are　all　these　officers！　How　grand；　how　glorious　then　must　the　king　be；　who　is　far　nobler　than　they！　He　does　not　come；　I　will　enter　and　pass　the　time　in　looking　at　all　these　splendidly…dressed　soldiers。〃　He　stepped　lightly　to　the　door；　and　peered　in。　He　started；　a　low　cry　of　terror　escaped　him；　as　he　looked　at　the　scene　before　him。
  The　generalsthe　officers　dressed　in　the　gold　and　silver　embroidered　uniformsstood　around　the　room　with　bared　heads；　in　their　midst　stood　the　stranger　with　the　dusty　boots。　He　alone　had　his　hat　on。　He　alone　bore　neither　epaulets　nor　stars：　he　was　clad　in　simple　uniform；　without　a　single　ornament；　and　still；　wonderful　to　say；　it　now　seemed　to　the　magistrate　that　he　was　more　noble；　more　splendid…looking　than　all　the　others。　He　was　the　smallest　amongst　them；　but　seemed　much　taller。　They　stood　with　bowed　heads　before　him；　he　alone　was　raised　proudly　to　his　full　height。　There　was　something　grand　and　glorious　in　his　countenance；　and　when　his　large；　luminous　eyes　fell　upon　the　magistrate；　he　endeavored　in　vain　to　slip　awayhe　was　rooted　to　the　spot　as　if　by　magnetism。
  〃Will　you　not　stay　with　us　until　the　king　comes？〃　said　Frederick；　laughing。
  The　magistrate　answered　the　smile　with　a　broad　grin。　〃I　see；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　are　laughing　at　me。　You　know　that　you　yourself　are　the　king。〃
  Frederick　nodded　an　assent；　and　then　turned　to　Prince　Anhalt　von　Dessau。
  〃You　see；　sir；　how　precarious　a　thing　is　the　glory　and　magnificence　of　a　king。　This　man　took　me　for　a　servant；　his　dull　eyes　could　not　perceive　my　innate　glory。〃
  〃Your　majesty　justly　calls　this　man's　eyes　dull；〃　said　the　prince；　laughing。
  Frederick　looked　at　him　kindly；　and　then　began　a　low；　earnest　conversation　with　his　generals；　who　listened　attentively　to　his　every　word。
  The　magistrate　still　stood　at　the　door。　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　had　never　seen　any　thing　so　splendid…looking　as　this　man　with　the　muddy　boots；　the　simple　coat；　and　torn；　unwieldy　hat；　whose　countenance　beamed　with　beauty；　whose　eyes　glittered　like　stars。
  〃That；　then；　is　really　the　king？〃　said　he　to　one　of　the　royal　servants〃the　King　of　Prussia；　who　for　five　years　has　been　fighting　with　the　empress　for　us？〃
  〃Yes；　it　is　him。〃
  〃From　to…day　on　I　am　a　Prussian　at　heart；〃　continued　the　magistrate；　〃yes；　and　a　good　and　true　one。　The　King　of　Prussia　dresses　badly；　that　is　true；　but　I　suppose　his　object　is　to　lighten　the　taxes。〃　Passing　his　coat…sleeve　across　his　misty　eyes；　he　hastened　to　the　kitchen　to　investigate　dinner。
  CHAPTER　XV。
  THE　PROPOSAL　OF　MARRIAGE。
  Some　days　had　passed　since　the　king　entered　Voiseilvitz。　He　dwelt　in　the　house　of　the　magistrate；　and　the　generals　were　quartered　in　the　huts　of　the　village。　The　regiments　were　in　the　neighboring　hamlets。　The　king　lived　quietly　in　his　house；　wholly　given　up　to　anxiety　and　discontent。　He　ate　alone　in　his　room；　spoke　to　no　one；　or　if　he　did；　said　only　a　few　grave　words。　All　jesting　was　vanished　from　his　lips；　he　was　never　seen　to　smile；　never　heard　to　play　the　flute。　The　grief　which　oppressed　his　heart　was　too　profound　to　be　confided　to　the　soft　and　melting　tones　of　his　flute。　Even　that　cherished　companion　could　now　give　him　no　consolation。　Fearful；　horrible　intelligence　had　followed　him　from　the　encampment　at　trehlen。　It　had　poisoned　these　days　of　long…denied　and　necessary　rest；　and　shrouded　the　gloomy　future　with　yet　darker　presentiments　of　evil。
