Frederick the Great and His Court

calling the servants to thrust him out, the prince royal ope

"I grant you the audience

raim, confused and humiliated by the calm dignity of

ood amazed behind the Jew, "I pray you to assemble all the ladies and gentle

ce for every thousand dollars! This is a proud debtor; I would have done better not to plac

to me?" said the prince, fixi

d. "More than a year ago I lent your highness four thousand do

what

re!" sai

e come from Berlin to Rheinsberg to tell me wh

xing his eyes upon the prince, but casting them suddenly

memory for every act of kindness, and also for every offence

that Ephraim trembled in his inmost he

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 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 wo

se 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 no

me his sacred promise that at the end of six months my money with interest should be returned. I believed him, because he spok

receive one penny of it to-day,

earnest, I must go els

you will go

r highnes

ch all are forbidden to lend money

ssor. It is possible I may feel his crutch upon my back, but blows will not degrade me. The Jew is accustomed to blows and kic

at he also

l it is heard over the whole ear

voice and cry out. I can

will withhold my gold from me? Because you are great and powerful, you think you can oppress

k, blazing with anger. His lips were

dazzled with the glory of lending my gold to an unhappy but noble prince! Strike on, your highness! I see now that this prince

llen, and a soft smile

This day you shall have your money. I cannot pay you in money, but I wil

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

from it a silver-bound casket, and was gazing intently at its contents. He

ur thousand dollars; sell them and pay yourself,"

gently back. "I lent gold, and go

ently upon the ground. "I

o the prince royal the gold which he needs, and of which the poor Jew still has a little. I humbly ask you

d this co

rstand? Just now you wished to pay my capital with diamonds and horses. Will you give me as interest a few costly pea

to Ephraim, and eyeing

re the Jew, in order to soften his heart?-would you-? Ah, Fredersdorf," said he, interrupting him

ur highness, I came in without changing my dress. The banker

id 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, a

himself. "The empress and the Duke

he papers in his hand, a

d dollars, and one hundred

ed with myself. When I came to Rheinsberg I thought I had been

e sin-offering of the people. They make us answerable for all their sufferings

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 mela

, and signed to Fredersdorf to close the door; he wished

that the Jew was liste

end me still another thousand dollars! I will remember this. And now,

one him good. He shows himself, daily upon the balcony, in full uniform. The physicians, it i

ld 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,

his eye rested lovingly upon the handwriting of his distant friend, and his he

e 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

is young and fresh, and I can assure you that I was never more a philosopher than now. I look with absolute indifference upon the future. My heart is not agitated by hope or fear, it is full of pity for those who suffer, of consideration for all honest men, and of tendern

hee 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 passion. Here is the po

t; he entered his boudoir, and with a comic earnestness, and the eager haste of a