Chapter XII. - TRENCKS FIRST FLIGHT.
„This is, then, the day of his liberation?“ said Princess Amelia to her confidante, Mademoiselle von Haak. „To-day, after five months of torture, he will again be free, will again enjoy life and liberty. And to me, happy princess, will he owe all these blessings; to me, whom God has permitted to survive all these torments, that I might be the means of effecting his deliverance, for, without doubt, our work will succeed, will it not?“
„Undoubtedly,“ said Ernestine von Haak; „we shall and must succeed.“
„Let us reconsider the whole plan, if only to enliven the tedious hours with pleasant thought. When the commandant of the prison, Major von Doo, pays the customary Sunday-morning visit to Trenck's cell, and while he is carefully examining every nook to assure himself that the captive nobleman has not been endeavoring to make a pathway to liberty, Trenck will suddenly overpower him, deprive him of his sword, and rush past him out of the cell. At the door he will be met by the soldier Nicolai, who is in our confidence, and will not seem to notice his escape. Once over the palisades, he will find a horse, which we have placed in readiness. Concealed by the military cloak thrown over him, and armed with the pistols with which his saddle-holsters have been furnished, he will fly on the wings of the wind toward Bohemia. Near the border, at the village of Lonnschutz, a second horse will await him. He will mount and hurry on until the boundary and liberty are obtained. All seems so safe, Ernestine, so easy of execution, that I can scarcely believe in the possibility of a failure.“
„It will not fail,“ said Ernestine von Haak. „Our scheme is good, and will be ably assisted--it must succeed.“
„Provided he find the places where the horses stand concealed.“
„These he cannot fail to find. They are accurately designated in a little note which my lover, when he has charge of the prison-yard, will contrive to convey to him. Schnell's known fidelity vouches for the horses being in readiness. As your royal highness was not willing that we should enlist accomplices among the soldiers, the only question that need give us uneasiness is this: Will Trenck be able to overcome unaided all obstacles within the fortifications?“
„No,“ said Amelia, proudly; „Trenck shall be liberated, but I will not corrupt my brother's soldiers. To do the first, is my right and my duty, for I love Trenck. Should I do the second, I would be guilty of high treason to my king, and this even love could not excuse. Only to himself and to me shall Trenck owe his freedom. Our only allies shall be my means and his own strength. He has the courage of a hero and the strength of a giant. He will force his way through his enemies like Briareus; they will fall before him like grain before the reaper. If he cannot kill them all with his sword, he will annihilate them with the lightning of his glances, for a heavenly power dwells in his eyes. Moreover, your lover writes that he is beloved by the officers of the garrison, that all the soldiers sympathize with him. It is well that it is not necessary to bribe them with miserable dross; Trenck has already bribed them with his youth and manly beauty, his misfortunes and his amiability. He will find no opposition; no one will dispute his passage to liberty.“
„God grant that it may be as your highness predicts!“ said Ernestine, with a sigh.
„Four days of uncertainty are still before us--would that they had passed!“ exclaimed Princess Amelia. „I have no doubts of his safety, but I fear I shall not survive these four days of anxiety. Impatience will destroy me. I had the courage to endure misery, but I feel already that the expectation of happiness tortures me. God grant, at least, that his freedom is secured!“
„Never speak of dying with the rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes your highness has to-day,“ said Mademoiselle von Haak, with a smile. „Your increasing pallor, caused no doubt by your grief, has given me much pain. I am no longer uneasy, however, for you have recovered health and strength, now that you are again hopeful. As for the four days of expectancy, we will kill them with merry laughter, gayety, and dancing. Does not the queen give a ball to-day? is there not a masquerade at the opera to-morrow? For the last five months your highness has taken part in these festivities because you were compelled; you will now do so of your own accord. You will no longer dance because the king commands, but because you are young, happy, and full of hope for the future. On the first and second day you will dance and fatigue yourself so much, that you will have the happiness of sleeping a great deal on the third. The fourth day will dawn upon your weary eyes, and whisper in your ear that Trenck is free, and that it is you who have given him his freedom.“
„Yes, let us be gay, let us laugh, dance, and be merry,“ exclaimed Princess Amelia. „My brother shall be satisfied with me; he need no longer regard me in so gloomy and threatening a manner; I will laugh and jest, I will adorn myself, and surpass all the ladies with the magnificence of my attire and my sparkling eyes. Come, Ernestine, come. We will arrange my toilet for this evening. It shall be magnificent. I will wear flowers in my hair and flowers on my breast, but no pearls. Pearls signify tears, and I will weep no more.“
Joyously she danced through the room, drawing her friend to the boudoir; joyously she passed the three following days of expectation; joyously she closed her eyes on the evening of the third day, to see, in her dreams, her lover kneeling at her feet, thanking her for his liberty, and vowing eternal fidelity and gratitude.
Amelia greeted the fourth day with a happy smile, never doubting but that it would bring her glad tidings. But hours passed away, and still Mademoiselle von Haak did not appear. Amelia had said to her: „I do not wish to see you to-morrow until you can bring me good news. This will, however, be in your power at an early hour, and you shall flutter into my chamber with these tidings, like the dove with the olive-branch.“
Mademoiselle von Haak has still not yet arrived. But now the door opens--she is there, but her face is pale, her eyes tearful; and this pale lady in black, whose noble and beautiful features recall to Amelia such charming and delightful remembrances--who is she? What brings her here? Why does she hurry forward to the princess with streaming eyes? Why does she kneel, raise her hands imploringly, and whisper, „Mercy, Princess Amelia, mercy!“
Amelia rises from her seat, pale and trembling, gazes with widely extended eyes at the kneeling figure, and, almost speechless with terror, asks in low tones, „Who are you, madame? What do you desire of me?“
The pale woman at her feet cries in heart-rending accents, „I am the mother of the unfortunate Frederick von Trenck, and I come to implore mercy at the hands of your royal highness. My son attempted to escape, but God did not favor his undertaking. He was overtaken by misfortune, after having overcome almost all obstacles, when nothing but the palisades separated him from liberty and safety; he was attacked by his pursuers, disarmed, and carried back to prison, wounded and bleeding.“ [Footnote: Trenck's Biography, i., 80.]
Amelia uttered a cry of horror, and fell back on her seat pale and breathless, almost senseless. Mademoiselle von Haak took her gently in her arms, and, amid her tears, whispered words of consolation, of sympathy, and of hope. But Amelia scarcely heeded her; she looked down vacantly upon the pallid, weeping woman who still knelt at her feet.
