the　Princess　Amelia。　They　had　never　reached　her！
  And　not　those　tender　epistles　of　a　tearful　and　unhappy　love　must　bear　witness　against　the　writer；　and　condemn　him　for　the　second　time！
  〃It　is　his　handwriting；〃　said　the　king；　as　he　laid　the　letters　again　in　the　box。　〃I　thank　you；　Baron　Weingarten；　you　have　saved　me　from　a　disagreeable　occurrence；　for；　if　I　will　not　even　believe　that　Trenck　intended　murder；　he　was　at　all　events　willing　to　create　a　scene；　if　only　to　gratify　his　vanity。　It　appears　that　he　has　now　played　out　his　role　at　Vienna；　as　well　as　in　St。　Petersburg　and　Berlin；　and　the　world　would　forget　him　if　he　did　not　attract　its　attention　by　some　mad　piece　of　folly。　How　he　intended　to　accomplish　this　I　do　not　know；　but　certainly　not　by　a　murderno；　I　cannot　believe　that！〃
  〃Your　majesty　is　always　noble　and　magnanimous；　but　it　appears　to　me　that　these　words　can　have　but　one　meaning。　'I　shall　go　to　Konigsberg；'　writes　Baron　Trenck；　'and　there　do　in　the　presence　of　the　king　what　no　one　has　done　before　me；　and　what　no　one　will　do　after　me。'　Does　not　this　make　his　intention　pretty　clear？〃
  〃Only　for　those　who　know　his　intentions　or　suspect　them；　for　others　they　could　have　any　other　signification；　some　romantic　threat；　nothing　more。　Baron　Trenck　is　a　known　adventurer；　a　species　of　Don　Quixote；　always　fighting　against　windmills；　and　believing　that　warriors　and　kings　honor　him　so　far　as　to　be　his　enemies。　I　punished　Trenck　when　he　was　in　my　service；　for　insubordination；　now　he　is　no　longer　in　my　service；　and　I　have　forgotten　him；　but　woe　be　unto　him　if　he　forces　me　to　remember　him！〃
  〃Your　majesty　will　soon　see　if　he　is　falsely　accused。　These　reliable　and　irreproachable　men　came　especially　to　warn　your　majesty；　through　me。　You　will　discover　if　they　have　calumniated　Trenck；　by　giving　this　testimony。　If　he　does　not　go　to　Dantzic；　does　not　enter　Prussia；　they　have　sworn　falsely；　and　Trenck　is　innocent。〃
  〃He　will　not　dare　to　cross　the　borders　of　my　state；　for　he　knows　he　will　be　court…martialled　as　a　deserter。　But　I　am　convinced　that　he　is　a　bold　adventurer；　he　has　boasted　that　he　will　defy　me；　that　is　certainly　what　no　one　has　done　before　him；　and　what　no　one　will　do　after　him；　but　it　will　rest　there；　you　may　believe　me。〃
  Baron　Weingarten　bowed　silently。　The　king　continued；　with　an　engaging　smile。
  〃However；　monsieur；　I　owe　you　many　thanks；　and　it　would　please　me　to　have　an　opportunity　of　rewarding　you。〃
  Until　this　moment；　Weingarten　had　been　standing　with　bowed　head；　he　now　stood　erect；　and　his　eye　dared　to　meet　that　of　the　king。
  〃Sire；〃　he　said；　with　the　noble　expression　of　offended　innocence；　〃I　demand　and　wish　no　other　reward　than　that　you　may　profit　by　my　warning。　If　the　fearful　danger　that　threatens　your　majesty　is　averted　through　me；　that　will　be　my　all…sufficient　recompense。　I　must　decline　any　other。〃
  The　king　smiled　approvingly。　〃You　speak　emphatically；　and　it　appears　that　you　really　believe　in　this　danger。　Well；　I　thank　you　only　as　that　is　your　desire。　I　will　respect　your　warning　and　guard　myself　from　the　danger　that　you　believe　threatens　me；　but　to　do　that；　and　at　the　same　time　to　convince　ourselves　of　Trenck's　evil　intentions；　we　must　observe　the　most　perfect　silence　in　this　whole　affair；　and　you　must　promise　me　to　speak　of　it　to　no　one。〃
