Frederick the Great and His Court

es 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 palace, which was surr

melting tones of the nightingale

d that was a sure sign to all who lived in the palace that the lord of

d the day; it, like the pillar of Memnon, which gave forth a sound when touched by

ts beams had long been flooding the park in golden light, and drinking

m with an expression so tender and smiling, that you could see that the young girl to whom they belonged 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 r

was young and handsome, and he had one other great charm, he was her first lover. Every one else called Mademoiselle von Sehwerin a child, and jested with little Louise. The princess royal had begged her from her

he desires of a woman; nothing, therefore, hurt her pride so much as being called a child,

rshipped, 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 alon

tired of this unnatural silence, walked forward from her place of concealment, a

o embarrassed that he forgot to return the young girl's greeting, a

e you hidden the most beautiful ones? Will you not place them i

said Fritz Wendel, who had not yet dared to glance at the young lady. "The prince

aughing, "for you are gathering other flowers; for w

eyes, and glance timidly at the smiling

a princess," he said, in a

pecial princess for wh

d willingly sacrifice my life," cried the impetuous young m

hich she held in her hand. She plucked off the small blossoms, and throwin

room every morning, and who it is that dares to gather more beautiful

he young gardener, with his eyes on the grou

" she said, casting a teasing glance on her embarrassed lov

a wild insanity to forget his humble condition, and consider himself your equal. There have been mania

ing at the young man with undissembled

is eyes with a most singular expres

ight at her touch, but withdre

" he murmured; "I weep because I am not gr

general, who was the son of a peasant, and had been a cowherd.

itz Wendel beamed wit

husiastically. "I could not fail to become

a general, in order to mar

ughter of a

Wendel!" called a v

sadly. "Farewell, farewell; be kind and grac

of flowers, and hur

t 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 yesterday 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 d