frederick the great and his family-第13部分
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dged that my father was right in his conduct to me。 I was not only a disobedient son； but a rebellious subject。 I richly deserved to mount the scaffold with Katte。〃
〃Ah； my brother； there was a time when you wept for this faithful and unfortunate friend；〃 cried the prince； reproachfully。
〃The sons of kings have not the right to choose their own path； destiny has marked it out for them； they must follow it without wavering。 I neither placed the crown upon my head； nor the yoke upon your neck。 We must bear them patiently； as God and Providence have ordained； and wear them with grace and dignity。 You； my brother； have acted like a wild horse of the desertI have drawn the reins tight； that is all！〃
〃You have caught； bound； and tamed me；〃 said the prince； with a faint smile； 〃only I feel that the bit still pains； and that my limbs still tremble。 But I am ready to submit； and I came to tell you so。 You desire me to marry； I consent； but I hold you responsible for the happiness of this marriage。 At God's throne； I will call you to justify yourself； and there we will speak as equals； as man to man。 What right had you to rob me of my most holy and beautiful possession？ What right have you to lay a heavy chain on heart and hand； that love will not help me to bear？ I hold you responsible for my miserable life； my shattered hopes。 Will you accept these conditions？ Do you still wish me to marry？〃
〃I accept the conditions；〃 said the king； solemnly。 〃I desire you to marry。〃
〃I presume your majesty has chosen a bride for me？〃
〃You are right； mon cher frere。 I have selected the Princess Wilhelmina； daughter of Prince Max； of Hesse…Cassel。 She not only brings you a fortune； but youth； beauty； and amiability。〃
〃I thank you； sire；〃 said the prince； coldly and formally。 〃I would marry her if she were ugly； old； and unamiable。 But is it allowed me to add one condition？〃
〃Speak； my brother； I am listening。〃
The prince did not answer immediately； he breathed quickly and heavily； and a glowing red suffused his pale； trembling face。
〃Speak； my brother。 Name your conditions；〃 said the king。
〃Well； then； so be it。 My first condition is that I may be allowed to have a brilliant wedding。 I wish to invite not only the entire court； but a goodly number of Berliners； I desire all Berlin to take part in my happiness； and to convince every one； by my gay demeanor and my entertainment； that I joyfully accept my bride； the princess。〃
The king's eyes rested sorrowfully upon his brother's countenance。 He fully understood the emotions of his heart； and knew that his brother wished to wound and humiliate his faithless sweetheart by his marriage； that Henry only submitted to his wishes because his proud heart rebelled at the thought of being pitied as a rejected lover。 But he was considerate； and would not let it appear that he understood him。
〃I agree to this first proposition；〃 said the king； after a pause； 〃and I hope you will allow me to be present at this beautiful fete； and convince Berlin that we are in hearty unison。 Have you no other conditions？〃
〃Yes； one more。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃That my marriage shall take place； at the latest； in a month。〃
〃You will thus fulfil my particular and personal wish；〃 said the king； smiling。 〃I am anxious to have this marriage over； for； after the gayeties； I wish to leave Berlin。 All the arrangements and contracts are completed； and I think now there is no obstacle in the way of the marriage。 Have you another wish； my brother？〃
〃No； sire。〃
〃Then allow me to beg you to grant me a favor。 I wish to leave a kind remembrance of this eventful hour in your heart； and I therefore give you a small memento of the same。 Will you accept my castle of Rheinsberg； with all its surroundings； as a present from me？ Will you grant me this pleasure； my brother？〃
The king offered his hand； with a loving smile； to Henry； and received with apparent pleasure his ardent thanks。
〃I chose Rheinsberg；〃 he said； kindly； 〃not because it is my favorite palace； and I have passed many pleasant and happy days there； but because none of my other palaces are so appropriate for a prince who is discontented with his king。 I have made that experience myself； and I give you Rheinsberg； as my father gave it to me。 Go to Rheinsberg when you are angry with me and the world； there you can pass the first months of your marriage； and God grant it may be a happy one！〃
The prince answered him with a cold smile； and begged leave to withdraw； that he might make the necessary preparations for his wedding。 〃We will both make our preparations；〃 said the king； as he bade the prince farewell〃you with your major…domo； and I with Baron Pollnitz； whom I shall send as ambassador to Cassel。〃
CHAPTER XI。
THE TRAVELLING MUSICIANS。