  〃Sire；　secrecy　appeared　to　me　so　necessary；　that　I　did　not　even　communicate　it　to　Baron　Puebla；　but　came　to　your　majesty　on　my　own　responsibility。〃
  〃You　did　well；　for　now　Trenck　will　fall　unwarned　into　the　trap　we　set　for　him。　Be　silent；　therefore；　upon　the　subject。　If　you　should　ever　have　a　favor　to　ask；　come　to　me　with　this　tabatiere　in　your　hand。　I　will　remember　this　hour；　and　if　it　is　in　my　power　will　grant　you　what　you　wish。〃
  He　handed　Weingarten　his　gold；　diamond…studded　tabatiere；　and　received　his　thanks　with　approving　smiles。　After　he　had　dismissed　the　secretary　of　legation；　and　was　alone；　the　smile　faded　from　his　face；　and　his　countenance　was　sad　and　disturbed。
  〃It　has　come　to　this；〃　he　said；　as　he　paced　his　room；　with　his　hands　folded　behind　his　back。　〃This　man；　whom　I　once　loved　so　warmly；　wishes　to　murder　me。　Ah！　ye　proud　princes；　who　imagine　yourselves　gods　on　earth；　you　are　not　even　safe　from　a　murderer's　dagger；　and　you　are　as　vulnerable　as　the　commonest　beggar。　Why　does　he　wish　my　death？　Were　I　a　fantastic；　romantic　hero；　I　might　say　he　hoped　to　claim　his　sweetheart　over　my　dead　body！　But　Amelia　is　no　longer　a　person　for　whom　a　man　would　risk　his　life；　she　is　but　a　faint　and　sad　resemblance　of　the　pasther　rare　beauty　is　tear…stained　and　turned　to　ashes；　but　her　heart　still　lives；　it　is　young　and　warm；　and　belongs　to　Trenck！　And　shall　I　dissipate　this　last　illusion？　Must　she　now　learn　that　he　to　whom　she　sacrificed　so　much　is　but　a　common　murderer？　No；　I　will　spare　her　this　sorrow！　I　will　not　give　Trenck　the　opportunity　to　fulfil　his　work；　even　his　intention　shall　remain　doubtful。　I　shall　not　go　to　Konigsberg；　and　if；　in　his　presumptuous　thirst　for　notoriety　or　for　vengeance；　he　should　enter　Prussia；　he　shall　be　cared　forhe　shall　not　escape　his　punishment。　Let　him　but　try　to　cross　my　bordershe　will　find　a　snare　spread；　a　cage　from　which　he　cannot　escape。　Yes；　so　it　shall　be。　But　neither　the　world　nor　Trenck　shall　suspect　why　this　is　done。　If　my　brothers　and　envious　persons　hold　him　up　in　future　as　an　example　of　my　hardness　of　heart；　what　do　I　care　for　their　approval；　or　the　praise　of　short…sighted　men！　I　do　my　duty；　and　am　answerable　only　to　God　and　myself。　Trenck　intends　to　murder　meI　must　preserve　myself　for　my　people。　My　mission　is　not　yet　accomplished；　and　if　a　poisonous　insect　crosses　my　path；　I　must　crush　it。〃
  CHAPTER　VIII。
  THE　UNWILLING　BRIDEGROOM。
  Prince　Henry　had　again　passed　eight　days　in　arresteight　tedious　days；　days　of　powerless　anger　and　painful　humiliation。　This　arrest　had　been；　by　the　king's　express　orders；　so　strict；　that　no　one　was　allowed　to　see　the　prince　but　Pollnitz；　who　belonged；　as　the　king　said；　to　the　inventory　of　the　house　of　Hohenzollern；　and；　therefore；　all　doors　were　open　to　him。
