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leman； who has nothing left but his freedom； shall be unjustly deprived of it！ Duke； I call upon you！ Be a providence for my unhappy friend； and set him at liberty。 And through my whole life long I will bless and honor you！ AMELIA。〃
〃If he does not listen to this outcry of my soul；〃 she whispered； as she folded and sealed the letter〃if he has the cruelty to let me plead in vain； then in my death…hour I will curse him； and charge him with being the murderer of my last hope！〃
The princess called Pollnitz； and； with an expressive glance； she handed him the letter。
〃Truly； my memory has not failed me；〃 she said to Mademoiselle Marwitz； who entered behind Pollnitz； and whose sharp eyes were fixed upon the letter in the baron's hand。 〃I have been able to write the whole monologue。 Give this paper to my brother； Pollnitz； I have added a few friendly lines； and excused myself for declining the invitation。 I cannot see this drama。〃
〃Well； it seems to me I have made a lucrative affair of this；〃 said Pollnitz to himself； as he left the princess。 〃I promised Weingarten only fifty louis d'or； so fifty remain over for myself； without counting the ducats which the princess intends for me。 Besides； I shall be no such fool as to give my servant； who steals from me every day； the reward the princess has set apart for him； and if I give him outside work to do； it is my opportunity； he is my slave； and the reward is properly mine。〃
〃Listen； John！〃 Said Pollnitz to his servant； as he entered his apartment。 Poor John was； at the same time； body…servant； jockey； and coachman。 〃Listen； do you know exactly how much you have loaned me？〃
〃To a copper； your excellency；〃 said John； joyfully。 Poor John thought that the hour of settlement had come。 〃Your excellency owes me fifty…three thalers； four groschen； and five pennies。〃
〃Common soul；〃 cried Pollnitz； shrugging his shoulders contemptuously； 〃to be able to keep in remembrance such pitiful things as groschen and coppers。 Well； I have a most pressing and important commission for you。 You must saddle your horse immediately； and hasten to deliver this letter to the Duke of Wurtemberg。 You must ride night and day and not rest till you arrive and deliver this packet into the duke's own hands。 I will then allow you a day's rest for yourself and horse； your return must be equally rapid。 If you are here again in eight days； I will reward you royally。〃
〃That is to say； your excellency〃 said John； in breathless expectation。
〃That is to say； I will pay you half the sum I owe you； if you are here in eight days； if you are absent longer； you will get only a third。〃
〃And if I return a day earlier？〃 Said John； sighing。
〃I will give you a few extra thalers as a reward；〃 said Pollnitz。
〃But your excellency will； besides this； give me money for the journey；〃 said John； timidly。
〃Miserable； shameless beggar！〃 Cried Pollnitz； 〃always demanding more than one is willing to accord you。 Learn from your noble master that there is nothing more pitiful； more sordid than gold； and that those only are truly noble； who serve others for honor's sake； and give no thought to reward。〃
〃But； your grace； I have already the honor to have lent you all my money。 I have not even a groschen to buy food for myself and horse on our journey。〃
〃As for your money； sir； it is； under all circumstances； much safer with me than with you。 You would surely spend it foolishly； while I will keep it together。 Besides this； there is no other way to make servants faithful and submissive but to bind them to you by the miserable bond of selfishness。 You would have left me a hundred times； if you had not been tied down by your own pitiful interests。 You know well that if you leave me without my permission； the law allows me to punish you； by giving the money I owe you to the poor。 But enough of foolish talking！ Make ready for the journey； in half an hour you must leave Berlin behind you。 I will give you a few thalers to buy food。 Now； hasten！ Remember； if you remain away longer than eight days； I will give you only a third of the money I am keeping for you。〃
This terrible threat had its effect upon poor John。
In eight days Pollnitz sought the princess； and with a triumphant glance； slipped a letter into her hand； which read thus：
〃I thank you； princess； that you have remembered me； and given me an opportunity to aid the unhappy。 You are right。 God made man to be free。 I am no jailer； and my officers are not constables。 They have； indeed； the duty to conduct the unhappy man who has been for three days the guest of my house； farther on toward the fortress； but his feet and his hands shall be free； and if he takes a lesson from the bird in velocity； and from the wild horse in speed； his present escape will cost him less than his flight from Glatz。 My officers cannot be always on the watch； and God's world is large； it is impossible to guard every point。 My soldiers accompany him to the brook Coslin。 I commend the officer who will be discharged for neglect of duty to your highness。 FERDINAND。〃
〃He will have my help and my eternal gratitude；〃 whispered Amelia； she then pressed the letter of the duke passionately to her lips。 〃Oh； my God！ I feel to…day what I have never before thought possible； that one can be happy without happiness。 If fate will be merciful； and not thwart the noble purpose of Duke Ferdinand； from this time onward I will never murmurnever complain。 I will demand nothing of the future； never more to see him； never more to hear from him； only that he may be free and happy。〃
In the joy of her heart she not only fulfilled her promise to give the messenger a gold piece for every hour of his journey； but she added a costly diamond pin for Pollnitz； which the experienced baron； even while receiving it from the trembling hand of the princess； valued at fifty louis d'or。
The baron returned with a well…filled purse and a diamond pin to his dwelling； and with imposing solemnity he called John into his boudoir。
〃John；〃 said he； 〃I am content with you。 You have promptly fulfilled my commands。 You returned the seventh day； and have earned the extra thalers。 As for your money； how much do I owe you？〃
〃Fifty…three thalers； four groschen； and five pennies。〃
〃And the half of this is〃
〃Twenty…seven thalers； fourteen groschen； two and a half pennies；〃 said John； with a loudly beating heart and an expectant smile。 He saw that the purse was well filled； and that his master was taking out the gold pieces。
〃I will give you； including your extra guldens； twenty…eight thalers； fourteen groschen； two and a half pennies。〃 said Pollnitz。 laying some gold pieces on the table。 〃Here are six louis d'or； or thirty…six thalers in gold to reckon up； the fractions you claim are beneath my dignity。 Take them； John； they are yours。〃
John uttered a cry of rapture； and sprang forward with outstretched hands to seize his gold。 He had succeeded in gathering up three louis d'or； when the powerful hand of the baron seized him and held him back。
〃John；〃 said he； 〃I read in your wild； disordered countenance that you are a spendthrift； and this gold； which you have earned honestly； will soon be wasted in boundless follies。 It is my duty； as your conscientious master and friend； to prevent this。 I cannot allow you to take all of this moneyonly one…half； only three louis d'or。 I will put the other three with the sum which I still hold； and take care of it for you。〃
With an appearance of firm principle and piety； he grasped the three louis d'or upon which the sighing John fixed his tearful eyes。
〃And now； what is the amount；〃 said Pollnitz； gravely； 〃which you have placed in my hands for safe…keeping？〃
〃Thirty…two thalers； fourteen groschen； and five pennies；〃 said John； 〃and then the fractions from the three louis d'ors makes a thaler and eight groschen。〃
〃Pitiful miser！ You dare to reckon fractions against your master； who； in his magnanimity； has just presented； you with gold！ This is a meanness which merits exemplary punishment。〃
CHAPTER II。
TRENCK ON HIS WAY TO PRISON。
Before the palace of the Duke of Wurtemberg； in Coslin； stood the light； open carriage in which the duke was accustome