makes such a face as that, he grumbles with me for two 
 days, and is never pleased with my flute. I must seek 
 to mollify him, therefore, and when this Mademoiselle 
 Prickerin sings again I will give a slight sign of ap- 
 plause." 
 
 But Anna Prickerin sang no more; angry scorn shot 
 like a stream of fire through her veins, she felt suffocated ; 
 tears rushed to her eyes; every thing about her seemed 
 to be wavering and unsteady; and as her listless, half- 
 unconscious glances wandered around, she met the gay. 
 triumphant eyes of the Farinelli fixed derisively upon her. 
 Anna felt as if a sword had pierced her heart ; she uttered 
 a fearful cry, and sank unconscious to the floor.
 
 388 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " What cry was that ? " said the king, " and what sig- 
 nifies this strange movement among the singers ? " 
 
 " Sire, it appears that the Prickerin has fallen into a 
 fainting-fit," said Pollnitz. 
 
 The king thought this a good opportunity to pacify 
 Quantr by showing an interest in his pupil. " That is 
 indeed a most unhappy circumstance," said the king, 
 aloud. "Hasten, Pollnitz, to inquire in my name after 
 the health of this gifted young singer. If she is still suf- 
 fering, take one of my carriages and conduct her your- 
 self to her home, and do not leave her till you can 
 bring me satisfactory intelligence as to her recovery." 
 So saying, the king cast a stolen glance toward the much- 
 dreaded Quantz, whose brow had become somewhat clear- 
 er, and his expression less threatening. " We will, per- 
 haps," whispered the king, " escape this time with one 
 day's growling; I think I have softened him." Fred- 
 erick seated himself, and gave the signal for the concert 
 to proceed; he saw that, with the assistance of the baron, 
 the unconscious songstress had been removed. 
 
 CHAPTER XHI. 
 
 THE DEATH OP THE OLD TIME. 
 
 THE music continued, while Pollnitz, filled with secret 
 dread, ordered a court carriage, according to the com- 
 mand of the king, and entered it with the still insensible 
 songstress. 
 
 " The king does not know what a fearful commission 
 he has given me," thought Pollnitz, as he drove through 
 the streets with Anna Prickerin, and examined her 
 countenance with terror. " Should she now awake, she
 
 AND HIS COURT. 389 
 
 would overwhelm me with her rage. She is capable of 
 scratching out my eyes, or even of strangling me." 
 
 But his fear was groundless. Anna did not stir; she 
 was still unconscious, as the carriage stopped before the 
 house of her father. No one came to meet them, although 
 Pollnitz ordered the servant to open the door, and the 
 loud ringing of the bell sounded throughout the house. 
 No one appeared as Pollnitz, with the assistance of the 
 servants, lifted the insensible Anna from the carriage 
 and bore her into the house to her own room. As the 
 baron placed her carefully upon the sofa, she made a 
 slight movement and heaved a deep sigh. 
 
 " Now the storm will break forth," thought Pollnitz, 
 anxiously, and he ordered the servants to return to the 
 carriage and await his return. He desired no witnesses 
 of the scene which he expected, and in which he had 
 good reason to believe that he would play but a pitiful 
 role. 
 
 Anna Prickerin now opened her eyes; her first glance 
 fell upon Pollnitz, who was bending over her with a 
 tender smile. 
 
 " What happiness, dearest," he whispered, " that you 
 at last open your eyes ! I was dying with anxiety." 
 
 Anna did not answer at once; her eyes were directed 
 with a dreamy expression to the smiling countenance of 
 Pollnitz, and while he recounted his own tender care, and 
 the gracious sympathy of the king, Anna appeared to be 
 slowly waking out of her dream. Now a ray of con- 
 sciousness and recollection overspread her features, and 
 throwing up her arm with a rapid movement she adminis- 
 tered a powerful blow on the cheek of her tender, smiling 
 lover, who fell back with his hand to his face, whimper- 
 ing with pain. 
 
 " Why did you shrug your shoulders ? " she said, her 
 lips trembling with anger, and, springing up from the 
 sofa, she approached Pollnitz with a threatening ex-
 
 390 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 pression, who, expecting a second explosion, drew back. 
 " Why did you shrug your shoulders ? " repeated Anna. 
 
 " I am not aware that I did so, my Anna," stammered 
 Pollnitz. 
 
 She stamped impatiently on the floor. "I am not 
 your Anna. You are a faithless, treacherous man, and I 
 despise you; you are a coward, you have not the courage 
 to defend the woman you have sworn to love and protect. 
 When I ceased singing, why did you not applaud ? " 
 
 " Dearest Anna," said Pollnitz, " you are not ac- 
 quainted with court etiquette; you do not know that at 
 court it is only the king who expresses approval." 
 
 " You all broke out into a storm of applause as Fari- 
 nelli finished singing." 
 
 " Because the king gave the sign." 
 
 Anna shrugged her shoulders contemptuously, and 
 paced the floor with rapid steps. " You think that all my 
 hopes, all my proud dreams for the future are destroyed," 
 she murmured, with trembling lips, while the tears rolled 
 slowly down her cheeks. " To think that the king and 
 the whole court laughed while I sang, and that pre- 
 sumptuous Italian heard and saw it all I shall die of 
 this shame and disgrace. My future is annihilated, my 
 hopes trodden under foot." She covered her face with 
 her hands, and wept and sobbed aloud. 
 
 Pollnitz had no pity for her sufferings, but he remem- 
 bered his creditors, and this thought rekindled his extin- 
 guished tenderness. He approached her, and gently 
 placed his arm around her neck. " Dearest," he mur- 
 mured, " why do you weep, how can this little mischance 
 make you so wretched? Do we not love each other? are 
 you not still my best beloved, my beautiful, my adored 
 Anna? Have you not sworn that you love me, and that 
 you ask no greater happiness than to be united to me? " 
 
 Anna raised her head that she might see this tender 
 lover.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 391 
 
 " It is true," proceeded Pollnitz, " that you did not re- 
 ceive the applause this evening which your glorious 
 talent deserves; Farinelli was in your way. The king 
 has a prejudice against German singers ; he says, ' The 
 Germans can compose music, but they cannot sing.' That 
 prejudice is a great advantage for the Italian. If you 
 had borne an Italian name, the king would have been 
 charmed with your wonderful voice; but you are a Ger- 
 man, and he refuses you his approval. But what has 
 been denied you here, you will easily obtain elsewhere. 
 We will leave this cold, ungrateful Berlin, my beloved. 
 You shall take an Italian name, and through my various 
 connections I can make arrangements for you to sing at 
 many courts. You will win fame and gold, and we will 
 live a blessed and happy life." 
 
 " I care nothing for the gold ; I am rich, richer than 
 I even dreamed. My father told me to-day that he pos- 
 sessed nearly seven hundred thousand dollars, and that 
 he would disinherit my brother, who is now absent from 
 Berlin. I will be his heiress, and very soon, for the 
 physicians say he can only live a few days." 
 
 The eyes of the baron gleamed. " Has your father 
 made his will ? has he declared you his heiress ? " 
 
 *' He intended doing so to-day. He ordered the law- 
 yers to come to him, and I believe they were here 
 when I started to this miserable concert. It was not on 
 account of the money, but for fame, that I desired to be- 
 come a prima donna. But I renounce my intention; 
 this evening has shown me many thorns where I thought 
 to find only roses. I renounce honor and renown, and 
 desire only to be happy, happy in your love and compan- 
 ionship." 
 
 " You are right ; we will fly from this cold, faithless 
 Berlin to happier regions. The world will know no 
 happier couple than the Baron and Baroness von Poll- 
 nitz."
 
 392 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 Pollnitz nowfelt no repugnance at the thought that the 
 tailor's daughter had the presumptuous idea of becoming 
 his wife. He forgave her low origin for the sake of her 
 immense fortune, and thought it not a despicable lot to 
 be the husband of the beautiful Anna Prickerin. He as- 
 sured her of his love in impassioned words, and Anna 
 listened with beaming eyes and a happy smile. Sudden- 
 by a loud weeping and crying, proceeding from the next 
 room, interrupted this charming scene. 
 
 " My father, it is my father ! " cried Anna, as she 
 hastened to the door of the adjoining room, which, as we 
 know, contained the ancestral portraits of the Prickers. 
 Pollnitz followed her. In this room, surrounded by his 
 ancestors, the worthy tailor lay upon his death-bed. 
 Pale and colorless as the portraits was the face of the 
 poor man ; but his eyes were gleaming with a wild, fever- 
 ish glitter. As he perceived Anna in her splendid French 
 costume, so wild and fearful a laugh burst from his lips, 
 that even Pollnitz trembled. 
 
 " Come to me," said the old man, with a stammering 
 voice, as he motioned to his daughter to approach his 
 couch. "You and your brother have broken my heart; 
 you have given me daily a drop of poison, of which I have 
 been slowly dying. Your brother left my house as the 
 prodigal son, but he has not returned a penitent ; he glories 
 in his crime ; he is proud of his shame. Here is a letter 
 which I received from him to-day, in which he informs me 
 that he has eloped with the daughter of my second mur- 
 derer, this French Pelissier; and that he intends to be- 
 come an actor, and thus drag through the dust the old 
 and respectable name of his fathers. For this noble work 
 he demands his mother's fortune. He shall have it yes, 
 he shall have it; it is five thousand dollars, but from me 
 he receives nothing but my curse, and I pray to God that 
 it may ring forever in his ears! " 
 
 The old man lay back exhausted, and groaned aloud.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 393 
 
 Anna stood with tearless eyes by the death-bed of her 
 father, and thought only of the splendid future which 
 each passing moment brought nearer. Pollnitz had with- 
 drawn to one of the windows, and was considering 
 whether he should await the death of the old man or re- 
 turn immediately to the king. 
 
 Suddenly Pricker opened his eyes, and turned them 
 with an angry and malicious expression toward his 
 daughter. 
 
 " What a great lady you are ! " he said, with a fearful 
 grin ; " dressed in the latest fashion, and a wonderful 
 songstress, who sings before the king and his court. Such 
 a great lady must be ashamed that her father is a tailor. 
 I appreciate that, and I am going to my grave, that I may 
 not trouble my daughter. Yes, I am going, and nothing 
 shall remind the proud songstress of me, neither my pres- 
 ence nor any of my possessions. A prima donna would 
 not be the heiress of a tailor." 
 
