myself; I will not cast the stone at others which they have cast at
me. But it is scarcely charitable to judge and condemn a young girl
fourteen years of age, who did but obey the command of her parents,
and followed the man who was the first and only one that ever
whispered the word of love in her ear."

"I have heard that your parents sold their child to shame. Is it
true?" cried the king.

"Sire, my father was poor; the scanty income of a chapel musician
scarcely sufficed to educate and support four children. The prince
promised my father to educate me."

"Bah! The promises of a young man of twenty-five are made without
reflection, and rarely ever fulfilled."

"Sire, to the Prince of Prussia I owe all that I know, and all that
I am; his promise to my dying father was fully redeemed."

"Indeed, by whom were you taught, and what have you learned?"

"Your majesty, the prince wished, before all, that I should learn to
speak French. Madame Girard was my French instructress, and taught
me to play the guitar and spinet also."

"Oh, I presume you have learned to jabber a little French and drum a
little music," said the king, shrugging his shoulders.

"I beg pardon, sire; I have a tolerable knowledge of history and of
geography. I am familiar with the ancient and modern poets. I have