ght-quarters?"

Frederick raised his head, and was in the act of answering hastily, then
said: "Yes, I need night-quarters." He looked around and saw an empty
peasant's house by the wayside, drew near and entered silently.

CHAPTER XII. A HEROIC SOUL.

"I will pass the night here," said he, "the place appears deserted; we
will disturb no one."

The king was right. The miserable old hut was empty. No one advanced to
meet him as he entered. In one corner of the room there was some dirty
straw; in the other a wooden table and stool--this was all.

"It suffices for me," said the king, smiling. "I will pass the night
here. Have you my writing materials with you?"

"I sent Adjutant von Goltz for them, sire, as I did not wish to leave
you alone."

Goltz now entered with the king's portfolio, and informed him that he
had brought two grenadiers to guard the house.

"Have I still grenadiers?" murmured the king, in a trembling voice. His
head fell upon his breast, and he stood thus lost in deep thought for a
while. "Gentlemen," said he, at length, "inspect the house. See if there
is a more comfortable room than this; if not, I suppose we can manage
to sleep here. Send one of the guard for some soldiers, by whom I can
forward my dispatches."

The adjutants bowed, and left the room. The king was alone. He could at
last give way to his despair--his grief.

"All, all is lost!" murmured the king, and a voice within him answered:
"When all is lost, there is no escape but death! It is unworthy to
continue a life without fame, without glory. The grave alone is a
resting-place for the broken-hearted, humiliated man!"

The king listened attentively to this voice. He had borne with patience
the sorrows and deprivations of the past years, but he could not survive
the ruin of his country. His country was lost. There was no chance of
saving it; his army was gone. The victorious enemy had taken all the
neighboring provinces. The Russians could now march undisturbed to
Berlin. They would find no resistance, for the garrison there consisted
of invalids and cripples.

Berlin was lost! Prussia was lost! The king was resolved to die, for he
was a king without a crown, a hero without laurels. He wished to die,
for he could not survive the destruction of his country. But first he
must arrange his affairs, make his will, and bid adieu to his friends.
The king opened the door hastily, and desired that a light should
be brought--it