  Schweidnitz；　the　strong　fortress；　the　key　of　Silesia；　which　had　been　so　long　and　with　such　mighty　effort　defended；　had　fallen！had　yielded　to　the　Austriansand　Frederick　had　thus　lost　the　most　important　acquisition　of　the　last　year；　and　thus　his　possession　of　Silesia　was　again　made　doubtful。　He　looked　sadly　back　upon　all　the　precious　blood　which　had　been　shed　to　no　purposeupon　all　the　great　and　hardly…won　battles；　won　in　vain。　He　looked　forward　with　an　aching　heart　to　the　years　of　blood　and　battle　which　must　follow。　Frederick　longed　for　rest　and　peacehe　was　weary　of　bloodshed　and　of　war。　Like　an　alluring；　radiant　picture　of　paradise；　the　image　of　his　beloved　Sans…Souci　passed　from　time　to　time　before　his　soul。　He　dreamed　of　his　quiet　library　and　his　beautiful　picture…gallery。　And　yet　his　courage　was　unconqueredand　he　preferred　the　torture　of　these　wretched　dayshe　preferred　death　itself　to　the　unfavorable　and　humiliating　peace　which　his　proud　enemies；　made　presumptuous　by　their　last　successes；　dared　to　offer　him。　They　stood　opposed　to　him　in　monstrous　superiority；　but　Frederick　remained　unshaken。　With　a　smaller　army　and　fewer　allies　Alexander　demolished　Persia。　〃But　happily；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃there　was　no　Alexander　to　lead　his　enemies　to　victory。〃
  Frederick　did　not　despair；　and　yet　he　did　not　believe　in　the　possibility　of　triumph。　He　preferred　an　honorable　death　to　a　dishonorable　peace。　He　would　rather　fail　amidst　the　proud　ruins　of　Prussia；　made　great　by　his　hand；　than　return　with　her　to　their　former　petty　insignificance。　They　offered　him　peace；　but　a　peace　which　compelled　him　to　return　the　lands　he　had　conquered；　and　to　pay　to　his　victorious　enemies　the　costs　of　the　war。
  The　king　did　not　regard　these　mortifying　propositions　as　worthy　of　consideration；　and　he　commanded　his　ambassador；　whom　he　had　sent　to　Augsburg　to　treat　with　the　enemy；　to　return　immediately。　〃It　is　true；〃　he　said　to　his　confidant；　Le　Catt；　〃all　Europe　is　combined　against　meall　the　great　powers　have　resolved　upon　my　destruction。　And　England；　the　only　friend　I　did　possess　in　Europe；　has　now　abandoned　me。〃
  〃But　one　has　remained　faithful。〃
  〃'Among　the　faithless；　faithful　only　he'　Among　the　innumerable　false；　unmoved；　unshaken；　unseduced；　unterrified；　that　is　my　sword。　If　the　exalted　empresses　are　not　my　friends；　the　greater　honor　to　my　good　sword　which　has　never　failed　me；　and　which　shall　go　down　with　me　into　the　dark　grave。　If　in　Europe　I　have　neither　friends　nor　allies；　I　may　find　both　in　other　parts　of　the　world。　Asia　may　send　me　the　troops　which　Europe　denies。　If　Russia　is　my　enemy；　who　knows　but　for　this　reason　Turkey　may　become　my　ally？　