amation…point　than　a　man。　When　he　appears　before　me　in　his　yellow…gray　riding　costume；　I　am　always　reminded　of　the　great　windspeil　you　gave　me　once；　stepfather；　who　had　such　long；　high　legs；　I　used　to　creep　under　them；　and　when　he　lies　like　a　windspeil　at　my　feet；　and　squints　at　me；　his　eyes　seem　tied　up　in　knots；　and　I　never　know　if　he　is　really　looking　at　me；　or　is　about　to　fall　into　a　swoon。　Now；　stepfather；　do　you　not　find　that　Lord　Elliot　does　honor　to　my　taste？〃
  〃Certainly；　and　all　the　more　because　your　choice　proves　that　you　appreciate　the　true　dignity　and　beauty　of　a　man；　and　his　outward　appearance　seems　to　you　comparatively　insignificant。〃
  〃Alas；　alas！　now　you　begin　also　to　attribute　noble　and　exalted　motives　to　me；〃　said　Camilla　pathetically。　〃No；　no；　stepfather；　I　am　not　so　sublime　as　you　think；　and　I　should　not　have　married　Lord　Elliot　if　mamma　and　myself　had　not　both　indulged　the　ardent　wish　to　be　released　from　each　other。　Mamma　is　too　young　and　too　beautiful　to　be　willing　to　have　a　grown…up　daughter　who　is　not　ugly　by　her　side；　and　I　was　too　old　to　be　locked　up　any　longer　in　the　nursery；　so　I　stepped　literally　from　the　nursery　to　the　altar；　and　became　the　wife　of　Lord　Elliot；　so　mamma　and　myself　were　freed　from　the　presence　of　each　other；　and　I　thought　that　a　time　of　joy　and　liberty　would　bloom　for　me。　But；　alas；　I　have　only　changed　my　cage；　formerly　I　was　confined　in　a　nursery；　now　my　prison　is　a　temple；　because　my　husband　says　I　am　too　elevated；　too　angelic　to　come　in　contact　with　the　pitiful　world。　Ah。　I　long　so　for　the　world；　I　am　so　thirsty　for　its　pleasures；　I　would　so　gladly　take　full　draughts　of　joy　from　its　golden　cup！　My　husband　comes　and　offers　me　a　crystal　shell；　filled　with　heavenly　dew　and　ether　dust；　which　is；　I　suppose；　angels'　food；　but　he　does　not　remark　that　I　am　hungering　and　thirsting　to　death。　Like　King　Midas；　before　whose　thirsty　lips　every　thing　turned　to　gold；　and　who　was　starving　in　the　midst　of　all　his　glory；　I　beseech　you；　stepfather；　undertake　the　role　of　the　barber；　bore　a　hole　and　cry　out　in　it　that　I　have　ass's　earsears　as　long　as　those　of　King　Midas。　Perhaps　the　rushes　would　grow　again　and　make　known　to　my　lord　the　simple　fact；　which　up　to　this　time　he　refuses　to　believe；　that　I　am　indeed　no　angel；　and　he　would　cease　to　worship　me；　and　allow　me　to　be　gay　and　happy　upon　the　earth　like　every　other　woman。　But　come；　come；　stepfather；　I　hear　the　earnest　voice　of　my　husband　in　conversation　with　my　merry；　handsome　cousin。　Let　us　go　to　meet　them；　and　grant　me　the　pleasure　of　introducing　Lord　Elliot　to　younot　here；　but　in　the　brilliantly　lighted　saloon。　Afterward　I　will　ask　you；　on　your　word　of　honor；　if　you　still　find　I　have　made　a　happy　choice；　and　if　my　windspeil　of　a　husband　is　of　more　value　than　my　handsome　cousin？〃
  She　took　the　arm　of　the　major　with　a　gay　smile；　and　tried　to　draw　him　forward。
  〃But　your　mother；〃　said　Du　Trouffle；　〃you　forget　your　mother？〃
