Mirth　and　gayety　reigned；　the　room　was　crowded　with　masks。　here　stood　a　group　in　gay　conversation；　there　was　dancing　at　the　other　end　of　the　saloon。　Some　were　listening　to　the　organ…player；　as　he　sang；　in　comical　German　and　French　verses；　little　incidents　and　adventures　that　had　occurred　during　the　present　year　at　court；　bringing　forth　laughter；　confused　silence；　and　blushes。　Some　were　amusing　themselves　with　the　lively；　witty　chat　of　the　son　of　the　Prince　of　Prussia；　the　little　ten…year…old；　Prince　Frederick　William。　He　was　dressed　as　the　God　of　Love；　with　bow　and　quiver；　dancing　around；　and；　with　an　early…ripened　instinct；　directing　his　arrow　at　the　most　beautiful　and　fascinating　ladies　in　the　room。
  Prince　Henry　paid　no　attention　to　all　this；　his　wandering　glance　sought　only　the　beautiful　Louise；　and　a　deep　sigh　escaped　him　at　not　having　found　her。　Hastily　he　stepped　through　the　rows　of　dancers　which　separated　the　two　cavaliers　from　him。
  〃It　appears；〃　murmured　Baron　Kalkreuth　to　his　friend；　〃it　appears　to　me　that　the　prince　would　like　to　get　rid　of　us。　He　wishes　to　be　entirely　unobserved。　I　think　we　can　profit　by　this；　and　therefore　I　shall　take　leave　of　you　for　a　while；　and　seek　my　own　adventures。〃
  〃I　advise　you；〃　murmured　Baron　Kaphengst；　laughingly；　〃to　appoint　no　rendezvous　for　to…morrow。〃
  〃And　why　not；　friend？〃
  〃Because　you　will　not　be　able　to　appear；　for　you　will　doubtless　be　in　arrest。〃
  〃That　is　true；　and　I　thank　you　for　your　prudent　advice；　and　shall　arrange　all　my　rendezvous　for　the　day　after　to…morrow。　Farewell。〃
  Baron　Kaphengst　turned　laughingly　to　another　part　of　the　saloon。　Suddenly　he　felt　a　hand　placed　on　his　shoulder；　and　a　low　voice　murmured　his　name。
  Terrified；　he　turned。　〃I　am　not　the　one　you　seek；　mask；〃　he　said；　but　as　he　met　those　two　large；　burning　eyes；　he　shuddered；　and　even　his　bold；　daring　heart　stood　still　a　moment　from　terror。　Only　the　king　had　such　eyes；　only　he　had　such　a　commanding　glance。
  〃You　say　you　are　not　the　one　I　seek；〃　said　the　mask。　〃Well；　yes；　you　speak　wisely。　I　sought　in　you　a　brave　and　obedient　officer；　and　it　appears　that　you　are　not　that。　You　are　not；　then；　Lieutenant　von　Kaphengst？〃
  Kaphengst　thought　a　moment。　He　was　convinced　it　was　the　king　that　spoke　with　him；　for　Frederick　had　not　attempted　to　disguise　his　voice。　Kaphengst　knew　he　was　discovered。　There　remained　nothing　for　him　but　to　try　and　reconcile　the　king　by　a　jest。
  He　bowed　close　to　the　king；　and　whispered：　〃Listen；　maskas　you　have　recognized　me；　I　will　acknowledge　the　truth。　Yes；　I　am　Lieutenant　von　Kaphengst；　and　am　incognito。　You　understand　meI　came　to　this　ball　incognito。　He　is　a　scoundrel　who　repeats　it！〃　and；　without　awaiting　an　answer；　he　hastened　away　to　seek　the　prince　and　Baron　Kalkreuth；　acquaint　them　with　the　king's　presence；　and　fly　with　them　from　his　anger。
  But　Prince　Henry；　whose　fruitless　search　for　his　sweetheart　had　made　him　angry　and　defiant；　declared　he　would　remain　at　the　ball　until　it　was　over；　and　that　it　should　be　optional　with　the　king　to　insult　his　brother　openly；　and　to　punish　and　humble　a　prince　of　his　house　before　the　world。
