The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-14 00:00:00

FRANCE.

BOURSE, May 12, Two o'clock.—The suspension
of tho Bank Charter _Act in England has given
a great impetus to Consols, which are telegraphed
with an advance of no less than 1i per cent. Here
prices have been subjected to considerable fluc-
tuations. Threes, for the Account, are now
unvaried at 63f. 85c. Italian Fives are at 38f.
80e., or 45c. lower. Credit Foncier Shares are
15fr. higher—at 1,130 fr. Credit Mobilier have de-
clined 15fr.—to 535 fr. In the Railway Department,
Northern Shares gain sfr., Lyons 3fr. 75c., and
Lombard 13fr. 75c., Austrian Shares remain un-
changed. The market became more buoyant
towards the end, and closed on the following higher
quotations
per Cents 93

Do. end month

Bank Shares —
Italian Loan 39 95
Do. end month 4O
Mexican Loan 32
Do. Bonds 235
Spanish Threes -
Home Debt
Deferred
rAYS.

3 per Cents. 64 30
Do. end month 64 20

Credit Mobilier ... 545
Do. end month ... 542 50

Unis • --
Do. end month —

RAIL'

For Account
Orleans 795
Northern 1055
Lyons and Mediterranean.
Southern 530
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain —
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona
Roman

57 50

LITERATURE.

The Romance of a Court ; or Berlin and Sans Souci
A Novel. 3 vols. By A. G. Vaughan. Trans•
lated from the German. Richard Bentley.
Very skilfully and charmingly has the German
author, from historical biographies and memoirs,
interwoven this truthful romance of a court which
is far more interesting and entertaining than the
majority of fictitious romances which we have re-
cently met with. Very happily, too, has the Eng-
lish translator fulfilled his task. There is much
in the sprightliness and gracefulness of the dialogue
and in the adroitness and rapidity of intrigue and
counter-intrigue, all carried on with courtly com-
pliment and the utmost civility of civil war to re-
mind one of some graceful French Vaudville en-
acted by the most polished, actors of the drawing-
room theatre of St. James's. Very different is the
style and materiel of this German romance
to that of some of the ordinary English novels of
the present day. The tone is as dissimilar as
if it were still in a foreign tongue, but it is not on
that account in any way less attractive. The scene
of the drama, as the title-page foretells, is Berlin
and Sans Souci ; the time is the earlier and the hap-
pier part of the life of Frederick the Great. The
character of the King, its strength and its weak-
ness, its greatness and its littleness, is very happily
portrayed. The younger sister of the King, the
Princess Amalia, is the principal heroine of the
romance, and the Baron- von Trenck of famous me-
mory is the hero. Towards the commencement of
the story the Swedish Ambassador has demanded
for the Prince of Sweden the hand of the Princess
Amalia, the younger sister of the King. Great is
the anger of the Princess Ulrika, the elder sister, at
being passed over, and she deliberates as to how she
can escape from the indignity.
And as if Fate herself were bent on aiding her reflec-
tions, the door opened, and Princess Amalia walked in.
One glance sufficed to tell the Princess Ulrika that she
had not been mistaken, but was perfectly correct in think-
ing that Amalia was not overcome with joy at the event
which had occurred. The eyes of the Princess were red
with weeping, and those lips, generally open with laughter
and mirthful conversation, were now tightly compressed.
Ulrika saw all this, and laid her plans accordingly. In-
stead of receiving her sister, as she would have done, with
a cold and haughty manner, she went towards her with
every show of affection, and clasped the poor girl, who
now fell sobbing on her breast, tightly in her arms.
"Tears!" said Ulrike affectionately, as she led Amalia
to the sofa, and then sat down beside her. "How is this,
my poor, dear sister ? You are weeping, although such a
bright lot has been announced to you to-day ?"
Amalia only sobbed louder, and buried her tear-stained
face more firmly in her sister's bosom. Ulrika looked down
upon her with a mixture of curiosity and mischievous joy.
She could not understand these tears, and it afforded her a
kind of satisfaction to see her weeping whom she had just
been envying so deeply.
" What !" asked Ulrike further, "are you not pleased at
the prospect of becoming a queen ?"
Amalia lifted up her face impatiently and said, sobbing,
"No, lam not pleased at it. lam not contented to be an
apostate, to perjure myself, to deny my faith in order to
purchase a crown and a throne ! I swore before the altar
to be true to, my faith and my God; and now I am required
to lay aside that faith and adopt another!"
After attempting to reason with her unhappy sister,
the Princess Ulrika suggests her crafty scheme.
" Then I fear there will be heavy storms and fierce com-
bats," sighed Ulrike ; " the scenes of former days will be
renewed, for our brother is not less inflexible than our
father was, and our brothers and sisters are, I fear, little
more to him than necessary parts in his great machine of
state, but parts which must always obediently submit to
be moulded according to his will."
"I feel that already," said Amalia, trembling, "and
therefore, my dear sister, you must help me and stand by
me, for I swear to you I will never give up my religion."
" Is that your mature and final decision?"
" Most certainly !"
" Well, since that is the case, I will not withhold my
advice from you."
"Speak, oh ! speak," said Amalia breathlessly, and
silently clasping her arms round her sister's slender waist,
and leaning her head on her shoulder.
"First, then, the Swedish Ambassador has not yet for-
mally made his proposal ; that shows that he most pro-
bably wishes first to make his own observations, and find
out whether you are really suited to become the wife of
the Crown Prince. We have still, therefore, this delay,
and if this space of time bo properly employed we may at-
tain the object which you so much desire. But question
yourself once more ; probe yourself and your own con-
science before you make your final decision. I must-in-
sist upon that, so that you may not reproach me with
having deprived you of the throne of Sweden."
" O ! fear nothing, my dear sister; I am quite deter
mined. I will not be Queen of Sweden through the sacri-
fice of my own salvation."
" Then you will never reproach me ?"
" Never!"
" Listen, then ! From this moment put a mask on your
face; that means, behave towards all around you, your
friends, servants, the whole Court circle, yes, even towards
your relations, in a proud, harsh, insolent manner. Espe-
cially before the Swedish Ambassador strive to appear as a
capricious and haughty Princess, who considers it beneath
her to speak to any ordinary person like him. If yoh
speak to him, and he attempt to make a reply, take him up
suddenly and command him to be silent. If he would pay
you a compliment, let an unmistakable expression of scorn
be your only answer. Continue this style of behaviour
for a few days, and I feel certain your object will be
gained." (Thiebault, iv. 202.)
"Oh, I understand ; I quite understand !" exclaimed the
young girl, delighted, and clapping her hands, while her
face assumed a more lively expression. " I am to annihi-
:ate this ambassador by my unamiable conduct, so that ho
will not dare to speak the final word. Oh, that will be a
delightful comedy, my dear Ulrika; and I promise you to
play my part of the haughty young lady to perfection.
Oh, thank you, thank you, my dear sister ; how happy I
am to have a friend like you to devise such a clever plan to
save me from the danger in which I was placed l"
"She did not wish it otherwise," said Ulrika laconically,
when she found herself alone again. "If she be without
ambition, so much the worse for her, but so much the
better for me. But now it is fully time for me to attend to
my toilette ; I shall spend much time and care upon it to-
day, for I intend to be thought amiable and beautiful. I
will appear a retiring, unassuming young girl."
With an ironical laugh she retired to her room, where
her tire-women awaited her.

',this plot, of course, gives occasion for some