ace　of　miserable　princes；　that　are　entirely　useless；　and　consequently　a　burden　to　the　state。　Oh！　if　Heaven　would　only　give　me　the　opportunity　to　distinguish　myself　before　this　people；　and　give　to　this　name　that　is　go　small；　so　unworthy；　a　splendor；　a　color；　a　signification！〃
  〃Your　highness　is　ambitous；〃　said　Pollnitz；　as　the　prince；　now　silent；　paced　his　room　with　deep　emotion。
  〃Yes；　I　am　ambitiousI　thirst　for　action；　renown；　and　activity。　I　despise　this　monotonous；　colorless　existence；　without　end　or　aim。　By　God！　how　happy　I　should　be；　if；　instead　of　a　prince；　I　could　be　a　simple　private　man；　proprietor　of　a　small　landed　estate；　with　a　few　hundred　subjects；　that　I　should　endeavor　to　make　happy！　But　I　am　nothing　but　a　king's　brother；　have　nothing　but　my　empty　title　and　the　star　upon　my　coat。　My　income　is　so　small；　so　pitiful；　that　it　would　scarcely　suffice　to　pay　the　few　servants　I　have；　if；　at　the　same　time；　they　were　not　paid　by　the　king　as　his　spies。〃
  〃But　all　this　will　cease　as　soon　as　you　speak　the　decisive　word；　as　soon　as　you　declare　yourself　prepared　to　marry。〃
  〃And　you　dare　to　tell　me　this？〃　cried　the　prince；　with　flashing　eyes〃you；　that　know　I　love　a　lady　who　is　unfortunately　no　princess；　or　do　you　believe　that　a　miserable　prince　has　not　the　heart　of　a　manthat　he　does　not　possess　the　ardent　desire；　the　painful　longing　for　the　woman　he　loves？〃
  〃Oh；　women　do　not　deserve　that　we　should　love　them　so　ardently；　they　are　all　fickle　and　inconstant；　believe　me；　my　prince。〃
  The　prince　cast　a　quick；　questioning　glance　at　the　smiling　countenance　of　the　courtier。
  〃Why　do　you　say　this　to　me？〃　he　asked；　anxiously。
  〃Because　I　am　convinced　of　its　truth；　your　highness；　because　I　believe　no　woman　has　the　power　to　preserve　her　love　when　obstacles　are　placed　in　the　way；　or　that　she　can　be　faithful　for　the　short　space　of　eight　days；　if　her　lover　is　absent。〃
  The　prince　was　startled；　and　looked　terrified　at　Pollnitz。
  〃Eight　days；〃　he　murmured；　〃it　is　eight　daysno；　it　is　twelve　since　I　saw　Louise。〃
  〃Ah；　twelve　daysand　your　highness　has　the　really　heroic　belief　that　she　still　loves　you？〃
  The　prince　sighed；　and　his　brow　clouded；　but　only　for　a　few　moments；　and　his　countenance　was　again　bright　and　his　eyes　sparkled。
  〃Yes；　I　have　this　belief；　and　why　should　I　not　have　it；　as　my　own　heart　had　stood　the　trial？　I　have　not　seen　her　for　twelve　days；　have　not　heard　of　her；　and　still　my　love　is　as　great　and　as　ardent　as　ever。　Yes；　I　believe　that　at　the　thought　of　her　my　heart　beats　more　quickly；　more　longingly　than　if　I　had　her　in　my　arms。〃
  〃The　reason　of　this；〃　said　Pollnitz；　almost　sympathetically；　〃is　that　it　is　your　first　love。〃
  Prince　Henry　looked　at　him　angrily。
  〃You　are　wrong　and　most　unjust　to　this　beautiful　woman；　who　remained　good　and　pure　in　the　midst　of　the　corrupting　and　terrible　circumstances　in　which　destiny　placed　her。　She　preserved　a　chaste　heart；　an　unspotted　soul。　Her　misfortunes　only　refined　her；　and　therefore　I　love　her；　and　believe　that　God　has　placed　me　in　her　way　that；　after　all　her　sufferings；　I　might　make　her　happy。　Oh；　precisely　because　of　her　sorrows；　the　shameful　slanders　with　which　she　is　pursued；　and　all　for　which　she　is　reproached；　I　love　her。〃
