he while in the same attitude, his
head supported on his arm, and his face hidden behind his hand, slowly
dropped it and looked long and inquiringly at the queen. "It is your
turn now to express your opinion," he said, calmly. "I believe you owe
it to your advisers to tell them what you think of it. You thank those
who speak to you honestly and truthfully, by answering them in the same
manner. I, therefore, request the queen now to speak in her turn, and to
tell us what she thinks of this treaty."

"I think, my king and husband, that I would rather be killed by the
first cannon-ball discharged against France than sanction this
ignominious treaty," exclaimed the queen, with glowing cheeks, and with
passionate impetuosity. "I think that, in case you sign it, I should
never dare to set foot again in the palace of Charlottenburg, because it
would seem to me as though I were not allowed to raise my eyes either to
man or to God, for the human heart turns away from the perfidious and
dishonored, and God Himself has no mercy on them. I should think the
walls of this house would fall upon us to hide our shame--I should
shrink shudderingly from every table, because that treaty might have
been signed on it which is to render us recreant to duty, and to steal
our unsullied honor. No! let us be humiliated, and succumb with a clear
conscience, rather than accept the friendship and alliance of the
Corsican, at the expense of principle!"

"Ah!" muttered the king, bowing his head, "if words could be transformed
into swords, you would win battles for me to-day. Unfortunately,
however, soldiers are necessary for that purpose, and I have no army.
Your words may be the dragons' teeth from which armed warriors may
spring, but they might turn against ourselves and annihilate us!" He
paused and looked down musingly. The queen dared not disturb his
reflections, and gazed at him in silence and with an air of tender
sympathy. The two ministers looked no less grave, and waited until he
would interrupt the silence and address them.

The king raised his head and looked at the clock. "Four o'clock," he
said, rising more hastily than usual. "I have ordered the ministers and
generals to assemble at the rooms of Minister von Haugwitz, and told
them that I should be present. I like to be punctual. Let us go then,
gentlemen; it is time for us to be at the conference."

The two ministers rose to take leave of the queen. Louisa gave each of
them her han