horseman　makes　no　sign。　Silently　he　dashes　on　through　the　laughing；　chatting　crowd；　but　wherever　he　passes；　laughter　and　smiles　disappear；　and　speech　is　silenced。
  It　seemed　as　if　the　angel　of　death　had　touched　his　brow；　and　the　happy　ones　shuddered　at　his　untimely　presence。　Now　he　has　reached　the　castle；　he　descends　from　his　horse。　In　breathless　silence；　pallid；　trembling　they　know　not　why；　those　who　have　seen　this　dumb　messenger　look　up　shudderingly　to　the　balcony。　At　last；　after　long　waiting；　the　Minister　Herzberg　appeared　once　more。
  But；　O　God！　what　means　this？　he　is　palehis　eyes　are　filled　with　tears。　He　opens　his　mouth　to　speak；　but　strength　has　left　him。　He　holds　on　to　the　bars　of　the　balcony；　otherwise　he　would　sink。　At　last　he　collects　himself。　It　is　not　necessary　to　ask　for　silence；　the　silence　of　the　grave　is　upon　those　torpid　men。　He　speaks！　his　voice　is　faint　and　weak；　and　tremblesoh；　so　fearfully！　only　a　few　in　the　first　rank　can　hear　his　words。
  〃The　battle　is　lost！　The　Russians　have　conquered！　The　Austrians　came　to　their　assistance！　The　presence　of　the　Austrians　was　not　known；　they　had　their　tents　in　holes　in　the　ground！　As　our　militia　rushed　upon　the　last　intrenchment　at　Judenberg　and　were　only　a　hundred　steps　distant；　Loudon　suddenly　advanced　with　his　fresh　troops；　against　the　worn…out　and　exhausted　victors。　He　received　the　Prussians　with　so　murderous　a　fire；　that　their　ranks　faltered；　wavered；　and；　at　last；　broke　loose　in　wild　flight；　pursued　furiously　by　the　raging　enemy。　The　fortunes　of　the　day　had　turned；　we　lost　the　battle。　But　all　is　not　lost。　The　king　lives！　he　is　slightly　wounded；　three　horses　were　shot　under　him。　He　lives；　and　so　long　as　he　lives；　there　is　hope。　In　the　far　distance；　in　the　midst　of　the　terrible　disaster？　which　have　befallen　himself　and　his　army；　he　thinks　of　his　Berliners。　He　sends　you　a　father's　greeting；　and　exhorts　every　one　of　you　to　save　his　possessions；　as　far　as　possible。　Those　who　do　not　feel　safe　in　Berlin；　and　who　fear　the　approaching　enemy；　the　king　counsels　to　withdraw；　if　possible；　with　their　money；　to　Magdeburg；　where　the　royal　family　will　take　refuge　this　evening。〃
  The　minister　was　silent；　and　the　people　who　had　listened；　dumb　with　horror；　now　broke　out　in　wild　cries　of　anguish　and　despair。　Terror　was　written　in　every　face；　tears　gushed　from　every　eye。　Cries　of　unspeakable　agony　burst　from　those　lips；　which；　a　few　moments　before；　were　eloquent　with　hope　and　gladness。
  As　if　it　were　impossible　to　believe　in　these　misfortunes　without　further　confirmation；　some　men　called　loudly　for　the　messenger；　and　the　distant　crowd；　as　if　inspired　with　new　hope；　roared　louder　and　louder：
  〃The　courier！　the　courier！　we　will　ourselves　speak　with　the　courier！〃
  The　demand　was　so　threatening；　so　continuous；　it　must　be　complied　with。　Herzberg　stepped　upon　the　balcony；　and　informed　the　crowd　that　the　courier　would　at　once　descend　to　the　public　square。　A　breathless　silence　succeeded；　every　eye　was　fixed　upon　the　castle…gate；　through　which　the　courier　must　come。　When　he　appeared；　the　crowd　rushed　forward　toward　him　in　mad　haste。　Cries　of　woe　and　suffering　were　heard。　The　people；　withmad　with　pain；　beside　themselves　with　despair；　had　no　longer　any　mercy；　any　pity　for　each　other。　They　rushed　upon　the　messenger　of　misfortune；　without　regarding　those　who；　in　the　midst　of　this　wild　tumult；　were　cast　down；　and　trodden　under　foot。
