an easy-chair,
"did you not tell me the Prince von Lichtenstein had informed you that
frequent propositions to assassinate me had been made to him?"

"Yes, sire," replied Champagny, "and the prince told me he had
invariably rejected them with horror."

"Nevertheless, an attempt has been made. A young man, scarcely twenty
years old, with the face of a sick girl, came hither to-day to stab me
with a kitchen-knife, as he would a goose or a calf."

"Merciful Heaven, that is terrible!" exclaimed Champagny, turning pale.
"The life of your majesty was really endangered, then?"

"If the knife which an assassin aims at your breast endangers your life,
mine was endangered," said the emperor, with a gloomy smile. "It seems
my marshals were somewhat distrustful, and did not believe so
confidently in the love and admiration of the spectators as I did, and
that saved my life."

"It is, perhaps, only a false suspicion, sire; the knife, it may be, was
not intended for your majesty."

"Oh, it was! I personally examined the young man. He confesses his
purpose; he boasts of it, and says if I pardoned him he would attempt
the same thing."

"Horrible!" exclaimed Champagny.

"Yes, horrible!" repeated the emperor, musingly, "the more so as he
assures me with the utmost tranquillity that every German shares his
hatred of me; that the whole land is but a hotbed of conspiracy, and
that thousands of hands are already armed to pierce my heart. And this
young man is in perfect health, bodily and mentally, according to
Corvisart, who twice examined him; his pulse is regular, and not in the
least feverish. Ah, these Germans have gall in their veins instead of
blood! They are fanatics, and of such we ought to beware." He dropped
his head on his breast. After some time he turned toward the minister,
who was sitting opposite him in respectful silence. "Champagny," he
said, hastily, "we must make peace. I am bent on putting an end to the
war, and on leaving the country. Return to Vienna, and send immediately
for the Austrian plenipotentiaries. You have already agreed as to the
chief points; it is the war contribution alone that still prevents both
sides from coming to a definite understanding. You ask for fifty
millions more than the Austrians offer to pay; well, compromise with
them; induce the ambassadors to assent to the payment of seventy-five
millions, and make peace. I am satisfied with the stipulations of the
last draft of the treaty; a