 The old man broke out into a wild laugh, while Anna 
 stared at him, and Pollnitz came forward to hear and 
 observe. 
 
 " I do not understand you, my father," said Anna, 
 trembling and disturbed. 
 
 " You will soon understand me," stammered the old 
 man, with a hoarse laugh. " When I am dead, and the 
 lawyers come and read my will, which I gave them to-day, 
 then you will know that I have left my fortune to the 
 poor of the city, and not to this great songstress, who 
 does not need it, as she has a million in her throat. My 
 son an actor, my daughter a prima donna it is well. I 
 go joyfully to my grave, and thank God for my release. 
 Ah! you shall remember your old father; you shall curse 
 me, as I have cursed you; and as you will shed no tears 
 at my death, it shall, at least, be a heavy blow to you. 
 You are disinherited ! both disinherited ! the poor are my 
 heirs, and you and your brother will receive nothing but
 
 394 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 the fortune of your mother, of which I, unfortunately, 
 cannot deprive you." 
 
 " Father, father, this is not possible this cannot be 
 your determination ! " cried Anna. " It is not possible 
 for a father to be so cruel, so unnatural, as to disinherit 
 his children ! " 
 
 " Have you not acted cruelly and unnaturally to me ? " 
 asked the old man ; " have you not tortured me ? have 
 you not murdered me, with a smile upon your lips, as 
 you did your poor mother, who died of grief ? No, no, no 
 pity for unnatural children. You are disinherited ! " 
 
 The old man fell back with a loud shriek upon his 
 couch, and his features assumed that fixed expression 
 which is death's herald. 
 
 " He is dying ! " cried Anna, throwing herself beside 
 her father ; " he is dying, and he has disinherited me ! " 
 
 " Yes, disinherited ! " stammered the heavy tongue of 
 the dying man. 
 
 Pollnitz trembled at the fearful scene; he fled with 
 hasty steps from this gloomy room, and only recovered 
 his composure when once more seated in his carriage. 
 After some moments of reflection, he said: 
 
 " I will ask the king for my release from his service, 
 and I will become a Protestant, and hasten to Nuremberg, 
 and marry the rich patrician." 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE DISCOVERY. 
 
 THEY sat hand in hand in the quiet and fragrant con- 
 servatory; after a long separation they gazed once more 
 in each other's eyes, doubting the reality of their happi-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 395 
 
 ness, and asking if it were not a dream, a delightful 
 dream. 
 
 This was the first time since his return from Silesia 
 that Prince Augustus William had seen his Laura alone; 
 the first time he could tell her of his longing and his 
 suffering; the first time she could whisper in his ear the 
 sweet and holy confession of her love a confession that 
 none should hear but her lover and her God. 
 
 But there were four ears which heard every thing; 
 four eyes which saw all that took place in the myrtle 
 arbor. Louise von Schwerin and her lover, the handsome 
 Fritz Wendel, sat arm in arm in the grotto, and listened 
 attentively to the conversation of the prince and his bride. 
 
 " How happy they are ! " whispered Louise, with a 
 sigh. 
 
 " Are we not also happy ? " asked Fritz Wendel, ten- 
 derly, clasping his arm more firmly around her. " Is 
 not our love as ardent, as passionate, and as pure as 
 theirs?" 
 
 t( And yet the world would shed tears of pity for them, 
 while we would be mocked and laughed at," said Louise, 
 sighing. 
 
 " It is true that the love of the poor gardener for the 
 beautiful Mademoiselle von Schwerin is only calculated 
 to excite ridicule," murmured Fritz Wendel ; " but that 
 shall and will be changed; I shall soon begin the new 
 career which I have planned for myself; my Louise need 
 then no longer blush for her lover, and my adoration for 
 her shall no longer be a cause of shame and humiliation. 
 I have a means by which I can purchase rank and posi- 
 tion, and I intend to employ this means." 
 
 " Pray tell me how ; let me know your plans," said 
 Louise. 
 
 He pointed with a cruel smile to the lovers in the 
 myrtle arbor. 
 . "This secret is my purchase money," said he, whisper-
 
 396 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 ing; "I shall betray them to the king; and he will give 
 me rank and wealth for this disclosure; for upon this 
 secret depends the future of Prussia. Let us, therefore, 
 listen attentively to what they say, that " 
 
 " No," said Louise, interrupting him with vivacity, 
 " we will not listen. It is cruel and ignoble to desire to 
 purchase our own happiness with the misery of others; 
 it is " 
 
 " For Heaven's sake be quiet and listen ! " said Fritz 
 Wendel, softly, laying his hand on her angry lips. 
 
 The conversation of the lovers in the myrtle arbor had 
 now taken another direction. Their eyes no longer 
 sparkled with delight, but had lost their lustre, and an ex- 
 pression of deep sadness rested on their features. 
 
 " Is it then really true ? " said Laura, mournfully ; 
 " you are affianced to the Princess of Brunswick ? " 
 
 " It is true," said the prince, in a low voice. " There 
 was no other means of securing and preserving our secret 
 than to seem to yield to the king's command, and to con- 
 sent to this alliance with a good grace. This cloak will 
 shield our love until we can acknowledge it before the 
 whole world; and that depends, my beloved, upon you 
 alone. Think of the vows of eternal love and fidelity we 
 have made to each other; remember that you have prom- 
 ised to be mine for all eternity, and to devote your whole 
 life to me; remember that you wear my engagement-ring 
 on your finger, and are my bride." 
 
 " And yet you are affianced to another, and wear an- 
 other engagement ring ! " 
 
 /' But this princess, to whom I have been affianced, 
 knows that I do not love her. I have opened my heart 
 to her; I told her that I loved you alone, and could never 
 love another; that no woman but Laura von Pannewitz 
 should ever be my wife; and she was generous enough to 
 give her assistance and consent to be considered my bride 
 until our union should no longer need this protection.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 397 
 
 And now, my dear Laura, I conjure you, by our love and 
 the happiness of our lives, yield to my ardent entreaties 
 and my fervent prayers; have the courage to defy the 
 world and its prejudices. Follow me, my beloved; flee 
 with me and consent to be my wife ! " 
 
 The glances with which he regarded her were so lov- 
 ing, so imploring, that Laura could not find in her heart 
 to offer decided resistance. Her own heart pleaded for 
 him; and now when she might altogether lose him if she 
 refused his request, now that he was affianced to an- 
 other, she was filled with a torturing jealousy; she was 
 now conscious that it would be easier to die than re- 
 nounce her lover. 
 
 But she still had the strength to battle with her own 
 weak heart, to desire to shut out the alluring voices which 
 resounded in her own breast. Like Odysseus, she tried 
 to be deaf to the sirens' voices which tempted her. But 
 she still heard them, and although she had found strength 
 to refuse her lover's prayers and entreaties to flee with 
 him, yet she could not repel his passionate appeals to her 
 to be his wife. 
 
 It was so sweet to listen to the music of his voice; 
 such bliss to lean her head on his shoulder, to look up 
 into his handsome countenance and to drink in the words 
 of ardent and devoted love which fell from his lips; to 
 know what he suffers is for your sake! It rests with you 
 to give him happiness or despair. She knew not that 
 the words which she drank in were coursing like fire 
 through her own veins, destroying her resolution and 
 turning her strength to ashes. 
 
 As he, at last, brought to despair by her silence and 
 resistance, burst into tears, and accused her of cruelty 
 and indifference, as she saw his noble countenance shad- 
 owed with pain and sorrow, she no longer found courage 
 to offer resistance, and throwing herself into his arms, 
 with a happy blush, she whispered:
 
 398 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Take me ; I am yours forever ! I accept you as my 
 master and husband. Your will shall be mine; what 
 you command I will obey; where you call me there will I 
 go; I will follow you to the ends of the earth, and noth- 
 ing but death shall hereafter separate us ! " 
 
 The prince pressed her closely and fervently to his 
 heart, and kissed her pure brow. 
 
 " God bless you, my darling ; God bless you for this 
 resolution." His voice was now firm and full, and his 
 countenance had assumed an expression of tranquillity 
 and energy. He was no longer the sighing, despairing 
 lover, but a determined man, who knew what his wishes 
 were, and had the courage and energy to carry them into 
 execution. 
 
 Fritz Wendel pressed Louise more closely to his side, 
 and whispered : 
 
 " You say that Laura is an angel of virtue and mod- 
 esty, and yet she has not the cruel courage to resist her 
 lover; she yields to his entreaties, and is determined to 
 flee with him. Will you be less kind and humane than 
 this tender, modest Laura? Oh, Louise, you should also 
 follow your tender, womanly heart; flee with me and 
 become my wife. I will conceal you, and then go to 
 those who would now reject my suit scornfully, and dic- 
 tate terms to them." 
 
 " I will do as she does," whispered Louise, with glow- 
 ing cheeks. " What Laura can do, I may also do ; if 
 she flies with her lover, I will fly with you ; if she 
 becomes his wife, I will be yours. But let us be quiet, 
 and listen." 
 
 " And now, my Laura, listen attentively to every word 
 I utter," said Prince Augustus William, gravely. "I 
 have made all the necessary preparations, and in a week 
 you will be my wife. There is a good and pious divine 
 on one of my estates who is devoted to me. He has 
 promised to perform the marriage ceremony. On leav-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 399 
 
 ing Berlin we will first flee to him, and our union will 
 receive his blessing in the village church at night; a 
 carriage will await us at the door, which, with fresh re- 
 lays of horses, will rapidly conduct us to the Prussian 
 boundary. I have already obtained from my friend the 
 English ambassador a passport, which will carry us safely 
 to England under assumed names; once there, my uncle, 
 the King of England, will not refuse his protection and 
 assistance; and by his intercession we will be reconciled 
 to the king my brother. When he sees that our union has 
 been accomplished, he will give up all useless attempts to 
 separate us." 
 
 " But he can and will punish you for this ; you will 
 thereby forfeit your right of succession to the throne, 
 and for my sake you will be forced to renounce your 
 proud and brilliant future." 
 
