other　occasion　to　Richelieu；　that　the　happiest　day　of　his　life　would　be　that　on　which　the　French　entered　Berlin　as　conquerors；　and　destroyed　the　capital　of　the　treacherous　king　who　dared　to　write　to　him　twice　every　month　the　tenderest　and　most　flattering　things；　without　dreaming　of　reinstating　him　as　chamberlain　with　the　pension　of　six　thousand　thalers？　He　wished　that　I　might　suffer　'la　damnation　eternelle；'　and　proudly　added。　'Vous　voyez；　que　dans　la　tragedie　je　veux　toujours　que　le　crime　soit　puni。'〃
  〃Yes；〃　replied　D'Argens；　〃and　at　the　same　time　he　wrote　here　to　Formay：　'Votre　roi　est　toujours　un　homme　unique；　etonnant；　inimitable；　il　fait　des　vers　charmants　dans　de　temps　ou　un　autre　ne　pourrait　faire　un　ligne　de　prose；　il　merite　d'etre　heureux。'〃
  The　king　laughed　aloud。　〃Well；　and　what　does　that　prove；　that　Voltaire　is　the　greatest　and　most　unprejudiced　of　poets？〃
  〃That　proves；　sire；　that　he　is　a　false；　perfidious　man；　a　faithless　ungrateful　friend。　All　his　great　poetical　gifts　weigh　as　nothing　in　the　scale　against　the　weakness　and　wickedness　of　his　character。　I　can　no　longer　admire　him　as　a　poet；　because　I　despise　him　so　utterly　as　a　man。〃
  〃You　are　too　hard；　marquis；〃　said　Frederick；　laughing。　〃Voltaire　has　a　great　mind；　but　a　small　heart；　and　that　is；　after　all；　less　his　fault　than　his　Creator's。　Why　should　we　wish　to　punish　him；　when　he　is　innocent？　Why　should　we　demand　of　a　great　poet　that　he　shall　be　a　good　man？　We　will　allow　him　to　have　a　bad　heart；　he　can　account　to　Madame　Denis　for　that；　and　if　we　cannot　love　him；　we　can　at　least　admire　him　as　a　poet。　We　can　forgive　much　wickedness　in　men；　if　it　is　redeemed　by　great　virtues。〃
  〃Ah；　sire；　that　is　very　sad；〃　sad　D'Argens；　〃and　could　only　be　uttered　by　one　who　had　the　most　profound　love　or　the　greatest　contempt　for　mankind。〃
  〃Perhaps　the　two　are　combined　in　me；〃　said　the　king。　〃As　Christ　said　of　the　Magdalen；　'She　has　loved　much；　much　will　be　forgiven　her；'　so　let　us　say　of　Voltaire。　He　has　written　much；　much　will　be　forgiven　him。　He　has　lately　rendered　an　immortal　service；　for　which　I　could　almost　love　him；　were　it　possible　to　love　him　at　all。　He　undertook　with　bold　courage　the　defence　of　the　unhappy　Jean　Calas；　who　was　murdered　by　fanatical　French　priests。　The　priests；　perhaps；　will　condemn　him；　we；　however；　honor　him。〃
  〃Did　not　your　majesty　do　the　same　thing？〃　asked　D'Argens。　〃Did　you　not　also　take　pity　on　the　unhappy　family　of　Jean　Calas？　Did　you　not　send　them　a　considerable　amount　of　money　and　offer　them　an　asylum　in　your　dominions？〃
  〃That　I　did；　certainly；　but　what　is　that　in　comparison　with　what　Voltaire　has　done？　He　gave　them　the　strength　of　his　mind　and　his　work；　his　best　possession；　while　I　could　only　give　them　gold。　Voltaire's　gift　was　better；　more　beautiful；　and　I　will　now　take　a　vow　for　his　sake；　that　the　persecuted　and　oppressed　shall　always　find　aid　and　protection　in　my　land；　and　that　I　will　consider　liberty　of　spirit　a　sacred　thing　as　long　as　I　live。　Freedom　of　thought　shall　be　a　right　of　my　subjects。　I　will　call　all　free　and　liberal　minded　persons　to　come　to　me；　for　liberty　of　thought　brings　liberty　of　will；　and　I　prefer　to　rule　a　thinking　people；　to　a　mass　of　thoughtless　slaves；　who　follow　me　through　stupid　obedience。　Prussia　shall　be　the　land　of　liberty　and　enlightenment。　The　believers　and　the　unbelievers；　the　pietists　and　the　atheists　may　speak　alike　freely；　the　spirit　of　persecution　shall　be　forever　banished　from　Prussia。〃
