of my debts. I only know
the sum now in my casket."

"And what is the amount, Amelia?"

"A cipher, sire; your majesty knows this is the end of the month."

"I know it, my sister; and I therefore beg you to accept from me to-day
a small sum in advance. I dreamt last night that you had recently
been called upon to pay out four thousand louis d'or. This dream was
significant; it seemed to me a suggestion to give you this sum. I
therefore sent, in your name, an order on my treasurer for four thousand
louis d'or."

Amelia looked at him and trembled with terror. "Do you know the use to
which I have applied this sum?" said she, breathlessly.

"My dream was silent on this point," said Frederick, rising; "it
only told me that you needed this amount, nothing more. If I had been
curious, I might have asked your page, who has an acute ear, and for
whom no key-hole is too small."

"Ah, he has betrayed me, then," murmured Amelia.

Frederick did not appear to hear her; he took his hat, and offered his
sister his hand. Amelia did not see it, she stood as if turned to stone
in the middle of the room, and as the king advanced toward the door, she
stepped slowly and mechanically after him.

Suddenly the king turned and looked at his sister.

"I had almost forgotten to tell you a piece of news," said he,
carelessly; "something which will perhaps interest you, Amelia. Even at
this moment a prisoner is being released from his cell and restored to
life and liberty. The Empress Maria Theresa, influenced by her fireman,
it is said, has appealed to me--"

Princess Amelia uttered a heart-rending shriek, and rushing forward she
seized the arm of the king with both her trembling hands.

"Brother! oh, brother, be merciful! do not make cruel sport of me. I
acknowledge I appealed to the fireman of the empress. I offered him four
thousand louis d'or if he would intercede for Trenck. I see that you
know all; I deny nothing. If I have committed a crime worthy of
death, condemn me; but do not inflict such fearful tortures before my
execution. Do not mock at my great grief, but be pitiful. Look upon
me brother; look at my withered limbs, my deformed visage; is not my
punishment sufficient? torture me no longer. You return me the sum of
money I sent to Vienna; does that mean that you have discovered and
destroyed my plot? Is this so, brother? Have you the heart to play this
cruel jest with me? Having thus made my last attempt fruitless, do you