CHAPTER　XIV。
  SAXONY　HUMILIATED。
  A　half　an　hour　later　the　ambassadors　of　France；　Austria；　Holland；　Russia；　and　Sweden；　were　assembled　in　the　queen's　reception…room。　The　queen　was　there；　pale；　and　trembling　with　anger。　With　the　proud　pathos　of　misfortune；　and　humiliated　royalty；　she　apprised　them　of　the　repeated　insults　she　had　endured；　and　commanded　them　to　write　at　once　to　their　different　courts；　imploring　their　rulers　to　send　aid　to　her　sorely　threatened　kingdom。
  〃And　if　these　princes；〃　said　she；　impetuously；　〃help　us　to　battle　against　this　usurper；　in　defending　us　they　will　be　defending　their　own　rights　and　honor。　For　my　cause　is　now　the　cause　of　all　kings；　for　if　my　crown　falls；　the　foundation　of　their　thrones　will　also　give　way。　For　this　little　Margrave　of　Brandenburg；　who　calls　himself　King　of　Prussia；　will　annihilate　us　all　it　we　do　not　ruin　him　in　advance。　I；　for　my　part；　swear　him　a　perpetual　resistance；　a　perpetual　enmity！　I　will　perish　willingly　in　this　fight　if　only　my　insults　are　revenged　and　my　honor　remains　untarnished。　Hasten；　therefore；　to　acquaint　your　courts　with　all　that　has　occurred　here。〃
  〃I　will　be　the　first　to　obey　your　majesty；〃　said　the　French　ambassador；　Count　Broglio；　approaching　the　queen。　〃I　will　repeat　your　words　to　my　exalted　master；　I　will　portray　to　your　majesty's　lovely　daughter；　the　Dauphine　of　France；　the　sufferings　her　royal　mother　has　endured；　and　I　know　she　will　strain　every　nerve　to　send　you　aid。　With　your　gracious　permission；　I　will　now　take　my　leave；　for　to…day　I　start　for　Paris。〃
  〃To　Paris！〃　cried　the　queen；　〃would　you　leave　my　court　in　the　hour　of　misfortune？〃
  〃I　would　be　the　last　to　do　this；　unless　forced　by　necessity；〃　said　the　count；　〃but　the　King　of　Prussia　has　just　dismissed　me；　and　sent　me　my　passport！〃
  〃Your　passport！　dismissed　you！〃　repeated　the　queen。　〃Have　I　heard　aright？　Do　you　speak　of　the　King　of　Prussia？　Has　he　then　made　himself　King　of　Saxony？〃
  Before　anyone　had　time　to　answer　the　queen's　painful　questions；　the　door　was　opened；　and　the　king's　ministers　entered；　beside　them　was　to　be　seen　the　pale；　terrified　countenance　of　Count　Leuke；　the　king's　chamberlain。
  Slowly　and　silently　these　gentlemen　passed　through　the　room　and　approached　the　queen。
  〃We　have　come；〃　said　Count　Hoymb；　bowing　lowly；　〃to　take　leave　of　your　majesty。〃
  The　queen　fell　slightly　back；　and　gazed　in　terror　at　the　four　ministers　standing　before　her　with　bowed　heads。
  〃Has　the　king；　my　husband；　sent　for　you？　Are　you　come　to　take　leave　of　me　before　starting　to　Konigstein？〃
  〃No；　your　majesty；　we　come　because　we　have　been　dismissed　from　our　offices　by　the　King　of　Prussia。〃
  The　queen　did　not　answer；　but　gazed　wildly　at　the　sad　countenances　about　her；　and　now　she　fixed　a　searching　glance　upon　the　royal　chamberlain。
  〃Well；　and　you？〃　said　she。　〃Have　you　a　message　for　me　from　my　husband？　Are　you　from　Konigstein？〃
  〃Yes；　your　majesty；　I　come　from　Konigstein。　But　I　am　not　a　bearer　of　pleasant　news。　I　am　sent　to　Dresden　by　the　King　of　Poland　to　request　of　the　King　of　Prussia　passports　for　himself　and　Count　Bruhl。　The　king　wishes　to　visit　Warsaw；　and　is　therefore　desirous　of　obtaining　these　passports。〃