  〃Amen；〃　cried　D'Argens　solemnly；　as　he　glanced　at　the　excited；　beaming　countenance　of　the　king。　〃The　spirit　of　love　and　of　freedom　hears　your　words；　my　king；　and　they　will　be　written　with　a　diamond…　point　in　the　history　of　Prussia。〃
  〃And　now；　marquis；〃　said　the　king；　〃we　will　visit　my　library；　and　then　we　will　repose　ourselves　that　we　may　enjoy　our　meal。　In　the　evening　I　invite　you　to　the　concert。　My　musicians　are　coming　from　Berlin；　and　we　will　see　if　my　lips；　which　have　been　accustomed　so　long　to　rough　words　of　discipline；　are　capable　of　producing　a　few　sweet　notes　from　my　flute。〃
  Thus　speaking；　the　king　took　the　arm　of　the　marquis；　and　they　passed　slowly　through　the　room；　whose　desolate　silence　made　them　both　sad。
  〃The　world　is　nothing　more　than　a　great；　gaping　grave；　on　the　brink　of　which　we　walk　with　wild　courage；〃　said　the　king；　softly。　〃There　is　no　moment　that　some　one　does　not　stumble　at　our　side　and　fall　into　the　abyss；　and　we　have　the　courage　to　continue　in　the　path　until　our　strength　fails　and　we　sink；　making　room　for　another。　Almost　all　of　those　who　formerly　occupied　these　rooms　have　vanished。　How　long　will　it　be　ere　I　shall　follow　them？〃
  〃May　that　wretched　moment　be　very　distant！〃　exclaimed　D'Argens；　with　a　trembling　voice。　〃Your　majesty　is　still　so　young　and　full　of　life…　…you　have　nothing　to　do　with　death。〃
  〃No；〃　said　the　king；　〃I　am　very　old；　for　I　have　become　indifferent　to　the　world。　Things　which　would　have　deeply　distressed　me　formerly；　now　pass　unheeded　over　my　soul。　I　assure　you；　marquis；　I　have　made　great　progress　in　practical　philosophy。　I　am　old；　I　stand　at　the　limits　of　life；　and　my　soul　is　freeing　itself　from　this　world；　which；　it　is　to　be　hoped；　I　will　soon　leave。〃
  〃Ah；　sire；〃　said　D'Argens；　smiling；　〃you　are　ten　years　younger　than　I　am；　and　each　time　that　you　speak　of　your　rapidly　advancing　age；　I　ask　myself　how　it　is　possible　that　a　man　so　much　younger　than　I　should　complain　of　old　age。　Only　wait；　sire；　here；　in　the　quiet　of　Sans…Souci；　in　a　few　months　you　will　feel　ten　and　I　fifteen　years　younger。　In　the　happiness　and　comforts　of　our　existence；　you　will　live　to　the　age　of　Abraham　and　I　to　that　of　Jacob。〃
  〃But　I　am　much　older　than　you；　marquis。　During　the　last　seven　years；　I　have　had　nothing　but　destroyed　hopes；　undeserved　misfortunes；　in　short；　all　that　the　caprice　of　Fortune　could　discover　to　distress　me。　After　such　experiences　it　is　allowable；　when　one　is　fifty　years　old；　to　say　that　he　is　old；　that　he　will　no　longer　be　the　play…thing　of　Fortune；　that　he　renounces　ambition　and　all　those　follies　which　are　merely　the　illusions　of　inexperienced　youth。　But　no　more　of　these　sad　thoughts；　for　here　we　are　at　last　at　the　door　of　my　tusculum。　Fold　your　hands；　you　unbelieving　son　of　the　Church；　the　gods　and　heroes　await　us　in　this　temple；　and　you　will　at　least　believe　in　these。〃
