nger just on the trigger;--and quietly admonishing,
Friedrich lifts his finger with a "DU, DU (Ah you!);" upon which, such
the divinity that hedges one, the wild creature instantly flings down
his murder-weapon, and, kneeling, embraces the King's boot,--with
kisses, for anything I know. It is certain, Friedrich, about six times
over in this paltry War or Quasi No-War, set his attendants on the
tremble; was namely, from Croateries and Artilleries, in imminent peril
of life; so careless was he, and dangerous to speak to in his sour
humor. Humor very sour, they say, for most part; being in reality
altogether backward and loath for grand enterprise; and yet striving
to think he was not; ashamed that any War of his should be a No-War.
Schmettau says:--

"On the day of getting into Jaromirtz [July 8th], the King, tired of
riding about while the Columns were slowly getting in, lay down on the
ground with his Adjutants about him. A young Officer came riding past;
whom the King beckoned to him;--wrote something with pencil (an Order,
not of the least importance), and said: 'Here; that Order to General
Lossow, and tell him he is not to take it ill that I trouble him, as I
have none in my Suite that can do anything.'" Let the Suite take it
as they can! A most pungent, severe old King; quite perverse at times,
thinks Schmettau. Thus again, more than once.:--

"On arriving with his Column where the Officer, a perfectly skilful
man, had marked out the Camp, the King would lift his spy-glass; gaze
to right and left, riding round the place at perhaps a hundred yards'
distance; and begin: 'SIEHT ER, HERR, But look, Herr, what a botching
you have made of it again (WAS ER DA WIEDER FUR DUMM ZEUG GEMACHT HAT)!'
and grumbling and blaming, would alter the Camp, till it was all out
of rule; and then say, 'See there, that is the way to mark out Camps.'"
[Schmettau, xxv. 30, 24.]

In a week's time, July 13th, came another fine excuse for inaction;
Plenipotentiary Thugut, namely, and the Kaiserinn's Letter, which we
spoke of. Autograph from Maria Theresa herself, inspired by the terror
of Vienna and of her beautiful motherly heart. Negotiation to be private
utterly: "My Son, the Kaiser, knows nothing of it; I beg the most
absolute secrecy;" which was accordingly kept, while Thugut, with
Finkenstein and Hertzberg again, held "Congress of Braunau" in those
neighborhoods,--with as little effect as ever. Thugut's Name, it seems,
was originally TU