  〃Listen　now；　mamma；　how　cruel　he　is；　always　reminding　you　that　you　are　my　mother；　that　is　as　much　as　to　say　to　you；　in　other　words；　that　you　will　soon　be　a　grandmother。　Mamma；　I　could　die　of　laughter　to　think　of　you　as　a　grandmother。　I　assure　you；　mamma；　that　in　the　midst　of　all　my　sorrows　and　disappointments　this　thought　is　the　only　thing　which　diverts　and　delights　me。　Only　think；　I　shall　soon　make　you　a　worthy　grandmother。　Say　now；　grandmother；　will　you　come　with　us？〃
  〃No；　I　will　remain　here；　your　gayety　has　made　me　sadI　do　not　feel　fit　for　society。　I　will　await　my　husband　here；　and　we　will　return　to　Berlin。〃
  〃Adieu；　then；　mamma；〃　said　Camilla；　rapidly　drawing　the　major　onward。
  Louise　du　Trouffle　remained　alone　in　the　grotto；　she　leaned　her　head　against　the　palm…tree；　and　looked　sorrowfully　after　the　retreating　form　of　her　daughter。　It　seemed　to　her　that　a　shudder　passed　through　her　soul；　that　a　cold；　dead　hand　was　laid　upon　her　heart；　as　if　a　phantom　pressed　against　her；　and　a　voice　whispered：　〃This　is　thy　work。　Oh；　mother　worthy　of　execration；　you　alone　have　caused　the　destruction　of　your　daughter；　through　you　that　soul　is　lost；　which　God　intrusted　to　you；　and　which　was　endowed　with　the　germ　of　great　and　noble　qualities。　It　was　your　duty　to　nourish　and　build　them　up。　God　will　one　day　call　you　to　account；　and　ask　this　precious　soul　of　you；　which　you　have　poisoned　by　your　evil　example；　which　is　lost　lost　through　you　alone。〃
  Louise　shuddered　fearfully；　then　rousing　herself　she　tried　to　shake　off　these　fearful　thoughts；　and　free　herself　from　the　stern　voices　which　mastered　her。　They　had　so　often　spoken；　so　often　awaked　her　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　driven　sleep　from　her　couch；　and　tortured　her　conscience　with　bitter　reproaches！
  Louise　knew　well　this　gray　phantom　which　was　ever　behind　her　or　at　her　side；　ever　staring　at　her　with　dark　and　deadly　earnestness；　even　in　the　midst　of　her　mirth　and　joyousness；　the　harsh　voice　was　often　so　loud　that　Louise　was　bewildered　by　it；　and　could　not　hear　the　ring　of　joy　and　rapture　which　surrounded　her。　She　knew　that　this　pale　spectre　was　conscience；　press　it　down　as　she　would；　the　busy　devil　was　ever　mounting；　mounting。　But　she　would　not　listen；　she　rushed　madly　on　after　new　distractions；　new　pleasures；　she　quenched　the　warning　voice　under　shouts　of　mirth　and　levity；　she　threw　herself　in　the　arms　of　folly　and　worldly　pleasures；　and　then　for　long　months　she　escaped　this　threatening　phantom；　which；　with　raised　finger；　stood　behind　her；　which　seemed　to　chase　her；　and　from　which　she　ever　fled　to　new　sins　and　new　guilt。　Sometimes　she　had　a　feeling　as　if　Death　held　her　in　his　arms；　and　turned　her　round　in　a　wild　and　rapid　dance；　not　regarding　her　prayers；　or　her　panting；　gasping　breath；　she　would；　oh　how　gladly；　have　rested；　gladly　have　laid　down　in　some　dark　and　quiet　corner；　away　from　this　wild　gayety。　But　she　could　not　escape　from　those　mysterious　arms　which　held　her　captive　in　their　iron　clasp；　which　rushed　onward　with　her　in　the　death…dance　of　sin。　She　must　go　onward；　ever　onward；　in　this　career　of　vice；　she　must　ever　again　seek　intoxication　in　the　opium　of　sin；　to　save　herself　from　the　barren；　colorless　nothingness　which　awaited　her；　from　that　worst　of　all　evils；　the　weariness　with　which　the　old　coquette　paints　the　terrible　future；　in　which　even　she　can　no　longer　please；　in　which　old　age　with　a　cruel　hand　sweeps　away　the　flowers　from　the　hair　and　the　crimson　from　the　cheek；　and　points　out　to　the　mocking　world　the　wrinkles　on　the　brow　and　the　ashes　in　the　hair。
