Frederick the Great and His Family: A Historical Novel
The king laid his flute aside, and with his hands folded behind his back, walked thoughtfully up and down his room in Sans-Souci. His countenance was now tranquil, his brow cloudless; with the aid of music he had harmonized his soul, and the anger and displeasure he had so shortly before felt were soothed by the melodious notes of his flute.
The king was no longer angry, but melancholy, and the smile that played on his lip was so resigned and painful that the brave Marquis d’Argens would have wept had he seen it, and the stinging jest of Voltaire have been silenced.
But neither the marquis nor Voltaire, nor any of his friends were at present in Potsdam. D’Argens was in France, with his young wife, Barbe Cochois; Voltaire, after a succession of difficulties and quarrels, had departed forever; General Rothenberg had also departed to a land from which no one returns—he was dead! My lord marshal had returned to Scotland, Algarotti to Italy, and Bastiani still held his office in Breslau. Sans-Souci, that had been heretofore the seat of joy and laughing wit—Sans-Souci was now still and lonely; youth, beauty, and gladness had forsaken it forever; earnestness and duty had taken their place, and reigned in majesty within those walls that had so often echoed with the happy laugh and sparkling jest of the king’s friends and contemporaries.
Frederick thought of this, as with folded hands he walked up and down, and recalled the past. Sunk in deep thought, he remained standing before a picture that hung on the wall above his secretary, which represented Barbarina in the fascinating costume of a shepherdess, as he had seen her for the first time ten years ago; it had been painted by Pesne for the king. What recollections, what dreams arose before the king’s soul as he gazed at that bewitching and lovely face; at those soft, melting eyes, whose glance had once made him so happy! But that was long ago; it had passed like a sunbeam on a rainy day, it had been long buried in clouds. These remembrances warmed the king’s heart as he now stood so solitary and loveless before this picture; and he confessed to that sweet image, once so fondly loved, what he had never admitted to himself, that his heart was very lonely.
L. Mühlbach
FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FAMILY.
A HISTORICAL NOVEL
BOOK I.
CHAPTER I. THE KING.
CHAPTER II. PRINCE HENRY.
CHAPTER III. LOUISE VON KLEIST.
CHAPTER IV. AT THE MASKED BALL.
CHAPTER V. A SECRET CAPTAIN.
CHAPTER VI. THE LEGACY OF VON TRENCK, COLONEL OF THE PANDOURS.
CHAPTER VII. THE KING AND WEINGARTEN.
CHAPTER VIII. THE UNWILLING BRIDEGROOM.
CHAPTER IX. THE FIRST DISAPPOINTMENT.
CHAPTER X. THE CONQUERED.
CHAPTER XI. THE TRAVELLING MUSICIANS.
CHAPTER XII. TRAVELLING ADVENTURES.
CHAPTER XIII. THE DRAG-BOAT.
CHAPTER XIV. IN AMSTERDAM.
CHAPTER XV. THE KING WITHOUT SHOES.
BOOK II.
CHAPTER I. THE UNHAPPY NEWS.
CHAPTER II. TRENCK ON HIS WAY TO PRISON.
CHAPTER III. PRINCE HENRY AND HIS WIFE.
CHAPTER IV. THE FETE IN THE WOODS.
CHAPTER V. INTRIGUES.
CHAPTER VI. THE PRIVATE AUDIENCE.
CHAPTER VII. THE TRAITOR.
CHAPTER VIII. DECLARATION OF WAR.
CHAPTER IX. THE KING AND HIS BROTHERS.
CHAPTER X. THE LAUREL-BRANCH.
CHAPTER XI. THE BALL AT COUNT BRUHL’S.
CHAPTER XII. THE INTERRUPTED FEAST.
CHAPTER XIII. THE ARCHIVES AT DRESDEN.
CHAPTER XIV. SAXONY HUMILIATED.
BOOK III.
CHAPTER I. THE MAIDEN OF BRUNEN.
CHAPTER II. NEWS OF BATTLE.
CHAPTER III. THE CERTIFICATE OF ENLISTMENT.
CHAPTER IV. FAREWELL TO THE VILLAGE.
CHAPTER V. THE PRISONER.
CHAPTER VI. THE PRISON BARRICADE.
CHAPTER VII. THE BATTLE OF COLLIN.
CHAPTER VIII. THE INIMICAL BROTHERS.
CHAPTER IX. THE LETTERS.
CHAPTER X. IN THE CASTLE AT DRESDEN.
CHAPTER XI. THE TE DEUM.
CHAPTER XII. CAMP SCENE
CHAPTER XIII. THE WATCH-FIRE.
CHAPTER XIV. THE BATTLE OF LEUTHEN.
CHAPTER XV. WINTER QUARTERS IN BRESLAU.
CHAPTER XVI. THE BROKEN HEART.
BOOK IV.
CHAPTER I. THE KING AND HIS OLD AND NEW ENEMIES.
CHAPTER II. THE THREE OFFICERS.
CHAPTER III. RANUZI
CHAPTER IV. LOUISE DU TROUFFLE.
CHAPTER V. THE FORTUNE-TELLER.
CHAPTER VI. A COURT DAY IN BERLIN.
CHAPTER VII. IN THE WINDOW-NICHE.
CHAPTER VIII. THE NUTSHELLS BEHIND THE FAUTEUIL OF THE QUEEN.
CHAPTER IX. THE DUEL AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
CHAPTER X. THE FIVE COURIERS.
CHAPTER XI. AFTER THE BATTLE.
CHAPTER XII. A HEROIC SOUL.
CHAPTER XIII. THE TWO GRENADIERS.
CHAPTER XIV. THE RIGHT COUNSEL.
CHAPTER XV. A HERO IN MISFORTUNE.
BOOK V.
CHAPTER I. THE TERESIANI AND THE PRUSSIANI.
CHAPTER II. FREDERICK THE GREAT AS A SAINT.
CHAPTER III. THE CLOISTER BROTHERS OF SAN GIOVANNI E PAOLO.
CHAPTER IV. THE RETURN FROM THE ARMY.
CHAPTER V. THE BRAVE FATHERS AND THE COWARDLY SONS.
CHAPTER VI. THE TRAITOR’S BETRAYAL.
CHAPTER VII. THE ACCUSATION.
CHAPTER VIII. REVENGE.
CHAPTER IX. TRENCK.
CHAPTER X. “TRENCK, ARE YOU THERE?”
CHAPTER XI. THE KING AND THE GERMAN SCHOLAR.
CHAPTER XII. GELLERT.
CHAPTER XIII. THE POET AND THE KING.
CHAPTER XIV. THE KING AND THE VILLAGE MAGISTRATE.
CHAPTER XV. THE PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE.
CHAPTER XVI. THE AMBASSADOR AND THE KHAN OF TARTARY.
BOOK VI.
CHAPTER I. THE KING’S RETURN.
CHAPTER II. PRINCE HENRY.
CHAPTER III. MOTHER AND DAUGHTER.
CHAPTER IV. THE KING IN SANS-SOUCI.
CHAPTER V. THE ENGRAVED CUP.
CHAPTER VI. THE PRINCESS AND THE DIPLOMATIST.
CHAPTER VII. THE ROYAL HOUSE-SPY.
CHAPTER VIII. THE CLOUDS GATHER.
CHAPTER IX. BROTHER AND SISTER.
CHAPTER X. THE STOLEN CHILD.
CHAPTER XI. THE DISCOVERY.
CHAPTER XII. THE MORNING AT SANS-SOUCI.
CHAPTER XIII. A HUSBAND’S REVENGE.
CHAPTER XIV. THE SEPARATION.