„Have mercy, princess, have mercy! You alone can assist me; therefore have I come to you; therefore have I entreated Mademoiselle von Haak with tears until she could no longer refuse to conduct me to your presence. Regardless, at last, of etiquette and ceremony, she permitted me to fall at your feet, and to cry to you for help. You are an angel of goodness and mercy; pity an unfortunate mother, who wishes to save her son!“
„And you believe that I can do this?“ said Amelia, breathlessly.
„You alone, royal highness, have the power to save my son's life!“
„Tell me by what means, countess, and I will save him, if it costs my heart's blood.“
„Conduct me to the king. That is all that I require of you. He has not yet been informed of my son's unfortunate attempt. I must be the first to bring him this intelligence. I will confess that it was I who assisted my son in this attempt, who bribed the non-commissioned officer, Nicolai, with flattery and tears, with gold and promises; that it was I who placed the horses and loaded pistols in readiness beyond the outer palisade; that I sent my son the thousand ducats which were found on his person; that I wrote him the letter containing vows of eternal love and fidelity. The king will pardon a mother who, in endeavoring to liberate her son, left no means of success untried.“
„You are a noble, a generous woman!“ exclaimed the princess, with enthusiasm. „You are worthy to be Trenck's mother! You say that I must save him, and you have come to save me! But I will not accept this sacrifice; I will not be cowardly and timidly silent, when you have the courage to speak. Let the king know all; let him know that Trenck was not the son, but the lover of her who endeavored to give him his freedom, and that--“
„If you would save him, be silent! The king can be merciful when it was the mother who attempted to liberate the son; he will be inexorable if another has made this mad attempt; and, above all, if he cannot punish the transgressor, my son's punishment will be doubled.“
„Listen to her words, princess, adopt her counsel,“ whispered the weeping Ernestine. „Preserve yourself for the unfortunate Trenck; protect his friends by your silence, and we may still hope to form a better and happier plan of escape.“
„Be it so,“ said the princess with a sigh. „I will bring him this additional sacrifice. I will be silent. God knows that I would willingly lay down my life for him. I would find this easier than to veil my love in cowardly silence. Come, I will conduct you to the king.“
„But I have not yet told your royal highness that the king is in his library, and has ordered that no one should be admitted to his presence.“
„I will be admitted. I will conduct you through the private corridor and the king's apartments, and not by the way of the grand antechamber. Come.“
She seized the countess's hand and led her away.
The king was alone in his library, sitting at a table covered with books and papers, busily engaged in writing. From time to time he paused, and thoughtfully regarded what he had written. „I have commenced a new work, which it is to be hoped will be as great a success in the field of science as several that I have achieved with the sword on another field. I know my wish and my aim; I have undertaken a truly noble task. I will write the history of my times, not in the form of memoirs, nor as a commentary, but as a free, independent, and impartial history. I will describe the decline of Europe, and will endeavor to portray the follies and weaknesses of her rulers. [Footnote: The king's own words. „OEuvres posthumes: Correspondance avec Voltaire.“] My respected colleagues, the kings and princes, have provided me with rich materials for a ludicrous picture. To do this work justice, the pencil of a Hollenbreughel and the pen of a Thucydides were desirable. Ah! glory is so piquant a dish, that the more we indulge, the more we thirst after its enjoyment. Why am I not satisfied with being called a good general? why do I long for the honor of being crowned in the capitol? Well, it certainly will not be his holiness the pope who crowns me or elevates me to the rank of a saint--truly, I am not envious of such titles. I shall be contented if posterity shall call me a good prince, a brave soldier, and a good lawgiver, and forgives me for having sometimes mounted the Pegasus instead of the war horse.“
With a merry smile, the king now resumed his writing. The door which communicated with his apartments was opened softly, and Princess Amelia, her countenance pale and sorrowful, looked searchingly into the room. Seeing that the king was still writing, she knocked gently. The king turned hastily and angrily.
„Did I not say that I desired to be alone?“ said he, indignantly. Perceiving his sister, he now arose, an expression of anxiety pervading his countenance. „Ah, my sister! your sad face proclaims you the bearer of bad news,“ said he; „and very important it must have been to bring you unannounced to my presence.“
„My brother, misfortune has always the privilege of coming unannounced to the presence of princes, to implore pity and mercy at their hands. I claim this holy privilege for the unfortunate lady who has prayed for my intercession in her behalf. Sire, will you graciously accord her an audience?“
„Who is she?“ asked the king, discontentedly,
„Sire, it is the Countess Lostange,“ said Amelia, in a scarcely audible voice.
„The mother of the rebellious Lieutenant von Trenck!“ exclaimed the king, in an almost threatening tone, his eyes flashing angrily.
„Yes, it is the mother of the unfortunate Von Trenck who implores mercy of your majesty!“ exclaimed the countess, falling on her knees at the threshold of the door.
The king recoiled a step, and his eye grew darker. „Really, you obtain your audiences in a daring manner--you conquer them, and make the princess your herald.“
„Sire, I was refused admission. In the anguish of my heart, I turned to the princess, who was generous enough to incur the displeasure of her royal brother for my sake.“
„And was that which you had to say really so urgent?“
„Sire, for five months has my son been languishing in prison, and you ask if there is an urgent necessity for his mother's appeal. My son has incurred your majesty's displeasure; why, I know not. He is a prisoner, and stands accused of I know not what. Be merciful--let me know his crime, that I may endeavor to atone for it.“
„Madame, a mother is not responsible for her son; a woman cannot atone for a man's crimes. Leave your son to his destiny; it may be a brighter one at some future day, if he is wise and prudent, and heeds the warning which is now knocking at his benighted heart.“ At these words, the king's glance rested for a moment on the countenance of the princess, as if this warning had also been intended for her.
„It is, then, your majesty's intention to cheer a mother's heart with hope? My son will not be long a captive. You will pardon him for this crime of which I have no knowledge, and which you do not feel inclined to mention.“
„Shall I make it known to you, madame?“ said the king, with severity. „He carried on an imprudent and treasonable correspondence, and if tried by court-martial, would be found guilty of high treason. But, in consideration of his youth, and several extenuating circumstances with which I alone am acquainted, I will be lenient with him. Be satisfied with this assurance: in a year your son will be free; and when solitude has brought him to reflection, and the consciousness of his crime, when he is more humble and wiser, I will again be a gracious king to him. [Footnote: Trenck's Memoirs, i., 82.] Write this to your son, madame, and receive my best wishes for yourself.“
„Oh, sire, you do not yet know all. I have another confession to make, and--“
A light knock at the door communicating with the antechamber interrupted her, and a voice from the outside exclaimed: „Sire, a courier with important dispatches from Silesia.“
„Retire to the adjoining apartment, and wait there,“ said the king, turning to his sister.
