Frederick the Great and His Family [29]
incur your displeasure. I fear, my prince, you are regarded as a rejected lover, and Madame du Trouffle has succeeded in throwing a holy lustre around her beautiful brow. It is said that she refused your dishonorable proposals, and preferred being the virtuous wife of a major, to becoming the mistress of a prince."
"Go on," said the prince, hastily, as Pollnitz ceased, and looked searchingly at him. "What do they say of me?"
"That you are in despair, and that you have retired to your chambers to weep and mourn over your lost love."
"Ah, they say that, do they?" cried the prince, with flashing eyes and darkened brow; "well, I will show this credulous world that they are mistaken. Is the king in Sans-Souci?"
"Yes, your highness."
"Well, go to him, and announce my visit; I will follow you on foot."
"We have won the day," cried Pollnitz, as he approached the king; "the prince desires to make you a visit. He will be here immediately."
"Do you know what my brother wishes of me?" asked the king.
"I do not know, but I suspect, sire. I think he wishes to marry, in order to pique his faithless sweetheart."
"Go and receive the prince, and conduct him to me; then remain in the antechamber, and await until I call."
When Pollnitz left, the king seized his flute hastily aim began to play a soft, melting adagio. He was still playing, when the door opened, and the prince was announced. Henry stood in the doorway, and made the king a ceremonious bow. The king continued to play. The low, pleading notes of the flute floated softly through the room; they touched the heart of the prince, and quieted its wild, stormy beating.
Was that the king's intention, or did he intend to harmonize his own spirit before speaking to his brother? Perhaps both, for Frederick's glance softened, and his face assumed a kind and mild expression.
When the adagio was finished, the king laid his flute aside and approached the prince.
"Forgive me, brother," he said, offering his hand--"forgive me for keeping you waiting, I always like to conclude what I commence. Now, I am entirely at your service, and as I am unfortunately not accustomed to receive such friendly visits from you, I must ask you what brings you to me, and how I can serve you?"
The fierce, violent nature of the prince slumbered but lightly. The king's words aroused it, and made his pulse and heart beat stormily.
"How you can serve me, my brother?" he said, hastily. "I will tell you, and truthfully, sire."
The king raised his head, and glanced angrily at the burning face of the prince.
"I am not accustomed to have my words repeated, and all find that out here to their cost," he said, sternly.
"Have the goodness, then, to tell me why you have pursued me so long and unrelentingly? What have I done to deserve your displeasure and such bitter humiliations?"
"Rather ask me what you have done to deserve my love and confidence," said the king, sternly. "I refer you to your own heart for an answer."
"Ah, your majesty promised to answer my questions, and now you evade them, but I will reply frankly. I have done nothing to deserve your love, but also nothing to make me unworthy of it. Why are you, who are so good and kind to all others, so stern and harsh with me?"
"I will tell you the truth," said the king, earnestly. "You have deserved my displeasure, you have desired to be a free man, to cast aside the yoke that Providence placed upon you, you had the grand presumption to dare to be the master of your own actions."
"And does your majesty desire and expect me to resign this most natural of human rights?" said the prince, angrily.
"Yes, I desire and expect it. I can truthfully say that I have given my brothers a good example in this particular."
"But you did not do this willingly. You were cruelly forced to submission, and you now wish to drive us to an extremity you have, doubtlessly, long since forgotten. Now, you suffered and struggled before declaring yourself conquered."
"No," said the king, softly, "I have not forgotten. I still feel
"Go on," said the prince, hastily, as Pollnitz ceased, and looked searchingly at him. "What do they say of me?"
"That you are in despair, and that you have retired to your chambers to weep and mourn over your lost love."
"Ah, they say that, do they?" cried the prince, with flashing eyes and darkened brow; "well, I will show this credulous world that they are mistaken. Is the king in Sans-Souci?"
"Yes, your highness."
"Well, go to him, and announce my visit; I will follow you on foot."
"We have won the day," cried Pollnitz, as he approached the king; "the prince desires to make you a visit. He will be here immediately."
"Do you know what my brother wishes of me?" asked the king.
"I do not know, but I suspect, sire. I think he wishes to marry, in order to pique his faithless sweetheart."
"Go and receive the prince, and conduct him to me; then remain in the antechamber, and await until I call."
When Pollnitz left, the king seized his flute hastily aim began to play a soft, melting adagio. He was still playing, when the door opened, and the prince was announced. Henry stood in the doorway, and made the king a ceremonious bow. The king continued to play. The low, pleading notes of the flute floated softly through the room; they touched the heart of the prince, and quieted its wild, stormy beating.
Was that the king's intention, or did he intend to harmonize his own spirit before speaking to his brother? Perhaps both, for Frederick's glance softened, and his face assumed a kind and mild expression.
When the adagio was finished, the king laid his flute aside and approached the prince.
"Forgive me, brother," he said, offering his hand--"forgive me for keeping you waiting, I always like to conclude what I commence. Now, I am entirely at your service, and as I am unfortunately not accustomed to receive such friendly visits from you, I must ask you what brings you to me, and how I can serve you?"
The fierce, violent nature of the prince slumbered but lightly. The king's words aroused it, and made his pulse and heart beat stormily.
"How you can serve me, my brother?" he said, hastily. "I will tell you, and truthfully, sire."
The king raised his head, and glanced angrily at the burning face of the prince.
"I am not accustomed to have my words repeated, and all find that out here to their cost," he said, sternly.
"Have the goodness, then, to tell me why you have pursued me so long and unrelentingly? What have I done to deserve your displeasure and such bitter humiliations?"
"Rather ask me what you have done to deserve my love and confidence," said the king, sternly. "I refer you to your own heart for an answer."
"Ah, your majesty promised to answer my questions, and now you evade them, but I will reply frankly. I have done nothing to deserve your love, but also nothing to make me unworthy of it. Why are you, who are so good and kind to all others, so stern and harsh with me?"
"I will tell you the truth," said the king, earnestly. "You have deserved my displeasure, you have desired to be a free man, to cast aside the yoke that Providence placed upon you, you had the grand presumption to dare to be the master of your own actions."
"And does your majesty desire and expect me to resign this most natural of human rights?" said the prince, angrily.
"Yes, I desire and expect it. I can truthfully say that I have given my brothers a good example in this particular."
"But you did not do this willingly. You were cruelly forced to submission, and you now wish to drive us to an extremity you have, doubtlessly, long since forgotten. Now, you suffered and struggled before declaring yourself conquered."
"No," said the king, softly, "I have not forgotten. I still feel