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〃Ah； marquis； I see from your countenance that you are acquainted with all the monkey…tricks of my immortal friend；〃 said the king； gayly； 〃and you are indignant that so great a genius as Voltaire should have possessed so small a soul！ You think it very perfidious in Voltaire to have joined my enemies when I was in trouble； and then to send me his congratulations if I happened to win a victory！〃
〃Does your majesty know that also？〃 asked the astonished marquis。
〃Dear marquis； have we not always good friends and servants； who take a pleasure in telling bad news； and informing us of those things which they know it will give us pain to hear？ Even kings have such friends； and mine eagerly acquainted me with the fact that Voltaire wished all manner of evil might befall his friend 'Luc；' as it pleased him to call me。 Did he not write to D'Argental that he desired nothing more fervently than my utter humiliation and the punishment of my sins； on the same day on which he sent me an enthusiastic poem； written in honor of my victory at Leuthen？ Did he not write on another occasion to Richelieu； that the happiest day of his life would be that on which the French entered Berlin as conquerors； and destroyed the capital of the treacherous king who dared to write to him twice every month the tenderest and most flattering things； without dreaming of reinstating him as chamberlain with the pension of six thousand thalers？ He wished that I might suffer 'la damnation eternelle；' and proudly added。 'Vous voyez； que dans la tragedie je veux toujours que le crime soit puni。'〃
〃Yes；〃 replied D'Argens； 〃and at the same time he wrote here to Formay： 'Votre roi est toujours un homme unique； etonnant； inimitable； il fait des vers charmants dans de temps ou un autre ne pourrait faire un ligne de prose； il merite d'etre heureux。'〃
The king laughed aloud。 〃Well； and what does that prove； that Voltaire is the greatest and most unprejudiced of poets？〃
〃That proves； sire； that he is a false； perfidious man； a faithless ungrateful friend。 All his great poetical gifts weigh as nothing in the scale against the weakness and wickedness of his character。 I can no longer admire him as a poet； because I despise him so utterly as a man。〃
〃You are too hard； marquis；〃 said Frederick； laughing。 〃Voltaire has a great mind； but a small heart； and that is； after all； less his fault than his Creator's。 Why should we wish to punish him； when he is innocent？ Why should we demand of a great poet that he shall be a good man？ We will allow him to have a bad heart； he can account to Madame Denis for that； and if we cannot love him； we can at least admire him as a poet。 We can forgive much wickedness in men； if it is redeemed by great virtues。〃
〃Ah； sire； that is very sad；〃 sad D'Argens； 〃and could only be uttered by one who had the most profound love or the greatest contempt for mankind。〃
〃Perhaps the two are combined in me；〃 said the king。 〃As Christ said of the Magdalen； 'She has loved much； much will be forgiven her；' so let us say of Voltaire。 He has written much； much will be forgiven him。 He has lately rendered an immortal service； for which I could almost love him； were it possible to love him at all。 He undertook with bold courage the defence of the unhappy Jean Calas； who was murdered by fanatical French priests。 The priests； perhaps； will condemn him； we； however； honor him。〃
〃Did not your majesty do the same thing？〃 asked D'Argens。 〃Did you not also take pity on the unhappy family of Jean Calas？ Did you not send them a considerable amount of money and offer them an asylum in your dominions？〃
〃That I did； certainly； but what is that in comparison with what Voltaire has done？ He gave them the strength of his mind and his work； his best possession； while I could only give them gold。 Voltaire's gift was better； more beautiful； and I will now take a vow for his sake； that the persecuted and oppressed shall always find aid and protection in my land； and that I will consider liberty of spirit a sacred thing as long as I live。 Freedom of thought shall be a right of my subjects。 I will call all free and liberal minded persons to come to me； for liberty of thought brings liberty of will； and I prefer to rule a thinking people； to a mass of thoughtless slaves； who follow me through stupid obedience。 Prussia shall be the land of liberty and enlightenment。 The believers and the unbelievers； the pietists and the atheists may speak alike freely； the spirit of persecution shall be forever banished from Prussia。〃
〃Amen；〃 cried D'Argens solemnly； as he glanced at the excited； beaming countenance of the king。 〃The spirit of love and of freedom hears your words； my king； and they will be written with a diamond… point in the history of Prussia。〃
〃And now； marquis；〃 said the king； 〃we will visit my library； and then we will repose ourselves that we may enjoy our meal。 In the evening I invite you to the concert。 My musicians are coming from Berlin； and we will see if my lips； which have been accustomed so long to rough words of discipline； are capable of producing a few sweet notes from my flute。〃
Thus speaking； the king took the arm of the marquis； and they passed slowly through the room； whose desolate silence made them both sad。
〃The world is nothing more than a great； gaping grave； on the brink of which we walk with wild courage；〃 said the king； softly。 〃There is no moment that some one does not stumble at our side and fall into the abyss； and we have the courage to continue in the path until our strength fails and we sink； making room for another。 Almost all of those who formerly occupied these rooms have vanished。 How long will it be ere I shall follow them？〃
〃May that wretched moment be very distant！〃 exclaimed D'Argens； with a trembling voice。 〃Your majesty is still so young and full of life… …you have nothing to do with death。〃
〃No；〃 said the king； 〃I am very old； for I have become indifferent to the world。 Things which would have deeply distressed me formerly； now pass unheeded over my soul。 I assure you； marquis； I have made great progress in practical philosophy。 I am old； I stand at the limits of life； and my soul is freeing itself from this world； which； it is to be hoped； I will soon leave。〃
〃Ah； sire；〃 said D'Argens； smiling； 〃you are ten years younger than I am； and each time that you speak of your rapidly advancing age； I ask myself how it is possible that a man so much younger than I should complain of old age。 Only wait； sire； here； in the quiet of Sans…Souci； in a few months you will feel ten and I fifteen years younger。 In the happiness and comforts of our existence； you will live to the age of Abraham and I to that of Jacob。〃
〃But I am much older than you； marquis。 During the last seven years； I have had nothing but destroyed hopes； undeserved misfortunes； in short； all that the caprice of Fortune could discover to distress me。 After such experiences it is allowable； when one is fifty years old； to say that he is old； that he will no longer be the play…thing of Fortune； that he renounces ambition and all those follies which are merely the illusions of inexperienced youth。 But no more of these sad thoughts； for here we are at last at the door of my tusculum。 Fold your hands； you unbelieving son of the Church； the gods and heroes await us in this temple； and you will at least believe in these。〃
They entered the library； and as the door closed behind them and they were separated from the whole world； as they stood in the centre of the room whose only ornament consisted of rows of books； upon which glittered in golden letters the names of the great minds of all ages； whose only splendor consisted in the marble busts of Caesar and Virgil； of Cicero and Alexander； the king said； with beaming eyes：
〃I am at last in the republic of minds； and I； as a humble citizen； approach the great presidents； who look down so graciously upon me。〃
And； as the king seated himself in his arm…chair before his writing table； he recovered his sparkling humor； his gay wit； and recounted with a bright smile to the marquis that he intended to work most industriously； that he would certainly write a history of this war which he had just closed；