e old King Frederick, weary
of life, thinks differently from the young crown prince. He can be as
severe as his father, cruel and inexorable as he.

"Doris Ritter! Thy fate haunts me. On the morrow I also may be whipped
through the streets, scorned, reviled by the rabble, and then sent to
Spandau as a criminal. Did not the king threaten me with the house of
correction, with the spinning-wheel, which he would have ready for me?"

At the thought of it a terrible anguish, a nameless despair, seized
her. She felt that the spinning-wheel hung over her like the sword of
Damocles, ready at the least occasion to fall upon her, and bind her to
it. She felt that she could not endure such suspense and torture; she
must escape; she must rescue herself from the king's anger.

"But whither, whither! I must fly from here, from his immediate
proximity, where a motion of his finger is sufficient to seize me, to
cause me to disappear before the prince could have any knowledge of it,
before he could know of the danger which threatened me. I must away from
Potsdam!"

The prince had arranged a little apartment in Berlin for the winter
months, which she exchanged for Potsdam in the spring. This seemed to
offer her more security for the moment, for she could fly at the least
sign of danger, could even hide herself from the prince, if it were
necessary to save him and herself. Away to Berlin, then! That was the
only thought she was able to seize upon. Away with her children, before
misfortune could reach them!

She sprang to the door, tore it open, rushing to the nurse, upon
whose knees the baby slept, near whom her little daughter knelt. With
trembling hands she took her boy and pressed him to her heart. "Louisa,
we must leave here immediately; it is urgent necessity!" said she, with
quivering lip. "Do not say a word about it to any one, but hasten; order
quickly a wagon, bargain for the places, and say we must set off at
once. The wagon must not be driven to the door, but we will meet it at
the Berlin Gate. We will go on foot there, and get in. Quick, Louisa,
not a word--it must be!"

The servant did not dare to oppose her mistress, or contradict the
orders, but hastened to obey them.

"It is all the old king's fault," said Louisa to herself, as she hurried
through the street. "Yes, the king has ordered mistress to Berlin. He
looked so furious, the old bear! His eyes flashed so terribly, one might
well fear him, and I thanked Heaven