rce, that the stupid
people may laugh at what they were originally inclined to weep for. Ah,
that Queen of Prussia was bent upon waging war against me! She shall
have it. We will wage war against each other; let it be a mortal combat.
Did the Prussian ambassador accept our terms?"

[Footnote 20: Talleyrand's prediction was fulfilled. Threats of capital
punishment, and promises of ample rewards, transformed the editor of the
_Telegraph_ into as enthusiastic an admirer of Napoleon as he had
formerly been of Queen Louisa; and, after having hitherto written
nothing but fulsome eulogies, he now did not shrink from publishing the
most shameless libels against her. The immediate consequence was, that
the _Telegraph_ lost in a single day most of its subscribers. But Lange
continued publishing slanderous articles against Louisa, for the French
government paid him.]

"Sire, he was undecided yesterday; but he will not be to-day."

"Why not?"

"Sire, a courier has just arrived, and I came to communicate to your
majesty the news. He is from Stettin, and informed me that that fortress
has capitulated. Our hussars took possession of it."

The emperor smiled. "Well," he said, "when hussars take fortresses, new
military tactics will have to be invented, and the walls of fortresses
might just as well be razed. But you are right. The fall of Stettin is a
most important event, and the government will have to make up its mind
to accept our terms. We ought not, however, to accelerate the peace
negotiations too much. The terms which we have offered to Prussia are
tolerably favorable; if more couriers of this description should arrive,
we ought to render the terms more onerous, and the peace more
humiliating. Try to delay the definite settlement with the Prussian
ambassador; it is not necessary for us to sign the treaty so soon. Let
us await further news."

Just then the door opened, and the _valet de chambre_ appeared,
announcing a courier just arrived, who desired to deliver to his majesty
dispatches from the Grand-duke of Berg. Napoleon made a sign to him. The
door opened, and the courier, in his dusty and bespattered
travelling-costume, entered the room.

"Where is the grand-duke?" asked the emperor, quickly.

"Sire, in Prenzlau."

"Ah, in Prenzlau!" exclaimed Napoleon. "The gates have opened to him,
then! Give me your dispatches, and then go and take rest. I see you
stand in need of it!"

"Sire, I have been ten hours on horse