agerly for the king.

Frederick still did not come to illuminate the street with his splendor.
In his stead came generals and officers, with gold epaulets and bright
stars sparkling on their coats, and entered the king's chamber, without
a word to the magistrate.

"They are all waiting for the king," murmured he, "but I shall see him
first. How splendid and magnificent are all these officers! How grand,
how glorious then must the king be, who is far nobler than they! He
does not come; I will enter and pass the time in looking at all these
splendidly-dressed soldiers." He stepped lightly to the door, and peered
in. He started; a low cry of terror escaped him, as he looked at the
scene before him.

The generals--the officers dressed in the gold and silver embroidered
uniforms--stood around the room with bared heads; in their midst stood
the stranger with the dusty boots. He alone had his hat on. He alone
bore neither epaulets nor stars: he was clad in simple uniform, without
a single ornament, and still, wonderful to say, it now seemed to the
magistrate that he was more noble, more splendid-looking than all the
others. He was the smallest amongst them, but seemed much taller. They
stood with bowed heads before him; he alone was raised proudly to his
full height. There was something grand and glorious in his countenance;
and when his large, luminous eyes fell upon the magistrate, he
endeavored in vain to slip away--he was rooted to the spot as if by
magnetism.

"Will you not stay with us until the king comes?" said Frederick,
laughing.

The magistrate answered the smile with a broad grin. "I see, sir," said
he, "that you are laughing at me. You know that you yourself are the
king."

Frederick nodded an assent, and then turned to Prince Anhalt von Dessau.

"You see, sir, how precarious a thing is the glory and magnificence of
a king. This man took me for a servant; his dull eyes could not perceive
my innate glory."

"Your majesty justly calls this man's eyes dull," said the prince,
laughing.

Frederick looked at him kindly, and then began a low, earnest
conversation with his generals, who listened attentively to his every
word.

The magistrate still stood at the door. It seemed to him that he had
never seen any thing so splendid-looking as this man with the muddy
boots, the simple coat, and torn, unwieldy hat, whose countenance beamed
with beauty, whose eyes glittered like stars.

"That, then, is really the