 " I shall not regret it," said the prince, smiling. " I 
 do not long for a crown, and will not purchase this bauble 
 of earthly magnificence at the expense of my happiness 
 and my love. And perhaps I have not the strength, the 
 talent, or the power of intellect to be a ruler. It suffices 
 me to rule in your heart, and be a monarch in the king- 
 dom of your love. If I can therefore purchase the un- 
 contested possession of my beloved by renouncing all 
 claims to the throne, I shall do so with joy and without 
 the slightest regret." 
 
 " But I, poor, humble, weak girl that I am, how can I 
 make good the loss you will sustain for my sake ? " asked 
 Laura. 
 
 " Your love will be more than a compensation. You 
 must now lay aside all doubt and indecision. You know 
 our plans for the future. On my part all the preliminary 
 measures have been taken ; you should also make whatever 
 preparations are necessary. It is Hartwig, the curate of " 
 Oranienburg, who is to marry us. Send the necessary 
 apparel and whatever you most need to him, without a
 
 400 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 word or message. The curate has already been advised 
 of their arrival, and will retain the trunks unopened. On 
 next Tuesday, a week from to-day, the king will give a 
 ball. For two days previous to this ball you will keep 
 your room on the plea of sickness ; this will be a sufficient 
 excuse for your not accompanying the queen. I shall ac- 
 cept the invitation, but will not appear at the ball, and 
 will await you at the castle gate of Monbijou. At eight 
 o'clock the ball commences; at nine you will leave your 
 room and the castle, at the gate of which I will receive 
 you. At a short distance from the gate a carriage will 
 be in readiness to convey us to Oranienburg, where we 
 will stop before the village church. There we will find a 
 preacher standing before the altar, ready to perform the 
 ceremony, and when this is accomplished we will enter 
 another carriage which will rapidly convey us to Ham- 
 burg, where we will find a ship, hired by the English am- 
 bassador, ready to take us to England. You see, dear 
 Laura, that every thing has been well considered, and 
 nothing can interfere with our plans, now that we under- 
 stand each other. In a week, therefore, remember, 
 Laura." 
 
 "In a week," she whispered. "I have no will but 
 yours." 
 
 " Until then we will neither see nor speak with each 
 other, that no thoughtless Word may excite suspicion in 
 the breasts of the spies who surround us. We must give 
 each other no word, no message, no letter, or sign; but 
 I will await you at the castle gate at nine o'clock on next 
 Tuesday, and you will not let me wait in vain." 
 
 " No, you shall not wait in vain," whispered Laura, 
 with a happy smile, hiding her blushing face on the breast 
 of her lover. 
 
 " And you, will you let me wait in vain ? " asked Fritz 
 Wendel, raising Louise's head from his breast, and gaz- 
 ing on her glowing and dreamy countenance.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 401 
 
 " No, I shall not let you wait in vain," said Louise von 
 Schwerin. " We will also have our carriage, only we will 
 leave a little sooner than the prince and Laura. We will 
 also drive to Oranienburg, and await the prince before 
 the door of the church. We will tell him we knew his 
 secret and did not betray him. We will acknowledge our 
 love, Laura will intercede for us, and the preacher will 
 have to perform the ceremony for two couples instead of 
 one. We will then accompany the prince and his wife 
 in their flight to England; from there the prince will ob- 
 tain pardon of the king, and we the forgiveness of my 
 family. Oh, this is a splendid, a magnificent plan! 
 a flight, a secret marriage at night, and a long journey. 
 This will be quite like the charming romances which I 
 am so fond of, and mine will be a fantastic and adventu- 
 rous life. But what is that ? " said she. " Did you hear 
 nothing? It seems to me I heard a noise as of some one 
 opening the outer door of the conservatory." 
 
 " Be still," murmured Fritz Wendel, " I heard it also ; 
 let us therefore be on our guard." 
 
 The prince and Laura had also heard this noise, and 
 were listening in breathless terror, their glances fastened 
 on the door. Perhaps it was only the wind which had 
 moved the outer door; perhaps but no, the door opened 
 noiselessly, and a tall female figure cautiously entered 
 the saloon. 
 
 " The queen ! " whispered Laura, trembling. 
 
 " My mother ! " murmured the prince, anxiously look- 
 ing around for some means of escape. He now perceived 
 the dark grotto, and pointing rapidly toward it, he whis- 
 pered : " Quick, quick, conceal yourself there. I will re- 
 main and await my mother." 
 
 The stately figure of the queen could already be seen 
 rapidly advancing through the flowers and shrubbery, and 
 now her sparkling eye and proud and angry face were 
 visible.
 
 402 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Quick," whispered the prince, " conceal yourself, or 
 we are lost ! " 
 
 Laura slipped hastily behind the myrtle and laurel 
 foliage and attained the asylum of the grotto, unob- 
 served by the queen; she entered and leaned tremblingly 
 against the inner wall. Blinded by the sudden darkness, 
 she could see nothing, and she was almost benumbed with 
 terror. 
 
 Suddenly she heard a low, whispering voice at her 
 side : " Laura, dear Laura, fear nothing. We are true 
 friends, who know your secret, and desire to assist you." 
 
 " Follow me, mademoiselle," whispered another voice ; 
 " confide in us as we confide in you. We know your 
 secret; you shall learn ours. Give me your hand; I will 
 conduct you from this place noiselessly and unobserved, 
 and you can then return to the castle." 
 
 Laura hardly knew what she was doing. She was gen- 
 tly drawn forward, and saw at her side a smiling girlish 
 face, and now she recognized the little maid of honor, 
 Louise von Schwerin. 
 
 " Louise," said she, in a low voice, " what does all this 
 mean?" 
 
 " Be still," she whispered ; " follow him down the stair- 
 way. Farewell ! I will remain and cover the retreat." 
 
 Louise now hastily concealed the opening through 
 which Fritz Wendel and Laura had disappeared, and 
 then slipped noiselessly back to the grotto, and concealed 
 herself behind the shrubbery at its entrance, so that she 
 could see and hear every thing that took place. 
 
 It was in truth Queen Sophia Dorothea, who had dis- 
 missed her attendants and come alone to the conservatory 
 at this unusual hour. 
 
 This was the time at which the queen's maids of honor 
 were not on service, and were at liberty to do as they 
 pleased. The queen had been in the habit of reposing at 
 this time, but to-day she could not find rest; annoyed
 
 AND HIS COURT. 403 
 
 at her sleeplessness, she had arisen, and in walking up 
 and down had stepped to the window and looked dream- 
 ily down into the still and desolate garden. Then it was 
 that she thought she saw a female figure passing hurried- 
 ly down the avenue. It must have been one of her maids 
 of honor; and although the queen had not recognized her, 
 she was convinced that it was none other than Laura von 
 Pannewitz, and that she was now going to a rendezvous 
 with her unknown lover, whom the queen had hitherto 
 vainly endeavored to discover. The queen called her 
 waiting-maids to her assistance, and putting on her 
 furs and hood, she told them she felt a desire to take a 
 solitary walk in the garden, and that none of her attend- 
 ants should be called, with which she hurried into the 
 garden, following the same path which the veiled lady had 
 taken. She followed the foot-tracks in the snow to the 
 conservatory, and entered without hesitation, determined 
 to discover the secret of her maid of honor, and to punish 
 her. 
 
 It was fortunate for the poor lovers that the increasing 
 corpulence of the queen and her swollen right foot ren- 
 dered her advance rather slow, so that when she at last 
 reached the lower end of the conservatory she found no 
 one there but her son Augustus William, whose embar- 
 rassed and constrained reception of herself convinced 
 the queen that her appearance was not only a sur- 
 prise, but also a disagreeable one. She therefore de- 
 manded of him with severity the cause of his unexpected 
 and unusual visit to her conservatory; and when Augus- 
 tus William smilingly replied 
 
 " That he had awaited here the queen's awakening, in 
 order that he might pay his visit " 
 
 The queen asked abruptly : " And who, my son, helped 
 to dispel the ennui of this tedious waiting ? " 
 
 "No one, my dear mother," said the prince; but he 
 did not dare to meet his mother's penetrating glance.
 
 404 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 "No one?" repeated she; "but I heard you speaking 
 on entering the conservatory." 
 
 " You know, your majesty, that I have inherited the 
 habit of speaking aloud to myself from my father," re- 
 plied the prince, with a constrained smile. 
 
 " The king my husband did not cease speaking when I 
 made my appearance," exclaimed the queen, angrily ; " he 
 had no secrets to hide from me." 
 
 " The thoughts of my royal father were grand, and 
 worthy of the sympathy of Queen Sophia Dorothea," said 
 the prince, bowing low. 
 
 " God forbid that the thoughts of his son should be 
 of another and less worthy character ! " exclaimed the 
 queen. " My sons should, at least, be too proud to soil 
 their lips with an untruth; and if they have the courage 
 to do wrong, they should also find courage to acknowl- 
 edge it." 
 
 " I do not understand you, my dear mother ; " and 
 meeting her penetrating glance with quiet composure, 
 he continued, " I am conscious of no wrong, and conse- 
 quently have none to acknowledge." 
 
 " This is an assurance which deserves to be un- 
 masked," exclaimed the queen, who could no longer sup- 
 press her anger. " You must know, prince, that I am not 
 to be deceived by your seeming candor and youthful arro- 
 gance. I know that you were not alone, for I myself saw 
 the lady coming here who kept you company while await- 
 ing me, and I followed her to this house." 
 
 " Then it seems that your majesty has followed a fata 
 morgana" said the prince, with a forced smile; "for, 
 as you see, I am alone, and no one else is present in the 
 conservatory." 
 
 But even while speaking, the prince glanced involun- 
 tarily toward the grotto which concealed his secret. 
 
 The Queen Sophia Dorothea caught this glance, and 
 divined its meaning.
 
 AND HIS COURT. 405 
 
 " There is no one in the saloon, and it now remains to 
 examine the grotto," said she, stepping forward hastily. 
 
 The prince seized her hand, and endeavored to hold 
 her back. 
 
 " I conjure you, mother, do not go too far in your 
 suspicion and your examinations. Remember that your 
 suspicion wounds me." 
 
 The queen gave him a proud, angry glance. 
 
 " I am here on my own property," said she, withdraw- 
 ing her hand, " and no one shall oppose my will." 
 
 " Well, then, madame, follow your inclination," said 
 the prince, with a resolute air ; " I wished to spare you 
 an annoyance. Let discord and sorrow come over us, 
 if your majesty will have it so ; and as you are inexorable, 
 you will also find me firm and resolute. Examine the 
 grotto, if you will." 
 
