Chapter X. - JOBS POST.

Berlin shouted, huzzaed, sang, danced, declaimed, illuminated for three entire days in honor of the conquered peace, and the return of her great king. Every one but the young Princess Amelia seemed contented, happy, joyous. She took no part in the glad triumph of her family, and the loud hosarmas of the people found no echo in her breast. With heavy heart and misty eyes she walked slowly backward and forward in her boudoir. For three days she had borne this terrible torture, this anguish of uncertainty. Her soul was moved with fearful anticipations, but she was forced to appear gay.

For three days, with trembling heart and lips, she had been compelled to appear at the theatre, the masquerades, the balls, and ceremonious dinners of the court. She felt that the stern eye of the king was ever searchingly and angrily fixed upon her. Several times, completely overcome and exhausted by her efforts to seem gay and careless, she sought to withdraw unobserved to her room, but her ever-watchful brother intercepted her, and led her back to her place by her royal mother. He chatted and jested merrily, but his expression was dark and threatening. Once she had not the power to respond with smiles. She fixed her pleading, tearful eyes upon the king. He bowed down to her, and said harshly: „I command you to appear gay. A princess has not the right to weep when her people are happy.“

To-day the court festivities closed. At last Amelia dared hope for some hours of solitude and undisturbed thought. To-day she could weep and allow her pale lips to express the wild grief of her heart. In her loneliness she dared give utterance to the cry of anguish rending her bosom.

Where was he? where was Trenck? Why had he not returned? Why had she no news, no love-token, no message from him? She had carefully examined the list of killed and wounded. He had not fallen in battle. He was not fatally wounded. He had not returned with the army, or she would have seen him. Where was he, then? Was he ill, or had he forgotten her, or did he blush to return without his laurels? Had he been taken by the Austrians? Was her beloved suffering in a loathsome prison, while she was laughing, jesting, and adorning herself in costly array? While she thus thought and spoke, burning tears blinded her eyes, and sighs and sobs choked her utterance.

„If he is dead,“ said she, firmly, „then I will also die. If he is in prison, I will set him at liberty. If he does not come because he has not been promoted and fears I no longer love him, I will seek him out, I will swear that I love him, that I desire only his love, that I will fly with him to some lonely, quiet valley. I will lay aside my rank, my royalty, forget my birth, abandon all joyously, that I may belong to him, be his fond and dear-loved wife.“

And now a light sound was heard at the door, and she recognized the voice of her maid asking admittance.

„Ah!“ said Amelia, „if the good Marwitz were here, I should not have to endure this torture, but my brother has unconsciously robbed me of this consolation. He has sent my friend and confidante home, and forced upon me a strange and stupid woman whom I hate.“

And now a gentle voice plead more earnestly for admittance.

„I must indeed open the door,“ said the princess, unwillingly drawing back the bolt. „Enter, Mademoiselle von Haak,“ said Amelia, turning her back in order to conceal her red and swollen eyes.

Mademoiselle von Haak gave a soft, sad glance at the young princess, and in a low voice asked for pardon for her unwelcome appearance.

„Without doubt your reason for coming will justify you,“ said the princess. „I pray you, therefore, to make it known quickly. I wish to be alone.“

„Alas! your royal highness is harsh with me,“ whispered the young girl. „I was forced upon you. I know it; you hate me because I have taken the place of Mademoiselle von Marwitz. I assure you I was not to blame in this. It was only after the written and peremptory command of his majesty the king that my mother consented to my appearance at court.“

„Have you come, mademoiselle, simply to tell me this?“

„No, your royal highness; I come to say that I love you. Even since I had the honor of knowing you, I have loved you. In the loneliness which surrounds me here, my heart gives itself up wholly to you. Oh, do not spurn me from you! Tell me why you are sad; let me bear a part of your sorrow. Princess, I offer you the heart of a true friend, of a sister--will you cast me off?“

The young girl threw herself upon her knees before the princess, and her cheeks were bathed in tears. Amelia raised and embraced her.

„Oh!“ said she, „I see that God has not utterly forsaken me. He sends me aid and comfort in my necessity. Will you be, indeed, my friend?“

„Yes, a friend in whom you can trust fully, to whom you can speak freely,“ said Mademoiselle von Haak.