  They　entered　the　library；　and　as　the　door　closed　behind　them　and　they　were　separated　from　the　whole　world；　as　they　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　room　whose　only　ornament　consisted　of　rows　of　books；　upon　which　glittered　in　golden　letters　the　names　of　the　great　minds　of　all　ages；　whose　only　splendor　consisted　in　the　marble　busts　of　Caesar　and　Virgil；　of　Cicero　and　Alexander；　the　king　said；　with　beaming　eyes：
  〃I　am　at　last　in　the　republic　of　minds；　and　I；　as　a　humble　citizen；　approach　the　great　presidents；　who　look　down　so　graciously　upon　me。〃
  And；　as　the　king　seated　himself　in　his　arm…chair　before　his　writing　table；　he　recovered　his　sparkling　humor；　his　gay　wit；　and　recounted　with　a　bright　smile　to　the　marquis　that　he　intended　to　work　most　industriously；　that　he　would　certainly　write　a　history　of　this　war　which　he　had　just　closed；　and　that　he　intended　always　to　live　at　Sans…Souci；　as　its　quiet　and　repose　seemed　more　agreeable　to　him　than　the　noise　and　turmoil　of　the　great　city。　He　then　dismissed　the　marquis　for　a　short　time；　that　he　might　rest　before　going　to　the　table。
  But　the　king　did　not　rest。　Too　many　and　too　powerful　thoughts　were　surging　in　his　breast。　Leaning　back　in　his　arm…chair；　he　thought　of　the　future。　He　recalled　his　own　life　and　arranged　his　future　course。　After　sitting　thus　for　a　long　time；　he　suddenly　arose；　his　countenance　bright　with　a　firm　and　energetic　expression。
  〃Yes；　thus　it　shall　be；〃　he　said　aloud。　〃I　will　be　the　father　of　my　people。　I　will　live　for　them；　forgetting　the　wickedness　of　men；　or　only　avenging　myself　on　them　by　the　prickings　of　a　needle。　I　have　no　family；　therefore　my　people　shall　be　my　family。　I　have　no　children；　therefore　every　one　who　needs　my　aid　shall　become　my　child；　and　for　them　I　will　do　the　duties　of　a　father。　My　country　bleeds　from　a　thousand　woundsto　heal　these　wounds　shall　be　the　task　of　my　life。〃
  True　to　this　resolution；　the　king　called　together　his　ministers　the　next　day；　and　commanded　them　to　obtain　exact　accounts　of　the　condition　of　his　provinces；　to　inform　him　of　the　wants　and　necessities　of　the　people；　and　to　assist　him　in　relieving　them。　True　to　this　resolution；　the　king　was　untiring　in　his　work　for　the　good　of　his　people。　He　wished　to　see　all；　to　prove　all。　He　desired　to　be　the　source　from　which　his　subjects　received　all　their　strength　and　power。
  Therefore　he　must　know　all　their　griefshe　must　lend　an　open　ear　to　all　their　demands。
  His　first　command　was；　that　any　one　who　asked　for　an　interview　should　be　admitted。　And　when　one　of　his　ministers　dared　to　express　his　astonishment　at　this　order。　〃It　is　the　duty　of　a　king；〃　said　Frederick；　〃to　listen　to　the　request　of　the　most　insignificant　of　his　subjects。　I　am　a　regent　for　the　purpose　of　making　my　people　happy。　I　do　not　dare　close　my　ears　to　their　complaints。〃　And　he　listened　sympathizingly　to　the　sorrows　of　his　people；　and　his　whole　mind　and　thoughts　were　given　to　obtain　their