"Oh," cried the prince, "how miserable it makes me to think that I am
the cause of your death! Would to God I were in your place!"
"No," replied Katte; "if I had a thousand lives, gladly would I lay them
down for you."
Frederick swooned as his friend moved on. In a few minutes afterwards
Katte was dead. It was long before the sorrowing prince recovered from
the shock of that cruel spectacle.
Whether the king actually intended the execution of his son is
questioned. As it was, earnest remonstrances were addressed to him from
the Kings of Sweden and Poland, the Emperor of Germany, and other
monarchs. He gradually recovered from the insanity of his rage, and, on
humble appeals from his son, remitted his sentence, requiring him to
take a solemn oath that he was converted from his infidel beliefs, that
he begged a thousand pardons from his father for his crimes, and that
he repented not having been always obedient to his father's will.
This done, Frederick was released from prison, but was kept under
surveillance at Cuestrin till February, 1732, when he was permitted to
return to Berlin.
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