When　Pollnitz　left；　the　king　seized　his　flute　hastily　aim　began　to　play　a　soft；　melting　adagio。　He　was　still　playing；　when　the　door　opened；　and　the　prince　was　announced。　Henry　stood　in　the　doorway；　and　made　the　king　a　ceremonious　bow。　The　king　continued　to　play。　The　low；　pleading　notes　of　the　flute　floated　softly　through　the　room；　they　touched　the　heart　of　the　prince；　and　quieted　its　wild；　stormy　beating。
  Was　that　the　king's　intention；　or　did　he　intend　to　harmonize　his　own　spirit　before　speaking　to　his　brother？　Perhaps　both；　for　Frederick's　glance　softened；　and　his　face　assumed　a　kind　and　mild　expression。
  When　the　adagio　was　finished；　the　king　laid　his　flute　aside　and　approached　the　prince。
  〃Forgive　me；　brother；〃　he　said；　offering　his　hand〃forgive　me　for　keeping　you　waiting；　I　always　like　to　conclude　what　I　commence。　Now；　I　am　entirely　at　your　service；　and　as　I　am　unfortunately　not　accustomed　to　receive　such　friendly　visits　from　you；　I　must　ask　you　what　brings　you　to　me；　and　how　I　can　serve　you？〃
  The　fierce；　violent　nature　of　the　prince　slumbered　but　lightly。　The　king's　words　aroused　it；　and　made　his　pulse　and　heart　beat　stormily。
  〃How　you　can　serve　me；　my　brother？〃　he　said；　hastily。　〃I　will　tell　you；　and　truthfully；　sire。〃
  The　king　raised　his　head；　and　glanced　angrily　at　the　burning　face　of　the　prince。
  〃I　am　not　accustomed　to　have　my　words　repeated；　and　all　find　that　out　here　to　their　cost；〃　he　said；　sternly。
  〃Have　the　goodness；　then；　to　tell　me　why　you　have　pursued　me　so　long　and　unrelentingly？　What　have　I　done　to　deserve　your　displeasure　and　such　bitter　humiliations？〃
  〃Rather　ask　me　what　you　have　done　to　deserve　my　love　and　confidence；〃　said　the　king；　sternly。　〃I　refer　you　to　your　own　heart　for　an　answer。〃
  〃Ah；　your　majesty　promised　to　answer　my　questions；　and　now　you　evade　them；　but　I　will　reply　frankly。　I　have　done　nothing　to　deserve　your　love；　but　also　nothing　to　make　me　unworthy　of　it。　Why　are　you；　who　are　so　good　and　kind　to　all　others；　so　stern　and　harsh　with　me？〃
  〃I　will　tell　you　the　truth；〃　said　the　king；　earnestly。　〃You　have　deserved　my　displeasure；　you　have　desired　to　be　a　free　man；　to　cast　aside　the　yoke　that　Providence　placed　upon　you；　you　had　the　grand　presumption　to　dare　to　be　the　master　of　your　own　actions。〃
  〃And　does　your　majesty　desire　and　expect　me　to　resign　this　most　natural　of　human　rights？〃　said　the　prince；　angrily。
  〃Yes；　I　desire　and　expect　it。　I　can　truthfully　say　that　I　have　given　my　brothers　a　good　example　in　this　particular。〃
  〃But　you　did　not　do　this　willingly。　You　were　cruelly　forced　to　submission；　and　you　now　wish　to　drive　us　to　an　extremity　you　have；　doubtlessly；　long　since　forgotten。　Now；　you　suffered　and　struggled　before　declaring　yourself　conquered。〃
  〃No；〃　said　the　king；　softly；　〃I　have　not　forgotten。　I　still　feel　the　wound　in　my　soul；　and　at　times　it　burns。〃
  〃And　yet；　my　brother？〃
  〃And　yet　I　will　have　no　pity　with　you。　I　say　to　you；　as　my　father　said　to　me：　'You　must　submit；　you　are　a　prince；　and　I　am　your　king！'　I　have　long　since　acknowledged　that　my　father　was　right　in　his　conduct　to　me。　I　was　not　only　a　disobedient　son；　but　a　rebellious　subject。　I　richly　deserved　to　mount　the　scaffold　with　Katte。〃
