at　last　give　utterance　to　my　emotion？　I　have　seen　your　majesty　on　the　bloody　battle…field；　and　in　the　full　consciousness　of　victory；　but　never　have　I　seen　the　laurels　which　crown　your　brow　so　radiant　as　in　these　days　of　your　misfortune　and　defeat。　Never　was　the　King　of　Prussia　so　great　a　hero；　so　glorious　a　couqueror；　as　during　these　last　weeks　of　destitution　and　gloom。　You　have　hungered　with　the　hungry；　you　have　frozen　with　the　freezing；　you　have　passed　the　long；　weary　nights　upon　your　cannon　or　upon　the　hard；　cold　earth。　You　have　divided　your　last　drop　of　wine　with　the　poor　soldiers。　You　did　this；　sire；　I　was　in　your　tent　and　witnessed　itI　alone。　You　sat　at　your　dinnera　piece　of　bread　and　one　glass　of　Hungarian　wine；　the　last　in　your　possession。　An　officer　entered　with　his　report。　You　asked　him　if　he　had　eaten。　He　said　yes；　but　his　pale；　thin　face　contradicted　his　words。　You；　sire；　broke　off　the　half　of　your　bread；　you　drank　the　half　of　your　wine；　then　gave　the　rest　to　the　officer；　saying　in　an　almost　apologetic　tone；　'It　is　all　that　I　have。'　Sire；　on　that　day　I　did　what　since　my　youth　I　have　not　doneI　wept　like　a　child；　and　my　every　glance　upon　your　nobel　face　was　a　prayer。〃
  〃Enthusiast；〃　said　the　king；　giving　his　hand　to　Le　Catt　with　a　kindly　smile；　〃is　the　world　so　corrupt　that　so　natural　an　act　should　excite　surprise；　and　appear　great　and　exalted？　Are　you　astonished　at　that　which　is　simply　human？　But　look！　There　is　a　courier！　He　stops　before　the　door　of　my　peasant…palace。　Quick；　quick！　Le　Catt；　let　me　know　the　news　he　brings。〃
  Le　Catt　hastened　off；　and　returned　at　once　with　the　dispatches。
  Frederick　took　them　with　impatient　haste；　and　while　he　read；　his　grave　face　lightened；　and　a　happy；　hopeful　smile　played　once　more　upon　his　lips。　〃Ah；　Le　Catt；〃　said　he；　〃I　was　a　good　prophet；　and　my　hopes　are　about　to　be　fulfilled。　Europe　is　against　me；　but　Asia　is　my　ally。　The　barbarous　Russians　are　my　enemies；　but　the　honest　Turks　and　Tartars　are　my　friends。　This　dispatch　is　from　my　ambassador　Rexin。　He　is　coming；　accompanied　by　an　ambassador　of　Tartary；　and　may　be　here　in　a　few　hours。〃
  〃Where　will　your　majesty　receive　him？〃　said　Le　Catt。
  The　king　looked　around　smilingly　at　the　little　room；　with　the　rude　walls　and　dirty　floor。
  〃I　will　receive　him　here！〃　said　he；　〃here；　in　my　royal　palace　of　Voiseilvitz。　I　am　forced　to　believe　that　a　right　royal　king　would；　by　his　presence；　transform　the　lowliest　hut　into　a　palace；　and　the　most　ordinary　chair　into　a　throne。　The　eyes　of　the　ambassador　may；　however；　be　as　dull　as　those　of　the　worthy　possessor　of　my　present　palace。　It　may　be　that　he　will　not　recognize　me　as　the　visible　representative　of　Godas　king　by　the　grace　of　God。　We　must　therefore　come　to　his　assistance；　and　show　ourselves　in　all　the　dazzling　glitter　of　royalty。　We　must　improvise　a　throne；　and；　it　appears　to　me；　that　leathern　arm…chair；　which　certainly　belonged　to　a　grandfather；　is　well　suited　to　the　occasion。　It　will　be　a　worthy　representation　of　my　throne；　which　was　my　grandfather's　throne；　he　erected　it；　and　I　inherited　it　from　him。　