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〃I must now send a courier at once to my court；〃 said the duke； 〃and I will not fail to state that your majesty advises us to unite with Austria。〃
〃You will do well； that is；〃 said the king； with a meaning smile 〃that is； if you think your court is in need of such advice； and has not already acted without it。 When do you leave； duke？〃
〃To…morrow morning； sire。〃
〃Farewell； duke； and do not forget that in my heart I am the friend of France； though we meet as enemies on the battle…field。〃
The duke bowed reverentially； and； sighing deeply； left the royal library； 〃the republic of letters；〃 to hasten to Berlin。
The king looked after him thoughtfully。
〃The die is cast；〃 said he； softly。 〃There will be war。 Our days of peace and quietude are over； and the days of danger are approaching！〃
CHAPTER VII。
THE TRAITOR。
The sun had just risen； and was shedding its golden rays over the garden of Sans…Souci； decking the awaking flowers with glittering dew…drops。 All was quietNature alone was up and doing； no one was to be seen； no sound was to be heard； but the rustling of trees and the chirping of birds。 All was still and peaceful； it seemed as if the sound of human misery and passion could not reach this spot。 There was something so holy in this garden； that you could but believe it to be a part of paradise in which the serpent had not yet exercised his arts of seduction。 But no； this is but a beautiful dream。 Man is here； but he is sleeping； he is still resting from the toils and sorrows of the past day。 Man is herehe is coming to destroy the peacefulness of Nature with his sorrows and complaints。
The little gate at the farthest end of that shady walk is opened； and a man enters。 The dream is at an end； and Sans…Souci is now but a beautiful garden； not a paradise； for it has been desecrated by the foot of man。 He hastens up the path leading to the palace； he hurries forward； panting and gasping。 His face is colorless； his long hair is fluttering in the morning wind； his eyes are fixed and glaring； his clothes are covered with dust； and his head is bare。
There is something terrifying in the sudden appearance of this man。 Nature seems to smile no more since he came； the trees have stopped their whispering； the birds cannot continue their melodious songs since they have seen his wild； anxious look。 The peacefulness of Nature is broken。 For manthat is to say； misery； misfortune； for manthat is to say； sin； guilt； and meannessis there； pouring destroying drops of poison in the golden chalice of creation。
Breathlessly he hurries on； looking neither to right nor left。 He has now reached the terrace； and now he stops for a moment to recover breath。 He sees not the glorious panorama lying at his feet； he is blind to all but himself。 He is alone in the worldalone with his misery； his pain。 Now he hastens on to the back of the palace。 The sentinels walking before the back and the front of the castle know him； know where he is going； and they barely glance at him as he knocks long and loudly at that little side window。
It is opened； and a young girl appears； who； when perceiving this pale； anxious countenance； which is striving in vain to smile at her； cries out loudly； and folds her hands as if in prayer。
〃Hush！〃 said he； roughly； 〃hush！ let me in。〃
〃Some misfortune has happened！〃 said she； terrified。
〃Yes； Rosa； a great misfortune； but let me in； if you do not wish to ruin me。〃
The young girl disappears； and the man hastens to the side door of the castle。 It is opened； and he slips in。
Perfect peace reigns once more in the garden of Sans…Souci。 Nature is now smiling； for she is alone with her innocence。 Man is not there！ But now； in the castle； in the dwelling of the castle warder； and in the room of his lovely daughter Rosa； all is alive。 There is whispering； and weeping； and sighing； and praying； there is Rosa； fearful and trembling； her face covered with tears； and opposite her； her pale； woe…begone lover。
〃I have been walking all night；〃 said he； with a faint and hollow voice。 〃I did not know that Berlin was so far from Potsdam； and had I known it； I would not have dared to take a wagon or a horse； I had to slip away very quietly。 While by Count Puebla's order my room was guarded； and I thought to be in it； I descended into the garden by the grape…vine； which reached up to my window。 The gardener had no suspicion of how I came there； when I required him to unlock the door； but laughed cunningly； thinking I was bound to some rendezvous。 And so I wandered on in fear and pain； in despair and anger； and it seemed to me as if the road would never come to an end。 At times I stopped； thinking I heard behind me wild cries and curses； the stamping of horses； and the rolling of wheels； but it was imagination。 Ah！ it was a frightful road； but it is past。 But now I will be strong； for this concerns my name； my life； my honor。 Why do you laugh； Rosa？〃 said he； angrily； 〃do you dare to laugh； because I speak of my namemy honor？〃
