ho　is　sure　of　his　position；　and　is　neither　confused　nor　offended。
  Madame　Blaken　was　somewhat　provoked　by　this　unrestrained　merriment。　〃You　laugh；　sir；　but　I　have　good　reason　for　supposing　you　to　be　poor　and　unknown。　You　came　covered　with　dust　and　on　foot　to　my　hotel；　accompanied　by　one　servant　carrying　a　small　carpet…bag。　You　have　neither　equipage；　retinue；　nor　baggage。　You　receive　no　visits；　and；　as　it　appears；　make　none。　You　are　always　dressed　in　your　simple；　modest；　rather　forlorn…looking　brown　coats。　You　have　never　taken　a　dinner　here；　but　pass　the　day　abroad；　and　when　you　return　in　the　evening　you　ask　for　a　cup　of　tea　and　a　few　slices　of　bread　and　butter。　Rich　people　do　not　travel　in　this　style；　and　I　therefore　have　the　right　to　ask　if　you　can　afford　to　pay　for　my　pasty？　I　do　not　know　who　or　what　you　are；　nor　your　brother's　position　In　the　world。〃
  〃Oh；〃　cried　Balby　who　was　highly　amused　by　the　candor　of　the　hostess；　〃my　brother　has　a　most　distinguished　position；　I　assure　youhis　fame　resounds　throughout　Germany。〃
  〃Bah　I〃　said　Madame　Blaken；　shrugging　her　shoulders；　〃the　name　is　entirely　unknown　to　us。　Pray；　what　is　your　brother；　and　for　what　is　he　celebrated？〃
  〃For　his　flute；〃　answered　Balby；　with　solemn　gravity。　Madame　Blaken　rose　and　glanced　scornfully　at　Balby。　〃Are　you　mating　sport　of　me；　sir？〃　said　she；　threateningly。
  〃Not　in　the　least；　madame；　I　am　telling　you　an　important　truth。　My　brother　is　a　renowned　virtuoso。〃
  〃A　virtuoso？〃　repeated　the　hostess；　〃I　do　not　understand　the　word。　Pray；　what　is　a　virtuoso？〃
  〃A　virtuoso；　madame；　is　a　musician　who　makes　such　music　as　no　other　man　can　make。　He　gives　concerts；　and　sells　the　tickets　for　an　enormous　price；　and　the　world　rushes　to　hear　his　music。　I　assure　you；　madame；　my　brother　can　play　so　enchantingly　that　those　who　hear　his　flute　are　forced　to　dance　in　spite　of　themselves。　He　receives　large　sums　of　gold；　and　if　he　gives　a　concert　here　you　will　see　that　all　your　distinguished　people　will　flock　to　hear　him。　You　can　set　your　pasty　before　him　without　fearhe　is　able　to　pay　richly　for　it。〃
  Madame　Blaken　rose　without　a　word　and　advanced　toward　the　door。　〃Come；　sir；　come。　I　am　going　to　your　brother。〃　Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　she　stepped　through　the　corridor　and　tapped　lightly　at　the　stranger's　door。　She　was　on　the　point　of　opening　it；　but　Balby　caught　her　hand　hastily。
  〃Madame；〃　said　he；　〃allow　me　to　enter　and　inquire　if　you　can　be　received。〃　He　wished　to　draw　her　back　from　the　door；　but　the　hostess　of　the　Black　Raven　was　not　the　woman　to　be　withdrawn。
  〃You　wish　to　ask　if　I　can　enter？〃　repeated　she。　〃I　may　well　claim　that　privilege　in　my　own　house。〃
  With　a　determined　hand　she　knocked　once　more　upon　the　door；　opened　it　immediately　and　entered；　followed　by　Balby；　who　by　signs　endeavored　to　explain　and　beg　pardon　for　the　intrusion。
  Frederick　did　not　regard　him；　his　blue　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　woman　who；　with　laughing　good…humor；　stepped　up　to　him　and　held　out　both　of　her　large；　course　hands　in　greeting。
