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r I am now called an extraordinary professor。〃
〃Well； I am glad that they know that you are an extraordinary professor；〃 said Conrad； somewhat appeased。 〃Now I will go to the kitchen and make the coffee。 That reminds me that I have a letter for you which was left by a servant。〃
He took a letter from the table； and handed it to his master。 While he was breaking the seal； Conrad approached the door slowly and hesitatingly； evidently curious to hear the contents of the letter。 He had not reached the door； when Gellert recalled him。
〃Conrad；〃 said Gellert； with a trembling voice； 〃hear what this letter contains。〃
〃Well； I am really curious；〃 said Conrad； smiling。
Gellert took the letter and commenced reading：
〃My dear and honored professor； will you allow one of your〃
Here he hesitated； and his face flushed deeply。 〃No；〃 he said； softly； 〃I cannot read that； it is too great； too undeserved praise of myself。 Read it yourself。〃
〃Nonsense！〃 said Conrad； taking the letter； 〃the professor is as bashful as a young girl。 To read one's praise； is no shame。 Now listen： 'My dear and honored professor； will you allow one of your pupils to seek a favor from you？ I am rich！ God has enriched you with the rarest gifts of mind and heart； but He has not bestowed outward wealth upon you。 Your salary is not large； but your heart is so great and noble； that you give the little you possess to the poor and suffering； and care for others while you yourself need care。 Allow me； my much…loved master； something of that same happiness which you enjoy。 Grant me the pleasure of offering you （who divide your bread with the poor； and your last thaler with the suffering） a small addition to your salary； and begging you to use it so long as God leaves you upon earth； to be the delight of your scholars； and the pride of Germany。 The banker Farenthal has orders to pay to you quarterly the sum of two hundred thalers； you will to…morrow receive the first instalment。〃
〃'YOUR GRATEFUL AND ADMIRING PUPIL。'〃
〃Hurrah！ hurrah！〃 cried Conrad； waving the paper aloft。 〃Now we are rich； we can live comfortably； without care。 Oh； I will take care of you； and you must drink a glass of wine every day； in order to become strong； and I will bring your dinner from the best eating… house； that you may enjoy your meal in peace and quiet in your own room。〃
〃Gently； gently； Conrad！〃 said Gellert； smiling。 〃In your delight over the money； you forget the noble giver。 Who can it be？ Who among my pupils is so rich and so delicate； as to bestow so generously； and in such a manner？〃
〃It is some one who does not wish us to know his name； professor； 〃cried Conrad； gayly； 〃and we will not break our hearts over it。 But now； sir； we will not content ourselves with bread and coffee； we are rich； and we need not live so poorly！ I will go to the eating… house and bring you a nice broiled capon； and some preserved fruit； and a glass of wine。〃
〃It is true；〃 said Gellert； well pleased； 〃a capon would strengthen me； and a glass of wine； but no； Conrad； we will have the coffee； we have no money to pay for such a meal。〃
〃Well； we can borrow it！ To…morrow you will receive the first quarterly payment of your pension； and then I will pay for your dinner。〃
〃No； Conrad； no！〃 said Gellert； firmly。 〃You should never eat what you cannot pay for immediately。 Go to the kitchen and make the coffee。〃 Conrad was on the point of going discontentedly to obey the command of his master； when a loud and hasty ring was heard at the outer door of the professor's modest lodging。
〃Perhaps the banker has sent the money to…day；〃 cried Conrad； as he hurried off； whilst Gellert again took the letter and examined the handwriting。
But Conrad returned； looking very important。
〃The Prussian major； Quintus Icilius； wishes to speak to the professor； in the name of the king；〃 he said； solemnly。
〃In the name of the king！〃 cried Gellert； 〃what does the great warrior…hero want with poor Gellert？〃
〃That I will tell you；〃 replied a voice from the door； and as Gellert turned； he saw before him the tall figure of a Prussian officer。 〃Pardon me for having entered without your permission。 Your servant left the door open； and I thought〃
〃You thought； I hope； that Gellert would be happy to receive an officer from the king； especially one who bears so celebrated a name；〃 said Gellert； courteously； as he signed to Conrad to leave the rooma sign that Conrad obeyed most unwillingly； and with the firm determination to listen outside the door。
〃In the first place； allow me to say how happy I am to make the acquaintance of so learned and celebrated a man as Professor Gellert；〃 said Quintus； bowing deeply； 〃then I must announce the cause of my appearance。 His majesty the King of Prussia wishes to know you； and he has sent me to conduct you to him at once。〃
〃At once？〃 cried Gellert。 〃But； sir； you must see that I am weak and ill。 The king will not care to see a sick man who cannot talk。〃
Quintus glanced sympathizingly at the poor professor； and said：
〃It is true； you do not look well； and I cannot force you to go with me to…day； but allow me to make one remark： if you think to escape the interview altogether； you are mistaken。 The king desires to speak with you； and it is my duty to bring you to him。 If you cannot go to…day； I must return to…morrow； if you are then still unwell； the day after； and so on every day； until you accompany me。〃
〃But this is frightful！〃 cried Gellert； anxiously。
Quintus shrugged his shoulders。 〃You must decide； sir；〃 he said； 〃I give you an hour。 At four o'clock I will return and ask if you will go to…day； or another time。〃
〃Yes； do that； major；〃 said Gellert； breathing more freely。 〃In the mean time； I will take my dinner； and then see how it is with my courage。 Conrad！ Conrad！〃 exclaimed Gellert； as Quintus Icilius left him； and his servant entered the room。 〃Conrad； did you hear the bad tidings？ I must go to the King of Prussia。〃
〃I heard；〃 said Conrad； 〃and I do not think it bad tidings； but a great honor。 The king sent for Professor Gottsched a few days since； and conversed with him a long time。 Since then； his entire household act as if Gottsched were the Almighty Himself； and as if they were all； at least； archangels。 Therefore； I am glad that the king has shown you the same honor； and that he desires to know you。〃
〃Honor！〃 murmured Gellert。 〃This great lord wishes to see the learned Germans for once； as others visit a menagerie； and look at the monkeys； and amuse themselves with their wonderful tricks。 It is the merest curiosity which leads such men to desire to behold the tricks and pranks of a professor。 They know nothing of our minds； it satisfies them to look at us。 Conrad； I will not go； I will be ill to…day and every other day。 We will see if this modern Icilius will not yield！〃
And the usually gentle and yielding poet paced the room in angry excitement； his eyes flashing； and his face deeply flushed。
〃I will notI will not go。〃
〃You must go； professor；〃 said Conrad； placing himself immediately in front of his master； and looking at him half…imploringly； half… threateningly〃you must go； you will give your old Conrad the pleasure of being able to say to the impudent servants of Herr Gottsched that my master has also been to the King of Prussia。 You will not do me the injury of making me serve a master who has not been to see the king； while Herr Gottsched has been？〃
〃But； Conrad；〃 said Gellert； complainingly； 〃what good will it have done me to have declined the position of regular professor； that I might be in no danger of becoming rector； and being obliged to see kings and princes？〃
〃It will show the world；〃 said Conrad； 〃that a poet need not be a regular professor in order to be called into the society of kings and princes。 You must gothe king expects you； and if you do not go； you will appear as the Austrians do； afraid of the King of Prussia。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Gellert； whose excitement had somewhat subsided； 〃it will look as though I were afraid。〃
〃And so distinguished a man should fear nothing；〃 said Conrad； 〃not even a king。〃
〃Well； so be it；〃 said Gellert； smiling； 〃I will go to the king to… day； but I mu