〃None　of　your　mortal　enemies；　sire；　and　the　mourning　which　now　reigns　in　Berlin　and　will　soon　reign　throughout　Prussia；　is　caused　by　no　enemy　of　your　majesty　but　by　Providence。〃
  The　king　looked　at　him　earnestly　for　a　moment。　〃I　understand；〃　said　he。　〃Some　one　of　my　family　has　died；　is　it　not　so？〃
  〃Yes；　sire；　your〃
  〃Be　still！〃　said　the　king；　sternly。　〃I　do　not　yet　wish　to　knowI　have　not　the　strength　to　bear　itwait　a　while。〃
  Folding　his　hands　upon　his　breast；　he　paced　up　and　down　his　tent　several　times；　laboring　hard　for　breath。　He　stood　still；　and　leaning　against　the　window；　said：　〃Now；　Le　Catt；　I　can　endure　any　thing；　speakwho　is　it？〃
  〃Sire；　it　is　her　majesty。〃
  〃My　wife？〃　interrupted　the　king。
  〃　No；　sire；　her　majesty〃
  〃My　mother！〃　cried　the　king；　in　a　heart…broken　voice。　〃My　mother！〃
  He　stood　thus　for　a　while；　with　his　hands　before　his　face；　his　form　bowed　down　and　trembling　like　an　oak　swayed　by　a　storm。　Tears　escaped　through　his　hands　and　fell　slowly　to　the　groundgroans　of　agony　were　wrung　from　him。
  Le　Catt　could　stand　it　no　longer；　he　approached　the　king　and　ventured　to　say　a　few　consoling　words。
  〃Do　not　seek　to　comfort　me；〃　said　the　king；　〃you　do　not　know　what　inexpressible　pain　this　loss　has　caused　me。〃
  〃　Yes；　sire；　I　well　know；〃　said　Le　Catt；　〃for　the　queen…mother　was　the　noblest；　most　gracious　princess　that　ever　lived。　I　can　therefore　understand　your　sorrow。〃
  〃No；　you　cannot；〃　said　the　king；　raising　his　pale；　tearful　countenance。　〃You　carry　your　sorrow　upon　your　lipsI　upon　my　heart。　The　queen　was　the　best　of　women；　and　my　whole　land　may　well　mourn　for　her。　It　will　not　be　forced　grief；　for　every　one　who　had　the　happiness　to　approach　loved　and　admired　her　for　her　many　virtues　for　her　great　kindness。　And　I　feel；　I　know；　that　sorrow　for　the　ruin　of　Prussia　has　caused　her　death。　She　was　too　noble　a　princess；　too　tender　a　mother；　to　outlive　Prussia's　destruction　and　her　son's　misfortune。〃
  〃But　your　majesty　knows　that　the　queen　was　suffering　from　an　incurable　disease。〃
  〃It　is　true　I　know　it；〃　said　the　king；　sinking　slowly　upon　his　camp…　stool。　〃I　feared　that　I　might　never　see　her　again；　and　still　this　news　comes　totally　unexpected。〃
  〃Your　majesty　will　overcome　this　great　grief　as　a　philosopher；　a　hero。〃
  〃Ah；　my　friend；〃　said　the　king；　sadly；　〃philosophy　is　a　solace　in　past　and　future　sufferings；　but　is　utterly　powerless　for　present　grief；　I　feel　my　heart　and　strength　fail。　For　the　last　two　years　I　have　resembled　a　tottering　wall。　Family　misfortune；　secret　pain；　public　sorrow；　continual　disappointment；　these　have　been　my　nourishment。　What　is　there　wanting　to　make　of　me　another　Job？　If　I　wish　to　survive　these　distressing　circumstances；　I　must　become　a　stoic。　For　I　cannot　bring　the　philosophy　of　Epicurus　to　bear　upon　my　great　sorrows。　And　still；〃　added　the　king；　the　dejected　look　disappearing　from　his　countenance；　and　giving　place　to　one　of　energy　and　determination；　〃still；　I　will　not　be　overcome。　Were　all　the　elements　to　combine　against　me；　I　will　not　fall　beneath　them。〃
