"Evidently there is no one there," sighed Bischofswerder. "It is the hour of dining of the king.""I wish it were ours also," whined Woellner. "I confess I yearn for bodily nourishment, and my legs sink under me.""I am fearfully hungry," groaned Bischofswerder; "besides, the air is suffocating. I am resolved to go to extremes, and make a noise."He rushed like a caged boar from one door to the other, shrieking for the lackey to open the door; but as before, a loud bark was the only response.
"The Lord has forsaken us," whimpered Woellner. "The sublime Fathers have turned their faces away from us. We will pray for mercy and beg for a release!" and he sank upon his knees.
"What will that avail us here, where neither prayers nor devotion are heeded? Only energy and determination will aid us at Sans-Souci.
Come, let us thump and bang until they set us free!" cried Bischofswerder, peevishly.
Their hands were lame, and their voices hoarse with their exertions;and no longer able to stand, they sank down upon the floor hungry and exhausted, almost weeping with rage and despair.
At last, after long hours of misery, they heard a noise in the adjoining room. The king had again entered his cabinet. The door opened, and the lackey motioned to the two gentlemen to enter. They rose with difficulty and staggered into the room, the door being closed behind them.
His majesty was seated in his arm-chair, with his three-cornered hat on, leaning his chin upon his hands, crossed upon his staff. He fixed his great blue eyes, with a searching glance, upon the two Rosicrucians; then turned to his minister, Herzberg, who was seated at the table covered with documents.
"These are, then, the two great props of the Rosicrucians?" asked Frederick--"the two charlatans whom they have told me make hell hot for the crown prince, continually lighting it up with their prayers and litanies.""Your majesty, answered Herzberg, smiling, "these gentlemen are Colonel Bischofswerder and the councillor of the exchequer, Woellner, whom your majesty has commanded to appear before you.""You are the two gentlemen who work miracles, and have the effrontery to summon the spirit of our ancestor, the great elector, and the Emperor Marcus Aurelius?""Sire," stammered Bischofswerder, "we have tried to summon spirits.""And I too," cried the king, "only they will not come; therefore Iwished to see the enchanters, and would like to purchase the secret.""Pardon me, most gracious sire," said Woellner, humbly, "you must first be received in the holy order of the Rosicrucians.""Thanks," cried the king, "I am not ready for the like follies, and whilst I live the Invisibles must take heed not to become too visible, or they will be taken care of. I will not permit Prussia to retrograde. It has cost too much trouble to "enlighten the people, bring them to reason, and banish hypocrisy. Say to the Rosicrucians that they shall leave the crown prince in peace, or I will chase them to the devil, who will receive them with open arms! It could do no harm to appeal to the prince's conscience to lead an honorable life, and direct his thoughts more to study than to love, but you shall not make a hypocrite of him and misuse his natural good-nature. If the Rosicrucians try to force the prince and rule him, Iwill show them that I am master, and will no longer suffer their absurdities, but will break up the whole nest of them! I have been much, annoyed at the deep despondency of the crown prince. You shall not represent to him that baseness and virtue are the same, and that he is the latter when he betrays those to whom he has sworn fidelity and affection. An honorable man must, above all, he cognizant of benefits, and not forsake those who have sacrificed their honor and love to him, and have proved their fidelity. Have you understood me, gentlemen?""It will be my holy duty to follow strictly your majesty's commands," said Bischofswerder.
"And I also will strive to promote the will of my king," asserted Woellner.
"It will be necessary to do so, or you two gentlemen may find yourselves at Spandau. I would say to you once for all, I will not suffer any sects; every one can worship God in his own way. No one shall have the arrogant presumption to declare himself one of the elect. We are all sinners. The Rosicrucians are not better than the Illuminati or Freemasons, and none are more worthy than the tailor and cobbler who does his duty. Adieu!"The king nodded quickly and pointed to the door out of which the two brothers were about to disappear, when he called them back.