"Uneasiness?" exclaimed the queen, with a proud smile. "I believe and feel convinced that now only one thing remains to be done. We must struggle with the monster, we must crush it, and then only will we be allowed to speak of uneasiness! [Footnote: The queen's own words--Vide Gentz's "Writings," vol. iv., p. 169.] I believe, besides, in divine Providence--I believe in you, my noble, high-minded, and brave king and husband, and I believe in your splendid army, which is eager for war! I believe in the lucky star of Prussia!"
"Oh, it seems to me that many clouds are veiling that star," said the king, mournfully.
"The thunder of battle will dispel them!" exclaimed Louisa, enthusiastically. "The smoke of powder purifies the air and destroys its noxious vapors."
Just then the door opened, and the king's valet de chambre entered.
"Your majesty," he said, "his excellency, Minister Baron von Hardenberg, requests you to grant him an audience."
"You see the decision is drawing near," said the king, turning to his wife. "I shall request the minister to come in directly."
The valet de chambre withdrew. The king paced the room several times, his hands folded on his back, and without uttering a word.
Louisa dared not disturb him, but her radiant eyes followed him with an expression of tender anxiety and affectionate sympathy.
All at once, the king stopped in the middle of the room and drew a deep breath. "I do not know," he said, "I feel almost joyful and happy now that the decisive moment is at hand. Francis von Sickingen was right in saying, 'Better an end with terror, than a terror without end!'" [Footnote: The motto of the celebrated knight, Francis von Sickingen: "Besser ein Ende mit Schrecken, als ein Schrecken ohne Ende!"]
"Oh," exclaimed the queen, joyfully, "now I recognize my noble and brave husband. When no longer able to avert terrors by mild words and gentle prudence, he raises his chivalrous arm and crushes them.
But as we must not keep your minister waiting, I will withdraw. One word more. Will you permit me to add my subion to the list of contributions for Palm's widow? I do not wish to do so as Queen of Prussia, but as a woman sympathizing with the misfortunes of one of her German sisters, and anxious to comfort her in her distress. I shall not mention my name, but cause our dear mistress of ceremonies to subscribe for me. Will you permit it, my friend?"
"Follow your noble and generous heart, Louisa," said the king, "contribute for the relief of the poor woman!"
"Thanks, my friend, a thousand thanks," exclaimed Louisa, offering her hand to her husband. He kissed it tenderly, and then accompanied the queen to the door.
Louisa wanted here to withdraw her hand from him and open the door, in order to go out, but her husband kept her back, and his features assumed an air of embarrassment.
"I want you to do me a favor," he said, hastily. "When you have caused the mistress of ceremonies to subscribe in your name, please order your grand-marshal to contribute the same sum. I will return it to him from my privy purse." [Footnote: Palm's widow received large sums of money, which were subscribed for her everywhere in Germany, England, and Russia. In St. Petersburg the emperor and empress headed the list.--Vide "Biography of John Philip Palm,"
Munich, 1842.]
The queen made no reply; she encircled the king's neck with her beautiful white arms, and imprinted a glowing kiss on his lips; she then hastily turned around and left the room, perhaps, in order not to let her husband see the tears that filled her eyes.
The king, who had gazed after her with a long and tender look, said in a low voice to himself: "Oh, she is the sunshine of my life. How dreary and cold it would be without her! But now I will see the minister."
He hastened to the opposite door and opened it. "Request Minister von Hardenberg to come in," he said to the valet de chambre, waiting in the anteroom.
After a few minutes Hardenberg entered. The king went forward to meet him, and looked at him inquiringly.
"Good news?" he asked.
"Your majesty, 'good' has a very relative meaning," replied Hardenberg, shrugging his shoulders. "I believe an open and categorical reply to be good."
"Then you are the bearer of such a reply," said the king, quietly;
"first tell me the result of your mission. You may afterward add the particulars of the negotiations."
"I shall comply with your majesty's order. The result is that Austria wants to remain neutral, and will, for the present, engage in no further wars. Her finances are exhausted, and her many defeats have demoralized and discouraged her armies. Napoleon has vanquished Austria, not only militarily, but also morally. The Austrian soldiers look on the Emperor of the French and his victorious armies with an almost superstitious terror; the emperor is discouraged and downcast, and his ministers long for nothing more ardently than a lasting peace with France. His generals, on the other hand, are filled with so glowing an admiration for Napoleon's military genius, that the Archduke Charles himself has said: 'he would deem it a crime to continue the war against Napoleon, instead of courting his friendship.'" [Footnote: Vide "Libensbilder aus dem Befreiungskriege," vol. iii.]
"He may be right," said the king, "but he ought to have called it an imprudence instead of a crime. I know very well that we are unable to retrace our steps, and that the logic of events will compel us to draw the sword and risk a war, but I do not close my eyes against the serious dangers and misfortunes in which Prussia might be involved by taking up arms without efficient and active allies. I have taken pains for years to save Prussia from the horrors and evils of war, but circumstances are more powerful than I, and I shall have to submit to them."
"On the contrary, circumstances will have to submit to your majesty and fate."
"Fate!" the king interrupted him, hastily. "Fate is no courtier, and never flattered me much."