  〃Ah；　my　brother；　there　was　a　time　when　you　wept　for　this　faithful　and　unfortunate　friend；〃　cried　the　prince；　reproachfully。
  〃The　sons　of　kings　have　not　the　right　to　choose　their　own　path；　destiny　has　marked　it　out　for　them；　they　must　follow　it　without　wavering。　I　neither　placed　the　crown　upon　my　head；　nor　the　yoke　upon　your　neck。　We　must　bear　them　patiently；　as　God　and　Providence　have　ordained；　and　wear　them　with　grace　and　dignity。　You；　my　brother；　have　acted　like　a　wild　horse　of　the　desertI　have　drawn　the　reins　tight；　that　is　all！〃
  〃You　have　caught；　bound；　and　tamed　me；〃　said　the　prince；　with　a　faint　smile；　〃only　I　feel　that　the　bit　still　pains；　and　that　my　limbs　still　tremble。　But　I　am　ready　to　submit；　and　I　came　to　tell　you　so。　You　desire　me　to　marry；　I　consent；　but　I　hold　you　responsible　for　the　happiness　of　this　marriage。　At　God's　throne；　I　will　call　you　to　justify　yourself；　and　there　we　will　speak　as　equals；　as　man　to　man。　What　right　had　you　to　rob　me　of　my　most　holy　and　beautiful　possession？　What　right　have　you　to　lay　a　heavy　chain　on　heart　and　hand；　that　love　will　not　help　me　to　bear？　I　hold　you　responsible　for　my　miserable　life；　my　shattered　hopes。　Will　you　accept　these　conditions？　Do　you　still　wish　me　to　marry？〃
  〃I　accept　the　conditions；〃　said　the　king；　solemnly。　〃I　desire　you　to　marry。〃
  〃I　presume　your　majesty　has　chosen　a　bride　for　me？〃
  〃You　are　right；　mon　cher　frere。　I　have　selected　the　Princess　Wilhelmina；　daughter　of　Prince　Max；　of　Hesse…Cassel。　She　not　only　brings　you　a　fortune；　but　youth；　beauty；　and　amiability。〃
  〃I　thank　you；　sire；〃　said　the　prince；　coldly　and　formally。　〃I　would　marry　her　if　she　were　ugly；　old；　and　unamiable。　But　is　it　allowed　me　to　add　one　condition？〃
  〃Speak；　my　brother；　I　am　listening。〃
  The　prince　did　not　answer　immediately；　he　breathed　quickly　and　heavily；　and　a　glowing　red　suffused　his　pale；　trembling　face。
  〃Speak；　my　brother。　Name　your　conditions；〃　said　the　king。
  〃Well；　then；　so　be　it。　My　first　condition　is　that　I　may　be　allowed　to　have　a　brilliant　wedding。　I　wish　to　invite　not　only　the　entire　court；　but　a　goodly　number　of　Berliners；　I　desire　all　Berlin　to　take　part　in　my　happiness；　and　to　convince　every　one；　by　my　gay　demeanor　and　my　entertainment；　that　I　joyfully　accept　my　bride；　the　princess。〃
  The　king's　eyes　rested　sorrowfully　upon　his　brother's　countenance。　He　fully　understood　the　emotions　of　his　heart；　and　knew　that　his　brother　wished　to　wound　and　humiliate　his　faithless　sweetheart　by　his　marriage；　that　Henry　only　submitted　to　his　wishes　because　his　proud　heart　rebelled　at　the　thought　of　being　pitied　as　a　rejected　lover。　But　he　was　considerate；　and　would　not　let　it　appear　that　he　understood　him。
  〃I　agree　to　this　first　proposition；〃　said　the　king；　after　a　pause；　〃and　I　hope　you　will　allow　me　to　be　present　at　this　beautiful　fete；　and　convince　Berlin　that　we　are　in　hearty　unison。　Have　you　no　other　conditions？〃
  〃Yes；　one　more。〃
