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Hence；　the　emperor；　at　the　hour　of　his　departure　for　Austria；
requested　the　Queen　and　King　of　Prussia　to　accompany　him　to　the
grave　of　Frederick　the　Great。　At　midnight；　on　the　5th　of　November；
they　repaired；　therefore；　to　the　garrison　church　at　Potsdam；　the
lower　vault　of　which　contains　the　coffin　of　the　great　king。　A　single
torch…bearer　accompanied　the　three　august　visitors；　whose　steps
resounded　solemnly　in　the　silent；　gloomy　halls。

Arriving　at　the　king's　coffin；　the　emperor　knelt　down；　his　face；
lighted　up　by　the　glare　of　the　torch；　was　radiant　with　enthusiasm。
On　the　other　side　of　the　dark　vault　stood　the　king　and　the　queen；
both　with　folded　hands；　the　king　with　a　gloomy　and　reserved　air；　the
queen　with　her　eyes　turned　to　heaven；　and　her　face　beaming　with
pious　emotion　and　joy。

Alexander；　still　remaining　on　his　knees；　now　raised　his　folded　hands
toward　heaven。　〃At　the　grave　of　the　most　heroic　king；〃　he　said　in　a
loud　and　solemn　voice〃at　the　grave　of　Frederick　the　Great；　I　swear
to　my　ally；　the　King　of　Prussia；　an　oath　of　everlasting　love　and
constancy；　I　swear　an　oath　of　everlasting　constancy　and　love　to　the
sacred　cause　which　has　united　us　for　the　most　exalted　purpose。　Never
shall　my　constancy　waver；　never　shall　my　love　grow　cold！　I　swear
it！〃

He　kissed　the　coffin　and　rose　from　his　knees；　his　eyes；　glistening
with　tears；　then　turned　toward　the　king；　as　he　said：

〃It　is　your　turn　now；　my　brother；　to　swear　the　oath。〃

The　king　hesitated。

The　queen　laid　her　hand　gently　on　his　shoulder；　and　bent　her
beautiful　face　so　close　to　him　that　he　felt　her　breath；　like　the
kiss　of　an　angel；　on　his　cheek。

〃Swear　the　oath；　my　friend；　my　beloved；〃　she　whispered；　〃swear　to　be
faithful　to　the　holy　alliance　against　the　French　tyrant；　swear
everlasting　constancy　and　love　to　our　noble　ally。〃

The　king　hesitated　no　longer；　he　raised　his　head　resolutely　and
approached　the　coffin。　Laying　his　hand　upon　it；　he　repeated　in　a
grave　and　calm　voice　the　words　which　the　queen　had　uttered　before；
and　which　she　now　whispered　with　trembling　lips。

All　three　then　grasped　each　other's　hands　over　the　coffin；　thus　they
stood　a　long　while；　deeply　moved　and　silent。

All　at　once　this　silence　was　interrupted　by　the　loud；　ringing　notes
of　the　church　clock；　announcing　the　first　hour　of　the　new　day。　The
sounds　died　away；　and　the　chime　of　the　bells　now　commenced　playing
in　clear　and　sweet　notes　the　old　German　hymn；　〃Ueb　immer　Treu　und
Redlichkeit；　bis　an　dein　kuhles　Grab！〃　＇Footnote：　Holty's　beautiful
hymn；　〃Be　honest　and　faithful　until　they　lay　thee　in　thy　cool
grave。〃＇

The　king　inclined　his　head；　as　if　in　silent　prayer；　an　almost
imperceptible；　strange　smile　overspread　the　noble　features　of　the
emperor。　The　queen；　however；　glowing　with　enthusiasm；　exclaimed：

〃God　and　the　spirit　of　Frederick　the　Great　give　us　the　motto　of　our
alliance：　'Ueb　immer　Treu　und　Redlichkeit；　bis　an　dein　kuhles　Grab！'
Let　us　remember　it　as　long　as　we　live！〃