  〃Ah！〃　said　the　queen；　sighing；　〃to　think　that　my　husband　requires　permission　to　travel　in　his　own　kingdom；　and　that　he　must　receive　it　from　our　enemy！　Well；　have　you　obeyed　the　king's　command；　Count　Leuke？　Have　you　been　to　the　King　of　Prussia　and　received　the　passports？〃
  〃I　was　with　the　King　of　Prussia；〃　said　the　count；　in　a　faltering　voice。
  〃Well；　what　more？〃
  〃He　refused　me！　He　does　not　give　his　consent　to　this　visit。〃
  〃Listen；　listen！〃　said　the　queen；　wildly；　〃hear　the　fresh　insult　thrown　at　our　crown！　Can　God　hear　this　and　not　send　His　lightning　to　destroy　this　heretical　tyrant？　Ah；　I　will　raise　my　voice；　it　shall　be　a　cry　of　woe　and　lamentation；　and　shall　resound　throughout　all　Europe；　it　shall　reach　every　throne；　and　every　one　shall　hear　my　voice　calling　out：　'Woe！　woe！　woe　to　us　all；　our　thrones　are　tottering；　they　will　surely　fall　if　we　do　not　ruin　this　evil…doer　who　threatens　us　all！'〃
  With　a　fearful　groan；　the　queen　fell　fainting　into　the　arms　of　Countess　Ogliva。　But　the　sorrows　and　humiliations　of　this　day　were　not　the　only　ones　experienced　by　Maria　Josephine　from　her　victorious　enemy。
  It　is　true　her　cry　for　help　resounded　throughout　Europe。　Preparations　for　war　were　made　in　many　places；　but　her　allies　were　not　able　to　prevent　the　fearful　blow　that　was　to　be　the　ruin　of　Saxony。　Though　the　Dauphine　of　France；　daughter　of　the　wretched　Maria　Josephine；　and　the　mother　of　the　unfortunate　King　of　France；　Louis　XVI。；　threw　herself　at　the　feet　of　Louis　XV。；　imploring　for　help　for　her　mother's　tottering　kingdom；　the　French　troops　came　too　late　to　prevent　this　disaster。　Even　though　Maria　Theresa；　Empress　of　Austria；　and　niece　to　the　Queen　of　Saxony；　as　her　army　were　in　want　of　horses；　gave　up　all　her　own　to　carry　the　cannon。　The　Austrian　cannon　was　of　as　little　help　to　Saxony　as　the　French　troops。
  Starvation　was　a　more　powerful　ally　to　Prussia　than　Austria；　France；　Russia；　and　Sweden　were　to　Saxony；　for　in　the　Saxon　camp　also　a　cry　of　woe　resounded。
  It　was　hunger　that　compelled　the　brave　Saxon　General　Rutrosky　to　capitulate。　It　was　the　same　cause　that　forced　the　King　of　Saxony　to　bind　himself　to　the　fearful　stipulations　which　the　victorious　King　of　Prussia；　after　having　tried　in　vain　for　many　years　to　gain　an　ally　in　Saxony；　made。
  In　the　valley　of　Lilienstein　the　first　of　that　great　drama；　whose　scenes　are　engraved　in　blood　in　the　book　of　history；　was　performed；　and　for　whose　further　developments　many　sad；　long　years　were　necessary。
  In　the　valley　of　Lilienstein　the　Saxon　army；　compelled　to　it　by　actual　starvation；　gave　up　their　arms；　and　as　these　true；　brave　soldiers；　weeping　over　their　humiliation；　with　one　hand　laid　down　their　weapons；　the　other　was　extended　toward　their　enemies　for　bread。
  Lamentation　and　despair　reigned　in　the　camp　at　Lilienstein；　and　there；　at　a　window　of　the　castle　of　Konigstein；　stood　the　Prince…　Elector　of　Saxony；　with　his　favorite　Count　Bruhl；　witnesses　to　their　misery。