Both ladies left the room.
„Dispatches from Silesia,“ whispered the countess. „The king will now learn all, I fear.“
„Well, if he does,“ said the princess, almost defiantly, „we are here to save him, and we will save him.“
A short time elapsed; then the door was violently thrown open, and the king appeared on the threshold, his eyes flashing with anger.
„Madame,“ said he, pointing to the papers which he held in his hand, „from these papers I have undoubtedly learned what it was your intention to have communicated to me. Your son has attempted to escape from prison like a cowardly criminal, a malefactor weighed down with guilt. In this attempt he has killed and wounded soldiers, disarmed the governor of the fortress, and, in his insolent frenzy, has endeavored to scale the palisades in broad daylight. Madame, nothing but the consciousness of his own guilt could have induced him to attempt so daring a flight, and he must have had criminal accomplices who advised him to this step--accomplices who bribed the sentinel on duty before his door; who secretly conveyed money to him, and held horses in readiness for his flight. Woe to them if I should ever discover the criminals who treasonably induced my soldiers and officers to break their oath of fidelity!“
„I, your majesty, I was this criminal,“ said the countess. „A mother may well dare to achieve the freedom of her son at any price. It is her privilege to defend him with any weapon. I bribed the soldiers, placed the horses in readiness, and conveyed money to my son. It was Trenck's mother who endeavored to liberate him.“
„And you have only brought him to greater, to more hopeless misery! For now, madame, there can be no mercy. The fugitive, the deserter, has forfeited the favor of his king. Shame, misery, and perpetual captivity will henceforth be his portion. This is my determination. Hope for no mercy. The articles of war condemn the deserter to death. I will give him his life, but freedom I cannot give him, for I now know that he would abuse it. Farewell.“
„Mercy! mercy for my son!“ sobbed the countess. „He is so young! he has a long life before him.“
„A life of remorse and repentance,“ said the king with severity. „I will accord him no other. Go!“
He was on the point of reentering the library. A hand was laid on his shoulder; he turned and saw the pale countenance of his sister.
„My brother,“ said the princess, in a firm voice, „permit me to speak with you alone for a moment. Proceed, I will follow you.“
Her bearing was proud, almost dictatorial. Her sternly tranquil manner, her clear and earnest brow, showed plainly that she had formed an heroic determination. She was no longer the young girl, timidly praying for her lover; she was the fearless woman, determined to defend him, or die for him. The king read this in her countenance, it was plainly indicated in her royal bearing; and with the reverence and consideration which great spirits ever accord to misfortune, he did homage to this woman toward whom he was so strongly drawn by sympathy and pity.
„Come, my sister, come,“ said he, offering his hand.
Amelia did not take his hand; by his side she walked into the library, and softly locked the door behind her. One moment she rested against the wall, as if to gather strength. The king hastily crossed the room, and looked out at the window. Hearing the rustle of her dress behind him, he turned and advanced toward the princess. She regarded him fixedly with cold and tearless eyes.
„Is it sufficient if I promise never to see him again?“ said she.
„The promise is superfluous, for I will make a future meeting impossible.“
She inclined her head slightly, as if this answer had been expected.
„Is it enough if I swear never to write to him again, nevermore to give him a token of my love?“
„I would not believe this oath. If I set him at liberty he would compromise you and your family, by boasting of a love which yielded to circumstances and necessity only, and not to reason and indifference. I will make you no reproaches at present, for I think your conscience is doing that for me. But this much I will say: I will not set him at liberty until he no longer believes in your love.“
„Will you liberate him if I rob him of this belief? If I hurl the broken bond of my promised faith in his face? If I tell him that fear and cowardice have extinguished my love, and that I bid him farewell forever?“
„Write him this, and I promise you that he shall be free in a few months; but, understand me well, free to go where he will, but banished from my kingdom.“
„Shall I write at once?“ said she with an expression of utter indifference, and with icy tranquillity.
„Write; you will find all that is necessary on my escritoire.“
She walked composedly to the table and seated herself. When she commenced writing, a deathly pallor came over her face; her breath came and went hurriedly and painfully. The king stood near, regarding her with an expression of deep solicitude.
„Have you finished?“ said he, as she pushed the paper aside on which she had been writing.
„No,“ said she calmly, „it was only a tear that had fallen on the paper. I must begin again.“ And with perfect composure she took another sheet of paper, and began writing anew.
The king turned away with a sigh. He felt that if he longer regarded this pale, resigned face, he would lose sight of reason and duty, and restore to her her lover. He again advanced to the window, and looked thoughtfully out at the sky. „Is it possible? can it be?“ he asked himself. „May I forget my duties as head of my family, and only remember that she is my sister, and that she is suffering and weeping? Must we then all pay for this empty grandeur, this frippery of earthly magnificence, with our heart's blood and our best hopes? And if I now deprive her of her dreams of happiness, what compensation can I offer? With what can I replace her hopes, her love, the happiness of her youth? At the best, with a little earthly splendor, with the purple and the crown, and eventually, perhaps, with my love. Yes, I will love her truly and cordially; she shall forgive the brother for the king's harshness; she shall--“
„I have finished,“ said the sad voice of his sister.
The king turned from the window; Amelia stood at the escritoire, holding the paper on which she had been writing in one hand, and sustaining herself by the table with the other.
„Read what you have written,“ said the king, approaching her.
The princess bowed her head and read:
„I pity you, but your misfortune is irremediable; and I cannot and will not attempt to alleviate it, for fear of compromising myself. This is, therefore, my last letter--I can risk nothing more for you. Do not attempt to write to me, for I should return your letter unopened. Our separation must be forever, but I will always remain your friend; and if I can ever serve you hereafter, I will do so gladly. Farewell, unhappy friend, you deserve a better fate.“ [Footnote: Trenck's Memoirs, i., 86.]
„That is all?“ said the king, as his sister ceased reading.
„That is all, sire.“
„And you imagine that he will no longer believe in your love, when he receives this letter?“ said the king, with a sad smile.
„I am sure he will not, for I tell him in this letter that I will risk nothing more for him; that I will not even attempt to alleviate his misery. Only when one is cowardly enough to sacrifice love to selfish fears, could one do this. I shall have purchased his liberty with his contempt.“
„What would you have written if you had been permitted to follow the promptings of your heart?“
A rosy hue flitted over her countenance, and love beamed in her eyes. „I would have written, 'Believe in me, trust in me! For henceforth the one aim of my life will be to liberate you. Let me die when I have attained this aim, but die in the consciousness of having saved you, and of having been true to my love.'„
„You would have written that?“
„I would have written that,“ said she, proudly and joyfully. „And the truth of that letter he would not have doubted.“
„Oh, woman's heart! inexhaustible source of love and devotion!“ murmured the king, turning away to conceal his emotion from his sister.
