"'Torment not your heart
With the rich offering of a bleeding lamb.'"

"I see well," said Fredersdorf, completely confused, "I see well
that your majesty knows--"

"That it is high time," said the king, interrupting him, "to go to
Berlin; you do well to remind me of it. Order my carriage--I will be
off at once."




CHAPTER V.

HOW THE PRINCESS ULRICA BECAME QUEEN OF SWEDEN.


Princess Ulrica, the eldest of the two unmarried sisters of the
king, paced her room with passionate steps. The king had just made
the queen-mother a visit, and had commanded that his two sisters
should be present at the interview.

Frederick was gay and talkative. He told them that the Signora
Barbarina had arrived, and would appear that evening at the castle
theatre. He invited his mother and the two princesses to be present.
He requested them to make tasteful and becoming toilets, and to be
bright and amiable at the ball and supper after the theatre. The
king implored them both to be gay: the one, in order to show that