 He offered her his arm and conducted her to the 
 grotto. Sophia Dorothea felt disarmed by her son's reso- 
 lute bearing, and she was almost convinced that she had 
 done him injustice, and that no one was concealed in the 
 grotto. With a benignant smile she had turned to her 
 son, to say a few soothing words, when she heard a low 
 rustle among the shrubbery, and saw something white 
 flitting through the foliage. 
 
 " And you say, my son, that I was deceived by a f at a 
 morgana," exclaimed the queen, hurrying forward with 
 outstretched arm. " Come, my young lady, and save us 
 and yourself the shame of drawing you forcibly from 
 your hiding-place." 
 
 The queen had not been mistaken. Something moved 
 among the shrubbery, and now a female figure stepped 
 forth and threw herself at the feet of the queen. 
 
 " Pardon, your majesty, pardon ! I am innocent of 
 any intention to intrude on your majesty's privacy. I 
 had fallen asleep in this grotto, and awoke when it was 
 too late to escape, as your majesty was already at the
 
 406 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 entrance of the conservatory. In this manner I have 
 been an involuntary witness of your conversation. This 
 is my whole fault." 
 
 The queen listened with astonishment, while the 
 prince regarded with consternation the kneeling girl who 
 had been found here in the place of his Laura. 
 
 " This is not the voice of Mademoiselle von Panne- 
 witz," said the queen, as she passed out into the light, 
 and commanded the kneeling figure to follow her, that she 
 might see her face. The lady arose and stepped forward. 
 " Louise von Schwerin ! " exclaimed the queen and the 
 prince at the same time, while the little maid of honor 
 folded her hands imploringly, and said, with an expres- 
 sion of childish innocence : 
 
 " O your majesty, have compassion with me ! Yes- 
 terday's ball made me so very tired; and as your majes- 
 ty was sleeping, I thought I would come here and sleep 
 a little too, although I had not forgotten that your 
 majesty was not pleased to have us visit this conserva- 
 tory alone." 
 
 Sophia Dorothea did not honor her with a glance; 
 her eyes rested on her son with an expression of severity 
 and scorn. 
 
 " Really, I had a better opinion of you," said she. 
 " It is no great achievement to mislead a child, and one 
 that is altogether unworthy of a royal prince." 
 
 " My mother," exclaimed the prince, indignantly, 
 " you do not believe " 
 
 " I believe what I see," said the queen, interrupting 
 him. " Have done with your assurances of innocence, 
 and bow to the truth, which has judged you in spite of 
 your denial. And you, my young lady, will accompany 
 me, and submit to my commands in silence, and without 
 excuses. Come, and assume a cheerful and uncon- 
 strained air, if you please. I do not wish my court to 
 hear of this scandal, and to read your guilt in your terri-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 407 
 
 fied countenance. I shall take care that you do not be- 
 tray your guilt in words. Come." 
 
 The prince looked after them with an expression of 
 confusion and astonishment. " Well, no matter how this 
 riddle is solved," murmured he, after the queen had left 
 the conservatory with her maid of honor, " Laura is safe 
 at all events, and in a week we will flee." 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE COUNTERMINE. 
 
 THREE days had slowly passed by, and Fritz Wendel 
 waited in vain for a sign or message from his beloved. 
 He groped his way every day through the subterranean 
 alley to the grotto, and stood every night under her win- 
 dow, hoping in vain for a signal or soft whisper from her. 
 
 The windows were always curtained and motionless, 
 and no one could give the unhappy gardener any news 
 of the poor Louise von Schwerin, who was closely con- 
 fined in her room, and confided to the special guard of 
 a faithful chambermaid. 
 
 The queen told her ladies that Louise was suffering 
 from an infectious disease; the queen's physician con- 
 firmed this opinion, and cautioned the ladies of the court 
 against any communication with the poor invalid. No 
 special command was therefore necessary to keep the 
 maids of honor away from the prisoner; she was utterly 
 neglected, and her old companions passed her door with 
 flying steps. But the queen, as it appeared, did not fear 
 this contagion ; she was seen to enter the sick girl's room 
 every day, and to remain a long time. The tender sympa- 
 thy of the queen excited the admiration of the whole
 
 408 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 court, and no one guessed what torturing anxiety op- 
 pressed the heart of the poor prisoner whenever the queen 
 entered the room; no one heard the stern, hard, threat- 
 ening words of Sophia; no one supposed that she came, 
 not to nurse the sick girl, but to overwhelm her with 
 reproaches. 
 
 Louise withstood all the menaces and upbraidings of 
 the queen bravely; she had the courage to appear unem- 
 barrassed, and, except to reiterate her innocence, to re- 
 main perfectly silent. She knew well that she could not 
 betray Laura without compromising herself; she knew 
 that if the queen discovered the mysterious flight of 
 Laura, she would, at the same time, be informed of her 
 love affair with the poor gardener, and of their secret as- 
 signations. Louise feared that she would be made laugh- 
 able and ridiculous by this exposure, and this fear made 
 her resolute and decided, and enabled her to bear her 
 weary imprisonment patiently. " I cannot be held a pris- 
 oner for ever," she said to herself. " If I confess noth- 
 ing, the queen must at last be convinced of my innocence, 
 and set me at liberty." 
 
 But Fritz Wendel was less patient than his cunning 
 Louise. He could no longer support this torture; and 
 as the fourth day brought no intelligence, and no trace of 
 Louise, he was determined to dare the worst, and, like 
 Alexander, to cut the gordian knot which he could not 
 untie. With bold decision he entered the castle and de- 
 manded to speak with the king, stating that he had im- 
 portant discoveries to make known. 
 
 The king received him instantly, and at Fritz Wen- 
 del's request dismissed his adjutants. 
 
 " Now we are without witnesses, speak," said the king. 
 
 " I know a secret, your majesty, which concerns the 
 honour and the future of the royal family; and you will 
 graciously pardon me when I say I will not sell this secret 
 except for a great price."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 409 
 
 The king's eyes rested upon the impudent face of 
 Fritz Wendel with a dangerous expression. " Name 
 your price," said he, " but think well. If your secret is 
 not worth the price you demand, you may perhaps pay 
 for it with your head, certainly with your liberty." 
 
 " My secret is of the greatest value, for it will save 
 the dynasty of the Hohenzollerns," said Fritz Wendel, 
 boldly ; " but I will sell it to your majesty I will dis- 
 close it only after you have graciously promised me my 
 price." 
 
 " Before I do that I must know your conditions," said 
 the king, with difficulty subduing his rage. 
 
 " I demand for myself a major's commission, and the 
 hand of Mademoiselle von Schwerin." 
 
 In the beginning the king looked at the bold speaker 
 with angry amazement; soon, however, his glance became 
 kind and pitiful. " I have to do with a madman," thought 
 he; "I will be patient, and give way to his humor. I 
 grant you your price," said he ; " speak on." 
 
 So Fritz Wendel began. He made known the en- 
 gagement of the prince; he explained the plan of flight; 
 he was so clear, so exact in all his statements, that Fred- 
 erick soon saw he was no maniac; that these were no 
 pictures of a disordered brain, but a threatening, fright- 
 ful reality. 
 
 When the gardener had closed, the king, his arms 
 folded across his back, walked several times backward and 
 forward through the room; then suddenly stopped before 
 Fritz Wendel, and seemed, with his sharp glance, to 
 probe the bottom of his soul. 
 
 " Can you write ? " said the king. 
 
 " I can write German, French, English, and Latin," 
 said he, proudly. 
 
 " Seat yourself there, and write what I shall dictate 
 in German. Does Mademoiselle von Schwerin know 
 
 your hand ? " 
 27
 
 410 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " Sire, she has received at least twenty letters from 
 me." 
 
 " Then write now, as I shall dictate, the one-and- 
 twentieth." 
 
 It was a short, laconic, but tender and impressive love- 
 letter, which Frederick dictated. Fritz Wendel im- 
 plored his beloved to keep her promise, and on the same 
 day in which the prince would fly with Laura to escape 
 with him to Oranienburg, to entreat the protection of the 
 prince, and through his influence to induce the priest to 
 perform the marriage ceremony; he fixed the time and 
 hour of flight, and besought her to leave the castle 
 punctually, and follow him, without fear, who would be 
 found waiting for her at the castle gate. 
 
 ' Now, sign it," said the king, " and fold it as you are 
 accustomed to do. Give me the letter; I will see that it 
 is delivered." 
 
 'And my price, majesty," said Fritz, for the first 
 time trembling. 
 
 The king's clouded brow threatened a fearful storm. 
 " You shall have the price which your treachery and 
 your madness has earned," said Frederick, in that tone 
 which made all who heard it tremble. " Yes, you shall 
 have what you have earned, and what your daring in- 
 solence deserves. Were all these things true which you 
 have related with so bold a brow, you would deserve to be 
 hung; you would have committed a twofold crime! 
 have been the betrayer of a royal prince have watched 
 him like a base spy, and listened to his secrets, in order to 
 sell them, and sought to secure your own happiness by the 
 misery of two noble souls! You would have committed 
 the shameful and unpardonable crime of misleading an 
 innocent child, who, by birth, rank, and education, is 
 eternally separated from you. Happily for you, all this 
 romance is the birth of your sick fancy. I will not, 
 therefore, punish you, but I will cure you, as fools and
 
 AND HIS COURT. 411 
 
 madmen are cured; I will send you to a madhouse until 
 your senses are restored, and you confess that this wild 
 story is the picture of your disordered brain until you 
 swear that these are bold lies with which you have abused 
 my patience. The restored invalid will receive my for- 
 giveness the obstinate culprit, never ! " 
 
 The king rang the bell, and said to his adjutants, 
 " Take this man out, and deliver him to the nearest senti- 
 nels; command them to place him at once in the mili- 
 tary hospital; he is to be secured in the wards prepared 
 for madmen no man shall speak with him; and if he 
 utters any wild and senseless tales, I am to be informed 
 of it." 
 
 " Oh, sire ! pardon, pardon ! Send me not into the 
 insane asylum. I will retract all; I will believe that all 
 this is false; that I have only dreamed that " 
 
 The king nodded to his adjutants, and they dragged 
 the sobbing, praying gardener from the room, and gave 
 him to the watch. 
 