  〃It　is　cold　here；〃　said　Louise；　shuddering；　and　springing　up　quickly　from　the　grass…plot〃it　is　cold　here；　and　lonely；　I　will　return　to　the　saloon。　Perhaps〃
  Hasty　steps　drew　near；　and　a　voice　whispered　her　name。　Madame　du　Trouffle　drew　back；　and　a　glowing　blush　suffused　her　cheek；　and　as　she　advanced　from　the　grotto　she　was　again　the　gay；　imperious　coquettethe　beautiful　woman；　with　the　cloudless　brow　and　the　sparkling　eyes；　which　seemed　never　to　have　been　over…shadowed　by　tears。　The　conscience…stricken；　self…accusing　mother　was　again　the　worldly…wise　coquette。
  Her　name　was　called　the　second　time；　and　her　heart　trembled；　she　knew　not　if　with　joy　or　horror。
  〃For　God's　sake；　why　have　you　dared　to　seek　me　here？　Do　you　not　know　that　my　husband　may　return　at　any　moment？〃
  〃Your　husband　is　entertaining　Prince　Henry　while　the　princess　dances　the　first　waltz　with　Count　Kalkreuth。　All　the　world　is　dancing；　playing；　and　chatting；　and；　while　looking　at　the　prince　and　princess；　have　for　one　moment　forgotten　the　beautiful　Louise　du　Trouffle。　I　alone　could　not　do　this；　and　as　I　learned　from　Lady　Elliot　that　you　were　here；　I　dared　to　follow　you；　and　seek　in　one　glance　a　compensation　for　what　I　have　endured　this　day。　Ah；　tell　me；　worshipped　lady；　must　I　be　forever　banished　from　your　presence。〃
  The　words　of　the　young　man　would　have　seemed　insincere　and　artificial　to　every　unprejudiced　ear；　but　they　filled　the　heart　of　the　vain　Louise　du　Trouffle　with　joy；　they　convinced　her　that　she　was　yet　beautiful　enough　to　excite　admiration。
  〃All　will　be　well；　Emil；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　convinced　my　husband　that　I　am　wise　as　Cato　and　virtuous　as　Lucretia。　He　believes　in　me；　and　will　cast　all　slander　from　his　door。　Remain　here；　and　let　me　return　alone　to　the　saloon。　Au　revoir；　man　ami。〃
  She　threw　him　a　kiss　from　the　tips　of　her　rosy　fingers；　and　hastened　away。
  CHAPTER　IV。
  THE　KING　IN　SANS…SOUCI。
  The　ceremonies　and　festivities　of　the　reception　were　ended。　The　king　could　at　length　indulge　himself　in　that　quiet　and　repose　which　he　had　so　long　vainly　desired。　At　length；　he　who　had　lived　so　many　years　to　perform　the　duties　of　a　king；　who　had　in　reality　lived　for　his　country；　might　after　so　many　cares　and　sorrows　seek　repose。　The　warrior　and　hero　might　once　more　become　the　philosopher；　might　once　more　enjoy　with　his　friends　the　pleasure　of　science　and　art。
  The　king　entered　the　carriage　which　was　to　bear　him　to　Sans…Souci　with　a　beaming　countenancehis　deeply…loved　Sans…Souci；　which　had　seemed　a　golden　dream　to　him　during　the　dreary　years　of　the　wara　bright　goal　before　him；　of　which　it　consoled　and　strengthened　him　even　to　think。　Now　he　would　again　behold　it；　now　he　would　again　enter　those　beautiful　rooms；　and　the　past　woul