  〃I；　unfortunately；　do　not　belong　to　the　princes　of　the　royal　house；　and　I　therefore　fear　that　the　king　might　regard　me　as　the　cat　who　had　to　pull　the　hot　chestnuts　from　the　ashes；　and　I　might　suffer　for　all　three。　I　therefore　pray　your　highness　to　allow　me　to　withdraw。〃
  〃You　may　go；　and　if　you　meet　Kalkreuth；　ask　him　to　accompany　you。　You　officers　must　not　carry　your　insubordination　any　further。　I；　as　prince；　and　Hohenzollern；　dare　the　worst；　but；　be　assured；　I　shall　pay　for　my　presumption。　Farewell；　and　hasten！　Do　not　forget　Kalkreuth。〃
  Kaphengst　sought　in　vain。　Kalkreuth　was　nowhere　to　be　found；　and　he　had　to　wend　his　way　alone　to　Potsdam。
  〃I　shall　take　care　not　to　await　the　order　of　the　king　for　my　arrest；〃　said　Baron　Kaphengst　to　himself；　as　he　rode　down　the　road　to　Potsdam。　〃I　shall　be　in　arrest　when　his　order　arrives。　Perhaps　that　will　soften　his　anger。〃
  Accordingly；　when　Kaphengst　arrived　at　the　court　guard；　in　Potsdam；　he　assumed　the　character　of　a　drunken；　quarrelsome　officer；　and　played　his　role　so　well　that　the　commander　placed　him　in　arrest。
  An　hour　later　the　king's　order　reached　the　commander　to　arrest　Baron　Kaphengst；　and　with　smiling　astonishment　he　received　the　answer　that　he　had　been　under　arrest　for　the　last　hour。
  In　the　mean　time；　Kaphengst　had　not　miscalculated。　The　prince　was　put　under　arrest　for　eight　days；　Kalkreuth　for　three。　He　was　released　the　next　morning；　early　enough　to　appear　at　the　parade。　As　the　king；　with　his　generals；　rode　down　to　the　front；　he　immediately　noticed　the　audacious　young　officer；　whose　eye　met　his　askance　and　pleadingly。　The　king　beckoned　to　him；　and　as　Baron　Kaphengst　stood　erect　before　him；　the　king　said；　laughingly；　〃It　is　truly　difficult　to　exchange　secrets　with　one　of　your　height；　bow　down　to　me；　I　have　something　to　whisper　in　you　ear。〃
  The　comrades　and　officers；　yes；　even　the　generals；　saw　not　without　envy　that　the　king　was　so　gracious　to　the　young　Lieutenant　von　Kaphengst；　whispered　a　few　words　to　him　confidentially；　and　then　smiling　and　bowing　graciously；　moved　on。
  It　was；　therefore；　natural　that；　when　the　king　left；　all　were　anxious　to　congratulate　the　young　lieutenant；　and　ask　him　what　the　king　had　whispered。　But　Baron　Kaphengst　avoided；　with　dignified　gravity；　all　inquiries；　and　only　whispered　to　his　commander　softly；　but　loud　enough　for　every　one　to　hear；　the　words；　〃State　secrets；〃　then　bowing　profoundly；　returned　with　an　earnest　and　grave　face　to　his　dwelling；　there　to　meditate　at　his　leisure　upon　the　king's　wordswords　both　gracious　and　cruel；　announcing　his　advancement；　but　at　the　same　time　condemning　him　to　secrecy。
  The　king's　words　were：　〃You　are　a　captain；　but　he　is　a　scoundrel　who　repeats　it！〃
  Thus　Baron　Kaphengst　was　captain；　but　no　one　suspected　it；　the　captain　remained　a　simple　lieutenant　in　the　eyes　of　the　world。
  CHAPTER　VI。
  THE　LEGACY　OF　VON　TRENCK；　COLONEL　OF　THE　PANDOURS。
