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

as unmoved- only her face was changed. Amelia hid her pallor with rouge, and the convulsive trembling of her lips with forced smiles; but it was evident that her cheeks became daily mo

ood; but I am not i

yes suffer. They are weak and inf

ommanded it; but I warn y

r eyes with the closest attention,

t; if, instead of sleeping quietly, you pass the night pacing your room; if you conti

l become blind?" s

ease; but your whole nervous system is in a dangerous condition

then, as his majesty h

a, co

ass into your eyes. Your highness must be very, very careful. The substances in this mixture are so strong, so corrosive, that if you approach too near the steam, it will not only endanger your eyes, but your

Amelia, replying only to th

prescription and withdrew, once more re

nts. The steaming mixture was prepared, and, while Amelia held herself some distance above it, as the physician had commanded, she said laugh

r and bright, and upon her cheeks burned that dark, glowing carnation, whic

let. It seems to me that this is my wedding-day; that I a

ak. imploringly. "Constrain your noble heart to follo

. He will listen to no suggestions; under no pretext, will he be influenced to cross the borders of Prussia,

o yield to that which is unalterable. The king, the royal family, yes, the whole land will rejoice if this marriage with the King of Denma

t it is a crime to break a holy oath sworn unto God. But

then stepped to the large Psyche, which stood in he

Meckel's prescription, my eyes are as brilliant as if they had shed no tears. If I meet my brother with this friendly, h

ale, princess, in spite of your rouge, and your laugh lacerates th

ing. Look, the hand of the clock points to twelve, and I ask an audience

s to the wing of the castle occupied by the king. Frederick received her in his librar

me that your heart has found the strength which I expected; that

er dare not wed beneath her. She must look onward and upward. There is no myrtle-wreath for me, but a crown is glittering, and I accept it. God has made

I know that you think only of my prosperity and my happiness; that you would save me from misfortune, humiliation, and shame; that you would guard me from the mistakes and weaknesses of my own

e herself, mad with passion and pain, she fell upon her knees and raised her arms entreatingly to the king. "Mercy, my brother, mercy!

lled his impatience, and drew near his sister with a kindly smil

uld a princess kneel. Let us be seated, and speak to each other as brot

modate myself to all else- only be mer

whose tears she will dry; the poor, whose hunger she will assuage; the unhappy, to whom she will bring consolation; the sick and dying, with whom she will pray. There is a whole people advancing to meet her with shouts of gladness, stretching out their hands, and asking for love. God has blessed the hearts of queens with the power to love their subj

e no happiness; I do not ask so much. I plead for the poor ri

een happy? Do you believe that there is a day of my life I would live over? Have I not, from my earliest youth, been acquainted with grief, self-denial, and pain? Are not all the blossoms of my life broken? Am I not, have I not ever been, the slave of my rank?-a man, 'cabined, cribbed, confined,' though I appear to be a great king? Oh, I will not relate what I have suffered-how my heart has been lacerated and trampled upon! I will only say to you, that, notwithstanding this, I have never wished to be other than I am, tha

n and a king," said Amelia. "I am a poor, we

England were also women, and their f

main only the sister of a king! Let there be no change in my fate-let all remain as it is! This is my only hope-m

th scorn. "It is, then, all in vain!" said he, fierce

rcy-I cannot wed t

ed the king: "wha

other than of him whom I love; that means that I have sworn

lled!" said the king, threateningly. "Y

You stand now upon the extremest boundary of your power; it will be ea

u threa

nd wounds-comfort, heal it! I am alone, and oh, how lonely!- be with me, my brother, and protect and shield me! Oh, my brother! my brother! it is my life, my youth, my future which cries out to you! Mercy! grace! Drive me not to extremity! Be merciful, as God is m

wer of my authority, as your brother

swear to you, and God in heaven hears my oath, I will never marry! Now, my king, try how far your power reaches; what you may do and dare; how far you may prevail with a woman who struggles against the tyranny of her destiny. You can l

t he advanced and seized the arm of the princess; then, however, as

he has, through a special ambassador, renewed his suit for your hand. I will receive the ambassador to-morrow morning in solemn audience. I will say to him that I

o you, that I will

re say 'I will not!' Farewell-to-morrow morning, then!"

hem with a soft smile. Ernestine wished to follow her to her boudoir, but she nodded to her to remain outside; she entered and closed the door. She

in those hours of solitude, who can know? It was twilight when Princes

id, weeping bitterly, pressing Amelia's hand to

o, no, I must live! A dark and sad foreboding tells me that a day will come when Trenck will need me; when my

re was, however, a certain solemnity in her movements, in her smile, in every word she uttered; her eyes turned fro

he spirit-lamp, upon which stood the vessel containing the steaming mixture for her eyes; she directed them to place it near, and go quietly to

hispered Ernestine, li

renck will one day

age clearly and distinctly. With a curious expression she contemplated her still lovely, youthful, and charming image, and her lips lightly whispered, "Farewell, thou whom Trenc

oilet, and found her stretched upon her couch, with disfigured face, with bloody eyes, which, swollen and rigid, appeared al

ful accident had so disfigured her. Princess Amelia was incapable of reply! Her lips we

the eyeballs starting from their sockets, and then the vessel contai

rew too near the noxious vapor, and it has entered not only her eyes

ressed to Fraulein von Haak, and a horrible w

ver?" asked Fr

ormed and her voice is destroyed. I will hasten to

tly excited, he drew near the bed of the princess. As he looked upon her deformed countena

dull, hollow sound was heard. Now she slightly raised herself up with a powerfu

e will tell the cause of her sufferings. Give her

lia wrote, with trembling hand, in great, i

y!" then fell back on her pillow with a hollow laugh, which def

ame over him. He bowed his head and wept bitterly. [Footnote: La partie de l'histoire de la Princesse Amelie qui a ete la moins connue. et sur laquelle le public a flotte entre des opinions plus diverses et moins admissibles, c'est la cause de sea infirmites. Heureusement constituee sans etre grande, elle n'aurait pas du savoir a les craindre, meme dans un age tres-avance; et elle en a ete atteinte bien avant lage, qui pout les faire craindre. Encore, ne les a-t- elle pas eucs partiellement, elle en a ete spoutanement accablee. Il n'est pas douteux qu'elle ne les ait cherchees. J'en donnerai pour preuve un fait qui est certain. A une epoque ou elle avait les yeux inflammes en tenant ce liquide aux moins a sept

qui l'on a pretendu il lui etait difficile de parlor, et tres- penible aux autres de l'entendre. Sa voix n'etait plus qu'un son v

es mains plus d'a moitie paralyse; mais quels puissants motifs out pu amener cette belle et aimable princesse a se faire elle-meme un sort si triste? Quelle phi