it has been settled between them that Berneck, a little town twelve
miles from Baireuth on the Hof road, will do; and that Friday, probably
early, will be the day. Wilhelmina, accordingly, is on the road that
morning, early enough; Husband with her, and ceremonial attendants, in
honor of such a Brother; morning is of sultry windless sort; day hotter
and hotter;--at Berneck is no Crown-Prince, in the House appointed for
him; hour after hour, Wilhelmina waits there in vain. The truth is, one
of the smallest accidents has happened: the Generals "lost a wheel at
Gera yesterday;" were left behind there with their smiths, have not yet
appeared; and the insoluble question among Friedrich and the Margraves
is, "We dare not go on without them, then? We dare;--dare we?" Question
like to drive Friedrich mad, while the hours, at any rate, are slipping
on! Here are three Letters of Friedrich, legible at last; which, with
Wilhelmina's account from the other side, represent a small entirely
human scene in this French-Austrian War,--nearly all of human we have
found in the beggarly affair:--

1. TO PRINCESS WILHELMINA, AT BAIREUTH, OR ON THE ROAD TO BERNECK.

"HOF, 2d July [not long after 4 a.m.], 1794.

"MY DEAR SISTER,--Here am I within six leagues [say eight or more,
twenty-five miles English] of a Sister whom I love; and I have to decide
that it will be impossible to see her, after all!"--Does decide so,
accordingly, for reasons known to us.

"I have never so lamented the misfortune of not depending on myself as
at this moment! The King being but very sour-sweet on my score, I dare
not risk the least thing; Monday come a week, when he arrives himself,
I should have a pretty scene (SERAIS JOLIMENT TRAITE) in the Camp, if I
were found to have disobeyed orders.

"... The Queen commands me to give you a thousand regards from her. She
appeared much affected at your illness; but for the rest, I could not
warrant you how sincere it was; for she is totally changed, and I have
quite lost reckoning of her (N'Y CONNAIS RIEN). That goes so far that
she has done me hurt with the King, all she could: however, that is over
now. As to Sophie [young Sister just betrothed to the eldest Margraf
whom you know], she also is no longer the same; for she approves all
that the Queen says or does; and she is charmed with her big clown (GROS
NIGAUD) of a Bridegroom.

"The King is more difficult than ever; he is content with nothing, so as
to have lost