„Who knows but that may be more dangerous for you than for me?“ sighed Amelia. „There are fearful secrets, the mere knowledge of which brings destruction.“

„But if I already know the secret of your royal highness?--if I understand the reason of your grief during these last few days?“

„Well, then, tell me what you know.“

The maiden bowed down low to the ear of her mistress. „Your eyes seek in vain for him whom you love. You suffer, for you know not where he is.“

„Yes, you are right,“ cried Amelia. „I suffer the anguish of uncertainty. If I do not soon learn where he is, I shall die in despair.“

„Shall I tell you, princess?“

Amelia turned pale and trembled. „You will not say that he is in his grave?“ said she, breathlessly.

„No, your highness, he lives and is well.“

„He lives, is well, and comes not?“

„He cannot come--he is a prisoner.“

„A prisoner! God be thanked it is no worse! The king will obtain his liberation. My brother cares for his young officers--he will not leave him in the hands of the Austrians. Oh! I thank you--I thank you. You are indeed a messenger of glad tidings. And now the king will be pleased with me. I can be merry and laugh, and jest with him.“

Mademoiselle von Haak bowed her head sadly, and sighed. „He is not in an Austrian prison,“ she said, in low tones.

„Not in an Austrian prison?“ repeated Amelia, astonished, „where is he, then? My God! why do you not speak? Where is Trenck? Who has captured him? Speak! I die with impatience and anxiety.“

„In God's name, princess, listen to me calmly, and above all things, speak softly. I am sure you are surrounded by spies. If we are heard, we are lost!“

„Do you wish me to die?“ murmured the princess, sinking exhausted upon the divan. „Where is Trenck?“

„He is in the fortress of Glatz,“ whispered Von Haak.

„Ah! in a Prussian fortress; sent there by the king? He has committed some small fault in discipline, as once before, and as this is the second offence, the king punishes him more severely. That is all! I thank you; you have restored my peace of mind.“

„I fear, princess, that you are mistaken. It is said that Baron von Trenck has been arrested for high treason.“

The princess became deadly pale, and almost fainted. She overcame this weakness, however, quickly, and said smilingly: „He will then soon be free, for all must know that he is innocent.“

„God grant that it may be proved!“ said Mademoiselle von Haak. „This is no time to shrink or be silent. You have a great, strong heart, and you love him. You must know all! Listen, therefore, princess. I also love; I also look to the future with hope! My love is calm, for it is without danger; it has my mother's consent and blessing. Our only hope is, that my lover may be promoted, and that the king will give his consent to our marriage. We are both poor, and rely only upon the favor of the king. He is now lieutenant, and is on duty in the garrison of Glatz.“

„In Glatz! and you say that Trenck is a prisoner in Glatz?“

„Yes, I received letters yesterday from Schnell. He belongs to the officers who have guard over Trenck. He writes that he feels the profoundest pity for this young man, and that he will joyfully aid him in every way. He asks me if I know no one who has the courage to plead with the king in behalf of this unhappy youth.“

„My God! my God! give me strength to hear all, and yet control myself!“ murmured Amelia. „Do you know the nature of his punishment?“ said she, quietly.

„No one knows positively the duration of his punishment; but the commandant of the fort told the officers that Trenck would be a prisoner for many years.“

The princess uttered one wild cry, then pressed both hands upon her lips and forced herself to silence.

„What is the charge against him?“ she said, after a long pause.

„High treason. A treasonable correspondence has been discovered between him and his cousin the pandour.“

The princess shrugged her shoulders contemptuously. „He will soon justify himself, in view of this pitiful charge! His judges will acknowledge his innocence, and set him at liberty. But why is he not already free? Why has he been condemned? Who were his judges? Did you not say to me that he was condemned?“

„My lover wrote me that Baron Trenck had written to the king and asked for a court-martial and trial.“

„This proves his innocence; he does not fear a trial! What was the king's answer?“

„He ordered the commandant to place Trenck in closer confinement, and to forward no more letters from him. And now, princess, you must act promptly; use all your power and influence, if you would save him!“

„I have no influence, I have no power!“ cried Amelia, with streaming eyes. „Oh! you do not know my brother; his heart is of stone. No one can move him--neither his, mother, his sisters, nor his wife; his purpose is unchangeable, and what he says is fixed. But I will show him that I am his sister; that the hot blood of the Hohenzollerns flows also in my veins. I will seek him boldly; I will avow that I love Trenck; I will demand that he give Trenck liberty, or give me death! I will demand--“

The door was hastily opened, and a servant said, breathlessly, „The king is coming!“

„No, he is already here,“ said the king, who now stood upon the threshold of the door. „He comes to beg his little sister to accompany him to the court-yard and see the reindeer and the Laplanders, sent to us by the crown princess of Sweden.“

The king advanced to his sister, and held out both his hands. But Amelia did not appear to see this. She made a profound and ceremonious bow, and murmured a few cold words of greeting. The king frowned, and looked at her angrily. He saw that she had been weeping, and his expression was harsh and stern.

