ts the Barn-door, and walks out. Trio of Vigilance
is sound asleep, and knows nothing: alas, Trio of Vigilance, while its
own six eyes are closed, has appointed another pair to watch.

Gummersbach the Valet comes to Rochow's bolster: "Hst, Herr
Oberst-Lieutenant, please awaken! Prince Royal is up, has on his
top-coat, and is gone out of doors!" Rochow starts to his habiliments,
or perhaps has them ready on; in a minute or two, Rochow also is forth
into the gray of the morning;--finds the young Prince actually on the
Green there; in his red roquelaure, leaning pensively on one of the
travelling carriages. _"Guten Morgen, Ihro Konigliche Hoheit!_" [Ranke,
1. 305.]--Fancy such a salutation to the young man! Page Keith, at
this moment, comes with a pair of horses, too: "Whither with the nags,
Sirrah?" Rochow asked with some sharpness. Keith, seeing how it was,
answered without visible embarrassment, "Herr, they are mine and Kunz
the Page's horses" (which, I suppose, is true); "ready at the usual
hour!" Keith might add.--"His Majesty does not go till five this
morning;--back to the stables!" beckoned Rochow; and, according to the
best accounts, did not suspect anything, or affected not to do so.

Page Keith returned, trembling in his saddle. Friedrich strolled towards
the other Barn,--at least to be out of Rochow's company. Seckendorf
emerges from the other Barn; awake at the common hour: "How do you like
his Royal Highness in the red roquelaure?" asks Rochow, as if nothing
had happened. Was there ever such a baffled Royal Highness; or young
bright spirit chained in the Bear's Den in this manner? Our Steinfurth
project has gone to water; and it is not to-day we shall get across the
Rhine!--Not to-day; nor any other day, on that errand, strong as our
resolutions are! For new light, in a few hours afterwards, pours in
upon the project; and human finesse, or ulterior schemes, avail nothing
henceforth. "The Crown-Prince's meditated Flight" has tried itself, and
failed. Here and so that long meditation ENDS; this at Steinfurth was
all the over-act it could ever come to. In few hours more it will melt
into air; and only the terrible consequences will remain!--

By last night's arrangement, the Prince with his Trio was to set out an
hour before his Father, which circumstance had helped Page Keith in his
excuses. Naturally the Prince had now no wish to linger on the Green of
Steinfurth, in such a posture of affairs: "Towards Heidel