to-day. He appeared to be angry, and enveloped himself in the toga
of a severe judge of morals; but, under this toga, there beat the kind,
noble heart of a friend and father, who punishes with rigorous words,
and forgives with generous, benevolent deeds."

"For this I must thank him--he must listen to me!" cried the prince.

"He will be angry if your royal highness forces him to receive thanks
when he would avoid them. He has expressly commanded me to entreat you
never to allude to the affair, and never to speak of it to others, as it
would not be agreeable to his majesty to have the family affairs known
to the world. You would best please his majesty by following exactly his
wishes, and when you meet him never allude to it. As I have said, this
is the express wish and command of the king."

"Which I must naturally follow," sighed the prince, "although I
acknowledge that it is unpleasant to me to receive so much kindness from
him without at least returning my most heart-felt thanks. Say to the
king, that I am deeply, sensibly moved with his tender sympathy and
generosity. And now I will hasten to Wilhelmine Enke; but, it occurs to
me that it may not be possible; the king has made her a prisoner in her
own house."

"Do not trouble yourself about that. If it is your royal highness's
pleasure, drive at once to Charlottenburg. You will find the new
possessor there and she will relate to you her interview with the mayor
of Berlin."

"Oh! I shall drive at once to the villa. I am curious to learn what Von
Kircheisen has told her."

"I imagined that you would be, and ordered your carriage here, as you
could not well ride upon horseback with the heavy rolls of gold; and
if it is your pleasure, I will order the footman to place the box, into
which I have put them, in the carriage."

"No, no; I beg you to let me carry them," cried the prince, seizing the
box with both hands. "It is truly heavy, but an agreeable burden, and if
it lames my arm I shall bethink myself of the miraculous elixir, which
will give me courage and strength. Farewell, your excellency; I shall
hurry on to Charlottenburg!"

The prince hastened to his carriage, and ordered the coachman to drive
at full speed to the villa. Thanks to this order, he reached it in about
an hour. No one was there to receive him upon his arrival. The hall was
empty, and the rooms were closed. The prince passed on to the opposite
end, where there was a door open, and stood upo