  The　messenger　began　his　sad　story。　He　repeated　all　that　the　minister　had　said；　he　told　of　the　deadly　strife；　of　the　bloody　havoc；　of　the　raging　advance　of　the　Austrians；　and　of　the　roar　for　vengeance　of　the　reassured　Russians。　He　told　how　the　cannon…balls　of　the　enemy　had　stricken　down　whole　ranks　of　Prussians；　that　more　than　twenty　thousand　dead　and　wounded　Prussians　lay　upon　the　battle…field；　that　all　the　cannon　and　all　the　colors　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy。
  The　people　received　this　news　with　tears；　cries；　and　lamentations。　The　courier　spoke　also　of　the　king。　He；　himself；　had　belonged　to　the　body…guard　of　the　kinghad　been　ever　near　him。　He　had　seen　the　king　standing　in　the　midst　of　the　thickest　shower　of　balls；　when　his　two　adjutants　fell　at　his　side。　At　last；　a　ball　came　and　wounded　the　king's　horsethe　Vogelso　fearfully；　that　the　brave　steed　fell。　Frederick　mounted　another　horse；　but　remained　upon　the　same　spot；　a　second　ball　wounded　this　horse；　and　the　king　quietly　mounted　that　of　Captain　Gotzen。　At　this　moment；　a　bullet　struck　the　king　in　the　breast；　but　the　golden　etui　which　the　king　carried　in　his　pocket；　had　turned　it　aside；　and　thus　saved　his　life。　In　vain　had　the　generals　and　adjutants　entreated　him　to　leave　this　place；　and　think　of　his　personal　safety。　His　answer　was〃We　must　seek；　at　this　point；　to　win　the　battle。　I　must　do　my　duty　here　with　the　rest。〃　＇Footnote：　The　king's　own　words。See　Thiebault；　p。　214。＇
  Many　voices　cried　out〃Where　is　the　king　now？〃
  The　courier　did　not　answer；　but　the　question　was　so　fiercely；　so　stormily　repeated；　that　he　was　compelled　to　go　on。
  〃The　king；　in　the　midst　of　the　confusion　and　horror　of　the　flight；　had　called　him；　and　commanded　him　to　gallop　to　Berlin；　and　bear　the　fatal　news　to　Minister　Herzberg。　He　had　then　galloped　by　him；　exactly　against　the　enemy；　as　if　he　wished　their　balls　to　strike　him；　a　little　troop　of　his　most　faithful　soldiers　had　followed！〃
  〃The　king　is　lost！　the　king　is　a　prisonerwoundedperhaps　dead！〃　cried　the　terrified　people。
  Suddenly；　the　mad　tumult　was　interrupted　by　loud　shouts　of　joy；　which　swelled　and　thundered　like　an　avalanche　from　the　other　side　of　the　square。　A　fifth　courier　had　arrived；　and　brought　the　news　of　the　complete　defeat　of　the　Russians；　and　a　glorious　Prussian　victory。　Now；　one　of　those　memorable；　wondrousgrand　scenes　took　place；　which　no　earthly　phantasy　could　contrive　or　prepare；　to　which　only　Providence　could　give　form　and　color。　As　if　driven　by　the　storm…　winds　of　every　powerful　earthly　passion；　this　great　sea　of　people　fluctuated　here　and　there。　At　one　point；　thousands　were　weeping　over　the　news　which　the　unhappy　messenger　had　brought。　