  〃Well；　my　prince；〃　sighed　Pollnitz；　with　a　tragical　expression；　〃I　never　saw　a　bolder　hero　and　a　more　pious　Christian　than　your　highness。〃
  〃What　do　you　mean　by　that；　Pollnitz？〃
  〃That　an　enormous　amount　of　bravery　is　necessary；　prince；　to　believe　Madame　von　Kleist　chaste　and　innocent；　and　that　only　a　pious　Christian　can　count　himself　so　entirely　among　those　of　whom　Christ　says；　'Blessed　are　they　that　have　not　seen　and　yet　have　believed。'　May　a　good　fairy　long　preserve　you　your　bravery　and　your　Christianity！　But　surely　your　highness　must　have　important　and　convincing　proofs　to　believe　in　the　innocence　and　faithfulness　of　this　woman。　I　confess　that　any　other　man　would　have　been　discouraged　in　his　godlike　belief　by　facts。　It　is　a　fact　that　for　twelve　days　Madame　von　Kleist　has　sent　you　no　message　through　me；　it　is　a　fact　that　she　was　not　at　the　masked　ball；　that　as　often　as　I　have　been　to　her　in　these　last　days；　to　deliver　letters　for　your　highness；　and　to　obtain　hers　in　return；　she　has　never　received　me；　always　excused　herself；　and；　therefore；　I　could　not　receive　her　letters；　nor　deliver　those　of　your　highness。〃
  〃And　were　you　not　in　Berlin　early　this　morning！　Did　you　not　go　to　her　as　I　ordered　you；　and　tell　her　she　might　expect　me　this　evening？〃
  〃I　went　to　her　house；　but　in　vain；　she　was　with　the　queen…mother；　and　I　was　told　that　she　would　not　return　until　late　in　the　evening；　I　therefore　could　not　deliver　the　message；　your　highness。〃
  The　prince　stamped　his　foot　impatiently；　and　walked　hastily　to　and　fro；　his　brow　was　clouded；　his　lips　trembled　with　inward　emotion。　The　sharp　eye　of　the　baron　followed　with　an　attentive；　pitiless　glance　every　movement　of　his　face；　noted　every　sigh　that　came　from　his　anxious　heart；　that　he　might　judge　whether　the　seeds　of　mistrust　that　he　had　sown　in　the　breast　of　the　prince　would　grow。　But　Prince　Henry　was　still　young；　brave；　and　hopeful；　it　was　his　first　love　they　wished　to　poison；　but　his　young；　healthy　nature　withstood　the　venom；　and　vanquished　its　evil　effects。　His　countenance　resumed　its　quiet；　earnest　expression；　and　the　cloud　disappeared　from　his　brow。
  〃Do　you　know；〃　he　said；　standing　before　Pollnitz；　and　looking　smilingly　into　his　cunning　face〃do　you　know　that　you　do　not　descend；　as　the　rest　of　mankind；　from　Adam　and　Eve；　but　in　a　direct　line　from　the　celebrated　serpent？　And　truly　you　do　honor　to　your　ancestor！　No　paradise　is　holy　to　you；　and　to　do　evil　gives　you　pleasure。　But　you　shall　not　disturb　my　paradise；　and　as　much　of　the　old　Adam　as　is　still　in　me；　I　will　not　be　foolish　enough　to　eat　of　the　bitter　fruit　that　you　offer　me。　No；　you　shall　not　succeed　in　making　me　jealous　and　distrustful；　you　shall　not　destroy　my　faith：　and　see　you；　those　that　believe　are　still　in　paradise；　notwithstanding　your　ancestor；　the　serpent。〃
