eded assistance
applied to him, and to each one he had promised to intercede for
him. Laden with petitions and commissions from the magistracy,
the merchants, and the citizens of Berlin, he entered the Russian
general's quarters. Deeply inspired with the importance of his
commission, he traversed the halls which led to the general's private
apartments, saying to himself, "This is the most important mission I
have ever undertaken, for the welfare of the whole town depends upon
it--a million dollars depend upon every word I may utter. Many a
struggle have I had in these days, but this is the hardest of them
all, and victory hangs on my tongue."

With beaming countenance and sparkling eyes, with his whole being
animated with the sacredness of his office, he entered the cabinet
of the Russian general. Tottleben did not offer him, as heretofore, a
friendly welcome. He did not even raise his eyes from the dispatches
which he was in the act of reading, and his contracted brows and the
whole expression of his countenance was such as to discourage any
petition or pleading. At this moment General von Tottleben was a true
Russian, and, thanks to General Fermore's dispatches, he had succeeded
in suppressing his German sympathy. At least he flattered himself that
he had, and for that reason he avoided meeting Gotzkowsky's clear,
bright eye.

Without taking any notice, he finished reading the papers, and then
rose and walked about the room. After a while he seemed as if by
accident to perceive Gotzkowsky's presence, and stopped short. "Have
you come back already?" he asked in a sullen, grumbling tone. "I
know very well that you have returned to beg for all sorts of useless
trash; I can't bear such eternal begging and whining--a pitiful rabble
that is all the time creeping to our feet."

"Yes, your excellency, it is nothing but a poor, pitiful rabble," said
Gotzkowsky with a smile; "and for this very reason the Russians are
despised all over Europe. Toward the high and mighty they behave
like fawning hounds, and toward the low and humble they are rude and
arrogant."

"I am not speaking of the Russians," cried the general, as he turned
his lowering countenance toward Gotzkowsky, "I am speaking of _you_.
All day long you have done nothing but beg and demand."

But Gotzkowsky met him with quiet and smiling composure. "Pardon, your
excellency, it is you who demand; and because you are all the time
demanding, I must all the time be