aid the king, as Pollnitz entered, "has my brother really gone
to Berlin?"

"Yes, your majesty, and accompanied by the two Messieurs--"

"Silence!" cried the king, hastily; "I do not wish to know their names,
I should have to punish them also. He has then gone, and without any
hesitation, any reluctance?"

"Yes, sire, without hesitation. He thinks he has the right to go where
he pleases, and to amuse himself as he can."

"Order the carriage, Pollnitz," said the king. "Without doubt my brother
has taken the shortest road to Berlin?"

"Yes, sire."

"Then there is no danger of our meeting them and being recognized; and
as we have relays on the road, we will reach Berlin before them."

CHAPTER III. LOUISE VON KLEIST.

Madame von Kleist was alone in her boudoir. She had just completed her
toilet, and was viewing herself with considerable pleasure in a
large Venetian glass. She had reason to be pleased. The costume of
an odalisque became her wonderfully; suited her luxuriant beauty, her
large, dreamy blue eyes, her full red lips, her slender, swaying form.
At twenty-eight, Louise von Kleist was still a sparkling beauty; the
many trials and sorrows she had passed through had not scattered the
roses from her cheek, nor banished youth from her heart.

Louise von Kleist resembled greatly the little Louise von Schwerin
of earlier days--the little dreamer who found it romantic to love a
gardener, and was quite ready to flee with him to a paradise of love.
The king's watchfulness saved her from this romantic folly, and gave her
another husband. This unhappy match was now at an end. Louise was again
free. She still felt in her heart some of the wild love of romance
and adventure of the little Louise; she was the same daring, dreamy,
impressible Louise, only now she was less innocent. The little coquette
from instinct was changed into a coquette from knowledge.

She stood before the glass and surveyed once more her appearance; then
acknowledged with a pleased smile that she was beautiful enough to
fascinate all men, to arouse in all hearts a painful longing.

"But I shall love no one but the prince," she said, "and when my power
over him is sufficient to induce him to marry me, I shall reward him by
my faith, and entire submission to his wishes. Oh! I shall be a virtuous
wife, a true and faithful mother; and my lovely little Camilla shall
find in her mother a good and noble example. I shall promise this to my
ange