〃Let　us　remember　it；〃　repeated　the　two　sovereigns；　with　a　firm；
manly　grasp。　They　looked　at　each　other；　and　with　their　eyes　bade
each　other　a　last　farewell。

Then　they　turned　silently　away　and　left　the　royal　vault。

Five　minutes　later；　the　Emperor　Alexander　of　Russia　was　on　his　way
to　Olmutz；　in　order　to　join　there　the　Emperor　Francis　of　Austria；
who　had　fled　thither　from　Napoleon　and　his　victorious　army。

At　Olmutz　the　plan　for　the　campaign　of　the　third　coalition　against
Napoleon　was　to　be　agreed　upon。




THE　FALL　OF　THE　GERMAN　EMPIRE。


CHAPTER　XLVII。

EVIL　TIDINGS。


It　was　in　the　last　days　of　November；　1805。　After　the　victory　of　Ulm；
the　Emperor　Napoleon　had　established　his　headquarters　in　Brunn；
where　he　seemed　to　wait　for　his　adversaries　to　attack　him。　There　was
no　longer　one　enemy　opposed　to　him；　he　had　no　longer　to　cope　with
Austria　alone；　but　also　with　Russia；　whose　emperor　was　now　at　Olmutz
with　the　Emperor　of　Austria；　for　the　purpose　of　agreeing　with　him　on
the　plan　of　operations　by　which　Napoleon　was　to　be　defeated。　The
Russian　army　had　already　formed　a　junction　with　the　Austrian　forces；
and　even　the　Russian　life…guards；　the　elite　of　their　army；　had　left
Russia　in　order　to　accompany　their　emperor　to　the　great　decisive
battle。

But　Napoleon　had　likewise　brought　his　guards　along；　and　these
splendid　troops　were　impatient　and　eager　to　fight　the　last　decisive
battle　with　the　Austrians　and　with　〃the　hordes　of　the　Russian
barbarians。〃

Napoleon；　however；　still　hesitated；　his　plans　apparently　had　not
been　matured；　and　he　seemed　undecided　whether　to　advance　still
further　or　to　content　himself　with　the　victories　he　had　already
obtained。

This　last　alternative　was　urged　on　him　by　his　generals；　who　believed
the　victory　of　Ulm　to　be　so　brilliant　a　triumph　that　the　French　army
might　repose　on　its　laurels；　instead　of　drawing　the　sword　once　more。

Napoleon；　however；　did　not　assent　to　these　views　of　his　generals。

〃If　we　had　to　cope　only　with　the　Austrians　we　might　be　satisfied；
but　there　are　the　Russians；　too；　and　it　will　be　necessary　for　us　to
send　them　home。　We　must　give　them　their　passports。〃

Greatly　elated　at　this　idea；　the　emperor　ordered　his　horse　to　be
brought　to　him。

〃We　will　examine　the　country　a　little；〃　he　said　to　his　generals；
〃accompany　me；　gentlemen。〃

And　surrounded　by　his　brilliant　staff；　consisting　of　the　most
illustrious　and　victorious　officers　of　his　army；　the　emperor　rode
out　far　into　the　plain　between　Brunn　and　Vichau；　crowned　all　around
with　hills　and　mountains。　His　bold；　searching　glances　surveyed　the
country　in　every　direction；　not　a　height；　not　a　tree；　not　a　ravine；
escaped　his　attention；　he　examined　every　thing；　and　seemed　to
engrave　them　on　his　soul。　It　was　near　nightfall　when　he　returned
with　his　generals　from　this　long　ride　to　his　headquarters。　He　had
all　day　been　taciturn　and　absorbed；　and　none　of　his　generals　had
been　permitted　to　participate　in　his　plans　and　observations。　He　had
only　sometimes　directed　their　attention　by　a　laconic　word　or　by　a
wave　of　his　hand　to　some　peculiarity　of　the　landscape；　and　the
generals　had　received　these　words　and　gestures　like　the　mysterious
hints　of　an　oracle；　with　the　most　respectful　attention；　in　order　to
weigh　them　in　their　minds；　and　to　indelibly　engrave　them　in　their
memory。　On　his　arrival　at　the　door　of　his　headquarters；　the　emperor
turned　his　pale；　grave　face　once　more　to　the　plain　which　they　had
just　left。

〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　in　a　loud　voice；　〃study　that　part　of　the
country　as　closely　as　possible；　you　will　have　to　play　a　role　in　it
within　a　few　days。　General　Suchet；　on　the　left　side　of　your　division
there　is　an　isolated　mound；　commanding　your　entire　front。　Cause
fourteen　cannon　to　be　placed　on　it　in　the　course　of　the　present
night。〃　＇Footnote：　Napoleon's　own　words。　Vide　〃Memoires　du　Duc　de
Rovigo；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　169。＇　He　nodded　to　the　gentlemen　and　entered
his　cabinet。

He　paced　his　room　for　a　long　while　with　folded　arms；　compressed
lips；　and　a　gloomy　air。

〃I　need　a　few　days　more；〃　he　muttered。　〃If　they　should　attack　me
now；　quickly　and　resolutely；　I　must　succumb；　if　they　give　me　three
days'　time；　however；　I　shall　defeat　them。〃

When　he　then　stooped　musingly　before　his　desk；　he　suddenly　noticed
the　papers　lying　on　it。

〃Ah；〃　he　said；　hastily　seizing　a　large；　sealed　letter；　〃a　courier；
who　has　brought　dispatches　in　my　absence！　From　the　minister　of　the
navynews　from　the　fleet！〃

He　broke　the　seal　hurriedly　and　unfolded　the　paper。　While　reading　it
his　mien　became　still　more　gloomy；　a　cloud　of　anger　settled　on　his
expansive　brow；　and　his　cheeks；　which　had　hitherto　only　been　pale；
turned　livid。

The　glance　which　he　now　cast　toward　heaven　would　have　reminded　the
spectator　of　the　Titans　who　dared　to　hurl　their　missiles　even　at　the
Sovereign　Deity；　the　words　muttered　by　his　quivering　lips　were　an
angry　oath。

With　this　oath　he　crumpled　up　the　paper　in　his　hand；　threw　it　down
and　stamped　on　it；　then；　as　if　ashamed　of　his　own　violence；　he　sank
down　on　a　chair；　and　laid　his　hands　slowly；　and　with　a　deep　sigh；　on
his　trembling；　pale　face。　The　modern　Titan　had　now　found　out　for　the
first　time　that　there　was　a　God　enthroned　in　heaven　more　powerful
than　himself；　for　the　first　time　an　invisible　hand　had　stopped　him
in　his　hitherto　victorious　course。

The　paper　he　had　just　trampled　under　foot　announced　to　him　the　first
great　defeat；　the　first　check　his　grand　schemes　had　met　with。

The　French　fleet　had　been　completely　beaten　and　almost　annihilated
by　the　English　at　Trafalgar。　＇Footnote：　October　21；　1806。＇　England；
the　only　enemy　who　had　constantly　opposed　Napoleon　in　a　menacing　and
fearless　manner；　detested　England　had　gained　a　magnificent　triumph。
She　had　destroyed　the　whole　naval　power　of　France；　and　won　a
brilliant　victory；　a　victory　which　humiliated　France　and　overwhelmed
her　with　disgrace。　It　is　true　it　was　a　dearly…bought　victory　for
England；　for　Nelson；　her　greatest　naval　hero；　had　paid　for　his
immortal　triumph　with　his　life。　The　French　admiral；　Villeneuve；　who
was　defeated　at　Trafalgar；　had　not　even　been　lucky　and　wise　enough
to　expiate　his　ignominy　by　his　death；　he　had　fallen；　a　despa