Berlin and Sans-Souci; Or, Frederick the Great and His Friends

ting heart, pale and breathless upon her couch. No soft slumber soothed her feverish-glowing

e king will ask of me? what new mysterious horror rises up

Suddenly she recalled the sad and sympathetic glance of her maid of honor; the li

shivered as if with ague. She reached out her hand to ring for Fraulein von Haak; then suddenly withdrew it, ashamed of her own impatience. "W

al brother Frederick's when upon the battle-field. She dressed herself carefully and tastefully, advanced to meet her ladies with a gracious greeting, and chattered calmly a

at you do not make it known in words unless my

ghness has no power over the misfortune that threatens you. Yo

other has power to subdue my will. Now, Er

cess advanced to meet him smilingly, but, as the king embraced her and pressed a kiss upon her brow, she shudde

my brother, we are alone," said the princess, taking a place near the king upon the divan.

, "have you no tender word of greeting, of warm home-love to say to me? Do you not know that five years have passed sinc

they have not left wrinkles on my brow, they have pierced my heart with many sorrow

ge-I see this now for the first time. You have been an image of youth, beauty, a

e mask of rosy youth, and the smiling indifference of manner with which I conceal my face and my heart from the world. You shall see me to-

"Stop, Amelia; since I look upon you, I fear yo

en me your pr

aps it may exert an influence-may modify your request. I allow myself, therefor

nd have only to comman

e said: "I stand now before you, princess, not as a king, but as the ambassador of a king. Princess Amelia, through me the King of Denmar

; not a muscle of her face trembled; her features did no

d, sire?" said sh

ed, and I awai

ay may modify your wishes. You will, at least, know if it is proper for me to

e king, seating

on Trenck." Yielding to an involuntary agitation, she glided from the divan upon her knees, and raising her clasp

ds of his sister violently, and rushed

ctor to demand his rights. He is poor and almost hopeless because the courts have refused him the inheritance of his cousin, the captain of the pandours whose enemies have accused him since his death, only while they lusted for his millions. His vast estate has been confiscated, under the pretence that it was unlawfully acquired. But these accusations have not been established; and yet, now that he is dead, they refuse to give up this fortune to t

calm as his sister; but both concealed under this cool, indifferent exterior a st

avor you demand of

ve promised to gr

Denmark, and on the day in which you pass the boundary of Prussia and enter your own realm as queen, on that day I will recall Trenck to Berlin, and all shal

You wish me to purchase a favor which you had

mmand. It will be easy to obey when through your obedience you can

dily upon the king's face; their glances met firmly, quiet

oposition; I cannot become the

hand nervously upon the arm-chair near which he stood, and forced himself t

ife of any other man than him whom I love- because I consider myself bound to God and to my

ck!" cried he; "the wife of a traitor! Ah, you think still of him, and in spite of your

o write to him. Fate did not accept my oath. Trenck fled before you had time to fulfil your word, and I was thus released from my vo

is writing to you, and yet you have t

I have received no letters from him does not prove that he has not written; it only pr

hrug of the shoulders, "you are of the opi

m of that

ou look at me incredulously. I declare to you that I speak the truth. Now you can comprehend, my sister, th

ith flaming eyes, "no a

you he has betrayed you! He, formerly a Prussian officer, at the luxurious and debauched court of Petersburg, has not only betrayed you, but his king. At the table of his mistress, the wife of Bestuchef, he has shown your picture and boasted that you gave it to him. The Duke of Goltz, my ambassador at the Russian court, informed me of this; and look you, I did not slay him! I did not demand of the Empress Anne that the Prussian deserter should be delivered up. I remembered that you had once loved him, and that I had promised you to be lenient. But I have had him closely watched. I know all his deeds; I am acquainted with all his intrigues and artifices. I k

nd sinking upon a seat. "Cease, my brother; do you not

litics, but the secrets of love. Every thing is merchandise with him, even his own heart. He not only loved the beautiful Bondurow but he loved her diamonds. This young woman died of the small-pox,

rant that I die!" cri

and you cannot believe that Trenck at four-and-twenty burns with love for her. But she adores him; she loves him with that mad, bacchantic ardor which the Roman empress Julia felt for the gladiators, whose magnificent proportions she admired at the circus. She loved him and confessed it; and his heart, unsubdued by the ancient charms, yielded to the magic power of her jewels and her gold. He became the adorer of Bestuchef; he worked diligently in the cabinet of the

rs had now ceased to flow, and who listened

his true colors to the chancellor. I ordered Goltz to hand him the copy of the fortress, drawn by Trenck and signed with his name, and to tell him how he obt

y, and clasped her hands

to her, and uttered the most furious curses and resolves against Trenck. She found means to warn him, and, when the police came in the night to a

ved, then?" wh

e against me and my realm. [Footnote: Trenck himself writes on this subject: "I would at that time have changed my fatherland into a howling wilderness, if the opportunity had offered. I do not deny that from this moment I did everything that was possible, in Russia, to promote the views of the imperial ambassador, Duke Vernis, who knew how to nourish the fire already kindled, and to make use of my services."] Bestuchef, however, withstood these intrigues, and in his distrust he watched over and threatened his faithless wife and faithless friend. Trenck would have been lost, without doubt, if a lucky accident had not again rescued him. His cousin the pandour died in Vienna, and, as Trenck believed that he had

downcast eyes. Now she looked up; the fire of inspiration

crumbled to dust. But his heart, however unstable it may appear, turns ever back faithfully to that fountain, and he seeks to purify and sanctify the wild and stormy present by the remembrance of the beautiful and innocent past. You say that Trenck forgot me in his prosperity: well, then, sire, in his misfortune he has rem

king, with trembling lips and scornful eye. "

his letter, it would answer no purpose; you would arrest and punish him, and to-morrow I should find another to serve me

cept my proposition-if you will become the wife of the King of De

nfulfilled- -not to become the wife of the man I love-but you cannot force me to perjure myself. I should indeed be foreswor

, but he held them back, and forcing himself to appear composed, he fo

yed to God for mercy and help; she felt that this hour would decide the fate of her who

e resolved to fulfil my request, and become the wife of the King of Denmark. Until that time, I will know how to restrain the Danish ambassador. If you dare still to oppose my will, I will yet fulfil my promise, and grant you th

ched him silently, breathlessly, till he disappeared,

ust warn Trenck! Danger threatens him! No matter what my brother's ambassador may offer him, with what glittering promises he m

itating scene he had just passed through, he murmured lightly, "Oh, woman's heart!