  〃Sir；　I　come　to　convince　myself　if　what　your　brother　said　was　true。〃
  〃Well；　madame；　what　has　my　brother　said？〃
  〃He　declares　that　yon　can　whistle　splendidly；　and　all　the　world　is　forced　to　dance　after　your　music。〃
  〃I　said　play　the　flute；　madame！　I　said　play　the　flute！〃　cried　Balby；　horrified。　〃Well；　flute　or　whistle；〃　said　Madame　Blaken；　proudly；　〃it's　the　same　thing。　Be　so　good；　sir；　as　to　whistle　me　something；　I　will　then　decide　as　to　the　pasty。〃　The　king　looked　at　Balby　curiously。　〃Will　you　have　the　goodness；　brother；　to　explain　madame's　meaning；　and　what　she　requires　of　me？〃
  〃Allow　me　to　explain　myself；　〃said　the　hostess。　〃This　gentle…man　came　and　ordered　a　rich　pie　for　you；　this　pasty　has　given　celebrity　to　my　house。　It　is　true　I　have　one　prepared；　but　I　would　not　send　it　to　you。　Would　you　know　why？　This　is　an　enormously　expensive　dish；　and　I　have　no　reason　to　believe　that　you　are　in　a　condition　to　pay　for　it。　I　said　this　to　your　brother；　and　I　might　with　truth　have　told　him　that　I　regretted　to　see　him　in　my　hotelnot　that　you　are　in　yourselves　objectionable；　on　the　contrary；　you　appear　to　me　to　be　harmless　and　amiable　men；　but　because　of　your　purses。　I　fear　that　you　do　not　know　the　charges　of　first…class　hotels；　and　will　be　amazed　at　your　bill。　Your　brother；　however；　assures　me　that　you　can　afford　to　pay　for　all　you　order；　that　you　make　a　great　deal　of　money；　that　you　are　a　virtuoso；　give　concerts；　and　sell　tickets　at　the　highest　price。　Now；　I　will　convince　myself　if　you　are　a　great　musician　and　can　support　yourself。　Whistle　me　something；　and　I　will　decide　as　to　the　pie。〃
  The　king　listened　to　all　this　with　suppressed　merriment；　and　gave　Balby　a　significant　look。
  〃Bring　my　flute；　brother；　I　will　convince　madame　that　I　am　indeed　a　virtuoso。〃
  〃Let　us　hear；〃　said　Madame　Blaken；　seating　herself　upon　the　sofa　from　which　the　king　had　just　arisen。
  Frederick　made；　with　indescribable　solemnity；　a　profound　bow　to　the　hostess。　He　placed　the　flute　to　his　lips　and　began　to　play；　but　not　in　his　accustomed　masterly　stylenot　in　those　mild；　floating　melodies；　those　solemn　sacred；　and　exalted　strains　which　it　was　his　custom　to　draw　from　his　beloved　flute。　He　played　a　gay　and　brilliant　solo；　full　of　double　trills　and　rhapsodies；　it　was　an　astounding　medley；　which　seemed　to　make　a　triumphal　march　over　the　instrument；　overcoming　all　difficulties。　But　those　soft　tones　which　touched　the　soul　and　roused　to　noble　thoughts　were　wanting；　in　truth；　the　melody　failed；　the　music　was　wanting。
  Madame　Blaken　listened　with　ever…increasing　rapture　to　this　wondrous　exercise；　these　trills；　springing　from　octave　to　octave；　drew　forth　her　loudest　applause；　she　trembled　with　ecstasy；　and　as　the　king　closed　with　a　brilliant　cadence；　she　clapped　her　hands　and　shouted　enthusiastically。　She　stood　up　respectfully　before　the　artiste　in　the　simple　brown　coat；　and　bowing　low；　said　earnestly：
  〃Your　brother　was　right；　you　can　surely　earn　much　money　by　your　whistle。　You　whistle　as　clearly　as　my　mocking…bird。　You　shall　have　the　pieI　go　to　order　it　at　once；〃　and　she　hastened　from　the　room。