 The king looked after him sadly. "And Providence 
 makes use <>f such pitiful men to control the fate of 
 nations," said he. " A miserable garden-boy and a 
 shameless maid of honor are the chosen instruments to 
 serve the dynasty of the Hohenzollerns, and to rob the 
 prince royal of Prussia of his earthly happiness! Upon 
 what weak, fine threads hang the majesty and worth of 
 kings ! Alas, how often wretched and powerless man 
 looks out from under the purple! In spite of all my 
 power and greatness in spite of my army, the prince 
 would have flown, and committed a crime, that perhaps 
 God and his conscience might have pardoned, but his 
 king never! Poor William, you will pay .dearly for this 
 short, sweet dream of love, and your heart and its illu- 
 sions will be trodden under foot, even as mine have been. 
 Yes, alas! it is scarcely nine years, and it seems to me 
 I am a hundred years older that heavy blocks of ice are
 
 412 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 encamped about my heart, and I know that, day by day, 
 this ice will become harder. The world will do its part 
 this poor race of men, whom I would so gladly love, and 
 whom I am learning daily to despise more and more ! " 
 
 He walked slowly to and fro; his face was shadowed 
 by melancholy. In a short time he assumed his wonted 
 expression, and, raising his head, his eyes beamed with a 
 noble fire. 
 
 " I will not be cruel ! If I must destroy his happiness, 
 it shall not be trodden under foot as common dust and 
 ashes. Alas, alas! how did they deal with me? My 
 friend was led to execution, and a poor innocent child 
 was stripped and horsewhipped through the streets, be- 
 cause she dared to love the crown prince! No, no; 
 Laura von Pannewitz shall not share the fate of Dorris 
 Hitter. I must destroy the happiness of my brother, but 
 I will not cover his love with shame ! " 
 
 So saying, the king rang, and ordered his carriage to 
 be brought round. He placed the letter, which he had 
 dictated to Fritz Wendel, in his pocket, and drove rapidly 
 to the queen-mother's palace. > 
 
 Frederick had a long and secret interview with his 
 mother. The ladies in the next room heard the loud and 
 angry voice of the queen, but they could not distinguish 
 her words. It seemed to them that she was weeping, not 
 from sorrow or pain, but from rage and scorn, for now 
 and then they heard words of menace, and her voice was 
 harsh. At last, a servant was directed to summon Made- 
 moiselle von Pannewitz to the presence of the queen. 
 
 He soon returned, stating that Mademoiselle Laura's 
 room was empty, and that she had gone to Schonhausen 
 to visit Queen Elizabeth Christine. 
 
 " I will follow her there myself," said the king, " and 
 your majesty may rest assured that Queen Elizabeth will 
 assist us to separate these unhappy lovers as gently as 
 possible."
 
 AND HIS COURT. 413 
 
 " Ah, you pity them still, my son ? " said the queen, 
 shrugging her shoulders. 
 
 " Yes, madame, I pity all those who are forced to sac- 
 rifice their noblest, purest feelings to princely rank. I 
 pity them; but I cannot allow them to forget their 
 duty." 
 
 Laura von Pannewitz had lived through sad and 
 weary days since her last interview with the prince. The 
 enthusiasm and exaltation of her passion had soon been 
 followed by repentance. The prince's eloquent words 
 had lost their power of conviction, now that she was no 
 more subject to the magic of his glance and his imposing 
 beauty. He stood no longer before her, in the confidence 
 of youth, to banish doubts and despair from her soul, and 
 convince her of the justification of their love. 
 
 Laura was now fully conscious that she was about to 
 commit a great crime that, in the weakness of her 
 love, she was about to rob the prince of his future, of his 
 glory and power. She said to herself that it would be 
 a greater and nobler proof of her love to offer up herself 
 and her happiness to the prince, than to accept from him 
 the sacrifice of his birthright. But in the midst of these 
 reproaches and this repentance she saw ever before her the 
 sorrowful face of her beloved she heard his dear voice 
 imploring her to follow him to be his. 
 
 Laura, in the anguish of her soul and the remorse of 
 conscience, had flown for refuge to the gentle, noble 
 Queen Elizabeth, who had promised her help and consola- 
 tion when the day of her trial should come. She had 
 hastened, therefore, to Schonhausen, sure of the tender 
 sympathy of her royal friend. 
 
 As Laura's carriage entered the castle court, the car- 
 riage of the king drew up at the garden gate. He com- 
 manded the coachman to drive slowly away, and then 
 stepped alone into the garden. He walked hastily 
 through the park, and drew near to the little side door of
 
 414 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 the palace, which led through lonely corridors and unoccu- 
 pied rooms, to the chamber of the queen. He knew that 
 Elizabeth only used this door when she wished to take her 
 solitary walk in the park. The king wished to escape the 
 curious and wondering observations of the attendants, 
 and to surprise the queen and Laura von Pannewitz. 
 He stepped on quietly, and, without being seen, reached 
 the queen's rooms, convinced that he would find them in 
 the boudoir. He was about to raise the portiere which 
 separated it from the ante-room, when he was arrested by 
 the voices of women; one piteous and full of tears, the 
 other sorrowful but comforting. The king let the por- 
 tiere fall, and seated himself noiselessly near the door. 
 
 " Let us listen awhile," said the king ; " the women 
 are always coquetting when in the presence of men. We 
 will listen to them when they think themselves alone. I 
 will in this way become acquainted with this dangerous 
 Laura, and learn better, than by a long interview, how I 
 can influence her. 
 
 The king leaned his head upon his stick, and fixed his 
 piercing eyes upon the heavy velvet portiere, behind which 
 two weak women were now perhaps deciding the fate of 
 the dynasty of Hohenzollern. 
 
 " Madame," said Laura, " the blossoms of our happi- 
 ness are already faded and withered, and our love is on 
 the brink of the grave." 
 
 " Poor Laura ! " said the queen, with a weary smile, 
 "it needed no gift of prophecy to foretell that. No 
 flowers bloom around a throne; thorns only grow in that 
 fatal soil ! Your young eyes were blinded by magic ; 
 you mistook these thorns for blossoms. Alas! I have 
 wounded my heart with them, and I hope that it will 
 bleed to death ! " 
 
 ' O queen, if you knew my doubts and my despair, 
 you would have pity with me; you would not be so cruel 
 as to command me to sacrifice my love and my happiness !
 
 AND HIS COURT. 415 
 
 My happiness is his, and my love is but the echo of his 
 own. If it was only a question of trampling upon my 
 own foolish wishes, I would not listen to the cry of my 
 soul. But the prince loves me. Oh, madame, think how 
 great and strong this love must be, when I have the cour- 
 age to boast of it! yes, he loves me; and when I forsake 
 him, I will not suffer alone. He will also be wretched, 
 and his tears and his despair will torture my heart. How 
 can I deceive him? Oh, madame, I cannot bear that his 
 lips should curse me ! " 
 
 " Yield him up now," said the queen, " and a day will 
 come when he will bless you for it; a day in which he 
 will confess that your love was great, was holy, that you 
 sacrificed yourself and all earthly happiness freely, in 
 order to spare him the wretchedness of future days. He 
 loves you now, dearly, fondly, but a day will come in 
 which he will demand of you his future, his greatness, his 
 royal crown, all of which he gave up for you. He will re- 
 proach you for then having accepted this great sacrifice, 
 and he will never forgive you for your weakness in yield- 
 ing to his wishes. Believe me, Laura, in the hearts of men 
 there lives but one eternal passion, and that is ambition. 
 Love to them is only the amusement of the passing hour, 
 nothing more." 
 
 " Oh, madame, if that is so, would God that I might 
 die ; life is not worth the trouble of living ! " cried Laura, 
 weeping bitterly. 
 
 " Life, my poor child, is not a joy which we can set 
 aside, but a duty which we must bear patiently. You 
 cannot trample upon this duty; and if your grief is 
 strong, so must your will be stronger." 
 
 " What shall I do ? What name do you give the duty 
 which I must take upon myself ? " cried Laura, with trem- 
 bling lips. " I put my fate in your hands. What shall 
 I do?" 
 
 " You must overcome yourself ; you must conquer
 
 416 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 your love ; you must follow the voice of conscience, which 
 brought you to me for counsel." 
 
 " Oh, my queen, you know not what you ask ! Your 
 calm, pure heart knows nothing of love." 
 
 " You say that I know nothing of love ? " cried the 
 queen, passionately. " You know not that my life is one 
 great anguish, a never-ceasing self-sacrifice! Yes, I am 
 the victim of love a sadder, more helpless, more tortur- 
 ing love than you, Laura, can ever know. I love, and am 
 not beloved. What I now confess to you is known only 
 to God, and I tell you in order to console you, and give 
 you strength to accept your fate bravely. I suffer, I am 
 wretched, although I am a queen! I love my husband; 
 I love him with the absorbing passion of a young girl, 
 with the anguish which the damned must feel when they 
 stand at the gates of Paradise, and dare not enter in. 
 My thoughts, my heart, my soul belong to him ; but he is 
 not mine. He stands with a cold heart near my glowing 
 bosom, and while with rapture of love I would throw my- 
 self upon his breast, I must clasp my arms together and 
 hold them still, and must seek and find an icy glance with 
 which to answer his. Look you, there was a time when I 
 believed it impossible to bear all this torture; a time in 
 which my youth struggled like Tantalus ; a time in which 
 my pride revolted at this love, with its shame and humil- 
 iation; in which I would have given my crown to buy 
 the right to fly into some lonely desert, and give myself 
 up to tears. The king demanded that I should remain at 
 his side, not as his wife, but as his queen ; ever near him, 
 but forever separated from him; unpitied and misunder- 
 stood; envied by fools, and thought happy by the world! 
 And, Laura, oh, I loved him so dearly that I found 
 strength to bear even this torture, and he knows not that 
 my heart is being hourly crushed at the foot of his 
 throne. I draw the royal purple over my wounded bosom, 
 and it sometimes seems to me that my heart's blood gives
 
 AND HIS COURT. 417 
 
 this ruddy color to my mantle. Now, Laura, do I know 
 nothing of love? do I not understand the greatness of 
 the sacrifice which I demand of you ? " 
 
 The queen, her face bathed in tears, opened her arms, 
 and Laura threw herself upon her bosom; their sighs and 
 tears were mingled. 
 