  〃Ah！〃　cried　Le　Catt；　〃once　more　is　my　king　the　hero；　who　will　not　only　overcome　his　grief；　but　also　his　enemies。〃
  〃God　grant　that　you　are　a　true　prophet！〃　cried　the　king；　earnestly。　〃This　is　a　great　era；　the　next　few　months　will　be　decisive　for　Prussia：　I　will　restore　her　or　die　beneath　her　ruins！〃
  〃You　will　restore！〃　cried　Le　Catt；　with　enthusiasm。
  〃And　when　I　have　made　Prussia　great；〃　said　the　king；　relapsing　into　his　former　gloom；　〃my　mother　will　not　be　here　to　rejoice　with　me。　Each　one　of　my　homereturning　soldiers　will　have　some　onea　mother；　a　sweetheartto　meet　them　with　tears　of　joy；　to　greet　them　tenderly。　I　shall　be　alone。〃
  〃Your　people　will　advance；　gladly；　to　meet　you；　they　will　greet　you　with　tears　of　joy。〃
  〃Ah；　yes；〃　cried　the　king；　with　a　bitter　smile；　〃they　will　advance　to　meet　me　joyfully；　but；　were　I　to　die　the　same　day；　they　would　cry：　'Le　roi　est　mortvive　le　roi！'　and　would　greet　my　successor　with　equal　delight。　There　is　nothing　personal　in　the　love　of　a　people　to　its　sovereign；　they　love　not　in　me　the　man；　but　the　king。　But　my　mother　loved　not　the　king　the　warrior；　she　loved　her　son　with　her　whole　heart；　and　God　knows　he　had　but　that　one　heart　to　trust　in。　Leave　me；　Le　Catt。　Seek　not　to　console　me。　Soon　the　king　will　gain　the　mastery。　Now　I　am　but　the　son；　who　wishes　to　be　alone　with　the　mother。　Go。〃　Fearing　he　had　wounded　Le　Catt；　he　pressed　his　hand　tenderly。
  Le　Catt　raised　it　to　his　lips　and　covered　it　with　kisses　and　tears。　The　king　withdrew　it　gently；　and　signed　to　him　to　leave　the　room。
  Now　he　was　alonealone　with　his　pain；　with　his　griefalone　with　his　mother。　And；　truly；　during　this　hour　he　was　but　the　loving　son；　his　every　thought　was　of　his　mother；　he　conversed　with　her；　he　wept　over　her；　but；　as　his　sorrow　became　more　subdued；　he　took　his　flute　from　the　table；　the　one　constant　companion　of　his　life。　As　the　soft；　sweet　tones　were　wafted　through　the　tent；　he　seemed　to　hear　his　mother　whispering　words　of　love　to　him；　to　feel　her　hallowed　kiss　upon　his　brow。　And　now　he　was　king　once　more。　As　he　heard　without　the　sound　of　trumpets；　the　beating　of　drums；　the　loud　shouts　and　hurrahs　of　his　soldiers；　a　new　fire　burned　in　his　eyes；　he　laid　his　flute　aside；　and　listened　for　a　time　to　the　joyous　shouts；　then　raising　his　right　hand；　he　said：　〃Farewell；　mother；　you　died　out　of　despair　for　my　defeat　at　Collin；　but　I　swear　to　you　I　will　revenge　your　death　and　my　defeat　tenfold　upon　my　enemies　when　I　stand　before　them　again　in　battle　array。　Hear　me；　spirit　of　my　mother；　and　give　to　your　son　your　blessing！〃
  CHAPTER　X。
  IN　THE　CASTLE　AT　DRESDEN。
  The　Queen　Maria　Josephine　of　Poland；　Princess　elect　of　Saxony；　paced　her　room　violently；　and　with　deep　emotion　and　painful　anxiety　she　listened　to　every　noise　which　interrupted　the　stillness　that　surrounded　her。
  〃If　he　should　be　discovered；〃　she　murmured　softly；　〃should　this　letter　be　found；　all　is　betrayed；　and　I　am　lost。〃
  She　shuddered；　and　even　the　paint　could　not　conceal　her　sudden　pallor。　She　soon　raised　herself　proudly　erect；　and　her　eyes　resumed　their　usual　calm　expression。
