Frederick the Great and His Family [81]
do it--I did not wish to be better than the girl I loved: and, as she desired to deceive me, I let myself be deceived. I allowed it, because the demon of gold had taken possession of me. I took the important papers out of my desk, to which you had stolen the key, and hid them. Then the tempters came and whispered of golden rewards, of eternal gratitude, of fortune, honor; and these fiendish whispers misled my soul. I sold my honor and became a traitor, and all this for the sake of gold! So I became what I now am. I do not reproach you Rosa, for most likely it would have happened without you."
"But what danger threatens you now?" asked Rosa.
"The just punishment for a traitor," said he, hoarsely. "Give me some wine, Rosa, so that I can gain strength to go to the king at once."
"To the king at this early hour?"
"And why not? Have I not been with him often at this hour, when I had important news or dispatches to give him? So give me the wine, Rosa."
Rosa left the room, but returned almost instantly. He took the bottle from her and filled a glass hastily.
"Now," said he, breathing deeply, "I feel that I live again. My blood flows freely through my veins, and my heart is beating loudly. Now to the king!"
He stood before a glass for a moment to arrange his hair; then pressed a cold kiss upon Rosa's pale, trembling lips, and left the room. With a firm, sure tread, he hurried through the halls and chambers. No one stopped him, for no one was there to see him. In the king's antechamber sat Deesen taking his breakfast.
"Is the king up?" asked Weingarten.
"The sun has been up for hours, and so of course the king is up," said Deesen, proudly.
"Announce me to his majesty; I have some important news for him."
He entered the king's chamber, and returned in a few moments for Weingarten.
The king was sitting in an arm-chair by a window, which he had opened to breathe the fresh summer air. His white greyhound, Amalthea, lay at his feet, looking up at him with his soft black eyes. In his right hand the king held his flute.
"You are early, sir," said he, turning to Weingarten. "You must have very important news."
"Yes, sire, very important," said Weingarten, approaching nearer.
The king reached out his hand. "Give them to me," said he.
"Sire, I have no dispatches."
"A verbal message, then. Speak."
"Sire, all is lost; Count Puebla suspects me."
The king was startled for a moment, but collected himself immediately. "He suspects, but he is certain of nothing?"
"No, sire; but his suspicion amounts almost to certainty. Yesterday I was copying a dispatch which was to go that evening, and which was of the highest importance to your majesty, when I suddenly perceived Count Puebla standing beside me at my desk. He had entered my room very quietly, which showed that he had his suspicions, and was watching me. He snatched my copy from the desk and read it. 'For whom is this?' said he, in a threatening tone. I stammered forth some excuses; said that I intended writing a history, and that I took a copy of all dispatches for my work. He would not listen to me. 'You are a traitor!' said he, in a thundering voice. 'I have suspected you for some time; I am now convinced of your treachery. You shall have an examination tomorrow; for to-night you will remain a prisoner in your room.' He then locked my desk, put the key in his pocket, and, taking with him the dispatch and my copy, left the room. I heard him lock it and bolt my door. I was a prisoner."
"How did you get out?" said the king.
"By the window, sire. And I flew here to throw myself at your majesty's feet, and to beg for mercy and protection."
"I promised you protection and help in case of your detection--I will fulfil my promise. What are your wishes. Let us see if they can be realized."
"Will your majesty give me some sure place of refuge where Count Puebla's threats cannot harm me?"
"You will remain here in the dwelling of the castle-warder until a suitable residence can be found for you. What next? What plans have you made
"But what danger threatens you now?" asked Rosa.
"The just punishment for a traitor," said he, hoarsely. "Give me some wine, Rosa, so that I can gain strength to go to the king at once."
"To the king at this early hour?"
"And why not? Have I not been with him often at this hour, when I had important news or dispatches to give him? So give me the wine, Rosa."
Rosa left the room, but returned almost instantly. He took the bottle from her and filled a glass hastily.
"Now," said he, breathing deeply, "I feel that I live again. My blood flows freely through my veins, and my heart is beating loudly. Now to the king!"
He stood before a glass for a moment to arrange his hair; then pressed a cold kiss upon Rosa's pale, trembling lips, and left the room. With a firm, sure tread, he hurried through the halls and chambers. No one stopped him, for no one was there to see him. In the king's antechamber sat Deesen taking his breakfast.
"Is the king up?" asked Weingarten.
"The sun has been up for hours, and so of course the king is up," said Deesen, proudly.
"Announce me to his majesty; I have some important news for him."
He entered the king's chamber, and returned in a few moments for Weingarten.
The king was sitting in an arm-chair by a window, which he had opened to breathe the fresh summer air. His white greyhound, Amalthea, lay at his feet, looking up at him with his soft black eyes. In his right hand the king held his flute.
"You are early, sir," said he, turning to Weingarten. "You must have very important news."
"Yes, sire, very important," said Weingarten, approaching nearer.
The king reached out his hand. "Give them to me," said he.
"Sire, I have no dispatches."
"A verbal message, then. Speak."
"Sire, all is lost; Count Puebla suspects me."
The king was startled for a moment, but collected himself immediately. "He suspects, but he is certain of nothing?"
"No, sire; but his suspicion amounts almost to certainty. Yesterday I was copying a dispatch which was to go that evening, and which was of the highest importance to your majesty, when I suddenly perceived Count Puebla standing beside me at my desk. He had entered my room very quietly, which showed that he had his suspicions, and was watching me. He snatched my copy from the desk and read it. 'For whom is this?' said he, in a threatening tone. I stammered forth some excuses; said that I intended writing a history, and that I took a copy of all dispatches for my work. He would not listen to me. 'You are a traitor!' said he, in a thundering voice. 'I have suspected you for some time; I am now convinced of your treachery. You shall have an examination tomorrow; for to-night you will remain a prisoner in your room.' He then locked my desk, put the key in his pocket, and, taking with him the dispatch and my copy, left the room. I heard him lock it and bolt my door. I was a prisoner."
"How did you get out?" said the king.
"By the window, sire. And I flew here to throw myself at your majesty's feet, and to beg for mercy and protection."
"I promised you protection and help in case of your detection--I will fulfil my promise. What are your wishes. Let us see if they can be realized."
"Will your majesty give me some sure place of refuge where Count Puebla's threats cannot harm me?"
"You will remain here in the dwelling of the castle-warder until a suitable residence can be found for you. What next? What plans have you made