 The king sat in the ante-room, with pale face and 
 clouded eyes. He bowed his head, as if in adoration, and 
 suddenly a glittering brilliant, bright as a star, and no- 
 bler and more precious than all the jewels of this sorrow- 
 ful world, fell upon his pallid cheek. " Truly," said he 
 to himself, "there Is something great and exalted in a 
 woman's nature. I bow down in humility before this 
 great soul, but my heart, alas ! cannot be forced to love. 
 The dead cannot be awakened, and that which is shrouded 
 and buried can never more be brought to life and light ! " 
 
 "You have conquered, my queen," said Laura, after 
 a long pause ; " I will be worthy of your esteem and 
 friendship. That day shall never come in which my 
 lover shall reproach me with selfishness and weakness! 
 ' I am ready to be offered up ! ' I will not listen to him ; I 
 will not flee with him; and while I know that he is wait- 
 ing for me, I will cast myself in your arms, and beseech 
 you to pray to God for me, that He would send Death, his 
 messenger of love and mercy, to relieve me from my tor- 
 ments." 
 
 " Not so, my Laura," said the queen ; " you must 
 make no half offering; it is not enough to renounce your 
 lover, you must build up between yourselves an everlast- 
 ing wall of separation; you must make this separation 
 eternal ! You must marry, and thus set the prince a 
 noble example of self-control." 
 
 " Marry ! " cried Laura ; " can you demand this of 
 me? Marry without love! Alas, alas! The prince will 
 charge me with inconstancy and treachery to him, and I 
 must bear that in silence."
 
 418 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " But I will not be silent," said the queen, " I will tell 
 him of your grief and of the greatness of your soul ; and 
 when he ceases, as he must do, to look upon you as his 
 beloved, he will honor you as the protecting angel of his 
 existence." 
 
 " You promise me that. You will say to him that I 
 was not faithless that I gave him up because I loved 
 him more than I did myself; I seemed faithless only to 
 secure his happiness ! " 
 
 " I promise you that, Laura." 
 
 " Well, then, I bow my head under the yoke I yield 
 to my fate I accept the hand which Count Voss offers 
 me. I ask that you will go to the queen-mother and say 
 I submit to her commands I will become the wife of 
 Count Voss I " 
 
 " And I will lead you to the queen and to the altar," 
 said the king, raising the portiere, and showing himself 
 to the ladies, who stared at him in breathless silence. 
 The king drew nearer to Laura, and bowing low, he said : 
 " Truly my brother is to be pitied, that he is only a prince, 
 and not a freeman ; for a pitiful throne, he must give up 
 the holiest and noblest possession, the pure heart of a fair 
 woman, glowing with love for him! And yet men think 
 that we, the princes of the world, are to be envied 1 They 
 are dazzled by the crown, but they see not the thorns with 
 which our brows are beset 1 You, Laura, will never envy 
 us ; but on that day when you see my brother in his royal 
 mantle and his crown when his subjects shout for joy 
 and call him their king then can you say to yourself, ' It 
 was I who made him king I anointed him with my 
 tears ! ' and when his people honor and bless him, you can 
 rejoice also in the thought, ' This is the fruit of the 
 strength of my love ! ' Come, I will myself conduct you 
 to my mother, and I will say to her that I would con- 
 sider myself happy to call you sister." Turning to Queen 
 Elizabeth, he said: "I will say to my mother that Made-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 419 
 
 .moiselle von Pannewitz has not yielded to my power or 
 my commands, but to the persuasive eloquence of your 
 majesty, when the people of Prussia have for years con- 
 sidered their protecting angel, and who from this time 
 onward must be regarded as the guardian spirit of our 
 royal house ! " 
 
 He reached his hand to the queen, but she took it not. 
 Trembling fearfully, with the paleness of death in her 
 face, she pointed to the portiere and said, " You were 
 there you heard all ! " 
 
 The king, his countenance beaming with respectful 
 admiration, drew near the queen, and placing his arm 
 around her neck, he whispered, " Yes, I was there I 
 heard all. I heard, and I know that I am a poor, blind 
 man, to whom a kingdom is offered, a treasure-house of 
 love and all good gifts, and I cannot, alas! cannot ac- 
 cept it!" 
 
 The queen uttered a loud cry, and her weary head 
 dropped upon his shoulder. The king gazed silently into 
 the pale and sorrowful face, and a ray of infinite pity 
 beamed in his eyes. " I have discovered to-day a noble 
 secret a secret that God alone was worthy to know. 
 From this day I consider myself as the high priest of the 
 holiest of holies, and I will guard this secret as my great- 
 est treasure. I swear this to you, and I seal my oath with 
 this kiss pressed upon your lips by one who will never 
 again embrace a woman ! " He bowed low, and pressed 
 a fervent kiss upon the lips of the queen. Elizabeth, who 
 had borne her misfortunes bravely, had not the power 
 to withstand the sweet joy of this moment; she uttered 
 a loud cry, and sank insensible to the floor. When she 
 awoke she was alone ; the king had called her maids had 
 conducted Laura von Pannewitz to the carriage, and re- 
 turned to Berlin. Elizabeth was again alone alone with 
 her thoughts with her sorrows and her love. But a holy 
 fire was in her eyes, and raising them toward Heaven,
 
 420 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 she whispered : " I thank thee, O heavenly Father, for the 
 happiness of this hour! I feel his kiss upon my lips! by 
 that kiss they are consecrated! Never, never will they 
 utter one murmuring word ! " She arose and entered 
 her cabinet, with a soft smile; she drew near to a table 
 which stood by the window, and gazed at a beautiful 
 landscape, and the crayons, etc., etc., which lay upon it. 
 " He shall think of me from time to time," whispered she. 
 " For his sake I will become an. artist and a writer ; I 
 will be something more than a neglected queen. He 
 shall see my books upon his table and my paintings on his 
 wall. Will I not then compel him sometimes to think of 
 me with pride ? " 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 THE SURPRISE. 
 
 THE day after the queen-mother's interview with the 
 king, the court was surprised by the intelligence that the 
 physician had mistaken the malady of Louise von 
 Schwerin; that it was not scarlet fever, as had been sup- 
 posed, but some simple eruption, from which she was 
 now entirely restored. 
 
 The little maiden appeared again amongst her com- 
 panions, and there was no change in her appearance, ex- 
 cept a slight pallor. No one was more amazed at her 
 sudden recovery than Louise. With watchful suspicion, 
 she remarked that the queen-mother had resumed her 
 gracious and amiable manner toward her, and seemed 
 entirely to have forgotten the events of the last few days ; 
 her accusations and suspicions seemed quieted as if by a 
 stroke of magic. In the beginning, Louise believed that 
 this was a trap laid for her, she was therefore perpetu-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 421 
 
 ally on her guard; she did not enter the garden, and was 
 well pleased that Fritz Wendel had the prudence and for- 
 bearance never to walk to and fro by her chamber, and 
 never to place in her window the beautiful flowers which 
 she had been wont to find there every morning. In a short 
 time Louise became convinced that she was not watched, 
 that there were no spies about her path; that she was, in 
 fact, perfectly at liberty to come and go as she pleased. 
 She resumed her thoughtless manner and childish dream- 
 ings, walked daily in the garden, and took refuge in the 
 green-house. Strange to say, she never found her beauti- 
 ful Fritz, never met his glowing, eloquent eyes, never 
 caught even a distant view of his handsome figure. This 
 sudden disappearance of her lover made her restless and 
 unhappy, and kindled the flame of love anew. Louise, 
 who in the loneliness and neglect of her few days of con- 
 finement, had become almost ashamed of her affair with 
 Fritz Wendel, and begun to repent of her foolish love, 
 now excited by the obstacles in her path, felt the whole 
 strength of her passion revive, and was assured of her 
 eternal constancy. 
 
 " I will overcome all impediments," said this young 
 girl, " and nothing shall prevent me from playing my ro- 
 mance to the end. Fritz Wendel loves me more pas- 
 sionately than any duke or baron will ever love me; he 
 has been made a prisoner because of his love for me, 
 and that is the reason I see him no more. But I will 
 save him; I will set him at liberty, and then I will flee 
 with him, far, far away into the wide, wide world where 
 no one shall mock at our love." 
 
 With such thoughts as these she returned from her 
 anxious search in the garden. As she entered her room, 
 she saw upon her table a superb bouquet, just such a 
 tribute as her loved Fritz had offered daily at her shrine 
 before the queen's unfortunate discovery. With a loud 
 cry of joy, she rushed to the table, seized the flowers,
 
 422 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 and pressed them to her lips; she then sought in the 
 heart of her bouquet for the little note which she had 
 ever before found concealed there. 
 
 Truly this bouquet contained also a love-letter, a very 
 tender, glowing love-letter, in which Fritz Wendel im- 
 plored her to fly with him; to carry out their original 
 plan, and flee with him to Oranienburg, where they would 
 be married by the priest who had been won over by the 
 Prince Augustus William. To-day, yes, this evening at 
 nine o'clock must the flight take place. 
 
 Louise did not hesitate an instant; she was resolved 
 to follow the call of her beloved. A court ball was to 
 take place this evening, and Louise von Schwerin must 
 appear in the suite of the queen; she must find some 
 plausible excuse and remain at home. As the hour for 
 the queen's morning promenade approached, Louise be- 
 came so suddenly ill that she was forced to ask one of the 
 maids of honor to make her excuses, to return to her 
 room, and lay herself upon the bed. 
 
 The queen came herself to inquire after her health, 
 and manifested so much sympathy, so much pity, that 
 Louise was fully assured, and accepted without suspicion 
 the queen's proposal that she should give up the ball, 
 and remain quietly in her room. Louise had now no 
 obstacle to fear; she could make her preparations for 
 flight without interruption. 
 
 The evening came. She heard the carriages rolling 
 away with the queen and her suite. An indescribable 
 anxiety oppressed this young girl. The hour of decision 
 was at hand. She felt a maidenly trembling at the 
 thought of her rash imprudence, but the hour was strik- 
 ing the hour of romantic flight, the hour of meeting 
 with her fond lover. 
 