„Is this letter sufficient?“ demanded the princess. „Shall Trenck be free?“
„I have promised it, and will keep my word. Fold the letter and direct it. It shall be forwarded at once.“
„And when will he be free?“
„I cannot set him at liberty immediately. It would be setting my officers a bad example. But in three months he shall be free.“
„In three months, then. Here is the letter, sire.“
The king took the letter and placed it in his bosom.
„And now, my sister, come to my heart,“ said he, holding out his arms. „The king was angry with you, the brother will weep with you. Come, Amelia, come to your brother's heart.“
Amelia did not throw herself in his arms; she stood still, and seemed not to have heard, not to have understood his words.
„I pray that your majesty will allow me to retire,“ said she. „I think we have finished--we have to other business to transact.“
„Oh! my sister,“ said Frederick, mournfully, „think of what you are doing; do not harden your heart against me. Believe me, I suffer with you; and if the only question were the sacrifice of my personal wishes, I would gladly yield. But I must consider my ancestors, the history of my house, and the prejudices of the world. Amelia, I cannot, I dare not do otherwise. Forgive me, my sister. And now, once more, let us hold firmly to each other in love and trust. Let me fold you to my heart.“
He advanced and extended his hand, but his sister slowly recoiled.
„Allow me to remind your majesty that a poor unhappy woman is awaiting a word of consolation in the next room, and that this woman is Trenck's mother. She, at least, will be happy when I inform her that her son will soon be free. Permit me, therefore, sire, to take my leave, and bear her this good news.“
She bowed formally and profoundly, and walked slowly across the room. The king no longer endeavored to hold her back. He followed her with a mournful, questioning glance, still hoping that she would turn and seek a reconciliation. She reached the door, now she turned. The king stepped forward rapidly, hut Princess Amelia bowed ceremoniously and disappeared.
„Lost! I have lost her,“ sighed the king. „Oh, my God! must I then part from all that I love? Was it not enough to lose my friends by death? will cruel fate also rob me of a loved and living sister? Ah! I am a poor, a wretched man, and yet they call me a king.“
Frederick slowly seated himself, and covered his face with his hands. He remained in this position for a long time, his sighs being the only interruption to the silence which reigned in the apartment.
„Work! I will work,“ said he proudly. „This is at least a consolation, and teaches forgetfulness.“
He walked hurriedly to his escritoire, seated himself, and regarded the manuscripts and papers which lay before him. He took up one of the manuscripts and began to read, but with an impatient gesture he soon laid it aside.
„The letters swim before my eyes in inextricable confusion. My God, how hard it is to do one's duty!“
He rested his head on his hand, and was lost in thought for a long time. Gradually his expression brightened, and a wondrous light beamed in his eyes.
„Yes,“ said he, with a smile, „yes, so it shall be. I have just lost a much-loved sister. Well, it is customary to erect a monument in memory of those we love. Poor, lost sister, I will erect a monument to your memory. The king has been compelled to make his sister unhappy, and for this he will endeavor to make his people happy. And if there is no law to which a princess can appeal against the king, there shall at least be laws for all my subjects, which protect them, and are in strict accordance with reason, with justice, and the godly principle of equality. Yes, I will give my people a new code of laws. [Footnote: Rodenbeck, Diary, p. 137.] This, Amelia, shall be the monument which I will erect to you in my heart. In this very hour I will write to Cocceji, and request him to sketch the outlines of this new code of laws.“
The king seized his pen and commenced writing. „The judges,“ said he, hastily penning his words, „the judges must administer equal and impartial justice to all without respect to rank or wealth, as they expect to answer for the same before the righteous judgment-seat of God, and in order that the sighs of the widows and orphans, and of all that are oppressed, may not be visited upon themselves and their children. No rescripts, although issued from this cabinet, shall be deemed worthy of the slightest consideration, if they contain aught manifestly incompatible with equity, or if the strict course of justice is thereby hindered or interrupted; but the judges shall proceed according to the dictates of duty and conscience.“
The king continued writing, his countenance becoming more and more radiant with pleasure, while his pen flew over the paper. He was so completely occupied with his thoughts that he did not hear the door open behind him, and did not perceive the merry and intelligent face of his favorite, General Rothenberg, looking in.
The king wrote on. Rothenberg stooped and placed something which he held in his arms on the floor. He looked over toward the king, and then at the graceful little greyhound which stood quietly before him. This was no other than the favorite dog of the king, which had been lost and a captive. [Footnote: The greyhound had fallen into the hands of the Austrians at the battle of Sohr, and had been presented by General Nadasti to his wife as a trophy. When this lady learned that Biche had been a pet of the king, she at first refused to give it up: and only after several demands, and with much difficulty, could she be induced to return it. Rodenbeck, Diary, p. 126.]
The little Biche stood still for a moment, looking around intelligently, and then ran lightly across the apartment, sprang upon the table and laid its forepaw on the king's neck.
„Biche, my faithful little friend, is it you?“ said Frederick, throwing his pen aside and taking the little animal in his arms. Biche began to bark with delight, nestle closely to her master, and look lovingly at him with her bright little eyes. And the king--he inclined his face on the head of his faithful little friend, and tears ran slowly down his cheeks. [Footnote: Muchler, „Frederick the Great,“ p. 350. Rodenbeck, Diary, p. 137.]
„You have not forgotten me, my little Biche? Ah, if men were true, and loved me as you do, my faithful little dog, I should be a rich, a happy king!“
General Rothenberg still stood at the half-opened door. „Sire, said he, „is it only Biche who has the grandes and petites entrees, or have I also?“
„Ah, it was then you who brought Biche?“ said Frederick, beckoning to the general to approach.
