ke his Majesty, at Lowen or sooner; which they never did. Passing
Pampitz, the King threw Fredersdorf a word, who was among the baggage
there: "To Oppeln; bring the Purse, the Privy Writings!" Which
Fredersdorf, and the Clerks (and another Herr, who became Nicolai's
Father-in-law in after years) did; and joined the King at Lowen; but I
hope stopped there.

The King's suite was small, names not given; but by the time he got to
Lowen, being joined by cavalry fugitives and the like, it had got to
be seventy persons: too many for the King. He selected what was his of
them; ordered the gates to be shut behind him on all others, and again
rode away. The Leopold Squadron of Gens-d'Armes did not arrive till
after his departure; and having here lost trace of him, called halt,
and billeted for the night. The King speeds silently to Oppeln on his
excellent bay horse, the worse-mounted gradually giving in. At Oppeln
is a Bridge over the Oder, a free Country beyond: Regiment La Motte
lay, and as the King thinks, still lies in Oppeln;--but in that he is
mistaken. Regiment La Motte is with the baggage at Pampitz, all this
day; and a wandering Hussar Party, some sixty Austrians, have taken
possession of Oppeln. The King, and the few who had not yet broken down,
arrive at the Gate of Oppeln, late, under cloud of night: "Who goes?"
cried the sentry from within. "Prussians! A Prussian Courier!" answer
they;--and are fired upon through the gratings; and immediately draw
back, and vanish unhurt into Night again. "Had those Hussars only let
him in!" said Austria afterwards: but they had not such luck. It was at
this point, according to Valori, that the King burst forth into audible
ejaculations of a lamentable nature. There is no getting over, then,
even to Brandenburg, and in an insolvent condition. Not open insolvency
and bankrupt disgrace; no, ruin, and an Austrian jail, is the one
outlook. "O MON DIEU, O God, it is too much (C'EN EST TROP)!" with
other the like snatches of lamentation; [Valori, i. 104.] which are not
inconceivable in a young man, sleepless for the third night, in these
circumstances; but which Valori knows nothing of, except by malicious
rumor from the valet class,--who have misinformed Valori about several
other points.

The King riding diligently, with or without ejaculations, back towards
Lowen, comes at an early hour to the Mill of Hilbersdorf, within a
mile-and-half of that place. He alights at the Mill; sends one