〃I did not laugh；〃 said Rosa； looking with terror at the disturbed countenance of her lover。
〃Yes； you laughed； and you were right to laugh； when I spoke of my honor； I who have no honor； I who have shamed my name； I upon whose brow is the sign of murder： for I am guilty of the ruin of a man； and the chains on his hands are cursing my name。〃
〃My God！ He is mad；〃 murmured Rosa。
〃No； I am not mad；〃 said he； with a heart…breaking smile。 〃I know all； all！ Were I mad； I would not be so unhappy。 Were I unconscious； I would suffer less。 But； no； I remember all。 I know how this evil commenced； how it grew and poisoned my heart。 The evil was my poverty； my covetousness； and perhaps also my ambition。 I was not content to bear forever the chains of bondage； I wished to be free from want。 I determined it should no more be said that the sisters of Count Weingarten had to earn their bread by their needlework； while he feasted sumptuously at the royal table。 This it was that caused my ruin。 These frightful words buzzed in my ears so long； that in my despair I determined to stop them at any price； and so I committed my first crime； and received a golden reward for my treason。 My sisters did not work now； I bought a small house for them； and gave them all that I received。 I shuddered at the sight of this money； I would keep none of it。 I was again the poor secretary Weingarten； but my family was not helpless； they had nothing to fear。〃
To whom was he telling all this？ Certainly not to that young girl standing before him； pale and trembling。 He had forgotten himself； he had forgotten her whom in other days he had called his heart's darling。
As she sank at his feet and covered his hands with her tears； he rose hastily from his seat； he now remembered that he was not alone。
〃What have I said？〃 cried he； wildly。 〃Why do you weep？〃
〃I weep because you have forgotten me；〃 said she； softly； 〃I weep because； in accusing yourself； you make no excuse for your crime； not even your love for your poor Rosa。〃
〃It is true；〃 said he； sadly； 〃I had forgotten our love。 And still it is the only excuse that I have for my second crime。 I had determined to be a good man； and to expiate my one crime throughout my whole life。 But when I saw you； your beauty fascinated me； and you drew me on。 I went with open eyes into the net which you prepared for me； Rosa。 I allowed myself to be allured by your beauty； knowing well that it would draw me into a frightful abyss。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Rosa； groaning； 〃how cruelly you speak of our love！〃
〃Of our love！〃 repeated he； shrugging his shoulders。 〃Child； in this hour we will be true to each other。 Ours was no true love。 You were in love with my noble name and positionI with your youth； your beauty； your coquettish ways。 Our souls were not in unison。 You gave yourself to me； not because you loved me； but because you wished to deceive me。 I allowed myself to be deceived because of your loveliness and because I saw the golden reward which your deceitful love would bring me。〃
〃You are cruel and unjust；〃 said Rosa； sadly。 〃It may be true that you never loved me； but I loved you truly。 I gave you my whole heart。〃
〃Yes； and in giving it；〃 said he； harshly〃in giving it you had the presence of mind to keep the aim of your tenderness always in view。 While your arms were around me； your little hand which seemed to rest upon my heart； sought for the key which I always kept in my vest…pocket； and which I had lately told you belonged to the desk in which the important papers of the embassy were placed。 You found this key； Rosa； and I knew it； but I only laughed； and pressed you closer to my heart。〃
〃Terrible！ terrible！〃 said Rosa； trembling。 〃He knew all； and still he let me do it！〃
〃Yes I allowed you to do itI did not wish to be better than the girl I loved： and； as she desired to deceive me； I let myself be deceived。 I allowed it； because the demon of gold had taken possession of me。 I took the important papers out of my desk； to which you had stolen the key； and hid them。 Then the tempters came and whispered of golden rewards； of eternal gratitude； of fortune； honor； and these fiendish whispers misled my soul。 I sold my honor and became a traitor； and all