s unfortunately, do not allow such expenses, as I
am not rich, and have a large family."

"Then you are right not to spend money unnecessarily," said the king,
quietly. "You can have as much fresh air at Potsdam as can ever enter
your mouth, and it costs neither you nor I any thing. Say to
Count Schmettau that you have a purchaser for his residence at
Charlottenburg."

"Oh, you are really too kind," cried the equerry, in an excitement of
joy; "I do not know--"

Here the carriage entered the palace court, and the concluding words
were inaudible. Herr von Schwerin alighted quickly to assist the
king. "Say to Schmettau to present himself to my treasurer and cabinet
councillor, Menkon, tomorrow morning at twelve o'clock, at Sans-Souci."

The king nodded kindly to the equerry, and passed into the Swiss saloon,
and farther on into the private rooms which he was accustomed to occupy
whenever he remained at the capital. The Swiss saloon was fast filling,
not alone with the generals and staff-officers of the Berlin garrison,
but with the officers of the regiments from the provinces, who presented
themselves at the palace according to the order of the king. The most
of them were old and worn out, body and mind. They all looked morose and
sorrowful. The great news of the approaching war with Austria had spread
through the military. The old laurel-crowned generals of the Seven
Years' War were unwilling to go forth to earn new laurels, for which
they had lost all ambition. Not one dared betray his secret thoughts
to another, or utter a word of disapproval. The king's spies were
everywhere, and none could trust himself to converse with his neighbor,
as he might prove to be one of them. There reigned an anxious,
oppressive silence; the generals and staff-officers exchanged the
ordinary greetings. All eyes were turned toward the door through which
the king would enter, bowed down, like his generals, with the cares
of life, and the burden of old age. The king slowly entered. He was,
indeed, an old man, like those he came amongst, and now saluted. An
expression of imperishable youth lighted up his pale, sunken face, and
his eyes flashed with as much daring and fire as thirty-eight years
before, when he had assembled his young officers around him in this very
hall, to announce to them that he would march against Austria. How many
wars, how many battles, how many illusions, victories, and defeats
had the king experienced in these thirt