your debts, how did I, as a Father, admonish you to tell me
all; I would pay all, you were only to tell me the truth. Whereupon you
said, There were still two thousand thalers beyond the sum named. I paid
these also at once; and fancied I had made peace with you. And then it
was found, by and by, you owed many thousands more; and as you now knew
you could not pay, it was as good as if the money had been stolen;--not
to reckon how the French vermin, Montholieu and partner, cheated you
with their new loans.' Pfui!--'Nothing touched me so much [continues his
Majesty, verging towards the pathetic], as that you had not any trust in
me. All this that I was doing for aggrandizement of the House, the Army
and Finances, could only be for you, if you made yourself worthy of it!
I here declare I have done all things to gain your friendship;--and
all has been in vain!' At which words the Crown-Prince, with a very
sorrowful gesture, threw himself at his Majesty's feet,"--tears
(presumably) in both their eyes by this time.

"'Was it not your intention to go to England?' asked his Majesty farther
on. The Prince answered 'JA!'--'Then hear what the consequences would
have been. Your Mother would have got into the greatest misery; I could
not but have suspected she was the author of the business. Your Sister I
would have cast, for life, into a place where she never would have seen
sun and moon again. Then on with my Army into Hanover, and burn and
ravage; yes, if it had cost me life, land and people. Your thoughtless
and godless conduct, see what it was leading to. I intended to employ
you in all manner of business, civil, military; but how, after such an
action, could I show the face of you to my Officers (soldiers) and
other servants?--The one way of repairing all this is, That you seek,
regardless of your very life in comparison, to make the fault good
again!' At which words the Crown-Prince mournfully threw himself at
his Royal Majesty's feet; begging to be put upon the hardest proofs:
He would endure all things, so as to recover his Majesty's grace and
esteem.

"Whereupon the King asked him: 'Was it thou that temptedst Katte; or
did Katte tempt thee?' The Crown-Prince without hesitation answered, 'I
tempted him.'--'I am glad to hear the truth from you, at any rate.'"

The Dialogue now branches out, into complex general form; out of which,
intent upon abridging, we gather the following points. King LOQUITUR:--

"How do you like yo