"Etiquette requires me to do so," said the king. "You know very well
that I care nothing for these empty forms; but it seems that Napoleon,
to whom they are still new, deems them necessary for upholding the
majesty of the new-fangled empire. The emperor pays a visit to the queen
alone; hence, you must receive him alone. Only your lady of honor is
allowed to remain in the adjoining room, the door of which will be left
open. Napoleon's companion--Talleyrand, I believe--will also remain
there. Farewell, Louisa; I shall come only when the emperor expressly
asks for me. Do you hear the horses in front of the house? Napoleon is
coming! I go." He nodded pleasantly, and left the room.

"Oh, my children!" muttered the queen; "I am doing this for you--for
your sake I will speak and humble my heart!"

She heard the sound of footsteps on the staircase, and Madame von Berg
appeared in the adjoining room to announce that his majesty the Emperor
Napoleon was approaching. Louisa nodded, and, quickly crossing the
anteroom, she went out into the corridor. Napoleon was just ascending
the stairs. His face was illuminated with a triumphant expression, and a
sinister fire was burning in his eyes, which he fixed on the queen with
a strange mixture of curiosity and sympathy. Louisa looked at him
calmly; a touching smile played on her lips; her beautiful face beamed
with energy and courage, and an air of pious solemnity was visible in
her whole appearance. Napoleon felt involuntarily moved in the presence
of a lady so queen-like and yet so gentle, and bowed more respectfully
to her than he had ever done to any other woman.

"Sire," said Louisa, conducting him into the room, "I am sorry that your
majesty had to ascend so miserable a staircase."

"Oh," exclaimed Napoleon, "if the way leading to you was inconvenient,
madame, the reward is so desirable that one would shrink from no trouble
to obtain it."

"It seems there is nothing too inconvenient for your majesty," said the
queen, gently. "Neither the sands of Egypt nor the snows of our north
impede the career of the hero. And yet I should think our cold climate
an obstacle difficult to overcome. Did your majesty not have this
opinion sometimes last winter?"

"It is true," said Napoleon. "Your Prussia is somewhat cold. She is too
close to Russia, and allows herself to be fanned too much by its icy
breezes!"

Louisa feigned not to understand this allusion to the policy of Prussia,
and, tur