The feasts； illuminations； and balls given in honor of the newly… married couple； Henry and his wife； the Princess Wilhelmina； were at an end。 The prince and his followers had withdrawn to Rheinsberg； and many were the rumors in Berlin of the brilliant feasts with which he welcomed his beautiful bride。 She was truly lovely； and the good Berliners； who had received her with such hearty greetings when she appeared with the prince on the balcony； or showed herself to the people in an open carriage； declared there could be no happier couple than the prince and his wife； they declared that the large； dark eyes of the princess rested upon the prince with inexpressible tenderness； and that the prince always returned her glance with a joyous smile。 It was therefore decided that the prince was a happy husband； and the blessings of the Berliners followed the charming princess to Rheinsberg； where the young couple were to pass their honeymoon。
While the prince was giving splendid fetes； and seeking distraction； and hoping to forget his private griefs； or perhaps wishing to deceive the world as to his real feelings； the king left Sans…Souci； to commence one of his customary military inspection trips。 But he did not go to Konigsberg； as was supposed； and if Trenck really had the intention of murdering him during his sojourn there； it was rendered impossible by the change in the king's plans。 Frederick made a tour in his Rhine provinces。 At Cleves he dismissed his followers； and they returned to Berlin。
The king declared he needed rest； and wished to pass a few days in undisturbed quiet at the castle of Moyland。
No one accompanied him but Colonel Balby； his intimate friend； and his cabinet…hussar； Deesen。 The king was in an uncommonly good humor； and his eyes sparkled with delight。 After a short rest in his chamber； he desired to see Colonel Balby。
To his great astonishment； the colonel found him searching through a trunk； which contained a few articles of clothing little calculated to arrest the attention of a king。
〃Balby；〃 said the king； solemnly； but with a roguish sparkle of the eye； 〃I wish to present you this plain brown suit。 I owe you a reward for your hearty friendship and your faithful services。 This is a princely gift。 Take it as a mark of my grateful regard。 That you may be convinced； Balby； that I have long been occupied in preparing this surprise for you； I inform you that these rich articles were made secretly for you in Berlin； by your tailor； I packed them myself； and brought them here for you。 Accept them； then； my friend； and wear them in memory of Frederick。〃
With a solemn bow； the king offered Balby the clothes。
The colonel received this strange present with an astonished and somewhat confused countenance。
The king laughed merrily。 〃What；〃 he said； pathetically； 〃are you not contented with the favor I have shown you？〃
Balby knew by the comic manner of the king that the sombre suit hid a secret； and he thought it wise to allow the king to take his own time for explanation。
〃Sire；〃 he said； emphatically； 〃content is not the word to express my rapture。 I am enthusiastic； speechless at this unheard…of favor。 I am filled with profound gratitude to your majesty for having in vented a new costume for me； whose lovely color will make me appear like a large coffee…bean； and make all the coffee sisters adore me。〃
The king was highly amused。 〃This dress certainly has the power of enchantment。 When Colonel Balby puts on these clothes he will be invisible； but he shall not undergo this transformation alone。 See； here is another suit； exactly like yours； and this is mine。 When I array myself in it； I am no longer the king of Prussia； but a free； happy man。〃
〃Ah； you are speaking of a disguise；〃 cried the colonel。
〃Yes； we will amuse ourselves by playing the role of common men for a while； and wander about unnoticed and undisturbed。 Are you agreed； Balby； or do you love your colonel's uniform better than your freedom？〃
〃Am I agreed； sire？〃 cried the colonel； 〃I am delighted with this genial thought。〃
〃Then take your dress； friend； and put it on。 But stay。 Did you bring your violin with you； as I told you？〃
〃Yes； sire。〃
〃Well； then； when you are dressed； put your violin in a case； and with the case under your arm； and a little money in your pocket； go to the pavilion at the farthest end of the garden； there I will meet you。 Now hasten； friend； we have no time to lose。〃
According to the king's orders； Colonel Balby dressed and went to the pavilion。 He did not find the king； but two strange men there。 One of them had on a brown coat； the color of his own； ornamented with large buttons of mother…of…pearl； black pantaloons； and shoes with large buckles； set with dull white stones； the lace on his sleeves and vest was very coarse。 He wore a three…cornered hat； without ornament； from under the hat fell long； brown； unpowdered hair。
Behind this stranger there stood another； in plain； simple clothes； under one arm he carried a small bag； and under the other a case that contained either a yard…stick or a flute。 He returned the colonel's salutation with a grimace and a profound bow。 A short pause ensued； then the supposed strangers laughed heartily and exclaimed：
〃Do you not know us； Balby？〃
Their voices started the colonel； and he stepped back。
〃Sire； it is yourself。〃
〃Yes； it is I； Fredericknot the king。 Yes； I am Frederick； and this capital servan