„Come, princess!“ said he imperiously.

But Amelia had now overcome her terror and her confusion. She was resolved to act, and know the worst.

„Will your majesty grant me an audience? I have something important, most important to myself, to say. I would speak more to the heart of my brother than to the ear of my king. I pray your majesty to allow me to speak with you alone.“

The king's eyes were fixed upon her with a dark and threatening expression, but she did not look down or tremble; she met his glance firmly, even daringly, and Frederick hesitated. „She will speak the whole truth to me,“ thought the king, „and I shall be forced to act with severity against her. I cannot do this; I am not brave enough to battle with a maiden's heart.“

„Sister,“ said he aloud, „if you have indeed something to say to your brother, and not to the king, I counsel you not to speak now. I have so much to do and hear as a king, I have no time to act another part. Is what yon have to say to me truly important? Does it relate to a rare jewel, or a costly robe?--to some debt, which your pin- money does not suffice to meet?--in short, to any one of those great matters which completely fill the heart of a young maiden? If so, I advise you to confide in our mother. If she makes your wishes known to me, you are sure to receive no denial. It is decidedly better for a young girl to turn to her mother with her little wishes and mysteries. If they are innocent, her mother will ever promote them; if they are guilty, a mother's anger will be more restrained and milder than a brother's ever can be.“

„You will not even listen to me, my brother?“ said the princess, sobbing violently.

The king threw a quick glance backward toward the door opening into the corridor, where the cavaliers and maids of honor were assembled, and looking curiously into the room of the princess.

„No! I will not listen to you,“ said he, in a low tone; „but you shall listen to me! You shall not act a drama at my court; you shall not give the world a cause for scandal; you shall not exhibit yourself with red and swollen eyes; that might be misinterpreted. It might be said that the sister of the king did not rejoice at the return of her brother; that she was not patriot enough to feel happy at Prussia's release from the burdens of war, not patriot enough to despise and forget the enemies of her country! I command you to be gay, to conceal your childish grief. A princess dare not weep, or, if she does, it must be under the shadow of night, when God only is with her. This is my counsel and reproof, and I beg you to lay it to heart. I will not command you to accompany me, your eyes are red with weeping. Remain, then, in your room, and that the time may not pass heavily, I hand you this letter, which I have received for you.“

He drew a sealed letter from his bosom, handed it to Amelia, and left the room.

„Let us go,“ said he, nodding to his courtiers; „the princess is unwell, and cannot accompany us.“

Mademoiselle von Haak hastened again to the boudoir. „Has your royal highness spoken to the king?“

She shook her head silently, and with trembling hands tore open the letter given her by the king. Breathlessly she fixed her eyes upon the writing, uttered one wild shriek, and fell insensible upon the floor. This was the last letter she had written to Trenck, and upon the margin the king had written this one word, „Read.“ The king then knew all; he had read the letter; he knew of her engagement to Trenck, knew how she loved him, and he had no mercy. For this was he condemned. He had given her this letter to prove to her that she had nothing to hope; that Trenck was punished, not for high treason against the state, but because he was the lover of the princess.

Amelia understood all. With flashing eyes, with glowing cheeks, she exclaimed: „I will set him at liberty; he suffers because he loves me; for my sake he languishes in a lonely prison. I will free him if it costs me my heart's blood, drop by drop! Now, King Frederick, you shall see that I am indeed your sister; that I have a will even like your own. My life belongs to my beloved; if I cannot share it with him, I will offer it up to him--I swear this; may God condemn me if I break my oath! Trenck shall be free! that is the mission of my life. Now, friend, come to my help; all that I am and have I offer up. I have gold, I have diamonds, I gave an estate given me by my father. I will sell all to liberate him; we will, if necessary, bribe the whole garrison. But now, before all other things, I must write to him.“

„I promise he shall receive your letter,“ said Mademoiselle von Haak; „I will send it to Lieutenant Schnell. I will enclose it to my mother; no one here must know that I correspond with an officer at the fortress of Glatz.“

„No one dare know that, till the day of Trenck's liberation,“ said Amelia, with a radiant smile.