mean the Prince of Prussia," answered the other, shaking his head.
"There are men who call this prince the 'hope of Prussia,' and regard
him as a new Aurora in the clouded sky."

"And you, sir, do you regard him so?" cried Herr Wolff.

"Do you mean that the Prince of Prussia will usher in a brighter day for
Germany?"

"No," answered the other. "I believe that day expires with Frederick the
Great, and that a long night of darkness will succeed."

"Why do you think so?"

"Because it is the course of nature that darkness succeeds light. Look
at the prince, gentlemen--the divine light of genius is not stamped
upon his brow, as formerly, and care will be taken that it is soon
extinguished altogether."

"Who will take care?"

"Those who are the enemies of light, civilization, and freedom."

"Who are they?" asked Herr Wolff.

The other smiled, and answered: "Sir, so far as I, in all humility,
call myself a scholar, I also owe to the god Apollo obedience, and must
answer him, though it may endanger me. I answer, then, the enemies of
light and civilization are the disguised Jesuits."

"Oh, it is easy to perceive that you do not belong to them, or you would
not thus characterize them, and--"

A mighty flourish of drums, and shrill blasts of horns and trumpets,
drowned the youth's words, and made all further conversation impossible.
The king, followed by a brilliant suite, had just arrived at the parade.
The regiments greeted their sovereign with loud blasts of trumpets, and
the people shouted their farewell. Frederick lifted lightly his hat,
and rode along the ranks of the well-ordered troops. He listened to the
shouts with calm, composed manner; the Jupiter-flashes from his great
eyes seemed to be spent forever. Mounted upon Caesar, his favorite
horse, he looked today more bent, his back more bowed with the burden
of years; and it was plainly visible that the hand which held the staff
crosswise over the horse's neck, holding at the same time the bridle,
trembled from very weakness.

"That is Frederick," said Herr Wolff to himself. "That is the hero
before whom Europe has trembled; the daring prince who caused the sun to
rise upon his country, and awaken the spirits to cheerful life. Oh, how
lamentable; how much to be regretted, that a hero, too, can grow feeble
and old! Oh, cruel fate, that the noblest spirits embodied in this
fragile humanity, and--"

Suddenly he ceased, and looked at the king amazed and with ad