d　by　Parliament。　It　was　therefore　possible　to　reap　some　advantages　from　this　point。　With　this　view；　France　sent　the　Duke　de　Nivernois　as　special　ambassador　to　Berlin；　to　treat　with　the　king　as　to　the　renewal　of　the　old　alliance。
  The　Duke　de　Nivernois　came　with　a　glittering　suite　to　Berlin；　and　was　received　at　the　Prussian　court　with　all　the　consideration　which　his　rank　and　official　character　demanded。　The　grand　master　of　ceremonies；　Baron　von　Pollnitz；　was　sent　forward　to　meet　him；　and　to　invite　him；　in　the　name　of　the　king；　to　occupy　one　of　the　royal　palaces　in　Berlin。
  Every　room　of　the　palace　was　splendidly　decorated　for　the　reception　of　the　duke；　and　as　soon　as　he　arrived；　two　guards　were　placed　before　the　housea　mark　of　consideration　which　the　king　had　only　heretofore　given　to　reigning　princes。
  The　duke　accepted　these　distinguished　attentions　with　lively　gratitude；　and　pleaded　for　an　immediate　audience；　in　order　to　present　his　credentials。
  Pollnitz　was　commissioned　to　make　all　necessary　arrangements；　and　agree　with　the　duke　as　to　the　day　and　hour　of　the　ceremony。
  The　king；　who　wished　to　give　the　French　duke　a　proof　of　his　consideration；　intended　that　the　presentation　should　be　as　imposing　as　possible；　and　all　Berlin　was　to　be　witness　of　the　friendship　existing　between　the　French　and　Prussian　courts。
  Upon　the　appointed　day；　a　dazzling　assemblage　of　equipages　stood　before　the　palace　of　the　Duke　de　Nivernois。　These　were　the　royal　festal　carriages；　intended　for　the　members　of　the　French　embassy。　Then　followed　a　long　line　of　carriages；　occupied　by　the　distinguished　members　of　the　Prussian　court。　Slowly　and　solemnly　this　pompous　procession　moved　through　the　streets；　and　was　received　at　the　portal　of　the　king's　palace　by　the　royal　guard。　Richly…　dressed　pages；　in　advance　of　whom　stood　the　grand　master　of　ceremonies　with　his　golden　staff；　conducted　the　French　ambassador　to　the　White　saloon；　where　the　king；　in　all　his　royal　pomp；　and　surrounded　by　the　princes　of　his　house；　received　him。
  The　solemn　ceremony　began；　the　duke　drew　near　the　throne；　and；　bowing　his　knee；　handed　his　credentials　to　the　king；　who　received　them　with　a　gracious　smile。
  The　duke　commenced　his　address；　it　was　filled　with　flowery　phrases；　suited　to　the　great　occasion。　Frederick　listened　with　the　most　earnest　attention；　and　his　reply　was　kind；　but　dignified　and　laconic。
  The　public　ceremony　was　over；　and　now　came　the　important　part　of　the　audience；　the　confidential　conversation。　To　this　point　the　duke　had　looked　with　lively　impatience；　for　this；　indeed；　had　he　been　sent　to　Berlin。
  The　king　descended　from　the　throne；　and　laying　aside　all　the　solemnity　of　court　etiquette；　he　approached　the　duke　in　the　most　gracious　and　genial　manner；　welcomed　him　heartily；　and　expressed　his　sincere　delight　at　his　arrival。
  〃Ah；　sire；〃　said　the　duke；　with　animation；　〃how　happy　will　my　king　be　to　learn　that　his　ambassador　has　been　so　graciously　received　by　your　majesty！〃
  The　king　smiled。　〃I　thought　the　ceremony　was　all　over；〃　said　he；　〃and　that　I　no　longer　spoke　with　the　ambassador；　but　with　the　Duke　de　Nivernois；　whom　I　know　and　love；　and　whose　intellectual　conversation　will　afford　me　a　rare　pleasure。　Let　us；　therefore；　chat　together　innocently；　and　forget　the　stiff　ceremonies　with　which；　I　think；　we　have　both　been　sufficiently　burdened　today。　Tell　me　something　of　Paris；　monsieur；　of　that　lovely；　enchanting；　but　overbold　coquette；　Paris；　whom　the　world　adores　while　it　ridicules；　and　imitates　while　it　blames。〃
  〃Ah；　sire；　if　I　must　speak　of　Paris；　I　must　first　tell　you　of　my　kingof　my　king；　who　wishes　nothing　more　ardently　than　the　renewal　of　the　bond　of　friendship　between　your　majesty　and　himself；　and　the　assurance　of　its　long　continuance；　who〃
  〃That　is　most　kind　of　his　majesty；〃　said　Frederick；　interrupting　him；　〃and　I　certainly　share　the　friendly　wishes　of　my　exalted　brother　of　France。　But　tell　me　now　something　of　your　learned　men。　How　goes　it　with　the　Academy？　Do　they　still　refuse　Voltaire　a　seat；　while　so　many　unknown　men　have　become　academicians？〃
  〃Yes；　sire　these　academicians　are　obstinate　in　their　conclusions；　and；　as　the　Academy　is　a　sort　of　republic；　the　king　has　no　power　to　control　them　If　that　were　not　so；　my　exalted　master；　King　Louis；　in　order　to　be　agreeable　to　your　majesty；　would　exert　all　his　influence；　and〃