  Baron　Weingarten；　the　new　secretary　of　legation　of　the　Austrian　embassy　in　Berlin；　paced　the　ambassador's　office　in　great　displeasure。　It　was　the　hour　in　which　all　who　had　affairs　to　arrange　with　the　Austrian　ambassador；　passports　to　vise；　contracts　to　sign；　were　allowed　entrance；　and　it　was　the　baron's　duty　to　receive　them。　But　no　one　came；　no　one　desired　to　make　use　of　his　ability　or　his　mediation；　and　this　displeased　the　baron　and　put　him　out　of　humor。　It　was　not　the　want　of　work　and　activity　that　annoyed　him；　the　baron　would　have　welcomed　the　dolce　far　niente　had　it　not　been　unfortunately　connected　with　his　earnings；　the　fees　he　received　for　passports；　and　the　arrangement　of　other　affairs；　formed　part　of　his　salary　as　secretary　of　legation；　and　as　he　possessed　no　fortune；　this　was　his　only　resource。　This　indigence　alone　led　him　to　resign　his　aristocratic　independence　and　freedom　of　action。　He　had　not　entered　the　state　service　from　ambition；　but　for　money；　that　he　might　have　the　means　of　supporting　his　mother　and　unmarried　sisters；　and　enable　himself　to　live　according　to　his　rank　and　old　aristocratic　name。　Baron　Weingarten　would　have　made　any　sacrifice；　submitted　to　any　service；　to　obtain　wealth。　Poverty　had　demoralized　him；　pride　had　laid　a　mildew　on　his　heart　and　stifled　all　noble　aspirations。　As　he　read　a　letter；　just　received　from　his　mother；　complaining　of　wants　and　privations；　telling　of　the　attachment　of　a　young　officer　to　his　sister；　and　that　poverty　alone　prevented　their　marriage；　his　heart　was　filled　with　repining；　and　at　this　moment　he　was　prepared　to　commit　a　crime；　if；　by　so　doing；　he　could　have　obtained　wealth。
  In　this　despairing　and　sorrowful　mood　he　had　entered　the　office；　and　awaited　in　vain　for　petitioners　who　would　pay　him　richly　for　his　services。　But　the　hours　passed　in　undisturbed　quiet；　and　Baron　Weingarten　was　in　the　act　of　leaving　the　office；　as　the　servant　announced　Baron　von　Waltz；　and　the　court　councillor；　Zetto；　from　Vienna。
  He　advanced　to　meet　the　two　gentlemen；　with　a　smiling　countenance；　and　welcomed　his　Austrian　countrymen　heartily。
  The　two　gentlemen　seated　themselves　silently；　Weingarten　took　a　seat　in　front　of　them。
  A　painful；　embarrassed　pause　ensued。　The　majestic　Baron　von　Waltz　looked　silently　at　the　ceiling；　while　the　black；　piercing　eyes　of　the　little　Councillor　Zetto　examined　the　countenance　of　Weingarten　with　a　strangely　searching　and　penetrating　expression。
  〃You　are　from　Vienna？〃　said　Weingarten　at　last；　putting　an　end　to　this　painful　silence。
  〃We　are　from　Vienna；〃　answered　the　baron；　with　a　grave　bow。　〃And　have　travelled　here　post…haste　to　have　an　interview　with　you。〃
  〃With　me？〃　asked　the　secretary　of　legation；　astonished。
  〃With　you　alone；〃　said　the　baron；　gravely。
  〃We　wish　you　to　do　the　King　of　Prussia　a　great　service；〃　said　Zetto；　solemnly。
  Weingarten　reddened；　and　said　confusedly：　〃The　King　of　Prussia！　You　forget；　gentlemen；　that　my　services　belong　alone　to　the　Empress　Maria　Theresa。〃
  〃He　defends　himself　before　he　is　accused；〃　said　Zetto；　aside。　〃It　is　then　true；　as　we　have　been　told；　he　is　playing　a　double　gameserves　Austria　and　Prussia　at　the　same　time。〃　Turning　to　Baron　W