This etext was produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team BERLIN AND SANS-SOUCI OR, FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FRIENDS An Historical Romance BY L. MUHLBACH AUTHOR OF JOSEPH II. AND HIS COURT, FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS COURT, MERCHANT OF BERLIN, ETC. TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY MRS. CHAPMAN COLEMAN AND HER DAUGHTERS CONTENTS. BOOK I. CHAPTER I. The Alchemist's Incantation II. The Old Courtier III. The Morning Hours of a King IV. The Pardoned Courtier V. How the Princess Ulrica became Queen of Sweden VI. The Tempter VII. The First Interview VIII. Signora Barbarina IX. The King and Barbarina X. Eckhof XI. A Life Question XII. Superstition and Piety BOOK II. I. The Two Sisters II. The Tempter III. The Wedding-Festival of the Princess Ulrica IV. Behind the Curtain V. A Shame-faced King VI. The First Rendezvous VII. On The Balcony VIII. The First Cloud IX. The Council of War X. The Cloister of Camens XI. The King and the Abbot XII. The Unknown Abbot XIII. The Levee of a Dancer XIV. The Studio XV. The Confession XVI. The Traitor XVII. The Silver-Ware XVIII. The First Flash of Lightning BOOK III. I. The Actors in Halle II. The Student Lupinus III. The Disturbance in the Theatre IV. The Friends V. The Order of the King VI. The Battle of Sohr VII. After the Battle VIII. A Letter Pregnant with Fate IX. The Return to Berlin X. Job's Post XI. The Undeceived XII. Trenck's First Flight XIII. The Flight XIV. "I will" XV. The Last Struggle for Power XVI. The Disturbance in the Theatre XVII. Sans-Souci BOOK IV. I. The Promise II. Voltaire and his Royal Friend III. The Confidence-Table IV. The Confidential Dinner V. Rome Sauvee VI. A Woman's Heart VII. Madame von Cocceji VIII. Voltaire IX. A Day in the Life of Voltaire X. The Lovers XI. Barbarina XII. Intrigues XIII. The Last Struggle BERLIN AND SANS-SOUCI OR, FREDERICK THE GREAT AND HIS FRIENDS. BOOK I. CHAPTER I. THE ALCHEMIST'S INCANTATION. It was a lovely May morning! The early rays of the sun had not withered the blossoms, or paled the fresh green of the garden of Charlottenburg, but quickened them into new life and beauty. The birds sang merrily in the groves. The wind, with light whispers, swept through the long avenues of laurel and orange trees, which surrounded the superb greenhouses and conservatories, and scattered far and wide throughout the garden clouds of intoxicating perfume.