Shove　it；　then；　into　the　middle　of　the　room；　and　fasten　some　of　the　Russian　flags；　which　we　took　at　Zorndorf；　on　the　wall　behind　it；　spread　my　tent…carpet　on　the　floor；　and　my　throne　saloon　is　ready。　Quick；　Le　Catt；　make　your　preparations；　call　the　servants；　and　show　them　what　they　have　to　do。　In　the　mean　time；　I　will　make　my　toilet；　I　must　not　appear　before　the　worthy　ambassador　in　such　unworthy　guise。〃　The　king　rang　hastily；　and　his　valet；　Deesen；　entered。　〃Deesen；〃　said　he；　gayly；　〃we　will　imagine　ourselves　to　be　again　in　Sans…Souci；　and　about　to　hold　a　great　court。　I　must　do　then；　what　I　have　not　done　for　a　long　timemake　grande　toilette。　I　will　wear　my　general's　uniform；　and　adorn　myself　with　the　order　of　the　Black　Eagle。　I　will　have　my　hair　frizzed；　and　screw　up　an　imposing　cue。　Well；　Deesen；　why　do　you　gaze　at　me　so　wildly？〃
  〃Sire；　the　general's　coat　is　here；　but〃
  〃Well；　but　what？〃　cried　the　king；　impatiently。
  〃But　the　breeches！　the　breeches！〃　stammered　Deesen；　turning　pale；　〃they　are　torn；　and　those　your　majesty　now　wears；　are　your　last　and　only　ones。〃
  〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　king；　laughing；　〃I　will　continue　to　wear　my　last　and　only　breeches；　I　will　put　on　my　general's　coat；　voila　tout。〃
  〃That　is　wholly　impossible；〃　cried　Deesen；　wringing　his　hands。　〃If　your　majesty　proposes　to　hold　a　great　court；　you　cannot　possibly　wear　these　breeches！〃
  〃Why　not？　why　not？〃　said　the　king；　fiercely。
  〃Sire；〃　murmured　Deesen；　〃sire；　that　has　happened　to　them　which　happened　to　your　majesty　at　Torgau。〃
  〃That　is　to　say〃　said　the　king；　questioningly。
  〃That　is　to　say；　they　are　wounded。〃
  Frederick　looked　surprised；　and　following　the　glance　of　his　valet；　he　found　his　eyes　fixed　upon　his　knees。
  〃You　are　right；　Deesen；〃　said　he；　laughing；　〃that　disaster　has　befallen　my　breeches　which　befell　me　at　Torgau：　they　are　wounded；　and　need　a　surgeon。〃
  〃Your　majesty　must　therefore　graciously　postpone　your　great　court　till　to…morrow。　Perhaps　I　may　find　a　tailor　in　one　of　the　neighboring　villages；　he　will　work　during　the　night；　and　early　tomorrow　every　thing　will　be　in　order。〃
  〃It　must　be　done　to…daydone　immediately；〃　cried　the　king。　〃In　a　few　hours　the　injury　must　be　healed；　and　my　apparel　fully　restored　to　health。〃
  〃But；　sire；〃　whispered　Deesen；　〃how　can　that　be　possible？　Your　majesty　has　but　one　pair；　and　you　must　take　them　off；　in　order　that　they　may　be　mended。〃
  〃Well；　I　will　take　them　off；〃　said　the　king；　〃go　and　seek　the　tailor。　I　will　undress　and　go　to　bed　till　this　important　operation　is　performed。　Go　at　once！〃
  While　the　king　was　undressing；　he　heard　Deesen's　stentorian　voice；　calling　out　lustily　through　the　streets〃A　tailor！　a　tailor！　is　there　a　tailor　amongst　the　soldiers？〃
  The　king　was　scarcely　covered　up　in　bed　before　Deesen　entered；　with　a　joyous　face。
  〃Sire；　I　have　found　a　soldier　who　can　do　the　work；　he　is　not　a　tailor；　but　he　swears　he　can　sew　and　patch；　and　he　undertakes　to　dress　the　wounds。〃