Near　by；　thousands　were　huzzaing　and　shouting　over　the　joyful　intelligence　brought　by　the　fifth　courier；　while　those　who　had　been　near　enough　to　the　fourth　courier　to　understand　his　words；　turned　aside　to　give　the　sad　news　to　those　who　were　afar　off。　Coming　at　the　same　time　from　the　other　side；　they　were　met　by　a　mighty　mass　of　men；　who　announced；　with　glad　cries；　the　news　of　victory；　brought　by　the　fifth　courier。　Here　you　could　see　men；　with　their　arms　raised　to　heaven；　thanking　God　for　the　hardly…won　victory。　A　little　farther　on；　pale；　frightened　creatures；　motionless；　bowed　down；　and　grief…stricken。　Here　were　women；　with　glowing　cheeks　and　sparkling　eyes；　shouting　over　their　hero　king。　There；　the　people　wept　and　moaned；　their　king　had　disappeared；　was　a　prisoner；　or　dead。　As　at　the　Tower　of　Babel；　the　people　spoke　in　a　thousand　tongues；　and　no　one　listened　to　another；　every　one　was　lostblinded　by　his　own　passionate　hopes　and　fears。
  At　last　the　two　couriers　were　called　upon　to　come　face　to　face　and　decide　these　important　questions。　Strong　men　lifted　them　upon　their　shoulders　and　brought　them　together；　a　profound　and　fearful　silence　ensued；　every　man　felt　that　he　stood　upon　the　eve　of　a　mighty　revelation；　fifty　thousand　men　were　waiting　breathlessly　for　news　of　happiness　beyond　compare；　or　of　unspeakable　woe。　The　conversation　of　the　two　horsemen　standing　upon　the　shoulders　of　their　townsmen　was　quick　and　laconic。
  〃At　what　hour　did　the　king　send　you　off？〃　said　the　fourth　courier　to　the　fifth。
  〃At　six。　The　king　himself　commissioned　me〃
  〃Where　stood　our　army　at　that　time？〃　said　the　fourth　courier。
  〃They　stood　before　the　hollow　ground；　and　the　Russians　had　withdrawn　to　the　intrenchments　of　Zudenberg；　we　had　taken　a　hundred　and　twenty　cannon；　and　many　of　our　soldiers　were　wandering　about　the　battle…　field　looking　at　the　batteries　they　had　taken。〃　＇Footnote：　Bodman。＇
  〃Yes；〃　said　the　fourth　courier；　sadly；　〃that　was　at　six；　but　at　seven　we　were　in　full　flight。　Loudon　had　risen　from　the　ground；　and　the　frightened；　conquered　Russians　had　recovered　themselves。　You　left　at　six；　I　at　eight；　I　have　ridden　more　rapidly　than　you。　Unhappily；　I　am　right；　the　battle　is　lost！〃
  〃The　battle　is　lost！〃　howled　the　people；　〃the　king　is　also　lost！　Woe！　woe！〃
  At　this　moment　the　royal　equipages　were　seen　making　their　way　slowly　through　the　crowd；　and　the　advance　guard　were　praying　the　people　to　open　a　way　for　the　travelling　carriages　to　reach　the　castle。　These　words　excited　new　alarm。　〃We　are　lost！　Let　us　fly；　let　us　fly！　The　court；　the　queen；　and　the　princesses　fleelet　us　save　ourselves！　The　Russians　will　come　to　Berlinthey　will　annihilate　us。　We　are　deserted　and　lost；　lost！no　one　knows　where　our　king　is！〃
  As　if　driven　by　madness；　the　crowds　rushed　against　each　other；　like　the　sea　when　it　divides；　and　in　billowy　streams　pours　itself　out　here　and　there；　and　the　cry　of　anguish　which　now　rang　out　from　the　castle　square；　found　its　echo　in　every　street　and　every　house。
  CHAPTER　XI。
  AFTER　THE　BATTLE。
  The　cannon　were　silenced；　the　discharges　of　musketry　had　ceased。　On　the　great　plain　of　Kunersdorf；　where；　a　fe