d to the insolent, cursed Pole, but that on some future day you will
shake your fist in his face, and amply requite his haughty arrogance."

"Well done; you have read correctly," exclaimed the Elector, laughing.
"You have divined my most secret thoughts."

"And may a good God only deign to grant me this one favor, that I may live
long enough to see your thoughts put in action, gracious sir! May he
preserve me from gout and paralysis, that I too, may have a hand in the
deeds of that blessed day, and strike a few well-aimed blows."

"Well, it is to hoped that not many years will elapse ere the dawning of
that day," said the Elector. "I shall not know ease or rest until it is
here, and I can have my revenge. Let us think of this, old friend, and be
meekly patient and wear a placid mien on our way to Warsaw, to humble
ourselves. You know a man must sometimes swallow bitter medicine when he
is sick and faint, and the bitterest will appear sweet if he drinks it in
order to imbibe new life and health. My poor country is, indeed, sick unto
death, and therefore I go to Warsaw to swallow a bitter pill for the
health and salvation of my land. But we go on crutches, two hard
crutches."

"I know the names of those crutches, your highness," said Burgsdorf. "One
crutch is called 'Imperial,' the other 'Polish.'"

"You have guessed correctly, old friend," answered the Elector. "But some
day we will throw aside the crutches on which we must now lean, and
Prussia shall be the sword which we shall unsheathe and draw against all
our foes. I must now submit to having a lord over me, but the time will
come when the Prussian black eagle will feel itself strong enough to do
battle against the white eagle of Poland, and soar aloft on bold, strong
wing. Once more I tell you, old friend, think of that, if we do go now to
Warsaw! You are to accompany me, and when you ride into Warsaw at the head
of my soldiers, as their colonel and chief, show a smiling visage to the
fair Polish women and enchant them by your grace."

"I will so enchant them, your highness," laughed Burgsdorf, "that for
rapture at sight of me they will not look at you, and not even make an
attempt to win your heart."

"My heart, Burgsdorf?" said the Elector. "I have no heart, at least no
personal one. My thoughts and feelings belong only to my country, my
ambition, and my future. I now go to Warsaw and bow my head in the dust,
that at a later period I may lift it up the more