nd still how glorious it would have
been to die upon the battle-field believing myself the victor!" He held
the vial up to the light and shook it; and as the pills bounded up
and down, he said, smiling sadly, "Death is merry! It comes eagerly to
invite me to the dance. Well, well, my gay cavalier, I am ready for the
dance."

He opened the vial and emptied the pills into his hand. Then arose and
approached the window to see once more the sky with its glittering stars
and its brightly-beaming moon, and the battle-field upon which thousands
of his subjects had this day found their death. Then raised the hand
with the pills. What was it that caused him to hesitate? Why did his
hand fall slowly down? What were his eyes so intently gazing on?

The king was not gazing at the sky, the stars, or the moon; but far
off into the distance, at the Austrian camp-fires. There were the
conquerors, there was Soltikow and Loudon with their armies. The king
had observed these fires before entering the hut, but their number had
now increased, a sign that the enemy had not advanced, but was resting.
How? Was it possible that the enemy, not taking advantage of their
victory, was not following the conquered troops, but giving them time
to rally, to outmarch them, perhaps time to reach the Spree, perhaps
Berlin?

"If this is so," said the king, answering his own thoughts, "if the
enemy neglects to give me the finishing-blow, all is not lost. If there
is a chance of salvation for my country, I must not die; she needs me,
and it is, my duty to do all in my power to retrieve the past."

He looked again at the camp-fires, and a bright smile played about his
lips.

"If those fires speak aright," said he, "my enemies are more
generous--or more stupid--than I thought, and many advantages may still
be derived from this lost battle. If so, I must return to my old motto
that 'life is a duty.' And so long as good, honorable work is to be
done, man has no right to seek the lazy rest of the grave. I must
ascertain at once if my suspicions are correct. Death may wait awhile.
As long as there is a necessity for living, I cannot die."

He returned the pills to the vial and hid the casket in its former
resting-place. Then passing hastily through the room, he opened the
door. The two adjutants were sitting upon the wooden bench in front of
the hut; both were asleep. The grenadiers were pacing with even tread up
and down before the house; deep quiet prevai