  〃What　is　it？〃
  〃That　my　marriage　shall　take　place；　at　the　latest；　in　a　month。〃
  〃You　will　thus　fulfil　my　particular　and　personal　wish；〃　said　the　king；　smiling。　〃I　am　anxious　to　have　this　marriage　over；　for；　after　the　gayeties；　I　wish　to　leave　Berlin。　All　the　arrangements　and　contracts　are　completed；　and　I　think　now　there　is　no　obstacle　in　the　way　of　the　marriage。　Have　you　another　wish；　my　brother？〃
  〃No；　sire。〃
  〃Then　allow　me　to　beg　you　to　grant　me　a　favor。　I　wish　to　leave　a　kind　remembrance　of　this　eventful　hour　in　your　heart；　and　I　therefore　give　you　a　small　memento　of　the　same。　Will　you　accept　my　castle　of　Rheinsberg；　with　all　its　surroundings；　as　a　present　from　me？　Will　you　grant　me　this　pleasure；　my　brother？〃
  The　king　offered　his　hand；　with　a　loving　smile；　to　Henry；　and　received　with　apparent　pleasure　his　ardent　thanks。
  〃I　chose　Rheinsberg；〃　he　said；　kindly；　〃not　because　it　is　my　favorite　palace；　and　I　have　passed　many　pleasant　and　happy　days　there；　but　because　none　of　my　other　palaces　are　so　appropriate　for　a　prince　who　is　discontented　with　his　king。　I　have　made　that　experience　myself；　and　I　give　you　Rheinsberg；　as　my　father　gave　it　to　me。　Go　to　Rheinsberg　when　you　are　angry　with　me　and　the　world；　there　you　can　pass　the　first　months　of　your　marriage；　and　God　grant　it　may　be　a　happy　one！〃
  The　prince　answered　him　with　a　cold　smile；　and　begged　leave　to　withdraw；　that　he　might　make　the　necessary　preparations　for　his　wedding。　〃We　will　both　make　our　preparations；〃　said　the　king；　as　he　bade　the　prince　farewell〃you　with　your　major…domo；　and　I　with　Baron　Pollnitz；　whom　I　shall　send　as　ambassador　to　Cassel。〃
  CHAPTER　XI。
  THE　TRAVELLING　MUSICIANS。
  The　feasts；　illuminations；　and　balls　given　in　honor　of　the　newly…　married　couple；　Henry　and　his　wife；　the　Princess　Wilhelmina；　were　at　an　end。　The　prince　and　his　followers　had　withdrawn　to　Rheinsberg；　and　many　were　the　rumors　in　Berlin　of　the　brilliant　feasts　with　which　he　welcomed　his　beautiful　bride。　She　was　truly　lovely；　and　the　good　Berliners；　who　had　received　her　with　such　hearty　greetings　when　she　appeared　with　the　prince　on　the　balcony；　or　showed　herself　to　the　people　in　an　open　carriage；　declared　there　could　be　no　happier　couple　than　the　prince　and　his　wife；　they　declared　that　the　large；　dark　eyes　of　the　princess　rested　upon　the　prince　with　inexpressible　tenderness；　and　that　the　prince　always　returned　her　glance　with　a　joyous　smile。　It　was　therefore　decided　that　the　prince　was　a　happy　husband；　and　the　blessings　of　the　Berliners　followed　the　charming　princess　to　Rheinsberg；　where　the　young　couple　were　to　pass　their　honeymoon。
  While　the　prince　was　giving　splendid　fetes；　and　seeking　distraction；　and　hoping　to　forget　his　private　griefs；　or　perhaps　wishing　to　deceive　the　world　as　to　his　real　feelings；　the　king　left　Sans…Souci；　to　commence　one　of　his　customary　military　inspection　trips。　But　he　did　not　go　to　Konigsberg；　as　was　supposed；　and　if　Trenck　really　had　the　intention　of　murdering　him　during　his　sojourn　there；　it　was　rendered　impossible　by　the　change　in　the　king's