ink。　Now　he　would　again　behold　it；　now　he　would　again　enter　those　beautiful　rooms；　and　the　past　would　once　more　become　a　reality。
  He　seemed　enraptured　with　the　road　which　led　him　to　Sans…Souci。　Every　tree；　every　stone　appeared　to　welcome　him；　and　when　the　palace　became　visible；　he　was　entirely　overcome　by　his　emotions；　and　sank　back　in　his　carriage　with　closed　eyes。
  The　Marquis　d'Argens；　however；　the　only　one　who　had　been　allowed　to　accompany　the　king　in　this　drive；　sprang　from　his　seat；　and　waving　his　hat　in　greeting；　exclaimed：
  〃I　greet　you；　Sans…Souci；　you　temple　of　wisdom　and　happiness！　Open　wide　your　portals；　for　your　lord　is　returning　to　you。　Let　your　walls　resound　as　did　Memnon's　pillar；　when　the　sun's　rays　first　greeted　it；　after　a　long　night。　Your　night　is　passed；　Sans…Souci；　you　will　be　again　warmed　by　the　sunbeams　from　your　master's　eyes！〃
  The　king　smilingly　drew　his　enthusiastic　friend　back　to　his　seat。
  〃You　are；　and　always　will　be　a　childan　overgrown　child。〃
  〃Sire；〃　said　D'Argens；　〃that　is　because　I　am　pious。　It　is　written；　'If　you　do　not　become　as　little　children　you　cannot　enter　the　kingdom　of　heaven！'　Now；　Sans…Souci　is　my　kingdom！　I　have　become　as　the　children；　that　I　might　be　received　at　the　side　of　my　king；　and　begin　once　more　the　days　of　happiness。〃
  The　king　gently　shook　his　head。　〃Oh；　I　fear；　my　friend；　that　the　days　of　happiness　will　not　recommence；　the　sun　which　once　illumined　Sans…Souci　has　set。　Our　lips　have　forgotten　how　to　smile；　and　joy　is　dead　in　our　hearts。　How　many　illusions；　how　many　hopes　and　wishes　I　still　indulged；　when　I　last　descended　the　steps　of　Sans…Souci；　how　poor；　and　weak；　and　depressed　I　shall　feel　in　ascending　them！〃
  〃What？　your　majesty　poor！　You　who　return　so　rich　in　fame；　crowned　with　imperishable　laurels？〃
  〃Ah；　marquis；　these　laurels　are　bathed　in　blood；　and　paid　for　bitterly　and　painfully　with　the　lives　of　many　thousands　of　my　subjects。　The　wounds　are　still　gaping　which　my　land　received　during　the　war；　and　they　will　require　long　years　to　heal。　Do　not　speak　to　me　of　my　laurels；　fame　is　but　cold　and　sorrowful　food！　In　order　to　prize　fame；　one　should　lay　great　weight　on　the　judgment　of　men；　I　have　lost　all　faith　in　them。　Too　many　bitter　experiences　have　at　length　destroyed　my　faith　and　confidence。　I　can　no　longer　love　mankind；　for　I　have　ever　found　them　small；　miserable；　and　crafty。　Those　for　whom　I　have　done　most　have　betrayed　and　deceived　me　the　most　deeply。　Think　of　Chafgotch；　he　whom　I　called　friend；　and　who　betrayed　me　in　the　hour　of　danger！　Remember　Warkotch；　whom　I　preferred　to　so　many　others；　whom　I　overloaded　with　proofs　of　my　love；　and　who　wished　to　betray　and　murder　me！　Think　of　the　many　attempts　against　my　life；　which　were　always　undertaken　by　those　whom　I　had　trusted　and　benefited！　Think　of　these　things；　marquis；　and　then　tell　me　if　I　should　still　love　and　trust　mankind！〃