  〃My　prince；〃　said　Pollnitz；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃your　highness　looks　upon　me　as　a　kind　of　Messiahat　least　it　pleases　you　to　give　me　a　mother　and　no　father。　But　oh；　my　prince！　if　you　are　right　about　my　descent；　philosophers　are　certainly　wrong；　for　they　maintain　that　the　serpent　of　paradise　left　gold　as　a　fearful　inheritance　to　mankind。　I　shall　accuse　my　great…grandmother　the　serpent　of　disinheriting　me　and　condemning　me　to　live　upon　the　generosity　of　my　friends　and　patrons。〃
  He　looked　at　the　prince；　with　a　sly；　covetous　glance；　but　he　had　not　understood　him；　engaged　in　deep　thought；　he　had　stepped　to　the　window；　and　was　gazing　up　at　the　heavens；　where　the　clouds　were　chasing　each　other。
  〃She　will　be　the　entire　day　with　my　mother；　and　I　shall　not　see　her；〃　he　murmured。　Then；　turning　hastily　to　Pollnitz；　he　asked；　〃How　is　the　queen…mother？　Did　I　not　hear　that　she　was　suffering？〃
  〃Certainly；　your　highness；　a　severe　attack　of　gout　confines　her　to　her　chair；　and　holds　her　prisoner。〃
  〃Poor　mother！　it　is　long　since　I　saw　you。〃
  〃It　is　true；　the　queen　complained　of　it　the　last　time　I　spoke　with　her；〃　said　Pollnitz；　with　a　perfectly　serious　face；　but　with　inward　rejoicing。
  Another　pause　ensued。　The　prince　appeared　to　reflect；　and　to　struggle　with　his　own　thoughts　and　wishes。　Pollnitz　stood　behind　him；　and　noted　every　motion；　every　sigh　that　he　uttered；　with　his　malicious　smiles。
  〃I　believe；〃　said　the　prince；　with　still　averted　face；　perhaps　to　prevent　Pollnitz　from　seeing　his　blushes〃I　believe　it　would　be　proper　for　me　to　inquire　to…day　personally　after　my　mother's　health；　it　is　not　only　my　duty　to　do　so；　but　the　desire　of　my　heart。〃
  〃Her　majesty　will　be　pleased　to　see　her　beloved　son　again；　and　this　pleasure　will　hasten　her　recovery。〃
  The　prince　turned　hastily　and　glanced　sharply　at　Pollnitz；　as　if　he　wished　to　read　his　inmost　thoughts。　But　the　countenance　of　the　courtier　was　earnest　and　respectful。
  〃If　that　is　your　opinion；〃　said　the　prince；　with　a　happy　smile；　〃my　duty　as　a　son　demands　that　I　should　hasten　to　the　queen；　and　I　will　go　immediately　to　Berlin。　But　as　I　am　going　to　my　mother；　and　solely　on　her　account；　I　will　do　it　in　the　proper　form。　Have；　therefore；　the　kindness　to　obtain　my　leave　of　the　kingbring　me　my　brother's　answer　immediately；　I　only　await　it　to　depart。〃
  〃And　I　hasten　to　bring　it　to　your　highness；〃　said　Pollnitz；　withdrawing。
  Prince　Henry　looked　thoughtfully　after　him。
  〃I　shall　see　her；〃　he　murmured；　〃I　shall　speak　with　her；　and　shall　learn　why　she　withdrew　herself　so　long　from　me。　Oh；　I　know　she　will　be　able　to　justify　herself；　and　these　slanders　and　evil　reports　will　flee　before　her　glance　as　clouds　before　the　rays　of　the　sun。〃
  In　the　mean　while；　Pollnitz　hastened　to　Sans　Souci；　where　he　was　immediately　received　by　the　king。
  〃Your　majesty；〃　he　said；　joyfully；　〃the　young　lion　has　fallen　into　the　net　that　we　set　for　him。〃
  〃He　goes　then　to　Berlin；　to　the　queen…mother？〃　asked　the　king；　quickly。
  〃He　begs　your　majesty's　permission　to　take　this　little　trip。〃
  〃He　really　charged　you　with　this　commission？〃
  〃Yes；　sire：　it　appears　that　his　obstinacy　is　beginning　to　relent；　and　that　he　thinks　of　submitti