were in vain. The prince finally ordered him to retire and leave him alone with his sorrow.
Mersburg went to find Thuringia who was much less alarmed about the turn of events than the prince had been. He reasoned that at least this kept her from returning to her husband where he thought she was in great danger. He would have wished, however, that it was Mersburg who had arranged the escape in order that he might have sent her to a place which she could have chosen. On second thought, he was happy that the princess could choose the place of her hiding and that she would let him know later where she was. Love always finds reasons for consolation when it should be the most alarmed.
Frederick was not long in calling Mersburg to him.
"My friend," he said to him, "my resolutions are going to surprise you. I can no longer exist without my wife. I want to find her and see her again, no matter what it may cost me. Prepare yourself to follow me, my dear count. I am going to travel over my states, Germany, all of Europe if it is necessary. I don't want to reappear in my court until I have righted the wrong which I have done. Perhaps we will find her and I am sure that my love will help me in my search. You only have to want a thing very much to get it. I will leave here all the rights of my throne. We will travel as simple knights. I am making Thuringia the regent for my states. Heaven has endowed him with all the necessary abilities for governing men. But we will not tell him of our plans, and we will take all the necessary precautions to prevent anything from happening during our absence. During this time, tranquil as to what is happening here in my states, I will be able to keep up the search for my wife."
Mersburg had too many reasons to approve this project to create the least difficulty in its execution. Thuringia was called. Frederick told him of his trip and at the same time informed him that he was leaving for a while the ruling of the state in his hands and that he could not find better hands in which to leave it. Thuringia, through modesty, or perhaps through personal interests, did not want to accept this honor. How long would the trip last? Wouldn't it keep Thuringia from finding Adelaide? What would happen if Frederick
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