his chair. The queen
became paler than before.

"What more?" said the king, gloomily.

"The second dispatch," continued Count Mattzahn, smilingly, "informed
his excellency Count Bruhl that the King of Prussia, my noble and
victorious master, was pressing forward, and had also taken Leipsic
without the slightest resistance!"

"How!" said the king, "he is in Leipsic?"

"Sire, I think he was there," said Count Mattzahn, laughing; "for it
seems that the Prussians, led by their king, have taken the wings of the
morning. Frederick was in Leipsic when the courier left--he must now be
on his way to Dresden. But he has commissioned me to say that his motive
for passing through Saxony is to see and request your majesty to take a
neutral part in this war between Austria and Prussia."

"A neutral part!" said the king, angrily, "when my land is invaded
without question or permission, and peace broken in this inexplicable
manner. Have you any other message, count?"

"I have finished, sire, and humbly ask if you have any answer for my
sovereign?"

"Tell the king, your master, that I will raise my voice throughout
the land of Germany to complain of this unheard-of and arbitrary
infringement of the peace. At the throne of the German emperor I will
demand by what right the King of Prussia dares to enter Saxony with his
army and take possession of my cities. You can depart, sir; I have no
further answer for his majesty!"

The count, bowing reverentially to the king and queen, left the royal
tent.

Every eye was fixed upon the prime minister. From him alone, who was
considered the soul of the kingdom of Saxony, help and counsel was
expected. All important questions were referred to him, and all were
now eagerly looking for his decision. But the powerful favorite was in
despair. He knew how utterly impossible it was to withstand the King of
Prussia's army. Every arrangement for this war had been made on paper,
but in reality little had been accomplished. The army was not in
readiness! The prime minister had been in want of a few luxuries of
late, and had, therefore, as he believed there would be no war until the
following spring, reduced it. He knew how little Saxony was prepared
to battle against the King of Prussia's disciplined troops, and the
ambassador's friendly assurances did not deceive him.

"Well, count," said the king, after a long pause, "how is this
strange request of Frederick II., that we should remain neutral,