 It seemed to her as if she saw the imploring eyes of 
 Fritz ever before her as if she heard his loving, per- 
 suasive voice. Forgetting all consideration and all mod-
 
 AND HIS COURT. 423 
 
 esty, she wrapped herself in her mantle, and drawing the 
 hood tightly over her head, she hastened with flying 
 feet through the corridors and down the steps to the front 
 door of the palace. With a trembling heart she stepped 
 into the street. 
 
 Unspeakable terror took possession of her. " What if 
 he was not there ? What if this was a plot, a snare laid for 
 her feet ? But no, no ! " She saw a tall and closely- 
 muffled figure crossing the open square, and coming di- 
 rectly to her. She could not see his face, but it was sure- 
 ly him. Now he was near her. He whispered the signal 
 word in a low, soft tone. With a quaking heart, she 
 gave the answer. 
 
 The young man took her cold little hand, and hurried 
 her forward to the corner of the square. There stood the 
 carriage. The stranger lifted her in his arms, and car- 
 ried her to the carriage, sprang in, and slammed the door. 
 Forward! The carriage seemed forced onward by the 
 wings of the wind. In a few moments the city lay far be- 
 hind them. In wild haste they flew onward, ever on- 
 ward. The young man, still closely muffled, sat near to 
 Louise her lover, soon to be her husband! Neither 
 spoke a word. They were near to each other, with quick- 
 ly-beating hearts, but silent, still silent. 
 
 Louise found this conduct of her lover mysterious 
 and painful. She understood not why he who had been 
 so tender, so passionate, should remain so cold and still 
 by her side. She felt that she must fly far, far away from 
 this unsympathizing lover, who had no longer a word for 
 her, no further assurances of love. Yes, he despised her 
 because she had followed him, no longer thought her 
 worthy of his tenderness. As this thought took posses- 
 sion of her, she gave a fearful shriek, and springing up 
 from her seat, she seized the door, and tried to open it 
 and jump out. The strong hand of her silent lover held 
 her back.
 
 424 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 " We have not yet arrived, mademoiselle," whis- 
 pered he. 
 
 Louise felt a cold shudder pass over her. Fritz Wen- 
 del call her mademoiselle! and the voice sounded cold 
 and strange. Anxiously, silently, she sank back in the 
 carriage. Her searching glance was fixed upon her com- 
 panion, but the night was dark. She could see nothing 
 but the mysteriously muffled figure. She stretched out her 
 small hands toward him, as if praying for help. He 
 seized them, and pressed them to his heart and lips, but 
 he remained silent. He did not clasp her in his arms 
 as heretofore; he whispered no tender, passionate assur- 
 ances in her ear. The terror of death overcame Louise. 
 She clasped her hands over her face, and wept aloud. He 
 heard her piteous sobs, and was still silent, and did not 
 seek to comfort her. 
 
 Onward went the flying wheels. The horses had been 
 twice changed in order to reach the goal more quickly. 
 Louise wept without ceasing. Exhausted by terror, she 
 thought her death was near. Twice tortured by this 
 ominous silence, she had dared to say a few low, sobbing 
 words to her companion, but he made no reply. 
 
 At last the carriage stopped. "We have arrived," he 
 whispered to Louise, sprang from the carriage, and lifted 
 her out. 
 
 " Where are we ? " she said, convinced that she had 
 been brought to a prison, or some secret place of banish- 
 ment. 
 
 " We are in Oranienburg, and there is the church 
 where the preacher awaits us." He took her arm hastily, 
 and led her into the church. The door was opened, and as 
 Louise stepped upon the threshold, she felt her eyes blind- 
 ed by the flood of light upon the altar. She saw the priest 
 with his open book, and heard the solemn sounds of the 
 organ. The young man led Louise forward, but not to 
 the altar; he entered first into the sacristy. There also
 
 AND HIS COURT. 425 
 
 wax lights were burning, and on the table lay a myrtle 
 wreath and a lace veil. 
 
 " This is your bridal wreath and veil," said the young 
 man, who still kept the hood of his cloak drawn tightly 
 over his face. He unfastened and removed Louise's man- 
 tle, and handed her the veil and wreath. Then he threw 
 back his hood, and removed his cloak. Louise uttered a 
 cry of amazement and horror. He who stood before her 
 was not her lover, was not the gardener Fritz Wendel, 
 but a strange young officer in full-dress uniform! 
 
 " Forgive me," said he, " that I have caused you so 
 much suffering to-day, but the king commanded me to 
 remain silent, and I did so. We are here in obedience to 
 the king, and he commanded me to hand you this letter 
 before our marriage. It was written by his own hand." 
 Louise seized the royal letter hastily. It was laconic, 
 but the few words it contained filled the heart of the 
 little maiden with shame. The letter contained these 
 lines : 
 
 " As you are resolved, without regard to circum- 
 stances, to marry, out of consideration for your family 
 I will fulfil your wish. The handsome gardener-boy is 
 not in a condition to become your husband, he being now 
 confined in a madhouse. I have chosen for you a gallant 
 young officer, of good family and respectable fortune, 
 and I have commanded him to marry you. If he pleases 
 you, the priest will immediately perform the marriage 
 ceremony, and you will follow your husband into his 
 garrison at Brandenburg. If you refuse him, the young 
 officer, Von Cleist, has my command to place you again 
 in the carriage, and take you to your mother. There you 
 will have time to meditate upon your inconsiderate bold- 
 ness. FREDERICK II." 
 
 Louise read the letter of the king again and again; 
 
 she then fixed her eyes upon the young man who stood 
 28
 
 426 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 before her, and who gazed at her with a questioning and 
 smiling face. She saw that he was handsome, young, and 
 charming, and she confessed that this rich uniform was 
 more attractive than the plain, dark coat of the gardener- 
 boy Fritz Wendel. She felt that the eyes of the young 
 cavalier were as glowing and as eloquent as those of her 
 old love. 
 
 " Well," said he, laughing, " have you decided, made- 
 moiselle? Do you consider me worthy to be the envied 
 and blessed husband of the enchanting and lovely Louise 
 von Schwerin, or will you cruelly banish me and rob me 
 of this precious boon ? " 
 
 She gazed down deep into his eyes and listened to his 
 words breathlessly. His voice was so soft and persuasive, 
 not harsh and rough like that of Fritz Wendel, it fell 
 like music on her ear. 
 
 " Well," repeated the young Von Cleist, " will you be 
 gracious, and accept me for your husband ? " 
 
 " Would you still wish to marry me, even if the king 
 had not commanded it ? " 
 
 " I would marry you in spite of the king and the whole 
 world," said Von Cleist. " Since I have seen you, I love 
 you dearly." 
 
 Louise reached him her hand. 
 
 " Well, then," she said, " let us fulfil the commands of 
 the king. He commands us to marry. We will com- 
 mence with that: afterwards we will see if we can love 
 each other without a royal command." 
 
 The young captain kissed her hand, and placed the 
 myrtle wreath upon her brow. 
 
 " Come, the priest is waiting, and I long to call you 
 my bride." 
 
 He led the young girl of fourteen to the altar. The 
 priest opened the holy book, and performed the marriage 
 ceremony. 
 
 At the same hour, in the chapel of the king's palace,
 
 AND HIS COURT. 427 
 
 another wedding took place. Laura von Pannewitz and 
 Count Voss stood before the altar. The king himself 
 conducted Laura, and Queen Elizabeth gave her hand to 
 Count Voss. The entire court had followed the bridal 
 pair, and all were witnesses to this solemn contract. Only 
 one was absent the Prince Augustus William was not 
 there. 
 
 While Laura von Pannewitz stood above in the palace 
 chapel, swearing eternal constancy to Count Voss, the 
 prince stood below at the castle gate, waiting for her 
 descent. But the hour had long passed, and she came 
 not. A dark fear and torturing anguish came over him. 
 
 Had the king discovered their plan? Was it he who 
 held Laura back, or had she herself forgotten her promise ? 
 Was she unfaithful to her oath? 
 
 The time still flew, and she came not. Trembling 
 with scorn, anguish, and doubt, he mounted the castle 
 steps, determined to search through the saloons, and, at 
 all risks, to draw near his beloved. Driven by the vio- 
 lence of his love, he had almost determined to carry her 
 off by force. 
 
 Throwing off his mantle, he stepped into the ante- 
 room. No man regarded him. Every eye was turned to- 
 ward the great saloon. The prince entered. The whole 
 court circle, which were generally scattered through the 
 adjoining rooms, now forced themselves into this saloon 
 it glittered and shimmered with diamonds, orders, and 
 gold and silver embroidery. 
 
 The prince saw nothing of all this. He saw only the 
 tall, pallid girl, who stood in the middle of the room with 
 the sweeping bridal veil and the myrtle wreath in her hair. 
 
 Yes, it was her Laura von Pannewitz and near her 
 stood the young, smiling Count Voss. What did all this 
 mean ? Why was his beloved so splendidly attired ? Why 
 was the royal family gathered around her? Why was ths 
 queen kissing even now his beautiful Laura, and handing
 
 428 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 her this splendid diamond diadem ? Why did Count Voss 
 press the king's hand, which was that moment graciously 
 extended to him, to his lips? 
 
 Prince Augustus William understood nothing of all 
 this. He felt as if bewildered by strange and fantastic 
 dreams. With distended, glassy eyes he stared upon the 
 newly wedded pair who were now receiving the congratu- 
 lations of the court. 
 
 But the king's sharp glance had observed him, and 
 rapidly forcing his way through the crowd of courtiers, 
 he drew near to the prince. " A word with you, brother," 
 said the king ; " come, let us go into my cabinet." The 
 prince followed him, bewildered scarcely conscious. 
 " And now, my brother," said the king, as the door closed 
 behind him, " show yourself worthy of your kingly call- 
 ing and of your ancestors; show that you deserve to be 
 the ruler of a great people; show that you know how to 
 govern yourself! Laura von Pannewitz can never be 
 yours ; she is the wife of Count Voss ! " The prince ut- 
 tered so piercing, so heartrending a cry, that the king 
 turned pale, and an unspeakable pity took possession of 
 his soul. "Be brave, my poor brother; what you suffer, 
 that have I also suffered, and almost every one who is 
 called by Fate to fill an exalted position has the same 
 anguish to endure. A prince has not the right to please 
 himself he belongs to the people and to the world's his- 
 tory, and to both these he must be ever secondary." 
 