„Yes, sire, it was I, but I almost regret having done so, for I perceive that Biche is a dangerous rival, and I am jealous of her.“
„You are my best gentleman-friend, and Biche is my best lady- friend,“ said the king, laughing. „I shall never forget that Biche on one occasion might have discovered me to the Austrians, and did not betray me, as thousands of men would have done in her place. Had she barked at the time when I had concealed myself under the bridge, while the regiment of pandours was passing over, I should have been lost. But she conquered herself. From love to me she renounced her instincts, and was silent. She nestled close to my side, regarding me with her discreet little eyes, and licking my hand lovingly. Ah, my friend, dogs are better and truer than mankind, and the so-called images of God could learn a great deal from them!“
„Undoubtedly,“ said Ernestine von Haak; „we shall and must succeed.“
„Let us reconsider the whole plan, if only to enliven the tedious hours with pleasant thought. When the commandant of the prison, Major von Doo, pays the customary Sunday-morning visit to Trenck's cell, and while he is carefully examining every nook to assure himself that the captive nobleman has not been endeavoring to make a pathway to liberty, Trenck will suddenly overpower him, deprive him of his sword, and rush past him out of the cell. At the door he will be met by the soldier Nicolai, who is in our confidence, and will not seem to notice his escape. Once over the palisades, he will find a horse, which we have placed in readiness. Concealed by the military cloak thrown over him, and armed with the pistols with which his saddle-holsters have been furnished, he will fly on the wings of the wind toward Bohemia. Near the border, at the village of Lonnschutz, a second horse will await him. He will mount and hurry on until the boundary and liberty are obtained. All seems so safe, Ernestine, so easy of execution, that I can scarcely believe in the possibility of a failure.“
„It will not fail,“ said Ernestine von Haak. „Our scheme is good, and will be ably assisted--it must succeed.“
„Provided he find the places where the horses stand concealed.“
„These he cannot fail to find. They are accurately designated in a little note which my lover, when he has charge of the prison-yard, will contrive to convey to him. Schnell's known fidelity vouches for the horses being in readiness. As your royal highness was not willing that we should enlist accomplices among the soldiers, the only question that need give us uneasiness is this: Will Trenck be able to overcome unaided all obstacles within the fortifications?“
„No,“ said Amelia, proudly; „Trenck shall be liberated, but I will not corrupt my brother's soldiers. To do the first, is my right and my duty, for I love Trenck. Should I do the second, I would be guilty of high treason to my king, and this even love could not excuse. Only to himself and to me shall Trenck owe his freedom. Our only allies shall be my means and his own strength. He has the courage of a hero and the strength of a giant. He will force his way through his enemies like Briareus; they will fall before him like grain before the reaper. If he cannot kill them all with his sword, he will annihilate them with the lightning of his glances, for a heavenly power dwells in his eyes. Moreover, your lover writes that he is beloved by the officers of the garrison, that all the soldiers sympathize with him. It is well that it is not necessary to bribe them with miserable dross; Trenck has already bribed them with his youth and manly beauty, his misfortunes and his amiability. He will find no opposition; no one will dispute his passage to liberty.“
„God grant that it may be as your highness predicts!“ said Ernestine, with a sigh.
„Four days of uncertainty are still before us--would that they had passed!“ exclaimed Princess Amelia. „I have no doubts of his safety, but I fear I shall not survive these four days of anxiety. Impatience will destroy me. I had the courage to endure misery, but I feel already that the expectation of happiness tortures me. God grant, at least, that his freedom is secured!“
„Never speak of dying with the rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes your highness has to-day,“ said Mademoiselle von Haak, with a smile. „Your increasing pallor, caused no doubt by your grief, has given me much pain. I am no longer uneasy, however, for you have recovered health and strength, now that you are again hopeful. As for the four days of expectancy, we will kill them with merry laughter, gayety, and dancing. Does not the queen give a ball to-day? is there not a masquerade at the opera to-morrow? For the last five months your highness has taken part in these festivities because you were compelled; you will now do so of your own accord. You will no longer dance because the king commands, but because you are young, happy, and full of hope for the future. On the first and second day you will dance and fatigue yourself so much, that you will have the happiness of sleeping a great deal on the third. The fourth day will dawn upon your weary eyes, and whisper in your ear that Trenck is free, and that it is you who have given him his freedom.“
„Yes, let us be gay, let us laugh, dance, and be merry,“ exclaimed Princess Amelia. „My brother shall be satisfied with me; he need no longer regard me in so gloomy and threatening a manner; I will laugh and jest, I will adorn myself, and surpass all the ladies with the magnificence of my attire and my sparkling eyes. Come, Ernestine, come. We will arrange my toilet for this evening. It shall be magnificent. I will wear flowers in my hair and flowers on my breast, but no pearls. Pearls signify tears, and I will weep no more.“
Joyously she danced through the room, drawing her friend to the boudoir; joyously she passed the three following days of expectation; joyously she closed her eyes on the evening of the third day, to see, in her dreams, her lover kneeling at her feet, thanking her for his liberty, and vowing eternal fidelity and gratitude.
Amelia greeted the fourth day with a happy smile, never doubting but that it would bring her glad tidings. But hours passed away, and still Mademoiselle von Haak did not appear. Amelia had said to her: „I do not wish to see you to-morrow until you can bring me good news. This will, however, be in your power at an early hour, and you shall flutter into my chamber with these tidings, like the dove with the olive-branch.“
Mademoiselle von Haak has still not yet arrived. But now the door opens--she is there, but her face is pale, her eyes tearful; and this pale lady in black, whose noble and beautiful features recall to Amelia such charming and delightful remembrances--who is she? What brings her here? Why does she hurry forward to the princess with streaming eyes? Why does she kneel, raise her hands imploringly, and whisper, „Mercy, Princess Amelia, mercy!“
Amelia rises from her seat, pale and trembling, gazes with widely extended eyes at the kneeling figure, and, almost speechless with terror, asks in low tones, „Who are you, madame? What do you desire of me?“
The pale woman at her feet cries in heart-rending accents, „I am the mother of the unfortunate Frederick von Trenck, and I come to implore mercy at the hands of your royal highness. My son attempted to escape, but God did not favor his undertaking. He was overtaken by misfortune, after having overcome almost all obstacles, when nothing but the palisades separated him from liberty and safety; he was attacked by his pursuers, disarmed, and carried back to prison, wounded and bleeding.“ [Footnote: Trenck's Biography, i., 80.]
Amelia uttered a cry of horror, and fell back on her seat pale and breathless, almost senseless. Mademoiselle von Haak took her gently in her arms, and, amid her tears, whispered words of consolation, of sympathy, and of hope. But Amelia scarcely heeded her; she looked down vacantly upon the pallid, weeping woman who still knelt at her feet.
„Have mercy, princess, have mercy! You alone can assist me; therefore have I come to you; therefore have I entreated Mademoiselle von Haak with tears until she could no longer refuse to conduct me to your presence. Regardless, at last, of etiquette and ceremony, she permitted me to fall at your feet, and to cry to you for help. You are an angel of goodness and mercy; pity an unfortunate mother, who wishes to save her son!“
„And you believe that I can do this?“ said Amelia, breathlessly.
