aside by Bischofswerder. My nephew shall retain her,
and she shall drive away the Rosicrucians with all their deviltries.
Herzberg, go and tell the crown prince, from me, that I order--"

His majesty suddenly stopped, and looked at Herzberg with surprise, who
was smiling.

"Why do you laugh, Herzberg?"

"I was not laughing, sire. If my lip quivered against my will, it was
because I stupidly and foolishly dared to finish the broken sentence."

"Well, how did you manage to conclude it?"

"Sire, your majesty said, 'Tell the crown prince that I order him'--and
there you ceased. I added 'order him to love Wilhelmine Enke, and be
faithful to her.' I beg pardon for my mistake. I should have known that
your majesty could never command the execution of that which is not to
be forced; that my great king recognizes, as well as I, that love is not
compulsory, or fidelity either. Pardon me for my impertinence, and tell
me the order which I shall take to the crown prince from my beloved king
and master."

The king stepped close up to the minister, and gazed with a half-sad,
half-tender expression in the noble and gentle face of Herzberg, and
in the sensible brown eyes, which sank not beneath the fiery glance of
Frederick. Then, slowly raising his hand from the staff, he menaced him
with his long, bony forefinger.

"Herzberg, you are a rogue, and will teach me morals. Indeed, you are
right--love is not compulsory, but one can sometimes aid it. Say nothing
to the prince. The interior of his house must, indeed, be left to
himself, but we will keep our eyes open and be watchful. Do so also,
Herzberg, and if you discover any thing, tell me; and if Wilhelmine Enke
needs assistance against the infamous Rosicrucians, and with her aid
this mystic rabble can be suppressed, inform me, and I am ready to send
her succor. Ah! Herzberg, is it not a melancholy fact that one must
fight his way through so much wickedness to obtain so little that is
good? My whole life has passed in toil and trouble; I have grown old
before my time, and would rest from my labors, and harvest in the last
few years, what I have sown in a lifetime. Is it not sad that I hope for
no fruit, and that the seed that I have scattered will be trodden under
foot by my successor? I must gaze at the future without joy, without
consolation!"

The king turned to the window, perhaps to hide the tears which stood
in his eyes. Herzberg did not presume to interrupt the sad silenc