  〃It　is　true；　sire；〃　said　the　marquis；　sadly；　〃your　majesty　has　had　a　wretched　experience；　and　mankind　must　appear　small　to　you；　who　are　yourself　so　great。　The　eagle　which　soars　proudly　toward　the　sun；　must　think　the　world　smaller　and　smaller；　the　higher　he　soars；　the　objects　which　delight　us　poor　earth…worms；　who　are　grovelling　in　the　dust；　and　mistake　an　atom　floating　in　the　sunshine　for　the　sun　itself；　must　indeed　appear　insignificant　to　you。〃
  〃Do　not　flatter　me；　marquis！　Let　us；　when　together；　hear　a　little　of　that　truth　which　is　so　seldom　heard　among　men；　and　of　which　the　name　is　scarcely　known　to　kings。　You　flattered　me；　because　you　had　not　the　courage　to　answer　my　question　concerning　the　unworthiness　of　mankind；　when　I　said　I　could　no　longer　love　or　trust　them！　You　feel；　however；　that　I　am　right；　and　you　will　know　how　to　pardon　me；　when　I　appear　to　the　world　as　a　cold；　hard…hearted　egotist。　It　is　true　my　heart　has　become　hardened　in　the　fire　of　many　and　deep　sufferings！　I　loved　mankind　very　dearly；　marquis；　perhaps　that　is　the　reason　I　now　despise　them　so　intensely；　because　I　know　they　are　not　worthy　of　my　love！〃
  〃But；　sire；　you　love　them　still；　for　your　heart　is　possessed　of　that　Godlike　qualitymercywhich　overlooks　and　pardons　the　faults　and　failings　of　mankind。　Intolerance　is　not　in　the　nature　of　my　king；　and　forgiveness　and　mercy　are　ever　on　his　lips。〃
  〃I　will　endeavor　to　verify　your　words；　dear　friend；〃　said　the　king；　offering　D'Argens　his　hand。　〃And　should　I　not　succeed；　you　must　forgive　me；　and　remember　how　deeply　I　have　suffered；　and　that　my　heart　is　hardened　by　the　scars　of　old　wounds。　But　I　will　indulge　such　sad　thoughts　no　longer。　Only　look　how　Sans…Souci　gleams　before　us！　Every　window　which　glitters　in　the　sunlight　seems　to　greet　me　with　shining　eyes；　and　the　whispering　leaves　appear　to　bid　me　welcome。　There　are　the　windows　of　my　library；　and　behind　them　await　the　great　spirits　of　my　immortal　friends；　who　look　at　me　and　shake　their　gray　heads　at　the　weak　child　who　has　returned　to　them　old　and　bowed　down。　Csesar　looks　smilingly　at　the　laurels　I　have　brought；　and　Virgil　shakes　his　curly　locks；　and　lightly　hums　one　of　his　divine　songs；　which　are　greater　than　all　my　victories。　Come；　marquis；　come！　we　will　go；　in　all　modesty　and　humility　to　these　gifted　spirits；　and　entreat　them　not　to　despise　us；　because　we　are　so　unlike　them。〃
  As　the　carriage　reached　the　lowest　terrace；　Frederick　sprang　out　with　the　elasticity　of　youth；　and　began　to　ascend　the　steps　so　lightly　and　rapidly；　that　the　marquis　could　scarcely　follow　him。
  From　time　to　time　the　king　stood　still；　and　gazed　around　him；　and　then　a　bright　smile　illumined　his　countenance；　and　his　eyes　beamed　with　pleasure。　Then　hastening　onward；　he　turned　his　head　toward　the　house　that　looked　so　still　and　peaceful；　and　seemed；　with　its　open　doors；　ready　to　welcome　him。
  At　length；　having　reached　the　summit；　he　turned　once　more　with　beaming　eyes　to　look　at　the　lovely　landscape　which　was　spread　before　him　in　smiling　luxuriousness。　He　then　hastily　entered　the　house　and　the　beautiful　room　in　which　he　had　spent　so　many　gay　and　happy　hours　with　his　friends。　Now　his　footsteps　echoed　in　the　lonely　room；　and　none　of　his　friends　were　there　to　welcome　the　returning　kingnone　but　D'Argens；　the　dearest；　the　most　faithful　of　all。