„You alone, royal highness, have the power to save my son's life!“
„Tell me by what means, countess, and I will save him, if it costs my heart's blood.“
„Conduct me to the king. That is all that I require of you. He has not yet been informed of my son's unfortunate attempt. I must be the first to bring him this intelligence. I will confess that it was I who assisted my son in this attempt, who bribed the non-commissioned officer, Nicolai, with flattery and tears, with gold and promises; that it was I who placed the horses and loaded pistols in readiness beyond the outer palisade; that I sent my son the thousand ducats which were found on his person; that I wrote him the letter containing vows of eternal love and fidelity. The king will pardon a mother who, in endeavoring to liberate her son, left no means of success untried.“
„You are a noble, a generous woman!“ exclaimed the princess, with enthusiasm. „You are worthy to be Trenck's mother! You say that I must save him, and you have come to save me! But I will not accept this sacrifice; I will not be cowardly and timidly silent, when you have the courage to speak. Let the king know all; let him know that Trenck was not the son, but the lover of her who endeavored to give him his freedom, and that--“
„If you would save him, be silent! The king can be merciful when it was the mother who attempted to liberate the son; he will be inexorable if another has made this mad attempt; and, above all, if he cannot punish the transgressor, my son's punishment will be doubled.“
„Listen to her words, princess, adopt her counsel,“ whispered the weeping Ernestine. „Preserve yourself for the unfortunate Trenck; protect his friends by your silence, and we may still hope to form a better and happier plan of escape.“
„Be it so,“ said the princess with a sigh. „I will bring him this additional sacrifice. I will be silent. God knows that I would willingly lay down my life for him. I would find this easier than to veil my love in cowardly silence. Come, I will conduct you to the king.“
„But I have not yet told your royal highness that the king is in his library, and has ordered that no one should be admitted to his presence.“
„I will be admitted. I will conduct you through the private corridor and the king's apartments, and not by the way of the grand antechamber. Come.“
She seized the countess's hand and led her away.
The king was alone in his library, sitting at a table covered with books and papers, busily engaged in writing. From time to time he paused, and thoughtfully regarded what he had written. „I have commenced a new work, which it is to be hoped will be as great a success in the field of science as several that I have achieved with the sword on another field. I know my wish and my aim; I have undertaken a truly noble task. I will write the history of my times, not in the form of memoirs, nor as a commentary, but as a free, independent, and impartial history. I will describe the decline of Europe, and will endeavor to portray the follies and weaknesses of her rulers. [Footnote: The king's own words. „OEuvres posthumes: Correspondance avec Voltaire.“] My respected colleagues, the kings and princes, have provided me with rich materials for a ludicrous picture. To do this work justice, the pencil of a Hollenbreughel and the pen of a Thucydides were desirable. Ah! glory is so piquant a dish, that the more we indulge, the more we thirst after its enjoyment. Why am I not satisfied with being called a good general? why do I long for the honor of being crowned in the capitol? Well, it certainly will not be his holiness the pope who crowns me or elevates me to the rank of a saint--truly, I am not envious of such titles. I shall be contented if posterity shall call me a good prince, a brave soldier, and a good lawgiver, and forgives me for having sometimes mounted the Pegasus instead of the war horse.“
With a merry smile, the king now resumed his writing. The door which communicated with his apartments was opened softly, and Princess Amelia, her countenance pale and sorrowful, looked searchingly into the room. Seeing that the king was still writing, she knocked gently. The king turned hastily and angrily.
„Did I not say that I desired to be alone?“ said he, indignantly. Perceiving his sister, he now arose, an expression of anxiety pervading his countenance. „Ah, my sister! your sad face proclaims you the bearer of bad news,“ said he; „and very important it must have been to bring you unannounced to my presence.“
„My brother, misfortune has always the privilege of coming unannounced to the presence of princes, to implore pity and mercy at their hands. I claim this holy privilege for the unfortunate lady who has prayed for my intercession in her behalf. Sire, will you graciously accord her an audience?“
„Who is she?“ asked the king, discontentedly,
„Sire, it is the Countess Lostange,“ said Amelia, in a scarcely audible voice.
„The mother of the rebellious Lieutenant von Trenck!“ exclaimed the king, in an almost threatening tone, his eyes flashing angrily.
„Yes, it is the mother of the unfortunate Von Trenck who implores mercy of your majesty!“ exclaimed the countess, falling on her knees at the threshold of the door.
The king recoiled a step, and his eye grew darker. „Really, you obtain your audiences in a daring manner--you conquer them, and make the princess your herald.“
„Sire, I was refused admission. In the anguish of my heart, I turned to the princess, who was generous enough to incur the displeasure of her royal brother for my sake.“
„And was that which you had to say really so urgent?“
„Sire, for five months has my son been languishing in prison, and you ask if there is an urgent necessity for his mother's appeal. My son has incurred your majesty's displeasure; why, I know not. He is a prisoner, and stands accused of I know not what. Be merciful--let me know his crime, that I may endeavor to atone for it.“
„Madame, a mother is not responsible for her son; a woman cannot atone for a man's crimes. Leave your son to his destiny; it may be a brighter one at some future day, if he is wise and prudent, and heeds the warning which is now knocking at his benighted heart.“ At these words, the king's glance rested for a moment on the countenance of the princess, as if this warning had also been intended for her.
„It is, then, your majesty's intention to cheer a mother's heart with hope? My son will not be long a captive. You will pardon him for this crime of which I have no knowledge, and which you do not feel inclined to mention.“
„Shall I make it known to you, madame?“ said the king, with severity. „He carried on an imprudent and treasonable correspondence, and if tried by court-martial, would be found guilty of high treason. But, in consideration of his youth, and several extenuating circumstances with which I alone am acquainted, I will be lenient with him. Be satisfied with this assurance: in a year your son will be free; and when solitude has brought him to reflection, and the consciousness of his crime, when he is more humble and wiser, I will again be a gracious king to him. [Footnote: Trenck's Memoirs, i., 82.] Write this to your son, madame, and receive my best wishes for yourself.“
„Oh, sire, you do not yet know all. I have another confession to make, and--“
A light knock at the door communicating with the antechamber interrupted her, and a voice from the outside exclaimed: „Sire, a courier with important dispatches from Silesia.“
„Retire to the adjoining apartment, and wait there,“ said the king, turning to his sister.
Both ladies left the room.
