nt von
Kaphengst?"

Kaphengst thought a moment. He was convinced it was the king that
spoke with him, for Frederick had not attempted to disguise his voice.
Kaphengst knew he was discovered. There remained nothing for him but to
try and reconcile the king by a jest.

He bowed close to the king, and whispered: "Listen, mask--as you have
recognized me, I will acknowledge the truth. Yes, I am Lieutenant von
Kaphengst, and am incognito. You understand me--I came to this ball
incognito. He is a scoundrel who repeats it!" and, without awaiting
an answer, he hastened away to seek the prince and Baron Kalkreuth,
acquaint them with the king's presence, and fly with them from his
anger.

But Prince Henry, whose fruitless search for his sweetheart had made
him angry and defiant, declared he would remain at the ball until it was
over, and that it should be optional with the king to insult his brother
openly, and to punish and humble a prince of his house before the world.

"I, unfortunately, do not belong to the princes of the royal house, and
I therefore fear that the king might regard me as the cat who had to
pull the hot chestnuts from the ashes, and I might suffer for all three.
I therefore pray your highness to allow me to withdraw."

"You may go, and if you meet Kalkreuth, ask him to accompany you. You
officers must not carry your insubordination any further. I, as prince,
and Hohenzollern, dare the worst, but, be assured, I shall pay for my
presumption. Farewell, and hasten! Do not forget Kalkreuth."

Kaphengst sought in vain. Kalkreuth was nowhere to be found, and he had
to wend his way alone to Potsdam.

"I shall take care not to await the order of the king for my arrest,"
said Baron Kaphengst to himself, as he rode down the road to Potsdam. "I
shall be in arrest when his order arrives. Perhaps that will soften his
anger."

Accordingly, when Kaphengst arrived at the court guard, in Potsdam, he
assumed the character of a drunken, quarrelsome officer, and played his
role so well that the commander placed him in arrest.

An hour later the king's order reached the commander to arrest Baron
Kaphengst, and with smiling astonishment he received the answer that he
had been under arrest for the last hour.

In the mean time, Kaphengst had not miscalculated. The prince was put
under arrest for eight days, Kalkreuth for three. He was released the
next morning, early enough to appear at the parade. As the king,
with his ge