d the king, solemnly.

"Take your hand from your sword--the truth is an enemy that you cannot
contend against with weapons, but with deeds, and your conduct testifies
against you."

The prince breathed heavily, and turned deadly pale.

"The contest is over. Your majesty fights against me with weapons which
I do not possess, and would not dare use, and against which I cannot
defend myself. You open my private letters, and from the harmless
confidences of friendship you make a traitor of me. To call me a
traitor, is to degrade me. I am dishonored; and with a dishonored
culprit your majesty cannot contend. I will therefore withdraw. No one
will see the wounds you have inflicted--which have pierced my heart;
but, I tell you, my brother, I will die of these wounds."

"And in heaven, I suppose, you will accuse me as your murderer?" said
the king, ironically.

"No! in heaven I will pray for my fatherland," said Prince Augustus
William, mildly. He bowed respectfully, turned, and left the room.

Without stood the generals, maintaining a solemn silence. When they saw
the prince appear at the door of the king's tent, so pale, so suffering,
a prophetic warning filled every breast. It seemed to them that a dying
man approached them, and with inexpressible sorrow held out his hand for
a last farewell.

"It is passed! The battle is ended!"

At this moment the adjutant of the king left the tent, and approached
the generals, who stood near the prince.

"His majesty commands you to see that the soldiers of the third army
corps are kept, as far as it is possible, entirely separated from the
rest of the army. You will immediately convey the order to the king's
army, that all intercourse between them and the third army corps
is forbidden, as this corps seems to have lost all courage and all
honorable feeling."

[Footnote: Kustrin, "Characteristics from the Life of Frederick the
Great"]

"The king's commands shall be obeyed," said the generals, coldly.

The prince was completely overcome by this last blow, and leaned for
a moment upon the arm of the Duke of Wurtemberg; he soon recovered
himself, and turning to General Schultz, he said:

"Go and bring me, from the king, the watchword of the third army corps."

General Schultz withdrew, but returned quickly from the king's tent,
with a dark frown upon his face.

"Well," said the prince, "have you the watchword?"

"No, your royal highness! The king says, that for cowards and