with his sword, he will annihilate them with the lightning of his glances, for a heavenly power dwells in his eyes.  Moreover, your lover writes that he is beloved by the officers of the garrison, that all the soldiers sympathize with him.  It is well that it is not necessary to bribe them with miserable dross; Trenck has already bribed them with his youth and manly beauty, his misfortunes and his amiability.  He will find no opposition; no one will dispute his passage to liberty.”

“God grant that it may be as your highness predicts!” said Ernestine, with a sigh.

“Four days of uncertainty are still before us—­would that they had passed!” exclaimed Princess Amelia.  “I have no doubts of his safety, but I fear I shall not survive these four days of anxiety.  Impatience will destroy me.  I had the courage to endure misery, but I feel already that the expectation of happiness tortures me.  God grant, at least, that his freedom is secured!”

“Never speak of dying with the rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes your highness has to-day,” said Mademoiselle von Haak, with a smile.  “Your increasing pallor, caused no doubt by your grief, has given me much pain.  I am no longer uneasy, however, for you have recovered health and strength, now that you are again hopeful.  As for the four days of expectancy, we will kill them with merry laughter, gayety, and dancing.  Does not the queen give a ball to-day? is there not a masquerade at the opera to-morrow?  For the last five months your highness has taken part in these festivities because you were compelled; you will now do so of your own accord.  You will no longer dance because the king commands, but because you are young, happy, and full of hope for the future.  On the first and second day you will dance and fatigue yourself so much, that you will have the happiness of sleeping a great deal on the third.  The fourth day will dawn upon your weary eyes, and whisper in your ear that Trenck is free, and that it is you who have given him his freedom.”

“Yes, let us be gay, let us laugh, dance, and be merry,” exclaimed Princess Amelia.  “My brother shall be satisfied with me; he need no longer regard me in so gloomy and threatening a manner; I will laugh and jest, I will adorn myself, and surpass all the ladies with the magnificence of my attire and my sparkling eyes.  Come, Ernestine, come.  We will arrange my toilet for this evening.  It shall be magnificent.  I will wear flowers in my hair and flowers on my breast, but no pearls.  Pearls signify tears, and I will weep no more.”

Joyously she danced through the room, drawing her friend to the boudoir; joyously she passed the three following days of expectation; joyously she closed her eyes on the evening of the third day, to see, in her dreams, her lover kneeling at her feet, thanking her for his liberty, and vowing eternal fidelity and gratitude.

Amelia greeted the fourth day with a happy smile, never doubting but that it would bring her glad tidings.  But hours passed away, and still Mademoiselle von Haak did not appear.  Amelia had said to her:  “I do not wish to see you to-morrow until you can bring me good news.  This will, however, be in your power at an early hour, and you shall flutter into my chamber with these tidings, like the dove with the olive-branch.”