age. Alkmene lay upon his knee, and Diana at his feet.
His countenance was pale, and betrayed fatigue, but his eye beamed with
undimmed brilliancy, and around his mouth played an ironical smile.
"Well, so matters stand; therefore, I have summoned you to Welsdorf,"
said Frederick to his minister, Von Herzberg. "The empress-queen is,
above all things, a most tender mother. She is fearfully anxious, now
that the dear young Emperor Joseph has left for the army, and will be
exposed to the dangers of war. My good friends in Vienna inform me that
my entrance into Bohemia created a sensation at the brilliant capital,
and had so much alarmed the empress-queen, that she was seriously
thinking of negotiating for peace. As I learned this from a reliable
source, I halted and encamped, that the empress should know where to
find me, and sent to summon you immediately. I had not been here three
days, when the empress's ambassador, Baron von Thugut, appeared to make
offers, and consult about an armistice of two weeks. I made known my
conditions, and promised the empress, through her negotiator, that I
would so calculate my movements that her majesty would have nothing
to fear for her blood and her cherished emperor. [Footnote: The king's
words.--See "Prussia, Frederick the Great," vol. iv., p. 102.] Voila,
mon cher ministre, you know all now. If the Austrian diplomat comes a
second time, you can negotiate with him."

"Is your majesty also inclined to peace?" asked Herzberg.

The king shrugged his shoulders. "When it can be arranged with honor,
yes," said he. "I will acknowledge, Herzberg, to you, the campaign is
hard for me. The old fellow of sixty-eight feels the burden of life, and
would gladly rest quietly, and enjoy the last few years as philosopher
and writer instead of soldier."

"Your majesty has yet many years to live, God willing," cried Herzberg.
"It would be a great misfortune to Prussia if she could not yet owe to
her great king a long and happy reign."

"Hem!" replied the king, "there are in Prussia very many who think
otherwise, and wish me to the devil. But I have no intention of seeking
monsieur so soon, for there are sufficient devilish deeds to endure in
this earthly vale of sorrow to prepare for one a very decent purgatory,
and give him hereafter well-founded hopes of heaven. Therefore I count
upon remaining here below a while, and to knead with you this leaven of
life that may yield to my subjects an eatable bread