„Dispatches from Silesia,“ whispered the countess. „The king will now learn all, I fear.“
„Well, if he does,“ said the princess, almost defiantly, „we are here to save him, and we will save him.“
A short time elapsed; then the door was violently thrown open, and the king appeared on the threshold, his eyes flashing with anger.
„Madame,“ said he, pointing to the papers which he held in his hand, „from these papers I have undoubtedly learned what it was your intention to have communicated to me. Your son has attempted to escape from prison like a cowardly criminal, a malefactor weighed down with guilt. In this attempt he has killed and wounded soldiers, disarmed the governor of the fortress, and, in his insolent frenzy, has endeavored to scale the palisades in broad daylight. Madame, nothing but the consciousness of his own guilt could have induced him to attempt so daring a flight, and he must have had criminal accomplices who advised him to this step--accomplices who bribed the sentinel on duty before his door; who secretly conveyed money to him, and held horses in readiness for his flight. Woe to them if I should ever discover the criminals who treasonably induced my soldiers and officers to break their oath of fidelity!“
„I, your majesty, I was this criminal,“ said the countess. „A mother may well dare to achieve the freedom of her son at any price. It is her privilege to defend him with any weapon. I bribed the soldiers, placed the horses in readiness, and conveyed money to my son. It was Trenck's mother who endeavored to liberate him.“
„And you have only brought him to greater, to more hopeless misery! For now, madame, there can be no mercy. The fugitive, the deserter, has forfeited the favor of his king. Shame, misery, and perpetual captivity will henceforth be his portion. This is my determination. Hope for no mercy. The articles of war condemn the deserter to death. I will give him his life, but freedom I cannot give him, for I now know that he would abuse it. Farewell.“
„Mercy! mercy for my son!“ sobbed the countess. „He is so young! he has a long life before him.“
„A life of remorse and repentance,“ said the king with severity. „I will accord him no other. Go!“
He was on the point of reentering the library. A hand was laid on his shoulder; he turned and saw the pale countenance of his sister.
„My brother,“ said the princess, in a firm voice, „permit me to speak with you alone for a moment. Proceed, I will follow you.“
Her bearing was proud, almost dictatorial. Her sternly tranquil manner, her clear and earnest brow, showed plainly that she had formed an heroic determination. She was no longer the young girl, timidly praying for her lover; she was the fearless woman, determined to defend him, or die for him. The king read this in her countenance, it was plainly indicated in her royal bearing; and with the reverence and consideration which great spirits ever accord to misfortune, he did homage to this woman toward whom he was so strongly drawn by sympathy and pity.
„Come, my sister, come,“ said he, offering his hand.
Amelia did not take his hand; by his side she walked into the library, and softly locked the door behind her. One moment she rested against the wall, as if to gather strength. The king hastily crossed the room, and looked out at the window. Hearing the rustle of her dress behind him, he turned and advanced toward the princess. She regarded him fixedly with cold and tearless eyes.
„Is it sufficient if I promise never to see him again?“ said she.
„The promise is superfluous, for I will make a future meeting impossible.“
She inclined her head slightly, as if this answer had been expected.
„Is it enough if I swear never to write to him again, nevermore to give him a token of my love?“
„I would not believe this oath. If I set him at liberty he would compromise you and your family, by boasting of a love which yielded to circumstances and necessity only, and not to reason and indifference. I will make you no reproaches at present, for I think your conscience is doing that for me. But this much I will say: I will not set him at liberty until he no longer believes in your love.“
„Will you liberate him if I rob him of this belief? If I hurl the broken bond of my promised faith in his face? If I tell him that fear and cowardice have extinguished my love, and that I bid him farewell forever?“
„Write him this, and I promise you that he shall be free in a few months; but, understand me well, free to go where he will, but banished from my kingdom.“
„Shall I write at once?“ said she with an expression of utter indifference, and with icy tranquillity.
„Write; you will find all that is necessary on my escritoire.“
She walked composedly to the table and seated herself. When she commenced writing, a deathly pallor came over her face; her breath came and went hurriedly and painfully. The king stood near, regarding her with an expression of deep solicitude.
„Have you finished?“ said he, as she pushed the paper aside on which she had been writing.
„No,“ said she calmly, „it was only a tear that had fallen on the paper. I must begin again.“ And with perfect composure she took another sheet of paper, and began writing anew.
The king turned away with a sigh. He felt that if he longer regarded this pale, resigned face, he would lose sight of reason and duty, and restore to her her lover. He again advanced to the window, and looked thoughtfully out at the sky. „Is it possible? can it be?“ he asked himself. „May I forget my duties as head of my family, and only remember that she is my sister, and that she is suffering and weeping? Must we then all pay for this empty grandeur, this frippery of earthly magnificence, with our heart's blood and our best hopes? And if I now deprive her of her dreams of happiness, what compensation can I offer? With what can I replace her hopes, her love, the happiness of her youth? At the best, with a little earthly splendor, with the purple and the crown, and eventually, perhaps, with my love. Yes, I will love her truly and cordially; she shall forgive the brother for the king's harshness; she shall--“
„I have finished,“ said the sad voice of his sister.
The king turned from the window; Amelia stood at the escritoire, holding the paper on which she had been writing in one hand, and sustaining herself by the table with the other.
„Read what you have written,“ said the king, approaching her.
The princess bowed her head and read:
„I pity you, but your misfortune is irremediable; and I cannot and will not attempt to alleviate it, for fear of compromising myself. This is, therefore, my last letter--I can risk nothing more for you. Do not attempt to write to me, for I should return your letter unopened. Our separation must be forever, but I will always remain your friend; and if I can ever serve you hereafter, I will do so gladly. Farewell, unhappy friend, you deserve a better fate.“ [Footnote: Trenck's Memoirs, i., 86.]
„That is all?“ said the king, as his sister ceased reading.
„That is all, sire.“
„And you imagine that he will no longer believe in your love, when he receives this letter?“ said the king, with a sad smile.
„I am sure he will not, for I tell him in this letter that I will risk nothing more for him; that I will not even attempt to alleviate his misery. Only when one is cowardly enough to sacrifice love to selfish fears, could one do this. I shall have purchased his liberty with his contempt.“
„What would you have written if you had been permitted to follow the promptings of your heart?“
A rosy hue flitted over her countenance, and love beamed in her eyes. „I would have written, 'Believe in me, trust in me! For henceforth the one aim of my life will be to liberate you. Let me die when I have attained this aim, but die in the consciousness of having saved you, and of having been true to my love.'„
„You would have written that?“
„I would have written that,“ said she, proudly and joyfully. „And the truth of that letter he would not have doubted.“
„Oh, woman's heart! inexhaustible source of love and devotion!“ murmured the king, turning away to conceal his emotion from his sister.
