give it
to me with another pledge of your friendship. Give me Magdeburg for my
children."

Napoleon threw the rose on the table. "Ah, madame," he said, vehemently,
"Magdeburg is no toy for children!" He turned around and paced the room
repeatedly, while Louisa hung her head, and looked resigned as a martyr
ready to suffer death. Napoleon glanced at her as he passed, and the
spectacle exhibited by this aggrieved, and yet so dignified and gentle a
queen, touched him; for it reminded him of Josephine. He stood still in
front of her. "Forgive my impulsiveness," he said; "I cannot give you
Magdeburg, but you may rest assured that I will do all I can to lessen
your calamities, and to fulfil your request. The Emperor Alexander is
aware of my wishes; he knows that I am desirous to serve the King of
Prussia. I should like to repeat this to your husband himself if he were
here."

"He is here," said the queen, hastily; "and with your majesty's
permission he will be with us immediately."

Napoleon bowed in silence. A sign made by Louisa brought the lady of
honor. "Be so kind as to request the king to come to us," said the
queen, quickly.

"And while we are awaiting the king," said Napoleon, calling Talleyrand
from the anteroom, "your majesty will permit me to introduce my
companion. Madame, I have the honor to present my minister of foreign
affairs, M. de Talleyrand, Prince de Benevento."

"And I deem myself happy to make the acquaintance of the greatest
statesman of the age," said the queen, while Talleyrand's short figure
bowed deeply. "Oh, your majesty is indeed to be envied. You have not
only gained great glory, but are also blessed with high-minded and
sagacious advisers and executors of your will. If the king my husband
had always been equally fortunate, a great many things would not have
happened."

"Well, we have induced him to displace at least one bad adviser,"
exclaimed Napoleon. "That man Hardenberg was the evil genius of the
king; he is chiefly to blame for the misfortunes that have befallen
Prussia, and it was necessary to remove him."

"But he was an experienced statesman," said the queen, whose magnanimous
character found it difficult to listen to any charge against Hardenberg
without saying something in his defence; "he is a very skilful
politician, and it will not be easy for the king to fill the place of
Minister von Hardenberg."

"Ah!" said Napoleon, carelessly; "ministers are always to be found. Let