And　who　knows　but　an　alliance　with　the　so…called　unbelievers　would　be　of　more　value　to　Prussia　than　a　league　with　the　so…called　believing　Russians？　They　call　themselves　Christians；　but　their　weapons　are　lies；　intrigues；　deceit；　and　treachery。　The　Moslem；　however；　is　an　honorable　man　and　a　brave　soldier。　If　he　calls　his　God　Allah；　and　his　Christ　Mohammed；　God　may　call　him　to　account。　I　have　nothing　to　do　with　it。　What　has　faith　to　do　with　the　kings　of　this　world？　Besides；　I　believe　the　Turks　and　Tartars　are　better　Christians　than　the　Russians。〃
  〃Your　majesty　is　really；　then；　thinking　of　an　alliance　with　the　Turks　and　Tartars？〃　said　Le　Catt。
  〃I　am　thinking　of　it　so　earnestly；〃　said　the　king；　eagerly；　〃that　day　and　night　I　think　of　nothing　else。　I　have　spared　no　cost；　no　gold；　no　labor；　to　bring　it　about。　Once　I　had　almost　succeeded；　and　the　Sublime　Porte　was　inclined　to　this　league；　and　my　ambassador；　Rexin；　was；　with　the　consent　of　the　Grand　Vizier　Mustapha；　and　indeed　by　his　advice；　disguised　and　sent　secretly　to　Constantinople。　The　negotiations　were　almost　completed；　when　the　Russian　and　French　ambassadors　discovered　my　plans；　and　by　bribery；　lies；　and　intrigues　of　every　base　sort；　succeeded　in　interfering。　Mustapha　broke　his　promise；　and　his　only　answer　to　me　was'that　the　Sublime　Porte　must　wait　for　happier　and　more　propitious　days　to　confirm　her　friendship　and　good　understanding　with　the　King　of　Prussia。'　This　was　the　will　of　God　the　Almighty。　This　propitious　year　has　been　a　long　time　coming；　but　I　hope　it　is　now　at　hand；　and　this　longed…for　alliance　will　at　length　be　concluded。　The　last　dispatches　from　my　ambassador　in　Constantinople　seem　favorable。　The　wise　and　energetic　Grand　Vizier　Raghile；　the　first　self…reliant　and　enterprising　Turkish　statesman；　has　promised　Rexin　to　bring　this　matter　before　the　sultan；　and　I　am　daily　expecting　a　courier　who　will　bring　me　a　decisive　and　perhaps　favorable　answer　from　Tartary。〃
  ＇Footnote：　Kammer；　〃History　of　the　Porte；〃　vol。　viii。；　p。　190。＇
  Le　Catt　gazed　with　admiration　upon　the　noble；　excited　countenance　of　the　king。　〃Oh；　sire；〃　said　he；　deeply　moved；　〃pardon；　that　in　the　fulness　of　my　heart；　overcome　with　joy　and　rapture。　I　dare　for　once　to　give　expression　in　words　to　my　love　and　my　admiration。　It　is　a　glorious　spectacle　to　see　the　proud　oak　in　the　midst　of　the　wild　tempest　firm　and　unmoved；　not　even　bowing　its　proud　head　to　the　raging　elements；　offering　a　bold　but　calm　defiance。　But　it　is　a　still　more　exalted　spectacle　to　see　a　man　with　a　brave　heart　and　flashing　eye　defy　disaster　and　death；　alone；　in　the　consciousness　of　his　own　strength；　meeting　Fate　as　an　adversary　and　gazing　upon　it　eye　to　eye　unterrified。　Misfortune　is　like　the　lion　of　the　desert。　If　a　man　with　steady　eye　and　firm　step　advances　to　meet　him；　he　ceases　to　roar　and　lies　down　humbly　at　his　feet；　he　recognizes　and　quails　before　man　made　in　the　likeness　of　God。　You；　my　king；　now　offer　this　spectacle　to　the　astonished　world。　Can　you　wonder　that　I；　who　am　ever　near　you；　are　filled　with　devotion　and　adoration；　and　must　at　last　give　utterance　to　my　emotion？　I　have　seen　your　majesty　on　the　bloody　battle…field；　and　in　th