„Is this letter sufficient?“ demanded the princess. „Shall Trenck be free?“
„I have promised it, and will keep my word. Fold the letter and direct it. It shall be forwarded at once.“
„And when will he be free?“
„I cannot set him at liberty immediately. It would be setting my officers a bad example. But in three months he shall be free.“
„In three months, then. Here is the letter, sire.“
The king took the letter and placed it in his bosom.
„And now, my sister, come to my heart,“ said he, holding out his arms. „The king was angry with you, the brother will weep with you. Come, Amelia, come to your brother's heart.“
Amelia did not throw herself in his arms; she stood still, and seemed not to have heard, not to have understood his words.
„I pray that your majesty will allow me to retire,“ said she. „I think we have finished--we have to other business to transact.“
„Oh! my sister,“ said Frederick, mournfully, „think of what you are doing; do not harden your heart against me. Believe me, I suffer with you; and if the only question were the sacrifice of my personal wishes, I would gladly yield. But I must consider my ancestors, the history of my house, and the prejudices of the world. Amelia, I cannot, I dare not do otherwise. Forgive me, my sister. And now, once more, let us hold firmly to each other in love and trust. Let me fold you to my heart.“
He advanced and extended his hand, but his sister slowly recoiled.
„Allow me to remind your majesty that a poor unhappy woman is awaiting a word of consolation in the next room, and that this woman is Trenck's mother. She, at least, will be happy when I inform her that her son will soon be free. Permit me, therefore, sire, to take my leave, and bear her this good news.“
She bowed formally and profoundly, and walked slowly across the room. The king no longer endeavored to hold her back. He followed her with a mournful, questioning glance, still hoping that she would turn and seek a reconciliation. She reached the door, now she turned. The king stepped forward rapidly, hut Princess Amelia bowed ceremoniously and disappeared.
„Lost! I have lost her,“ sighed the king. „Oh, my God! must I then part from all that I love? Was it not enough to lose my friends by death? will cruel fate also rob me of a loved and living sister? Ah! I am a poor, a wretched man, and yet they call me a king.“
Frederick slowly seated himself, and covered his face with his hands. He remained in this position for a long time, his sighs being the only interruption to the silence which reigned in the apartment.
„Work! I will work,“ said he proudly. „This is at least a consolation, and teaches forgetfulness.“
He walked hurriedly to his escritoire, seated himself, and regarded the manuscripts and papers which lay before him. He took up one of the manuscripts and began to read, but with an impatient gesture he soon laid it aside.
„The letters swim before my eyes in inextricable confusion. My God, how hard it is to do one's duty!“
He rested his head on his hand, and was lost in thought for a long time. Gradually his expression brightened, and a wondrous light beamed in his eyes.
„Yes,“ said he, with a smile, „yes, so it shall be. I have just lost a much-loved sister. Well, it is customary to erect a monument in memory of those we love. Poor, lost sister, I will erect a monument to your memory. The king has been compelled to make his sister unhappy, and for this he will endeavor to make his people happy. And if there is no law to which a princess can appeal against the king, there shall at least be laws for all my subjects, which protect them, and are in strict accordance with reason, with justice, and the godly principle of equality. Yes, I will give my people a new code of laws. [Footnote: Rodenbeck, Diary, p. 137.] This, Amelia, shall be the monument which I will erect to you in my heart. In this very hour I will write to Cocceji, and request him to sketch the outlines of this new code of laws.“
The king seized his pen and commenced writing. „The judges,“ said he, hastily penning his words, „the judges must administer equal and impartial justice to all without respect to rank or wealth, as they expect to answer for the same before the righteous judgment-seat of God, and in order that the sighs of the widows and orphans, and of all that are oppressed, may not be visited upon themselves and their children. No rescripts, although issued from this cabinet, shall be deemed worthy of the slightest consideration, if they contain aught manifestly incompatible with equity, or if the strict course of justice is thereby hindered or interrupted; but the judges shall proceed according to the dictates of duty and conscience.“
The king continued writing, his countenance becoming more and more radiant with pleasure, while his pen flew over the paper. He was so completely occupied with his thoughts that he did not hear the door open behind him, and did not perceive the merry and intelligent face of his favorite, General Rothenberg, looking in.
The king wrote on. Rothenberg stooped and placed something which he held in his arms on the floor. He looked over toward the king, and then at the graceful little greyhound which stood quietly before him. This was no other than the favorite dog of the king, which had been lost and a captive. [Footnote: The greyhound had fallen into the hands of the Austrians at the battle of Sohr, and had been presented by General Nadasti to his wife as a trophy. When this lady learned that Biche had been a pet of the king, she at first refused to give it up: and only after several demands, and with much difficulty, could she be induced to return it. Rodenbeck, Diary, p. 126.]
The little Biche stood still for a moment, looking around intelligently, and then ran lightly across the apartment, sprang upon the table and laid its forepaw on the king's neck.
„Biche, my faithful little friend, is it you?“ said Frederick, throwing his pen aside and taking the little animal in his arms. Biche began to bark with delight, nestle closely to her master, and look lovingly at him with her bright little eyes. And the king--he inclined his face on the head of his faithful little friend, and tears ran slowly down his cheeks. [Footnote: Muchler, „Frederick the Great,“ p. 350. Rodenbeck, Diary, p. 137.]
„You have not forgotten me, my little Biche? Ah, if men were true, and loved me as you do, my faithful little dog, I should be a rich, a happy king!“
General Rothenberg still stood at the half-opened door. „Sire, said he, „is it only Biche who has the grandes and petites entrees, or have I also?“
„Ah, it was then you who brought Biche?“ said Frederick, beckoning to the general to approach.
„Yes, sire, it was I, but I almost regret having done so, for I perceive that Biche is a dangerous rival, and I am jealous of her.“
„You are my best gentleman-friend, and Biche is my best lady- friend,“ said the king, laughing. „I shall never forget that Biche on one occasion might have discovered me to the Austrians, and did not betray me, as thousands of men would have done in her place. Had she barked at the time when I had concealed myself under the bridge, while the regiment of pandours was passing over, I should have been lost. But she conquered herself. From love to me she renounced her instincts, and was silent. She nestled close to my side, regarding me with her discreet little eyes, and licking my hand lovingly. Ah, my friend, dogs are better and truer than mankind, and the so-called images of God could learn a great deal from them!“
Dieses Kapitel ist Teil des Buches Berlin and Sans-Souci; or, Frederick the Great and his friends. Book III.