THE PALACE OF SANS SOUCI 



remarked to his companion, d'Argenson : "Alors, 

 je serai sans souci" This remark was repeated, 

 and, taken in connexion with the evident object 

 of the " Cottage," the name was used by society 

 to designate it, so that eventually Frederick 

 adopted it, and had it inscribed in letters of gold 

 over the door. Frederick reserved three rooms 

 for himself, which are still kept much as they 

 were in his lifetime. In one of these is an alcove 

 containing the simple iron bedstead on which he 

 slept. At the other end of the building are the 

 rooms which were occupied by Voltaire, once 

 the most intimate and favoured friend of 

 Frederick the Great, and then, after they had 

 quarrelled, his bitter and malicious enemy. The 

 furniture of the sitting-room shows that Frederick 

 himself was not without spite, for during the 

 absence of Voltaire he had it covered with 

 tapestry representing apes, foxes, and peacocks, 

 which, he said, possessed the leading qualities of 



Voltaire's character. 



M. E. GREEN 



286 



