Frederick The Great and His Family

This arrest had been, by the king's express orders, so strict, that no one was allowed to see the prince but Pollnitz, w

d after listening to the prince with every appearance of real feeling and warm sympathy, he would hasten to the king, and with drooping eyelids and rejoicing heart repeat the bitter and hateful words of the

z came to-day with the joyful news that his

tsdam; appear at his table; that my clothes may be soiled by his unbearable four-legged friends, an

om all these small annoyances," sai

rows to each other. No, I have not the bravery of my kingly brother, to make a feeling, human being unhappy in order

peaking here of a common marriage, but of the betrothal of a prince. You do not marry your heart, but your hand. Truly such a marriage-ceremony is a protecting talisman, that may be held up to other women as an iron shield upon which, all their egotistical wishes, all their ex

stly, almost angrily. "Do you know," he said,

ion at the French court, under the protection of the Regent of Orleans and the Princess of the Palatinate, a

would not marry at my brother's bon plaisir. I will not continue this race of miserable princes, that are entirely useless, and consequently a burden to the state. Oh! if H

Pollnitz, as the prince, now silen

be a simple private man, proprietor of a small landed estate, with a few hundred subjects, that I should endeavor to make happy! But I am nothing but a king's brother, have nothing but my empty ti

u speak the decisive word; as soon as

dy who is unfortunately no princess; or do you believe that a miserable prince has not the heart

love them so ardently; they are all fickl

tioning glance at the smiling

this to me?" he

has the power to preserve her love when obstacles are placed in the way, or that

tled, and looked te

"it is eight days-no, it is

ness has the really heroic bel

ut only for a few moments, and his counten

n her for twelve days, have not heard of her, and still my love is as great and as ardent as ever. Yes, I b

nitz, almost sympathetically, "

y looked at

e preserved a chaste heart, an unspotted soul. Her misfortunes only refined her, and therefore I love her, and believe that God has placed me in her way that, after all her

gical expression, "I never saw a bolder hero a

mean by tha

your Christianity! But surely your highness must have important and convincing proofs to believe in the innocence and faithfulness of this woman. I confess that any other man would have been discouraged in his godlike belief by facts. It is a fact that for twelve days Madame von Kleist has sent you no message throu

g! Did you not go to her as I ordered you, an

, and I was told that she would not return until late in the eve

his face, noted every sigh that came from his anxious heart, that he might judge whether the seeds of mistrust that he had sown in the breast of the prince would grow. But Prince Henry was still young, brave, and hopeful;

truly you do honor to your ancestor! No paradise is holy to you, and to do evil gives you pleasure. But you shall not disturb my paradise; and as much of the old Adam as is still in me, I will not be foolish enough to eat of th

But oh, my prince! if you are right about my descent, philosophers are certainly wrong, for they maintain that the serpent of paradise left gold as a fearful in

derstood him; engaged in deep thought, he had stepped to the window, an

her," he murmured. Then, turning hastily to Pollnitz, he asked,

e attack of gout confines her to h

it is long sin

time I spoke with her," said Pollnitz, with a p

with his own thoughts and wishes. Pollnitz stood behind him, and not

m seeing his blushes-"I believe it would be proper for me to inquire to-day personally

e her beloved son again, and this

tz, as if he wished to read his inmost thoughts. But th

I will go immediately to Berlin. But as I am going to my mother, and solely on her account, I will do it in the proper form. Ha

t to your highness," sai

ooked thoughtf

w herself so long from me. Oh, I know she will be able to justify herself, and these sla

ened to Sans Souci, where he was

y, "the young lion has fallen in

, to the queen-mother?"

y's permission to ta

ged you with th

bstinacy is beginning to relent,

fro, with clouded brow, then remained standing befor

to the sorrow we are preparing for my brother. You only think that your debts will be paid. Y

y, but if you had resisted my commands, I would have esteemed and prized you the more. No

d with money for my services, instead of fine s

u. I shall now go to Berlin, and when my brother arrives he shall find me there. Go n