music, into the throne saloon, and saw all those cavaliers, covered
with stars and orders--all those beautiful and richly-dressed women
bowing humbly before her. She knew that her will was more powerful
than the will of all assembled there; that her smiles were more
dearly prized than those of the most-beloved bride; that her glance
gave warmth and gladness like the sun. While all bowed before her,
there was no one to whom she must bend the knee. The king was not
near to-night; she was not bound by his presence and his rude
violence. To-night she was no trembling, subjected wife, but a proud
queen; while Frederick was a poor, gouty, trembling, teeth-gnashing
man--nothing more.




CHAPTER II.

FREDERICK WILLIAM I.


Mirth and gayety reigned in one wing of the palace, while in the
other, and that occupied by the king himself, all was silent and
solitary; in one might be heard joyous strains of music, in the
other no sound reached the air but a monotonous hammering, which
seemed to come immediately from the room of the king.

Frederick William, when in health, had accustomed himself to use his
crutch as a rod of correction; he would shower down his blows,
careless whether they fell on the backs of his lacqueys, his
ministers of State, or his wife. When ill, he was contented to vent