ier of the Prussian kingdom. He
stipulates expressly that the district of Hildesheim shall not be
included in the territory of your majesty on the right of the Elbe, for
he desires this district to form part of the new kingdom of Westphalia,
which he has resolved to organize. But to compensate you for this loss,
he will prevail upon Saxony to cede to you a territory on the right of
the Elbe, equivalent to the district of Memel. Napoleon demands the
Polish provinces of Prussia for the new kingdom of Poland to be
organized; but your majesty is to keep Pomerelia and the districts of
Kulm, Elbing, and Marienwerder. The district of the Netze, as well as
the canal of Bromberg and Thorn, will be taken from Prussia; Dantzic,
with its surroundings, is to be constituted a free--I believe, a free
German city, under the joint protection of Saxony and Prussia. Russia is
to cede the island of Corfu to France. This is Napoleon's 'ultimatum,'"
said Alexander, laying the paper on the table. "These, queen, are the
conditions which your majesty ought to endeavor to render less rigorous,
and if possible, to cancel altogether. What do you think of them, your
majesty?"

"I think that if we cannot avert our fate, we must submit to it,"
replied Frederick William in a hollow voice, "but that recourse ought to
be had to every means to render it less offensive. For if I am compelled
to sign these propositions, I sign the ruin of Prussia."

The queen had listened to the words of the emperor, with breathless
attention, and fixed her eyes inquiringly on her husband. On hearing his
mournful reply, she sank back exhausted, and tears flowed down her
cheeks.

"Your majesty sees how necessary it was that you should come hither,"
said Alexander to the queen. "You have a great task to perform here. You
alone are able to save Prussia!"

Louisa shook her head. "Sire," she said, "he who was arrogant enough to
draw up such an 'ultimatum,' is also cruel enough to withstand all
solicitation. I have come because my king commanded me; faithful to the
duty intrusted to me, I shall try to mitigate our fate, but I do not
hope to be successful."

"In these times, nothing can be promised with any degree of certainty;
we can only hope for the best," said Alexander. "We must not relax in
our efforts to bring about a change in these terms. But I have not yet
communicated to you all the demands of the Emperor Napoleon."

"Indeed!" exclaimed the king, with a bitter l