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ss； and I pray your majesty to grant me a private audience。〃
Frederick looked sternly at him。 〃Listen； Pollnitz； you are still a long…winded and doubtful companion； notwithstanding your seventy…six years。 Deliberate a moment； if that which you tell me is not important； and requiring speedy attention； I will punish you severely for having dared to interrupt me in my cabinet council； I will withhold your salary for the next month。〃
〃Your majesty； the business is weighty； and requires immediate attention； I stake my salary upon it。〃
〃Come； then； into my cabinet； but be brief；〃 said Frederick； stepping into the adjoining room。 〃Now speak；〃 said he； as he closed the door。
〃Sire； first； I must ask your pardon for daring to allude to a subject which is so old that its teeth are shaky and its countenance wrinkled。〃
〃You wish； then； to speak of yourself？〃 said Frederick。
〃No； sire； I will speak of a subject which bloomed before the war； and since then has withered and faded in a subterranean prison； but it now threatens to put forth new buds； to unfold new leaves； and I fear your majesty will find that undesirable。〃
〃Speak； then； clearly； and without circumlocution。 I am convinced it is only some gossiping or slander you wish to retail。 You come as a salaried family spy who has snapped up some greasy morsels of scandal。 Your eyes are glowing with malicious pleasure； as they always do when you are about to commit some base trick。 Now； then； out with it！ Of whom will you speak？〃
〃Of the Princess Amelia and Trenck；〃 whispered Pollnitz。
The king gazed at him fiercely for a moment； then turned and walked silently backward and forward。
〃Well； what is your narrative？〃 said Frederick； at last； turning his back upon Pollnitz； and stepping to the window as if to look out。
〃Sire； if your majesty does not interfere； the Princess Amelia will send a negotiator to Vienna； who undertakes to induce the Empress Maria Theresa to apply to you for the release of Trenck。 This negotiator is richly provided with gold and instructions； and the Austrian ambassador has pointed out to the princess a sure way to reach the ear of the empress； and to obtain an intercessor with her。 She will appeal to the fireman of the empress； and this influential man will undertake to entreat Maria Theresa to ask for Trenck's release。 This will take place immediately； an hour since the messenger received his instructions from General Riedt； and a quarter of an hour since he received four thousand louis d'or from the princess to bribe the fireman。 If the intrigue succeeds； the princess has promised him a thousand louis d'or for himself。〃
〃Go on；〃 said the king； as Pollnitz ceased speaking。
〃Go on！〃 said Pollnitz； with a stupefied air。 〃I have nothing more to say； it seems to me the history is sufficiently important。〃
〃And it seems to me a silly fairy tale；〃 said Frederick； turning angrily upon the grand…master。 〃If you think to squeeze gold out of me by such ridiculous and senseless narratives； you are greatly mistaken。 Not one farthing will I pay for these lies。 Do you think that Austria lies on the borders of Tartary？ There； a barber is minister； and you； forsooth； will make a fireman the confidential friend of the empress！ Why； Scheherezade would not have dared to relate such an absurd fairy tale to her sleepy sultan； as you； sir； now seek to impose upon me！〃
〃But； sire； it is no fairy tale； but the unvarnished truth。 The page of the princess listened； and immediately repeated all that he heard to me。〃
〃Have you paid the page for this intelligence； which he asserts he overheard？〃
〃No； sire。〃
〃Then go quickly to Berlin and reward him by two sound boxes on the ear； then go to bed and drink chamomile tea。 It appears to me your head is weak。〃
〃But； sire； I have told you nothing but the pure truth； no matter how fabulous it may appear。〃
Frederick gazed at him scornfully。 〃It is a silly tale；〃 he cried； in a loud commanding voice。 〃Do not say another word； and do not dare to repeat to any one what you have now related。 Go； I say！ and forget this nonsense。〃
Pollnitz crept sighing and with bowed head to the door； but； before he opened it； he turned once more to the king。
〃Sire； this is the last day of the month； this wretched October has thirty…one days。 Even if in your majesty's wisdom you decide this story to be untrue； you should at least remember my zeal。〃
〃I should reward you for your zeal in doing evil？〃 said Frederick； shaking his head。 〃But truly this is the way of the world； evil is rewarded and good actions trodden under foot。 You are not worth a kick！ Go and get your reward； tell my servant to give you ten Fredericks d'orbut on one condition。〃
〃What condition？〃 said Pollnitz； joyfully。
〃As soon as you arrive in Berlin； go to the castle； call the page of the princess； and box him soundly for his villany。 Go！〃
The king stood sunk in deep thought in the window…niche； long after Pollnitz had left the room； he appeared to forget that his ministers were waiting for him； he thought of his sister Amelia's long； sad life； of her constancy and resignation； and a profound and painful pity filled his heart。
〃Surely I dare at length grant her the poor consolation of having brought about his release；〃 said he to himself。 〃She has been so long and so terribly punished for this unhappy passion； that I will give her the consolation of plucking a few scentless blossoms from the grave of her heart。 Let her turn to the fireman of the empress； and may my pious aunt be warmed up by his representations and prayers！ I will not interfere； and if Maria Theresa intercedes for Trenck； I will not remember that he is a rebellious subject and a traitor； worthy of death。 I will remember that Amelia has suffered inexpressibly for his sake； that her life is lonely and desolatea horrible night； in which one feeble ray of sunshine may surely be allowed to fall。 Poor Amelia！ she loves him still！〃
As Frederick stepped from the window and passed into the other room； he murmured to himself：
〃There is something beautiful in a great； rich human heart。 Better to die of grief and disappointment than to be made insensible by scorn and disdainto be turned to stone！〃
CHAPTER VIII。
THE CLOUDS GATHER。
While the king lived alone and quiet in Sans…Souci； and occupied himself with his studies and his government； the gayeties and festivities continued uninterrupted in Rheinsberg。 It seemed that Prince Henry had no other thought； no other desire than to prepare new pleasures； new amusements for his wife。 His life had been given up for so many years to earnest cares； that he now sought to indemnify himself by an eager pursuit after pleasure。 Fete succeeded fete； and all of the most elegant and accomplished persons in Berlin； all those who had any claim to youth； beauty； and amiability； were invariably welcome at the palace of the prince。
It was late in the autumn； and Prince Henry had determined to conclude the long succession of wood and garden parties by a singular and fantastic entertainment。 Before they returned to the saloons； the winter…quarters of pleasure； they wished to bid farewell to Nature。 The nymphs of the wood and the spring； the hamadryads of the forests； the fauns and satyrs should reign once more in the woods before they placed the sceptre in the hands of winter。 The guests of Rheinsberg should once more enjoy the careless gayety of a happy day； before they returned to the winter saloons； on whose threshold Etiquette awaited them； with her forced smile； her robes of ceremony and her orders and titles。
The ladies and gentlemen had been transformed； therefore； into gods and goddesses； nymphs； and hamadryads； fauns； satyrs； and wood… spirits。 The horn of Diana resounded once more in the wood； through which the enchanting huntress passed； accompanied by Endymion； who was pursued by Actaeon。 There was Apollo and the charming Daphne； Echo and the vain Narcissus； and； on the bank of the lake； which gleamed in the midst of the forest； the water…nymphs danced in a fairy…circle with the tritons。
The prince had himself made all the arrangements for this fantastic fete； he had selected the character； and appointed the pl