  〃Ah；　sir；〃　interrupted　the　king；　〃it　is　just　and　beautiful　that　the　Academy　is　a　free　republic；　which　will　not　yield　to　the　power　and　influence　of　the　king。　Art　and　science　need　for　their　blossom　and　growth　freedom　of　thought　and　speech。　Fate　ordained　that　I　should　be　born　a　king；　but　when　alone　in　my　study；　alone　with　my　books；　I　am　fully　content　to　be　republican　in　the　kingdom　of　letters。　I　confess　the　truth　to　you　when；　as　a　wise　republican；　I　read　thoughtfully　in　the　pages　of　history；　I　sometimes　come　to　the　conclusion　that　kings　and　princes　are　unnecessary　articles　of　luxury；　and　I　shrug　my　shoulders　at　them　rather　contemptuously。〃
  〃And　yet；　sire；　the　arts　need　the　protection　of　princes；　that　the　republic　of　letters　blooms　and　flourishes　in　a　monarchy　is　shown　in　Prussia；　where　a　royal　republican　and　a　republican　king　governs　his　people；　and　at　the　same　time　gives　freedom　of　thought　and　speech　to　science。　France　should　be　proud　and　happy　that　your　majesty　has　adopted　so　many　of　her　sons　into　your　republic　of　letters；　we　dare；　therefore；　come　to　the　conclusion　that　your　majesty　will　not　confine　your　interest　wholly　to　them；　but　that　this　alliance　between　France　and　Prussia；　which　my　king　so　earnestly　desires　and〃
  〃Unhappily；〃　said　the　king；　interrupting　him　eagerly；　〃the　distinguished　Frenchmen　who　have　become　my　allies；　are　exactly　those　whom　their　strong…minded；　fanatical　mother；　La　France；　has　cast　out　from　her　bosom　as　dishonored　sons。　Voltaire　lives　in　Ferney。　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau；　whom　I　admire　but　do　not　love；　lives　in　Geneva；　where　he　has　been　obliged　to　take　refuge。　I　have　also　been　told　that　the　pension　which；　in　a　favorable　moment；　was　granted　to　D'Alembert；　has　been　withdrawn。　Have　I　been　falsely　informed？　has　my　friend　D'Alembert　not　fallen　into　disgrace？　is　not　my　friend　the　encyclopaedian；　regarded　as　a　transgressor；　and　a　high　traitor　because　he　uses　the　undoubted　right　of　free　thought；　does　not　blindly　believe；　but　looks　abroad　with　open　eyes　and　a　clear　intellect？〃
  The　duke　replied　by　a　few　confused　and　disconnected　words；　and　a　shadow　fell　upon　his　clear　countenance；　three　times　had　Frederick　interrupted　him　when　he　sought　to　speak　of　the　King　of　France　and　his　friendship　for　his　brother　of　Prussia。　The　duke　did　not　dare　choose　this　theme　for　the　fourth　time；　which　was　so　evidently　distasteful　to　the　king；　he　must；　therefore；　submit　and　follow　the　lead　of　his　majesty；　and　in　lieu　of　alliances　and　state　questions　discuss　philosophy　and　the　arts。　So　soon　as　the　duke　came　to　this　conclusion；　he　smoothed　his　brow；　and；　with　all　his　amiability；　animation；　and　intelligence；　he　replied　to　the　questions　of　the　king；　and　the　conversation　was　carried　on　in　an　unbroken　stream　of　wit　and　gayety。
  〃At　the　next　audience　I　will　surely　find　an　opportunity　to　speak　of　politics；〃　said　the　duke　to　himself。　〃The　king　cannot　always　be　an　immovable　as　to…day。〃
  But　the　second　and　the　third　audience　came；　and　the　king　was　as　inexplicable　as　the　first　time；　he　conversed　with　the　duke　kindly　and　freely　showed　him　the　most　marked　attention　and　personal　confidence；　but　so　often　as　the　duke　sought　to　introduce　the　subject　of　politics　and　the　public　interests　which　had　brought　him　to　Berlin；　the　king　interrupted　him　and　led　the　conversation　to　indifferent　subjects。　This　lasted　two　weeks；　and　the　French　court　looked　with　painful　anxiety　for　intelligence　from　the　Duke　de　Nivernois　that　the　old　alliance　was　renewed　and　fully　ratified；　and　she　had；　therefore；　nothing　to　fear　from　Prussia。　This　uncertainty　was　no　longer　to　be　borne；　and　the　duke　determined　to　end　it　by　a　coup　d'etat。
  He　wrote；　therefore；　to　the　king；　and　asked　for　a　private　audience。　To　his　great　joy　his　request　was　granted；　the　king　invited　him　to　come　the　next　day　to　Sans…Souci。
  〃At　last！　at　last！〃　said　the　duke；　drawing　a　long　breath；　and　with　proud；　French　assurance；　he　added；　〃To…morrow；　then；　we　will　renew　this　contract　which　binds　the　hands　of　Prussia；　and　gives　France　liberty　of　action。〃
  CHAPTER　VI。
  THE　PRIVATE　AUDIENCE。
  The　king　received　the　French　ambassador　without　ceremony。　There　were　no　guards；　no　pages；　no　swarms　of　curious　listening　courtiers；　only　a　few　of　his　trusty　friends；　who　welcomed　the　duke　and　conversed　with　him；　while　Pollnitz　entered　the　adjoining　room　and　informed　the　king　of　his　arrival。
  〃His　majesty　entreats　the　duke　to　enter。〃　said　Pollnitz；　opening　the　door　of　the　library。　The　king　advanced。　He　was　dressed　simply；　even　the　golden　star；　which　was　seldom　absent　from　his　coat；　was　now　missing。
  〃Come；　duke；〃　said　the　king；　pleasantly；　〃come　into　my　tusculum。〃　He　then　entered　the　library；　quickly　followed　by　the　duke。
  〃Well；　sir；〃　said　the　king；　〃we　are　now　in　that　room　in　which　I　lately　told　you　I　was　but　a　republican。　You　have　crossed　the　threshold　of　the　republic　of　letters！〃
  〃But　I　see　a　king　befor