“Oh, my prophetic soul!” murmured the abbot, folding his hands in prayer.

Trenck rushed to the window and looked searchingly abroad.  At this moment a loud knock was heard upon the door, and an anxious voice called to the abbot.

“All is lost, the Austrians are already here!” cried Tobias Stusche, wringing his hands despairingly.

“No!” said the king, “they cannot yet have reached the cloister, and that is not the voice of a soldier who commands, but that of a monk who prays, and is almost dead with terror; let us open the door.”

“O my God, your majesty! would you betray yourself?” cried Stusche, and forgetting all etiquette, he rushed to the king, laid his hand upon his arm and held him back.

“No,” said the king, “I will not betray myself, neither will I conceal myself.  I will meet my fate with my face to the foe.”

“Open, open, for God’s sake!” cried the voice without.

“He prays in God’s name,” said the king.  “I will open the door.”  He crossed the room and drew back the bolt.

And now, the pale and anxious face of Brother Anastasius appeared.  He entered hastily, closed and fastened the door.

“Pardon,” said he, trembling and breathless—­“pardon that I have dared to enter.  The danger is great; the Austrians surround the cloister.”

“Are they already here?” said the king.

“No; but they have sent a courier, who commands us immediately to open all the doors and give entrance to the soldiers of Maria Theresa.”

“Have they given a reason for this command?”

“Yes; they say they know assuredly that the King of Prussia is concealed here, and they come to search the cloister.”

“Have you not said to them, that we are not only the servants of God, but the servants of the King of Prussia?  Have you not said to them that the doors of our cloister can only open to Prussian troops?”

“Yes, your excellency.  I told the soldier all this, but he laughed, and said the pandours of Colonel von Trenck knew how to obtain an entrance.”

“Ah! it is Trenck, with his pandours,” cried the king, casting a searching glance at Frederick von Trenck, who stood opposite, with pale and tightly-compressed lips; he met the eye of the king boldly, however, and looked him steadily in the face.

“Is Colonel Trenck your relation?” said the king, hastily.

“Yes, your majesty; he is my father’s brother’s son,” said the young man, proudly.

“Ah!  I see you have a clear conscience,” said the king, laying his hand smilingly upon the youth’s shoulder.  “But, tell me, worthy abbot, do you know any way to rescue us from this mouse-trap?”

Tobias did not reply immediately; he stood thoughtfully with his arms folded, then raised his head quickly, as if he had come to some bold conclusion; energy and purpose were written in his face.  “Will your majesty make use of the means which I dare to offer you?”