  The　king　now　turned　to　him；　and　a　shadow　overspread　his　countenance；　which　had　been　so　bright。
  〃D'Argens；〃　he　said；　〃we　are　very　poor；　the　most　of　our　friends　have　left　us　forever。　The　prior　of　Sans…Souci　has　returned；　but　his　monks　have　all　left　him　but　you；　marquis！〃
  〃Does　your　majesty　forget　my　Lord　Marshal；　the　most　amiable　and　intellectual　of　your　monks？　It　needs　but　a　sign　from　his　beloved　prior　to　recall　him　from　Neufchatel！〃
  〃It　is　true；〃　said　the　king；　smiling；　〃I　am　not　so　deserted　as　I　thought。　Lord　Marshal　must　return　to　us；　and　he　must　live　here　in　Sans…Souci；　as　you　will。　I　must　surround　myself　with　those　who　deserve　my　confidence；　perhaps；　then；　I　can　forget　how　bitterly　I　have　been　deceived　by　others。　Come；　marquis；　give　me　your　arm；　and　we　will　make　a　tour　of　these　rooms。〃
  He　placed　his　hand　upon　the　arm　of　the　marquis；　and　they　passed　through　the　silent；　deserted　rooms；　which　seemed　to　greet　the　king　with　a　thousand　remembrances。　Perhaps　it　was　that　he　might　the　more　distinctly　hear　the　whispers　of　memory　that　he　had　commanded　that　no　one　should　receive　him　in　Sans…Souci；　that　no　servant　should　appear　until　called　for。　Without　noise　or　ceremony；　he　desired　to　take　possession　of　this　house；　in　which　he　had　not　been　the　king；　but　the　philosopher　and　poet。　He　wished　to　return　here；　at　least；　as　if　he　had　only　yesterday　left　the　house。　But　the　seven　years　of　care　and　sorrow　went　with　him；　they　crept　behind　him　into　these　silent；　deserted　halls。　He　recognized　them　in　the　faded　furniture；　in　the　dusty　walls；　and　in　the　darkened　pictures。　They　were　not　merely　around；　but　within　him；　and　he　again　felt　how　utterly　he　had　changed　in　these　years。
  As　they　entered　the　room　which　Voltaire　had　occupied；　Frederick's　countenance　was　again　brightened　by　a　smile；　while　that　of　the　marquis　assumed　a　dark　and　indignant　expression。
  〃Ah；　marquis；　I　see　from　your　countenance　that　you　are　acquainted　with　all　the　monkey…tricks　of　my　immortal　friend；〃　said　the　king；　gayly；　〃and　you　are　indignant　that　so　great　a　genius　as　Voltaire　should　have　possessed　so　small　a　soul！　You　think　it　very　perfidious　in　Voltaire　to　have　joined　my　enemies　when　I　was　in　trouble；　and　then　to　send　me　his　congratulations　if　I　happened　to　win　a　victory！〃
  〃Does　your　majesty　know　that　also？〃　asked　the　astonished　marquis。
  〃Dear　marquis；　have　we　not　always　good　friends　and　servants；　who　take　a　pleasure　in　telling　bad　news；　and　informing　us　of　those　things　which　they　know　it　will　give　us　pain　to　hear？　Even　kings　have　such　friends；　and　mine　eagerly　acquainted　me　with　the　fact　that　Voltaire　wished　all　manner　of　evil　might　befall　his　friend　'Luc；'　as　it　pleased　him　to　call　me。　Did　he　not　write　to　D'Argental　that　he　desired　nothing　more　fervently　than　my　utter　humiliation　and　the　punishment　of　my　sins；　on　the　same　day　on　which　he　sent　me　an　enthusiastic　poem；　written　in　honor　of　my　victory　at　Leuthen？　Did　he　not　write　on　another　occasion　to　Richelieu；　that　the　happiest　day　of　his　life　would　be　that　on　which　the　French　ent