  〃Well；〃　said　the　king；　laughing；　〃this　was　a　charming　scene；　and　I　thank　you　for　it；　brother　Henry。　It　is　a　proud　and　happy　feeling　to　know　that　you　can　stand　upon　your　feet；　or　walk　alone；　in　other　words；　that　you　can　earn　a　support。　Now；　if　the　sun　of　Prussia　sets；　I　shall　not　hunger；　for　I　can　earn　my　bread；　Madame　Blaken　assures　me　of　it。　But；　Henry；　did　I　not　play　eminently？〃
  〃That　was　the　most　glittering；　dazzling　piece　for　a　concert　which　I　ever　heard；〃　said　Balby；　〃and　Mr。　Zoller　may　well　be　proud　of　it；　but　I　counsel　him　not　to　play　it　before　the　King　of　Prussia；　he　would；　in　his　jealousy；　declare　it　was　not　music；　nothing　but　sound；　and　signifying　nothing。〃
  〃Bravo；　my　friend；　〃said　Frederick；　taking　his　friend's　hand；　〃yes；　he　would　say　that。　Mr。　Zoller　played　like　a　true　virtuoso；　that　is　to　say；　without　intellect　and　without　soul；　he　did　not　make　music；　only　artistic　tones。　But　here　comes　the　pasty；　and　I　shall　relish　it　wondrous　well。　It　is　the　first　meat　I　have　ever　earned　with　my　flute。　Let　us　eat；　brother　Henry。〃
  CHAPTER　XV。
  THE　KING　WITHOUT　SHOES。
  The　pie　was　really　worthy　of　its　reputation；　and　the　king　enjoyed　it　highly。　He　was　gay　and　talkative；　and　amused　himself　in　recalling　the　varied　adventures　of　the　past　five　days。
  〃They　will　soon　be　tempi　passati；　these　giorni　felice；〃　he　said；　sighing。　〃To…day　is　the　last　day　of　our　freedom　and　happiness；　to…　morrow　we　must　take　up　our　yoke；　and　exchange　our　simple　brown　coats　for　dashing　uniforms。〃
  〃I　know　one；　at　least；　who　is　rejoicing；〃　said　Balby；　laughing；　〃the　unhappy　Deesen；　who　has　just　sworn　most　solemnly　that　he　would　throw　himself　in　the　river　if　he　had　to　play　much　longer　the　part　of　a　servant　without　liverya　servant　of　two　unknown　musicians；　and　he　told　me；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　that　not　a　respectable　man　in　the　house　would　speak　to　him；　that　the　pretty　maids　would　not　even　listen　to　his　soft　sighs　and　tender　words。〃
  〃Dress　makes　the　man；〃　said　the　king；　laughing；　〃if　Deesen　wore　his　cabinet…hussar　livery　these　proud　beauties　who　now　despise；　would　smile　insidiously。　How　strangely　the　world　is　constituted！　But　let　us　enjoy　our　freedom　while　we　may。　We　still　have　some　collections　of　paintings　to　examinehere　are　some　splendid　pictures　of　Rembrandt　and　Rubens　to　be　sold。　Then；　last　of　all；　I　have　an　important　piece　of　business　to　transact　with　the　great　banker；　Witte；　on　whom　I　have　a　draft。　You　know　that　Madame　Blaken　is　expensive；　and　the　picture…　dealers　will　not　trust　our　honest　faces；　we　must　show　them　hard　cash。〃
  〃Does　yourShall　I　not　go　to　the　bankers　and　draw　the　money？〃　said　Balby。　〃Oh　no；　I　find　it　pleasant　to　serve　myself；　to　be　my　own　master　and　servant　at　the　same　time。　Allow　me　this　rare　pleasure　for　a　few　hours　longer；　Balby。〃　The　king　took　his　friend's　arm；　and　recommenced　his　search　for　paintings　and　treasures　to　adorn　his　gallery　at　Sans…Souci。　Everywhere　he　was　received　kindly　and　respectfully；　for　all　recognized　them　as　purchasers；　and　not　idle　sight…seers。　The　dealers　appreciated　the　difference　between　idle　enthusiasm　and　well…filled　purses。
  The　ki