if that will
avail a practical man, or King's Ambassador. Or perhaps the Bishop of
Liege will bethink him, at last, what considerable liberty he is taking
with some people's whiskers? Four months are gone; Bishop of Liege has
not in the least bethought him: we are in the neighborhood in person,
with note of the thing in our memory.

FRIEDRICH TAKES THE ROD OUT OF PICKLE.

Accordingly the Rath Rambonet, whom Voltaire found at Moyland that
Sunday night, had been over at Liege; went exactly a week before; with
this message of very peremptory tenor from his Majesty:--

TO THE PRINCE BISHOP OF LIEGE.

"WESEL, 4th September, 1740.

"MY COUSIN,--Knowing all the assaults (ATTEINTES) made by you upon
my indisputable rights over my free Barony of Herstal; and how
the seditious ringleaders there, for several years past, have been
countenanced (BESTARKET) by you in their detestable acts of disobedience
against me,--I have commanded my Privy Councillor Rambonet to repair to
your presence, and in my name to require from you, within two days, a
distinct and categorical answer to this question: Whether you are still
minded to assert your pretended sovereignty over Herstal; and whether
you will protect the rebels at Herstal, in their disorders and
abominable disobedience?

"In case you refuse, or delay beyond the term, the Answer which I hereby
of right demand, you will render yourself alone responsible, before the
world, for the consequences which infallibly will follow. I am, with
much consideration,--My Cousin,--

"Your very affectionate Cousin,

"FRIEDRICH." [_Helden-Geschichte,_ ii. 75, 111.]

Rambonet had started straightway for Liege, with this missive; and had
duly presented it there, I guess on the 7th,--with notice that he would
wait forty-eight hours, and then return with what answer or no-answer
there might be. Getting no written answer, or distinct verbal one;
getting only some vague mumblement as good as none, Rambonet had
disappeared from Liege on the 9th; and was home at Moyland when Voltaire
arrived that Sunday evening,--just walking about to come to heat again,
after reporting progress to the above effect.

Rambonet, I judge, enjoyed only one of those divine Suppers at Moyland;
and dashed off again, "on hired hack" or otherwise, the very next
morning; that contingency of No-answer having been the anticipated one,
and all things put in perfect readiness for it. Rambonet's new errand
was to "take act,"