me when I confess that I have not come
merely for the letter, and to take leave of you?" asked the prince. "I
heard from the king that Minister von Stein was with your majesty, and
as I am going to set out to-night, and my time accordingly is very
limited, I decided to have settled a little business affair with the
minister."

"It affords me pleasure," said the queen.

"And you, minister," asked the prince, bowing to the baron, "will you
grant me a brief audience to-day?"

"I shall immediately repair to the anteroom of your royal highness, and
wait until you return," said Stein, approaching the door.

"Oh, no! pray, stay here," exclaimed the queen. "I offer this room to
the prince as a _salle de conferences_, and shall retire into my
cabinet."

The prince followed the queen, who was about to withdraw, and conducted
her back to the sofa. "Pardon, my sister," he said, "I do not desire to
confer with the minister about secrets that your majesty cannot hear. I
only wish to ask a favor of his excellency, the minister of finance.
You, doubtless, need a great deal of money at the present time, while my
wife and I are spending much less than heretofore, because we are living
here in very humble style. We have made our calculations, and
ascertained that we are able to do with two-thirds of our income.
Accordingly, I request you to accede to my resolution that, until times
are better, I give up one-third, and beg you to pay this amount into the
state treasury."

"Ah, my brother," replied the queen, "you are worthy of being the
brother of the best of kings, for you vie with him in every virtue.
Prussia cannot be crushed so long as such princes stand by her side."

"And so long as she is protected by such a queen," said the prince,
kissing the offered hand of his sister-in-law. He then turned again to
the minister. "Your excellency," he said, "I am commissioned to reveal
the same resolution to you in the name of my brother. Prince Henry also
gives one-third of his income, and requests the minister of finance to
pay this amount into the state treasury. Is this verbal declaration
sufficient, or will it be necessary for us to repeat it in writing?"

"It will be necessary for your royal highness, as well as for Prince
Henry, to make a written declaration to this effect, and hand it to the
minister of state. It will then be deposited in the archives of the
royal house, and will one day be a splendid monument of your
patriotism