again; but if Champagne gives them cover, what will it be when we get into
the broken country that lies between this and Paris? Still there has been
no rising of the people, and until then, we have nothing to fear for the
event of the campaign."

"What then have you to fear?" was my question. "What calls the council
to-night?"

"My good friend," said Varnhorst with a grave smile, which more reminded
me of Guiscard, "remember the Arab apologue, that every man is born with
two strings tied to him, one large and visible, but made of twisted
feathers; the other so fine as to be invisible, but made of twisted steel.
Thus there are few men without a visible motive, which all can see, and an
invisible one--which, however, pulls then just as the puller pleases.
Berlin pulls now, and the duke's glory and the good of Europe must be
sacrificed to policy."

"But will the king suffer this? Will the emperor stand by and see this
done?"

"They are both zealous for the liberation of the unfortunate royal family.
But, _entre nous_--and this is a secret which I scarcely dare whisper even
in a French desert--their counsellors have other ideas. Poland is the
prize to which the ministers of both courts look. They know that the
permanent possession of French provinces is impossible. It is against the
will of your great country, against the deepest request of the French king,
and against their own declarations. But Polish seizures would give them
provinces to which nobody has laid claim, and which nobody can envy. The
consequence is, that a negotiation is on foot at this moment to conclude
the war by treaty, and, having ensured the safety of the royal family, to
withdraw the army into Lorraine."

"Why am I then summoned?"

"To put your signature to the preliminaries."

I started with indignation. "They shall wait long enough if they wait till
I sign them. I shall not attend this council."

"Observe," said Varnhorst, "I have spoken only on conjecture. If I return
without you, my candour will be rewarded by an instant sentence for
Spandau."

This decided me. I shook my gallant friend by the hand, the cloud passed
from his brow, and we rode together to the council. This was of a more
formal nature than I had yet witnessed. Two officers expressly sent from
Vienna and Berlin, a kind of military envoys, had brought the decisions of
their respective cabinets upon the crisis. The duke said little. He had
lost his gay nonchalance of manners