  After　these　fearful　humiliations；　by　which　Frederick　punished　the　Saxons　for　their　many　intrigues；　by　which　he　revenged　himself　for　their　obstinate；　enmity；　their　proud　superiorityafter　these　humiliations；　after　their　complete　defeat；　the　King　of　Prussia　was　no　longer　opposed　to　the　King　of　Saxony's　journey。　He　sent　him　the　desired　passports；　he　even　extended　their　number；　and　not　only　sent　one　to　the　king　and　to　Count　Bruhl；　but　also　to　the　Countess　Bruhl；　with　the　express　command　to　accompany　her　husband。　He　also　sent　a　pass　to　Countess　Ogliva；　compelling　this　bigoted　woman　to　leave　her　mistress。
  And　when　the　queen　again　raised　her　cry　of　woe；　to　call　her　allies　to　her　aid；　the　King　of　Prussia　answered　her　with　the　victorious　thunder　of　the　battle　of　Losovitz；　the　first　battle　fought　in　this　war；　and　in　which　the　Prussians；　led　by　their　king；　performed　wonders　of　bravery；　and　defeated　for　the　third　time　the　tremendous　Austrian　army；　under　the　command　of　General　Brown。
  〃Never；〃　says　Frederick；　〃since　I　have　had　the　honor　to　command　the　Prussian　troops；　have　they　performed　such　deeds　of　daring　as　to…　day。〃
  The　Austrians；　in　viewing　these　deeds；　cried　out：
  〃We　have　found　again　the　old　Prussians！〃
  And　still　they　fought　so　bravely；　that　the　Prussians　remarked　in　amazement：　〃These　cannot　be　the　same　Austrians！〃
  This　was　the　first　act　of　that　great　drama　enacted　by　the　European　nations；　and　of　which　King　Frederick　II。　was　the　hero。
  BOOK　III。
  CHAPTER　I。
  THE　MAIDEN　OF　BRUNEN。
  The　sun　was　just　setting；　throwing　its　crimson　glow　upon　the　waters　of　the　Rhine；　which　appeared　to　flow　like　a　river　of　blood　between　the　green　meadows　on　either　side　of　it。
  From　the　little　village　of　Brunen；　whose　red　chimneys　were　visible　above　a　group　of　oak　and　beech　trees；　the　sound　of　the　evening　bell　was　heard；　reminding　the　pious　peasants；　engaged　in　cutting　and　garnering　their　golden　corn；　of　the　hour　for　devotion。
  With　the　sweet　sounds　of　the　bell　mingled　the　joyous　mountain　yodel　of　the　cowherd；　who　had　just　descended　the　little　hill　yonder；　with　his　herd　straying　here　and　there；　in　picturesque　confusion。　Upon　the　green　meadow　in　the　foreground；　the　flocks　of　the　village　were　pasturing；　strictly　guarded　by　a　large　white　dog；　whose　stern；　martial　glance　not　the　slightest　movement　among　his　army　contrary　to　discipline；　escaped。　As　soon　as　one　of　the　sheep　committed　to　his　care　left　the　fold　and　approached　the　field　where　the　reapers　were　mowing　the　corn；　which　was　bound　at　once　in　sheaves　by　busy　maidens；　the　stern　Phylax　barking；　growling；　and　snarling；　rushed　after　the　audacious　wanderer　who　sought　to　appease　the　anger　of　his　inexorable　overseer　by　a　speedy　return。
  The　old　shepherd；　sitting　not　far　off　upon　a　little　wooden　stool；　with　his　long；　silver　hair　falling　about　him；　was　engaged　in　weaving　a　graceful　basket　of　some　meadow　roots；　at　every　bark　of　his　Phylax　he　looked　up　and　smiled　his　approval　at　his　faithful　steward；　occasionally　he　gazed　across　the　meadow　at　the　reapers　and　busy　maidens；　then　there　came　upon　his　ve