  〃And　yet；　it　is　said　that　a　higher　power　rules　the　world；〃　murmured　the　king；　when　he　was　again　alone；　〃accidentaccident　decides　all　questions。　If　there　had　been　no　tailor　amongst　the　soldiers；　the　King　of　Prussia　could　not　have　received　the　ambassador　of　Tartary　to…day；　and　the　negotiations　might　have　been　broken　off。〃
  At　this　moment　the　door　opened；　and　Le　Catt　entered；　followed　by　a　servant　with　the　Russian　flags　and　the　carpet。　When　he　saw　the　king　in　bed；　he　started　back；　and　asked　anxiously　〃if　his　majesty　had　been　taken　suddenly　unwell？〃
  〃No；〃　said　Frederick；　〃I　am　only　making　my　toilet。〃
  〃Your　toilet；　sire？〃
  〃Yes；　Le　Catt；　did　you　see　a　soldier　at　the　door？〃
  〃Yes；　sire。〃
  〃What　was　be　doing？〃
  〃He　seemed　to　be　sewing。〃
  〃He　is　sewing；　and　he　is　to…day　my　first　gentleman　of　the　bedchamber；　he　is　dressing　me。　Ah！　in　the　presence　of　this　humble　patcher；　I　remember　that　a　wise　man　said；　'A　king　is　but　a　man　to　his　valet　de　chambre。'　But　do　not　allow　my　presence　to　prevent　you　from　building　my　throne；　I　will　rest　here　comfortably；　and　look　on。〃
  While　the　king　lay　in　bed　waiting；　the　soldier　who　had　undertaken　the　job；　sat　on　a　bench　before　the　door。　He　bent　his　head　zealously　over　his　work；　and　did　not　once　look　up　to　his　comrade　who　stood　near　him；　leaning　against　a　large　oak；　gazing　rigidly　and　unweariedly　at　him。　But　in　this　steady　and　indefatigable　glance；　there　seemed　to　be　a　strange；　attractive　power；　which　the　soldier　could　not　resist。　He　raised　his　head　involuntarily　for　a　moment；　and　the　sweet　and　noble　face　of　Charles　Henry　Buschman　was　seen。
  〃Fritz　Kober；〃　said　he；　〃why　do　you　gaze　at　me　so；　and　why　do　you　follow　me？〃
  〃Because　I　have　been　so　accustomed　to　be　where　you　are！〃　said　Fritz　Kober；　quietly。　〃When　I　heard　Deesen　call　for　a　tailor；　and　you　answered；　'Here！　here！'　I　stepped　out　of　my　tent　and　followed　you；　nothing　more！　But　you　would　also　know　why　I　look　at　you？　Well；　while　it　pleases　me　to　see　you　sewing；　it　brings　strange　and　pleasant　thoughts　to　my　mind。〃
  〃What　sort　of　strange　and　pleasant　thoughts；　Fritz？〃　said　Charles　Henry；　bowing　down　again　earnestly　over　his　work。
  〃I　thought；〃　said　Fritz　Kober；　in　a　trembling　voice；　〃that　if　ever　I　should　take　a　wife；　she　must　look　exactly　as　you　do；　Charles　Henry；　she　must　have　the　same　neat　little　hands；　and　be　expert　with　the　needle　as　you　are。　Then　I　thought　further；　that　in　the　whole　world　there　was　no　man　so　good　and　brave；　so　gentle　and　intelligent　as　you。　Then　I　considered　what　would　become　of　me　when　the　war　was　at　an　end；　and　you　should　desert　me　and　go　back　to　your　village。　Then　I　resolved　to　follow　you　through　the　whole　world；　and　not　to　cease　my　prayers　and　entreaties　till　you　promised　to　come　into　my　hut；　and　take　all　that　was　mineunder　the　condition　that　you　would　keep　me　always　with　youat　least　as　your　servantand　never　spurn　me　or　cast　me　off。　Then；　I　thought　further；　that　if　you　said　noif　you　refused　to　come　into　my　house；　I　would　wander　far　away　in　despair；　and；　in　the　anguish　of　my　heart　I　would　become　a　bad　and　contemptible　man。　Without　you；　Charles　Henry；　there　is　no　joy　or　peace　in　this　world　for　me；　you　fire　my　good　angel！　Charles　Henry　Buschman；