  〃Bah！　lost；〃　she　said；　shrugging　her　shoulders；　〃who　will　dare　to　seize　a　queen　and　condemn　her　for　fighting　for　her　honor　and　her　country？　Only　the　insolent　and　arrogant　Margrave　of　Brandenburg　could　have　the　temerity　to　insult　a　queen　and　a　woman　in　my　person；　and　he；　thank　God；　is　crushed　and　will　never　be　able　to　rally。　But　where　is　Schonberg；〃　she　said；　uneasily；　〃if　he　does　not　come　to…　day；　all　is　lostall！〃
  Loud　voices　in　the　antechamber　interrupted　her；　she　listened　in　breathless　expectation。　〃It　is　he；〃　she　murmured；　〃it　is　Schonberg；　the　officer　on　guard　forbids　his　entrance。　What　insults　I　endure！　I　am　treated　as　a　prisoner　in　my　own　castle；　I　am　even　denied　the　right　of　seeing　my　own　servants。〃
  She　ceased；　and　listened　again；　the　voices　became　louder　and　more　violent。　〃He　is；　apparently；　speaking　so　loudly　to　attract　my　attention；〃　she　said；　〃I　will　go　to　his　relief。〃　She　crossed　the　chamber　hastily；　and　opened　the　door　leading　into　the　anteroom。　〃What　means　this　noise？〃　she　said；　angrily；　〃how　dare　you　be　guilty　of　such　unseemly　conduct？〃
  Silence　followed　this　question。　The　two　gentlemen；　who　had　just　exchanged　such　angry　words；　were　dumb；　approached　the　queen；　and　bowed　profoundly。
  〃I　beg　your　majesty's　forgiveness；〃　said　the　Prussian　officer；　〃my　commander　ordered　me　this　morning　to　admit　no　one　until　he　had　seen　your　highness　himself。〃
  〃I　wished　to　announce　to　your　majesty；〃　said　Schonberg；　〃that　I　had　returned　from　my　estate；　and　desired　the　favor　of　being　again　received　into　your　service；　this　gentleman　refused　to　allow　me　to　enter。〃
  The　queen　turned　upon　the　officer　with　an　expression　of　contempt。　〃Am　I　a　prisoner；　sir；　allowed　to　see　no　one　but　my　jailer？〃
  〃Your　majesty　favors　me　with　a　question　I　am　unable　to　answer；〃　said　the　officer；　〃I　am　a　soldier；　and　must　obey　the　command　of　those　above　me。　I　know　not　whether　your　majesty　is　a　prisoner。〃
  The　queen　reddened；　she　felt　that；　in　the　excitement　of　passion；　she　had　forgotten　her　rank　and　dignity。
  〃It　is　true；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　not　for　you　to　answer　this　question。　I　must　demand　a　reply　from　your　king。　You　are　but　a　machine；　moved　by　foreign　power。　I　think　you　will　not　dare　to　keep　my　servants　from　me；〃　and；　without　allowing　the　confused　officer　time　to　answer；　she　turned　to　the　chamberlain；　Baron　von　Schonberg。　〃I　am　delighted　to　receive　you　again；　you　shall　resume　your　service　immediately；　as　you　desire　it；　follow　me　to　my　room；　I　have　an　important　letter　to　dictate　to　you。〃
  She　stepped　over　the　sill　of　the　door；　and　gave　the　chamberlain　a　sign　to　follow　her；　as　he　approached　the　door；　however；　the　officer　stepped　before　him。
  〃Forgive　me；〃　he　said；　in　a　pleading　tone；　〃I　have　strict　orders　to　admit　only　those　who　usually　surround　the　queen；　do　you　understand；　sir；　to　admit　no　one　to　her　majesty　this　morning？　I　can　make　no　exceptions。〃
  〃I　belong　to　those　who　usually　surround　her　majesty；〃　said　the　chamberlain；　〃I　have　had　an　eight　days'　leave　of　absence；　that　cannot　make　an　exception　against　me。〃
  〃Baron　von　Schonberg；　did　I　not　order　you　to