Part 13 (1/2)
CHAPTER XI. THE TRAVELLING MUSICIANS.
The feasts, illuminations, and b.a.l.l.s given in honor of the newly-married couple, Henry and his wife, the Princess Wilhelmina, were at an end. The prince and his followers had withdrawn to Rheinsberg, and many were the rumors in Berlin of the brilliant feasts with which he welcomed his beautiful bride. She was truly lovely, and the good Berliners, who had received her with such hearty greetings when she appeared with the prince on the balcony, or showed herself to the people in an open carriage, declared there could be no happier couple than the prince and his wife; they declared that the large, dark eyes of the princess rested upon the prince with inexpressible tenderness, and that the prince always returned her glance with a joyous smile. It was therefore decided that the prince was a happy husband, and the blessings of the Berliners followed the charming princess to Rheinsberg, where the young couple were to pa.s.s their honeymoon.
While the prince was giving splendid fetes, and seeking distraction, and hoping to forget his private griefs, or perhaps wis.h.i.+ng to deceive the world as to his real feelings, the king left Sans-Souci, to commence one of his customary military inspection trips. But he did not go to Konigsberg, as was supposed; and if Trenck really had the intention of murdering him during his sojourn there, it was rendered impossible by the change in the king's plans. Frederick made a tour in his Rhine provinces. At Cleves he dismissed his followers, and they returned to Berlin.
The king declared he needed rest, and wished to pa.s.s a few days in undisturbed quiet at the castle of Moyland.
No one accompanied him but Colonel Balby, his intimate friend, and his cabinet-hussar, Deesen. The king was in an uncommonly good humor, and his eyes sparkled with delight. After a short rest in his chamber, he desired to see Colonel Balby.
To his great astonishment, the colonel found him searching through a trunk, which contained a few articles of clothing little calculated to arrest the attention of a king.
”Balby,” said the king, solemnly, but with a roguish sparkle of the eye, ”I wish to present you this plain brown suit. I owe you a reward for your hearty friends.h.i.+p and your faithful services. This is a princely gift. Take it as a mark of my grateful regard. That you may be convinced, Balby, that I have long been occupied in preparing this surprise for you, I inform you that these rich articles were made secretly for you in Berlin, by your tailor; I packed them myself, and brought them here for you. Accept them, then, my friend, and wear them in memory of Frederick.”
With a solemn bow, the king offered Balby the clothes.
The colonel received this strange present with an astonished and somewhat confused countenance.
The king laughed merrily. ”What,” he said, pathetically, ”are you not contented with the favor I have shown you?”
Balby knew by the comic manner of the king that the sombre suit hid a secret, and he thought it wise to allow the king to take his own time for explanation.
”Sire,” he said, emphatically, ”content is not the word to express my rapture. I am enthusiastic, speechless at this unheard-of favor. I am filled with profound grat.i.tude to your majesty for having in vented a new costume for me, whose lovely color will make me appear like a large coffee-bean, and make all the coffee sisters adore me.”
The king was highly amused. ”This dress certainly has the power of enchantment. When Colonel Balby puts on these clothes he will be invisible, but he shall not undergo this transformation alone. See, here is another suit, exactly like yours, and this is mine. When I array myself in it, I am no longer the king of Prussia, but a free, happy man.”
”Ah, you are speaking of a disguise,” cried the colonel.
”Yes, we will amuse ourselves by playing the role of common men for a while, and wander about unnoticed and undisturbed. Are you agreed, Balby, or do you love your colonel's uniform better than your freedom?”
”Am I agreed, sire?” cried the colonel; ”I am delighted with this genial thought.”
”Then take your dress, friend, and put it on. But stay. Did you bring your violin with you, as I told you?”
”Yes, sire.”
”Well, then, when you are dressed, put your violin in a case, and with the case under your arm, and a little money in your pocket, go to the pavilion at the farthest end of the garden; there I will meet you. Now hasten, friend, we have no time to lose.”
According to the king's orders, Colonel Balby dressed and went to the pavilion. He did not find the king, but two strange men there. One of them had on a brown coat, the color of his own, ornamented with large b.u.t.tons of mother-of-pearl; black pantaloons, and shoes with large buckles, set with dull white stones; the lace on his sleeves and vest was very coa.r.s.e. He wore a three-cornered hat, without ornament; from under the hat fell long, brown, unpowdered hair.
Behind this stranger there stood another, in plain, simple clothes; under one arm he carried a small bag, and under the other a case that contained either a yard-stick or a flute. He returned the colonel's salutation with a grimace and a profound bow. A short pause ensued, then the supposed strangers laughed heartily and exclaimed:
”Do you not know us, Balby?”
Their voices started the colonel, and he stepped back.
”Sire, it is yourself.”
”Yes, it is I, Frederick--not the king. Yes, I am Frederick, and this capital servant is my good Deesen, who has sworn solemnly not to betray our incognito, and to give no one reason to suspect his high dignity as royal cabinet-hussar. For love of us he will, for a few days, be the servant of two simple, unt.i.tled musicians, who are travelling around the world, seeking their fortunes, but who, unfortunately, have no letters of recommendation.”
”But who will recommend themselves by their talents and accomplishments.”