rself to the
danger of war. Have you not obtained glory and power enough? Alexander
and Caesar gained no more laurels than you! Be happy, and let us leave
the execution of our projects to the future."

"Yes, let us do so," replied Napoleon. "I am also longing for repose. I
am tired of conquest; it has charms for me no longer, and battle-fields
seem to me what they are--the graveyards of brave men prematurely taken
from their country and their families. No more war! Peace with the whole
world, made more desirable by the friendship of Alexander!" He offered
his hand with that smile which no one could withstand. "Oh!" he
continued, "I am so happy at having at length arrived at an
understanding with you, and strengthened our alliance, that I wish your
majesty had some desire that I might grant, and which it would be
difficult for me to fulfil. Is there nothing at all that you could
demand of me?"

"Yes, sire, there is," responded Alexander, "and I have both a wish and
a prayer to address your majesty. Sire, my ally, the poor King of
Prussia, and his noble consort, are still living in exile. I saw them,
with your consent, on passing through Koenigsberg, and confess that I
promised to intercede for them, and procure an alleviation of their
unfortunate condition."

"An alleviation of their unfortunate condition!" exclaimed Napoleon,
frowning. "Do they not owe their present fate entirely to themselves?
Why do they not pay punctually the contributions which I have imposed
upon them?"

"Sire, because they cannot! Prussia, exhausted, and reduced to one-half
of her former territory, is unable to pay war contributions amounting to
one hundred and fifty millions of dollars, in the short space of two
years, and to feed, besides, a French army of forty thousand men. Your
majesty ought to be magnanimous, and restore at least a semblance of
independence to my poor ally, by putting an end to the occupation."

"If I do so, Prussia would think no longer of fulfilling her obligations
to me," exclaimed Napoleon. "Instead of paying the war contributions,
she would be foolish enough to rise in open hostility against me. Queen
Louisa hates me; she will never cease to intrigue against me, and to
instigate her husband to pursue a course hostile to me. She surrounds
herself and her husband by men who share her sentiments, and are
plotting to revolutionize Prussia--nay, all Germany. There is, for
instance, a certain Baron von Stein, whom the k