 " It is not true, it is not possible 1 " stammered the 
 prince. " Laura can never belong to another ! she is 
 mine! betrothed to me by the holiest of oaths, and she 
 shall be mine in spite of you and of the whole world ! I 
 desire no crown, no princely title; I wish only Laura, 
 only my Laura! I say it is not true that she is the wife 
 of Count Voss ! " 
 
 " It is true," whispered a soft, tearful, choking voice, 
 just behind him. The prince turned hastily; the sad
 
 AND HIS COURT. 429 
 
 eye of Laura, full of unspeakable love, met his wild 
 glance. Queen Elizabeth, according to an understanding 
 with the king, had led the young Countess Voss into this 
 apartment, and then returned with a light step to the 
 adjoining room. 
 
 " I will grant to your unhappy love, my brother, one 
 last evening glow," said the king. " Take a last, sad fare- 
 well of your declining sun ; but forget not that when the 
 sun has disappeared, we have still the stars to shine upon 
 us, though, alas ! they have no warmth and kindle no flow- 
 ers into life." The king bowed, and followed his wife in- 
 to the next room. The prince remained alone with Laura. 
 
 What was spoken and sworn in this last sad in- 
 terview no man ever knew. In the beginning, the king, 
 who remained in the next room, heard the raging voice of 
 the prince uttering wild curses and bitter complaints; 
 then his tones were softer and milder, and touchingly 
 mournful. In half an hour the king entered the cabinet. 
 The prince stood in the middle of the room, and Laura 
 opposite to him. They gazed into each other's wan and 
 stricken faces with steady, tearless eyes; their hands were 
 clasped. " Farewell, my prince," said Laura, with a firm 
 voice; "I depart immediately with my husband; we will 
 never meet again ! " 
 
 " Yes, we will meet again," said the prince, with a 
 weary smile ; " we will meet again in another and a 
 better world : I will be there awaiting you, Laura ! " 
 They pressed each other's hands, then turned away. 
 
 Laura stepped into the room where Count Voss was 
 expecting her. " Come, my husband," she said ; " I am 
 ready to follow you, and be assured I will make you a 
 faithful and submissive wife." 
 
 " Brother," said Prince Augustus William, extending 
 his hand to the king, " I struggle no more. I will con- 
 form myself to your wishes, and marry the Princess of 
 Brunswick."
 
 430 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 CHAPTER XVH. 
 
 THE RESIGNATION OP BARON POLLNITZ. 
 
 THE morning after the ball, Pb'llnitz entered the cabi- 
 net of the king; he was confused and sat down, and that 
 happened to him which had never before happened he 
 was speechless. The king's eyes rested upon him with an 
 ironical and contemptuous expression. 
 
 " I believe you are about to confess your sins, Pollnitz, 
 and make me your father confessor. You have the piti- 
 ful physiognomy of a poor sinner." 
 
 " Sire, I would consent to be a sinner, but I am bitter- 
 ly opposed to being a poor sinner." 
 
 " Ah ! debts again ; again in want ! " cried the king. 
 " I am weary of this everlasting litany, and I forbid you 
 to come whining to me again with your never-ending 
 necessities; the evil a man brings upon himself he must 
 bear; the dangers which he involuntary incurs, he must 
 conquer himself." 
 
 " Will not your majesty have the goodness to assist 
 me, to reach me a helping hand and raise me from the 
 abyss into which my creditors have cast me ? " 
 
 " God forbid that I should waste the gold upon a Poll- 
 nitz which I need for my brave soldiers and for cannon ! " 
 said the king, earnestly. 
 
 " Then, sire," said Pollnitz, in a low and hesitating 
 tone, " I must beg you to give me my dismissal." 
 
 " Your dismissal ! Have you discovered in the moon 
 a foolish prince who will pay a larger sum for your 
 miserable jests and malicious scandals and railings than 
 the King of Prussia ? " 
 
 " Not in the moon, sire, is such a mad individual to 
 be found, but in a Dutch realm; however, I have found
 
 AND HIS COURT. 431 
 
 no such prince, but a beautiful young maiden, who will 
 be only too happy to be the Baroness Pollnitz, and pay 
 the baron's debts." 
 
 " And this young girl is not sent to a mad-house ? " 
 said the king ; " perhaps the house of the Baron von Poll- 
 nitz is considered a house of correction, and she is sent 
 there to be punished for her follies. Has the girl who is 
 rich enough to pay the debts of a Pollnitz no guardian ? " 
 
 " Father and mother both live, sire ; and both receive 
 me joyfully as their son. My bride dwells in Nuremberg, 
 and is the daughter of a distinguished patrician family." 
 
 " And she buys you," said the king, " because she con- 
 siders you the most enchanting of all Nuremberger toys I 
 As for your dismissal, I grant it to you with all my heart. 
 Seat yourself and write as I shall dictate." 
 
 He looked toward the writing-table, and Pollnitz, 
 obeying his command, took his seat and arranged his 
 pen and paper. The king, with his arms folded across 
 his back, walked slowly up and down the room. 
 
 " Write ! I will give you a dismissal, and also a cer- 
 tificate of character and conduct." 
 
 The king dictated to the trembling and secretly en- 
 raged baron the following words: 
 
 " We, Frederick II., make known, that Baron Pollnitz, 
 born in Berlin, and, so far as we believe, of an honorable 
 family, page to our sainted grandfather, of blessed mem- 
 ory, also in the service of the Duke of Orleans, colonel in 
 the Spanish service, cavalry captain in the army of the 
 deceased Emperor, gentleman-in-waiting to the Pope, 
 gentlemen-in-waiting to the Duke of Brunswick, color- 
 bearer in the service of the Duke of Weimar, gentleman- 
 in-waiting to our sainted father, of ever-blessed memory; 
 lastly, and at last, master of ceremonies in our service; 
 said Baron Pollnitz, overwhelmed by this stream of mili- 
 tary and courtly honors which had been thrust upon him, 
 and thereby weary of the vanities of this wicked world;
 
 432 FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 misled, also, by the evil example of Monteulieu, who, 
 a short time ago, left the court, now entreats of us to 
 grant him his dismissal, and an honorable testimony as 
 to his good name and service. After thoughtful consid- 
 eration, we do not find it best to refuse him the testimony 
 he has asked for. As to the most important service which 
 he rendered to the court by his foolish jests and incon- 
 sistencies, and the pastimes and distractions which he 
 prepared for nine years for the amusement of our ever- 
 blessed father, we do not hesitate to declare that, during 
 the whole time of his service at court, he was not a street- 
 robber nor a cut-purse, nor a poisoner; that he did not 
 rob young women nor do them any violence; that he has 
 not roughly attacked the honor of any man, but, consist- 
 ently with his birth and lineage, behaved like a man of 
 gallantry; that he has consistently made use of the 
 talents lent to him by Heaven, and brought before the 
 public, in a merry and amusing way, that which is ridicu- 
 lous and laughable amongst men, no doubt with the same 
 object which lies at the bottom of all theatrical represen- 
 tations, that is, to improve the race. Said baron has 
 also steadily followed the counsel of Bacchus with regard 
 to frugality and temperance, and he has carried his 
 Christian love so far, that he has left wholly to the peas- 
 ants that part of the Evangelists which teaches that ' To 
 give is more blessed than to receive.' He knows all the 
 anecdotes concerning our castles and pleasure resorts, and 
 has indelibly imprinted upon his memory a full list of all 
 our old furniture and silver; above all things, he under- 
 stands how to make himself indispensable and agreeable 
 to those who know the malignity of his spirit and his cold 
 heart. 
 
 " As, however, in the most fruitful regions waste and 
 desert spots are to be found, as the most beautiful bodies 
 have their deformities, and the greatest painters are not 
 without faults, so will we deal gently and considerately
 
 AND HIS COURT. 433 
 
 with the follies and sins of this much-talked-of baron; 
 we grant him, therefore, though unwillingly, the desired 
 dismissal. In addition to this, we abolish entirely this 
 office so worthily filled by said baron, and wish to blot out 
 the remembrance of it from the memory of man; holding 
 that no other man can ever fill it satisfactorily. 
 
 "FREDERICK II." 
 
 THE END.
 
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 good and beautiful woman ; and if any other love story half so sweet has been written 
 this year it has escaped our notice." New York Times. 
 
 " The general conception of the story, the motive of which is the growth of love 
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 FELIX GRAS'S ROMANCES. 
 
 TERROR. A Romance of the French Revo- 
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 Uniform with " The Reds of the Midi." Translated by Mrs. 
 Catharine A. Janvier. i6mo. Cloth, $1.50. 
 
 "If Felix Gras had never done any other work than this novel, it would at once 
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 attention closely, there is about it a literary quality that makes it worthy of something 
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 HE REDS OF THE MIDI. An Episode of the 
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 by Thomas A. Janvier. With Frontispiece. i6mo. Cloth, 
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 " I have read with great and sustained interest ' The Reds of the South,' which you 
 were good enough to present to me. Though a work of fiction, it aims at painting the 
 historical features, and such works if faithfully executed throw more light tlian many 
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 and so gravely misunderstood. As a novel it seems to me to be written with great 
 skill." William E. Gladstone. 
 
 " Patriotism, a profound and sympathetic insight into the history of a great epoch, 
 and a poet's delicate sensitiveness to the beauties of form and expression have com- 
 bined to make M. Felix Gras's ' The Reds of the Midi ' a work of real literary value. 
 It is as far as possible removed from sensationalism ; it is, on the contrary, subdued, 
 simple, unassuming, profoundly sincere. Such artifice as the author has found it 
 necessary to employ has been carefully concealed, and if we feel its presence, it is only 
 because experience has taught that the quality is indispensable to a work which affects 
 the imagination so promptly and with such force as does this quiet narrative of the 
 French Revolution." New York Tribune. 
 
 " It is doubtful whether in the English language we have had a more powerful, 
 impressive, artistic picture of the French Revolution, from the revolutionist's point of 
 view, than that presented in Felix Gras's 'The Reds of the Midi." . . . Adventures 
 follow one another rapidly ; splendid, brilliant pictures are frequent, and the thread of 
 a tender, beautiful love story winds in and out of its pages." Neva York Mail and 
 Express. 
 
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 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY, LOS ANGELES 
 
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 This book is due on the last date stamped below. 
 
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