"I know," said he, after a pause, "that your majesty intended to pass this night in Charlottenburg with your children and their mother; and if your majesty commands, we will meet there at the midnight hour." "Do so, my friends," said the king, hastily, "I will await you in Charlottenburg, at the appointed time, although I scarcely believe you will come; and doubt, very much, whether Bischofswerder's incantations will have power to call the great magician to my assistance. Oh, I am greatly in need of help. If you are really my friends, and if the Invisible has anointed your eyes with the rays of knowledge, you also must know what torments my soul is undergoing!" "And we do know," said Bischofswerder. "It has been announced to us." "And we do know," repeated Wöllner, "the Invisible has commanded me to implore his dearest son, King Frederick William, not to burden his conscience with new sin, but to renounce the passion which is burning in his heart." "I cannot, no, I cannot!" exclaimed Frederick William; and with a cry of anguish he buried his face in his hands. His two confidants exchanged a rapid glance; and Bischofswerder, as if answering an unspoken but well-understood question of Wöllner's, shook his head dissentingly. He then stooped down to the lamenting, moaning king. "Your majesty," whispered he, "to-night we will also ask the Invisible if he will not have indulgence with the king's love; and permit the beautiful Fräulein von Voss to become the wife of the man she loves?" "Oh, if this could be brought about!" cried the king, throwing his arms around his friend's neck, "I could be the happiest of mortals, and would gladly resign to you my whole kingdom to dispose of it as you see fit. Give me the woman I love, and I will give you my royal authority!" Again the two confidants exchanged rapid glances, and Wöllner bowed his head in assent. "We will entreat the Invisible to-night," said Bischofswerder--"and I hope that he will grant what your majesty desires." "But, if so, certain conditions will be exacted, and penance enjoined," said Wöllner. "I am ready to consent to all his demands, and to do all he enjoins, if he will only give me this heavenly woman." CHAPTER IV. THE MAID OF HONOR. No intelligence of the demise of the great king had as yet arrived at the palace of Schönhausen, the residence of Queen Elizabeth Christine, Frederick's wife. It was still early in the morning, and the queen, who was in the habit of sending a special courier to Potsdam every day, to inquire after the king's health, was now writing the customary morning letter to her husband.