  Pollnitz　alone　had；　therefore；　the　pleasure　of　hearing　the　complaints；　and　reproaches；　and　bitter　accusations　of　the　prince　against　his　brother。　Pollnitz　always　had　an　attentive　ear　for　these　complaints；　and　after　listening　to　the　prince　with　every　appearance　of　real　feeling　and　warm　sympathy；　he　would　hasten　to　the　king；　and　with　drooping　eyelids　and　rejoicing　heart　repeat　the　bitter　and　hateful　words　of　the　unsuspicious　princewords　that　were　well　calculated　to　increase　the　king's　displeasure。　The　prince　still　declared　that　he　would　not　marry；　and　the　king　insisted　that　he　must　submit　to　his　will　and　commands。
  Thus　the　eight　days　had　passed；　and　Pollnitz　came　to…day　with　the　joyful　news　that　his　arrest　was　at　an　end；　and　he　was　now　free。
  〃That　means；〃　said　the　prince；　bitterly；　〃that　I　am　free　to　wander　through　the　stupid　streets　of　Potsdam；　appear　at　his　table；　that　my　clothes　may　be　soiled　by　his　unbearable　four…legged　friends；　and　my　ears　deafened　by　the　dull；　pedantic　conversation　of　his　no　less　unbearable　two…legged　friends。〃
  〃Your　highness　can　save　yourself　from　all　these　small　annoyances；〃　said　Pollnitz；　〃you　have　only　to　marry。〃
  〃Marry；　bah！　That　means　to　give　my　poor　sister…in…law；　Elizabeth　Christine；　a　companion；　that　they　may　sing　their　sorrows　to　each　other。　No；　I　have　not　the　bravery　of　my　kingly　brother；　to　make　a　feeling；　human　being　unhappy　in　order　to　satisfy　state　politics。　No；　I　possess　not　the　egotism　to　purchase　my　freedom　with　the　life…long　misery　of　another。〃
  〃But；　mon　Dieu！　my　prince；〃　said　Pollnitz；　in　his　cynical　way；　〃you　look　at　it　in　too　virtuous　a　manner。　All　women　are　not　as　good　and　pure　as　poor　Elizabeth　Christine；　and　know　how　to　compensate　themselves　in　other　quarters　for　the　indifference　of　their　husbands。　We　are　not　speaking　here　of　a　common　marriage；　but　of　the　betrothal　of　a　prince。　You　do　not　marry　your　heart；　but　your　hand。　Truly　such　a　marriage…ceremony　is　a　protecting　talisman；　that　may　be　held　up　to　other　women　as　an　iron　shield　upon　which；　all　their　egotistical　wishes；　all　their　extravagant　demands　must　rebound。　Moreover；　a　married　man　is　entirely　sans　consequence　for　all　unmarried　women；　and　if　they　should　love　such　a　one；　the　happy　mortal　may　be　convinced　that　his　love　is　really　a　caprice　of　the　heart；　and　not　a　selfish　calculation　or　desire　to　marry。〃
  The　prince　regarded　the　smiling　courtier　earnestly；　almost　angrily。　〃Do　you　know；〃　he　said；　〃that　what　you　say　appears　to　me　very　immoral？〃
  〃Immoral？〃　asked　Pollnitz；　astonished；　〃what　is　that？　Your　princely　highness　knows　that　I　received　my　education　at　the　French　court；　under　the　protection　of　the　Regent　of　Orleans　and　the　Princess　of　the　Palatinate；　and　there　I　never　heard　this　word　immoral。　Perhaps　your　highness　will　have　the　kindness　to　explain　it　to　me。〃
  〃That　would　be　preaching　to　deaf　ears；〃　said　the　prince；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃We　will　not　quarrel　about　the　meaning　of　a　word。　I　only　wish　to　make　you　understand　that　I　would　not　marry　at　my　brother's　bon　plaisir。　I　will　not　continue　this　race　of　miserable　princes；　that　are　entirely　useless；　and　consequently　a　burden　to　the　state。　Oh！　if