helm, at length; "most
likely we shall not meet again in this world." Whereat Cochius burst
into tears, and withdrew. About four, the King was again out of bed;
wished to see his youngest Boy, who had been ill of measles, but was
doing well: "Poor little Ferdinand, adieu, then, my little child!" This
is the Father of that fine Louis Ferdinand, who was killed at Jena;
concerning whom Berlin, in certain emancipated circles of it, still
speaks with regret. He, the Louis Ferdinand, had fine qualities; but
went far a-roving, into radicalism, into romantic love, into
champagne; and was cut down on the threshold of Jena, desperately
fighting,--perhaps happily for him.

From little Ferdinand's room Friedrich Wilhelm has himself rolled into
Queen Sophie's. "Feekin, O my Feekin, thou must rise this day, and help
me what thou canst. This day I am going to die; thou wilt be with me
this day!" The good Wife rises: I know not that it was the first time
she had been so called; but it did prove the last. Friedrich Wilhelm
has decided, as the first thing he will do, to abdicate; and all the
Official persons and companions of the sick-room, Pollnitz among them,
not long after sunrise, are called to see it done. Pollnitz, huddling on
his clothes, arrived about five: in a corridor he sees the wheeled-chair
and poor sick King; steps aside to let him pass: "'It is over (DAS IST
VOLLBRACHT),' said the King, looking up to me as he passed: he had on
his nightcap, and a blue mantle thrown round him." He was wheeled into
his anteroom; there let the company assemble; many of them are already
there.

The royal stables are visible from this room: Friedrich Wilhelm orders
the horses to be ridden out: you old Furst of Anhalt-Dessau my oldest
friend, you Colonel Hacke faithfulest of Adjutant-Generals, take each
of you a horse, the best you can pick out: it is my last gift to you.
Dessau, in silence, with dumb-show of thanks, points to a horse, any
horse: "You have chosen the very worst," said Friedrich Wilhelm: "Take
that other, I will warrant him a good one!" The grim old Dessauer thanks
in silence; speechless grief is on that stern gunpowder face, and he
seems even to be struggling with tears. "Nay, nay, my friend," Friedrich
Wilhelm said, "this is a debt we have all to pay."

The Official people, Queen, Friedrich, Minister Boden, Minister
Podewils, and even Pollnitz, being now all present, Friedrich Wilhelm
makes his Declaration, at considerable